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It was the weirdest version of buyer's remorse- as though saving Shale's life had ever not been in the cards of things that had to be done. Ida's warning had rattled around and rattled around to literal Ad nauseam. 'you can never really be sure who around you is part of the Negaverse and might put two and two together'

What if he mentions something to his brother? or family? or roommates? If he has roommates. Or a boss. They might be part of the Negaverse and be all like 'Take me to your frand, rockman' and then its all Megaman times trying to get the hell out of DC-Dodge. Would he help me clear? He said he'd keep mum, but I guess that isn't exactly a promise to help out if it turns south either. Or what if someone here on floor notices I'm throwing away bandages in my weekly bag? Or what if one of the other students is sifting through all the bags in the dumpster looking for people getting hurt all the time? They couldn't trace that kind of thing, could they?

And why would Shale help out? Can I really ask that? We're friends, and that's great, but I don't want him to get in the crossfire with a bunch of whackjobs that put kids through torture. He's got a family to look out for that would miss him, too. What's he going to do against creepwads that teleport and steal souls? Hell, get a concealed carry permit is what any sane person would do. Why don't I have one. Why the hell aren't senshi carrying around baseball bats, mace, and some .45s? It's not hard to come by. Shop smart, shop S-Mart. A package of saltines was rummaged through for any that had broken in bubbles. Four were withdrawn and the rest of the pack replaced into a ziploc for freshness, then stowed in the bottom desk drawer of dorm furnishing. Days and days on, stomach soured to a diet of Worry-oatmeal, cafeteria bananas and saltines was tiresome-old and unwanted.

"If he was going to call the cops on me, they'd be here by now. Rockman's got my back. Days, Self. Daaaaays. He's up with the not a terrorist and not a quack. And he's not gonna blather it to his fam either. If he's even told them about UrbExing, since that's all trespassy illegal, too. Shale's good people. " The dorm room was indifferent to speaking aloud as usual. The door was closed for privacy, which was almost always anymore, but the look of it and the wall around it still unsettled at an unguarded glance.

It's not gonna cost him anything to just not say anything either. Good people don't filch for no good reason on good people. Less on their own friends. Of course, anymore in this place no one filches on anything with the whole 'don't get involved' s**t. Maybe we can even go out more, now, if he feels safe that I can dust those things. Kinda can. It went better with him there to help. 2-on-1 is always better odds. Jack stuffed the crackers into mouth, starting the timer on phone. Making it a game had helped some in ignoring biological protests. There wasn't time or energy to spend being stressed or sick.

How does anyone ever manage six under a minute with no drink?