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 Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 8:27 pm
After several days of rest and recovery, Michael finally seemed like he was back in nearly peak condition. Devyn had pushed through his own sickness, and might have felt a bit better sooner if he’d given himself the same time to rest as he had given Michael, but it seemed like he still had a slew of old habits he had yet to break.
When he had been alone on Alastor, sleeping too deeply could have meant losing everything. If the shadows had crept in and he was unconscious, that was it.
He’d long ago learned how to subsist on brief, fifteen minute naps. He dozed more often than anything else, and it was only recently that he realized what a strain he’d put on his body in that time.
Once, he couldn’t lay still for more than half an hour. Now, he could sleep through the night. Sometimes, he even dreamed.
Today might as well have been a dream.
The weather was perfect, and Micahel had been up to sailing back to Villefort. They’d taken it easy, but it seemed like Alastor wanted them to go back.
The river seemed to pull them along, faster than before. Every now and then, Devyn thought he caught a glimpse of gold in the water, different from the way the sun reflected on it after every splash and ripple. It almost looked like a golden thread that moved with them.
For a while, he wondered if it was just his eyes playing tricks on him, or if it was some residual side effect of the sickness, but it felt too comforting for him to worry about it.
They’d come with more supplies today, but when they arrived at the forest, most of them seemed unnecessary. Unlike before, the trees already looked healthier, and there were fish swimming in the river. Any of the black, inky goo that had been lurking at the bottom of the river before seemed to have vanished.
No shadow lay over the forest, and the air smelled surprisingly clean given how rough things had been only a few days ago. The grass, while still a bit wilted, already seemed like it was coming back to life.
The birds were the giveaway, though. There was song in the forest, far deeper than Villefort itself, and Devyn thought that was a good omen. He didn’t wear a mask this time, and he didn’t have to.
The forest looked completely different. With the muck and grime gone, it was like months, or years, had passed already. Devyn thought he saw gold threads here, sometimes, too. In the leaves above, or the roots below. It was flickering, and fleeting, and he was almost certain he could feel the power here. It made his hand tingle a bit, and he’d been rubbing them often since they arrived in the area. It wasn’t unpleasant, just noticeable.
Thick shelled beetles were clinging to some of the trees and scurrying about under dense bushes, and though Alastor had given a bit of commentary that they were known to eat decaying flesh or vegetation, the fact that they were here meant that it was healthy enough for such things to live and grow. The beetles were strong, but not immune to the toxins of Villefort–and here they were, scurrying along the ground like it hadn’t just been a polluted bog only a week or so ago.
They’d brought a rake and a shovel, some shears, and some general tools from the Hall, but so far they hadn’t needed to use any of it. The forest had dried up, and it had rained at least once since then, because most of the pathways seemed reasonably cleared.
When they arrived in Villefort, Devyn noted that they’d have to rake and sweep the grating clean, but the town hidden in the forest seemed surprisingly clean. Alastor’s doing, probably, he’d insisted, and been all the more delighted for it. There was still plenty of work to be done, but it seemed like it was already leagues ahead of where things had been when they first found it.
There were weeds and flowers everywhere, and several golfball-sized bumble bees that bobbled and swayed because of their own size and weight. They seemed content, even if they regularly crashed into each other, or buildings, or sometimes even Michael and Devyn. They were harmless, and Devyn had said as much, and even scooped up a handful of the fluffy insects to show Michael before he’d redirected them to the flowers they’d been trying to reach.
“This is what Villefort is supposed to look like,” he said proudly.
Sunlight filtered in through the trees and cast a golden shimmer on the rooftops, and though some of the buildings were in need of repair, most of them just looked like they needed a bit of love and care. And maybe a new paint job and some weeding.
A few of the buildings on the outskirts that were more susceptible to time and toxins were dilapidated, half rotten or falling down on themselves.
“I can give you a tour, but I don’t know that there’s much to show you. A lot of houses. Oh, the apothecary’s still standing. I’ll have to show you the church, Marius loved that. We’ll go to the cemetery, too. I know Marius put in precautions to keep the city safe from flooding, but I want to double check. It would be just like him to crawl out of his grave to try and fix this place up while I wasn’t around, so if you see any bones, don’t be surprised.”
Devyn missed Marius, of course, and any time he spoke of him now, it was with great fondness. There was a faint sadness, like there always was, but he seemed in good spirits. Marius wouldn’t have known what to do if Devyn openly mourned him, anyway, so here–more than anywhere else–it seemed appropriate to tease him.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 8:47 pm
Michael paid attention to everything as they made their way back to Villefort. He was astonished by how much had changed since they were there last, which wasn’t that long ago. The animals and insects were the most impressive additions to the forest, because he was almost certain that it would take years for the bog waters to be washed out.
He’d been wrong. Just like Sessrumnir slowly seemed to heal on its own, Alastor was healing as well. There was an old magic that he couldn’t even start to comprehend, but he was grateful to it all the same.
He’d commented that Atticus would probably really enjoy the bees, and that they should bring Elliot with them to go fishing some time. There seemed to be enough fish in the river that he didn’t have to worry about overdoing it, although he’d still be careful and make sure to release the ones they did catch.
“I don’t blame him,” Michael said after Devyn teased about Marius, but he didn’t just walk beside Devyn. He reached out to take hold of one of his hands to rub between his own, and then lifted it to press against his lips. He’d seen how Devyn had been rubbing them, and while he wanted to ask, he was also patient about letting Devyn tell him if it was important.
Besides, he had his necklace that would tell him if something was really concerning.
“It’s beautiful here. Even after so long, I hope Marius would be proud that Villefort was still standing.” After getting them both sick, but maybe they just needed a chance to kickstart Alastor into the healing process.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:07 pm
Devyn was briefly distracted by taking in the sights around them but when Michael took his hand it seemed to draw him back to this moment. His hands itched again, so he rubbed his free hand on his pants and squeezed Michael’s hand with his other. He could see the question in his eyes, it was impossible to miss.
He smiled and pulled Michael’s hands back towards his lips so he could kiss the back of the nearest one in exchange. “I’m fine. A little twitchy, maybe. A little excited. My hands are a bit itchy but I don’t think I’m nervous. And I haven’t touched anything poisonous.”
He wondered if Michael could feel it or if it was just him. They’d powered up before coming into Villefort, which was the safest and most practical thing to do given that if there was something dangerous here, they’d have more protection.
There was no aura to feel, no energy to trace. But Devyn was so sure that there was something. An undercurrent of energy, maybe. Or one of the golden threads that kept shimmering just out of grasp.
“I think Marius would be proud, too. He loved this place. I wouldn’t be surprised if that love and desire to keep it safe helped it all of these years. I’ll have to show you Lucinius, I hope he’s still here. Well, the costume. But that thing was ancient the first time I laid eyes on it. It should be dust by now, but it is unfairly resilient. Maybe we’ll find something while we’re snooping. I want to see if we can find more notes, or anything related to Lucien’s project. Are you doing okay here?”
He knew there had been a fair trickle of memories since they’d arrived, and though the sickness might have made Michael more susceptible to their influence, he intended to keep checking in with him just to make sure. Curiosity was disposable when Michael’s health was on the line, and they were only just recently better from their sickness. He didn’t want to get Michael sick again and keep him from home for any longer.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:10 pm
“My heart feels heavy,” Michael confessed, but made sure Devyn could see the sincerity in his smile when he looked up at him. “I’m okay though. No dizziness or feeling ill. Sometimes I get the urge to check my hands and I imagine seeing them covered in black, but…”
Now lifted to where Devyn could see them easier, Michael’s hands were looking almost back to normal. They were a little discolored, but not as dark as they had been before.
“Sometimes it feels like it’s hard to breathe, but I know I can breathe just fine. Sometimes my heart throbs when I look at you, like I’ve lost something precious and it’s just out of reach but I’m still determined to get it back.”
Part of him wondered if he was oversharing. These were just feelings. Emotions that he couldn’t easily express. They weren’t even his emotions, but what Percy must have felt so long ago. Back when they’d been trapped in Villefort. Back when Percy had been so sick that his heart nearly gave out.
“I’ll keep an eye out for any notes, though. And big birds. I’m kidding,” he promised with a squeeze of Devyn’s hand in his own.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:16 pm
“Oh,” Devyn sighed, a mixture of endeared and apologetic. “I’m sorry about that.” He trusted Michael’s words, though. He was teasing him, and the smile seemed honest enough. Devyn leaned over to plant a few eager kisses on Michael’s cheek.
“You say you’re kidding now, wait until one of those big birds swoops down and tries to sweep you away from me. We’ll see if you’re still kidding then.”
Of course, Devyn had never seen anything like the legend of Lucinius, aside from Marius in his costume, and that was such a story in itself. It was hard to believe in an ancient and vengeful god overseeing the forest when his experience with such was only a sickly teenager playing dress up. Convincingly, at least.
“Thank you for being honest with me.” He swung Michael’s hand as they approached the cemetery. From here, he could make out enough of it to assume there was no real water damage, and as they neared he could even see some of the old stone headrests.
Light slipped through the tall trees above them, coating the area in a golden glow. This place, almost more than any other, seemed well-maintained. There was some moss growing where it shouldn’t, and some dirt and fallen leaves that could be tended to, but there was nothing here to repair and it would be no great effort to clean it up.
Under an old withered tree that had seen better days but was still clinging to life, a simple headrest marked Marius’ resting place. There were dates carved into it, but Devyn didn’t approach more than he needed to. He could see that the grave was undisturbed, and he looked at it with a tired little smile. “I promise, you’ll never lose me. Just so you know. You won’t have to worry about me being out of reach.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:20 pm
“I don’t know,” Michael hummed thoughtfully, but it was clear that he was trying to keep things light, despite the heaviness of everything that was implied. “You’re pretty good at getting lost. Good thing I can track your phone. Just don’t lose that and we’re golden.”
They could clean everything up before they left. If it was too much, emotionally, for Devyn to handle, Michael had every intention of making sure the leaves were swept up and the paths around the graves were cleaned.
“There’s a lot of fondness I feel, too,” he admitted after a little while, looking at the plain headstone. “Some fear and uncertainty. But it’s mostly love. That’s easy enough for me to recognize.” Probably because he felt it as well.
“No playing around with ancient artifacts without supervision,” Michael suddenly requested as he squeezed Devyn’s hand again, but he was grateful for the bit of affection he’d been given. It might have been just a few little kisses, but it made it easier to keep his memories separate from reality.
“I don’t think I’ll have to worry about big birds taking me away, but we’ll probably want to keep an eye on Atticus and Elliot when we bring them. They’re pretty snack sized for monsters.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:26 pm
A fresh smile grew on Devyn’s face, reserved, but genuine. “Oh, please. I’ve been very good with not touching any artifacts. I’ll speak to your brother soon. I’m not here for trouble. I just want to clean things up and make things easier for anyone still hiding out. I want it nice enough that they can come out of the woodwork.”
Absentmindedly, he raised Michael’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. His attention was only loosely on the cemetery, and when he looked at the gravestone he wasn’t really seeing it.
Just a lifetime of memories, and had had to sift back to a very long time ago to see the best of them.
“The boys will be okay, they can look after each other. I’m lucky to have you looking out for me.” There were so many times since he’d arrived on Earth that he could have backslid back into the fog of delusions. His memory was sharp, selectively. He didn’t know everything he’d forgotten, he knew he’d never know. Most of it didn’t matter. He had the memories of Percy, and he was able to make new memories with Michael. If he only had two lives to recall, those eras were the most important.
There were years–centuries between the two points, where he’d accumulated a long list of accomplishments. They just didn’t feel like they mattered.
Maybe someday he’d care enough to work through the grief and loneliness. He’d been absent, at least emotionally, for so much of it that it didn’t even seem worth remembering.
“No matter where my feet take me, my heart is always with you. I might get lost often, but I’ll always find my way home. Even if that means you have to come find me to show me the way.”
He seemed amused, but for as playful or dramatic a Devyn could be, he never doubted that they could find their way back to each other.
It was a somber moment, but often such moments were when in the presence of graves. Despite that, Villefort did not seem to be a sorrowful place. Lonely, in the way that any ruins were, but there was something alive in the air. There was an energy here that made it feel as though the townspeople were out, not gone.
Devyn felt it, strongly enough that he almost wasn’t even certain he wouldn’t find someone in town on their tour. He didn't know if Michael felt it too, or if this was just the effect old memories and age had on him.
His hands itched again but he resisted the urge to rub them together. He had an urge to run around, suddenly, but he suppressed it.
The tips of his fingers had gone dark again.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:34 pm
Michael didn’t have to tell Devyn that he knew his heart would be with him. Emotionally and physically, in a way. With the necklace against his chest, it was pretty clear at all times how Devyn was feeling. He felt a little guilty about it, since it felt like he was invading his privacy, but he needed it in more ways than just knowing Devyn was okay.
He was certain that it had saved him before. Back when he was slowly slipping under the influence of Chaos. If it wasn’t for the necklace, Michael didn’t think he would still be there as he was.
And that scared him in ways he didn’t know how to admit.
He didn’t get a chance to say more on the subject, though. Or about how much he believed Devyn and trusted him. Instead, his attention was drawn to the way Devyn’s fingers were suddenly dark. Darker than they had been before, and more like how Michael’s had been when he was sick.
“Dev,” he frowned with immediate concern, and turned so he could take both of Devyn’s hands in his own to lift them up higher, so he could inspect them. He gave him a questioning look, waiting to hear any symptoms Devyn might be experiencing.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:40 pm
Devyn tilted his head at first like he wasn’t really worried about anything going on with his hands. The necklace faltered for a split second before settling, and it was entirely unclear if he was masking concern or if he was really just not that worried.
Devyn tended to think very highly of the strength of his body, and he rarely seemed to overestimate himself. Now was no different.
“They just itch a bit,” he promised, and curled and uncurled his fingers. It wasn’t an attempt to escape Michael, just to soothe the itchiness. “I feel a bit restless, that’s all. I promise.”
He wasn’t lying. There was an innocence in his answer, like he wasn’t sure what Michael was worried about. He didn’t laugh to tease and distract him. He looked at his hands questioningly, but without worry.
“I suppose I feel sort of scratchy, under my skin. I thought it might be wasteful to take a quick jog around when there’s so much work to do, I was just waiting to burn off some energy. You can feel more forehead,” he said, and leaned forward so Michael could do as much. He was warm, but no more so than usual; he always ran hot. “Or check my pulse.”
That was normal, too; the necklace around Michael’s neck pulsed a little lighter every second or so, in tune with his heartbeat.
“I feel fine though, really. Maybe I touched something. You have sanitizing wipes in your pack, don’t you? I’ve got some water if you don’t, I’ll just wash up real fast.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:47 pm
Michael watched Devyn warily, like he was prepared for him to try and brush off anything that might be the cause of his fingers turning black like that. But Devyn didn’t laugh or make him feel like he was overreacting, although he was telling him in so many ways that he was overreacting.
When Devyn leaned close for Michael to check his forehead, he leaned in as well, but so he could press his lips to Devyn’s forehead, and then let go of his hands so he could wrap his arms around him. Not for long. Just enough for Michael to settle himself.
“Yeah, let’s try to wash your hands some,” he agreed, taking a moment to pull the wipes from his pack and took Devyn’s hand again so he could carefully wipe them clean.
“If it would be better for you to run around now, then we should. Let’s get some energy out. Or, well… You have more energy than me, I’m not going to lie about that,” he groaned, but took extra care to make sure he cleaned off each of Devyn’s fingers. And maybe he tried itching them a little for him in the process.
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:59 pm
Oh, Micahel was so considerate. Devyn could tell that he was working his hands more than just to clean them, and he let out a soft sigh as some of the agitation soothed. If Michael wasn’t working so diligently right now, he might have kissed him in gratitude.
“You’re also supposed to be taking it easy,” he reminded. “You were much sicker than I was, I don’t want there to be some accidental flare up. If I’m going to run around, I’d at least like to find somewhere interesting to leave you. Maybe we can get you to an office or library or something, so we can see if there’s anything here for us to work with. Unless you want to watch me run around, but.”
He squeezed Michael’s hands, and only briefly took note of the fact that the darkness at his fingertips and the stretch of black tendrils had not washed away with his tender efforts.
He smiled, anyway. “I don’t think I’ll be out for long if I do run. Although, it has been a while since I’ve felt so much energy like this. It feels a bit crackly. It makes me think of when I was young, when I was first figuring out how to be a Senshi. Back when my magic used to miscast. But I was a chibi senshi back then, and the last time my magic gave me any trouble, there was all that Chaos to work out. Unless this is Alastor’s way of telling me it needs me to give back some of the magic I’m borrowing,” he mused.
“I don’t think Senshi magic charges a world like that, though. Maybe it is just restlessness?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 10:04 pm
“Of course I want to watch you run. That’s a lot more interesting to me than some old books,” Michael scoffed playfully, even as he held onto Devyn’s hands as if he could figure out what was really going on just by touch alone.
“Tear off those sleeves first. Or power down,” he requested, unable to hide the small twitch of his lip. Michael hoped it was obvious how attractive he found Devyn. He was certain others did as well, but the joke was on them because he somehow got Devyn to fall in love with him first! Not that he blamed anyone for looking.
“You think it’s magic related?” he frowned after a moment, looking at Devyn’s hands again. The energy around him he thought had to do with the world healing itself, but he had such little experience in Worlds -- such little experience in Alastor still -- that he didn’t know what was normal and what was new or out of the ordinary. He relied on Devyn to tell him.
“Do Senshi get a buildup of magic energy? I know Chris and Paris have to go to Valhalla and Ganymede every so often due to energy related stuff,” he explained, but shook his head to indicate that he didn’t know much more about it than that. Something with how much energy they were getting from their Wonder and World, but this seemed different.
“If Alastor wants you to give some of the magic back--”
There was no necklace for Devyn to feel the way Michael’s heart skipped with temporary panic, but he wasn’t sure he could hide his expression as well as he wanted. It took him a moment to recover and continue.
“Maybe you should try using some. I can stand out of range,” he offered, because he didn’t want Devyn to worry any more than he probably was going to. “Just don’t give it all of your magic…”
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Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 10:17 pm
Even in the state of some physical anomaly, Devyn couldn’t help but smile at Michael’s teasing, and he was already rolling up his sleeves. He might have actually torn them off if he didn’t have so many snacks hidden in there.
“No, not all of my magic. I think it’s just to help us resonate a bit better. It’s harmless,” he insisted, because he knew Michael would find some way to worry. “I can feel the flow of energy. There’s a lot moving around here, I think. I keep seeing some. Threads of it. I’m sure there’s plenty of explanations. If I had to guess,” he shrugged, “I’d bet that now that the Chaos has cleared out, Alastor’s energy is spreading again. It’s safe to do so. Probably means that it’s pouring more energy into restoring the damage the Chaos did. I mean, if the state of Villefort is anything to go by.”
He glanced at some of the buildings, in better state than they should have been, all things considered.
“Alastor and I have a good bond,” he assured. “It looks after me, and I look after it. I don’t know if all Senshi get a buildup of magic energy. I might just be restless,” he admitted. “But I haven’t used my magic in quite a while. I’ll just make sure I remember how to, and do a quick jog, all right? This is perfectly normal. Well, not my hands turning this color, but everything else is. I promise. I’m going to head over to the empty plot by that house,” he said, and nodded in the direction.
Once, it was probably meant to be some sort of vegetable garden, but it was a bit overgrown with weeds and nothing seemed to be growing there, now. It was an open enough space that he thought he could use his magic without any risk of it backfiring and hitting Michael. Though his magic had mellowed out and he seemed to have full control over it again since purging the Chaos from his world, he was still a bit extra careful with it.
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Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:28 am
It was easy to believe Devyn. Easy to believe in his confidence. The way he spoke, his mannerisms. There was no arrogance there, but a very firm understanding of himself and his limits. Despite those limits often being pushed or ignored.
Michael drew in a breath and let it out slowly, but nodded in agreement. He didn’t need to remind Devyn that the Alastors before him hadn’t exactly had the best fate. That he was the longest living Senshi of that world. And not just because Chaos took over and he was stuck in time for centuries.
But he also knew he worried a lot for nothing. Better safe than sorry, but with his cautiousness there were also missed opportunities.
How many things had he missed in life because he held back?
How many times had he saved his own life by trusting his instincts and taking a step back?
For now, he lowered his hands to his side, even if he was tempted to reach up to hold the orb that rested around his neck.
“Okay,” he agreed, and took a step back. He trusted Devyn, and he hoped he would be called silly later for worrying so much. He would just keep an eye on things and make sure Devyn didn’t overdo using his magic.
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Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2023 7:41 am
Devyn expected that Michael would have taken the necklace; he was used to his mannerisms by now and had become well acquainted with his little habits. He suspected that meant that Michael was trying very hard to keep himself calm.
Devyn took a step forward when Michael stepped back, because he wasn’t going to go off without a reassuring kiss.
He wrapped an arm around Michael’s waist to pull him close and kissed him deeply. A few seconds passed at least, but when Devyn felt the mounting energy in him, he finally drew away. “I love you. I’ll be just a moment. Nothing to worry about.”
He left on that note, but he didn’t go too far. After a quick jog to the empty plot, he took a moment to stretch. He was tempted to see if he could get a running start and leap over the stone fence–he knew he could–but he could run around again in a bit after he got some magic out of his system.
Devyn’s magic had seen its fair share of usages, and he’d spent years with working and malfunctioning magic.
What he hadn’t worked with was new magic, and he realized that something was different as soon as he casted it.
He’d only meant to use his Super magic–something with enough power to have an impact, but not so strong that he’d be out of luck if he needed more energy later.
Except, he didn’t get his usual magic.
The black tendrils spread up his arm quickly, with so much force that he reeled back. It was hot, and almost burned, but as soon as the magic left his fingertips, the inky blackness melted away with it.
He’d been surprised, because that wasn’t right. He cast his magic again, the magic he knew, and even though he had no target to test it on, it felt right.
So he tried to tap into the same strange magic that had coursed through him a moment ago–and it worked.
Again, the tips of his fingers tinted black, and dark veins shot up his arms again for a few seconds before it again melted away.
Finally, he held up his hands to examine them. They were completely normal. No darkness, no oddities.
But he was still left with enough confusion that he trotted back over to Michael so he could inspect them.
“My magic’s acting up,” he announced. He wasn’t so far from Michael that he wouldn’t have been able to see what was going on but Devyn didn’t know how much he’d seen.
“It’s doing something I haven’t done before. But I can still use my usual magic. I feel less jittery, though. I’m just not sure what it’s doing. Feels like–”
He could see the little golden sparkle of Alastor’s magic in the peripheral of his vision, like some energy from the Core had stretched out to Villefort and was seeping up through the ground. It felt reassuring. It felt like home. He wondered if Michael could see it, if he could feel it.
“...Feels like I’ve got more magic, I suppose. It doesn’t feel bad. I don’t know what it does, though. I don’t want to try it on you. Do you have Senshi on Earth that’s happened with?”
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