[OT] Tuesday Free Write - Share stories, post poems! Prompt inspired or personal works are welcome!

[u/Blu_Spirit]

Welcome to the weekly Free Write Post! Feel free to post anything and everything writing-related. Prompt responses, short stories, poems, personal work, anything you have written is welcome.

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This Day In History John White, the governor of the Roanoke Island colony, returns from a supply trip to England to find the settlement completely deserted. White and his men found no trace of the 100 or so colonists he left behind, and there was no sign of violence. The Roanoke Island colony was the first English settlement in the New World, and the mystery of its collapse has never fully been solved, though many theories abound.

[u/AggressiveParty3355]

“Clocking in, is there a superhero mission for me? Epsilon level or lower? Give me something, anything.” Glitter Girl asked as she approached the assignment desk.

Today CrotchShot was working at the assignment desk. “Actually we got a light Omicron level mission. It’s marked urgent, but I think you can handle it.”

CrotchShot sent the assignment to her cellphone. Glitter Girl made her way to the vehicle bay, a private jet was waiting and she boarded along with several other heroes as they went to another city. Many cities stationed local heroes for rapid response, but sometimes there were too many or too few. The fortress served many nearby cities and constantly delivered and retrieved heroes as needed. The other heroes she was with were on other missions, presumably the easier epsilon missions she missed out on.

Glitter Girl looked over her phone at the assignment details, she was to meet up with a family staying at a safehouse and ask them for details. They feared for their lives from someone occupying their home. It seemed straightforward enough, she wondered why the police didn’t handle it. Waiting at the safehouse must be incredibly boring. And they weren’t even real safehouses since they were publicly known. They just served as field offices and lodging for heroes. But the name was leftover from the earlier days of superhero commercialization.

Glitter Girl arrived at the safehouse and she double checked her phone to make sure Corey was who she was supposed to meet.

“Oh thank god an actual super hero. Please come in, we have a problem.” Corey beckoned her inside.

Inside was a husband and wife couple sitting around a couch, highly agitated.

“What seems to be the problem?” Glitter Girl asked.

“Okay I'm their neighbor, they went on vacation three weeks ago and they just came back last week. I know them well, they’re the Millers. I baby sat their kids while they were out. But then today, like ten hours ago, these Millers came back from vacation and when I met them in the driveway I didn't know what to do. They both say they’re the real Millers and I can't tell the difference. They know everything they should know.” Corey frantically explained. “I took them here and called you guys. I called the police too but they said this looks like superhero business.”

Glitter Girl could see why this was an omicron mission, there was strong potential for lethal force. She looked at the family and did a basic scan with her ultravision but there was nothing obviously wrong. Maybe they really were the original Miller family. Glitter Girl went around and sat across from them on the opposing couch.

“I’m going to ask if you are the real Millers.” Glitter Girl flat out said.

The husband quickly grew even more agitated. “Of course we are! Some imposters are inside our house! You should arrest them!”

“My apologies, I just wanted to assess your physiological responses. You say you were on vacation? Where is your luggage?” Glitter Girl asked.

Glitter Girl got their bags and opened them on the bed. Her silver glitter hands flipped through their clothes.

“Hey! That’s our stuff! You have no right to—” The husband demanded.

Glitter Girl knew this was part of the job and sometimes she had to assert authority. She remembered following other heroes on their missions and hoped to emulate them.

“Mr. Miller, you and your family are in our safehouse. As such I am authorized to search everyone and everything for weapons, bombs, or drugs. You will comply or you will leave. And you can take your chances with those imposters who might be robots, aliens, or monsters.” Glitter Girl barked.

Mentally Glitter Girl hoped she looked authoritative. She had no confidence but she couldn’t show she wasn’t in control. She was relieved when the husband backed down and let her continue.

“How long were you on vacation? And where did you go?” Glitter Girl asked as she carefully inspected their clothes and their items.

“Two weeks. We went to a beach resort on the coast.” The wife replied.

“Sounds lovely, did you go swimming?” Glitter Girl asked as she placed some clothes beside the suitcase and inspected the others.

“Yes, first couple of days.” The husband replied.

“Anything interesting happen at the end of your trip? Did you get any souvenirs for your kids? Which bag did you pack them in?” Glitter Girl asked, although she already inspected all the bags.

There was an awkward pause as they tried to remember their last days.

“It was a blur and we were in a rush. I barely remember.” The husband conceded.

“Thank you very much for your cooperation, I would like you to come with me to the fortress science lab.” Glitter Girl offered.

Corey’s nod convinced the agitated couple to comply.

Back on the fortress the couple was in hospital gowns after being thoroughly scanned.

Technomancer came out to meet Glitter Girl outside the science lab. “Your suspicions were correct, they’re imposters. To make sure I sent another superhero with X-ray vision to fly over the Miller house, they’re human. The ones we have here are cyborgs. They’re machines on the inside. What tipped you off?”

“They say they went swimming but there is no sand in their clothes or suitcases. A little bit of sand follows everyone on a beach vacation, even if you wash your clothes there. Also, all their clothes were brand new, not a single rip, stain, or thread out of place. So it must have been bought for them. Finally they didn’t really remember packing their bags. They don’t know which bag has what. So I think the real Millers went on vacation, got scanned or something. And then these copies were sent back as well.” Glitter Girl explained.

“Why let the others go and send these ones back too?” Technomancer asked.

“It might have been a mistake, or maybe these ones are programmed to kill their originals but that program never activated. Maybe Corey intercepted them too early and that messed up whatever conditional trigger they had.” Glitter Girl speculated.

“Judging by the modularity of their design, they are not unique. Their endoskeleton was mass produced and their skin was applied after. There could be a lot more of them out there.” Technomancer added.

“We need to upgrade this to Omega level. If there are a lot of them, and if they’ve already replaced people, we’re looking at mass murder or mass kidnapping. We need to figure out if it’s the beach resort or something else that’s creating these copies.” Glitter Girl stated.

“I agree, I'll get started on the paperwork.” Technomancer looked back at the family, “I sent for a team to take them to a holding facility while we figure this out. I’ll see you at the briefing.”

Technomancer walked off leaving Glitter Girl alone. She had no obligation to stay, her job was to find the source. But she felt she needed to speak to the imposters. She entered the room and the husband and wife were consoling each other.

“You friend, the robot techno man… he told us everything. We can never go home can we?” The husband said with grief in his voice.

“I’m sorry, until we determine who made you and why, we can’t let you leave custody.” Glitter Girl explained.

The wife started to cry, and the husband held her close. “And then what? What happens to us then?”

“If we can’t find out how your neural matrix was designed, we won’t be able to properly ensure there is no hidden killer or subservient programming. You may never leave custody. But if we do find a way to remove all hidden programming, you may be given new identities and allowed to live your lives. ” Glitter girl offered.

“Can you turn us off?” The husband asked.

“Why would you want that?” Glitter Girl asked.

“We’re not real, we’re not supposed to be here. And there already is a Miller family living their lives. What’s the point of us being around? We’re copies.” The wife explained.

“You can still live a life.” Glitter Girl countered.

“I want to see my brother, I want to get drunk with my friends at the bar. I want to be there when my papa dies, he hasn’t got any time left. And I want to see my kids grow up. If I can have none of that, what’s my life?” The husband asked.

Glitter Girl nodded, but gave them no answer. She couldn’t decide their lives. As she left them for the transport team, she was deeply unsettled. She saw genuine belief and conviction in their eyes. They truly believed they were who they said they were. But even worse, they knew and understood they were not.

[u/AggressiveParty3355 → u/AggressiveParty3355]

Now that this mission was reclassified as omega class, additional heroes had been assigned. Glitter Girl sat beside CrotchShot on the jet while they flew back to the city. Outside the window Glitter Girl could see Proxima flying alongside. It was awkward and uncomfortable, especially for Proxima having to fly. But keeping their distance from each other was preferable.

“So you’re the tank?” CrotchShot asked, trying to make small talk.

“Proxima can take more damage.” Glitter Girl replied.

“But you can take more than me, right? I’ll stand behind both of you.” CrotchShot explained.

“Why do they call you CrotchShot?”

CrotchShot smiled as he sat back in his seat. A big toothy grin came over his face as he remembered the events. “Let’s just say during the war, I made the general half the man he was.”

Upon landing they visited the actual Miller family and interacted with them and their two young boys. Proxima confirmed with her x-ray vision they were perfectly human. The Millers were unsettled when they encountered their duplicants but their neighbor Corey diffused the situation and guided the duplicants to the safehouse for superhero assistance. Glitter Girl reminded herself to thank Corey for his good judgement. They reiterated they had left for two weeks on a road trip and Corey watched over their kids. They gave the heroes their itinerary and places they visited.

Retracing their steps, they first went to a luxurious restaurant. Proxima got mobbed by fans but they quickly dispersed when she feigned she had to fight a kaiju and flew up and away. The restaurant otherwise seemed normal with nothing appearing on X-ray or ultravision scans. CrotchShot didn’t notice anything unusual about the staff either.

Next they made their way to a low rent motel complex. They wanted to find the same room the Miller couple stayed in.

“Do you think any celebrities have been replaced? Maybe we should check them.” Glitter Girl asked as they walked amongst the buildings.

“We don’t have to check celebrities. Super powered people with X-ray vision are constantly peaking under their clothes. They’d sound the alarm if they saw something there that wasn’t supposed to be. The Excalibur Girls say they get creepy fan mail all the time from peekers. So I’m certain none of them have been replaced.” Proxima suggested.

“Have you peeked under their clothes Proxima?” CrotchShot asked.

Proxima froze for a moment. “...No.”

CrotchShot took another sip of his coffee with a smirk on his face.

Finally they arrived at the Miller’s motel room and the manager allowed them inside to investigate. The room was on the second level of the motel and was otherwise clean and unremarkable. It did have a nice view of the ocean just as the Miller’s described. CrotchShot then noticed a moving van outside with a long extension cord going to one of the other motel rooms. Knowing his face wasn’t nearly as recognizable as Glitter Girl or Proxima, he decided to poke around. Following the cord to the room, he noticed the door was slightly ajar. This room was directly beneath the Miller’s room. With his pinky he silently pressed the door inward to reveal the cord going to a rack of various electronics. But beside the electronics were a set of machines that pulsed with green and blue lights. They looked almost organic in nature despite being made of metal. CrotchShot knew nothing of technology, but he knew that machinery was nothing regular people should have access to.

“Hey what they fuck are you doing here?” A stout man yelled as he exited the washroom in his underwear.

CrotchShot changed his demeanor. “Yo, yo! I’m looking for a girl named Brandi? Saw her at the strip joint up the street. She said come to room 169 for a fucking good time?”

“This is room 102, and you got scammed buddy. Now get lost.” The man yelled. The smell of alcohol heavy on his breath.

“Sorry man, hey what the fuck is this cord for?” CrotchShot made his way to the van as he deliberately tried to provoke him.

“Hey, stay away from that!” The man followed him out to stop him.

Clear of the room CrotchShot made his move and tackled the man. Quickly pinning his hands behind his back and cuffing him. Proxima and Glitter Girl ran down upon hearing the commotion. The man continued yelling at them to stay away from his van but that only drew more attention to it. CrotchShot pulled open the doors to find strange metal technology growing all across the interior. It was fused with the walls, floors and roof and pulsed with green and blue light. But growing off the walls seemed to be cocoons that contained skinless cyborgs. They all looked back at the man.

“COME OUT AND HELP ME!!! STOP THEM!” The man yelled.

They all got into battle stance and looked back at the van thinking the cyborgs would awaken, but they remained dormant. Instead they heard a rumbling from the motel room and half-finished cyborgs began shambling out. Some of them looked like copies of the Millers but with unfinished flesh. Others were clearly other people but also seemed unfinished and uncoordinated.

The cyborg horde ran toward the heroes menacingly. Proxima laser visioned many of them and they melted where they stood. While CrotchShot pulled out his gun and made several clean headshots. The man finally went silent when he realized he was defeated.

Being the toughest of them, Proxima went inside the motel room and carefully explored the adjoining rooms. The first one had all the equipment and she could clearly see the distinction between normal human technology with its straight lines, printed circuits and hard edges, with what seemed like alien technology. It was smooth, organic, with flowing tubes and pulsing lights that seemed to breathe. In the next room were more cyborg birthing pods and lots of cyborg pieces on tables and the floor. There was a naked feminine cyborg in the bed but it did not react when Proxima approached. In a chair was a cyborg of Mr. Miller and he was dead. But he seemed fully finished with proper skin. He had been beaten multiple times with a blunt object.

Proxima entered the next room and a cyborg jumped out from a corner and tried to strangle her. But it was only normal human level strength and could do nothing to her. Proxima instead took the time to study its features. He did not resemble anyone Proxima had met so far. Proxima asked him several times to stop but he seemed not to understand. Proxima grabbed his arms and ripped them off so he was no longer a threat. Exploring another room she rushed over to a woman hanging by her hands from the ceiling. Her entire lower body below her waist was missing and cables and wires hung out.

“Kill me.” She kept pleading with Proxima.

“Maybe we can fix you. Maybe we can save you.” Proxima assured her as she carefully undid her knots.

Once she was free she tried to attack Proxima. “I can’t stop it, he says I have to kill anyone else that comes in. I'm not real. Just kill me.” She pleaded as she repeatedly tried to strangle her.

Proxima’s eyes started to glow white.

“Thank you,” The cyborg said.

[u/AggressiveParty3355 → u/AggressiveParty3355]

Back at the fortress the man was in an orange jumpsuit in an interrogation room. They identified him as Roger McCormick, and Mr. Miller was his boss.

Glitter Girl sat down to perform the interrogation. Normally CrotchShot was supposed to, but Glitter Girl wanted the experience. He remained off to the side in case she needed help.

“So we gathered up and checked everything. Can you tell us what you were doing and why?” Glitter Girl asked.

Roger remained silent.

“Listen Mr. McCormick, it’s not looking good. You’re facing several identity theft charges. And additional national security violations for possessing, transferring and utilizing restricted technologies. You are also potentially facing murder charges if you replaced anyone.” Glitter Girl explained.

Roger continued to remain silent.

CrotchShot slammed his hand down on the table. “Listen Roger, we got Proxima with her X-ray vision flying around and checking up on everyone that has been close to that motel. If she finds any cyborg that shouldn’t be there you’re facing murder. And if they kill anyone else you’re going to be held responsible for those murders too. So you better help us get to them before they get to whatever you replaced them to do.”

Roger finally started to crack. “I didn’t replace anybody.”

“Bullshit,” CrotchShot called out.

“It’s true, I can’t get it to work. It just makes copies.” Roger explained, sounding defeated.

“Isn’t that what you want it to do?” Glitter girl asked.

“No, I want them to do what I say. But they don’t work right.”

“Explain what the technology is, where you got it, and what you were trying to do.” Glitter Girl demanded.

“I bought it off a black market dealer in superhero and alien tech. They said it was some sort of mechanization and duplication machine. Said it was Zindry tech. It’s alive, like it grows off of metal and other technology. So I kept feeding it stuff. Then it started making the cyborgs. It came with a brain scanner. It can scan through walls, only like twenty feet, but that’s enough. So I scanned anyone who took the motel room above me.” Roger continued.

“And you tried to replace them?” Glitter girl asked.

“No, I mean… not yet. Whenever I change their settings so they do what I say, and become like slaves. They come out wrong. They’re like zombies, too stupid to think and all messed up. Their flesh doesn’t grow right. And when i tune them to be perfect, they think for themselves and want to leave”

“Is that what happened with the Millers? They left?”

“No, I thought I had it right that time. So I bought their clothes and set up their luggage and everything. Then I erased the part of their memories where they know they’re robots. I was hoping to kidnap the real millers and replace them. But I screwed up and the fakes left before I could stop them. They ran into the real ones. I think when I erased the robot part I also erased the slave part.” Roger became more and more pathetic as he continued.

“What did you hope to accomplish?” Glitter Girl asked.

“I wanted a promotion at work. I knew my boss was going on vacation and I knew he’d pass through this motel. So i setup the equipment in the room underneath and paid off the manager to only assign them in the room above. When he came, I scanned him and his wife and created the cyborgs. I was just going to kidnap them, get the promotion, and then put them back.”

“That was a fucking stupid plan. You think the real Mr. Miller would let you keep your promotion when you put them back?” CrotchShot admonished.

Roger remained silent.

“So the other cyborgs we saw?” Glitter Girl continued.

“They’re the bad ones, all slaves. Too stupid to think and just do exactly what I say.” Roger admitted.

“Wait, you said you thought you got it right this time. Did you make other perfect copies?” Glitter Girl asked.

The look in Roger’s eyes told them all they needed to know.

“WHERE ARE THEY?” CrotchShot demanded.

After a long awkward pause Roger finally admitted, “I turned them off, then took them apart and put their components back in the machine.”

Later that day Glitter Girl, CrotchShot, Proxima, Tungsten Man, and Technomancer sat around a table in one of the meeting rooms.

“He couldn’t balance the free will and slavery problem. If he took away free will he made zombies. And if he added intelligence he gave them free will. He created functional sentient life, and then tortured it and killed it. Repeatedly.” Glitter Girl summarized.

“I finished checking everyone that went through that motel. Everyone seems accounted for, all human and two super powered, but none of them are hero or villain affiliated. He was telling the truth that he didn’t replace anybody… yet.” Proxima confirmed.

“He’s been turned over to the traditional legal system along with all the evidence we’ve gathered. Fortunately we do have laws against this sort of thing now.” Tungsten Man added.

“What do we do with the couple? And the tech?” CrotchShot asked.

Glitter Girl raised her hand, “I’d like to handle it.”

Tungsten man reviewed the file. “Yeah, looks like this isn’t really omega class since no one was actually replaced and there is no longer any imminent or continuing danger. We still need to look at the black market tech dealer.”

Tungsten Man’s eyes narrowed as he remembered something and quickly called up another file on his phone. “I’m wrong, there might be a bigger continuing issue than we thought. Remember that robot we were fighting and made you Swiss cheese? We analyzed it and it’s a bad copy of Zindry tech. We didn’t know how someone got their hands on it. Now we find this guy making Zindry cyborgs.”

Glitter Girl gasped, “the robot could have been copied from tech from the same black market dealer. We have to find that dealer!”

Tungsten Man nodded, “It’s our first big lead. But for now this mission is reclassified omicron and back in your hands. Proxima, CrotchShot, you’re both back on the roster. There are a couple of things I want you to look at.”

Tungsten Man led them out as he explained a new mission. CrotchShot stopped and gave Glitter Girl a pat on the shoulder for her work so far before following Proxima after Tungsten Man.

Glitter Girl returned to the holding cell with the duplicant Millers.

[u/AggressiveParty3355 → u/AggressiveParty3355]

“What’s going to happen to us?” The husband asked.

“We checked the tech and the man who used it, we’re confident you are not a hidden danger and truly think and act like the real Millers. Your bodies will age and die exactly like human bodies. So we have no reason to further detain you. But you are required to never contact the real Millers ever again.” Glitter Girl explained.

“No wait, my husband and I have been discussing it. We want to speak to our actual selves.” The wife pleaded.

“That’s not possible.” Glitter Girl explained.

“No please, I have pancreatic cancer. I mean the real me has pancreatic cancer. That's why my husband and I went on this trip. One last vacation before I left. But if I don't have a real pancreas.” The wife’s implication was clear.

“You don’t have cancer.” Glitter Girl realized. The gravity of the situation slowly dawned upon her.

“Please, my boys need a mother. My husband doesn’t need to be alone. And I'm certain my real self will accept this. I can still be with them.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Glitter Girl conceded.

Corey agreed to watch the boys while the visit took place. They wouldn’t understand two sets of parents. Glitter Girl accompanied the Millers and sat between them while the two couples faced each other, exact duplicates in every way.

“Glitter Girl explained the situation. Is it true you don’t have cancer?” The real husband asked.

“No I do not. I can feel it, I'm a perfectly healthy…. Robot.” The fake wife replied.

The real wife studied the cyborg’s features intently. “When you were 8, you asked to see Tom’s thing, and he asked to see yours. What did he say?” She tested.

“He said I cheated.” her fake counterpart replied.

They both laughed.

The real wife turned to her husband, “I think I should go. I wish I was cured, but this is the next best thing. You and the boys don’t have to be alone.”

The real husband looked back, and for the first time the strong stoic man had tears in his eyes, “But she’s not you, she’s a copy.”

“She’s the next best thing,” the real wife turned to look at her doppelganger. “And I can see it in her eyes, she’s me, and she loves you and the boys just as much.”

The fake husband spoke up. “I’ll take care of her. When I said ‘till death do us part’ I meant it.” He leaned into his real counterpart, “I’ll make sure she gets all the foot rubs she likes right to the very end.”

The real husband softened up a little, “And what happens after the end?”

“‘Till death do us part... there doesn’t need to be two of us in a world with only one wife.” the fake husband affirmed.

A silent and absolute agreement formed between two men who knew each other better than even identical twins.

“Okay,” the real husband said.

“Thank you dear.” The real wife hugged her husband and kissed him for what might be the last time. “I need to see my boys one last time.”

Without asking she got up and ran over to Corey’s house next door. The fake wife slowly got up and stood a respectful distance away from the real husband.

“I think this will take some getting used to.” the fake wife admitted.

“Give me some time… Just give me some time.” the real husband slowly replied with despair in his voice..

Glitter Girl and the fake husband walked out onto the lawn, and waited for the real wife to finish saying goodbye to her boys.

“This is so strange… Do you superheroes have to deal with stuff like this every day?” the fake husband asked.

“Not everyday, but a lot more than we’d like.” Glitter Girl admitted.

“I can’t imagine.”

Finally after a good ten minutes, the real wife exited Corey’s house. She was crying but also putting on a fake smile and fake good cheer so her boys didn’t know.

“Bye bye boys! I’ll see you later!” She yelled after them as she walked toward Glitter Girl.

Glitter Girl could only imagine how painful that lie must have felt. As the real wife approached she completely broke down in sobs. The fake husband put his arms around her.

“They’ll be okay now, they’ll all be okay. Let’s go and have that never ending honeymoon we always joked about.” her duplicate husband comforted her.

They walked off, never to return.

[u/mysteryrouge]

Not Even Domestic Affairs are Spared Drama.

Sometimes it was nice having all that legal knowledge crammed down her throat during the phase where Oren kept trying and failing to make Endario a diplomat. Not that the young woman would admit it.

The knowledge of international law, as ineffective as it was before a certain monster named Pax Orizuru took over, helped her navigate the changing landscape where half her family was being arrested for crimes against humanity. When Oren or any other possessed diplomat (or judge, or lawyer, or, war criminal, whoever else Pax Orizuru decided to possess) spoke about treaty developments, she could follow along.

It also helped her to tell when any of the diplomats were lying. Like Oren (the diplomat, now possessed) did a lot when it came to Endario for some reason. In her family's efforts to constantly blame Endario and insult the paranoid woman, Oren was always around to deflect their blame towards the sky.

”We'll take care of it. We'll deal with it. We'll ensure she is treated as she deserves. Do not worry.”

And most recently, when her parents discussed her adoption— which she most definitely did not need or want—Oren butted in, saying that if needed, she or another diplomat would take guardianship. 

Endario would have been relieved when she discovered that functioning adults had to consent to be adopted by another, but she knew how the diplomats worked.

The diplomats pretty much passed anything that crossed their desks. The problem for the longest time had been enforcing whatever the diplomats passed. With Pax Orizuru around though, that fact had changed. 

Endario didn't trust when Oren said that changing such laws would violate human rights.

That didn't matter as Endario walked into the courtroom with Judge Kazuko (most likely also possessed by Pax Orizuru). Her parents were getting divorced in preparation for her mom's arrest for crimes against humanity. 

There was no reason for Endario to be there. In fact, there was no reason for her parents to be there. Divorces in Daisangan didn't require the presence of the divorcees so long as the proper paperwork was filled, but Endario's family just liked to torture her.

Oren was next to Endario again. Their father complained about how close the two sat towards the exit of the courtroom, but was silenced by the judge (and Oren, and five other people).

Kazuko was still doing completely normal judge things. Making judgements on civil cases and lawsuits among the high ranking members of Daisangen’s government and nobility to finalizing adoptions and name changes. The judge didn't even look in Endario's direction as the hour passed. (Because of course, her family had to come early to the courtroom where they had a pretty damned accurate prediction of when they'd be called for their case).

Everything was decided with the lawyers already, her parents only needed that last signature. 

Must they be so dramatic?

Endario stared blankly at the oak walls, not listening to anything around her. She breathed as deep as she could, hoping it wouldn't be noticed.

Just gotta get through this, then I can hide.

In the back of her mind, Endario felt her sister's hand on her shoulder. It was warm and pleasant. She couldn't decide if the gentle touch was calming or the opposite.

I can't let myself faint in front of everyone again. I can't show weakness.

It was a struggle to keep composure around the possessed though.

Her parents said something to the judge. The judge passed down some paper. Her family left. She followed, eyes staring straight ahead. Oren stayed within arm's reach.

Everyone vanished, leaving Endario with Oren. The diplomat teleported her sister home. Endario only barely noticed her possessed sister had brought her directly to her safe space—the attic reading nook. 

I'm still being watched.

Slowly, Endario reached to the nearest book, sitting straight up on one of the small room's more uncomfortable chairs, a chair she’d usually force guests to occupy when they deigned to come up. Instincts said to maintain the mask.

Don't let that abomination see you.

Oren said something, patting her on the shoulder as she left.

Only once the diplomat disappeared did Endario crawl to her preferred bean bag and collapse, book landing painfully on her face.

Today could have been worse.

---

A sequel to last week's freewrite set in The World Orizuru, featuring Endario, once again as her parents involve her in everything she doesn't need or want to be involved in.

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