TC
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Post by TC on Oct 20, 2019 6:11:57 GMT
 You huddle up at the foot of the bed, clutching yourself and unable to stop shaking. You wan't to cry, you've never been this scared from any of your nightmares before and it leaves you wanting to cry. It takes everything you have to hold it all back and only let out choked whimpers and soft whines. Your head hurts, your chest feels as if it's imploding upon itself, it hurts so much. Your breath quickens. Who's Nyx?You don't know anything about that name, you don't know where it came from. But just thinking of it rouses a sudden jab of anger from something deep inside of you. It sounds so familiar, as if you should know, but you don't. The more you try to think, the more you toss it about in your head, the more you hurt. Your head is throbbing, as if someone went to town on your skull with a sledgehammer, your chest is beating and hurting. You can't help how you claw at your own flesh as if to alleviate the pain, to find the source and tear it out. The dream won't leave your mind. The words, the way your skin crawled. Little Star. Nyx. Death. It felt so real. To real.  Nyx... Nyx... Nyx... You feel hands on your shoulders, you hear a twisted laughter, one that terrifies you more than anything ever had.
"Kazel..."
Tears are running down your face as your eyes burn. You need to run, get out of here, get somewhere safe, but where's safe? It'll find you no matter where you run, it found you here, on a different planet, it followed you across space, it'll follow you no matter what. You can't run, you can't- you have to.
"Kazel...!"
It's fingers tighten on your shoulders, it shakes you roughly as it hisses in your ears.
"Kaz! Wake up"
Zyra & Soren ==> You most definitely did not sleep through his scream, wake up and comfort yo boy.
 You snap back to reality, the foriegn hands on your body reveal to be Zyra and Soren who crouch behind you. You don't need to look at them, you can feel their concern just from their touch. You're faintly aware of someone a few bunks away yelling for you all to shut up.
Zyra: Kaz, are you with us?
Soren: You okay, man?
Soren: Please say something
Kazel: I'm...
Kazel: I'm here... I'm safe... right?
Your heart slows down, your pulse calming as you begin to feel safety in their presence, in the familiarity of the barracks. Your home, you're in Drakken Tor. You're safe here, nothing can hurt you, not here, not with them.
Zyra: You're safe, it's okay.
Zyra: Was it a nightmare? Do you want to talk?
Kazel: ...
Kazel: Not really... I don't... not now.
Soren: Alright.
Soren: Come on.
Soren wrestles you into his law, wrapping his arms around you as Zyra sidles up beside you, an arm draped around your shoulder as they both hold you close while seated on the bed. You can feel their breathing against your skin, their hearts beating. It's comforting, it's calming. They're warm, they're safe.
Zyra: Just keep breathing, Kaz.
Zyra: We're here if you need anything.
There's still tears in your eyes and on your cheeks, Zyra nuzzles against your face and gives you a kiss on a tear streaked cheek while Soren's soft breathing tickles at the back of your neck. You'll feel guilty later for this, for waking them up when there was a mission in the morning, for making them do this to calm you down. But for now, you'll let yourself have this.
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Post by Such good friends on Oct 20, 2019 21:23:34 GMT
Kaz > ask if the name nyx means anything to them
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TC
Boy-Skylark
What Is A Consistent Art Style?
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Post by TC on Nov 9, 2019 6:19:17 GMT
Kaz ==> Ask if the name 'Nyx' means anything to them
 You don't really expect much asking them, no offense to them meant at all, but, it couldn't hurt to give it a try. So you wiggle a bit until you're more comfortable in their grasps and avoid any form of eye contact.Kazel: Weird question, but...
Kazel: Does the name "Nyx" ring a bell at all? There's an awful pause that leads you to nervously look up at Zyra, since you can't exactly twist your neck around to look at Soren behind you. You can tell their thinking, but it doesn't take long to get an answer.Zyra: Not really, no.
Zyra: Can't remember the name appearing on any rosters.Soren: Nyx? Does the name have something to do with your nightmare?
You suck in a breath, not sure if you want to tell them. Not sure if you want to revisit the dream more than necessary, or even if you should. On one hand, apparently telling each other things is important for relationships, but at the same time, its normal to keep secrets, right? Not as if they seem to know anything about Nyx, anyways. Besides, it was a dream, dreams aren't reality. |
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Post by Nah, not the time on Nov 10, 2019 0:16:22 GMT
Kaz> Just say it came up in the nightmare, but you should all go back to sleep now.
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TC
Boy-Skylark
What Is A Consistent Art Style?
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Post by TC on Nov 10, 2019 7:30:36 GMT
Kazel ==> Just say it came up in the nightmare, but you should all go back to sleep now. You hesitate at their questioning gazes. It's not as if they were pressing the topic, they weren't forcing him to answer, and still he felt pressured and it made his throat constrict and the pit in his stomach drop another ten feet.Kazel: It's... the name came up during the- the dream, yeah.Kazel: It's probably nothing, really.Soren: Kaz... you can talk to us.
Kazel: I know, I know. But it's nothing, I barely even remember the dream.Kazel: We've got a big mission in the morning, we ought to go back to sleep.Zyra: If you're sure.Zyra: Don't be afraid to wake us if you need anything.
Legionnaire A: Go the fuck to sleep already!
Okay, now you feel like crap for keeping up more of your roommates because you had a freaking bad dream. People are probably going to be tired in the morning because you've got issues. Way to fucking go. Soren: Yeah, let's just tuck ourselves back in.
 You curl back up at the foot of Zyra's bed, listening to her breathing evening out and as the rustling from Soren falls silent above to signal they'd both fallen asleep. By the sounds of it, everyone is asleep once more, but you. You... don't think you're going to go back to sleep at all.You're too scared to. You've never had a nightmare that felt so real, that left you so shaken before. You don't want to go back to that dreamless dream, you don't want to have to face the nightmare again. So you ready yourself for a night of no sleep. It's childish, you know, not becoming of a seventeen-year-old soldier-to-be. Unbecoming of a Legionnaire. But, you suppose you've never been a good soldier despite how hard you try. Eventually, the hours fade by.==> Come Dawn
 A good thirty minutes before the sun has even risen, the barrack starts rustling to life as scouts rise from bed, working on an internal alarm clock. Sheets rustle and feet hit the ground as people groan, yawn, stretch and so forth. You sit up, yawning and rubbing at your eye, grimacing at how the exhaustion left them burning. On the other end of the bed, you hear Zyra complaining about waking up, and from the corner of your eye you see Sorens grey socks as he starts down the bunks ladder.
The doors open as your barracks captain comes in for the morning announcements. You only half-listen, trying to slap some alertness back into you before you head out for the day.
Captain: Everyone up and moving. Artillery training this morning is being moved to chamber C.
Captain: Patrol routes have been adjusted, so makes sure you check before you head out.
Captain: Check your schedules, remember your assignments. You've 20 minutes to shower and eat before you start. Questions? No? |
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Post by Adrian on Nov 11, 2019 0:42:35 GMT
Kazel ==> take a cold shower to help stay awake, don’t want the others to worry.
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TC
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Post by TC on Nov 17, 2019 21:16:18 GMT
Kazel ==> Take a wake-up shower.
You decide to take a shower, making sure the water is freezing to help keep you awake. It is a nice wake-up call, it'll be enough to keep you going for a couple of hours at least.
 You look at yourself in the mirror, half-dressed with your clean uniform shirt folded and waiting to be put on, fixing your hair and drying off your fur as much as you can with a towel.
Gods, you look like absolute shit. You're not even sure how it's possible to see the bags under your eyes with your fur, but there they are. The nightmare and sleepless night has left you in a 'I don't give a shit' mood, too. Well, you've looked worse, it'll have to do. Let's just finish getting changed and-
What the fu-?!
You bite back the startled wail and instinctively whirl around to look behind you, as if the Other would just be standing right there without a care in the world.
It's just other scouts, coming in and out of the locker room and adjoined showers. No Other, no nightmare, no one. Just you and a hallucination. You're hallucinating now. It's the Other and not the one that tried to kill you, sure, but still... it's just...
Shit. |
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Post by Take a sick day? on Nov 18, 2019 5:09:50 GMT
>> consider seeing if you can be taken off the mission. If your hallucinating and high strung from sleep deprivation you might not be in any condition for going on major missions
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Post by Confused on Nov 18, 2019 7:52:30 GMT
I don't get why you would turn around when you saw The Other between you and the mirror.
How sleep deprived are you?
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TC
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Post by TC on Nov 20, 2019 21:59:03 GMT
==>> I don't get why you would turn around when you saw The Other between you and the mirror. How sleep deprived are you? Look, you were scared, you were freaked out seeing something from a nightmare in the mirror. You're not proud to say it, but reacted out of blind panic. Panic does not adhere to logic and reason. The Other was appearing in the mirror, but it was clearly not physically in front of you. Instincts took over, you acted without thinking and looked behind you. That's what you do when you're scared, you start acting on instincts. You lash out, you run, you look behind you when things are clearly not behind you.
Yeah, you're deprived of precious hours of sleep, it's certainly not healthy, but you're still functional. You'll be fine so long as you don't get spooked again. Fucking hell you hate these uniforms, sleeves and the high-collar things, Gods it's uncomfortable.If things are bad, you might sneak a few minutes nap on the way to this Insurgence base.>> consider seeing if you can be taken off the mission. If your hallucinating and high strung from sleep deprivation you might not be in any condition for going on major missions
 Oh fuck no. You are going on this mission no matter what, you have to be on the brink of death to be getting out of this. Not that it's really approved of to make requests like that, if someone's assigned a job or task, you have to be in worse condition than just tired to be getting out of it. Even if you were in no physical condition to go, you're still going. This is your first major mission, the first thing you've gotten to do that isn't just patrols.
You're fine, anyways. You're just a little tired, nothing to worry about. You're still able to do your jobs, you'll still be able to fight if things get ugly, or react if something happens. This is nothing, this is-
Fu-ouch!
Where the hell did-- this proves nothing! |
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Post by Stubborn on Nov 21, 2019 10:39:40 GMT
Better try to stick with Soren and Zyra today. They might be able to keep you from walking into sudden trees.  |
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TC
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Post by TC on Dec 8, 2019 5:52:52 GMT
Better try to stick with Soren and Zyra today. They might be able to keep you from walking into sudden trees That's the plan. Unless the Commander decides that it's detrimental to the efficiency and proficiency of the mission, you intend to stick close to the two for the duration. You're sure once you're out and about, you'll be able to focus better on what's important, keep your mind off of stupid dreams. Even so, you still intend to stay with them. From the window you're approaching, you can already hear the morning drills as Legionaries spar and run through obstacle courses. You do not envy the ones who got assigned the first training blocks. Lieutenant: Look alive, kiddo!
Lieutenant: Gonna get trampled if you just space out!
Kazel: Sorry, sir! You press yourself against the wall of the hall as one of the Legion's lieutenants rush by, probably hurrying to deliver paperwork to their superior by the looks of it.  Well, they sure were in a hurry. You think they're assigned as the lieutenant to one of the captains, must be pretty important. Probably the Insurgence, if you had to guess. Bastards likely raided another town.Speaking of which, you should probably head off to hangar. You have an Insurgence camp to get to. If you're lucky, you might even be able to blow off some of this steam on some Insurgence assholes.==> Go to the Hangar The hangar is already pretty full, looks like most everyone assigned to the mission is already here. You see a mix of scouts and soldiers alike, the soldiers are probably there in case the Insurgence mounts a counter strike while you're searching for anything to help in the war. The room is full of the ripples of chatter and the rumble from the Transports and Scorpions. Personally, you don't like the machines, you always get a sense of dread around them, but they're here to help the Legion make a better Tesiron, so you can deal with it.
Soren and Zyra are probably in here somewhere. |
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Post by Guest on Dec 10, 2019 20:00:44 GMT
Kazel>Climb onto one of the cars
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Post by Foreshadowing? on Dec 11, 2019 8:08:28 GMT
So why don't you like the machines?
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TC
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Post by TC on Apr 18, 2020 1:35:49 GMT
So why don't you like the machines?  Why don't you like the machines? Well, you've never really sat down and thought of why. You just don't. Thought, now that you think back, you can see a few incident's that may have spurred this uncomfortable feeling you get around machines of war.
There was that time as a kit where, while exploring Drakken Tor when you were still fairly new, your tail got caught in some of the gears for some machine or another.
It hurt like a Devil. Took a few hours for them to pry you free, and they even talked about amputating your tail, though you think that might have been to scare you. Which it had.
Further back, there was the whole traveling through space to get to Tesiron and crashing onto the planet in a tiny space pod.
When you're not even old enough to understand basic math, traveling through space, alone, for weeks is really, really freaking terrifying.
There were even incidents before that, now that you're thinking of it. Events when you were little that...
That... moment's that...
That...
No... no... it's not.... they're... you can't- you- you can't breathe, you can'tbreathe It hurts, it hurts it hurts it hurts ithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsityoucan'tbreatheithurtssomuchmamawhereisshewhydoesithurtwhydoesithurt  Nothing is wrong! Everything! Is! Fine! You are fine!You are okay. Nothing is wrong, you're perfectly fine and dandy! You just don't like war machines, nothing wrong with that! It's perfectly normal! Wartime jitters! There's nothing deep about it!You're okay! You're perfectly fine! You. Are. Fine. You. Are.Magnus: Kazel?
Fine! Just fine! Fine and dandy fine andMagnus: Kazel!
Kazel>Climb onto one of the cars  Magnus: Kazel! Get off the troop bus!
Kazel: *Stressed Hissing*
Magnus: Don't you hiss at me!
You don't even know when you got on it. |
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Ithoughtyouweregone!
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Post by Ithoughtyouweregone! on Apr 18, 2020 2:27:45 GMT
Kazel> Maybe stop hissing at Commander Magnus and get off the troop bus. (Maybe apologize too. Commander Magnus might feel upset about that.)
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TC
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Post by TC on Apr 19, 2020 18:03:58 GMT
Kazel> Maybe stop hissing at Commander Magnus and get off the troop bus. (Maybe apologize too. Commander Magnus might feel upset about that.)  You leap down from the bus, face flush with embarrassment at the little outburst. Not that you had an outburst. Nope, none whatsoever.
Kazel: Sorry, sir. Won't happen again.
Magnus: It better not. Just...
Magnus: Just don't be weird, kid.
Kazel: I'm never weird.
You pretend not to notice the other legionaries whispering behind the Commander. Not that they have anything to whisper about, cause that's just silly. |
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Post by Moving on on Apr 21, 2020 1:25:14 GMT
Commander Magnus> Get back to the mission briefing.
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TC
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Post by TC on May 16, 2020 21:22:10 GMT
Commander Magnus> Get back to the mission briefing.  Magnus: As I had been saying. Magnus: During the last hours of night, our forces raided an Insurgence camp hidden out in the Direwoods. As all of you know, the Direwoods is, by technicality, neutral grounds.Magnus: What this means is we can assume the Insurgence is trying to spread their territory under the cover of the forest.Magnus: Our soldiers are effective and trained, more than the Insurgence, and so the camp was effectively neutralized.  Magnus: Your mission as scouts will be to scour the camp and it's surrounding area. Magnus: You're to find anything that will assist the Legion in crushing the rebel fighters. Letters of correspondence, maps, weapons, anything that may seem important.Magnus: That includes tracking. There were several rebels who were able to escape us last night and fled deeper into the woods. It's important we catch them. Magnus: The mission is non-combative, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Reinforcements may come, and so each and every one of you must be ready to fight.
Zyra: Kaz.
Magnus: It's easy to hide in the Direwoods, and as frustrating as it is to admit, the Insurgence soldiers are better at navigating it.
Kazel: Zyra? What's wrong?
Magnus: As such; I don't want anyone working solo. Keep a comrade at your side. Keep each other safe and on task.
Zyra: Look, I really don't think you should go on this mission.
Zyra: Please just trust me on this. |
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Post by Born for this on May 17, 2020 23:54:57 GMT
Kazel> But you know the Direwoods well, and are excellent at tracking.
If you go and do a good job you might get some respect, instead of people just thinking you are some weird guy.
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TC
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Post by TC on May 19, 2020 2:51:53 GMT
Kazel> But you know the Direwoods well, and are excellent at tracking. If you go and do a good job you might get some respect, instead of people just thinking you are some weird guy.  Magnus: We will also investigate the surrounding area, of course.
Kazel: Zyra, why wouldn't I go?
Kazel: I know how to get around the Direwoods, better than you even. Hell, I'm probably one of the best trackers in this room.
Kazel: No offense to the others, of course.Magnus: I will issue a group to remain at the camp once we are finished to watch and wait in case the Insurgence try to return.
Kazel: Why don't you want me to go on this mission?
Zyra: It's not... It's...
Zyra: You didn't get much sleep last night, right, that.
Kazel: Seriously? Because of last night?
Magnus: It will take some time to get there, and the forest is dense. Don't take unnecessary risks. Don't rush.
Zyra: We might be facing Insurgent soldiers, you know, and they fight dirty- really dirty!Zyra: You're not at your best, and, well, the Legion demands you be at your best.
Kazel: Zyra, I've done more while in worse shape. This isn't the first time I've had nightmares.
Kazel: I'm perfectly capable of doing this mission, and if anything, my skillsets are going to be an asset.
Kazel: And this might be a big break for me. Even if this is a simple search mission, if I do well enough, I might catch some gazes.
Zyra: You're right, you're right. And it's your decision in the end.
Zyra: I just... really don't think you should go on this one?
Magnus: And with that, everyone get into the troop buses and we'll head out.
Yeah, you don't buy her reasoning. Not at all. Something's not right with how fidgety she's being.
But, you suppose she does have a point, you're not at your best, and the Legion demands the best. Even so, you think you're in good enough shape that you'd be able to do what you need to. Once you get moving, too, then you'll be even more awake and alert. Everyone's going to be boarding the buses, if you're going to submit to Zyra's pleads, this will be your chance to do so. But honestly, you don't know if you should cave or not. |
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Post by Very Suspicious on May 20, 2020 19:58:15 GMT
Zyra's a bit sketchy right now. But, tired or not, you're going on this mission.
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TC
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Post by TC on May 31, 2020 5:28:47 GMT
Zyra's a bit sketchy right now. But, tired or not, you're going on this mission. That's right!
Regardless of if you're tired or not, you're going on this mission, you don't care what Zyra has to say about it. This could be your chance. 
Without properly answering her, you just make your way to the bus, climbing onto it. That's as good an answer as any for if you're going or not, and it's not like you can afford to spend five minutes discussing it, you'd both get into major trouble with Magnus if you hold the rest up any longer than you already had with your...earlier outburst...
This is going to be a serious mission, an important one. You can't risk being distracted, nor can you let yourself be anything less than professional, so you force your usual mannerism back, forcing in a more serious expression as the troop bus makes it way towards your destination, slow at first and then gaining some speed.
Traversing the Direwoods is hard enough on foot with how dense everything is, so it takes time with the few buses having to navigate paths that had been carved out by the Legion already. Even then, it's a slow journey, one that you count the seconds that tick on by while the wheels grind over branches and bushes, and as your fellow Legionaries chat and talk around you.
You smell it before you hear it, before you see it.
Smoke. Fire. It becomes more apparent the closer you get to the Insurgence base, and you find yourself turning your entire body towards the window just to get a better look.
Magnus: Everyone! Off the bus! Time to prove your worth.
Magnus: Find your partner! I want every bit of this camp searched.
Before your very eyes, the Insurgence base is burning. It's smaller than you expected, that's for sure. But, how's anyone supposed to find anything of value when most of everything has likely been destroyed in the fires? |
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Post by Smell Time on May 31, 2020 6:22:45 GMT
Things make different smells when they burn. Seek out any unusual smells and you might get something before its burned beyond usefulness.
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TC
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Post by TC on May 31, 2020 20:44:26 GMT
Things make different smells when they burn. Seek out any unusual smells and you might get something before its burned beyond usefulness.  If you're going to rely on any sense, your sense of smell tends to be the most accurate. Let's do this.You get to work as soon as you step off the bus, getting low to the ground, nose twitching as you start sniffing. It's hard work at first, with the scent of smoke covering a lot of things up, but, if you focus hard enough, you're sure you can make this work.
The axe, for example. Smells new. Like it had just been newly forged before being brought here. You don't smell anything that suggest prolonged use. You're not sure if that's going to be useful in any way, but hey, if something happens, you know where an axe is.
The Insurgence flag, as good a sign that this is an Insurgence base as any. You think you saw another one farther away.
The flag has a strangely sickly sweet scent to it, nothing like the smell of oil, smoke, and metal that lingers on anything belonging to the Legion. You can't help but wonder if they roll their flags in flowers or something to get such a sugary smell to stick to it. Beyond the smell, the color scheme alone is gaudy. You always imagined that someone as vile and evil as the Insurgence would have an intimidating flag. But they don't. It's... childish. Purple and pink? And these are the bad guys.
You can't help but feel embarrassed for them.
Finding a tent that's not being ransacked or burned beyond salvation is a bit tricky, but you find an empty one with only a few small fires in it and hop in through the hole in the side. There are a few scrolls, a lot of them are charred, but it's better that nothing. Scrolls could be important. Vital information on tactics, plans, where the various camps are, where they plan to move, and so on. The ink is still fresh if your nose is to be trusted, and it usually is.
You tuck the ones that haven't burned up completely under an arm. You think you're doing well. You're finding some things and--
Huh?
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