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"How does it feel?" She says to the wall. "Don't worry if it is hard for the words to come out. I can guide you through it."
She responds to herself with a nod, then stumbles only slightly before letting a "̸g̸o̷o̷d̵"̸ slide off her tongue. Her eyes widen at the enunciation and her fingers come towards her lips. She smiles.
She begins to speak again with a more mature inflection. "̴͚̊N̶͚̔o̸͖͑w̷̫͂ ̵̨̏I̶̛̟ ̴̜̅w̴̱̆a̴̧͑ń̸̞t̴͇͐ ̸̩́t̷̙̍o̶̫͝ ̷̚͜t̵̘͝e̴̬͝l̸͔͝l̸̪̏ ̷̛̤ý̴͕o̷̜͠u̷̧̍ ̶̢͑a̸̖͐ ̴̖̾l̶̺͑ị̸̏ṯ̴͑ť̵͚ĺ̸͙ḛ̶͗ ̴̱͂s̴͙̎ṯ̵͋ǒ̵̤r̸͉̄y̵͎̍ ̸̞̐a̴̲͌n̷͎̽d̵̜͌ ̷̯̒k̶̺̇n̴̯̈́o̶̡͊w̴̥̽ ̴̮̇t̸͕́h̶̦̚a̴̤̅t̷̼͒ ̴͎̕i̸̗͌t̴̙͌ ̵̣͋í̷̫s̵̫̽ ̵̡̽v̶͈̂e̵̹̊r̷͎͝y̵̯̅ ̴͚̅ï̶̜ḿ̷͙p̸̜̾o̵̲͒r̵͖̽t̵̥̎ạ̶͘ṅ̶̤t̴͖͐ ̷̛̙ẗ̵̫́h̴͊͜à̷̮t̶̜͂ ̶͖͛y̷̰̋o̶͍͊ũ̵͉ ̴͇̑l̵̨͒i̴̘̇š̸̜t̶̙͝e̷̗̚ṋ̸͌.̵̨͝"̷̱̉
Her mouth opens wide and from it, small slivers of saliva pool to the floor to form a small sphere that ascends. "̸̦̇L̸̇͜ï̴͙s̵͎͌t̴͌͜ē̷͕n̸̯͛ ̵̺̉v̷̯̓ḙ̶̛r̴̘͝ỷ̶̜ ̸̋ͅċ̸̣á̴̩ṟ̸̉e̸̙͊f̴̭̍ȗ̶̮l̸͉̂l̵͚̽y̶̘̅:̶͇͠
*T̶͎̏h̸̯́é̷̹r̵̖̿ë̴̬ ̴̬̕w̴̯̕a̶̤̐s̸͍̾ ̴̱͊o̷̜͗n̶͔͘c̶̼͗e̶̫͆ ̶̤̿ạ̵̉ ̶̼͋ș̸̏m̸̮̾a̷͉̓l̴̞̉l̸̜̓ ̸̰̿f̴͍̀r̴̙͘ǐ̷̝e̴̻̚n̷̻̔d̷̯́ ̸̩͗w̷̦̎h̸̪̉o̵̦̐ ̵̞̊f̴̢̋e̷̬̿l̴̲̕t̸̩̏ ̷̹́ả̴̟w̵̞͊f̸͓́ṷ̸͝ḷ̵͛ ̴͍͘ā̵͍n̶̢͘d̶̘̉ ̸̤͛s̷̯̎ả̸̘d̴͓͋,̶͈̎*
*Ŝ̴͍͇̣o̷̝͈̒̐ ̷͔͐͑v̶̫̍͆ȇ̴̺̬̇̐r̵̪͙͊y̶̙̓̏̿,̷͎̹͐ ̴̺̾͜v̷̥̬̔ͅě̶̢̲̜̓r̶̡̚̚ÿ̶̭̝̪́ ̴̡̬̲̃b̸̤͚̝́͗̈a̷͎̣̓͠d̵͓̫̮̔ ̴̖͙̑̀̕t̸͖̖̺̋̈h̸͇̣͋̀̒a̶̺̩͕͝t̷̢̳̘̍ ̷̗̅̔ţ̸̐́͋h̸͍̱͜͝e̶̹̥͐ỵ̴̢̰̓̓ ̵̣̑̈w̷̖͐̃͋a̶̙̿̂n̶̼̝̑ţ̸͘e̴͕̖̹̋̅͘d̸̡͎̺͛̋ ̶̟̍ì̶̤͔̤t̴̙̤̽̐ ̶͎̲̙̀͝t̶̪̼̊́o̷̠̤͊̏ ̷͓̹̕e̵͍̊n̵͓̑͗̚d̵̨̑.̸̫̥͖̓͆"̸̠̹̠̋̎*
The sphere begins to swirl only to split at the center and then fracture into several drops that fall to the floor.
*"̵̨̲̠͚̺̗̎̽̈́̏A̴͉̖̗̽̆̅͌̈́͌̏̍n̸̤͐́̌̉̈̂̓͠d̸̳̑̈́̾̀̓̏͘ ̶̜̥́̇t̷̳̟̦̼̑h̵̪̳͖̣̹͙͈̽͌̇͌̉̀͘͘ę̶̡̲͇͕͕͂̽n̶̛̥͚͚̙̞͂͐̒̂͂̎̍ ̶͔̻͍̤͓̫̒̇̊̓͝͝t̶̼̯͓̝̯̓̈́̀͌̿̈́͛͠h̶̯̣̓̆͒̓̈́̌̓̏e̸̘̗̩͗͒͌͐͌͊̽̄͜ͅÿ̷͚̝̻̻͖͉ ̴̍̋͋͌͜d̸̙͈̘̺̭̣̞̼̏͝i̸̫̫̬̙͂́̓͝ḋ̴̠̳̠͍̒͑ ̸̧͉̳̟̮̠̝̭̋̒͋̌̅̓̔ả̴̢͇̰̭̲͇͖͆̏͛n̴̨̨̫̮̤͍̖̩͑̈́̋͂d̴̢̖̙̮̰̥͖̓̃͌̊̏ ̷͍̩̳̒̈́f̸̛͈̩̱͔̰ͅḙ̶̐͛͛̓͂̈́͊͐l̴͖̲̲͉͒̑̚l̴̜̖̟̣̼̰̇̈́́͜ͅ ̸͓̈́̇̅a̶͍̠̯͂p̶̹̟͖̎͊̋ä̶̢̤̙̯̗̜̻͚́̌̍́͒r̵̢̀̈ṯ̴̱̎̑̀̓̈́̚͠,̶̺̭̼̒̿͛͋̉*
*B̵̨̫̘̈́í̶̻̹̺̱͉t̵̲̘͍̼̦̍̉ ̸̧͚̟̜̩̪̼̠̾̈́̾͛͝b̵̖̟̬̹̖͋̉͘ͅŷ̸̳͈̘͆̇̍̑̕͝ ̷̯̊͊͐̿͠b̵͉̄́̄͋̎̆̓͝i̸̢̖͙͖͙̹̦̫̔͑͋̍̉̍̄͝t̶̢̢̼̪̱̔͂̽͌͜͠͝,̵̖̥͔͖͙̝̯̑̓̑͗̐͜ ̶̨̨̻͆̈́̔̓̓͘͘p̷̺̹͓͔̖̐͐̂̀̿̇̇̚ͅa̶̡̙͎͙͙̽ͅŗ̷̖̏̐̋̐̆̿́͝ṫ̵͔̮̱̝̘̰̯͆̂̈́̆̋͘͠ ̶̘̳͚̼̼͌͋́̊͗̈̿b̴͉̜͚̈́͐͜ỳ̶̢̢̨̖̙̙̼̤̌̎͐͌͘ ̷̞͉̯̙͗͋͑̀̒͝ͅp̷̥̗̔̾̍ͅá̴̯̱͚͎́̑͊͆͌̈́r̷̨̰͇͝t̴͓͊̑̎.̷̡͎͖̝̜̖̞̘͆̄͐"̷̺̫͔̹̘̭̯͋ͅ*
The drops then form into beings of many different sizes and forms, racing away and carefree as they multiply and clog the room. Close in. Colette's face hurts as she begins to frown so hard at the corners of her mouth though it isn't *her*.
*"̵̛̺̤̋̊̒̏͊A̴͇̯̖̯͑̑̆̍͑͗̕͝͠n̶̨̩͉̳͈̭̞̱̲̹͍͓̏͌̑̔́̄̉̄̓̎͆̕͜ḑ̸̻̪͈̖̟͇̱͍̘͇͎͚͛͜ ̶̲̗͖̟̀͜ͅf̴̡̧͓̪̪͓̦̫̞͒̒͊͜͜͠ͅő̴̡̺́́̔̑r̵̠̮̮̳̘͍̭̜̓͗͒̀̊͌̓̈̚̕͜͝ͅg̷͕͈̮̦͛̈̆͋̉̉̐̒̆͛̕͝ȩ̵̨̦̹̝̈́̐͂̃̅̀̿̀̈́̾͝ͅt̵̼̖͎̝̣̬̰̰̥̬̓̅̈̾̒̐̋͐̍f̷̧̧̜̥̼̤͓̫̙̩́̓̽͒̍͂̎̈́͂̍͑̆̾̓ú̸̡̦̬̲͎͌̽̋͐͊̚l̴̢̜̪͉͎͔̟̺̤̿͛̾̈́͊̐̑͗̌̿̂͠ ̴͉͑͐̌̄̇͝ţ̶̯̪̯̼̯͖͍̟͇̀̐̌̄̾͂̕͜͝ͅḥ̴̀͐͆̀̈́̎̇̌̋͂̕͝é̸̡̡̙̩̥̩̤̦̘̱̪̤́͘͜͠n̶̢̨̡̛̟͈͖̟̰̲͆̄͋́̔̆̏̀͂̿̑̿͜ͅ,̵̧̧̲͉͉̬̗̼̟̯̻̪̞̪̓̆̌̒̈́ ̴̭̲͚̄̿̍̔á̵̡̢̼̭̺̪̣̻̦̖͇͍l̷̢͉̣̬̣̯̝̣̮̝̯̥̉̾̍̒͜l̵̢̡̢̮̙̞̲̖͚̝͎̩̥͐̀̄̊́̃͐̇̍̚͘̚̚͝ͅ ̶̹̪͕͎̰̺̳͑̽̀̊̊͒̀̕͝t̵̹̭̘͎̝̼̪̬̫͈̭͉̲͈̃̒̄̃͋͗͑͌̿̐͊͐ẖ̵͈̳̬̣̜̰̩̪̤̬̓̉̍͒͗̀̐͑̔͂͑e̷͍̖̫͐ ̷̧̛̪͚̘͔̩̪͈͚̳̾̂́̄̎̅̊͘p̸̢̟̟̼̤͕̟͖͔̦̱͎̟̈́̒̌ͅi̸̫͔̫͚̙̜̩͇̓̊̐̉̏̅̇͋́̄͘͝͝ȅ̸͎̣c̶̨͖̻̺͒̈́͐͛͒͊͛́͂̑̂͂̕̕͜e̵̡̹̭̰̹̬̜̱̫͂͛̽͒́͐̆̉͐̚̕͜͝͠s̵̡̢̘̣̫̝̞̣͎̥̫̮̄̏̈̓̽͊̆͛̀͋͝ͅͅ ̸̧̖̹͖̞̘̣͈̦͔̉͜͜ö̴̧̨͎̯̪̬̮͙̱̹̣͐͑͌̈́̃̕͘͝f̶̛̻̣͇̓̍̍̋́͊͌̄̆̒͜ ̶̱̂̃̿͛̀̋t̴̢̙̹̞̼̥͙̆͒̚̕͠h̷̨̡̙̣̲̫͍̠̣͍͎̎̑é̴̩͖̺̻͍̳͔͓͍̩͛̎̓̌̐̃̇̄̑̈̂͘̚ ̸̢̦̖́̽̌̅̂̈́́̃̃͝f̴̧̨̛̜̜͇̻̻̈́͂̾̍̈́̈́͜r̵̨̮̪̲͖̻̬̺̮̲̊̅̀̇̄̀͛̄́̏͘͠͠͝í̵͈̬̳̪̣̒̂̐͝ȩ̷̧̟̻͙͉̩̯̞̞͙̼̜̺̓̉̊͂̓̈́͒̐̎̒͌̐̿͝n̵̢̡͖̻̤͕̫̏̾̌̈́͠d̷̡̜͓̜͙̞̬̜̂̈*
*c̴̹̤͇͋͗͝o̸̩̜̠̱̭̟̼̘͐̑͊̀͑͌̇̿u̸̺͗̏͋̄̎́l̶͚̥̗͔͇̪̘̠̱͇͋̈́͂͜͜͠ͅḑ̵̨͎̹̱̻͙̻͒̀̎̉͐̌̒̑͌̚ń̴̢̨̗̪̗̮̳͔̰̦̖͚͖̿̎̇̿͋̇͆͘͝͠͝ͅ'̵̬̤̬͍̟̀ṯ̵̡͖̲͂̍̓̎̓͗͜ ̸͉͉̬̞͇̠̣̂̒͂̈́̃͜p̸͓̤͉̯̠̖̪̦̐̅͋̚͜u̵̧̳̼̬̣̩̞̖̗͓̓̿̐͜͝ͅt̴͔͔̣̟͙̰͐ ̸̝̬͕͉̯̭͐̈t̸̨̗̱̻͖̜̟͕̬͐͜h̷̞̦̳͇̱̫̗̖̤̙̋̓̊̐̀̎̿̈̾̕ȩ̷͇͍͓̱͚̬̘͓̱͋͌̓̽̆̑̾̕͝ͅm̴̨̝͔̱͓͓͉͔̺̹̻͖̮͗̏̈́̏͗̓͂̀̈́̎͛̈́̔̊ś̷̛̭̦̖̗͈͔̳̫̟̖͋̉͐́͝e̵̢̻̤̼̪̹̲̗̼̯̒l̷͓͓̻͙̳̹̩̠͖̙̇̐̔͌̈́̈́̆̓v̷̛̪̳̰̩̘͈͔́͂̄́̀͜ͅe̴̯̰̭̮̠̳̲̞̾̒̂̌̀̆s̸̢̰͉̮̫͇̫͓̤̤̝̅̆̈́̋̈́̊̊͋͌͌̈́̅̈́͜͜͝ ̸̨̪̥̹̭̒ḅ̴̨̧̪̫̫͇̖̟͇̥̣̰͙̀̃́̑̈͘͝ą̴̨̟̣̯̺͚͖̮̺̠̲̀̿͊͐͛̕c̶̲̭̜̫͚͕̟̆̈́̓͘ķ̶̛̖̪͒̎͐̐̈ ̴̡̛̖̯̫͍̖̘̟̮̫͐͝t̸̰͍̤͍͕͔̮̝̞͎͙̊o̵̡̧̼͕͇̹͔̗̦̹͚̣̯͐̿̀͌̈̈́̿̉̆͋̕͝ͅģ̸̲̞̳͖̮̤̳͑͋́̋̈́͊̐̽͘͝͝ͅë̵̟͎̲́̈́̔̐́̊̑̓̌̓̽͜͠t̷̡̢̛̬͚̰̠̘̫̺̤͉̀̒̍̇̓͛͋́̋̔͝͝ͅh̶̛̯̖̤̣͇̙̥̜̰̗̏̒͑̀̾͗̔̌̒̈́͝ͅȩ̵̛̖̹̱̘̭͈̻̘̝̿̑̿̽̈̉̍̊͌̓̃̏͋ͅr̶̡̧̨̩̼̟̣̼͕̱̪̓͝ ̶͔̟̫͍̮̈́͑̄͘͠a̸͇̠̐̆͋͂̈́g̶̘̙̬̣̳̳̯̜̞͎̈͑̊̈̈́͆ą̶̢̬̞͈̞̫͓͎̘͈̈̏̎͛̈́͝ͅͅi̷̡̻̼̠̥̮̰̰͖͆͊͐͜ͅn̵̫̱͚͖̖̹̜̟̼͍͚̯̒̊̏͛̐̚͜.̷̨̳̬̫͉̬̭͕̥̠̥̐̔͛̓͛̆̃́̃͊̚͝ͅ"̸̞̳͈͇͂*

\*\*\*

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   "Boogie. Congratulations, you have applied consecutively to this program exactly one-hundred and ninety nine times." Her tone is even, a stark contrast to the initial interest that painted her face. "We might as well be throwing a celebration, though you certainly outdid yourself during the trials this year especially." She flips through an extremely dense folder, picking out the most recent slips of paper with a noticeably surprised expression.

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   Boogie jumps excitedly and talks as if fairly familiar with both the panel and the inner workings of the interview. "Yeah, I just had this super strong feeling about the trainees this year and had to make sure you guys took me extra seriously. Guess it worked because usually you don't even bother calling me in!"

```

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   The head of the panel speaks up again. "Because the last time I did that, you spoke unabashedly about my private life and of my late father who was head of the panel before me. I would rather this not devolve into that once again. Not to mention it was my first year as his successor."

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   "Oh no no no, I'm looking to be approved again. Great guy by the way and a lot less anal--," the head panelist begins to frown. "I MEAN he was a little relaxed but people need structure and you give that to them one-hundred percent." He flexes his wrist, hand clenched in a fist.

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   Another one of the members chimes in, exhausted by the spectacle. "Why are we entertaining him again, Quillox? We have read about him many a time and the previous members have detailed how he continuously squanders opportunity again and again without fail. There are many other participants that are less fickle regarding trainees and are far more respectable to boot." The bearded redhead is the most opposed, though the other members silently agree by feigning ignorance. "I absolutely will not condone another try when so many would die for a inkling of the approval he has garnered."

```

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   "And if we were to reject him, would he not roam from our sight? We don't know what Boogie is but he has remained cooperative with us and has done no harm to anyone of the community, Junith. I am merely offering us a possible solution given that the circumstances appear to be different this time. If it fails, I will personally resign just to prove how much faith I have about my decision." Junith concedes, but not before flushing in seething rage from Quillox's reserved addressing of him. "Now then, you have passed the trials with flying colors from what I can interpret and that is no small feat. I am one to believe the trails are as much a show of character as of strength."

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   "I like to think so! I am as ready as Freddy, my liege."

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   "Please don't call me that and respect Freddy," Quillox says. One of the panel members crosses her arms and nods. "I am passing you this year in the hopes you will finally find what you are seeking old one, and in doing so am risking everything. We panelists are given one time to pass an executive order that will automatically pass a qualified participant, even at the behest of disagreement. I assure you personally if you ruin my name and reputation by failing me, I will come after you separate from the jurisdiction of the Heroes' Guild and smite you myself, understood?"

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   Boogie ponders whether to cheer or quietly bask in his victory but instead chooses to run his mouth. "Quill, you will not forget this, I promise! I will create the greatest party since Pinnacle and when I do, I'll be using your name ALLLL over the place, like--."

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   "Next," she interrupts, the vibrato of her voice causing literal pulses of energy to quake the room. "You have a week to assemble who you wish to mentor and I'd like the list hand-delivered to me with the intention and reasoning behind your choices. Now, please let the next participant in."

```