rndmnweird: I think this is not the first time I read about you having this dilemma
Go for Takagaki!! Forget Tanagaki!! No, lol
That was not me speaking... Everyone should like what ever they want to.
darkacex99: Oh no, I am going to make you disappoint...
You should just know how huge sucker I am for Takagaki
But they wont get together just yet and there's going to be something else before that, too... Can't tell everything!!
I intended to sent this chapter tomorrow evening, but because my nap got a bit too long today, I was late from one thing and well... Now I have some free time and I just decided to write this story again.
Lets try again tomorrow, lol.
Thank you everyone for your interest again!
The next chapter, here we go~
Chapter 22 – ApplesIt was only one week before the festival would kick in and it was shown everywhere. Red decoration everywhere, people fussing around and a feeling like the whole village is about to prepare something big. And they indeed did, for this festival thing was something everyone was always looking forwards to. That was the time everyone could relax and the war were forgotten. It was said that people were the happiest during the festival time.
Risa had also planned something with her friends. They would go to town and do some shopping. It was more like a task which was given to them by Jun Jun, for the king had so many things to do now so she could not afford everything. Risa and the others had of course accepted to help, for it was not so big a task to get some things from the town to the king. Also, they didn't need to get anything special for themselves, because the soldiers got all they needed from the nation. It was like their salary, for they sacrificed their safety for their own homeland.
Risa was putting her clothes on in her own room as the midday sun peeked into the building. She was quite exited of this shopping trip, for she got to spend some more time with her friends. They had had a lot of free time lately because it seemed like the enemy would not be attacking them during the festival. Of course, they were still prepared, but the king wanted to keep her warrior's mental state in a good shape too. The physical rest was not the only thing a warrior needed, but sometimes, they also had to get their mind refreshed.
Risa finished her black suit she had just put on and started to do her hair. She had stayed this night at Lin Lin's place, for she stil had some stuff in here and she wanted to spend just one more night with her friend. Ai was also leaving the nurse's place today, for she had recovered quite well and the nurse looked, that it was okay to leave her without someone stalking her 24/7. Thinking of Ai made Risa smile a bit. It was more like the fact that they finally seemed to get along at least on some level. This morning, when they had been eating breakfast, Ai had even said good morning to her! Risa had almost choked to her tea but somehow, she managed to answer back. Ai was not smiling yet, but at least she talked to her. It was always something like “Hi” or “Good morning”, but nothing more. It was okay for Risa, for she didn't look any kind of talking companion from the leader. It was enough if they could act like people would normally do around a person they knew somehow.
After making her hair, Risa left her room and went to the kitchen, where Ai was doing something. Risa smiled a bit as she walked past the kitchen and went to the front door. Just when she was about to open it, the door burst open and no one else than the aho turtle of this village greeted her.
“Hello there Risa!” Eri chirped happily and gave her friend a tight hug.
“Well hi there! You're in a good mood today.”
“Of course I am!" Eri almost yelled, throwing her hands up in the air at the same time. "It's soon the time for the festival of love...”
“Red leaves Eri, Red leaves...”
“Oh shut up, you're boring too!" The happy face was soon replaced by an annoyed one, as Eri crossed her arms in front of her and pouted at the bean. "Don't spend so much time around Sayu and Reina... Oh hi Ai!”
Immediately when the turtle noticed her leader, who had come to watch who was at the door, she went to her and gave her a hug too. Ai was quite caught of guard but soon, she just smiled and hugged Eri lightly back.
“Hi.” She said simply. Eri pulled away, but kept a hold of Ai's arm as she went to Risa, grabbing her arm as well.
“Sa, iku yo!”
“Chotto! Chotto Matte! Eri!”
The turtle turned to face her too friends who were dragged by her. Both had a look “what the heck do you think you're doing?”, while the turtle was quite oblivious what was wrong with these two.
“What now?”
“Ano, I am not coming...” Ai mumbled as she tried to pull away, but Eri kept a firm hold on her arm, preventing her escape.
“Nonsense! You belong in the group, so you'll join us!”
“Mmm, Eri I don't know....” Risa mumbled as she glanced at Ai, but Eri interrupted her immediately. She caught them both in her arms and hugged them closer so, that their heads were very close to each others.
“No buts! We go now as a one team! And if this is something about you being awkward around each others, grow up! I already saw how you, Ai-chan, smiled at Risa's words that evening you helped with the cleaning. And I also know how you smile at this aho leader, while she is not watching.”
Eri stated happily, causing the two person's trapped in her arms to panic a little bit. But at the same time, they were a bit shocked by what they heard.
'She... She smiled at my words that evening?''She smiles at me when I can't see her?'Somehow, both Ai and Risa looked up at the same time, their eyes meeting once again. Eri was ranting about something, but they could not hear it now. They had their very own competition with their eyes once again, as they tried to figure out the reason for the other person's smile.
“......So, lets go!” Eri said happily and started to drag Ai and Risa behind her.
“Eri, let go...” Risa said as she tried to get her arm free.
“No, you will only escape.” Eri protested, while Risa rolled her eyes, as she tried to get free.
“Eri, I am not so childish as you're. Now let me go, I wont escape.” The bean said calmly. Eri glanced at her friend with a serious look, but soon she let go of Risa's arm.
“You better keep that promise.”
“Ano... Could you let me go to?” Ai said a bit awkwardly, as she was still dragged by the turtle. Eri turned to her and grinned. “Make a promise you wont run away and that you will spend this day with us.”
The leader was quiet for a long while, before she sighed in defeat and looked at the ground.
“I... I promise that...” Immediately, her arm was let go. Eri watched Ai with her “serious face”, like she had done to Risa a while ago. “You two, better keep that promise...”
“Hai.”
Both Ai and Risa said at the same time, which caused them to look at each others once again. But this time, they didn't start a staring competition. They just glanced at each others and kept on walking after their turtle friend.
They could manage with each others this day and they would avoid all kind of awkward situations. They would do their best with it.
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Sayu and Reina were found nearby the market place's edge, where they were chatting something. They both watched for a long while as Eri appeared with Risa and Ai, whom both seemed surprisingly casual about this situation. Like there was no tension at all between them and they were just going to spend some time with their friends at the town.
“Hi!”
Eri chirped happily, as she went so Sayu, giving her a small peck. The bunny smiled at her a bit, but soon she turned her gaze back towards Ai and Risa, who were just standing in front of them. She examined the two for a while, but before she could say a thing, her girlfriend already interrupted her.
“Shall we go then?” Eri as asked and took Sayu with her.
“Oh, yeah. Lets go....” Sayu mumbled as she followed her lover. Reina took soon after them, Risa and Ai following as well. It was quite odd to see these too at the same time without them trying to bite each others heads off. Maybe they both had finally calmed down some how. Of course Ai had changed back to herself but Risa had still quite a lot of reason's to be mad at the leader but there she was, standing beside her like nothing had happened. Of course no one could not see inside their heads and only God knew what they were thinking right now.
But in truth, both Ai and Risa were surprisingly calm. They even surprised themselves by how they could tolerate the other one. Of course it was a bit awkward to just walk here like they were some kind of friends, for they were not. They just... Knew each others and had quite awkward moments from time to time? Okay, all the time, when their eyes met...
“What were we supposed to buy?” Eri asked the others as she was happily dragging Sayu behind her.
“We have to get some food. That was what we were asked to buy. I have a list here...” Reina said as she took a small paper from her pocket. But before she could do or say anything more, the turtle was already going.
“Food it is then!” Eri yelled, snatching the list from Reina's hand and starting to walk quickly. Sayu tried to protest but for some reason, the turtle had A LOT OF ENERGY now and she was taking Sayu with her, thought the bunny tried to fight back. Soon, they were leaving the other three behind them.
“Oi, wait up!!” Reina yelled and ran across the street after her friends, leaving Risa and Ai behind.
“Hey!” Risa yelled and was just about to go after her friends, when she felt herself being pulled backwards. Yelping a bit, Risa hit something soft and soon she could hear some noises behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she could see a horse carriage moving on the street in quite a high speed. She would have gotten under that if someone hadn't pulled her out of the way!
'Chotto.....'Realizing something, Risa looked up and saw that she was in Ai's arms now. The leader was holding her loosely and at the same time she was watching after the carriage with a frown.
“Damn, learn to drive slower, there are people out here...” She mumbled. Okay, if these two had had some awkward moments, this was on top of them all! Risa wanted to pull away, though she was thankful and all to the leader, but this was just a bit too close. But she just could not open her mouth or pull away.
Luckily, the leader had watched the racing carriage enough and turned her face towards Risa. Now, even she seemed to realize their position, for this staring competition broke off again, both women having a deer in the headlights face. Ai was somehow on fire today, for she soon let Risa go, taking few steps back at the same time.
“Um... You okay?” She asked shyly, scratching her head a bit and finding her shoes suddenly very interesting. Risa rearranged her jacket, for it had opened a bit when Ai had pulled her.
“I am. I... Thanks.” She said quietly to the leader, who just nodded her head and walked pass her.
“I wonder where those three are....” Risa heard Ai mumble as she went with her after their friends, who were nowhere in sight right now. They walked in dead silence, neither being brave enough to even glance at the other one. Ai had just acted out of instinct when she had seen the carriage come, but it was still quite awkward to be so close with Risa, even though she had just saved her.
After walking about five minutes, they came to a crossroad. They both couldn't see their friends and now, they were having two roads to go.
“I think they went that way.”
Both said at the same time and pointed the same way. Again, an awkward staring competition broke off as the two could not get their eyes off from each others.
This time, Risa was the one to recover faster and she started to walk the street they both had pointed a while ago.
“This way it is then.” She said quickly, not even glancing at Ai. The leader just nodded her head and followed after her, trying to figure out where in the hell had their friends gone. They could really help with this awkward atmosphere. After walking 10 more minutes, the two decided to stop searching, for there were just too many people outside right now and finding that aho combi with a kitten would be very hard, if not even impossible.
Suddenly, the leader started to walk briskly towards one marketplace, which was selling some kind of vegetables and fruits. Risa raised an eyebrow and soon found herself following after the leader, who was now talking something with the shopkeeper. The man smiled at the leader, who pointed out something, the shopkeeper fetching it and giving the leader what she wanted. After a moment, Ai thanked the man and started to leave almost bumping into Risa.
They looked at each others, but Risa found the bag Ai was carrying more interesting now than their usual staring contest.
“What did you buy?” Ai watched the bag in her hands and opened it slowly, revealing it content to Risa. Curiously, the younger girl peeked inside the bag only finding some reguarl, fire red apples.
“Apples?” She questioned, but Ai just shook her head.
“They are not normal apples.”
Risa looked the leader with a huge question mark hanging above her head. What did she mean? The leader took one apple from the bag, tapped it's side few times with her finger and held it then so, that Risa could see the fruit clearly. She stretched her hand towards Risa, making some eye contact with her. What on earth was she now doing?
“Think about something.” Ai said sternly as she kept on holding the apple. Now Risa was lost. What the hell was Ai talking?
“What the...”
“Just think something. Something, where you have harbored some of your feelings. It can be anything.”
As the leader kept on holding the fruit towards her, Risa decided to have a go. For she didn't know what would happen next, she decided to play a safe card and think something happy or funny.
'Well, Eri should do....'She thought as she remembered that girl's gentle angle like smile. It really made her feel warm inside and like everything was fine in this world without war and violence. Just peace.
Suddenly, there was some kind of light and as Risa turned to look, she saw the apple in Ai's hand glisten oddly. Suddenly, the whole apple jumped few centimeters up and flashed brightly. Risa stirred her eyes a bit but what she saw soon, made her eyes pop wide open. Instead of an apple there was a single white rose on Ai's palm now. The leader took a hold of the flower and examined it for a while, before she turned the gaze towards Risa again.
“You thought of peace and something with purity.”
The leader said calmly, swirling the rose in her hand, examining it a little bit more. Then something caught her eyes and she paused for a while, before she spoke again:
"And judging by this turtle shaped leaf... You thought about Eri?"
“How did you....” Risa was speechless. She had thought exactly that kind of things and then, just out of nowhere that fire red apple just turns into a white rose! What was this? Ai just smiled shortly as she just watched the former apple, now a flower in her hand.
“It's one kind of magic...” She said quietly. Risa frowned a bit at this, for she could clearly see that it was magic, but what the heck was the meaning of this all? “...a magic, which can give you almost anything you just imagine about.”
Finally Ai turned her gaze towards Risa, as she handle the rose to her. Risa took it after hesitating a bit. She was still quite out of this all and she truly hoped that the leader would explain this to her.
After giving the flower away, Ai started to walk again, Risa following soon after. Oh no, she would not escape this thing! She would explain Risa about this thing.
“Those apples are very rare and they grow only in one place. Few know that place and I was quite surprised to see that someone had found them and brought here to be sold.”
Just when Risa was about to question more, Ai started to talk about these magic apples. Deciding to want to know more, Risa kept her mouth shut, so the leader could continue.
“If you know how to use magic on those apples, they will turn so, that whatever the person is thinking about the apple will turn into something like that.”
Risa watched the flower in her hand. She indeed had thought about peace and as she thought about Eri, she had also thought about some innocence as well.
“But, It was you holding the apple, not me. How did it catch my thoughts?”
“I made it.”
Oh, so this great leader of the Team Alfa was some kind of apple wizard?
“I made it to catch yours and only your thoughts." Ai continued, as they kept on walking. "The apple can be made to catch anyone's thoughts and even many people's thoughts at the same time. The thing which the apple will transform can also be regulated. I made it to turn into something small and as you can see, it turned into a one single rose.” There was a silence as the two kept on walking, Risa examining the flower all the time.
“What kind of things can you do with these then?”
“If you're skilled enough, you can do anything with those.”
“Anything?”
"Anything, expect something which is a living and breathing thing. In other words, these cannot turn into animals or human."
Ai said and Risa after hearing this, stopped in her tracks. After noticing. that the younger one was not following her anymore, Ai stopped as well and turned to watch what was wrong. Risa was deep in thoughts for a while, before she looked Ai in the eyes.
“Can you... Can you make something with these things in the war?” She asked quietly. Okay, it sounded stupid to help fighting with apples, but if someone “guru apple wizard” would manipulate these things a bit, could she or he turn these fruits in something that would help in gaining peace?
“In theory you can and that's why it's a good thing only few people know how to use those things.” The leader walked closer and took one one of the rose's pedals and examined it for a while.
“You can imagine all kind of good things with these apples, but there's always a danger, your thoughts will turn into a negative. These things wont accept only positive things. You can decide whose thoughts it will adapt, but you can't choose which thoughts it will take and which it will ignore. Just by one strong negative emotion, these harmless things can turn into something horrible.”
Suddenly, Ai crushed the pedal in her palm, causing it to scatter in little pieces. Risa watched the scene in front of her, somehow understanding what the leader meant. But what horrible things could these do then?
"What horrible can these things do?" Risa questioned. Ai was silent for a while, before she turned to look up at the sky.
"There's a myth that says these things are able to destroy even civilization..." She said darkly, examining the crushed pedals in her hand. "And that's enough information for me. I don't want to experience what these things could do if someone let a too big negative emotion manipulate them..."
The leader continued, as she turned back to Risa, who was still quite out of this all apple things.
“That's why, we are lucky these things grow only in this land and our enemy doesn't know about these. In here, these are used only for fun, like festivals and so.” There was a silence as Ai let the now crushed petal pieces float to the ground while Risa was following her actions. Then, out of nowhere, something hit her which caused her to chuckle a bit. Ai frowned as she raised her head up and faced the younger girl again.
“Wha... What is it?” She asked carefully, which Risa answered with a bit bothered smile.
“Well it's just that... We are having a normal conversation here...” The leader's eyes got wider as Risa's words sunk in her head and immediately, she took few steps backwards having a very confused look on her face. This confused also Risa. What now?
“I'm... I'm sorry.. I should not have talked so much...”
Well now Risa was totally out. What the heck was the other one talking about? Or more likely, why was she saying sorry for she had had a conversation with Risa?
“EEH? Why are you saying sorry?” Risa questioned, but Ai just mumbled something incoherent as she tried to get some distance to Risa. It was probably her mind state, for it still might be a bit unstable. At first, Risa thought to leave the thing be, but she could not really leave Ai like that. She should tell her it was okay, if they had a conversation and in truth, Risa was truly happy that they could finally be with each others like normal people did. She hadn't even realized how casually they had talked just a while ago and she bet, that the leader had not noticed it either.
Just when Ai decided it was her time to leave, Risa grabbed her hand and prevented the escape. Ai turned to look her with a shocked expression, for she really didn't know how Risa would react to this. But the younger one just kept her hold. She would not let things get ruined now.
“Hey, there's no reason to apologize.” Risa tried to reassure. Ai was silent, but her sad face gave the bean a message that she was somehow bothered by something.
“I just meant it like... Well it's nice that we had this conversation.” This caused Ai to raise her head up. Risa could not help but chuckle a bit as she saw the leaders face, for she really reminded her of a deer who had just been scared by something.
“I... I... Tho...” Ai tried to say something, but the words just didn't come out of her mouth. But somehow she managed to gather her verbal skills, which tried to escape, and opened her mouth:
“I... I thought that... You didn't like this...” The leader spoke a bit unclearly, but somehow the bean caught her message. Again, Risa was a bit outside but she decided to dig out what the leader was hiding from her.
“Didn't like what?”
“Mmm....”
“Come on. You can say it.”
“... Talking or just being with me. I know that... You don't... You don't like me...” The deer in the headlights face was replaced by a sad one once again, as the leader turned to examine the ground. Risa kept a stern face as she rolled Ai's words in her head. It was true, that she was not very comfortable when being around Ai when it was just the two of them. But she was also very happy that they didn't fight. She was happy she could be with Ai in the same place and space without having a feeling to kill someone. And it was true, that Risa was still quite hurt of what Ai had done to her but as her friends had said, Ai had not been herself for a long time. Now, she was recovering and Risa could see, how there was a whole different person under that rude and cold mask of hers. She wasn't the best friends with Ai and she didn't like her much, but she didn't hate her either. She was just... How could she say it? Ai was still quite an unknown person to her, so that's why she could not really hate or like her. Taking a deep breath, Risa turned her lips upwards and forced a small smile on her face. But it was not as forced as she had thought it would have been.
“Hey, It's not like that. If I didn't like you on some level, I would not have been with you for this long.” There was again a silence as Ai slowly turned her gaze towards Risa. Could this be? This girl who she had hurt without a reason was saying she liked her at least on some level? She could bear the leader around her?
“But... But I did something horrible...”
“Yes you did,” Risa answered, maybe a bit too quickly, for the leader jumped a bit backwards. Risa however kept a hold of her hand, for she was not finished yet. “but you're not doing those things now, are you?”
Again, Ai just stared at the younger one, who was waiting for her answer.
“No...”
“Are you willing to do those things to me now?”
“No... God, no...”
Risa smiled, this time having a bit sad smile. Though she knew she was doing the right thing, it was just so damn hard. Part of her just wanted to shout at Ai and kick her under the ground, so that she could get her revenge of all the things she had to suffer because of this leader. But in the end, it would only make Risa even worse than what Ai had been and it would not give her any kind of pleasure. Being kind to the leader and trying to create a new beginning would hurt now, but in the end, that would give Risa more pleasure than the revenge. She was sure of it.
“Well then... I think there's no reason for me to act distant to you. In my opinion, there's no reason why we could not interact normally.” The bean said, smiling quite naturally at the same time. Ai stared in those chocolate eyes, which reminded her of her one angel like friend. If Eri had been in Risa's place now, Ai was sure that the turtle would have said something like this too. But could Ai just accept this all? She had done nothing good to this girl and yet she wanted to try again with their "relationship".
“We don't have to be the best of friends or friends at all. I just... I just don't want to be in fight with anyone and especially with someone who is close to my friends. I just want that we can be in the same space without fights and hatred. Can we... Can we work for that?”
Ai could not believe her ears. She really had thought that Risa hated her, but now she was literally asking her to try things out between them one more time. Ai knew she should not accept this but before she said anything, she thought things again. Risa had all the rights to just leave her, mock her and even punch her and even that would never replace all the pain she had caused to this girl.
And yet, here she was standing in front of her, preventing the leader's escape and asking to be at least in some kind of good terms. If Ai refused now, it would be rude, but if she accepted, she would make a service to Risa. That would not replace all the pain, but it would be at least something. Also, Ai didn't want to be in bad terms with this girl. She knew she would have to interact with her a lot, for she was a warrior too and they really needed to get along at least on some level. Also, Risa was very close with the leader's team and friends too, so making a deal with Risa, the ledaer would affect her friends too. Yes, Ai knew her answer to Risa's question now.
“Yes, we can.”
Immediately, a real smile lit on the younger ones face as she heard the leader's answer. This all awkwardness would hopefully end and they could also forget all the hatred they had had towards each others. They both truly hoped this, for this brooding atmosphere around them had eaten both of their strength. Now, they could finally be around each others without being tense and thinking all kind of unpleasant things.
“Oi! I found them!!”
Suddenly a voice interrupted and both Risa and Ai turned to look towards the sound. Eri was approaching them and she was followed by Reina and Sayu who had a lot of all kind of stuff with them.
“Eri, why are they carrying so much stuff?” Ai asked as the turtle parked beside the duo. Eri glanced behind her back and then looked at the leader like she had just made a stupid question.
“Well someone had to lead this thing!”
“In buying food?”
“Yeah? Had I not led this, these two would have made things a lot more complicated.”
“And I think these things are killing my back....” Reina groaned as she reached her friends with Sayu. Both let the things they were carrying fall to the ground and followed soon after their shopping.
“Hey, it's not that heavy! You have only about 10 bags, same as Ai has and you... WAIT!” Suddenly the turtle took hold of the bag Ai was holding and peeked inside. She turned the puppy eye look to the leader, who just chuckled a bit.
“Yes, I brought some for you too. There you go.” The leader said as she handed one apple from the bag to her friend. Immediately, Eri snatched the fruit from Ai's hand and bit on it.
“OISHIII!!!” She mumbled as she had her mouth full of apple.
“So you can also eat those?” Risa asked as she watched the overjoyed turtle eat the apple.
“Yes and they are very delicious. Here have one.” And with that, Ai held out a apple for Risa too, which the younger one took. After examining the fruit, the bean took a small bit from it and immediately a very sweet and gentle taste covered her mouth. It was something as sweet as honey, but not too sweet and it felt like she was eating a wool. This indeed was good!
“They are just like normal apples, if you wont do any kind of magic to them. These are just more sweet an even healthier than normal ones.”
Risa nodded her head towards the leader, for she had taken another bite and she could not talk while she had food in her mouth.
“Okay great, now you made that aho even more unusable....” Sayu moaned as she watched her lover take the last bites of the fruit. She got always completely out of control when she even saw those red apples. Ai just chuckled as she walked beside the dropped bags and took a few of them.
“Oh, now she has energy to do anything. Come on Kamei, lets carry these things to the king's Palace and I'll give you more off these.” Ai said, tapping the bag in her arm gently, which caused Eri to ran to the bags and take at least half of them.
“Well let's go then! Hurry up!” Soon, there was the world fastest turtle running through the streets with a lot of food bags on her back, shouting everyone to give her way.
“See? You just have to know the ways how to use the energy she gets from these.”
“You know you have to give her at least two for this...” Sayu mumbled from the ground.
“No worries. I bought quite a lot of these and I need just few for the festival. You go rest with Reina and Risa and I'll take these to the king. See you.” The leader took the last bags, and started to leave. She gave a small smile to her friends and when she passed Risa, she kept that smile. Nodding her head once, which Risa answered with an equal smile and nod as well, the leader left the market place and went to hunt the apple crazy turtle.
Risa felt quite happy, for she finally could act like she wanted to act towards everyone, nice and polite. She didn't have to even force her smile as Ai had passed her and that made her feel warm inside.
“Well that was new.” Sayu said as she got up with Reina from the ground. She had really thought she new her turtle, but Ai seemed to know something even she didn't know. Well, in the end leader had to know her group, ne?
“Well, I think I am off to home now then. Or do you guys have something special in mind?” Sayu asked. Both Reina and Risa looked at each others, shaking their heads. No, this grocery shopping had been all they had planned for this day and now with it done, they really didn't have any kind of special thing to do.
“I think I'll head home too...” Risa said as she took the last bite of her apple, the sweet taste caressing her palate.
“I can go with you. I live at the way, so we can walk together.” Reina offered, which Risa accepted happily. When the kitten turned to face Sayu again, she was met by something she had expected. Sayu had a frown on her face, but as Risa turned to say something, the bunny changed her face, smiling now gently.
“Well I think we are off then. We'll see you Sayu. Take care!”
“Yes, see you and you too. Bye!”
And with that the three friends went to their own ways, Reina going with Risa, who was oblivious of this small eye chat with her two friends a while ago.
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You will see in the future that I like those apples a lot
Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter!!