章 12: Chapter 12 Family And Friends?
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Hana's point of View
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Hana leans back in her chair, stretching her arms out like a cat. Her baggy t-shirt hangs off her thin form as the chair creaks slightly, her back popping. "The Stream has now stopped," displays on her computer monitor. With a press of a key, her virtual model freezes, and Hana lets out a sigh of relief, rising to her feet.
She jolts as the electric feeling of pins and needles shoots up her sleeping leg, causing an awkward shuffle towards the kitchen. Hopping up the small stair, the tingling sensation in her nerves disappears as she rounds the near-empty kitchen. A set of knives sits untouched in a spotless block. Hana cracks a smile, looking to a large rack of gleaming pans. "Let's get cooking."
Her socked feet pad across the tile as she moves to the fridge, swinging the door open. The cool air brushes her face as she scans the shelves, biting her lip. With a nod, she grabs a cluster of vegetables - vibrant bell peppers, a plump eggplant, and a bundle of green onions. Placing them on the counter, she reaches for a cutting board and one of the pristine knives.
As the blade slices through the first pepper, Hana's shoulders relax. The rhythmic chopping, the crunch of the knife against the wooden board, it's meditative. Her mind wanders as she dices the veggies
Hana leaned against the metal guard railing, her eyes locked onto the two figures clashing in the training room. The salty ocean air of Gibraltar brought a cool breeze, making her shiver in her blue and white battle suit. A shower of sparks flew through the air as a metal blade made contact with a compound bow. The swordsman jumped back as a wave of shuriken flew towards the archer, who raised his bow, three arrows notched. Each arrow firing deflected the shuriken, pressing onward.
Hana gawked as the arrows seemed to change direction mid-air, all raining down on the ninja. Before they could strike, the silver-colored warrior swung a small blade hung at his waist, slicing the arrows into pieces. Hana jumped back as shards flew towards her. In a green flash, the arrows vanished. The swordsman crouched on the railing, crushed arrow shafts in his metal hand, the shards of arrowheads dropping harmlessly to the ground.
"I am sorry for the trouble," he spoke briefly.
Hana shook her head. "No, thank you for the save."
The swordsman nodded, turning back to the archer, who didn't meet Hana's eyes before walking away to another part of the base.
"What's his deal?" Hana questioned.
"He is... adjusting," the shinobi replied. "I must go. Heiwa ni ikimashou."
"You too." Hana gave a faint smile as the swordsman paused, bowed, then dropped off the railing, disappearing into a hallway.
"I see you met my brothers." Hana turned to see a girl in a red beanie, white t-shirt, and crimson hoodie tied around her waist over black jeans approach, arms resting casually behind her head.
"They're your brothers?"
"Well, we were raised as siblings..."
"They're brothers, but my mom was their combat instructor, so we've been close since we were kids." The girl leaned back against the railing, arms crossed. "I'm your all's new medic - Kiriko."
She spoke rapidly, and Hana studied her - the red beanie, the casual t-shirt and hoodie. "You're our new doctor?"
Kiriko raised a hand to her face. "I know, right? I look way too young and fresh-faced to be a stuffy old doctor." She flashed a confident smile. "Angela's got you beat, sis."
Kiriko stuck out her tongue playfully, earning a giggle from Hana. "But yeah, I'll be watching your back out there." She offered her fist, and Hana bumped it.
"So I've been wanting to ask..." Hana glanced back towards the training room. "What's up with those two? Especially the ponytail guy. He seems kind of a..."
"A dick?" Kiriko finished bluntly. "Pretty much."
She shrugged. "He's been like that since we were kids. Wherever Genji went, Hanzo followed, but usually took the blame whenever Genji got into trouble."
Hana noticed the dark circles under the archer's eyes. "So why does he look like such a sad sack?"
Kiriko's expression sobered. "Him and Genji have some drama. I don't really want to get into it, but the gist is Genji messed around too much, and their family decided he needed to be...gotten rid of. So they had Hanzo try to kill him."
Hana's eyes widened, but before she could respond, Kiriko continued, "Now Genji's back and brought Hanzo to help Overwatch. I figured, why not join my favorite two drama queens?"
Kiriko turned to face Hana, whose fish-like stare revealed her stunned disbelief. "Also, we're magic." Kiriko wiggled her fingers teasingly.
Hana snapped out of it. "You've been joking this entire time?!"
"Nah, that much is true." Kiriko waved a dismissive hand. "Just...cut the two some slack if you get caught in the middle. Those bros have some stuff to figure out."
Hana blinked rapidly, trying to process Kiriko's casual revelation about Hanzo and Genji's history. Magic aside, the notion of brothers being pitted against each other in that way was deeply unsettling.
She studied Kiriko's nonchalant demeanor - the slight shrug, the dismissive hand wave. For her, this problem seemed almost...mundane.
"How can you be so cavalier about all that?" Hana blurted out before thinking.
Kiriko arched an eyebrow. "You think I'm being cavalier? Believe me, I worry about those dinguses constantly." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "But if I got bent out of shape every time they did something stupid or dramatic, I'd be a mess."
A wry smile played across her lips. "Let's just say I've had years of practice rolling with their nonsense."
Kiriko pushed off the railing, falling into step beside Hana. The warm afternoon sun glinted off the water as they strolled the balcony's length in comfortable silence.
"I get it, you know?" Kiriko said finally. "They're my family, even if we're not related by blood. You don't just turn that off because things get...complicated."
Her gaze drifted to the horizon, where the sky met the sea in a seamless blend of blue. "We've all done things we regret, made choices we can't take back. But we keep showing up for each other. We have to."
Hana felt herself nodding slowly. She thought of her own found family - her MEKA squad mates who fought by her side, laughter and contrails intermingling in those frantic neon nights over Busan. She'd take a bullet for any of them without hesitation.
"Yeah..." Hana exhaled, leaning her forearms on the railing. "I get it."
Kiriko shot her a sidelong glance, understanding passing between them. "Then you're okay in my book, gamer girl."
Hana snapped out of the memory as a stinging pain shot up her nerves. Scarlet blood began pooling in her palm - she must have nicked herself while chopping vegetables. Cursing under her breath, she dropped the knife and dashed to the bathroom.
Rummaging through the cabinet beneath the sink, she retrieved a first aid kit and pulled out a small, dart-like object. Grimacing, Hana jabbed it into her palm. A soothing sensation immediately washed over the wound as a clotting agent took effect, a fresh scab rapidly forming to seal the cut.
She ran her palm under the disinfectant and quickly wrapped a bandage around it, inspecting her handiwork with a huff of relief. Turning back towards the kitchen, her heart sank as she took in the gruesome sight - the sliced veggies now appeared drenched in scarlet fluid.
"Shit," Hana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. So much for that stir fry.
With a resigned shake of her head, she started gathering the blood-soaked ingredients to toss them. The biotic-gel may have closed the wound, but now her dinner plans were trickling down the drain, quite literally.
A small smirk tugged at her lips as she dumped the gory veggies into the trash. Only she could turn a simple meal prep into a scenes reminiscent of those classic Busan zombie flicks she loved. Some things never changed.
At least this mess was contained to her own kitchen. Hana didn't even want to imagine the clean-up required if this had happened out in the field. Between the tech grenades, bioweapons, and various other hazards, battles often left quite the mess back in the day.
With a resigned sigh, she quickly wiped down the counter and kitchen surfaces, checking meticulously for any stray splatter. The things she did for a simple home-cooked meal.
Satisfied the area was clean, Hana leaned back against the counter, unwrapping the bandage to inspect her already nearly-healed palm. Fancy future medicine was incredibly convenient, if a bit unsettling at times with how quickly it could cauterize wounds.
Her gaze drifted towards the living room window, where the warm glow of early evening filtered in, casting the kitchen in a cozy orange light. Maybe she'd just order delivery tonight. A quiet night in with her favorite Pizza and a movie marathon sounded perfect.
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Brian's Point Of View
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Brian snaps back to reality as a metal tray clatters against the granite kitchen counter, startling him. His blue cap falls from his head. "Snap out of it, kid. We got an order in S'nrio," his boss barks, grabbing a stray pizza box and quickly folding it.
Brian lifts his phone, checking the timeclock - 4:36. He glances back at his boss placing a pizza inside the box. "Cheesy bread, cinnamon roll sticks, a large Hawaiian with bell peppers," the boss lists off, scrolling through a tablet with narrowed eyes. He snaps his fingers at Brian. "Go to the cooler and grab one of those energy drinks...with the lizard on it."
Turning, He slides the glass door open. His hand wraps around a lime green can before hesitation sets in. "The green ones are trash," he remembers, cracking a smile. Reaching down, he grabs a blue one instead, setting it beside the pizza and order on the counter.
Brian pulls a thermal bag from beneath, packing the large order inside. Giving his boss a brief wave, he says, "It's a long drive. If I get there past 5, take the order, and clock me out."
His boss nods. "Got it."
Stepping outside into the rain, Brian pulls his blue hoodie tighter. He places the thermal bag into a locked basket on his bike and presses the shield lock button. The small metal cover snaps shut over the basket as he mounts the bike. Kicking off, the hoverjets cause rippling in the puddles, spraying water. Brian speeds onto the road, the rain pattering against his hoodie.
Brian parked his hovercycle on the curb, double-checking the delivery address. "Why would someone way out here in the fancy S'nrio district order from a pizza place clear across town?" he muttered to himself.
He made his way inside and into the elevator, his stomach rumbling as the aroma of pizza filled the small space. Brian closed his eyes, letting the cheesy scent and elevator music wash over him. "Damn, I think I missed KurpikaDv'as livestream again."
Checking his phone, he saw the delivery was for room 1433. Brian whispered the number as the elevator dinged open. He slid between the doors and down the plushly carpeted hallway, passing ornate wooden doors until he found the right one. His feet tapped quickly as the time on his watch ticked to 5:05pm.
Finally, the door clicked open, and Brian thrust the thermal bag forward, showing the QR code on his phone screen. "A Hawaiian pizza with bell peppers, cinnamon roll sticks, cheesy bread, and—"
His voice trailed off as he looked up to see sunglasses and a black face mask peering back at him. As their eyes met, the girl's widened, causing the mask to slip down slightly. Brian's finger shot up, pointing at her in recognition.
"You're the girl from the convenience store!"
The girl stuttered, seemingly just as surprised. "You're the kid who went on a date with Lena!"
An awkward pause stretched between them as they stared at each other. Brian's phone pinged with the payment notification. Wordlessly, he shoved the food into the girl's hands and turned on his heel, speedwalking back down the corridor.
"W-Wait, get back here!" she called after him.
"No thank you!" Brian called over his shoulder, not breaking stride.
"I'll give you a hundred dollar tip!"
Those words made Brian's sneakers screech to a halt on the carpeting. He pivoted slowly, the prospect of that lucrative tip giving him pause. His eyes narrowed slightly at the girl still standing in her doorway, weighing his options.
Brian eyed the girl skeptically, her offer of a generous tip hanging in the air between them. A hundred dollars was nothing to sneeze at for a simple pizza delivery. But the colossal ick-factor of potentially being involved with drama made him hesitate.
"How do I know you're not just messing with me?" he asked, squinting. "I think you just want to hear gossip."
The girl clutched the food bag close, shaking her head vehemently. Her tousled hair bounced around her shoulders in a way that was almost...cute? Brian quickly banished that errant thought.
"I'm not papparazi, I swear!" She pulled down the mask, revealing a slightly panicked expression and a smattering of freckles across her nose with pink markings on her cheeks. "Look, I was an overwatch member I knew Lena Oxton and ..." She waved a hand vaguely. "...I just wanted to ask you some questions."
Brian arched an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself at this new vulnerability he sensed. The girl glanced away, cheeks pinkening slightly.
"I just figured if I tipped you an obscene amount of money, you'd be willing to talk" She exhaled heavily. "No gossip or drama or anything, I promise."
Her warm brown eyes bored into his imploringly. Brian felt his resolve wavering. Maybe she really was just worried about her friend. And that tip would cover his food bills this month with plenty left over...
Squaring his shoulders, Brian strode back towards the door, extending his palm expectantly.
"Fine, But I want some proof you actually know Lena."
The girl rolled her eyes dramatically at the boys suspicious nature, but couldn't say she didn't understand the reason. She slapped a crisp $100 bill into Brian's waiting hand. Before showing Lena's phone number. The digits matched the ones Brian had exactly.
"There," she said, adjusting the mask back over her face. "Now are you going to answer some questions or not?"
Brian nodded politely and stepped inside the lavish hotel suite, his eyes widening as he took in the sprawling space. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows showcased a breathtaking view of San Francisco's skyline, raindrops pattering rhythmically against the glass.
"Wow!" he exclaimed, craning his neck to try and absorb every detail of the cityscape.
"Are you going to keep staring, or are you going to come sit down?" Hana's voice snapped him out of his reverie. Brian felt his cheeks flush as he tore his gaze away from the vista and made his way towards the kitchen area.
As he passed by, various gaming posters and setups caught his eye. A high-end PC rig with multiple monitors dominated one desk, while a VR headset rested atop a mannequin head nearby.
"Is that the Vishkar Nimbus?" Brian asked, eyes widening as he studied the headset from every angle. "You play VR games?"
Hana looked up from the pizza box, cheeks puffed out as she chewed and swallowed a mouthful of steaming cheese and sauce. "Yeah, I try to get some virtual time in every night."
She quickly reached for a blue energy drink, popping the tab and taking a long, exaggerated sip. "Ohhh, that's so good," she commented, letting the cool liquid soothe her burning taste buds.
As Hana set the can down, she noticed Brian's intense blue eyes focused intently on her. An awkward silence stretched between them before she attempted to break the tension.
"Sooo...your name?"
Brian seemed to snap out of some daze. "Wiser. Brian Wiser." He extended his hand and Hana firmly shook it, though his gaze quickly dropped to the bandaged wound on her palm. "What happened there?"
"Kitchen accident," Hana replied dismissively, waving her other hand. "It's why I called you here, Pizza Boy." A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "And my name's Hana."
Brian leveled a warm smile at her. "It's nice to meet you, Hana."
Something about the way his handsome features shifted when he smiled triggered a strange flicker of recognition in Hana's mind. There was something achingly familiar about this kid...
Shaking it off, she slammed her drink down with a thud, fixing Brian with a scrutinizing look.
"So, down to business - are you a clout chaser?"
Brian's expression went utterly deadpan. "No."
Hana studied his face intently, scanning for any hint of deception. "You better not be lying, because I can tell when someone's lying."
She watched as Brian simply shook his head, seemingly unbothered by her accusatory tone. "I'm not. Lena saved me and my brother once, then a little while ago I randomly ran into her on the balcony of my apartment and we started talking."
Hana leaned in closer across the counter, her eyes narrowing. Their faces were now mere inches apart as she prodded further, "Talking about what?"
Brian averted his gaze, looking distinctly uncomfortable as Hana's intense scrutiny and close proximity bored into him. "Life, I guess? It's a little private, but there's nothing weird. I just...like talking to her."
He risked a glance back towards Hana, immediately regretting it as he found himself at eye-level with her ample cleavage peeking out from the loose top she wore. Brian felt his cheeks scorching as he fought to keep his eyes respectfully averted from her enticing chest.
Hana, for her part, remained blissfully unaware of the effect she was having as she continued studying Brian's expression like a hawkmissed detective.
"So you play Shockdisc?" Hana asked, studying Brian carefully.
He nodded. "It's one of my favorites, but recently I've been spending a lot of time in ReLife, just hanging out with this guy I know."
Puffing out her chest, Hana adopted a cocky expression. "I have over a thousand hours logged in Shockdisc and I'm ranked worldwide."
Brian smiled, seemingly unsurprised. "I don't have quite that many hours, but I'm ranked too - top 500."
Hana couldn't hide her raised eyebrows at that admission. Quickly recomposing herself, she fired off another question.
"What's your scoring average?"
As Brian answered, providing his stats and details, Hana listened intently, tossing out progressively more niche gameplay inquiries that he handled with ease. Finally, she switched genres.
"What about CombatBox?"
"I prefer FightingSkill, but CombatBox is okay," Brian replied with a shrug. "I like the physics gameplay mechanics in FightingSkill better than the weird hit detection in combatbox."
A slow smile spread across Hana's face as she appraised him with newfound respect.
"Hmm...why don't you and I play a round or two then? I want to see what you're really made of."
Brian paused, clearly taken aback by the abrupt transition away from the interrogation-style questioning.
"I thought you had more questions? Isn't going straight into gaming kind of...weird, after all this?"
Hana's cocksure demeanor faltered briefly, a flicker of displeasure crossing her features before the bravado reasserted itself.
"If you'd rather just go back to spend time home alone, I don't mind," she said with studied nonchalance, waving a dismissive hand. "I just figured you should back up some of those stat claims of yours."
She broke eye contact, ostentatiously taking a bite of lukewarm pizza and chewing slowly. The silence stretched as Brian seemed to contemplate her words. Finally, he sighed.
"Do you have an extra headset?"
A triumphant smirk split Hana's lips as she swallowed her mouthful.
"I figured you'd see reason," she purred, green eyes glittering with anticipation and challenge. "Prepare to get demolished, Wiser."
Without waiting for a response, Hana slipped off the barstool and strode across the plush apartment in a series of exaggerated, cocky strides. She retrieved a second headset from its stand, tossing it through the air back towards Brian with a cavalier underhand flick.
He snatched it cautiously from the air, giving the sleek piece of technology an appraising look. A grin slowly spread across his features, seemingly energized by Hana's brazen taunting.
"You're that confident you'll win, huh?" he asked, already slipping the headset over his messy blond curls. "We'll see about that."
Brian peeled the VR headset off, blinking rapidly as he transitioned out of the fully immersive dive. He sat up slowly, chest still heaving from exertion. Turning towards Hana, he was met with a devilish smirk as she stuck out her tongue and formed an 'L' shape with her fingers.
"L-Loser!" she taunted.
Brian rubbed his sternum, the phantom sensation of taking a stinging heel kick still tingling across his nerves. "The Nimbus...it's insane. Like I could actually feel every punch and kick landing."
"Mmhmm..." Hana hummed, stretching languidly before rising from her seated position. "State of the art VR tech. Only made for the pros and celebrities."
She shot Brian a sly wink, clearly relishing having such elite equipment at her disposal. Brian simply smiled back, an uncharacteristic cockiness spreading across his features.
"Well, what else would I expect from the one and only...KurapikaDva?"
The transition was seamless - one moment Hana's playful grin was firmly in place, the next it evaporated entirely. Her eyes went wide as her gaze snapped to Brian's knowing expression.
An awkward pause stretched between them as Hana's mind raced, putting the pieces together. Brian wasn't deterred in the slightest, feeding off her shocked reaction.
"The fighting style you used - Jun Keet Do," he began confidently. "KurapikaDva is a master of it. And in all her promo vids, she has this very distinct technique when throwing a full side kick."
Brian mimed the twisting heel strike, his eyes brightening with undisguised admiration.
"I've pored over footage of her matches, studying her unique form for stuff like gameplay analysis videos. That kinetic twist at the end is her signature move."
Hana remained frozen, holding unnaturally still as a bead of sweat trickled down her temple. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"I...I mean, sure, Jun Keet Do is getting really popular nowadays," she finally managed, attempting a dismissive shrug that fell utterly flat. "Could just be a crazy coincidence, right?"
A long pause as Brian considered this, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. When he spoke again, his tone brimmed with quiet confidence.
"Except not just anyone gets to be one of the top ranked players in the world at it. And how many people do you know that have not one, but two Vishkar Nimbus headsets just...casually lying around?"
Hana's carefully maintained nonchalance shattered. In the blink of an eye, she was on her feet and looming over Brian, grabbing fistfuls of his hoodie as she forcibly shook him back and forth.
"You can't tell anyone about this, you hear me?!" she hissed urgently, her earlier bravado vanished. "If people find out who I am, I'll get harassed and stalked! My life would be over!"
Brian could only nod dumbly as Hana rattled him, well aware of how fragile his current situation was.
"I'm a huge fan, I swear," he tried to reassure her between jerks. "Your secret's safe with me!"
Hana paused, searching his expression for any hint of deception. When she found none, some of the franticness bled out of her, replaced by an almost comical faux sternness.
"I forbid you from telling a single soul!" She thrust a finger in Brian's face, rising up on her tiptoes in an exaggerated display of dominance. "If you do, I'm gonna tell the entire world you're dating Tracer!"
Brian's eyes blew wide, panic seizing his features. "You wouldn't dare..."
"Try me," Hana shot back flatly, arms crossed in a challenging posture.
The two stared each other down for a heated moment before Brian slowly raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay...I won't tell anyone, I promise. Just please don't go spreading crazy rumors about me and Lena." His expression turned imploring. "I don't want anything to happen to her because of me."
Hana held his gaze for another beat before nodding curtly. As Brian turned away to gather his belongings, she struck with cobra-quick reflexes - snatching his phone right out of his hands!
"Hey!" Brian yelped, spinning back around to see Hana holding the device high above her head.
He pawed futilely for the bobbing phone just out of reach. Hana danced backwards with a taunting grin, keeping the prize tantalizingly elevated.
Finally, when Brian was practically bent in half, she let the phone tumble from her grasp. He snatched it from the air barely an inch from the floor, cradling it protectively to his chest as he straightened with an indignant huff.
As Brian's eyes swept over the screen, checking for any damage, a strange sequence of letters and numbers caught his attention.
"It's my friend code," Hana supplied, watching Brian carefully. "I don't really know anyone who can play at my level I want to see what you can do, you're a decent matchup."
Brian simply shook his head slowly, grip tightening around the phone. His gaze was resolute when it finally lifted to meet Hana's once more.
"Liar," he stated flatly. "You were holding back in the game."
Hana felt like she'd been doused in ice water. The bravado, the teasing camaraderie - it all melted away as Brian's piercing stare cut right through her pretenses.
"Your...technique," he pressed on, taking a subconscious step closer as his voice lowered with intensity. "Your speed and reaction time...it was off compared to your gameplay videos. You're way faster than what you showed me."
Hana said nothing, rooted to the spot as he approached. There was an unnerving certainty to Brian's demeanor, a sense that he could see right through to her core.
"I'm not going to play around with you if you don't take things seriously," he said, squaring his shoulders as they came nearly chest-to-chest. "I love watching you fight so I hate knowing that you won't give me the real deal."
His next words emerged as a low, rasping murmur, eyes locked unblinkingly on hers.
"...So don't hold anything back."
Silence fell over the hotel suite, the air thickening with sudden tension. Hana drew an involuntarily sharp breath, keenly aware of the smoldering challenge in Brian's stare.
She found herself unable to look away.
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Fantasy Omake
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"Hana, I can't heal you if you keep jumping into the crowd of enemies!" Brian yelled.
"Maybe you just suck at healing!" Hana yelled back, raising her steel shield as a hobgoblin's club shattered against it. She kicked the hobgoblin in the face, knocking it backward. "Maybe you're just a bad knight!"
Brian swung his staff, the great blue diamond-like shape at the end colliding with a small goblin's head, knocking it out. "Lena, can I have some help!" he called to the elven rogue, who turned to look at him, a pouch full of coins in her hand after plucking it from a goblin's corpse.
"I'll get around to it, love. I'm a bit busy," Lena waved him off, making him sigh.
"Angela?" Brian turned to the priestess. Her black nun fatigues shielded her from the harsh sun, her hands clasped in prayer.
"Shit!" Brian jumped towards the crowd of goblins, leaping over one's head. He grabbed Hana and pulled her free, running away as a great black portal appeared beneath the goblin swarm. Great purple-eyed tentacles shot out, grabbing various goblins.
Brian strained, running faster as Hana smacked the back of his head. "Mush, faster, faster! It's coming!" she panicked, pushing the boy to quicken his pace.
Lena yelled out as a goblin wearing a golden crown was pulled into the abyss. Brian grabbed the back of her coat collar and pulled her away as a tentacle reached for her. He ran behind Angela, who laughed maniacally at the carnage the eldritch creature was inflicting.
"Where's Amelie?" Hana asked, making Brian drop her as he looked around in panic. The dark elf appeared from the tree line.
"I thought you all were capable of handling this," she said calmly, looking at Angela, who cackled maniacally like a witch as the tentacles ripped apart a larger ogre.
"I should have been a baker," Brian whispered to himself.
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