"Ok, why are you both freaking out?" Sebastion's room was a mess with clothes on the floor, Milo digging through the closet, and Sebastion himself fussing with his hair in front of the mirror.
"You don't know yet?" Milo asked, throwing another set on the bed. "No? How do you have this many clothes anyway?" Amari asked, tiptoeing over the clothes, "Most—if not all—of them are ones from before the king got sick. I've grown out of most of them but can't really bring myself to throw them away. Besides that, we're being called to meet with the advisor." Sebastion said, walking over to his bed and picking up the set. Milo sat aside, and Amari froze. "I'm sorry, we're doing what?" Milo snapped his fingers as he picked up a shirt. "My exact reaction—but a little more dramatic." Sebastion huffed, putting his hands in his hair. "Ok...but why would he—or she—want to meet us anyways?" Amari asked, eyebrow raised, "It's he—and I don't know. Something about getting a "detailed summary" on what happened in the sewer," Sebastion shrugged, continuing. "To be honest, it sounds like a fancier version of 'Get your asses over here and tell me what happened,' but that could just be me." Milo nodded. "Yeah, so very important stuff." Amari blinked. "They have a point, and if I'm planning on staying in this kingdom, then the least I can do is make a good first impression." She walked towards the mirror. "After all, it's part of my goal." She looked at herself. At her standard wander outfit she still wears, At the cut part of it that still sat there, At the satchel that sat heavy on her, at the way her body was no longer nourished—far from healthy but no longer looking like a push could knock her over. "That is part of my goal... right?" She was stronger, she was happier, and she couldn't tell if this was all just part of her goal or not. If this was some kind of side effect. She must have been in her head for too long because all of a sudden, she felt two hands on her shoulders, and Sebastion was in front of her. "If you're wondering about how you look," he patted her shoulder, "you look like a dying rat that needs a twenty-four-hour nap and a change of clothes." "Wha—I wasn't even—ok, that's just rude."
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"You're doing what?!" Oliver slapped a hand over Otto's mouth. "Jeez, son, keep it down, will you? We don't want the whole kingdom to know!" "I know—I know, but—" Otto took Oliver's hand off his mouth. "It's THE advisor!" he whispered, shouting quietly, turning to Amari. "Do you know how big of a deal this is?" Amari sweatdropped. "So, I've been told." Oliver hummed lowly. "Could you bring people with you?" Otto gasped. "Yeah, yeah, can you?!" "I don't think so, I'm pretty sure it's about what happened in the sewer." "Ah, shame," Oliver said as Otto fully pouted.
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After being kicked into the wooden tub and her hair being forcibly washed by Silvia, Amari sat on the floor as Silvia re-twisted her black hair. "Dang, girl—how long has it been since your hair got retwisted?" "Uh, a while." "Makes sense, I suppose." Silva pulled her head back. "Stay still." "Ow..."
In the background, rumbling was heard as both Oliver and Otto ran from room to room. Sliva clicked her teeth. "I swear if they are messing up each room—" Otto ran in with Oliver right behind him. "WE FOUND IT!!!" Otto shouted so loud. Amari could have sworn a light broke somewhere. "LOWER YOUR VOICE, WILL YA!? YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME MAKE THIS GIRL'S HAIR CROOKED!" "Please don't do that…" Amari said, imagining her hair poking out in the wrong direction. Oliver interrupted her train of thoughts. "Well, we DID solve one of your many problems." "...Many—?" "Your outfit."
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Amari sat in her new room, a mirror in front of her—one Diana gave her as a housewarming gift. She stared at the bandages that were still on her face, the egg sitting freely beside her. "Well, according to Sebi, I can take them off right about now." Still, she stared at her reflection. "Come on... it shouldn't be this hard. I... I just need to take them off. Easy." She still stared before groaning and falling back on her bed. "What the heck am I doing? Talking to myself isn't new, but...this scar will be. She stared blankly at the ceiling and glanced at the egg before pushing herself up. "Nuh-uh—none of this stuff. I just have to rip off the bandage—literally. It shouldn't be too bad. Let's just get it over with." She reached back.
and untied them.
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Everyone stood at the front of the gang house, waiting for Amari to show up. Aaron had his hands in his pockets. "I don't know why you all got so dressed up for—it's just the advisor."
"Just?!"
"What do you mean, 'Why?!'"
"Respectfully, shut up, boss."
They all turned towards the sound of footsteps coming their way. As black boots came into view, a voice rang out, "Are we all good to go?" Amari rounded the corner with brownish pants with cuffs at the bottom, a white button-up that goes up to her neck, a rope-like belt tightened across her waist, and the black boots mentioned earlier. Her hair was freshly twisted and pulled back, but it was her face that was most shocking. It looked as though it was differently scooped. A deep scar rested near her eyebrow, and a faded one ran from the side of her nose to her jaw. Even with those features, she looked akin to royalty. "What's with the looks?" Amari tilted her head. "Is...everybody alright??"
....
"Who are you?"
Amari blinked and tilted her head further. "Huh? What do you mean?" Aaron scratched his head. "You sound like her and even got her head-tilt thing, but you...don't look like her." "I am her, though." Just then Jamie squealed as she ran to Amari, grabbing her hands in the process. "OH MY GOD! You look so-so-NICE! Amazing!" "Uh—thank you...?" "Well, would you look at that?" Alex said, crossing his arms, "All you needed was an important event." Milo leaned in close. "What happened to your face...?" Amari raised an eyebrow as Milo backpedaled. "I mean—like—not—not like that! You—you know what I mean!" "I literally don't." "Well, no matter how you look," Aaron said, "we've got to get going." He turned around. "Might as well get a little warm-up!" he stretched before disappearing from sight. Amari sweatdropped. "You've got to be kidding me..."
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As the group ran behind Aaron to the castle, the same shadow as before watched from the top of a building before fading out of sight.