War and Peace

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

First topic message reminder :

WW2 has finished, and the world is patching itself up. Killian has found himself a place to attempt and live while he comes to terms with losing Renee, and Renee, having survived the camps, has found herself a tiny apartment and a shitty job.

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Ice considered him then spoke "Lucca, put him in the cell for me" she barely had to finish before the boy nodded eagerly "yes madam" turning to killian his smile faded until a look of loathing decorated his features "Come on mutt" the insult was low and filled with the boys hatred. Shadows forced Killian into a cell that was four by four meters and the entrance was a tiny barred trap door in the ceiling. It was completely dark and Alkira was not with him, instead she was in the same area renee was, the cage opposite her filled with a handsome black leopard its golden gaze watching her. There was a distant dripping noise and the sound f smeone else breathing within the cell.

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Simple annoyance flickered into Killian’s eyes at the insult. Could he not come up with something more inventive? He didn’t bother fighting as the shadows forced him into the cell, and simply sat in the corner, grateful that at least it was dark. The shadow in his back was beginning to shift about, uneasy about being so close to Ice again, and he knew that the lingering pain would only get worse the longer he stayed trapped here. Resting his head back against the walls, he closed his eyes, listening to the whispers of his shadows. Alkira wasn’t hurt, and she could keep an eye on Renee for him, good. He’d find a way to get them out of this mess eventually. Apparently alone for now, he let his thoughts return to what Ice had said about Renee, that there was a way to let her have children again. He didn’t understand that, how was it possible. The war had taken its toll on his dove – he wasn’t stupid. He’d heard about the experiments, and the little Renee had mentioned had only confirmed his suspicions. In addition to that, she would have had little chance of having another child anyway. They both knew she was past the age. He was inclined to believe that Ice was simply lying, after all she was very good at it, but something was telling him that she was stating the truth for once.

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Shed stayed quiet despite hearing someone else in there, her corner wasn't probed by the stranger, eyes long used to the dark opened and stared about seeing the dark chamber in shades of grey. "Who is there" she spoke uneasily, "Lucca I won't have you knock me about!" she didn't want to be scared so desperately wanted to be brave. She'd spent all her life in the dungeons and experiment rooms, skinny and short due to constant nourishment the girls leopard had been taken away after she'd been stupid enough to speak her mind again. Drawing her knees up close t oher chest the eerie look alike of her mother inhaled sharply using what strength she had to call on the shadows, they explored the dark room and soon reported that it was a stranger.

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Killian barely moved, not even bothering to open his eyes. “Lucca, of course. Poor boy,” he murmured. Ice always had loved irony. Shifting only slightly to make himself more comfortable, he answered the girl. “Not gonna hurt you, girl. Not that stupid.” He let his shadows explore the room, reporting back to him about the size and lack of doors. He could sense other shadows in the room, shadows that weren’t his, but they were still familiar. There was no soul shadow in here though, and that made him wary. Crossing his ankles in front of him, he gave a soft sigh, resigned to waiting, and let the youngest shadows settle over him. They were trembling, scared of what might happen, and he took the time to comfort them before letting them hide in his coat’s pockets.

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She made a noise that almost sounded like laughter, closing her eyes she just listened. he had shadows as well from the sound of it, how curious, not that it was any of her business, sighing softly she ran her hand over a piece of wall. This cell was pretty much her whole world, she'd been taken out f it to be tortured and experimented on or at some stages as bait, but she knew next to nothing of the outside world. She wanted Shareen, the sassy black leopard that walked with her, he often was the one who had her say things that got them in trouble not that she minded. Trouble meant she got taken out of here, when would food come and would there been enough for them both r would ice want them to squabble over scraps, should she ask why he was here? She wasn't sure, not without Shareen.

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Wondering if his eyes would be used to the darkness now, he opened his eyes. Finding that nothing had really changed, he took in the room, going still when he saw the girl. “Sofie?” It couldn’t be Sofie, Sofie was dead. But how else could he explain the familiarity of the girl’s shadows? Had ice fiddled with her to bring her back? It took only a few minutes of his shadows exploring for him to realise, and he looked away. He should have known it was too good to be true. The familiarity the shadows sensed wasn’t the right sort, it wasn’t Sofie. They didn’t have the reaction that he might have expected from them regarding their original shadow master.

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Eyes opened "no, that was my mum" she shrugged a little "did you know her? you must have" for the reaction he'd shown that was the only explination right? So much self doubt, she felt so much more confident with herself when she had Shareen there with her, shaking her hair out of her eyes she sat up straight and inspected him with hesitant curiosity. She hadn't met someone new in ages, and he was wearing such strange things! She wanted to inspect, to puzzle out some of the things about him, "who are you? How did you know my mum? The shadows say you are like me, do you have a shadow soul too? Probably locked away with Shareen..." once the questions had started stopping them was quite an issue and she hunkered down some more incase he didn't like the questins. Ice didn't like questions, she'd once asked about life outside this place, that had been a big mistake.

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She reminded him so much of Sofie, even looking to be the same age as her mother had when they’d first met. He studied her for a moment, weary eyes picking out the subtle differences, and as he began to relax a little, his shadows trickled out to explore the stranger a bit. “Yes, I knew her. She was a good friend.” The words were hard to push out, but he owed the girl answers. “Ice locked her in with me when she was about your age, let us get close to each other before she killed her. The shadows are all I have left of her now.” He didn’t move much, content to stay in his corner and simply watch her. She spoke of a Shareen, and from what she said, he concluded that it had to be the leopard that Alkira was with. “If your Shareen can see a jackal, then that’s where Alkira is.” It was strange that he was being open with the girl, his own children must have softened him somewhat, becoming more open to the youngster. As far as he was concerned, the girl was just as part f his family as Mel was. He had her mother’s shadows, after all. That made them kin, even if it was a stretch.

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Staring at him with the unwavering stare of a child she listened intently, hunger flickering in her eyes, hunger for knowledge, she wanted to know more so much more. Listening to her dark hued leopard she nodded, he could see a jackal, "yeah he can" Alkira that was an interesting name and she wonderd what it meant not that she knew the meaning o her name or Shareens. Lucca had always said that Shareen was a girly name but it had been the name her cat had come with, not appearing to be cold in the cell she sighed "Ice never told me about her, or you. is there actually a world out side of these walls?" the question slipped out the heartfelt statement defining more of the young looking girl. What was the world really like, bright green eyes pierced the darkness staring at him, there were subtle physical features that defined her from Sofia but they weren't that noticeable

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He couldn't look at her anymore, and leant his head back to close his eyes. "Yes. You are twins? it makes sense. You mother was a twin." He let his mind wander, allowing the memories of Sofie to surface for the first time in many, many years. It had been so long since he'd looked at them, he was almost afraid to. "The world is much better than being hers. That's why I took the chance to escape." It didn't surprise him that the girl had no idea of anything, it would have suited Ice to keep her locked away. Made it easier to curb the impulse to escape. "I was hers for a long time, almost long enough to turn out like your brother there."

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She was quiet a long time "oh" she finally said before answering "yes we are, he dosen't know that, he believes Ice." she shivered a moment thinking of things best left forgotten "What is it like ut there?" deciding it was better to ask a question instead of remembering. Besides she was curious, what was the world like, was the ceiling white out there as well? Were there lightbulbsthat lit up the world? The leopard had shared words with the jackal and had helped her locate renee,there was a cage above Alkira where a black rabbit was lying unconsious with a puffy smoky shadow hanging around her anxiously. She'd never known that she looked like her mother although it made more sense why Ice hated her that much.

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Killian just nodded. “I did gather that.” He gave into the urge to study her again, watching her closely. “You don't believe her then?" Remembering her questions, he thought about the answers for a few moments, wondering what to tell her. “It’s big,” he finally said. “Scared me, the first time I was out on my own. There are very few walls, no roofs. Nothing to keep you somewhere you don’t want to be.” What else did she want to know? He didn’t know how to explain things without his words being tainted with his work of a hunter. At the soft information from his jackal, his shoulders dropped in relief. Renee was there, and Pippa was keeping her safe. Good, she’d be safe until he could get to her. Prodding at Pippa, he told the little shadow to snoop around, see if there was a way to get all three of them out of the cages, and thus halfway to being free again. He’d take the girl with him. He wasn’t going to leave her at the continued mercy of Ice. He owed Sofie that much, at least.

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She openly smirked at him "Believe her and all her shit? Nah shes a complete nut case. She never tried to win me over or treat me the way she treats Lucca, i guess thats why hes so enamoured with her. Kinda sad" she guessed that she'd probably have to kill him by the end of things. A thought that caused conflict to rise in her gut so instead she pushed it away and focused on Shareen, looking through his eyes a moment she stared around taking in everything that he saw. From the unconsious rabbit and the puff beside it to the jackal, coming back to herself she stretched out and moved to lie on her back staring up at the trapdoor that lead to freedom.

Deciding it was best to unload the mare before she kicked the float anymore, Randy got the small chestnut mare out of the box on wheels and lead her round with him not trusting her enough to tie her up anywhere. Finding Julian his face broke into relief "Julian! You didn't return the calls, this bitzer turned up a couple of weeks back but no one wants her, shes a bit unpredictable and moody but has a good jump on her. Chick who dumped her with us reckoned she was from a woman named ice and the horse is called rose. Bit and kicked anyone who attempted to handle her" he explained in a slight rush if"if you don't take her ts end of the line" he added not exactly trying to pressure him but there was no other alternative

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She made him smile a little, already warming to her. “She is good at manipulation. Kept me in line with it.” He shifted about in the corner, trying to work out another plan. He hadn’t counted on Ice having found a replacement for him, so he was going to have to think of something that she couldn’t resist. The trouble was working out what that was. He was beginning to suspect that there was nothing he could do, and he hated it. All he wanted was for Renee and his children to be safe. He no longer really cared about what happened to him. She’d tried to break him before, and it hadn’t worked, there wasn’t much else that she could do that she hadn’t already done before.

Julian had been working with one of his older mares, moving a small mob of cattle from one paddock to another. Hearing the truck, he rolled his eyes, and pulled the mare to a stop, his missing leg hidden because of the angle he was at. He’d ignored the calls for a reason. He wasn’t sure if he was up to working with a problem horse right now. He ran his eyes over the small mare, noting the scars and lack of care of her before he gave a sigh. “I know I didn’t,” he answered, mostly mildly. There was a thin hint of annoyance to his tone, but he kept as much of it out of his voice was he could. He rested the creamy mare’s reins on her neck, letting her relax and graze while he spoke. He wasn’t going to get off her, even if it was a bit rude. It was too long a walk to get back to the house if he did. “Two weeks is a long time to hold them, even for you. If she’s got a good jump, there’ll be people who want her. She doesn’t need me.”

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He shrugged "They did, seems shes particular" a slight smirk appeared "She gave one a run for his money, that arrogant prick Miller who thinks he knows it all about horses. Oh well, I tried" he glanced at the mare who was standing quietly enough regarding the other mare through intense brown eyes. A bright orange chestnut with a very thick mane and tail that was peppered with plenty of black hair, stocky and with a wide blaze her back feet had socks to just above her fetlocks. She tossed her head a moment not liking the tight halter on her face, her gaze moved to the man on the mare, nostrils flaring to take in his scent. Well he didn't seem so bad, better than the horse killer who was holding her lead rope. Taking her fate in her own hooves her head turned, grasping the rope with her teeth she firmly yanked it out of his hand and trotted out of reach before coming to a halt beginning to graze and consiously avoiding stepping on the leadrpe.

Her head tilted staring up at the trap door her eyes narrowing "its different today something is different" she didn't quite know what it was but she could feel the sudden anxiety of shareen, getting up onto her feet she turned to him "Its hotter..." the shadows could feel it too something was going to happen. Then the ground under and around them jolted and twisted not unlike an earthquake, she went a little pale in realization. Lucca had always boasted of how they were in a volcano and had explained what one was, the pimple of the earths crust it seemed the pressure had begun to build too high. "Help me" she whispered, the shadows boosted her up and she began to try and fiddle with the lock although she couldn't do anything so instead she lowered herself back down and sent shadows off to find a key they hadn't been successful before but she was hoping in the chaos of preparing the keys would be revealed

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Julian watched the mare curiously, studying how she moved and thought for herself. “She’s a smart one. Why bother keeping her for the two weeks? Normally it’s one and they’re gone.” His eyes flitted back to Randy, waiting for the response. He was wary of taking on a flighty horse, especially a mare. It took that much longer to work with them every day, and he just ended up being more exhausted because of it. Then he paused. “Hold on. You said she came from someone called Ice? How certain was the girl of that?” He knew that name, knew it wasn’t a good thing. If the mare had survived that, then there was definitely something different about her.

His shadows scurried to him as the earth began to move, scared, and he got to his feet. Seeing what the girl was trying to do, he nudged her out of the way, finding the set of lockpicks he’d hidden away over the years. It had been a fun skill to learn, and he was glad that it was coming in handy now. With his shadows helping him, he fiddling in the near darkness, finally springing the lock and shoving the bars open with a grunt. “Finally.” He gestured. “Get out, go on.” Shadows scooted through the corridors, finding the quickest way to his jackal and the others. He passed the picks to the girl, sending a couple of shadows with her that knew how to use them. “Unlock the cages, Alkira will stay with you.” He needed to find his sister. He wasn’t going to leave her behind when his gut was telling him to get out of the place, and fast.

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Randy shrugged "i liked her, thought she was too good" okay maybe he'd sent another horse in her place, but hey. The mare lifted her head when she heard the name ice being spoken, her ears flattening back a little and a hoof stamping, around her back pasterns were thick hobbles that were chained together, the skin underneath was rubbed raw and bloody. Randy nodded "She was dead certain, I don't believe her though, i mean who's named Ice? Thats just stupid" shrugging he began t walk over to the mare prepping himself to make her load again she'd been a damn sight pain in the ass to load until he'd told her he wasn't going to take her to the dt just yet but if she didn't get her damn ass in the float she would be. Rose picked up her pace enough to keep just out of reach, ambling around at a lazy walk and picking up into a trot when he got too close.

Dani moved out of the way easily enough, watching him with fascination she wondered how exactly he got the bits of metal to do that. scrambing up and standing a little wobbily on her feet she paid close attention to what he todl her to do "Okay" she responded before beginning to run off a little unbalanced. Her own shadows moved with her helping to steady her lack of balance, she hadn't run in ages after all, that was something that was for others not prisoners. finding the correct ward she picked her leopards cage, then alkiras and then the rest that held creatures, hugging Sheraan tightly she buried her face ein his familiar scruff before standing once again and looking at the jackal for orders

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Julian grumbled, turning his mare to keep the other in sight. “Put her in the stallion yards. I’ll look at her tomorrow.” He was too tired now, his day’s work often tiring him more than he liked. He rubbed the mare’s neck gently before he picked up the reins, the movement making her lift her head, ready to listen to him again now that she’d grazed a while. “What do you want for her?” he asked with a soft sigh. He would do his best with the mare, and if it didn’t work out, he’d just put her in with the donkey. “Leave the halter and rope on her. She’s smart enough not to step on it.” If he could manage it, he’d give her some hay, but if not, she’d just have to deal with the long grass that was growing in the yard. He hadn’t used it since his last troublesome horse, which had been almost a year ago now.

Alkira bounded out of the cage, jumping up to rest her front paws on the base of the black rabbit’s cage. She sniffed at the creature before picking her up gently, keeping her safe as Pippa twined around the jackal’s neck, trembling. Hearing that they were safe, Killian turned his attention to finding his sister, telling the canid to get them out safely. She remembered the way they’d come in, and he didn’t mind her taking the chance that there might be someone waiting for them that way. A blade in his hand, he followed the call of his sister’s shadow, more than prepared to kill the boy if he had to to get to Mel. He wasn’t leaving her behind again.

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An ear flicked, now that she knew she wouldn't be going on the float again she came to a halt and allowed herself to be lead into the stallion yards. She'd figured out how to move quickly despite the hobbles on her feet, and how she wished she could give a real good kick out with one of her back legs. Tossing her head and huffing she watched them intently as Randy shrugged "Two fifty" normally it was about 150 for a tucker horse but she'd cost him extra keeping her around for the extra week. Hopefully the mare would work out, if not he could come eand take her away although he got the feeling that julian wouldn't let him if it came to that. The mare was too intelligent, well for some of them that had tried her anyway, she'd quickly and almost easily forced their dismount and at one stage had opened up the pen and lead the other dog tuckers in a desperate race for freedom.

Dani moved quickly following the Jackals pawsteps, her pale skin became whiter as they ran into her brother. Swallowing hard and sharing a glance she changed, becoming an overly large black leopard with green eyes, snarling the creature lunged forward and tackled him landing heavily on him after knocking him to the ground she waited for the Jackal to leap forward again before following her the ground rumbling once again under their paws. Melissa was tied to a wooden X, half the skin of one arm gone heavily beaten up and tortured it was quite clear that she wouldn't be moving anywhere fast on her own.

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“Fine, I’ll get it to you. Don’t have it on me at the moment, and I’m sure you’ll want to be getting on your way?” Julian lifted an eyebrow, collecting the mare when she went to go eat again, reinforcing the idea that she would only be eating if he let her. He still had to finish a few things with the little mare, and having to get off, then back on again would just be a waste of his time. He’d get the money to Randy eventually, and he just wanted him gone now. Once he was gone, he finished the work with the mare, and then guided her over to the fence of the stallion yards, watching the ginger mare from his vantage point, studying his new horse.

Alkira snarled, but she didn’t dare let go of the rabbit. The rabbit was important, much more important than the leopard girl. Making sure that the boy wasn’t going to be following them anytime soon, she continued through the corridors to freedom, trusting that Killian would catch up with her when he could. They were often separated, enough that it didn’t bother them as much as it once had, and she was confident that this time would be no different. Finding the room Mel was in, Killian’s eyes darkened with hatred. He released his sister quickly, catching her as his shadows healed the worst of her wounds. “Just me, lioness,” he murmured, hoping she’d recognise him enough to not try and retaliate. Mostly carrying her, he retraced his footsteps, keeping a careful eye out for Ice and the boy as he worked his way out from under the volcano.

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Randy just nodded, "Sounds good, I'll leave you to it" satisfied that the infamous recluse had taken the mare after all he wasted no time in buggering off. Rose flicked her tail as the mare was guided over by the man, eyeing them she snorted and returned to hungrily scoffing the grass fitting as much of it as she could in her mouth at one time. One brown eye carefully kept focused on them both, she wasn't bothered for now, later however once she was full she would inspect the area and devise ways to escape if she needed to. The other mare didn't seem too bothered by him which was a point in his favour, a fly landed on one of the hobbles as soon as it touched the red weeping skin her ears flattened back firm against her head her tail lashing the ginger mare bucked a little in an attempt to rid herself of the cursed annoying fly. Her pasterns hurt as it was without little legs crawling all over them, sighing she lifted her head with a mouth full of food chewing away.

Melissa was shaking a little, she was released from her bonds and fell forward into arms that caught her, hearing her brother speak soothed her. He wuldn't let her be hurt, half out of it and doped up somewhat with one of ices experimental drugs, dragging her feet and unable to function right untilthe drugs wore off she struggled to keep up. The rabbit was scared, where was she what was she, where was killian? Something was carrying her, and she didn't knowwhat it was.

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He frowned at the reaction to the fly, noting the raw wounds with a critical eye. He’d need to get the hobbles off as soon as he could, though that was going to be an interesting challenge. Possibly he’d start with just the chain, see how she went with someone being at her hind legs. He didn’t particularly want to be kicked. Turning the cream mare away, he stopped her where he’d left her halter, and gave a sigh. He hated being this tired so early in the evening. Time was, he’d been able to go sunrise to sundown, and now he could barely get through the day without being in pain by the end of it. Cueing the mare to lie down, he slipped off her, and held the stirrup as she rose again, holding onto her as he slowly untacked her and let her loose before he made his way painfully inside, content for now that the ginger mare had enough feed to last her the night.

Seeing that she was struggling, Killian eventually just let the shadows take her to his home, making sure that no one had noticed her sudden arrival. He didn’t know how long they’d been at the volcano, and it wouldn’t do for the children to see how badly she was hurt. Meeting up with his jackal outside, he took the rabbit from her, holding it gently. “Easy, dove,” he murmured, and then looked at the girl. “Where are you going to go now?” He needed to get to his sister, make sure that she was alright before he did anything else. There wasn’t much he could do for Renee right now except make sure that she felt safe.

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The rabbit squirmed in the grasp until she heard his voice, relaxing and small enough to fit easily in his hands she looked up at him with scared confused brown eyes. She didn't understand what had happened to her, didn't understand at all, timid and tiny she remained quite rigid in his grasp. A foot thumping down upon his hands, Dani had returned to her proper self and the gold eyed leopard stood at her side. The question was unexpected and distracted her from staring out "its so big and open" she murmured quietly in complete awe "I... that is we, don't know its just so big.." she was unaware that Melissa was lying on the floor of Killians study unable to move much herbrain just didn't want to work right things didn't want to fall into place.

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“Sshh,” he murmured, rubbing between the rabbit’s ears gently. “You’re safe.” He kept his gaze on the child, softness changing his expression slightly. “Then you’re with me. Come on.” Shadows gathered around them, hesitating around the leopard. “Have a name, girl?” The shadows hesitated for a moment longer before they transported them all back to the house, fliting away to their spot under his desk. Killian placed the rabbit carefully on his bed, and knelt beside his sister, barely noticing Alkira leaping up to curl around the rabbit protectively. The door of his study was locked, thankfully, and he gestured at his chair. “Sit down, stop hovering.” He couldn’t work out what was wrong with Mel, something was making her unresponsive, but it wasn’t anything that he recognised. “Come on, Melly. It’s me.”

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That felt nice, her small body relaxed more and she closed her eyes a little feeling safe. The girl with the leopard nodded "Yes, I'm Dani" standing next to the black creature she tensed somewhat as the shadows transported them. Blinking in the sudden what seemed to her bright light she took several moments to adjust and by the time she had the rabbit was safely cuddled up in the fur of the jackal. Green eyes watched Killian hovering over the female, some of her symptoms were familiar "Hmm" moving over to crouch on the other side of the woman she hesitated before taking her pulse "Slowed heart rate, dopey, unable to move right. Hmm, sounds like what she used on me a few times, its like a tranquilizer and will stay like this for a couple of hours before wearing off. She might be sick once shes able to move though" she rattled off easily enough having felt the symptoms herself. Taking the chair he'd offered to her before she lifted herknees up to settle her chin on them

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