Agape Amor Apple Fou Ludens

[Zukeenee]

Charlie Koskinen stood in the crowd with hundreds, perhaps thousands of others, listening as Mal opened up the ceremony. A surpising number of people had shown up for the festivities, and the dome was quite packed.

"Pistle sie nie, wahrend sie Whiss!" Charlie merrily chorused, "O Hail Eris!"

It was a time of relief for Charlie. For one thing, it was the end of Gaunt. That meant that Charlie could start breathing openly again. He had given breathing up for Gaunt, as suggested by Mal, but Charlie couldn't last more than five days. So he would often take several deep breaths when Mal had his back turned.

Charlie shoved his way through the crowd towards the edge of the biodome, where the ceiling was lower, and plucked one of the many lollypops suspended from the struts that supported the glass dome. He'd be back for the feast, but for now, Charlie headed back to his quarters. He couldn't stay for the rest of the opening ceremony. He had to prepare for Jake Day, after all.

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