Chapter Two Hundred and Sixteen - Imposter Syndrome

Chapter Two Hundred and Sixteen - Imposter Syndrome

Chapter Two Hundred and Sixteen - Imposter Syndrome

I continued to walk through the town, eyes and ears peeled for any sort of trouble.

The fake Bastion hadnt really hurt me much, but it did surprise me. Worse, it had made me think of a friend as an enemy, which.... My hands shook.

... This was the worst dungeon floor I'd ever been in. If I could give dungeons ratings, Id give this one a six out of ten and leave a very polite note about how it was maybe better to find another dungeon to visit.

When I saw my friends in town, I made sure to avoid them. Oh, sure, I looked to see if they were hurt or anything. It wouldnt make sense to ignore an actual friend if they were injured, but otherwise I kept my chances of running into an evil faking faker low by just avoiding everyone.

I was in something of a foul mood as I stomped from the main road, through an alley, then back onto the main road.

I encountered a wide-eyed Awen in the middle of the road. She stared at me, her hammer held in both hands before her.

Im just going to continue walking, I told her. That way, if youre a monster, it wont be a problem, and youll know that Im not a monster too, okay?

Awens lower lip trembled, and she nodded. Oh-okay.

I didnt walk away. Are you alright?

Awen nodded, but it was the sort of very quick nod someone made when they were not alright.

What happened? I asked.

Awa, n-nothing important, its okay, awa.

She was awa-ing. Awen had been doing that less and less lately. I figured it had been an anxious tic that she had been losing as she grew more confident. If she was doing it again, then she might need a hug or something really badly.

I placed my hands on my hips and moved a bit closer. Awen shied back. Nope, somethings wrong, I said. Did something hurt you? We can find it and make it apologize.

Awen shook her head, then paused and nodded. She took a small step back when I came closer, and I felt my heart sink at the gesture.

Okay, so first, I need to prove that Im me, is that okay? I asked.

Awen hesitated. Okay.

Right. So... uh. I looked around for something to clean, then shrugged. I poured a good chunk of my mana into a big burst of Cleaning magic that swept out around me. It even reached Awen where she stood. The mist crawling on the ground was pushed back and Awen froze up, then her shoulders slumped.

Youre really Broccoli? she asked.

Im really really Broccoli, I confirmed.

Awen shuffled forwards, then stopped. Oh, right. Ah. She raised a hand, pulling it free from her hammers haft, and focused. Magic spun around over her palm and shaped itself into a little marble of fractured glass. Here? She tossed it underhand at me.

I caught the glass ball out of the air and glanced at it. Yup, it was a bit of glass.

I shoved that in a pocket and walked right up to Awen, both arms circling around her to pull her into the biggest, tightest hug I could.

Its really you, she said a moment before crumbling into the hug.

Yup, I whispered. I brought a hand up and started brushing her hair back while she buried her face in the crook of my neck. Its me, its okay.

Awen didnt cry--she was one tough cookie--but it sure felt as if she was tempted to. She held her hammer in one hand and used the other to return the hug. I saw people, and there were two of them. It was you and Amaryllis.

Oh, I said.

They said hi, and I thought it was really you. Mister Howard never said there could be more than one fake, and Amaryllis used lightning magic.

How? I thought that the Mist-folk couldnt do that? Then again, if they could create an illusion of a person, why not some sparks and shiny lights? Its okay, I said.

You attacked me, she said, her grip growing stronger.

There, now you know that were both solid, at least, Bastion said.

I held back a giggle as Emmanuel rubbed at his cheek. You slapped me? he asked.

Do you need another to make sure? Bastion asked.

I felt Awen bouncing a bit by my side, and a look her way revealed her chewing on the inside of her cheek to hold in the laughs.

Emmanuel blinked a few times, pouted in a way that didnt suit a grown cervid at all, then trotted off with a huff to stand nearer to us. Fine. I suppose it was the only way to test things. Are you young ladies real as well?

Yup, I said.

Are we all here then? Emmanuel asked. He fished out a little key from one of the pouches hanging by his... actually, I wasnt sure if it counted as a hip or not. Id need to ask a cervid one day, but someone more... less Emmanuel.

No, not yet, Howard said. Were missing the young harpy lass.

Oh, Emmanuel said. Well, perhaps shes in need of a dashing, gallant sir to rescue her?

Bastion sighed. Lacking one of those, perhaps we should consider what to do if she doesnt arrive soon. Howard, any ideas?

Howard leaned back and looked at the well. Still six keyholes, which means shes likely still fine.

"Oh." I exhaled. Weird, I hadn't noticed how hard it had become to breathe. "Good."

I was just about to ask Bastion what ideas he did have for saving Amaryllis. As relieved as I was, the thought of one of my best friends being in trouble still worried me, when the bird in question stumbled out of the mist.

Amaryllis! I said. I let go of Awen and jumped over to the harpy.

Amaryllis stumbled to the side, almost falling onto me. I felt warm blood seep into my shirt.

What happened?

She managed a huff. What do you think happened? she asked. Then she blinked. Youre really Broccoli, right?

Yeah, I said. I squeezed her a bit, both because she needed a hug, and just to make sure. It would very much be like this floor to fake an injured friend. It didnt matter in the end, Amaryllis was nice and solid.

What are your injuries? Bastion asked as he moved over to us. He already had a potion in hand, the stopper off.

One of those disgusting mist things got the drop on me. There was more than one, Amaryllis said.

Im hardly too injured, but, as it turns out, lightning just cuts through them, and wires do nothing against things made of angry fog. I think the cuts are too thin, then just recombined.

She snapped the potion out of Bastions hand and downed it in a swig.

I backed off to see how badly she was hurt. It looked, at a glance, like she had been cut across the arm, just past the elbow and where her arm was covered in long feathers. Another spot was cut, her blouse under her leather coat, which was left open at the front.

Let me clean you off, I said. It wouldnt do to get an infection.

Amaryllis sighed and leaned my way a little. She wasnt looking at me, but I could read my friends well enough.

I hope you dont mind, Im in a hug-lots sort of mood, I said as I hugged her close.

She huffed a Ill pretend that I do mind, thank-you-very-much sort of huff.

We should get ready to leave, I said. I think were all very tired of being here, and could probably use a bit of a break.

Howard nodded and stood up with a crack from his knees. I wont disagree with you there, miss, he said. Come on everyone, hand me your keys.

I tossed him mine, Awen gave hers, and Amaryllis dropped hers in the fishmans hand. Then Awen joined us and I pulled her into a side hug while we all watched Howard fumble with the locks set into the wellcap.

When he pulled it off, I let out a sigh of relief. Finally, we could leave this floor. And good riddance too. I stomped over to the ladder and climbed out of there.

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