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| In the blue; Sarah | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 20 2016, 07:19 AM (299 Views) | |
| Young Cyclops | Apr 20 2016, 07:19 AM Post #1 |
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Optic Blasts and Teenage Awkwardness
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March 3rd midafternoon They surfaced after lunch and they had been let out onto the deck for the first time. It had been two days since the start of this journey, two days since another major upheaval in his life, and Scott Summers, age seventeen, wondered why he was even shaken anymore. Why did any of this surprise him? They were somewhere waaaaaay out in the middle of the ocean, where there was only sea and sky, and Scott liked it. He could see why his father had traded flight for the life of a sailor. If you squinted your eyes, it was almost impossible to tell them apart and with the wind in your face, you could almost imagine.... Standing alone at a railing that the strangely malleable creature that was most of the Starjammer had created as he stepped too close to edge of the deck, Scott leaned into the wind, and closed his eyes behind his glasses. He was no one's idea of a swashbuckling pirate, or a dashing sea captain. He was too tall, too thin, with hair a touch too long and a stance a little too stooped. But there was something about him at that moment, as he faced the uncertain future to save the less certain past, that spoke of the hero he would be. But then, the moment past, and he leaned on the rail, a sad, tired look on his young face. He sighed and muttered, "Hank, I wish you were here to see this..." His old friend would have all kinds of overly wordy speeches planned for a mission like this, and he would have listened with half an ear, as much of it was above Scott's head. The seventeen year old X-Man was not stupid, not by a long shot. But he wasn't particularly book smart. But where they were going... well, Scott was a genius at tactics. That was a much more useful skill then scientific gobbledegook |
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| Sarah Vale | Apr 24 2016, 04:16 AM Post #2 |
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Technopathy
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This ship was different from the newer, more high tech Atlantean ship she had in the lake at the school, the one she’d traveled to Atlantis in. It was a bit older, a bit unusual, had a bit more character. And quite the quirky personality. Sarah had done a long distance trip in an Atlantean vessel before, so this trip wasn’t all that difficult. Besides, for all that it was travel, she was still surrounded by technology, and that was enough to make her comfortable. Or as comfortable as she could be. It was obvious to those who knew her well enough that she was still a bit irate over the unexpected appearance and forcible entry into the mission of Illyana Rasputina. So when they surfaced, Sarah gladly went topside, comfortably breathing in the fresher air, at ease on the slightly moving deck. She loved the slightly salty taste to the air reminding her of home. Making her way further onto the deck, she saw Scott standing by the edge of the deck, and slowly made her way over. While not silent, she didn’t make a lot of noise, approaching in time to hear his quiet mutter. Purposely scuffing her boots on the deck with a silent apology to the ship, she leaned on the railings with her elbows, squinting at the water. After a moment, she looked at Scott, managing a small smile. “The first time I was on an Atlantean vessel, it was with Hank as the captain. We were traveling to Atlantis as envoys of the school.” Sarah’s voice was quiet, stroking a hand over the railings. “Seeing a large, blue, furry man in what was similar to a scuba suit was highly amusing. He and I spent weeks altering the ship to function for air-breathers. He was so excited. New technology, new things to learn.” She grinned at Scott. “I’m pretty sure he spent the entire trip in the science center, talking to the Atlantean scientists, sharing ideas and concepts. I was afraid he wouldn’t leave, when the time came to go home.” Letting out a short laugh, Sarah glanced down at the ship beneath them fondly, before giving Scott a bit more serious of a look. “I hope…Maybe that…I don’t know.” Faltering, Sarah rubbed her temples with a sigh. “He did so much.” She didn’t say about how important it was to fix it. He’d know. They needed to fix this mess, before the world was altered more. Before anything could happen to Warren. Her stomach cramped just thinking about it. All she could think was that she was glad Scott was there. Young Scott, while lacking the same experience as the older Scott she knew, was just as intelligent. And she liked his company. |
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| Young Cyclops | Apr 25 2016, 07:47 PM Post #3 |
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Optic Blasts and Teenage Awkwardness
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He didn't turn away from the ocean to look at Sarah, but he did edge over just slightly to make sure there was room for her at the rail, but not so much that his elbow didn't just barely touch hers. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm riding around in a submarine that's half sea monster piloted by my dead dad who is now a pirate. I don't think I'm ready to even think about Atlantis being real." Scott glanced over, then, offering her a small smile, "But yeah, I bet that Hank went crazy over it. I mean, he loves that sciencey stuff. It's not my thing." He shrugged a little sheepishly and said, "I'm not going to lie though, I would very much like to crawl around the engines of the 'Jammer and learn how she works. This is... much different that anything I have ever imagined. I'm thinking that maybe there's a way to put some of the systems into the Blackbird but, you know, without the whole sea monster thing. I'd need a sky monster. I don't think I've ever heard about sky monsters. I wonder why that is..." His words cut off abruptly, and a red blush began to creep up his cheeks. He looked away again and said, "I'm babbling. Sorry." Hunching his shoulders, he leaned back on the rail, "It's easier to talk to you than it is Jean, though. I think if I was going to crawl around inside this ship, you'd probably go with me and we'd be able to talk all day about it without getting bored or running out of things to say. I marry Jean like twenty years from now and I can't even keep up enough of a conversation with her to get through lunch. I don't know how I ever get her to fall in love with me, I mean... is it just because there's no one else around... or... I don't know. She doesn't really like me much but she ends up with me. I just wonder if there'd been other girls with us, like if you had been around, someone who I actually get along with, someone who actually seems to like me, maybe I wouldn't have married her." Scott shook his head, "Sorry, there's just so much right now. It's like since we started all this, everything I thought about my life, everything I thought about myself... is just stood on its head, and I don't know how to feel about all of it. Knowing how I feel about stuff isn't really something I've ever been good at figuring out." |
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| Sarah Vale | Apr 26 2016, 12:26 AM Post #4 |
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Technopathy
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His disbelief at the entire situation he found himself in wasn’t unexpected. Sarah grinned and let out a quiet laugh at his tone, knocking her elbow lightly against his in amusement. The amount of surprises he’d been through, stress and confusion, it wasn’t surprising he’d needed to keep to himself during the trip so far. She was mildly familiar with Scott’s idea of clearing his head – more than once, she’d found him in the garage or the hangar, working on various machinery, or in the Danger Room, at odd hours. Other than a greeting, she hadn’t ever really interrupted, unless he indicated an interest in talking. He acted a bit apologetic when mentioning the lack of interest in the science, but Sarah shook her head, before smiling at him. The idea of his idea caused her grin to widen with excitement, and she nodded encouragement, especially at the idea of exploring the ship. This ship was different than the one she’d worked on, just like every Atlantean ship was nuanced differently, due to the living component. She could picture Scott burrowing into the belly of the ship, poking around curiously, the knowledge fueling the inventions he’d probably been thinking about all his life. The mention of the Blackbird made her eyes widen, and she nodded at him, dark eyes sparkling with excitement. “Could you imagine? Integrated voice recognition controls, powered by sentience that can understand what’s needed in order to guide itself with a thoughtful interface…” And then he blushed and apologized, and Sarah’s cheeks flared red in return, shuffling against the railing with a sheepish smile. “Uh, nothing to apologize for. Obviously.” The brunette technopath giggled, glancing down at the ship. “I helped modify the small Atlantean vessel we have at the school – if I could’ve plugged myself into it, I would have. This incredible blend of life and technology, it’s more impressive than you know. Atlantean technology is all like this – living on the ocean floor, they’ve merged creatures who can filter the ocean water with ones that create bioluminescence, and added the technology to turn them on and off as light bulbs…” The excited tone of voice she had probably matched his, before she caught herself from continuing on her own little babble fest. Running a hand through her hair as she leaned back, she looked over as he hunched, giving him a curious look. When he spoke, her eyebrows raised in surprise at the topic, even as a red blush creeped up her throat and cheeks, turning the tips of her ears bright pink. This was an embarrassing topic, and she shifted against the railing, biting her lip. He wasn’t wrong – she’d crawl around the bowels of any ship with him, talk until morning, comfortably. And she’d seen him with young Jean. They really seemed incredibly different. If she hadn’t known that they would end up married, she probably would have questioned it too. Sarah couldn’t blame him for questioning things, and she gave a somewhat half-hearted shrug after a moment. “I can’t…I mean, I don’t really know how to help, with that.” Tapping the rail absently, she continued, voice shy. “I know Jean likes you. There’s nothing not to like.” The blush was still there, and she glanced at Scott out of the corner of her eyes. “You’re smart, and brave, and strong…And you care. About everyone, not just about yourself. You don’t treat people like crap, or judge them based on appearances…” Raising a hand and tugging her hair thoughtfully, Sarah smiled crookedly. “Maybe you shouldn’t…Focus on the how and the why.” Sighing quietly, she stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Instead of trying to think how you’ll get her to fall for you…Just…Be you. You’re genuine and sweet, and eventually she’ll realize just how great you are, and it’ll…just happen.” Flashing him a smile, she turned slightly to face him. “And then you’ll get to tease her about all the years it took her to figure out just how incredible you are.” She’d never really put into words how she felt about Scott – the blush was probably enough of a giveaway of a crush. It wasn’t obvious, as she’d managed to turn the crush she’d felt as a sixteen year old, stepping on board the Blackbird with Mr. Summers to go off to the school for the first time, into genuine respect for the man. But seeing him as a teenager; sweet, unassuming, and constantly thinking down on himself, it was hard not to fall all over again. |
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| Young Cyclops | Apr 27 2016, 04:18 AM Post #5 |
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Optic Blasts and Teenage Awkwardness
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Scott smiled at her excitement, and he said, "A sentient plane, that would be amazing. I'm a good pilot, but that would make me an unstoppable one." He glanced back over his shoulder at the hatch leading back into the belly of this literal beast. "I know that Old Man me is pretty good. Does he know it? My dad, I mean." He pried a small barnacle off of the hull, and flipped it behind him. It bounced on the slightly fibrous deck, ricocheted off a beam, sprung off a tarp, and landed squarely back into Scott's hand. "I'm sure that's part of it. I guess that's part of my powers. I know where things are in space, so I guess that will help with it." He looked up into the sky, not entirely sure why he was showing off for her, then he looked back at her, as inspiration hit him, driving the other thoughts out his head. "Hey, do you think that maybe my dad is a good pilot because he has some ... what's the word... like when the powers don't naturally come out? Maybe he has untapped--" His voice trailed off as she changed the subject and started talking about how smart and brave he was. The boy's cheeks couldn't possibly get any redder, it seemed, but they felt like they were on fire, he was so embarrassed. The way Sarah talked, he wanted it to be about him, and he knew that she thought it was about him, but it wasn't... not really. "You like him, don't you?" he asked, quietly, "Old Man Me. You like him. I mean, of course you do. But... he... I mean.... He is incredible, I guess, but I'm just me. I'm not incredible, yet... I..." Shaking his head, Scott said, "How did you meet? I mean, how did he find you and bring you to the school?" It's not what he wanted to ask, but he didn't really know what else there was he could say. |
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| Sarah Vale | Apr 27 2016, 04:49 AM Post #6 |
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Technopathy
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The image his idea conjured – a sentient plane, built from the Blackbird, incorporating bits of Atlantean technology, all black without the scales or funky colors – was incredible. She had no idea how it could be pulled off, but if Scott had enough time, he’d be the one who would be able to. The question about his dad’s knowledge made her blink, nodding as she watched with an impressed look as the little barnacle proceeded to bounce around them, only to land right back where it started, in Scott’s hand. “He knows. I wasn’t there, when they found each other, or anything that happened after. But I heard bits and pieces. Your dad’s proud of you.” That, she didn’t need to hear to know. Turning back to his powers, she gave him a crooked smile, mind flashing to a memory from when she’d downloaded the adult Scott’s mind into Danger, back in the Savage Land. Sinister, and a bouncy ball, and the demand for a certain number of bounces. Running a hand through her hair, she nodded. “Spatial awareness, yeah. I’ve been warned never to play pool with you already. By you.” The grin she sent him was humorous, and she glanced at the ship thoughtfully at the idea of Corsair having untapped potential. “Like a latent mutation? It’s possible. But honestly, it’s more impressive knowing he’s human and incredibly talented. Me, I can pilot anything. But it’s not exactly impressive, since I cheat and can talk to the machine I’m flying. Other people have to rely on intuition, and skill, or training.” She shrugged a single shoulder, before his question caught her off guard. The blush she’d managed to get rid of returned full force, and she turned abruptly, looking out over the rail. “I, uh…” Tripping over herself, she bit her lip. “I mean, well…Yeah. But I like…Both of you. Both yous. You’re both…You.” Now she just sounded like an idiot, and the blush got darker, and she tugged at the hem of her jacket awkwardly. “I – okay, this is going to sound weird, but…I saw inside your – his – head, once. Memories. Just flashes, bits and pieces. But…You’re still the same person, you know?” Crossing her arms, she glanced at him, shyly. “You don’t see it, but I can. Mannerisms, habits, you see differences but…But I see the same person. Quieter. Not used to being in charge. But still caring and thoughtful, and brave, whether you’ll admit it or not.” The question wasn’t really a change of topic, and her ears were still bright pink, but she smiled at him. “Oh, uh, that’s not that exciting, actually. My powers manifested when I was playing a video game,” Her hands came up, moving like they were holding a game controller, thumbs wriggling. “For a while it wasn’t anything big. But there was a bully at school.” Frowning, she looked down, scuffing her boot across the deck. “I don’t like bullies. I don’t even remember what he said, but I got so angry…And the cell phone in his pocket…Exploded. Uh, well, rapidly disassembled, really, but with enough force that pieces of the phone got driven into his leg and…A few days later, this guy in red glasses knocks on our door, and tells my parents about a school where I could learn to control it.” She smiled, tugging her hair over one shoulder and out of her face. “Mom was a bit skeptical, until she learned more. Dad was all for it, me learning how to control it, even if it meant we couldn’t game anymore without him accusing me of cheating. Jess…Well, needless to say, I obviously ended up at the school. I saw the jet and pretty much would’ve agreed to anything in order to get onto it and talk to it. And you told me you’d help me, so I wouldn’t hurt anyone by accident again.” Key word of course being ‘accident’, as proven by the fact that she had a taser in her backpack and a nanite loaded gun inside her jacket. Then she leveled a jokingly accusatory scowl at him. “You never did let me fly the Blackbird, though!” |
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| Young Cyclops | May 2 2016, 02:29 AM Post #7 |
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Optic Blasts and Teenage Awkwardness
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[JP Scotty and Sarah] Scott, looking away, and out at some imaginary spot where the ocean met the sky, smirked slightly and said, "Ah, so it was just the plane and not me at all." The red glow on his cheeks rivaled that behind his glasses, even as he tried to joke away his embarassment. "My plane... it's what kept me here... I don't believe I'm what the Professor says... I didn't... but being here... being now I guess... I guess I can believe it, but I don't feel it. I don't feel what I'm supposed to be feeling, and I'm afraid that.... when we go back, everything is going to be different." He glanced at her, only moving his eyes behind his glasses so that she couldn't tell he was looking at her. "I think everything is going to feel... like we're doing it because we have to, because we're supposed to... not because we want to." The joke was a welcome way to distract from the heat in her cheeks, and from the color on his, and Sarah grinned, nodding. “Yes, let’s go with that, absolutely.” The brunette agreed with a wink, glancing at him sideways as he spoke. But she frowned after a moment, raking a hand through her hair thoughtfully, turning to look at him. “I seriously doubt there’s a way you’re ‘supposed’ to be feeling right now. This situation is kinda…Weird. After all.” Tilting her head and glancing down at the ship, as if searching for answers, finally looking back at him, even if she couldn’t tell where he was looking. “I guess I could say something about how this time hasn’t changed, so things must still happen as…As they did already. But that doesn’t seem very helpful.” Sighing quietly, Sarah crossed her arms. “But as for most things about your future…I can’t imagine you’d stop helping people because of this. I doubt that will feel like something you don’t want to do. Or will it?” She had a feeling, judging by the conversation so far, that he was talking about more than just helping people in this regard…But she wasn’t sure she should touch that area of conversation, unless it was brought up. She’d only just stopped blushing. “What…What wouldn’t you want to do, if given the chance?” The question was quiet, curious, and she looked up at him with interest. "I don't think I would have..." He lowered his head, "I'm afraid that I'm going to try to avoid the pain ahead... even with my memories erased.... they're there, they're still there. That's how we found out where Warren is. If my memories are still there, even if hidden, what if I know. What if it changes who I am and how I react to things... what if..." He looked away againand said, "I wonder if I end up with Jean because it's what's expected. If I love her as much as I think I do, then why am I... I didn't feel like this before coming here. I'm feeling... I feel confused and that's not how I normally feel. Even with Jack, even at the State Home, I wasn't confused. The coma... after I recovered from that... I said I would never be confused again." Scott shook his head, his too long hair falling over the top rim of his glasses, and would have been in his eyes if it was possible to be so. "You confuse me and I don't understand why. I'm going to save Warren, and go back and save the past, so that there can be an X-Men and some time in the future, I will save you so that you can be here for when I come from the past and you can save me... " What he was saying, it wasn’t that farfetched. She couldn’t think of anyone who wouldn’t avoid pain if they could, and she knew just how much he was in for – more than he knew, and she might’ve winced at the thought, if he weren’t in the middle of a crisis. Frowning, Sarah tapped her fingers absently on the railing, biting her lip. “If that were true, that you would try to avoid things…You’d be at the school right now, instead of here, heading off to save a friend without knowing what you’ll find.” She said quietly, glancing at him. “You could’ve easily stayed back. We would’ve agreed with you – better not to put you in danger, when it could affect so much. But here you are.” Then he brought up Jean, and Sarah’s cheeks darkened a little more, shifting awkwardly. Her fingers itched to brush his hair off his glasses, but she already knew he disliked hands near his face. Twitching her fingers around the railing, she blinked at him, and her blush darkened more. For lack of touching his hair, she instead tugged her fingers through her own. “Confusion sounds about right, yeah.” She muttered, still blushing. “But…I don’t know how to help with that, really. I can’t tell you how you feel.” Hell, she could barely figure out her own feelings, with all the weirdness going on. “I guess we just…hope it works out. Even if you change, you’re still you, after all.” Quirking a small smile, she added “Hopefully you’ll still choose to save me, even if I’m causing problems.” "It's not problems," Scott said, quietly, and there was so much more he wanted to tell her, so much more he wanted to say, but it would take his adult self, his more confident and strong self had taken over ten years to tell Jean how he felt. Maybe this was why? Maybe he knew this would arrive... "I'm sorry," he said, finally."I don't know what's wrong with me." The assurance was nice, although at this point, she wasn’t sure she believed him. This was certainly not a situation she’d ever considered happening. The apology caused her to shake her head, and she cast a look at the water, as if visualizing the destination, what they might find. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re in the very unique position of being able to see where your choices lead you. Any sane person would question themselves. Question the choices they might make. Of what they think, or feel.” She smiled crookedly. “And you have the unfortunate luck of finding out how much weight you’re going to carry, before you’ve chosen to carry it yourself.” With a hitch of his shoulders, Scott said, with a slight smirk in his voice, though not on his face, "Of all the things I thought about being when I grew up, back when I was a little kid in the hospital, all by myself... of all the things I expected, I never thought I would be a masochist..." He frowned slightly and said, "That's the word, right? Someone who likes pain? I never expected to be the kind of person who thrives off it..." He turned away from the rail, leaning against it, "I bet you never had any idea that he was such a mess, huh? I don't think he knows that is... Or maybe he does and he just goes on and on because he doesn't have a choice." Tipping his head back into the sun, and said, "He doesn't have a choice anymore, does he?" Having spent enough time around the adult Scott, Sarah could hear the smirk, even if he didn’t show it. She expected him to say something else, and when he finished the sentence, Sarah choked, coughing into her hand and tried not to laugh. For a girl who had a mental connection to the internet, that word, among others, conjured up some very unusual mental pictures, and thank God Jean wasn’t around. Finally managing to get herself under control, Sarah snorted. “I seriously doubt you thrive off it.” She muttered quietly, before arching a brow at him as he called himself a mess. Snickering, she rubbed her temple with one finger, shaking her head. “You’re – he’s – not a mess. Well, okay, maybe a bit. I have seen in his head, so I guess maybe a little bit of a mess.” The smile faded when he mentioned choice, and Sarah gave him a very serious look. “Of course he does. I can name half a dozen times when he could have walked away. Left on the Starjammer, never come back. Left with Jean, or on his own, any number of times. Hell, I can name a dozen times when most people would have left. And I honestly can’t tell you why he didn’t.” Because she knew enough, when they’d left on the Jammer the first time, after the Dark X-Men. He had every reason not to return. But he had. And that was one conversation she’d never really had with him. Scotty nodded, not convinced but tired of questions, tired of no answers. "You and him... you've been in his head... Emma's been in his head... Jean... the Professor... I don't even like people to be in my room, but my skull, free rein, huh? Big old welcome mat on my forehead... anyone can come inside." He leaned over to her and said, "You know any secrets? Any secrets I don't know... or... or forgot?" The blush was fading from his youthful face, only the pink that came from the heat of the sun, "Anything you've ever wanted to say to him that you couldn't? I'll forget it anyway, right?" Sarah couldn’t blame him for that reaction – she wasn’t the biggest fan of people being in her head, either. It was weird, and she liked her privacy and secrets. She didn’t keep many, but the ones she did have, they were locked deep. Snorting in amusement, she shook her head at him. “The situation with me wasn’t quite the same as a telepath! I was…Downloading him into a computer system, in a manner of speaking. We had to partition the control, so I just saw bits and pieces. And I’ve never been in your room! Your alarm clock, yes. But not your room!” She added unnecessarily, before flushing. He leaned closer, and she blinked at him, because that question was a loaded one. There were probably a dozen things she’d want to tell him, given the chance. But most dealt with situations she didn’t want to bring up to this Scott. About his ‘death’. After a pause, she finally tilted her head, and despite the blush that refused to go away, she leaned forward quickly and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for…Finding me.” And then she turned a brighter red and looked away. Her answer was funny, and awkward, and he didn't understand the whole thing about putting him into a computer, but whatever he thought about what she was saying was instantly wiped out when she leaned over and kissed him. She pulled back, and he caught her hand, not entirely sure what he was planning on doing before he leaned foward, himself, and kissed her, not aiming for her cheek. It wasn't a passionate kiss, it wasn't a desperate one... it wasn't skillful or world changing. No violins swelled and no cartoon birds circled above their head. But it was earnest, and it was unexpected... and it was never going to happen again, "Thank you," he said, as he stepped back, "... for helping me find myself." |
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2:42 PM Jul 11