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someone very special is coming
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welcome!
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the spirits whispered you'd be coming
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but they didn't mention you'd
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be this charming in person!
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now before you even think about saying a word,
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let me take a look at those hands
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the lines never lie!
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are you all right with a bit of touching?
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I've been told I'm very gentle
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don't be shy I don't bite
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I assure you. Well not unless I'm asked
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let's see what we have here
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fascinating!
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you must have had quite the journey to land here
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came by whispers didn't you?
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people always find that way
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whispers travel faster than any train...
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train... hold on
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have we met before?
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your hands... they feel awfully familiar
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or maybe... just... interesting
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very interesting
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you've got a life that's never boring,
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that's for sure
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look the fate line here
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twists and turns almost
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like you're running from one adventure to the next
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and yet your future,
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oh my dear!
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your future is as unpredictable as the wind
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although if I dare say
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I can say a few things, and don't worry
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they're quite wonderful... love!
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yes my dear
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you'll be swept of your feet by someone
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when you least expect it, if you haven't already
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now between us:
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a witch in love is far worse than a countess in love
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trust me, I know
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don't worry darling
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it's going to be fun
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curious
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I keep thinking about train
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odd, isn't it?
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why on earth would I be thinking about that?
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how did you find me?
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most visitors find their way here
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because someone has whispered my name to them
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we tend to attract all kinds here
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you know: skeptics,
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believers, nobles...
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even the dearly departed pop in from time to time
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oh
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of course!
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this isn't just idle fortune darling
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is it
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it's one of THOSE meetings
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we'll tend to this shortly darling
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but let me say
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you look wonderful for someone with such a difficult job
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although I must say
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you also look like someone who drank their last
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cup of tea in a previous century
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before we proceed, I can't ignore the obvious
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you got a little something clinging to you
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I believe the technical term is "time residues"
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yes, it happens
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especially to those who, shall we say
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flirt with the boundaries of time itself
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don't worry darling I'll have it cleansed
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here we are, brushing off
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those remnants of the past and future
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can't have you
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carrying all that weight on your shoulders
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yes, much better
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I'm very pleased to have you here
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this charming abode takes up the first floor
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devoted entirely to my craft
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yet I must admit
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navigating the expectations of polite society
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can be challenging
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what I offer here, shall we say
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does not always earn the approval
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of those who consider themselves
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the keepers of propriety
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however,
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I have the favor of the Countess of Dearington herself
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which keeps their tongues in check
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still, I find that discretion is vital
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in this matters... before we get into any business,
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I have a message for you,
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something the spirits want me to tell you
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I could simply tell you but where's the fun in that
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I think it's safer if I write it on your back
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you never know who or what might be listening
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now let's see if you're paying attention
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I'll write the first letter and you tell me what it is
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ready?
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surely you can guess this one
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simple letter darling
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not quite?
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now here
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let's try again
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alright this one's easier, you'll get this one
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what do you think?
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it's the start of something important
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well let's make it a little more obvious shall we
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something I'm sure you're familiar with
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no?
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figure it out yet?
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Must I keep you guessing all day?
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all right
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let's not keep this box waiting any longer
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while I open it
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why don't you have some tea?
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I'd made it just before you arrived
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now let's see what we've got in here
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a riddle cube!
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well darling
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seems we'll need a little help
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and I know just the place to ask
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shall we consult those who have already crossed the veil?
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all right
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let's see if anyone's listening
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if anyone's listening,
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give us a sign!
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a bit shy are we
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let's try again
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if you're truly with us
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give a clear sign, is someone here?
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oh there we are
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who are you?
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ancientre
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I guess it's the ancient tree
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all right the ancient tree
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how can we unlock the riddle and open that cube?
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"you need to be light as a feather to open a fruit"
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a fruit...
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could this little riddle box
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be the fruit
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of course! your people must have pulled this thing from
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well, somewhere beyond the veil
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there it probably looks like a fruit
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but here it is a puzzle, a riddle
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and what do we do with a fruit?
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we get to the core of course
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that's where the answer lies
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we just need to figure out how to peel away the layers
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and get to the center
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light as the feather
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I know just the thing
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I'm just searching for the appropriate piece
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not this one
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this one is too big
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as this wax melts,
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it readys itself to take on what doesn't serve you
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those lingering shadows, hidden forces
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melt and bend, prepare to take by flame’s
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soft light, what's yours to break
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a little charm to get things started
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let the unseen weight, the influence on your spirit,
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mind and body be drawn into this wax
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lift from soul, drift from skin
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let all darkness draw within
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let the problem freeze and form
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now we'll do this twice more
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three times for good measure of course
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second pull,
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strong and clear, let the weight disappear
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from spirit, body and thought, into the wax
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your burdens are caught
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and now it hardens
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all that hides and seeks to cling
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let this final cast take everything
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now let it be sealed and cold
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now my dear
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do not touch them, the wax holds what we've drawn out
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these unseen influences are best left there
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where they are
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let's see how heavy it is
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I'll utilize it later. I need some protection
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just put my fingers into special ashes
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this keeps the touch safe
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nothing harmful can cling to me now
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let's see what our wax has to say, this one
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you've been carrying burdens
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heavy ones, both physical and spiritual
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see this curve?
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It shows wear,
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as though the weight of others has been pressing on you.
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you're holding more than just your own worries
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but here's the smooth patch
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like the start of something new
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this tells me that relief is coming,
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unexpected help
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perhaps from an old friend or surprising ally
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someone you may,
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someone you probably haven't thought of
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this one oh
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can you see these rough edges
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they show obstacles, challenges you faced
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but the shapes smooth out here and near the center
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you've begun to shed some of what was weighing you down
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these ripples they speak of a journey
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something you've been working toward
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perhaps a mission not quite complete
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you're nearly there
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but not without a few more hurdles first
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and finally
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this one
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this one is the most intriguing
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something unresolved, it's sharp
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almost aggressive
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you've got a confrontation ahead of you
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one tied directly to your work or your destiny
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this isn't just about struggle though
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here, a spiral
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it's telling you that
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you've been drawn into something deeper,
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a conflict that will take you in circles
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unless you keep your wits about it,
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a test perhaps
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you'll need more than just strength to overcome it
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you'll need to stay sharp
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remember Darling
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Light as a feather
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alright let's open that fruit
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and you guide me alright?
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I believe this is the core
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what is it?
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mesmerizing
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I have no idea what it is
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it's beautiful and strange
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you see the fruit was from the other side
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which means this core seed could mean many things
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perhaps it's something powerful
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or simply a token from that world
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who's to say...
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perhaps it's a light in the dark
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something that will guide you
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when the path becomes unclear
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or it could be a key
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unlocking some secret knowledge on your journey
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you know how this things often work
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what's simple in one world is often more in another
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and vice versa
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I wouldn't be surprised if in the world it came from
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this was merely a torch
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but then again nothing's ever just a torch, right?
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not when it's touched by otherworldly hands
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well, I'd keep it close if I were you
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whatever it is, it's bound to come in handy
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I suppose you only find out when the time is right
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and until then Darling
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you just have to enjoy its glow
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I have a few routine matters to attend to:
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letters to write, messages for certain associates
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all very official and terribly dull
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I assure you
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but you my dear
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deserve a moment to rest
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you've had quite a journey,
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I can tell
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that couch over there is positively calling your name
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just sit back and relax for a while
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I'll be over here handling business of correspondence
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don't hesitate to rest your eyes
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if you're feeling a bit tired
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this little nook
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has a way of hauling people into a pleasant nap
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although I suppose your line of work
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rarely allows for such luxuries