Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · 3d

Champion Halloween: Good Omens
Are y'all confused yet?
Been a hot minute since I've drawn these outfits in that ink-wash-red-watercolor style I used to use for everything back in 2021-23! 🥰
#goodomens #comic #illustration

An ink and watercolor illustration of the Champion and the Serpent dressed as Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens. The Serpent lifts her sunglasses and inspects her pants saying, “Fire below, how does this guy see anything with these on? How am I supposed to see anything with these things? And there’s barely room for my purse in these pants, how does he manage to fit a prick in these?!” Meanwhile the Champion wheezes under the multiple suffocating layers of suit as she tries to loosen her bowtie.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · 10d

Champion Halloween: Outfit Swap!
I’ve wanted to do Halloween ‘dress the girls in silly outfits’ doodles for years now, so luckily we’re in a decent enough spot in between chapters that I can do just that!
champion.thecomicseries.com #comic #illustration

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · 17d

Work has been extremely busy this month and I've been under the weather for a couple of weeks now, so please kindly brace for more low(er) effort silliness in the coming weeks 🙏
#comic #illustration

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · 24d

For the record, 🐍 can sing quite well, but chooses not to because it is funnier to her.
Champion Minicomic: Reveries wraps up today with page 9!
champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 2 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries” Page 9. In Panel 1, the Champion and the Serpent walk down a forested road together. The Champion walks purposefully ahead, hands clamped over her ears, while the Serpent dances along behind, singing to herself, “...I went down to Koulashei Market...La-da-ba-dee La-dee-ba-doo…” A glowing orange butterfly Reverie spell follows behind the Serpent, fluttering into the scene from outside of the panel borders. In panel 2, the Serpent’s song is suddenly cut off as the Reverie lands on her face with a splattery, “Piff!”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Sep 15

My script notes for this panel were: “[Champion] catches [Serpent] in such a way that is anything but heroic or skillful.”
Champion Minicomic: Reveries, Pg 8 is up! champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries” Page 8. The Serpent’s front half is wrapped tightly around a pillar so hard she’s cracking it as the Champion tries to pull her down by the tail. The Champion has the handle of her sword clamped in her teeth and a ripped open pillowcase in her other hand, downy goose feathers from the pillow litter the floor. Talloul cries dramatically on the ground as her bewildered father tries to comfort her. The Serpent, in the past, narrates the scheme of the scene, ““Any minute now, my bull-headed, fluffy-haired friend is going to come barging in here, sword drawn, with the singular task of HEROICALLY and SKlLLFULLY dispatching the vicious, venomous SERPENT that’s vexing you...Meanwhile, YOU(Talloul) will be putting those ear-piercing TEARS of yours to good use…”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Sep 8

Familial ties are clarified and a plan is hatched in Champion Minicomic: Reveries Pg 7! champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 2 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries”, Page 7. In Panel 1, Talloul tearfully reaches across the panel borders to cling to the Serpent’s skirt as she begs, “But you’re a Daughter of Shei`apstis the Defiant?! ln the Afore-Days, your Father defied the wills of the Foremothers when He refused to wed Era the Unknown! Don’t you see? You’re exactly who my Kiss was meant for!” Behind Talloul, a mythological imagination sequence plays out as Shei’apstis, an unbothered and flamboyant young god, flips a rude hand gesture to four scandalised middle-aged goddesses: One made of stone, one of flame, one of water, and one of cloud.

In Panel 2, the serpent angrily recoils from Talloul’s grasp as she tries to escape the confines of the panel border. The Serpent scolds Talloul, “Were you asleep for the part of the Odes when Shei--MY MOTHER----Was banished to Akor* for doing exactly that?! Sure, it was also for the “Poisoning of Eutratis” thing...But my point stands!” A much more crude and childishly drawn mythological imagination sequence plays out behind the Serpent. A group of six gods sit on a white moon. A sea-green god cries dramatically over Eutratis, a sky-blue god with x-ed out eyes. A stone-brown god looks aghast and a red goddess and yellow goddess make out distractedly behind him. An angry orange goddess with goat horns casts a fiery blast from her shepherd’s crook and Shei’apstis, in the form of a spindly purple snake with cartoonishly bugged-out orange eyes, is blasted onto a little blue planet far below.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Sep 1

It's always a good page when I can arrange for 🐍 to make a funny face or noise!
Champion Minicomic "Reveries" Pg 6 is up on champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier+ patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 2 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries”, Pg 6. In panel 1, Talloul looks off-panel as her father calls her name, “Talloul?” Behind her, the Serpent is shrouded in a puff of lavender smoke as she transforms with a “Shnng!” In Panel 2, Talloul looks at the closed door of her room and cries out a surprised, “Papan?!“ Her father speaks muffledly from behind the door, “Talloul? Are you alright, my dear? I heard a scream!“ The Serpent slithers hurriedly down from the bed and races across the tile floor and beyond the panel border. She things angrily to herself, “Argh! What am I DOING?! Wasting time lecturing some IDIOT MAIDEN long enough to get caught by her stupid FATHER?!”

A 2 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries”, Pg 6. In panel 1, the Serpent slithers over the railing of a balcony, and thinks angrily to herself, “What the **** is she talking about? I’m not biting ANYBODY tonight! I’m outta here--” In Panel 2, the Serpent is suddenly wrenched backward, her orange eyes popping out cartoonishly as she makes a comical, “HYURK!” sound.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Aug 25

I hope you all are enjoying all the complex drapery and sound effects design that went into this mini 😂
Champion Minicomic "Reveries" Pg 5 is up on champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries” Page 5. Talloul screams a loud red “Eeeeek!” and yanks her bed covers away, sending the Serpent in her human form comically tumbling through to the ground as she screams, “Aiiieee! Woah Woah Woah!”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Aug 18

"Eeek!" indeed…
Champion Minicomic "Reveries" Pg 4 is up on champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 2 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries, Page 4. In Panel 1, the Serpent in her human form bids Talloul awake as she looms over Talloul’s bed. In the dark blue of the room, the Serpent’s eyes glow an ominous orange, and the butterfly-shaped mark where the Reverie spell hit her glows fluorescent pink. The Serpent says, “...And I have answered.” In panel 2, Talloul screams, “Eeeeek!” the colors of the panel turning a bright red.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Aug 11

PAF!
🐍 receives an important message in Champion Minicomic: Reveries Pg 3! Also, a little bonus for you all, since the thumbnails from this page make me giggle. champion.thecomicseries.com and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 4 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries”, Page 3. In panel 1, the Serpent in her human form sleeps happily in the late-afternoon sunlight. The glowing pink reverie love spell flutters over her face. In Panel 2, the reverie smacks the serpent on the mouth with a loud ‘PAF!’ and the entire panel glows a bright pink. In panel 3, the Serpent, now with a pink smudge on her mouth in the shape of the reverie, sits up awake and dazed with her hair askew as she tries to figure out what’s just happened. In panel 4, the Serpent blushes happily and giggles to herself with a hazy, “hee hee hee…”

A hilariously rough pencil sketch of the previous image's panels

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Aug 4

🦋🎶Butterfly in the skyyyy.....I can go twice as hiiiiigh!
Champion Minicomic: Reveries, Pg 2 is up! champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 4 panel preview of Champion Minicomic “Reveries”, Pg 2. A Reverie, a glowing pink butterfly-shaped love spell, flutters freely across the panels, heedless of the panel borders. In panel 1, it flies over a pale stone wall into a verdant forest. In panel 2, it flutters across yellow grassland by a river. It briefly considers landing on the Champion as she walks down the red road, but decides against it. In panel 3 it crosses a field of magnificent red flowers with mountains in the distance and fluffy white clouds in the sky. In panel 4 it drifts over a mossy stream in a dense forest at dusk.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 31

The timelapse gif from "The Oath" tapestry! Made myself an outline brush to save time...& then the complexity of the piece quadrupled. Every frame is ~15-30 min of work, so it only took slightly less time than actual embroidery would have done!
#illustration #comic

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 28

Crying Girl from Champion Chapter 02 Pg 05 gets her own well-deserved moment in the spotlight in “Reveries” a Champion minicomic! Just how did 🐍 happen upon her bedroom that night? Nothing and no one is ever exactly as they seem on the surface in this world…
#comic #illustration

A 2 panel preview of Champion Minicomic, “Reveries”, page 1. In panel 1, a plump girl with red hair dressed in a sea-green dress yells defiantly. The opulently mosaiced room around her is in complete disarray, table overturned, pillows astrew, ceramic bowls shattered and fruit crushed on the floor and thrown at the wall. Her father, an older stout man with similar sea-green robes, cowers at the back of the room with only a pillow for protection. Splatters of fruit juice on the wall beside his head where his daughter has thrown them. The man tries to plead with his daughter, “lt need not be a permanent coupling--!” The girl shouts, “I WlLL NOT, Papan! Not for a night, not an hour, not a single **** moment!” Her father continues, “--lt’s only to ensure that the company will pass to a suitable heir once I’m gone!” Panel 2 is colored an angry red as the girl makes an obscene gesture--middle and ring fingers raised--as she shouts, “Oh, to the Gardens* with the company, and to husbands and to children! My life as a maiden has barely begun, and you wish me to be a mother already?”

A preview image for Champion Chapter 2 Page 5. In a dark, moonlit bedroom, a young woman wrapped in a bedsheet cries hysterically while clinging to the Champion’s chest. The Champion, deeply unimpressed, looks on with her sword drawn to the source of the distress: the Serpent with bedsheets comically draped over her head lurks on the young woman’s bed.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 24

The process gif!! This piece was a big challenge and SO MUCH FUN to paint. Preorders for Thwarting Vol 2 are still open till July 28th! thwartingwiles.bigcartel.com
#goodomens #ineffablehusbands

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 21

"The Oath"
I spent hours creating this illustrated tapestry for the Champion Chapter 2 Cover, but we only got to see a small corner of it. Here is the entire piece for you to enjoy.
It will all make sense eventually.
#comic #illustration

An illustrated embroidered tapestry divided into three panels. In the leftmost panel, Eutratis, the blind god of the sky, stands in chest-deep ocean waves as stormy clouds flash lightning into the dense forest behind him. In the rightmost panel, Shei’apstis, the serpentine God of magic, stands in front of a wall of pink flame. Three purple snakes, a hognose, a cobra, and a rattlesnake with a missing eye, surround her and a rainbow of stars fall behind her.
The center panel is shaped like an hourglass. At the top, the sun hangs in a red sky surrounded by a garden of yellow stars. Twin yellow serpents coil around each other in a figure eight, their ends of their tails clenched in the other’s mouth. A pink and red moon with a carrion bird on its surface sits at the pinch-point of the hourglass, eclipsing the light of the sun above from the bottom section of the hourglass below.
In the lower section of the hourglass, a black moon with a runic ‘TH’ stitched in white on its surface hangs in the . Below the moon stand the Champion and the Serpent, they hold a golden twisted crown aloft in one hand and rest their opposite hands on the pommel of the Champion’s sword as the blade pierces the ground. The Champion and the Serpent wear matching golden bands on their right arms. They are surrounded by a ring of pink flames, which opens a portal of swirling ocean waves beneath their feet.
Two owl-like figures frame the couple with their wings, a brown horned owl on the left and a black barred owl on the right. Further down, four wolf-like figures crouch at the bottom of the panel, one large and one small with black fur on the left and one small red and one large white on the right. Runic writing at the bottom of the frame reads, “l'yout y eiba d iora”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 17

Had the great honor of returning as the cover artist for Thwarting Wiles Vol 2! It’s been quite a bit since Vol 1, so I was so thrilled to be back! The zine available for preorder till July 28th with proceeds benefiting Take Back The Night!
thwartingwiles.bigcartel.com
#goodomens #ineffablehusbands

A digitally painted cover for Good Omens zine Thwarting Wiles, Volume 2. The entire painting glows with warm yellow and white light. Crawley in his dark Eden robes lays belly-down on the ground. His chin rests languidly on his left hand and he looks smugly at the viewer. His right hand fiddles with the stem of an unbitten apple. Crawley’s wings open and extend into the air. Aziraphale in his white Eden robes stands over Crawley, a subtle smile on his face as he holds his flaming sword close to Crawley’s neck.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 14

Another non-canon Champion pinup, this time for ch 2! In a slightly different comic, the heated conversation between 🗡️ and 🐍 in the field at the base of the tree might have gone VERY differently.
(The 🍒's-out version can be found on patreon www.patreon.com/c/alegrafige...
#illustration #pinup

A digital watercolor pinup of the Champion and the Serpent (in her human form). The pair sit together at the base of a tree, the Serpent sitting behind with her arms and legs wrapped around the Champion. The branches of the tree are leafless and cut short, while its roots sprawl and spread beneath them. The sky in the background is a dusky yellow while the rest of the piece is painted with warm purple and lavender tones. The Serpent kisses the Champion’s neck, her right hand has snaked between the Champion’s legs, while her left hand covers the Champion’s mouth. The Champion looks vaguely miffed at this interaction but doesn’t make any move to stop it. The Champion’s grip on her sword handle is so loose that the sword threatens to fall away.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jul 7

Sorry everybody, if my mom was at the helm, 🗡️ would have had bigger boobs, but you are all stuck with me instead.
(Btw, there are still copies of Ch 1 available
#comic #illustration
www.alegrafigeroidstudio.com/shop/p/champ...

A four panel black and white comic. Panel 1: Al’s mom sits on a couch and grabs a booklet from the coffee table. Al looks up from her computer in surprise. Panel 2: The camera dramatically zooms in on Al’s mom reading a printed copy of Al’s comic Champion Issue 1. Al narrates her thoughts off-panel, “WOAH! Mom’s actually reading Champion of her own volition without me having to ask her to?!” Panel 3: The camera dramatically zooms in on Al, as she frantically tries to remain calm and collected. Al thinks, “It’s been over 5 years since she read the original version…does it still hold up? This is like watching a dehydrated cat finally drink water…Don’t make any sudden moves that might interrupt her!” Panel 4: Al’s mom looks up from the comic book, while Al looks slightly sheepish and exasperated. Al’s mom says, “Oh! So the Champion is like…A big butch lesbian?” “Yes, mom,” says Al, “That’s like, the whole point…!” In the background, the Champion stands very tall and impressive with her big sword.

A single panel black and white cartoon. Al’s mom reads from the Champion Issue 1 comic book and Al looks at her in vague disbelief. Al’s mom, referring to the Champion, says, “I woulda thought her boobs would be bigger…” “...Uh huh?” Al replies, stunned. “They’re such small meaty things…” Al’s mom clarifies. A comically pixelated panel excerpt of the Champion shirtless demonstrates Mom’s point.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 30

And that’s a wrap on Champion Ch 2! If you’re the type of reader who likes to read entire chapters when they’re completed, now is a great time to catch up!
champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 3 Panel preview of Champion Chapter 2 Page 26. The Serpent and the Champion walk side by side down a dirt road surrounded by dark trees. The Serpent says happily, “Pah! Kids are resilient, a brush with Death early in life does ‘em good! Take me for instance: I turned out just fine!” The Champion looks at her dubiously and says, “I’m not sure I agree with that... Either of those!” The Serpent needles further, “lt’s a really funny story actually......Now that we’re traveling companions, we oughtta get to know each other better, no? You’re probably dying to know what my name is?” The Champion rebuffs her, “Not really.” The pair continue down the Road side by side as they bicker. The Serpent says, “Whatever, Champion, I don’t care about your name either, you pompous hack--! --Ooh! There’s an idea! Let’s get a horse and cut down on all this walking!” The Champion answers, “No.” The Serpent asks, “ Wha--? Why not?” The Champion says, “I don’t trust them.” The Serpent gasps,” Did you have a childhood near-death encounter with a horse? That sounds awful; wanna talk about it in detail?” The Champion answers, “ No, thank you.” The Serpent concludes, “Gods, you’re no fun…” A narration box in the corner of the panel reads, “End Chapter 2: The Champion and the Wolf.”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 23

More delicious colors plus insight from the horse’s mouth on the care and rearing of a budding Champion-to-be in
Champion Ch 2 Pg 25 champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 2 Panel preview of Champion Chapter 2 Page 25. The Serpent returns to her human form, she and Tam laugh happily together as they play in the grass, the colors tinted a sunny, friendly yellow orange. The Champion speaks off panel, “He is of the Huntress and of the Wilds. Nothing in this world can change that. It’s a fundamental truth of him that deserves to be nurtured and honed, not rejected or denied”. A flash of orange from off panel distracts Tam and the Serpent. Tam, lines and colors a vibrant red looks with curiosity while the serpent, lines and colors a deep purple, looks with caution. The pairs’ non-human eyes are emphasized: the Serpent’s slitted orange and Tam’s bright yellow. The Champion continues off-panel, “He is an extraordinary child in a mostly-ordinary world…Born with abilities and to circumstances he did not choose…”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 19

Welp, I might not have managed to snag a 3rd Emmy win (this year…) but I did manage to catch a quick sketch of the very bizarre and beautiful Bowmouth Guitarfish (and the Blacktip Reef Shark and the Unicornfish) at the @SeattleAquarium
!
#art #sketchbook

A pencil sketch of a Bowmouth Guitarfish.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 16

It’s always a nice reward for getting through my annoying color-flatting process to play with these narratively-symbolic color-rich pages! Champion Chapter 2 Page 24 is up!
champion.thecomicseries.com , & Nib tier+ patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 3 Panel preview of champion Chapter 2 Page 24. The Tanner, in tears and bathed in deep red light, looks up in awe as the Champion speaks off panel. She says, “Well maybe the wills of the Gods should be challenged! They create children on a whim but all responsibility falls to the unready mortal parents? And they never lift a finger when the child needs them? Or when the overwhelmed parents need guidance?” The Champion stands, fists clenched tight in defiance and bitterness against a backdrop of deadly red. She continues, “And thus, the lmmortal child grows in a mortal world......Blessed to outlive the parents who raised them…” The Champion’s right hand, knuckle scarred from the Serpent’s bite in Chapter 1, clenches light around the handle of her sheathed sword. She continues, “...And they either live well, or--” She is cut off by a blood-curdling “SHRIEK!” off-panel.

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 10

A distant shark fin portending future conflicts slices through the proverbial waters in Champion Ch 2 Pg 23 on champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A 2 panel preview of Champion Chapter 2 Pg 23. Outside of the small stone cottage, the young boy Tam and the Serpent tussle and play. The Tanner leans uneasily against the doorframe with his arms protectively crossed. The Champion puts on her leather headband, eyes closed, body language guarded. The Tanner says, “I don’t
understand.......You’re a Daughter of Sky like the Arbiter was--” The Champion interrupts, “I didn’t know
her, so please don’t ask.” The Tanner stoops, looking small and vulnerable, and the Champion looks at him with concern. The Tanner says, “It’s not that----I’m sorry, Lord! lt’s just...I’ve heard the stories from the Capital of...of what they do to people like him......So when you showed up, I thought…”

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 5

The process post for the cover for ‘Smolder’ ( a.co/d/51V79eP ) a gay novelette! #illustration #bookcover #gif

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Al Figgy @alfiggy.bsky.social · Jun 2

There's a lot I love about this chapter, but these pages where characters are just sitting around Talking are honestly some of my favorites! Champion Ch 22 Pg is up on champion.thecomicseries.com , and Nib tier and above patrons are 1 month ahead! patreon.com/alegrafigeroid #comic #illustration

A Preview of Champion Chapter 2 Page 22. The Champion and Tam sit side by side under two trees on a peaceful grassy hill. Tam swings his feet energetically and wears his throwing disk as a silly hat. Tam says, “I wanna be a Champion too! You could teach me?” the Champion replies, “Uh...Maybe when you’re older? Even after all this time, I’m still learning how to be one myself…”

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