Proceeding down Street #6, the clouds gradually begin to drizzle. Water droplets fall over your nearly-pristine Colors, but you don't mind. Eyes locked directly ahead, you march purposefully to Old Square.

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As you turn onto Street #8, Old Square comes into view. At the end of the street, the alley opens up to a massive cobblestone plaza almost entirely surrounded by the sprawling campus of Observatory #2. Alongside the observatory is a row of tiny shops huddled together.

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While heading toward Old Square, you fail to locate any golden Colors. Street #8 is lined with masses of purple Colors, with one particular group pausing to stare at you as you stride past not even several feet from them. You hear them murmuring among themselves, obviously about you, but you continue. You are determined to finally learn more about your Guideline-given enemies.

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Eventually reaching Old Square, you witness a group of roughly a dozen purple Colors congregating around a massive table in the center of the Square. As good a place to start as any, you think to yourself.

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Once you arrive at the amassed Colors, the talking quickly ceases as they start to notice your presence. The purple Colors point at you and whisper among themselves in-turn. They're waiting on you to say something, you finally realize.

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"Not exactly a warm reception, huh? Well, I get it—I'm a different Color. I'm a Civilian of the United Covenant and the Guidelines say we need to resent each other," you project to the group. You pause for a second to collect yourself, before resuming.

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"But, my mom—my parents—are Civilians of the Consolidated Coalition. They're purple Colors. I just want to attend the Event of Pride with them this evening. I know the Guidelines, but I don't intend to cause any problems. I only want to come with them and learn more about the Consolidated Coalition," you explain, almost trailing off at the end.

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Gazing around at the sea of purple, you watch them exchange panicked looks with each other. Eventually, a shrill voice emerges. "Don't you attend your lessons at the Institute?" a woman's voice sneers somewhere from the amassed purple Colors.

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"Well, yes, but I really don't pay much attention during them, usually," you offer candidly, to gasps throughout the crowd. You immediately regret your candor. How do I reassure them that I want nothing more than to learn about them, you ask yourself.

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A few seconds pass silently, before a man steps forward from the edges of the mob slowly encircling you. "Let me ask you something. How do you expect us to react to your presence here?" he snarls, his eyes narrowing. The man pushes forward through the crowd, nearly pressing his face into yours as he towers over you.

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With his words hanging suspended in the air, you begin to see this was a glaring mistake. You start to subtly pull away from the man and the group enveloping you. Simultaneously, the group closes the tiny gap behind you, leaving you stumbling backwards into two purple Colors. You regain your balance, and scan the newly-formed circle around you.

 

Crying out with a primal scream, two purple Colors behind you shove you toward the man, who immediately grabs your United Covenant pin and shoves you to the ground in front of him. "Who would ever believe that shit? Your presence here is a grave mistake." Your heart races, and tears form in your eyes. You plead for clemency.

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"Please, please," you stammer. "I just want to learn, honestly, I swear. I don't have any desire to—"

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In a flurry, two purple Colors suddenly take your arms and help you to your feet. They dust off the back of your golden Colors. You sigh with relief. They believe me, you think.

 

As you prepare to thank them, the man unearths a sharp shiv from his pocket and presses rapidly toward you. There will be no clemency—this was their plan all along, you realize. With tears beginning to stream down your face, you start to howl, right as the blade dives into your flesh and you collapse onto the cobblestone.

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