Message #576289

[BlueAnnihilator]

[Intent on saving Penny from her confinement, Blue and Reese return to the Healer's Sanctuary to begin their rescue operation]

~~Ackland: Healer's Sanctuary~~

Blue: Well, Reese? Where can we find Penny?

Reese: Hm, if I remember correctly, she's being held in the back of the sanctuary past a locked door. We'll have to ask one of the priests for the key.

Blue: That should be easy enough. Let's go.

[Before the two can make their way forward, they are immediately halted by a money hungry priest carrying an offering plate]

Priest: Ahh! Welcome! Are you two here to inquire our services? The God of Healing is good to those that serve him well.

[The priest holds out the plate in greedy anticipation]

Blue: *annoyed* Especially if they donate in cash, right?

Priest: *gasp* How dare you!

Reese: We'll donate another time, Samuel. Right now we need you to tell us who has the key to Penny's  room.

Samuel: Alright alright... I don't really know who has your key though. You'd be better off asking priest Georg. He's sure to know.

Reese: Thanks, Sam. Let's keep going, Blue.

Blue: Right.

[Blue and Reese approach priest Georg once more to ask for the whereabouts of the key]

Reese: Priest Georg!
 
Georg: Oh! Welcome back, boys! Finally decided to make a donation, have you? How wonderful! Offering your gold to the God of Healing will surely make you grow strong.

Reese: Uhm...no, we haven't...

Blue: What is it with you priests, anyway? You guys are public servants, aren't you? You seem more interested in lifting money pouches than curses and ailments.

Georg: Eee! W-well yes, but...but...you see, as public servants, we priests of the sanctuary only recieve non-monetary rewards...

Blue: What?

Georg: Yes... Master Mel says that it's best for performance improvement. But that's easy for him to say. He still gets paid handsomely through commissions, while all we get for our hard work is a pat on the back!

Blue: So that's where all this "donation" business comes from. You couldn't appreciate kindness being it's own reward, so you cheated these unsuspecting people into giving their money to a phony "God of Healing" who would promise them strength and mercy they'd never receive. Am I right?

Georg: *gasp* How did you know that?!?!

Blue: Because you were kind enough to confirm it for me, priest.

Georg: W-What!? Ohh, you...you tricked me, you...you--!

Blue: Just like you tricked the people of Ackland...?

Georg: *sweats* Grrr...! But I...! Th-That was--!

Reese: Ah! So it's true! All this time you've been conning the people of this town! How could you!?

Georg: No! Please!

[Georg throws himself to the ground on his hands and knees, begging and pleading for forgiveness]

Georg: *sobs* Please! F-Forgive us! Don't report our transgressions to Master Mel! He'll have no mercy on those who defy the sanctuary's teachings!

Blue: Hmph, why don't you ask the God of Healing to save you?

Georg: I-I beg of you! I'll do anything you ask! Please! Spare this old fool!

Blue: ...Fine. Tell us who has the key to Penny's room. Right now.

Georg: I...I was entrusted with the key. If you desire it, then it is yours.

[Georg surrenders the key to Blue]

Blue: Heh. See that, priest? You give a little, you get a little.

Reese: Well played, Blue! Now we can rescue Penny. But can we really just ignore what's been going on here? The people of Ackland may be scoundrels but even they don't deserve to have their money swindled.

Blue: I know what you mean, but we'll have to deal with that problem later. The issue of saving Penny and finding my friends comes first.

Reese: You're right. Follow me, Blue. I'll lead the way to Penny's room.

[After recieving the key, Blue and Reese make their way to Penny's chamber in the back of the sanctuary. Upon arriving, they are treated to the site of a priest smashing through the locked door]

Priest: Yaaaaaggh! Oof...

Reese: Whoa!

[Out from the destroyed doorway comes Penny, commencing escape plans of her own]

Penny: Ha ha! As if you pansy choir boys could ever hold me!

Reese: Deja vu...

Blue: No kidding. Guess we won't be needing this then. *tosses key*

Penny: Hey, guys! What took ya!?

Reese: No time to gawk, Penny! We need to get out of here before your dad catches wind of us!

Penny: Right! Let's blow this joint!

[Blue and Reese, joined by Penny, hurry out of the Healer's Sanctuary. They make their way back to the streets of Ackland without a hitch]

~~Ackland Town: Streets~~

Reese: Well, that went rather smoothly!

Penny: Heh, wasn't expecting you to come to my rescue, Reese.

Reese: Huh?

Penny: Yeah, you're usually too much of a chicken wuss when it comes to matters involving my dad. You've gotten pretty ballsy as of late!

Reese: I couldn't have done it without Blue. He did most of the work...

Blue: Hey, don't be so modest, Reese. You pulled your weight too, you know.

Reese: Heheh, well, I guess... *rubs head*

Blue: Penny, before we were interrupted by your dad, you were about to tell us where you saw Jawo' leave town.

Penny: Oh, that's right. Yeah, I saw him leave through the northern gate. I think he was heading to the next town over.

Blue: The northern gate, huh... Okay, if we leave now we should be able to catch up to him by tomorrow.  Let's get going, Reese.

Reese: Right, Blue. Thanks for all your help, Penny. We'll be back eventually, so until then, try to stay out of trouble, okay?

Penny: Hmph, whatever!

[After recieving adequate info regarding Jawo', Blue and Reese are finally set to leave Ackland, but before they can go, a blinding flash of light strikes in front of the duo, stopping them in their tracks]

Blue: Ugh! What was that power!?

??: You're not going anywhere...