Message #580736

[BlueAnnihilator]

*The group arrives in the nearby city of Clough, though they're not exactly sure of what to do next*

~~Clough City~~

Jawo: So Blue, what's next?

Blue: I don't know, Jawo. We don't have any leads on Lilia's whereabouts to go on.

Reese: In that case, why don't we do what we did last time and ask around the city? You never know, maybe someone's seen her.

Blue: Well, I guess it's worth a try. It's about all we can do for now.

Reese: Are we spliting up again?

Blue: That's right. Let's do i--

Penny: Stop!!!

Reese: Huh? Penny?

Penny: I haven't gotten my battle with Jawo yet!

Blue: Ugh, not again...

Jawo: Sorry, but I don't fight girls.

Penny: Heh, what's the matter, huh? Scared I'll beat the skin off ya?

Jawo: Like I said, I don't fight girls. ...Even if they do deserve a beating...

Penny: So I deserve a beating, do I? Well too bad! There isn't a man alive that can defeat me!

Reese: Penny...

Jawo: Alright, I've had enough.

*Jawo grabs Penny by her shirt and lifts her into the air*

Penny: Hey! Ugh! L-let me go!

Jawo: Listen you little brat, are you gonna settle down? Or do I have to give you a time out?

Penny: Don't..speak to me like a child!

*Penny struggles harder, eventually freeing herself from Jawo's grip*

Jawo: Hmph...

Penny: Don't you ever speak to me like that!

Jawo: You know, it's that temper of yours that makes you so intolerable. How Blue and Reese put up with you, I'll never know. If you'd just stay calm and quiet, you might actually be kinda cute.

Penny: *blushes* You...how dare you! You jerk!

*Penny slaps Jawo across the face*

Jawo: Ouch! Egh..didn't your mother ever teach you any manners!?

Penny: My...my mother...

Jawo: Yeah, you do have one of those, don't you?

*Penny squints hard, but can't keep a tear from dripping down her face. She then turns and runs away*

Jawo: *folds arms* Hah, that'll learn ya.

Reese: *annoyed* Ugh, Jawo! How could you be so insensitive!?

Jawo: *confused* Eh? Did I miss something here?

Reese: Penny, wait!

*Reese runs after Penny*

Blue: Reese! *sigh* Oh man...

Jawo: Blue, what's going on? Did I do something wrong?

Blue: If only I knew...*scratches head*

*Penny runs to the terrace of the local inn and begins to silently cry over the railing*

Penny: *sniff*

Reese: Penny..there you are.

Penny: Reese. *sniff* What do you want? Are you gonna try and scold me?

Reese: No, not that. I just came to see if you were alright.

Penny: *wipes tears* Stupid Jawo. Talking about my mother like that. I oughta throttle him.

Reese: Aw, don't be so hard on him. He didn't know that your mother..was...

Penny: It's been 12 years.

Reese: Huh?

Penny: It's been 12 years...since she left us.

Reese: 12 years already, huh?

Penny: Yeah. I was only 3 at the time, but I can still remember..how sad my father was. He cried more than me and my sister put together. He didn't leave his room for days. He didn't eat, and he probably didn't sleep either.

Reese: That was when he changed, wasn't it?

Penny: *nods* About 5 years after the incident, on the whims of my father, me and Prima both started our healer training. Neither of us liked it, but father insisted that it was what our mother would've wanted, so we continued.

Reese: And then you two started to get fed up, right?

Penny: Mhm. About a year ago, Prima stopped attending her regular training sessions, in favor of studying conjuring instead. Dad didn't like what she was doing, so he tried to force her into training with the same confinement methods he used on me. But that wasn't enough to detain her. With the aid of her conjured creatures, she broke out of the hall, and...that was the last time I saw her...

Reese: Penny...

Penny: With mother dead and Prima gone, my dad was able to focus all of his negative attention on me. And it wasn't long before I became just like my sister.

Reese: It must be hard...having to grow up without a mother.

Penny: What are you talking about? You don't have one either, stupid!

Reese: I know that. But...Nurse Underwood is like one to me. Thanks to her, I know what it feels like.

Penny: *sniff* Reese...

Reese: Penny?

Penny: I just wish..that my mom would come back. So that things would go back to how they used to be, and we could be a family again!

*Penny begins crying again*

Reese: Penny, I...I'm sorry.

Penny: Just go! I need some time...to be alone...

*Reese leaves the inn and returns to Blue and Jawo*

Jawo: Reese, you're back.

Blue: How's she feeling?

Reese: Not very good. She's pretty upset right now.

Jawo: What did I do anyway? All I did was ask her if her mother taught her any manners.

Reese: And that's the problem. Penny...doesn't have a mother...

Jawo: Huh? You mean...

Reese: Yeah. Penny's mother was killed in an accident when she was just a little girl.

Jawo: Hmm, so that's why she's so manly...

Blue: Jawo!!

Jawo: Okay okay, I was only kidding. But seriously though, I feel bad for her. Maybe I should go apologize.

Reese: Uhm...I wouldn't do that!

Jawo: No, I have to do this.

*Jawo goes up to the terrace where Penny*

Jawo: Hey, Penny.

Penny: Huh? *annoyed* Oh, it's you, Jawo. What do you want?

Jawo: I just wanted to say...that I'm sorry.

Penny: Uh? You are?

Jawo: Yeah, I should learn to watch what I say. I didn't know your mother was killed.

Penny: Gee. *wipes tears* Thanks. That makes me feel a lo--

Jawo: I mean, if I had known that she was dead, I would've asked had your father taught you manners instead.

Penny: What!?

*Penny's face begins to turn red*

Jawo: So that way, you wouldn't have felt as bad about it.

Penny: *cracks knuckles*

Jawo: So, I hope this little chat has made you feel better. ...Penny?

*BAM!!! Penny punches Jawo in the face, knocking him off the terrace and down below*

Jawo: Whooooooooooaaaah! Oof!!

Penny: Hmph! Jerk!

Blue: So, I trust everything went well? Heheh.

Jawo: *swirly eyes* Ugh...

~~Meanwhile, in ??~~

*The caped man from earlier returns inside of a dark, palace-like room*

Man: M-Master Kovah...I've returned...

*A that moment, Kovah walks into the dark room. Kovah is a rather built man, with medium length bright red hair that covers his left eye, and wearing a long black cloak*

Kovah: You...what happened out there? Where are the rest of the men I sent with you?

Man: They...weren't so lucky. They were defeated.

*Soon after, another man, Deke, walks into the room. He has a build similar to Kovah's, with medium length spiky black hair that stands on end, and is wearing an open dark blue cloak*

Deke: Defeated? By who?

Man: At first...were only fighting one man, wielding a strange sword. But as we were about to finish him off, we are attacked by 3 others who appear to be comrades of his.

Kovah: Hrrm, did you at least uncover the location of the boy?

Man: I was just getting to that. As it so happens, one of the three that attacked us, was indeed the boy we are seeking.

Deke: What? Are you certain!?

Man: Yes, I'm positive.

Kovah: Well this is good news. Where are they now?

Man: As they left, I saw them heading towards Clough City.

Deke: Clough City? Very well. I will go meet them.

Kovah: Deke, wait.

Deke: Hm?

Kovah: We have more pressing matters to attend to. We shall leave this task to someone else.

Deke: Like...?

Prima: Like me!!

Deke: Ugh..Prima...

*A rather large beast enters the room, Prima on its back. In contrast to her colleagues, Prima is a sinisterly chipper girl with long blond hair wearing a white and yellow dress that comes down to her knees, also wearing white stockings with dainty shoes and a white beret*

Prima: Come on, Kovah! Let ME go after them! My monsters'll eat em alive and spit out the bones! Ahahahaha!

Kovah: No, Prima. You too, have a different task.

Prima: Aww...

Kovah: Instead, I will leave this to my new subordinate, Shadow.

Prima: Shadow? Who's he?

*Shadow appears in a whirlwind of leaves*

Shadow: You called, oh great and powerful client?

Kovah: Spare me the theatrics, Shadow. I have a job for you.

Shadow: Okay, shoot. *rubs chin*

Kovah: I want you...to eliminate that meddlesome group of four. Leave none of them alive. Except for the boy with the necklace. Deliver him AND the necklace to me...alive.

Shadow: Hmm, that'd be Blue's group, ain't it? How unfortunate...

Deke: Do you mean to say that you know them?

Shadow: Yeah, I had to chance to meet them back when I was shopping for groceries the other day. Blue was a pretty cool dude, and with a good head on his shoulders. I can see him going far. Mhmm. *nods*

Kovah: He..will not be going far. For tomorrow will be his last day among the living.

Shadow: Oh, that's too bad. I kinda liked him, you know?

Kovah: Enough! Go now!!!

Shadow: Okay! Sheesh. Now wonder nobody likes working with the bad guys. You all yell too much!

*Shadow disappears in a whirlwind of leaves*

Prima: Ugh, what. An. Idiot!

Deke: For once, I agree with Prima. Are you sure sending him was a good idea?

Kovah: Yes. His skills in combat belie is rather...plucky disposition. He is not to be taken lightly, I assure you. Now come, the both of you. We still have much to do.

Prima: Right-o!

Deke: Sure.

*The three disappear*