.:⋮Prematch: Reconciliation⋮:.Sitting not far from the locker room entrance Penny slowly opened her eyes. Her last two diagonstics cameback the same and the last of her worry finally drained away. She had complete confidence that Violet would be able to repair her, but that wasn't what had kept her worry. The problem was that much like her magic parts of her code, and her soul as far as she was willing to assume at this point, was unstable even at the best of times. And something had shifted during the repair processes. What had shifted Penny wasn't fully sure, but she could tell that it was at least connected to some of her internal systems as her Evolution capabilites had gone dark. which is what she relied on to help decrypt these types of changes normally. She'd just have to keep an eye on her systems and see if anything popped up.
With a long exhale Penny would cancel the spell effect she had going and would stand up. Her next match was in a few minutes, and hiding wasn't worth the cost anymore. She hoped that Dina was fine, the lack of word one way or another was worring a bit. Yet Penny was sure that Dan would have kicked up a major stink of someone harmed her within the Beach. Was definatly something to look into when she had more time.
"I really need to get her an apology gift when this is all over" "Y'ello." Just as Penny revealed herself once more, Oliver had walked up to her, Finn not that far. The other boy took a drag of his cigar, his expression defaulted to unamusement at this rate. He looked back to Penny.
"Well, Asimov. You wanted me here. Talk." He crossed his arms. The ghost on the other hand took a step back.
Penny mirrored, to a degree, the unwelcoming stance of both Finn and Oliver.
"I assume that Dina was able to talk to you then." She would state calmly her gaze resting on Finn as she spoke.
"I'll admit it feels like I’m in the middle of a game of phone tag. Last I had heard you had declared that you were planning on seeking me out for a challenge to my crown." "I only agreed cause I owe it to someone who's been around for about as long as I have." Finn explained, his resting bitch face breaking into a frown for a moment, glancing aside. Though it
was for a moment. His brows furrowed when Penny revealed that she knew of his intentions.
"Right, right. The winged rat got too excited for a bloodbath I'm guessing? Dina already informed me." He shrugged.
"That took me off guard, I hadn't taken you or the Cradle to be the type. So I was hoping to parlay, see if we couldn't talk this over. As the sudden hostilities is a bit unsettling." When Penny lumped Cradle with him as the perpetrators, his eye widened.
"Don't be throwing Maura's new band of misfits; if there's any left now, into this. This is my choice, my plan alone." He glared slightly at her. Finn then shook his head, running a hand through his hair.
"Look, from what the information I gathered tells me, the bigwigs of Penrose have been too busy playing headless chickens to do whatever the hell you lot think is "good". Even you, Miss "Monarch". So I decided to step in and play my own hand before things progress for the worst." He explained.
"The fact that when you people heard about my plans, you automatically assumed I was going to paint the town red like the best of us?? That hurts. I'm not my infamy, Miss Asimov..." Finn frowned.
Penny would raise an eyebrow at Finn's response, curious to note his defensiveness and how quick he was to distance himself from the Cradle.
"If I had assumed that you were in this to cause more havoc I wouldn't have wanted to talk to you. I would have just killed you during your challenge." She would explain.
"And I'm pretty sure you need to get better sources. I spent the last few weeks making sure that there wasn't a riot in my capacity as Queen, as I was helping calm down those who would listen and helping to rebuild what had been destroyed while I was away. Hardly sounds like a headless chicken act to me."Finn rose a brow.
"What of your enemies? Or whatever the hell you think of the Ascendancy? I get that the Mint likes to hide in the shadows but you've gotta be more active on driving them out of town and into the light! Otherwise you'll be the next best thing to sitting ducks-"“Like, there you aresie!” MDP declared with a satisfied, but still quite determined, smile as she burst into the conversation with her usual lack of subtlety.
“Like, are you talking about birdy wirdies~?” the whimsical girl asked with a delighted gasp, as the word “ducks” caught her easily distracted attention.
“Magical Dream Princess’s favorite wavorite birdy wirdy is a peacock weacock~! (giggle!) ‘Cause it’s so pretty witty and colorful wolorful and…” her voice trailed off as she realized she had come here to discuss something important, and
this wasn’t it.
“Stupid brainy wainy!” she whined petulantly as she rapidly shook her head.
“Magical Dream Princess hates getting distracted wacted so easily weasily…” she grumbled, before her demeanor once again took on a look of intense determination.
“Like, Amanda Wanda said that the Cradle Wadle doesn’t wanna fight you, Penny Wenny, just this meanie weanie head!” she told Penny, dramatically pointing a finger at Finn and giving the magical boy an indignant glare.
“Like, why are you so angry wangry with Penny Wenny, Finnegan Winnegan?” the whimsical girl asked the bandaged young man.
“Like, what did she ever wever do to you?” For the third time in a row, Finn flinced, this time at the sudden sickly sweet presence. And the fact that she knew his full name? Word
does get around quick! He turned to face MDP with a comical, tired look.
"Must I repeat myself for everyone???" Seeing as this was his cue, Oliver gently pulled MDP off to the side.
"They're...getting it settled. I hope." He explained to her.
“They aresie?” MDP asked, slightly tilting her head at the boy she’d only just now noticed was there.
“Like, Magical Dream Princess super duper hopes so, too~! (giggle!) But, like, who are you? Magical Dream Princess doesn’t thinkie winkie she’s ever wever seen you beforsie…” The ghost smiled.
"Oliver Kyle. I kinda arrived here with Finn, and now I'm here to keep him from doing anything stupid." He introduced himself, both of them comically glancing at each other before looking back.
Penny would thaw slightly at seeing MDP again, the news she brought was nice as well. As much has she trusted her abilites to detect lies, secondary verification was always appreciated.
"Tracking down the Mint isn't easy, at this point I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they have things set up to specifically stymie Beacon's attempts. Which I am a member of in case you forget." She would let out a sigh before rolling her shoulders too release some tension.
"Which makes excising the Ascendency even more difficult.""Not everyone within Beacon agrees with them, most of the local girls don't and neither does the current leader. That said murdering them won't help, if anything it will make those that agree rally behind that death and push for a total purge. Proving them wrong is the best option at the moment, hence why I'm in the tournement." She would explain folding her arms across her stomach.
"They want to burn the place down, but I can talk them down from that if I can get the mirror first, as all of us in Beacon agree that giving it back to a Horror's follower is a bad idea." "Tracking down the Mint isn't easy, tracking down the mint isn't easy- Have you even tried??? Has anyone in fact?? Even Maura or Veronica???" Finn sarcastically retorted, holding his arms out wide as if to emphasize.
"As a matter of fact I have" Penny would retort.
"Veronica leaving in the way she did has done nothing to make things easier and everything to make it harder." "...You disagree and yet you let them continue to run wild? People can be stubborn on both ends, Kid." Before Finn could say something else,
Lauren, though appearing uncomfortable with the change of outfit the island gave, walked over. She paused, then groaned.
"Look this debate over if pacifism or manslaughter will settle this is getting nowhere and getting on our damn nerves, manly mine." The witch then turned to Penny and straightened up, bowing like a soldier would to their rival.
"I didn't get to introduce myself proper. Lauren Corvus, 8th incarnation of the Witch of Order. I've collaborated with the Canadian and European branches of the Beacon. Unlike this bozo who's instead on their kill list." "Hey!!""Penny Asimov, Beacon initiate. Though I've got an odd amount of pull due to my unique station." She would introduce herself again. Her status as Queen was already known, and not fully relevant at the moment.
"I'm nearing six months with them, though some of that time was stole away from me.""Far as I can tell the fact that the Ascendency has slowed down what they've been doing is a good sign, but you might know better if you've worked with more than a single city branch."The judge grimaced.
"Honestly, I would've said something when the Inquisitor was challenged, but me and my sisters felt that it wasn't in our place to intervene." she explained.
"Even if they are slowing down patrols, we don't know if someone could try anything stupid to put things back into square one. There's always an odd one out in the group. I get what you're both saying, but instead of butting heads, why don't you just....damn if I know, work together?? Last thing I need is to be your local janitor."Meanwhile, MDP was trying to follow along with the ongoing conversation, but was becoming increasingly lost. Instead, she turned her attention to Oliver.
“Sooo, like, Oliver Woliver and Finnegan Winnegan are friendy wendies~?” the whimsical girl asked.
“Like, it’s super duper nicey wicey that you keep him out of trouble wouble,” she added with a smile.
“Oh~! And it’s, like, super duper nicey wicey to meet you, too~! (giggle!) Like, would you like to be friendy wendies with Magical Dream Princess~?! Would you~?! Would you~?!” she asked excitedly.
"I mean, with a temper like his, someone's gotta keep him calm." Oliver shrugged.
"Besides that, he isn't really that scary. Kinda like a bear... Hehe, a teddy bear." He chuckled. Then MDP asked if they could be friends too.
"Well if you're okay with a casper then... Okey." He shrugged again, barely phased and with a polite smile.
“Yaaay~!” MDP cheered with innocent glee.
Like, that makes Magical Dream Princess sooo super duper happy wappy~! (giggle!) But, like, what does Oliver Woliver mean by a casper wasper~?” MDP inquired, tilting her head in puzzlement.
Oliver dramatically (playfully, more like) gasped.
"Ya don't know who Casper the Friendly Ghost is???" “Ummm… Not really….” MDP replied with a frown.
“Is it a cartoony woony~? ‘Cause, like, Magical Dream Princess wasn’t allowed to watch any wany of those…” Then her eyes widened as something occurred to her.
“Oh~! But, like, does that mean Oliver Woliver is a ghosty wosty~?!” she asked with childish wonderment.
Okay, now he was being serious. Oliver's eyes widened. He blinked twice, before wraping an arm around MDP.
"Oh honey, we have GOT to binge watch some old cartoons someday, including Casper. Dunno how ya'd like the 1995 film, but I may have some VHS tapes back home I could get, ghost's honor!" he grinned.
“Wowie zowie~!” MDP squealed in delight, her eyes going wide and seeming to sparkle with a thousand stars.
“Magical Dream Princess would absodutelylutely wuv that~! (giggle!)” she told Oliver with an overjoyed smile, while bouncing up and down in gleeful excitement.
“Watching cartoony woonies with friendy wendies is, like, the besty westiest~!”Penny's lip would twitch up at the conversation that MDP and Oliver were having. She knew that one of these days that her and MDP would have to have a movie marathon with all of the old classics.
On the more serious side of things
"It wouldn't take much, Rachel is looking for an excuse. It's why I wanted to talk with Finn. I'd prefer to work things out and long term work together. Especially since I know that she is keeping an eye out for Sanctuary related things.""I dunno, it could be risky on this kid's end. They know he's a sinner." Lauren stated, pointing a thumb to Finn, who at this rate gave up on keeping things on the down low. The witch then smirked.
"Althooough, she wouldn't dare cross paths with a witch or two, would she?""Ha, one thing at a time. Let's see if Rachel is willing to uphold a small bargain first before trying to get everything all at once." Penny would say with a smile.
"All of us trying to talk to her at once will push her over the line. She went through a pretty horrific event due to a Monstergirls banding together once already. We need to prove that we aren't her enemy first. That's my goal with the Mirror right now. Talking Finn down from a Challenge is to keep her from assuming the worst of the Sanctuary.""What prompted the sudden hostility by the way?" She'd ask looking at Finn.
"We seemed to have been on the same page not to long ago, what changed?" "..." Admittedly, Finn was hesitant in answering. He had been trying to explain
something, anything as to why things were at a stalemate. And yet it seemed Penny was more trusted than this lowly stranger. It was too obvious for his oblivious anger. He expressed no hostility towards Lauren however, Maura had told him she and her sisters had truced. Guess this was damage control? The wrathful boy crossed his arms, looking away with a frown. How the hell was he supposed to explain that people left cause of Penny?
Penny would wait paitently to see if Finn would speak up, frowning slightly when it became apperent that he wasn't going to. She would cut a quick glance at Lauren in speculation, but wouldn't speak on such. instead she would refocus on Finn.
"At least assure me that your reasons are important." She would say
"I'd rather not think you'd be willing to kill me over something petty." They... They are." Finn would nod. But if it is to him, or to the others, even he didn't know.
"And for the last time, I don't intend to kill anyone.""I wouldn't have given you much of a choice" Penny would smile sadly
"A challenge for the crown is settled with a fight, In front of witnesses. The fight goes until one of the participants surrenders, or dies. Being knocked unconscious doesn't end it." She would explain
"And I've let every challeneger know that I will only stop when dead. Those I'm sheltering deserve nothing less" There was one other way to remove Penny from the throne that she would be willing to accept, but she wouldn't advertise it.
Although MDP was enjoying her conversation with her new friend, her limited attention span kept drifting back to Penny and Finn (and Lauren, too, although the whimsical girl had regrettably forgotten her name). She was particularly puzzled by the bandaged boy’s reluctance to speak on why he wished to challenge Penny. It seemed strange that someone who was being so forceful and belligerent didn’t want to reveal the reason for his obvious anger.
“Ummm… Oliver Woliver~?” MDP asked her new friend in as much of a whisper as her excitable, high-pitched voice could manage.
“Like, do you know why Finnegan Winnigan is so angry wangry~?” "He's...been through alot." Oliver would explain back in a whisper.
"Part of me thinks that sort of anger was always there, just more restrained. He was never one to let an ally get hurt. Especially by his own hand... But some people would rather toy with such anger, use him as a weapon among other things. Having been force a bad hand, I suppose it was inevitable it'd be unleashed. Thus his title of the Sinner of Wrath." Oliver then frowned.
"He doesn't like that title. He can be brutal, yes, but every time he was forced to kill it haunts him. And maybe I'm partly to blame for not always being there for him, or not being a good enough friend or partner but there's a good person in there. Just...kinda stupid." “Like, that soundy woundies kinda winda scary wary…” MDP said with a frown.
“But Magical Dream Princess thinkie winkies everybodywody can changey wangey, if they work super duper hard at it~!” she added, brightening up significantly.
“And, like, having good friendy wendies helpy welpies a LOT, so, she’s super duper happy wappy that Finnegan Winnegan has such super duper nicey wicey friendy wendy, like Oliver Woliver~! (giggle!)” The corner of Oliver's mouth quirked up into a smile.
"We're both doing our best." “Um, Oliver Woliver?” MDP asked as a very important question popped into her ditzy mind.
“Like, Magical Dream Princess was wondering… If you’re a ghosty whosty, then does that mean you can’t give huggy wuggies?” she asked, frowning slightly.
The ghost blinked.
"I mean..." He looked around before setting his sights on the distracted Finn. He casually walked up next to him and hugged the other boy.
"Ack- Again?!" Finn exclaimed in surprise.
"As you can see, Dan's magic helps make me more corporeal. Does take a bit of effort outside of here, but hugs aren't a problem!" Oliver explained to MDP.
"You're still cold you dimwit." "Oh? I didn't see you complaining back at the Feast Hall did I?" The ghost smugly retorted the other boy.
“Oh, wowie zowie~!” MDP squealed in delight.
“Oliver Woliver can give huggy wuggies~! (giggle!) Awww~!” she cooed placing her hands over her chest.
“Like, you two look super duper adorable worable together wether~! (giggle!)” "Again, again?!" Finn's voice gained a higher pitch from MDP calling the two adorable, like Kate had back at the Feast Hall. Oliver, seeing the other boy's face flushed in embarassment(?), decided to draw back to a side hug with a giggle.
Penny would let out a giggle of her own as she stepped around the two boys, moving to give MDP a small hug so as not to be left out on the hugs going around.
"Finn" She would say, her arms stil encircled around her girlfriend.
"Thank you for at least humoring me and agreeing to talk first. I know we haven't really dealt with anything yet, but I'm willing to sit down when we have more time to really dig in to things if you are" "...Yeah. We'll see." Not like Finn had a choice at this point. He'll just have to play nice for now. At least he's calm again.
"Okay then, if you pairs of lovebirds are done talking, I gotta take Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum back to Maura." Lauren finally spoke up, having decided to just lean against the wall until the four were done talking.
Penny would cut a slightly annoyed look at Lauren but otherwise not respond to the witch. Instead, she would nod towards the two boys
"Finn. Oliver. I'll catch you two later." She'd then give MDP a gentle squeeze before letting her go.
"I'd should be off as well. My match is bound to start any minute now." She say as she would move towards the locker room, her focus now shifting to her upcoming match now that this had been shelved for now.
MDP giggled happily as she snuggled into her girlfriend’s embrace.
“Like, huggy wuggy time is the besty westiest timey wimey of all~” she cooed, closing her eyes and smiling blissfully. A moment later, her eyes shot open as a thought occurred to her.
“Oh~! Magical Dream Princess knows~!” she squealed in delight.
“Like, we should all have a group huggy wuggy~! (giggle!)” the whimsical girl declared in her usual innocent manner.
“That’ll, like, totally wotally make everybodywody feel aaaaall better wetter~! (giggle!)”At MDP's suggestion, Finn quickly shook his head.
"N-No thank you! I think we're all okay now! Besides I'd rather just cuddle him in private at this rate. Good lord..." He mutter the last sentence, sheepishly looking away.
"There are private cabanas dotted across the beaches here if you need them." Penny would toss out with a smirk. She would remain silent on the thought of a group hug, as she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about such an idea. On the one hand touch starved, on the other lingering touch phobic. Would require more contemplating.
Finn snapped his head back to Penny.
"How did you-?!" He cut himself off. To think maybe. A second passed when he spoke up again.
"That...That'll work. Thanks. ...You can let go now, Oli." "Nah." Though from seeing Finn's annoyed glare, Oliver released him, and the two walked off. Lauren stood back up from her spot against the wall, then with a nod to Penny and MDP, followed behind the other duo.
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