Wind rolled over the hills in the Overcity. For anyone unfamiliar this otherworldly place was always just a little bit off. At times you could find normal-ish things like trees, only to turn around to see a checkerboard clad terrain. Above the purple leaves of a grove rustled as a girl worked on unraveling a long strip of cloth from an injured boy. Once it was free she stepped back to retrieve a fresh set of gauze. Nearby a small creature rested, it’s tail waving back and forth watching rather disinterested. [b]”Why do you bother? Do you think this is why I pulled your hide out of there”[/b] An artifact hung from a branch resonated with magic warding off any roaming monsters. It was something of a wild place left unchecked.

“Hush.” Returning the girl carefully began redressing the wound.

Shannon had been taking care of Elroy for the past few days. He was alive, but he hadn’t woken up yet. She didn’t have much available to heal him. It wasn’t like she could just contact Beacon or one of her allies and ask them to send a healer over. Elroy was involved in a ploy that almost ended the world. He had helped a horror, and was involved with a few kidnappings. There were few people who wouldn’t try to kill him on sight, let alone help him. But Shannon knew better than most. He was being manipulated by his sister. Now that they were apart, there was a chance Elroy could be saved.

[color=c9272c]"Ghah!"[/color] In a flash, Elroy’s hand coiled around Shannon’s throat. [color=c9272c]"What’s with that burning sensation?"[/color] His thumb pressed against her throat, half choking her. [color=c9272c]"Are you trying to kill your old friend, Scarf girl?"[/color]

Showing a brief expression of surprise, Shannon shook her head. Elroy wasn’t going to immediately cause her harm considering the way her magic leaned. Not struggling in the grip she wasn’t really able to talk all that well. However she didn’t have to because Paree, Shannon’s patron stood up slowly. [b]”Hardly. Against my recommendations this girl plucked you from the rubble of your own stupidity.[/b] It had probably been a long time since Elroy had seen a Puchuu. They tended to be out of arm’s reach even to their own magical girls. As usual though it didn’t mince words with lowly mortals.

Elroy sighed, but kept his smile up. [color=c9272c]"One of the first things I did coming into this world was killing one of your sorry sorts, rodent. I’ve only become more experienced and powerful since then."[/color] He released Shannon before turning his attention onto her. [color=c9272c]"Seems I missed a few issues of the new manga. Whanna tell me what happened?"[/color]

[color=tan]”I haven’t been in contact with anyone for the last few days. Paree saved me from being killed by one of the Beacon girls your sister brainwashed. That put me outside the city so by the time I got back into the fray Soth had been defeated. It was only a matter of time before they would start looking for your body so I shifted us out and brought you here.”[/color] She pointed at where his missing arm should have been. [color=tan]”Most of you anyway. You haven’t healed completely so may I finish?”[/color] Not waiting for a response she resumed wrapping him up.

Elroy shoved her away. [color=c9272c]"Not necessary, scarf girl. "[/color] He reached for the stump of his arm and pulled all of the gauze off. [color=c9272c]"If you think dragging me out of that fight and taking care of me netted you anything, you are mistaken."[/color] Two of Penny’s custom made arms were still attached to his back, but they were in rough shape. But he was able to will them to the stump where his left arm use to be. Plates, screws, and pistons shifted around until they had rebuilt his missing arm. The wound had been covered by aegis steel. Elroy flexed his new fingers before picking his nose. [color=c9272c]"I’d have been fine dying out there. I haven’t got anything left to fight for. Perhaps it’s more true to say I never had anything to fight for. I’m just a ronin searching for his final battle. I may not do it for Regina anymore, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it for you either."[/color] He chuckled.

Stumbling back from the push she tossed the rest of the gauze she had in her hand back into a sizable box of medical supplies. For a girl that didn't get much from her patron she seemed to be able to get a hold of some handy things. And judging by the mess of discarded materials she had been tending to him for a while. Narrowed eyes told that she didn't much like how he was treating her. But she would excuse him for it. Not like he had any reason to trust her. [color=tan]"If you want to go I can take us back to the regular world. From here we'll end up outside of Penrose."[/color]

Putting her hands behind her the earth girl leaned forward a bit to examine the newly fashioned arm. [color=tan]"Color me impressed. Though I can't say I ever saw much of what you could do before."[/color] Since Elroy probably wouldn't accept it she didn't extend a hand to help him up. [color=tan]"I almost didn't recognize you when I found you you know. You looked like just another monster boy. But I found you."[/color] She pointed to her heart. [color=tan]"That rash boy stuck under his sisters thumb. I saw it when I first met you. But Twinned Souls are hard to separate and Regina was a problem that I couldn't just fix. I'd screw up our friendship or get caught in the same web as those Beacon girls. So I had to let it go and hope I'd get another chance."[/color] 

Putting her hands out to each side she gestured to the scenery around them, which suddenly changed as she shifted them out of the Overcity. It was now a forest rather than a hill. There were no walls or barriers to keep Elroy from just leaving. [color=tan]"So here we are. I don't need you to fight for me, Elroy. What you do from here is up to you. And don't let my power be the thing that stops you."[/color] Kicking up her staff she leaned on it and waited to see what the monster boy would do. [color=tan]"I may miss that charm of yours though. I'm sure some people find it infuriating but it suits you."[/color]

[b]"Oh god.[/b] For a largely expressionless Puchuu, Paree looked like he might be sick and before he could witness any more he hopped up and vanished into thin air.

Elroy blinked a few times [color=c9272c]"Hmmm."[/color] He scratched his chin. [color=c9272c]"the rat has a point. That was pretty mushy."[/color] He nodded. [color=c9272c]"But what did they ever know about what we need huh?."[/color] Elroy folded his arms. [color=c9272c]"Scarf girl, what am I going to do? I don’t have anywhere to go back to, and if I hang around you, all the people who want me to stay dead are going to come after you too."[/color] he reached his hand behind the back of his head. [color=c9272c]"Short of moving to a different city, there’s no place you’ll be safe here."[/color]

Shrugging slightly at the initial response Shannon let out a sigh of relief. Why something so simple seemingly cleared some internal anxiety was something of a mystery. [color=tan]"What can I say, I have a soft spot for bad boys."[/color] Frowning slightly she knew what Elroy was saying was true. [color=tan]"I know.[/color] She stated in a defeated tone. Walking away a bit she propped herself against one of the trees. [color=tan]"I haven't worked that out yet. I would like to believe that if we managed to do some good things that maybe, eventually, you could get something of a pardon. Probably not going to work for everyone but when does it ever?"[/color]

Holding up a hand she waved her fingers in front of her face. [color=tan]"There is also the matter of mental mutations. I don't know which ones you have but I know they're nearly impossible to suppress. Puchuu girls and boys have one but it tends to be less... bad? We end up enjoying what we do so we keep doing it. Could be seen as somewhat sinister but it hasn't really been a problem yet for me. Was your patron a Puchuu? You made it sound like it was."[/color] Shannon was beginning to ramble a bit. Where she was going was anyone's guess.

[color=c9272c]"It was, I think."[/color] He looked at his metal arm for a moment. [color=c9272c]"But It attacked Regina and turned her into a magical girl. Well, it made us, essentially. Some shit about being too weak to take on three monsters without the extra power. I’m unsure if it’s one of the dumb things she had me do, or one of the few things that made sense. Either way, it didn’t have our best interests at heart."[/color] He groaned and folded his hands together in front of his face. [color=c9272c]"If I could get rid of these mutations, and change my identity. Then I wouldn’t hold you back so much. I could be something like a magical luchador."[/color]

Huffing a bit Shannon pulled herself back to the current situation. [color=tan]"I could see if I could find something for that. Before recently I would have said you're screwed on that front but the rumor mill is that there are new magical coins and some method of purification. I hadn't really had the chance to investigate but if it is true then the magical world is about to be shook up. No idea how it works or where to get it if it does exist."[/color] Being out of the loop was frustrating, but that was bound to happen. The mental thought of a magical luchador was amusing enough to lighten the mood a bit though.

[color=c9272c]"Well, wishing for things we can’t get isn’t going to help our current predicament."[/color] He stood up, only to prop himself against a tree. [color=c9272c]"All I know is that right now, I have a burning desire to make you miserable. Not just you, anyone I come in contact with. I want to see that look of horror on your face as I rip your rodent in half, and then chase you through the forest until I can do the same to you."[/color] He placed a hand on his head. [color=c9272c]"Touching that black coin was the stupidest thing I ever did."[/color]

As gruesome as that sounded, it wasn’t the worst thing she’d been exposed to. Still it was less than desirable. [color=tan]”Mm, then I’ll get right on finding where I can get some help then. Is there anything else?”[/color] 

[color=c9272c]"You can get something like that?"[/color] He sounded confused, but he nodded. [color=c9272c]"If a miracle cure like that exists I'll try it. But I do have one more question."[/color] He pushed himself away from the tree. [color=c9272c]"What happened to Regina?"[/color]

[@BrokenPromise]