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Cindy[/h1]

[Sub].:⋮Offers and Projects⋮:.[/Sub]
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Cindy had watched the recent match of Penny versus Kimble on a television fitted to the cafe, and thus knew of the outcome by the time it was time for the next match. She spent some time talking with Sylvia, and happened to notice that Penny was looking at her after her previous conversation. “Ah, hello there Penny. Would you care to join us for a drink or two?” She offered with a friendly smile while sitting by the counter. “I can pay for you if you don’t have enough magical coins.” Sylvia nodded. “Oh, this is excellent timing; I need to go talk with Kimble, so Penny here can keep you company. Until we meet again.” And with that, the silver-haired girl left the bar, leaving the two in a cozy corner of the establishment. “So, what would you like to have?”

Penny pondered over the invite for a moment, she had been looking at the two of them out of surprise more than anything, not expecting anyone from Beacon to have a chat with Cindy. Regardless she shrugged before moving to to join Cindy in her corner.

Penny had no reason to turn down the offer, and she had been wanting a chance to apologize to the lightning based monster girl for how rude she had been when they first meet. Still the day was proving itself to be an interesting one for the robotic monster girl, as she had just spent a fair bit of time chatting with an Assassin and now it seemed she was going to be doing the same with a Queen. 

Quite the turn of events so far.

[color=9e0039]“I’m just taking ice”[/color] Penny would reply, holding up her pitcher of mostly crushed, and mostly melted, ice for emphasis. [color=9e0039]“So don’t worry paying for mine”[/color] After turning down the offer for a drink she’d reach in and grab up one of the larger pieces of ice that still remained and start to grind it down slowly with her fingers.

[color=9e0039]“Before we move on I wanted to say sorry. I was kinda short with you last time we met, it had been a rough morning but that’s no excuse.”[/color] Penny said with sincerity, as she did feel bad about it, but one could tell her heart wasn’t fully in it as she was still drained from forcing her emotions down earlier.

Cindy nodded, and gestured for Valerie, a couple of coins extending between her fingers.. “She will be having a pitcher of ice.” Valerie sighed, rolling her eyes in mild irritation, but then conjured a bright smile. “Coming right up! Whatever our customer wants...even if it’s ice...” she muttered to herself as she went to the back. Cindy turned back to listen to Penny’s apology, and lifted an eyebrow in slight doubt. “Your apology...Is accepted. I admit, I understand how such feelings, as passionate as they can be, can lead one to act rashly.” She circled her index finger around the ring of her cup. “But it seems you have moved on, so we will leave it at that.” She smiled courteously. “So, have you considered my offer?” She would ask as she sipped on a straw. “We could use a strong fighter like you among our people.”

Penny let out a slight chuckle. It seems that no matter the time or place politics was always going to be just around the corner for her. [color=9e0039]“I’ll admit; not really, but to be fair it’s  not because I’m uninterested. I just think it’s rude to accept help from someone just to bail right afterwards. Beacon helped me get out from under my prior Patron, bastard that he was, and membership with them was one of the conditions, something that I wasn’t opposed to.”[/color] Absently she picked out another cube of ice to crush as she spoke [color=9e0039]“I’m more than willing if it comes to helping you and yours out, but I can’t say I know you well enough that I would be willing to just abandon Beacon after they helped me out like they have”[/color] To say nothing about the ever growing tangle of deal’s, affiliations, and groups Penny was wrapped up in.

Cindy nodded, and took a sip of her drink. “So it is a matter of trust,” she stated, and happened to glance at Valerie who returned, a big bowl full of small ice cubes in one hand, and a glass of juice in the other. “Here you go; ice, and a free drink on the house. Please give it a try,” she added, before bowing courteously and heading back to work. Cindy made an amused giggle. “That poor girl thinks the problem is with the selection, when clearly you just want something to sublimate with your bare hands.” Her smile seemed to be genuine, though it changed to a frown as she looked at the cup before her. 

“From what I have gathered, the Beacon has changed it’s stance on hunting corrupted girls, but have not eliminated the activity completely. They have a history of committing genocide on innocent people, and will do so as soon as they run out of scapegoats to blame. However, unlike the Puchuu who would cower behind their slaves, I am willing to take action against injustice, and ensure peace within Penrose. That is my duty, as leader of Penrose. Penny, are you truly happy with those people?” She then asked, having place a hand on the table. “Do they respect you, and treat you as an equal? Or do they actually see anything else but an abomination or freak, sent to die first on the frontlines so that proper magical girls have a better chance of survival?”

Penny was quiet as she considered Cindy’s word and despite her face remaining calm a red glow would start to emanate from her eyes until she let out a sigh and dropped her head into her hands. [color=9e0039]“It’s not just wanting to break something, but also the fact that I just don't trust the Dolphin”[/color] She would stall before lifting her head to look at Cindy as she spoke.

[color=9e0039]“Happy?”[/color] She would echo before bobbing her head side to side [color=9e0039]“With the work, mostly. With the people? A few are good people and some are good friends, their tech department even helped me improve my legs”[/color] She added with a small smile, which hardly lasted before she had a frown of her own [color=9e0039]“But respect and equal? Something tells me you already know the answer to that one. The really sad thing is that I’ve been on the receiving end of a pitch like this one before”[/color] She let out a sigh as she grabbed a handful of ice crushing it easily [color=9e0039]“It still rings just as true now, as it did then. Back then I made a stupid mistake and I’m not feeling up to doing so again”[/color] The Black Coin deal was still the most idiotic thing Penny had felt she had done.

[color=9e0039]“So”[/color] She would add before Cindy could reply [color=9e0039]“Rather then jump head first in to it, I’m kinda curious as to what exactly you’d be having me do.”[/color]

Cindy clasped her fingers together, and leaned back on her seat. “As a matter of fact, I do have a job that would require your help. However, as you have stated, I would first like for us to get to know each other better. Not just in social terms, but also in how we operate.” She took a sip. “There are many monster girls in Penrose who are, by all intents, homeless. They are afraid of settling in to any single spot due to the threat of Beacon looming over the populated districts. One of my first imperatives has been in the building of safe and comfortable shelters. Unfortunately we don’t have many Metal specialists in our forces.” She then smiled. “But you are a Metal specialist, yes? I hear you have even constructed a walking fortress.”

At this revelation Penny couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh softly. [color=9e0039]“Yeah I’m a Metal girl, also have Lightning Spec.”[/color] She would confirm [color=9e0039]“But I haven't built a walking fortress, but I did earn a rolling one. Earth Bastion, it’s the titanic battle ship you might have seen off the shore. It’s mine, and I mean [i]mine[/i]. Not sure how but it’s bonded to me, not loaned out through a patron.”[/color] She would say as she leaned back into her chair a smile starting to form for the first time since she entered the bar [color=9e0039]“And if you want to set up shelters you’re going to want to start near the abandoned factory district on the west side. Most full monsters have learned to avoid the area, and it’s far outside of Beacon’s normal patrol paths. Plus a lot of the building there share piping between them, old oil pipes I think, so some of them have built in bolt holes if needed or an easy way to move around between the buildings”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“I know all of this”[/color] She would continue her smile just widening even as she snagged a few more cubes of ice to grind away at absently [color=9e0039]“Because it’s where my Lair is. Which I just so happened to have spent the last week and a half renovating to turn it into a Sanctuary for destitute Dark Magical girls and Monster girls.”[/color] Penny's smile was nearly smug as she explained, but the earnest look in her spoke to her joy at this turn of events [color=9e0039]“So as I said, I might not be up to joining you just yet. But I am more than willing to work alongside you, especially for this.”[/color]

Cindy clapped her palms together; a radiant smile was on her lip, and a warm, crackling glow colored her cheeks. “Oh, that was yours? I assumed it was a battleship Dan had made to prevent escape over the seas. I any case, this news is most excellent.” She leaned towards Penny, having offered her a hand. “I look forward to you working for us, but…” She seemed to be in thought.”Do you accept a Red Coin as payment?” She happened to ask, and took one of the ice cubes from her bowl and put it in her drink. “I would like to show my appreciation for what would be a contracting job in the human world.”

Penny accepted the offered hand still smiling [color=9e0039]“I haven't bothered trying escaping with it, something tells me all I’d find is endless water or would just wrap around back to the other side”[/color] She’d explain before sitting back to ponder the payment. It wouldn’t take long before she shrugged [color=9e0039]“Sure, I’ve seen the results of a Red before sounds like a decent payment.”[/color] It was something that Penny had wanted to get a hold of before her encounter with the White Coin. At the moment there was still something that the Red Coin might be able to help her with but all together it wasn’t something that Penny wanted as strongly as before. Still never know when one might need an Ace up their sleeve.

Cindy stood up, and offered a hand to Penny. “Wonderful. Then we are in agreement. Once we are back in Penrose, I will send workers to the location you have specified and begin working. Now, I must be off; the next Keijo match is about to begin, and I must admit, I am intrigued to see more of this ludicrous sport.” She then left the cafe, having paid for their drinks to Valerie on her way out.

[color=9e0039]“See ya round”[/color] Penny would call out as Cindy left before settling in. Letting out a quiet sigh as she let her thoughts drift back to why she had wanted to come here in the first place. Unsure for how long she would have her solitude she started to try and work through her internal issues.

But first [color=9e0039]“Could I get some more Ice please?”[/color]