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[color=9e0039][i]‘Today has been an interesting day’[/i][/color] Penny would muse to herself as she continued to work through the ice in her bowl, the free drink she had received still sitting innocently off to the side. She was still at the Juice bar, sitting in the same corner that she had had her conversation with Cindy. The TV set in to the far wall broadcasting the various Keijo matches had also been interesting, though Penny’s attention had hardly been captured by the absurd sport.

Still it had been curious to see Lily Redline and interesting to watch Alicia’s match, if only for all the ridiculous commentary and they had provided a good distraction at times for when Penny’s thoughts had gotten tangled up with her internal emotional issues. Especially Alex’s match.

Finding Penny had taken a bit of work. With everything that had happened on the island and all of the people, it was understandable that the two friends would not necessarily spend the entire time together. Nonetheless Alicia wanted to touch base and see how she was doing. Because that was what friends did for each other.

The confusion and slight nagging guilt over what had happened with Kimble last night was only a small part of it. 

Fortunately Sylvia had been able to point her in the right direction, and she brightened up a bit as she entered the juice bar to find Penny with a bowl and a drink off to the side. [color=aba000]”Hey,”[/color] she said, waving as she took a seat next to her friend. [color=aba000]”I hope you haven’t been in here drowning your sorrows all day.”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“Hardly”[/color] Came Penny’s reply and accompanying eye roll [color=9e0039]“Keijo was interesting, but do you really think I care about it that much?”[/color] She asked dryly, picking out a cube of ice to slowly crush in between her fingers as she did. [color=9e0039]“Only been here as long as I have due to some of the conversations I’ve had the chance at”[/color] she would explain, which was true, after a fashion. She had originally planned on grabbing her pitcher of ice and then leaving after all.

Internally the disguised monster girl was uncertain about how she felt to see Alicia. Part happy due to being friends, part hurt due to Kimble’s words, part sad due to her own actions that likely caused such. But it was old hat at this point for her to simply act as if nothing had changed, so her conflict didn’t show.

[color=aba000]”Ah, I see. Makes sense. I half expected you to be at the beach making and then destroying sand castles,”[/color] Alicia observed as Penny crushed an ice cube with her fist. So that worked instead of hard candy? Good to know. Wel, it was best to focus on the conversation, and not the small details. 

Glancing over at the tv, she nodded in agreement. [color=aba000]’I can definitely agree about it being interesting. At least, moreso than I thought it would be”[/color]It said something, especially if she ended up coming back for another round. [color=aba000]”But hey, at least you’re getting out there. Meet anyone interesting the past couple days?”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“Nah, I did the sand castle thing yesterday”[/color] Penny would reply as she considered the question [color=9e0039]“No one that I didn’t know of before.”[/color] She would start [color=9e0039]“But I did have the opportunity to talk with Helga, she was one of the girls that helped out with the Castle assault, we talked a bit about Earth Bastion.”[/color]

She bobbed her side to side for a moment as she considered who else, absently grabbing another cube of ice as she did [color=9e0039]“Ran in to Mariette as well, she got dragged into the volleyball game I was in. Apparently she and Amaryllis know each other, got no idea how that one happened. Also learned that outside of magic she’s not got much going for her ”[/color]

Penny hesitated for a moment, as she contemplated mentioning Chloe but instead went with someone else [color=9e0039]“And just barely had a conversation with Cindy, seems she using the opportunity to network and head hunt. She offered me a place in her group, flattering, but I turned her down.”[/color]

[color=aba000]”Oh no, how tragic. My heart bleeds for her, it really does,”[/color] Alicia replied, rolling her eyes as Penny described her encounter with Mariette. She supposed that it made sense they would be on the island, but some small part of her had hoped that she had been killed by another Horror or something. 

Still, as long as she stayed out of sight it would be good enough. Otherwise she would go for a fight, Dan’s rules be damned. 

Now, the mention of Cindy was more interesting, and it got her to perk up as she leaned forward with her hands clasped together. [color=aba000]”Oh, you did? What’s she like?”[/color] She couldn’t help her curiosity, not when it came to someone who had decided that they were just going to sweep in and claim dominion over the entire town. 

[color=9e0039]“Confident”[/color] Penny would sum up [color=9e0039]“Which isn’t all the surprising really, one would have to be to pull what she did. Very to the point as well, didn’t stick around long after her sales pitch to me.”[/color] She would go on to say as she thought over just how little she actually knew about Cindy frowning slightly as she realized it was effectively nothing.[color=9e0039] “And I get the feeling she’s a bit antiquated”[/color] She would add recalling a bit from the Volleyball game yesterday before shrugging [color=9e0039]“Slyvia might be able to tell you more, She had her own chat with Cindy”[/color]

[color=aba000]”Huh, maybe I will,”[/color] Alicia agreed. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. Until they had to interact with her more it would be nothing besides passing curiosity anyways. [color=aba000]”Still, it’s good to hear. I’ve been meeting people as well, doing some of the many activities. I can’t say this island will bring any notions of universal magical girl sisterhood or whatever, but there are worse places to be stuck.[/color]

[color=9e0039]“I hear that. Still the chance to have a neutral ground to talk with some of the people here hopefully will make things easier over all”[/color] Penny would say as yet another cube met a crushing fate [color=9e0039]“That being said I’m about two, maybe three, days away from finding out how to leave. It is a nice place and all, but I just don’t trust the Dolphin.”[/color]

At that point Alicia had finally managed to get a drink for herself, something with mangoes though she wasn’t familiar on the specifics. But she would absentmindedly sip away at that while chatting, for as long as the drink lasted. [color=aba000]”I don’t think I’ve met anyone who is comfortable with him,”[/color] she observed aloud. [color=aba000]”I mean he’s probably not a Horror in disguise but someone is involved that has a lot of power at their disposal. And people like that usually have more than one agenda.”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“And that’s honestly why I don’t trust him”[/color] Penny would reply [color=9e0039]“As I keep telling people this place reminds me far too much of the Lotus Eaters to be comfortable.”[/color] Honestly there was a lot about this whole thing that set her on edge, but all of it had to do with her perspective on mythologies.

[color=9e0039]“Disregarding all of that”[/color] She’d start after shrugging off her paranoia [color=9e0039]“What other plans you have for the vacation?”[/color]

Alicia was only vaguely familiar on Lotus Eaters specifically, but there were plenty of stories in Beacon of monsters they had fought in the past who relied on deception to win the day. So she got the general gist of things. Still, worrying wouldn’t do them much good, at least right now. 

She gave a small shrug when asked about her plans. [color=aba000]”Oh, nothing major in mind. Was planning to be in that water gun fight later, but beyond that? Maybe some surfing, making some s’mores around a fire, catching lightning bugs, that sort of thing.”[/color] She was willing to be flexible about it.  

[color=9e0039]“Oooh s'mores sound good. You’ll have to let me know when you are planning on getting that set up”[/color] Penny nabbed a few more cubes from her nearly depleted bowl of them as she smiled at the prospect of a campfire get together. [color=9e0039]“I’m also looking forward to the Squirt gun fight, also sad that the ones offered at the shop arn't going to be allowed in the actual match.”[/color] She added with a pout, she really wanted to be able to use the Orbital water laser. Simply because it sounded so absurd. 

[color=9e0039]“All together seems like we’ve got similar ideas for the days ahead, the only difference is I might be part of a stage show.”[/color]

Pleased to find that her idea was gaining a bit of traction, Alicia nodded in agreement.[color=aba000]”I’ll be sure to do that. And yeah. I can imagine a few people who’d deserve that. But I guess this way it’s more about skill than anything else.”[/color] She was still confident in her chances of course. She might only have a bow but the principle of the thing was still the same. 

Nonetheless, Penny was able to surprise her once again. [color=aba000]”A stage show?”[/color] Consider her interest piqued. [color=aba000]”What are you going to do?”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“Might”[/color] Penny would emphasize [color=9e0039]“Might be part of a stage show. As for what it would be I think it might be some sort of song and dance routine.”[/color] She’d answer before shrugging [color=9e0039]“Not really sure as it’s not my idea. One of the other girls asked if I would be willing to help them out and I had no reason to say no, plus I didn’t have any ideas for one so it’s an easy Silver.”[/color]

[color=aba000]”Huh.”[/color] That was interesting, though Alicia supposed it made sense that it was her helping someone else out with their idea. Even if she didn’t know what she was going to be doing yet. [color=aba000]”Well, at least you’re not Sound spec. Otherwise I would assume they planned on having you be the world’s most efficient bass system.”[/color]

[color=9e0039]”That would have been interesting. Wonder if there is a way for me to pick up a sound Spec as well.”[/color] Penny would muse [color=9e0039]“Would be able to be a pretty effective one man band if I could.”[/color] She’d spend a few moments pondering over that particular fantasy, absently taking a handful of ice, before shrugging it off. [color=9e0039]“More likely I’m going to be a backup dancer or something”[/color] She’d offer now somewhat more curious as to what it was that Chloe was planning for her show.

Alicia shrugged, unsure as to whether that was possible. Someone with three Specs? She couldn’t say she had ever heard of such a thing. But they were magical girls, who was to say what was impossible?

She fell silent, slowly nodding as Penny answered. Her mind was beginning to drift from things besides Keijo and sports and this vacation, to other concerns. What had happened with Kimble remained, and now that she was here in this moment it brought some guilt swelling back up out of her. It took her effort to marshal her nerve, to prepare for what she had to say. Yet she had to bite the bullet for both their sakes.

[color=aba000]“Hey,”[/color] she said at last. [color=aba000]”Being here and all of this, it reminded me of what you said before. We got distracted by the whole ‘my boss is actually a backstabbing jerk’’ thing, so I never actually answered you. So….I’m sorry about that.”[/color] 

This time it was Penny’s turn to be surprised. [color=9e0039]“It was something of a hectic conversation”[/color] She would allow once she got past her surprise [color=9e0039]“Plus a lot happened right after as well.”[/color] She would continue on grabbing a few more ice cubes, these ones being shattered shortly after being picked up. [color=9e0039]“All things considered not that surprising, so don’t worry about it”[/color] She’d finish, not really sure if she was deflecting the need for an apology or accepting it.

In fact a large part of her was wondering if she wanted to actually go through with how this conversation was starting to turn. She had come to terms with Kimble’s revelation, 
[color=00aeef][i][s]for the most part, somewhat, kinda, sorta, not at all[/s][/i][/color]
 but the wound was still fresh and Penny wasn’t sure if she wanted to prodding it so soon. 

Still Penny had stayed for the entirety of her own reveal of treachery, she’d stay for this.

[color=aba000]”I know. I just felt bad once I realized,”[/color] Alicia explained. God, so busy dealing with monsters and saving the world and all that stuff, you really never saw the more mundane drama coming until it was smacking you right in the face.

She took a sip of her drink, about halfway done with it at this point. Penny said she was over it, but that kind of confession….you didn’t just walk that sort of thing off and pretend like it never happened. [color=aba000]”It’s weird, right? Awesome magical powers, battles to save the world, manipulating time and alternate dimensions and stuff like that, Makes you kinda forget that we’re all basically teenagers now and we can still go on dates and do romance stuff if we really want to. I know I did”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“It really is”[/color] Penny would agree as she reached for more ice only to learn that she had none left. She was very tempted to start breaking the bowl itself, but restrained herself and instead sat back and folded her arms. [color=9e0039]“Thought to be fair it's only been recently that the possibility has kinda been there.”[/color] She’d say in her own defense, as if she had still been with Laat she’d have to start thinking about packing up and moving again soon.

[color=9e0039]“Still trying to schedule out time to go on a date is something of a nightmare when you factor in everything that could go wrong”[/color] She’d say after a moment of thinking about it [color=9e0039]“Along with the other half dozen things that being part of the community makes harder to deal with”[/color]

This wasn’t the sort of conversation she figured she would be having with Penny of all people, yet here they were. She wasn’t sure how to directly broach the subject of Kimble and her confession, so this would have to do for now. [color=aba000]”Yeah, that’s the truth,”[/color] she agreed with a nod. Their experiences in the past few months had proven that often enough.

[color=aba000]”Still, if you’re not worried about it then alright. I didn’t want to leave that thread dangling there, especially since I was in college before I became a magical girl. You know, endless possibilities and all that.”[/color] More of her drink vanished, the soothing coolness keeping her from finding herself overwhelmed by the situation at hand. 

[color=9e0039]“I’m alright”[/color] Penny would say with an understanding smile [color=9e0039]“But I appreciate the thought”[/color] And she did. She just wished that it had occurred earlier. That it hadn't was likely her fault, she felt, after all she didn’t do anything either after her confession. Other then throw herself into work, but she could have done something right? Or was it that Ali-

[color=9e0039]“So what plans do you have today?”[/color] Penny would ask, forcing her thoughts away from the downward spiral they almost went on. Hoping that her white knuckled grip on her arms wasn’t obvious [color=9e0039]“Other then the next round of Keijo”[/color]

She didn’t feel the best about leaving it behind, but if Penny insisted that it was alright then there was no reason to doubt her, at least not right now. [color=aba000]”Other than that....I think there was something about a mini golf competition? I played a bit with Sylvia yesterday, and I’d like the opportunity to avenge my honor. But I might be off about the timing.”[/color] Which wouldn’t really work if Sylvia wasn’t playing, but it would make her feel better.

After a few moments she shrugged. [color=aba000]”Beyond that nothing in particular.”[/color]

A fair part of Penny was surprised at the fact that she had gotten away with lying flat out to Alicia’s face. She wondered if it was luck, or perhaps that Alicia didn’t have her sense active at the moment, and a small part wondered if Alicia did notice but just didn’-

[color=9e0039]“Mini golf?”[/color] She would say with a modicum of wonder [color=9e0039]“Haven't done that in years, didn’t realize they had a course here.”[/color] She’d tilt her head to the side in contemplation about how she had overlooked such a thing [color=9e0039]“Sounds intriguing, might check it out. Was planning on either surfing or jet skiing myself”[/color]

[color=aba000]”Well, I can’t say I have many helpful tips, but it was definitely fun,”[/color] Alicia confirmed, oblivious to what she had let go unnoticed and unaddressed. She trusted Penny enough to not use her powers, for better or worse. [color=aba000]”Ah, I did a bit of that with Katarina yesterday. Turns out it gets a lot easier when you have wings to stabilize with.”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“Don’t think I’ll have many issues”[/color] Penny would be quick to reply with a smirk [color=9e0039]“Me and machines get along very well”[/color]

And thus they spent their time was spent chatting, joking, and making other vacation plans. But the topic of Kimble was left untouched thus the first crack in their bond unseen by Alicia and studiously ignored by Penny.

Only time would tell what this would lead too.