[hr][center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/y8f0UJw.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/H9epPjR.png[/img] [b][code]Al Lopez Park.[/code][/b][/center][hr] [quote=][color=brown]”How many more of you are there?”[/color][/quote] "Not counting you too," Claudette said, "About nine. Our numbers.... fluctuate." Both members seemed to be fine with everything that she told them. However, they might [i]say[/i] they can handle a bit of bickering until they're actually getting into a heated shouting match with Madison, or Maya, or Emily... though, the latter two [i]have [/i]been simmering down while the former was... becoming the opposite. Claudette did realize that she was exaggerating a little bit, only so they are [i]prepared[/i] for the Coven's brand of tomfoolery. While she was speaking, she pulled out her phone and ordered the Lyft to the Coven's hideout. She looked at Kara, before she looked at Mariah. She then affirmed all of this with, "You two are in," Claudette started, "We should go meet the others, I'm certain that they all should be excited to meet you all." [i]Some of 'em should be.[/i] Claudette thought to herself as she saw the Lyft pull up and she was quick to move over to it. They all got in and took the relatively brief car ride over to the beach house... and as they were pulling up Claudette was reminded of something. Something very important. "Also, I should let you know before we get there... that we have a pet alligator," Claudette awkwardly explained it, "Well, technically an apparition sealed inside of an alligator, but he's friendly and won't bother you." The vehicle came to a stop and they all got out and Claudette lead them all to the front door. She opened it up for them so they can step inside... before she came in and announced herself. "Hello, hello! These are the two new members of the Coven that I was talking to and..." Claudette looked around and saw Madison and Herik emotional, and everyone facing Lyss... "Oh no... don't tell me something happened while I was gone..." She said to the group. [hr][center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/m7zZQBg.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/TqpHQos.png[/img] [b][code]Kimberly's motel room.[/code][/b][hr][hider=Miro Shot - Heaven's Gate][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYWSOqpvz90[/youtube][/hider][/center][hr] The next morning, Kimberly was gone. Rowan was a bit confused by that turn of events but he shrugged. Maybe she needed some space to get her head on right, that was something that Rowan was fine with. He stared into the mirror wearing nothing but boxers as he grabbed the floss and snaked it in between his teeth. He stared going back and forth... before a bright flash of light overfilled the mirror and he looked over his shoulder. Kimberly was back (Yay), and she had brought a friend.... Kimberly smiled at Rowan, before she looked at her friend with a warm smile. "Penny, this is my cameraman and good friend Rowan," Kimberly introduced her, "And Rowan, this is my friend Penny, you know, we... saved the world together." [color=goldenrod]"Nice skivvies, dude,"[/color] said Penny, stifling a laugh as she used a hand to shield Rowan from her view. The blonde girl gave Kimberly a mocking grimace. [color=goldenrod]"So maybe the next time you teleport us somewhere could you go first and make sure everyone is wearing pants?"[/color] "Hey!" Rowan said as he covered his crotch and stepped off to grab some pants. "Well, um," Kimberly shrugged as she realized that she could have at least [i]checked[/i] but she thought that Rowan was clothed. She tried to play it off as a joke as she said, "... No promises." Rowan had thrown on some jeans and a t-shirt as he looked around, "Penny? I thought you said she was missing?" [color=goldenrod]"Aw, I was missed?"[/color] said Penny. There was genuine surprise hidden inside the sarcasm in her voice. Penny looked around the hotel room now that Rowan was dressed. She had expected Kimberly to be living it up a bit more lavishly with her Internet famous money. Penny noted the drained whiskey bottle next to the only bed in the room. She raised an eyebrow as she leaned against the dresser and folded her arms. What happened in here was none of her business. She'd just need to find a way to pay for a separate room. [color=goldenrod]"Believe it or not, I was busy stuck inside of a pocket dimension created by some kid that was full of asshole apparitions. Honestly, I was kind of surprised you didn't wind up in there too, Kim,"[/color] said Penny, her blue eyes darting over to the girl. [color=goldenrod]"A good chunk of the support group ended up being there. That's where Caelea..."[/color] Penny glanced down and cleared her throat. She lowered her arms and let her fingers tightly grip the edge of the dresser as she dragged her teeth over her lip. She'd already told the others about what had happened to the girl. She didn't feel like talking about it again. She looked up and clapped her hands together, immediately seeming upbeat. [color=goldenrod]"So, I'm a bit out of the loop. Why would either of you two subject yourself to spending a single moment of your life in fucking Florida? Did you retire already?"[/color] Rowan and Kimberly looked in between each other before their gaze landed on Penny. "... Should I tell her?" Rowan said. "No, no, I got it..." Kimberly said as she sat down on the edge of the bed... and realized that Penny probably was going to need a seat of her own for this. "Actually, mind if we go somewhere else? This place seems a bit too, uh, I don't know. Not the right... [i]scenery[/i]." [color=goldenrod]"Sure,"[/color] said Penny, pushing herself off of the dresser. [color=goldenrod]"Lead the way."[/color] Kimberly nodded as she stepped to the door and opened it, Rowan was the first out then Penny, then herself as the door automatically locked. She wondered if the staff were getting suspicious given how many times Kimberly just [i]appeared[/i] in her room after leaving. She walked outside and looked around. It was [i]Tampa.[/i] There was always a place or two within rock throwing distance, and she wasn't sure where... so she just picked a direction and started walking down it. "So, um," Kimberly started as she walked, "Who [i]exactly[/i] was trapped there? Because Hagan, Zoey, Min, and you, were the ones that were missing..." [color=goldenrod]"I didn't know the other people. A couple of trailer park teens, a Scottish girl, a depressed guitar player, and a..."[/color] Penny carefully picked her following words. [color=goldenrod]"A friendly ghost, I guess?"[/color] [color=goldenrod]"Wait, Min wasn't there. Is he missing?"[/color] she asked. They kept walking and then they stopped at a Dairy Queen... and Kimberly gave Penny an aside glance. [i]Please, we can get better ice cream from a Gas Station![/i] She thought to herself. Penny exchanged a look with Kimberly. [color=goldenrod]"We are not going in here,"[/color] said Penny firmly with a hand on her hip. "Agreed." Kimberly asked with a grin. "Well, where do [i]you[/i] want to go?" [color=goldenrod]"I don't know!"[/color] said Penny, throwing her hands up and trying to hold back her own smirk. [color=goldenrod]"A beach cafe? A Starbucks? Fucking Margaritaville? Hell, you find us a nice alleyway with a solid dumpster fire going and I think I'd enjoy it more than this soft serve shithole. Literally anywhere else is good, dude."[/color] "How about..." Kimberly looked around, while Penny was pretty much fine with anywhere, she didn't want to sit around in some fast food restaurant or similar shithole. So they had to pick somewhere at least [i]half[/i] decent so they aren't miserable here. In her field of view she saw a Starbucks and she shrugged. She figured it was Penny's speed so she just gestured for her to come along as she stepped inside the place. It was already kind of busy... and Kimberly wasn't the coffee drinking type of gal so she just found a seat. Nobody in here would really pay them any mind... and she's a celeberity! It'd just look like she's just discussing her show. She found herself a booth as Rowan took to her side and Penny sat opposite. For just one second it felt like she was giving Penny an interview. "Um... I'd grab some coffee, because trust me," Kimberly started, "[i]You're gonna need it.[/i]" Penny took Kimberly's advice, returning to the table with a horrifyingly neon pink drink topped with a swirl of whipped cream. Sliding back into the booth, she eyed the pair and she played with the change from her drink. [color=goldenrod]"So, what's the deal? Florida doesn't really strike me as a [i]you[/i] place."[/color] "It isn't," Rowan said as he threw his hands behind his head. "God, I miss New York." "Fact of the matter is, both of us are here on business..." Kim trailed off as she thought back to last night where shit went down and the cure failed. "... We caught wind of something really nasty in South Carolina and tracked it down here." "And 'something nasty' has a name," Rowan said. "Annabelle Candy Heart...." Kimberly trailed off. "It's such a long story, I don't even know where to start. She was just some girl who got lost in the sticks of South Carolina and crossed a man named Luther Saul, and his group, the Forgiven...." Penny stopped playing with the coins and leaned forward at the mention of Saul's name, but kept her mouth shut as the others continued. "Or should we say cult." Rowan added yet again. "They worship [i]something[/i] supernatural, I don't know what, but we'll get to that bridge when we cross it, I guess. But, Luther Saul sacrificed Annabelle's friends to this being and Annabelle accepted a curse or [i]something[/i] into herself to get revenge." Rowan crossed his arms as he named the curse, "[i]The Hunger.[/i]" [color=goldenrod]"[i]The Hunger?[/i]"[/color] asked Penny with a dismissive scoff. "The Hunger is an affliction that makes the afflicted obsessively [i]hunger[/i] for human flesh... but, the more flesh they eat, the more powerful they get." There was a brief silence as Kimberly looked at Penny. "... She's killed almost a thousand people so far, and I don't think anyone in Florida can stop her." [color=goldenrod]"Don't you mean anyone [i]from[/i] Florida?"[/color] said Penny, leaning back in her seat and taking a sip of her drink. [color=goldenrod]"I don't mean to trivalize their deaths, but when you compare a thousand to the worlds the Glutton erased it isn't even a competition."[/color] Granted, as far as Penny knew the Glutton didn't get stronger after every annihilation. [color=goldenrod]"So, have you had any luck finding Annabelle?"[/color] "Well..." Kimberly shrugged as her eyes drifted to the side and she remembered her past failures again like they constantly mock her. "... She doesn't make herself particularly hard to find." "We just follow the trail of destruction," Rowan added on. "We found her two times, but every time we had to cut and run." "Unfortunately, we lack the firepower to do anything other than piss her off," Kimberly said, "So, we've been trying [i]other[/i] methods." "What's worse is that Annabelle's a conductor for the Hunger," Rowan said, "Just by being around her people are compelled to start eating each other." "Well, normal people," Kimberly said, "[i]We[/i] have nothing to worry about, but still..." She looked off to the side. "I'm at a loss as to [i]how[/i] we can stop her." Penny sighed and let her eyes drift towards the window. She had her own reasons to be in Florida, but the immediate danger of Annabelle wasn't something she could simply ignore. She racked her brain for a solution. If the girl was an Apparition they could easily seal her, but Kimberly would've been able to manage that on her own if it were the case. Her eyes brightened as she thought of an idea that could potentially benefit the both of them. [color=goldenrod]"So it seems like we'd need to find a way to reverse the curse, right? If the Forgiven are responsible for Annabelle accepting the curse in the first place, maybe they also know something about her curse that we don't,"[/color] said Penny with a shrug. [color=goldenrod]"Full transparency here, but I'm kind of looking for Luther Saul anyway. I need to verify something I saw."[/color] Approaching the Forgiven was not something that Kimberly considered, mostly because they seemed to be a bit unnerving - that interview more or less cemented it. Not just that, but Kimberly didn't know even know what they even worshipped. It was worth a shot, but later. She was curious as to what business did Penny have with the leader of the Forgiven, Luther Saul. "And what exactly is [i]that[/i] if you don't mind me asking?" Kimberly asked. "The Forgiven are... something's just [i]off[/i] about them." [color=goldenrod]"You're telling me you think there might be something off about a cult whose leader sacrficed a group of people and calls themselves the Forgiven?"[/color] said Penny with a phony look of surprise on her face. She smirked. [color=goldenrod]"Yeah, they have definite bad vibes all around them. I'm not saying we just go in, ask for a brochure, and see if they know anything about some mass murdering bitch who happens to make everyone around her crave some long pork. We'll figure something out."[/color] Kimberly coughed awkwardly. [color=goldenrod]"But now I feel like I'm avoiding the question,"[/color] said Penny as she stared distantly out the window. She was. She hadn't known how to approach it. With anyone else she felt like she'd have to hold off some parts of the truth just so that she didn't sound crazy, but Kimberly had gone through crazier things with Penny. Surely she would believe her, so Penny gave her the straightforward answer. [color=goldenrod]"Rosalyn, the girl who created that pocket dimension that all of us were trapped, in claimed to be from a future where our world had ended. She showed us all a Recollection of the aftermath. Honestly, I don't know if I totally believe the whole [i]end of the world[/i] shit, but I saw Los Angeles in absolute ruins. So whatever happens, it's big. Rosalyn says that Luther Saul is somehow involved,"[/color] said Penny. She looked back at the two, wrinkled her nose, and continued, [color=goldenrod]"Only, I don't know if I should be against him or with him. From all that I know, he seems like a grade-A dickhead so it'd be nice to go in there and squash whatever shitty cult voodoo nonsense he's up to [b]but![/b]"[/color] Penny pointed for emphasis. [color=goldenrod]"If his shitty cult voodoo nonsense is the only thing holding back the world from ending then I'd feel like a real asshole if I'm the one to fuck it all up. It just has [i]something[/i] to do with Saul."[/color] Penny flopped back in her seat with a frustrated groan and ran her fingers through her hair, [color=goldenrod]"So, yeah, that's what I need to figure out and I got a year to do it. Hell, it could all be bullshit—which wouldn't be so bad, all things considered."[/color] As Penny explained Kimberly found herself sharing a look with her companion Rowan. They stared blankly into each other's eyes for a moment before they focused back on Penny. "Okay, this sounds [i]crazy,[/i] like [i]really[/i] crazy," Kimberly said to Penny before she realized that she was being a bit harsh. "I don't mean it like [i]that[/i]... okay, well, I kinda do." She shrugged. [color=goldenrod]"Gee, thanks,"[/color] said Penny with a smirk. "I think what she's trying to say is how accurate do you think this girl is?" Rowan said as he put his hands together on the table as he looked at Penny. "It could be bullshit, or even a [i]different[/i] world ending... different worlds exist, apparently." Rowan shrugged. "I mean, anything's a possibility," Kimberly added, "We did defeat a Tentacle God after all." She looked at him as she chuckled and he shrugged. "[i]Allegedly.[/i]" Rowan rolled his eyes. [color=goldenrod]"[i][b]Allegedly!?[/b][/i]"[/color] repeated Penny with a scoff, her eyes widening. "I guess I have to save the world again to show you," Kimberly smirked at him before she turned to Penny. "But, my problem here is that it's a bit too vague for me. He just has [i]something[/i] to do with the world ending... and... from my perspective I think that something [i]could[/i] have something to do with Annabelle." Given that Saul definitely has something to do with her. "I'm [i]willing[/i] to help you, Penny, but my priority is finding a way to cure Annabelle. But, if Saul knows something then interrogating him might be the way to go." [color=goldenrod]"Sure, I'm good with that. In fact, let's be clear: I have the same doubts about the whole end of the world thing as the two of you do,"[/color] said Penny, poking her finger against the table for emphasis. [color=goldenrod]"But I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't at least look into it. And, if Rosalyn happens to be right by whatever small chance that is, then apparently I or anyone else would be able to live period. I rather find out that I wasted my time than do nothing and give up the world." "But in the meantime, I don't think I can really let you two go after this Annabelle girl alone."[/color] Penny gulped down the remainder of her drink. [color=goldenrod]"So, we going to go try and make nice with a cult?"[/color] Kimberly merely shrugged at all of that. "... Doesn't look like we have that many other options."