[center][h1][b]Sanctuary Aftermath[/b][/h1][/center]

With the group of girls at the Sanctuary coming up with various ideas, Melisa led them to where she last saw Penny. Since they were getting things back together a bit she wasn't all that hard to find. [color=pink]"Hey Penny. I have some new friends here. We were talking about some ideas and they wanted to ask you some questions."[/color] Her brain wasn't quite recalling everything right at that moment. It was probably better to let each present whatever it was they had in mind.

Penny halted in her conversation to assess the group that came forward. Of them she recognized most of them, but only knew one of them. She gave most of them a sharp analytical gaze for a moment before turning back to the half feral looking wolf girl she had been talking to. [color=9e0039][u][b]"Get started on the damage to the front wall, Ashlyn and Maggie are working on it."[/b][/u][/color] She would say before reaching out to place a hand on the wolf girls shoulder. [color=9e0039][u][b]"And thank you Belladonna."[/b][/u][/color] The girl would nod before heading off towards the task assigned to her. 

Penny would then turn to face the assembled crowd once more. [color=9e0039][u][b]"Glad to hear you were able to make friends in the chaos. And I'm sorry that you got dragged into it with no warning"[/b][/u][/color] She would reply to Melisa with a short smile.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"The rest of you had ideas you wanted to run by me?"[/b][/u][/color] She would ask the rest of them, her tone losing a bit of it's friendliness. 

MDP’s eyes went wide and seemed to fill with stars at the sight of Penny. While Melisa had captivated the part of her that loved cute things, Penny appealed to her love of advanced technology. Although she had seen technological magical girls in the past, like Nykannis, the young woman before her now was altogether different. Where Nykannis had been an eclectic hodgepodge of bizarre gizmos and gadgetry, Penny was a thing of sublime beauty, a true work of art.

[color=DeepPink]“Wowie zowie…”[/color] MDP sighed in a dreamy daze. [color=DeepPink]“Sooo pretty witty…”[/color] 

In fact, MDP was so distracted by the mechanical girl that she completely forgot what she had come to ask her about.

Amanda sighed, stepping up to speak for MDP. [color=violet]"We were thinking the residents of this place could stay at Dan's dimension. Er, at least for a while. Since people can't hurt each other there, it seems like a safer option at the moment."[/color]

 [color=9966CC]"Aaaand me and my sisters could stay in town for awhile, y'know, to help out your little pest problem~"[/color] Maribel added, twirling her parasol out of slight boredom. But she didn't mind, it was important.

Penny’s indifferent demeanor did crack a little at MDP’s blatant star struck reaction, and the robot girl let a smirk grace her features at it, but didn’t call out the pink pixie like girl over it. Instead she addressed Amanda “That would be something to talk to Dina about” she would nod to the Catgirl who wasn’t far away “Dan is her Patron so she would know best.”

[color=9e0039][u][b]“As for the pest problem”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would turn towards Maribel doing her best to keep the red out of her eyes [color=9e0039][u][b]“Any information you can get me about the Mint and their locations would be much appreciated. They are slippery at worst, and I would love to repay them for their hospitality.”[/b][/u][/color] The growl that crept into Penny’s voice promised little more than pain if she were ever to get her hands on a mainstay Mint operative.

Dina for the most, stood there, holding herself steady and poised, besides a couple of dirty looks thrown in the direction of the canine girl earlier. She tilted her head. "I am sure something like that can be arranged with Dan..." She sighed. "If he graces us with his wisdom in that matter." 

Her eyes rested on the trio. "Hmm, It is not in my self to doubt people in the first instance, but what do you gain by trying to play good samaritan here?" Dina said, addressing the trio. "Besides... a resort vacation." She added. "We have had our share of sketchy helpers and flat out poisonous people trying to lend us a hand... and in the end, this is what it amounted into." She paused. "Regarding the Mint, I do believe I can ascertain some pattern on their behaviour. They're profiteers and they think us easy pickings. Just follow the mayhem and strife, and you're bound to find them."

It was perhaps a good thing that MDP was so enamored with Penny that she had tuned out nearly everything else occurring around her. If she had been fully cognizant of what was being said by the others, she would have heard the Ebon Mint being discussed, and not in a favorable manner.  Needless to say, this would have likely caused more than a few problems, but as it was, the childish magical girl remained blissfully ignorant. She only broke out of her adoring reverie at the approach of Dina, but her joy at seeing the cute cat girl again was quickly dampened when said cat girl went on to make some rather unkind insinuations about MDP and her friends.

[color=DeepPink]“Like, that’s not very nicey wicey, Dina Wina!”[/color] MDP told her with a cute pout, while placing her hands on her hips. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess just wanted to helpy welpy Melisa Wisa and all the other people weple heresie weresie, and, like, so did Maribel Waribel and Pastel-chan! There’s, like, no reason for you to be such a meanie weanie head!”[/color]

Amanda gently placed a hand on MDP's shoulder. [color=violet]"Now now, Dreamy. It's understandable that she's wary of us."[/color] she then looked to Penny and Dina. [color=violet]"But there is no way I'm connected to the Ebon Mint. I might have been a journalist once, but even I know not to toy with people like that. I take it you know Eliza and Valerie? I'm basically in the same group as those two, if that helps put your worries to rest."[/color]

[color=9966CC]"Ah, I take it this 'Ebon Mint' you keep referring to sticks out easy~?"[/color] Maribel giggled. [color=9966CC]"If anyone knows about stuff like that, It'd be Lauren. She'll appreciate the info!"[/color] the witch motioned to the emerald-haired girl, who had finished up cleaning the place of any otherwordly goo.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"I do apologize if we come off a bit cold. Our home was just attacked, and neither of us had it easy in defending it before that"[/b][/u][/color] Penny would say towards MDP [color=9e0039][u][b]"And I've met both Eliza and Valerie before. Didn't know they were under the same Patron, I'm assuming that the curse was removed then?"[/b][/u][/color]

[color=9e0039][u][b]"And no, they stick to the shadows. Only reason I know it was them is that I knew one of the people that attacked this place."[/b][/u][/color] That combined with their attack on Cindy made it rather obvious as to who it was. At least it made it plenty apparent to Penny. [color=9e0039][u][b]"Dina's not wrong with their character though."[/b][/u][/color]

MDP smiled at Amanda when the magician calmly explained the situation. The bespectacled girl was just so smart, and MDP was once again thankful that she had such a kind and helpful best friend. Something [i]did[/i] catch the whimsical girl’s attention, though, as Amanda and Maribel talked. A certain name…

[color=DeepPink]“The Ebon Webon Mint…?”[/color] MDP wondered aloud, while tilting her head in thoughtful uncertainty. [color=DeepPink]“Like, why does that namey wamey sound so familiar wiliar…?”[/color]

That confused line of thought dissolved a moment later, when Penny once again addressed them, and a big smile returned to MDP’s face.

[color=DeepPink]“Like, that’s okie dokie, Penny Wenny~! (giggle!)”[/color] the whimsical girl replied to Penny’s apology. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess totally wotally understandy wandies~! And, like, she just wanted to tell you that she thinks you’re the most pretty witty mechanical wanical person worsen she’s ever wever seen~! (giggle!)”[/color] she added as a bright blush colored her cheeks.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"They are one of the more major entities in the magical world"[/b][/u][/color] Penny would reply to MDP's wondering [color=9e0039][u][b]"Lots of people talk about them"[/b][/u][/color] She would explain. She herself wasn't blushing, mainly because she couldn't, a fact she was somewhat thankful for at the moment.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"And.. thank you."[/b][/u][/color] She would go on to say rubbing the back of her neck [color=9e0039][u][b]"I drew up the schematics myself. All custom work"[/b][/u][/color] she would explain a touch shyly. It was the first compliment she had ever gotten after all.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"I love your necklace"[/b][/u][/color] She would reply after a moment  gesturing the rainbow colored pendant that MDP wore. Penny couldn't compliment the girls magic because unfortunately she hadn't seen enough of it to know what it was. But she could compliment her choice of magical accessories.

[color=DeepPink]“Like, really~?!”[/color] MDP exclaimed after Penny complimented her power artifact, the whimsical girl’s eyes now filling with entire galaxies worth of stars. [color=DeepPink]“Super duper thankie wankies~! (giggle!) Magical Dream Princess is, like, sooo super duper happy wappy that Penny Wenny noticed~! (giggle!) Like, Magical Dream Princess totally wotally wuvs her pendant wendant thingy wingy too~! It’s, like, soooo super duper pretty witty, and it’s also Magical Dream Princess’s most favorite wavorite color wolor in the whole wide woldsie~! (giggle!) But, like, did Penny Wenny say she designy wynied herselfy welfy~?!”[/color] MDP went on to ask, clearly amazed by the idea. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess thinks that’s, like, soooo super duper cool~! (giggle!)”[/color] she gushed, her cute face taking on an even more dreamy expression than usual. [color=DeepPink]“Like, Magical Dream Princess designy wynied some mechanical wanical thingie wingies too, but, like, none of them were as pretty witty as Penny Wenny~! (giggle!) And, like, Magical Dream Princess would just totally wotally [i]wuv[/i] to take a closer woser look, if it’s okie dokie with Penny Wenny of couresey worsey~”[/color] 

It was at this point when Dina did a coughing sound with her mouth, eyeing both MDP and Penny. "Well crafted stone indeed, but there might be time to admire... crafts later...your Highness." The catgirl said, as she moved onto getting Dan in shape for a request. "I'd like to restate our apologies for being so curt, but we have much to do to recover."

Dina's interruption stopped Penny's first reaction, which would have been a sudden shuttering off and returning to cold indifference. Because the last person who asked to see how Penny worked caused the massacre at the Rave. That moment of distraction by Dina let Penny redirect that into a more subtle caution.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"Another time"[/b][/u][/color] Penny would say with a nod instead.

[color=DeepPink]“Like, okie dokie~!”[/color] MDP would chirp, seemingly unbothered by Penny’s slightly more frosty demeanor. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess will totally wotally look forward to it~! (giggle!)”[/color] she added with a wink.

[Color=violet]"Please...behave yourself."[/color] Amanda facepalmed with a grimace.

[color=DeepPink]“Awww…”[/color] MDP pouted at Amanda’s admonishment. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess just wanted to get to know her new friendy wendy better~ Pastel-chan doesn’t have to worry, though~! She’s still Magical Dream Princess’s most super duper BFF in the whole wide worldsie, after allsie~! (giggle!)”[/color] she added, while giving the dream magician a big hug.

Amanda sighed with a smile, before returning the hug. [color=violet]"It's fine, it's fine. Chivalry habits."[/color] She comically patted her back.

 Meanwhile Maribel patiently waited off to the side with her sisters.

Not really feeling like she could contribute to the conversation going on, Melisa stood by content to listen. Other than the vague concept of needing to keep the Sanctuary safe most of the stuff seemed either over hear head or not particularly important. Looking off to the side she noticed she wasn't the only one just hovering on the outskirts. Turning herself in their direction she figured she could get to know the nightmare user a bit more. [color=pink]"Hello again. Uh, I have a question. You said you have nightmare magic right?"[/color]

Dan suddenly squeaked as he held his head, still dizzy from Dina’s fully justified retaliation. However, he quickly recovered thanks to her assistance. “Phew, remind me to never wake a sleeping feline again.” He shook his head and recovered with a smile. “Anyway, did you need something Dina?”

"You are always up for girls being joyful, right, master Dan?" She said. "Well, there's this little problem. A lot of girls ended up homeless. There's a lot of space in your realm. It would be temporary."

"Homeless sad girls? That's terrible! I'll do something about that!" Dan seemed to perk up as he approached the rag-tag group of monster and dark girls. A showman's hat appeared on his head, along with a wooden walking cane on his fin. 

"Hello there, everyone! Have you recently lost your house? Misery struck your life? Well have I got a deal for you, or my name's not Dan the Dolphin!" The crowd seemed distrubed but curious about the wacky dolphin's presentation as he now summoned a projector screen that showed various pictures of his dimension.

"That's right, for absolutely no money, you too can get a temporary stay over at Isla Paradiso, complete with full lodging and as many kebab rolls as you can dream of!"

He noticed a couple of them raise a hand to ask questions.
"You there, with the snaggletooth!"
The monster girl in question seemed to be shy despite her feral appearance, and averted her eyes.
"Um, this sounds too good to be true. What's the catch?"

Dan nodded. "Yes, of course there is one. I'm sorry to say this, but as long as you're on Isla Paradiso, you must obey two rules. Number one: no fighting outside the arena, and number two, which is even more important: have fun!"

The crowd was still hesitant, but one shorter dark magical girl stepped up. "An arena? I'm in!"
Soon enough, she was followed by all but a few of the homeless. "That sounds awesome! I'd love to get to do some fighting!" Dan nodded. "Alrighty then! Now, no shoving or pushing," he advised as a portal appeared and the crowd started moving through it.

"It is not what you...nevermind." Dina added, fighting temptation to spill the truth about the Keijo arena.

Penny's reaction was at first a quiet one. She watched as the majority of the Sanctuary left for a brighter place and she wanted to feel happy for them, and she did, but the larger part of herself just felt hurt and angry. It felt predatory to her, to take advantage of this pain, to whisk them away like it never happened. But she understood that not everyone would feel safe to decompress here. That did not mean she had nothing to say however.

So she waited until those she had promised to care for were gone, and when they were she stepped forward to Dan. [color=9e0039][u][b]"In five days time this place will be repaired and they will have their homes once again"[/b][/u][/color] She would say coldly locking eyes with Dan as she spoke [color=9e0039][u][b]"Once those five days are up anyone who wants to come back is free too. If you try and keep there will be consequences" She promised him eyes flickering red as she spoke.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"I am grateful for you being willing to assist them"[/b][/u][/color] She would add [color=9e0039][u][b]"But you stole two thousand, one hundred and twelve hours from me in which I could have made sure this never happened. I will never forgive you for that."[/b][/u][/color] She didn't say anything else for a moment, just stayed glaring at him. She wanted to hurt him, but it would serve no purpose. So she set aside her anger as best she could and turned back to those that had approached her.

She stayed silent a moment longer, trying to stay calm, but her anger wasn't something that could be easily soothed with thoughts. Action and words would be needed, but none she was willing to show here and now. [color=9e0039][u][b]"Are there any other matters you would like to bring up at the moment?" She would ask aloud.

Dan turned in place with a couple of hops to look up at Penny's face, or at least as much as he could see of it from where he stood, and immediately turned a lighter shade of blue, scrunching his face as she threatened him. "I'm not-" he attempted to squeak, but Penny had already left the dolphin to speak with others.
"Ooh, that much hostility got me feeling weak...Dina, I will be going back now, but make sure to call me if you need me," he said, and then poofed out.

"Hm." Dina. "Don't worry. I will talk to her highness about this." She said, to Dan, giving him an ever so scarce comfort touch ever before he disappeared.

[color=DeepPink]“Like, Magical Dream Princess just remember wembered something womething super duper important wortant~!”[/color] the whimsical girl exclaimed after Penny had asked if there was anything else they wished to discuss. [color=DeepPink]“Ta daaa~! (giggle!)”[/color] she announced while holding up three colorful pieces of paper. [color=DeepPink]“Danny Wanny’s gonna have a super duper fun Christmas Wistmas Party thingie wingie at his beachy weachy placey wacey, and he, like, gave Magical Dream Princess some invitation wation thingies to give to all her friendy wendies~! So, like, here you go~! (giggle!)”[/color] she said as she handed them out to Penny, Melisa, and Maribel. [color=DeepPink]“They’re magical wagical, too, so you can make more just by thinking winking about it~! (giggle!)”[/color]

After bouncing up and down in gleeful excitement for a few moments, MDP turned to look at Amanda and Melisa. [color=DeepPink]“Like, now that all the trouble wouble heresie weresie is over wover, Pastel-chan and Magical Dream Princess should probably wobably go back to Danny Wanny’s placey wacey nowie~”[/color] the whimsical girl observed. [color=DeepPink]“Did Melisa Wisa wanna come along, too~?”[/color] she asked the doll with a big smile. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess can introduce you to her other friendy wendies, and we can all build sandcastle wastles together wether~! (giggle!)”[/color]

A beach? Wasn't it like, cold out? The others seemed excited about it though so there must be something she was mising. [color=pink]"Sure! I'd love to go."[/color]

Penny would accept the offered Invitation with a nod. [color=9e0039][u][b]"Since there is nothing else.I'll be going."[/b][/u][/color] She would say with another nod before she turned and walked away. She had to talk to those that had stayed and figure out how many people she had working with her on the restoration. 

[hr]

Step by step Dina marched onto the bowels of Sanctuary, her sight resting on Penny. After all what was fought and lost, the aftermath came. She had expected to half lose the favour of the maids, after failing to deliver on her working conditions. Playing queenmaker in Penrose had been quite an experience.

She could hear the ghost of Cindy, or whatever that artificial construct was, laughing and condescendingly addressing her at her inaction, and at how much of a folly this action was. She was about to break. Twice she had cheated death, and she had been pushed too far. But she could not afford to break, just yet.

It was then when she reached the true sanctum of the Sanctuary. The safest place. Penny’s room. As long as the current queen was there, she would not be hurt.

But then again, that probably was fleeting. Unable to cope anymore, and wanting to shut herself down, she grabbed blankets, and wrapping herself on them, hid under Penny’s bed, her gleaming cat eyes peeking from underneath its shadow.

“...Let me...stay like this… your Highness… Let the world pass me by.”

Penny, similar to Dina, had ducked away into her room to decompress. She had delegated various clean up and repair tasks to the girls most suited, those that had stayed at any rate. Told Belladonna that any assistance would be counted towards community service, as had any action she had taken during the attack. 

Then she sent Snoopy out to keep an eye on things in the Sanctuary barren as it now was. 

But now she made it into her room and the door closed. She let out an inhuman snarl and tore one of the chairs she had set about in half. Before hissing a stream of static that sounded venomous on tone alone.

It would take a few moments of her pacing and letting out more bursts of static before she bothered to move closer to where Dina hid. And when she did she simply dropped onto the ground next to the blankets. [color=9e0039][u][b]"Fucking gods damned Mint"[/b][/u][/color] she would mutter before shaking her head.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"Take it defending Mariette was stressful as well?"[/b][/u][/color] She would ask looking over at Dina.

Dina didn’t answer for a long while, instead choosing to shuffle further inside. It was a good thing she was under a bed and wrapped, or else Penny would have noticed how she was trembling. After a long while, she began to talk, slowly and tired.

“I’ve lived a long life. Longer than you think.” Dina said. “It never gets any better. I feared for my life. They’re all like the madmen that tore me from the Tsar’s court, never to live my former life again. They are bitter, and unable to see anything but grisly force.” The catgirl said.
“Maybe Cindy was right. I was far too soft and accommodating.” 

[color=9e0039][u][b]“Cindy was half blind and willing to plunge into a war she couldn’t win over her damned pride”[/b][/u][/color] Penny said trying not to growl and mostly succeeding. Her anger was a seething thing just below the surface, one that never really went away, Penny was just good at directing it towards the appropriate targets.

Once upon a time Cindy had been among those targets, and yes she was still bitter about it.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“As for ‘They’ I’m assuming you're talking about Beacon?”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would continue on [color=9e0039][u][b]“Rachel is a zealot so I’m not going to disagree with you on your assessment of her, but Alicia was burned by Mariette before. Makes it hard to try for diplomacy when it blew up in your face the first time”[/b][/u][/color]

“Alicia is on the path of becoming a second Rachel.” Dina retorted, as she began to crawl out of under the bed. “But she would not listen to a newcomer out of nowhere. She almost...did, though. It was an embarrassing failure nevertheless.” 

“And despite that, and the fact I nearly died once again you named me Regent. Your highness’ wits astound me.” Dina commented.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“She stopped to listen”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would defend [color=9e0039][u][b]“That’s no small point for either of you.”[/b][/u][/color] It spoke to Alicia not being as bad as Dina assumed, as well as it spoke to how strong Dina’s charismatic capabilities were.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“As for Regent”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would simply shrug [color=9e0039][u][b]“That one you earned by the simple virtue of proving that you cared for the girls here and are willing to do what you feel is right for them. I called you out when you first arrived and you summoned staff to help out. I nearly destabilized the place with blunt honesty, you helped cool things down before it imploded. The place was attacked, and you hardly let yourself rest before you were back on the front lines defending this place”[/b][/u][/color]

[color=9e0039][u][b]“You prefer diplomacy over violence and you're not afraid to call me out on bad calls”[/b][/u][/color] She would shrug again. [color=9e0039][u][b]“You care for the girls here, and both me and them recognize it. There are ones out there that would prefer you leading rather than me. You have nearly the same amount of sway I do here. Officially recognizing that is the least I could do.”[/b][/u][/color]

“Well, I had better make use of that title.” Dina admitted, tiredly as she stretched out of the blankets and curved her back like a cat, finally assuming the regal stance. “It would do us no good if people realized I’m mortally afraid of dying.” She said, pushing herself to smile, despite some residual trembling she had. “I’ll- I’ll do my best.”

She then pondered, her tail curled up against her leg. “There’s something I’ve kept under wraps, but I have had to reveal as people… have forced my hand indeed. I may not be a warrior, but I do possess a non-trivial ability to fight. It’s regrettable, but I should need to hold out on my own.”

“And I do think your highness and I should put all our cards out between each of us. We cannot afford sloppy teamwork with so many people wanting us to fail.”

Penny would nod in agreeance, but there would be a notable pause before she spoke [color=9e0039][u][b]“I can do that”[/b][/u][/color] Full honesty wasn’t something Penny really excelled at. There was only one person that she gave that honor too, and that had a lot to do with trying to make up for how poor of a friend she had been. She would glance at the door, her senses reaching out for any irregularities for a moment. [color=9e0039][u][b]“Where would you like to start?”[/b][/u][/color] 

“Let’s fight.” Dina said, she said, flexing her hand up and down.

Penny's expression was more than just a bit perplexed and she blinked rapidly as she replayed the last few bits of conversation parsing it out differently. 

[color=9e0039][u][b]"Okay"[/b][/u][/color] She would say slowly [color=9e0039][u][b]"One: Not before the Sanctuary is better repaired. Two: I'm not capable of going all out in a sparring match. Three: Why sparring?"[/b][/u][/color] She would explain/ask. She could make guesses, but it was still a bit out of left field for the inorganic girl.

"Si vis pacem, para bellum". Dina curtly replied. “It’s regrettable...but necessary.” She said, her voice with a hint of sadness. “And there will be a lot of… fighting from now on.” Her sight turned onto Penny as she concentrated.

“Truth is, my original patron did not abandon me for being a monster girl.” Dina said. “It was because of a certain power.”

Penny was torn between sighing and laughing at the latin phrase. It was far, far too appropriate for the situation at hand. [color=9e0039][u][b]“I guess it is too much to expect this to be the last of it”[/b][/u][/color] She would concede with little humor.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“What power did you manifest that caused them to abandon you?”[/b][/u][/color] She would ask, more than a touch curious. There weren't a lot of Powers that Penny could think of that would cause a Patron to drop someone, but at the same time she didn’t know what type of Patron it was that first picked up Dina.

“It’s quicker if I just show your Highness.” Dina said as he began to concentrate. “Hen to Pan.” She said in a raspy voice. Reaching out to her inner reserves, the pain flaring up which made her gasp for air. Her specialization soon became tinged with many others, as markings appeared all around her body. Once she had stabilized enough, she pointed a finger Penny.

“Scramble”.

And just like that, all of Penny’s specializations, Metal, Electric and Gravity were effectively countered with an equal power.

“Some call it Avatar. I believe Cradle made a semi-reliable way of evoking it in magical girls.”

Due to her own Power Penny was fascinated to watch the way Dina’s magic fractled out into all of them. It was beautiful in a way that words wouldn’t do justice to.

 Then she felt her magic being suppressed and very nearly took Dina’s head off. It was only the fact that Dina’s magic didn’t penetrate past Penny’s skin that stopped the girl from lashing out. 
[color=9e0039][u][b]“Don’t do that again”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would say after a moment of forcing down the kneejerk anger at the unintentional attack. [color=9e0039][u][b]“I kind of need those to stay alive”[/b][/u][/color] Because after all Penny’s body ran off of her specializations, without them she would start to die rather quickly.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“Regardless it is a beautiful Power.”[/b][/u][/color] She would go on setting aside the incident easily for now, as ruby red lines suddenly flared across her body in the design of circuitry. [color=9e0039][u][b]“Why this made them abandon you I’m not sure I’ll ever understand”[/b][/u][/color] She would say bringing up her hand so that she could manifest a small fire before snuffing it out and cycling through other small manifestations of various specs.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“And as you can tell, I’ve got an outlier when it comes to Powers as well. I can copy those that others use”[/b][/u][/color] She would explain as she continued to play around with small displays of the various magics.

Dina sighed. “And as your Highness can tell, the consumption rate of this power is terrible. Unless you have accumulated a lot of mystical energy, the burden is too much. Copying does not imply mastery of it.” She added, cancelling the manifestation and suddenly wobbling and kneeling on the ground. 

“Shortcomings, aside.. What would your Highness think at what age I did become a magical girl?” Dina said.

[color=9e0039][u][b]“Not mastery, true”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would agree, keeping up her own Avatar for a bit longer, knowing that it was her own rather impressive mana reserves and Regeneration that limited the draw back of such a state, but her own limited magical qualities served to impose their own drawbacks. [color=9e0039][u][b]“But I am good at adaptation, and mid combat it’s an unexpected ace to have.”[/b][/u][/color]

[color=9e0039][u][b]“And I would guess you got picked up later in life. Past sixties at least.”[/b][/u][/color] She would answer [color=9e0039][u][b]“You mentioned having a grandson, and just earlier you mentioned being ripped from court. Neither of those are things that young people have.”[/b][/u][/color] 

“One hundred and five.” Dina said solemnly. “A puchuu was getting really desperate, and saw potential in me. That creature however, did not calculate well. Upon contracting I became… as warped as you see. And I had gained that power.” Dina said. “Now imagine if I had been reached out in my prime.” 

“I was discarded because I’m an existence that subverts the common reason of reality.” Dina said. “Add to that said Puchuu was licking boots to a faction of Beacon… and well.”

Penny mulled over what Dina had said for a moment. She supposed it made some amount of sense, as much as any Puchuu made sense to Penny at least. [color=9e0039][u][b]“Not sure if you being contracted when you were in your prime would have produced a stronger reaction.”[/b][/u][/color] She would say eventually [color=9e0039][u][b]“Life experience and wisdom are just as viable conduits for mystical strength as vitality and youth are. At least that’s my take on things.”[/b][/u][/color]

She would contemplate the topic for another moment before looking over at Dina [color=9e0039][u][b]“Since you brought up age, how old do you think I am?”[/b][/u][/color] 

“No older than thirty. Twenties-ish, Your Highness, if I have to gauge.” Dina said. “That is, your original self. In some respects you radiate the quality of an infant. So your Highness seems to be a fragment of someone else?”

[color=9e0039][u][b]“That’s not wrong”[/b][/u][/color] Penny would say bobbing her head side to side [color=9e0039][u][b]“But not fully correct either. Depending on how you look at it I am only a year old. Which is how I view my age, but at the same time I have at my disposal a collective of thirty one years of life experience to draw from. Most of which isn’t mine.”[/b][/u][/color] 

[color=9e0039][u][b]“I was grafted onto the psyche and soul of someone else at my birth, and their induction to the magical world, but we never really integrated all that well. So I wouldn’t say I am a fragment of them either. As far as I am concerned this”[/b][/u][/color] She would gesture to herself [color=9e0039][u][b]“Is my original self. Not the person I woke up attached to.”[/b][/u][/color] 

Dina stood up, looking at Penny for a second before taking a seat besides her. “I had better retract my offer of sparring. I would feel bad to beat a toddler up, your Highness.” She said, trying to process what Penny said. “If the ship of Theseus was to be displayed in a museum, and as the parts that compose it were replaced as they rot away… would that still be called the Ship of Theseus? Furthermore, if said discarded parts were cured of the rot and assembled back once more, what would be the real ship of Theseus?” She mused.

“So, in the end you’re Penny, mayhaps a different Penny from a Penny in the past.” Dina as she drew her arms closer to grasp Penny into a hug. 

Penny accepted the hug without complaint but couldn’t help the wry chuckle that escaped her. [color=9e0039][u][b]“I get what you are trying to explain, but you’ve still got it wrong. It’s not a ship of theseus problem. Me and Jason, the person I was grafted onto, never integrated enough for that to be the problem.”[/b][/u][/color] 

[color=9e0039][u][b]“It’s more mixing paints. I’m one color, he was another, but we were never mixed fully. It is very easy to tell what was me, what was him and where we did mix. I’ve always been Penny. That was the name my first Patron gave me, but Jason never really accepted it. The starting point of all our issues with each other really.”[/b][/u][/color]  She would let out a snort. [color=9e0039][u][b]“Just realized that means that my old Patron is my father technically. Never thought about it like that.”[/b][/u][/color] 

Shaking her head she would refocus [color=9e0039][u][b]“I can remember a time before I had access to Jason’s memories, a time I was a passenger in our shared body. I have a lot of holdovers from him, because not using them would mean I wouldn’t be able to understand any of you. I was born a Monster, a machine, and grafted onto a Magical girl who used to be a human male.”[/b][/u][/color] 

[color=9e0039][u][b]“I’m not afraid or ashamed of that. He was”[/b][/u][/color] 

“Mm. It seems that your Highness is long overdue for certain things.” Dina said, as she slid Penny’s head just above her chest, so her heart could be heard. “I admit this body is lacking in certain traits, but it should do.” She purred softly. “You have been through a lot, and the world is a scary place.” Dina said, steeling herself. It was like a different person than when she first arrived in this room. “Your Highness needs some pampering. And the Regent needs to provide.” She added.

Hesitant was the key word for Penny at the moment. She understood what it was Dina was offering. But Penny wasn't sure how she wanted to accept the comfort, or if she even wanted it. She was technically young, but she was far from a child.

[color=9e0039][u][b]"I don't."[/b][/u][/color]  Penny started slowly trying to find the right words [color=9e0039][u][b]"Really understand how to accept such."[/b][/u][/color] She knew how Jason would have, but she didn't want to emulate him in these circumstances. 

“You don’t understand pampering. It’s something we come to accept as solace in this world.” Dina said. “Some place you can yearn to return and just let yourself go… because too much at once makes the mind weary.” She paused. “It’s part of what makes us human. We wonder at the small things sometimes. And It’s something… you’ll eventually grow into.”

The hesitant tension in Penny’s body didn’t leave, but it was lessening as Penny worked to simply accept someone else offering her simple comfort.

Before she was fully relaxed however she suddenly sat up. A moment later someone was pounding on the door to the room. The only reason the door didn’t cave under the violent knocking was that Penny had long since reinforced her own door against any slip of control from herself. That didn’t stop the angry voice on the other side from being heard though.

“Come and face me you damn coward!” They yelled as they assaulted the door, seemingly trying to break it down. “I’m challenging you for the Throne! So stop hiding you weakling and face me!” 

Penny stayed sitting for only one moment longer before she sighed and stood [color=9e0039][u][b]“No rest for the weary”[/b][/u][/color] She would remark. Before setting a determined stride towards the door. Fully intending on introducing the face of the suicidal idiot on the other side of the door to the concrete.

Dina shook her hand, and stood slowly from her sitting position arranging her dress. “Do you want me to discipline them, your highness?” She added.

Penny would shake her head as she reached the door. Sometimes a show of force was a good diplomatic tactic. If this one girl thought her weak, then so would others, she could not back down from the challenge if she wanted to rectify that image. [color=9e0039][u][b]“You can put them back together if I get too rough”[/b][/u][/color] She would reply instead.

She would pull open the door suddenly leaving the girl on the other side to pound on Penny for a moment before she noticed. The blows failed to make any notable effect. Penny would simply glance down at them coldly, not in contempt or in anger just cold apathy. 

[color=9e0039][u][b]“I accept your challenge”[/b][/u][/color] She would state simply [color=9e0039][u][b]“We can settle this on the main floor”[/b][/u][/color] 

“Probably I’ll have to be the referee.” Dina said bitterly. “Children.” She muttered under her breath.