Burning Phoenix - Saga 1

(Quintiles 29, 59 / 2:03PM)

(Jenny) There you are!

(Loraine) Aww, man!

The smell of cigarettes and tobacco clogged the busy streets, with some men wearing white t-shirts and khaki pants and women wearing long white dress skirts and black heels. As the cool summer Kepputhan heat caused its citizens to sweat, everyone walking by wore a smile.

(Jenny) You’re in so much trouble young lady! So much trouble!

(Loraine) But that was funny!

(Jenny) That’s it!

Jenny, a woman in her early 30s with glasses, grabbed the pigtails of the 14-year-old girl in the back of an alleyway. Clutching her right hand on Loraine’s hair, she then started to walk back towards the direction of the dark angels building.

Loraine tried to goofily punch Jenny to her sides but Jenny’s iron grip kept a hold on her, which made Jenny let off a smug grin.

(Jenny’s thoughts) Now to get back to the building…

With her right hand having a hold on Loraine’s pigtails, Jenny used her left hand to check the watch she had on her left wrist. Noticing the time, she then covered her mouth with her right hand, causing Loraine to thrust forward with the motion of her hand.

(Loraine) Ow!

(Jenny’s thoughts) Oh no! I should get to the building!

Now running, Jenny dragged Loraine, devilishly smirking through the crowd of businessmen and businesswomen. Looking back, she noticed that Loraine had her eyes clenched as she put her hands on Jenny’s right arm.

Lorraine then squeezed Jenny’s arm, her nails digging themselves into her skin. Jenny clenched her teeth, trying to hold back herself as she was in public.

(Jenny) Ow! If you keep it up, I’ll put a leash on you!

(Loraine) Bleh.

Sticking her tongue out, Jenny started to sprout out many veins across her face. With her face starting to turn bright red, she rapidly extended her right hand forward.

(Loraine) Squeal … Stop pulling my hair!

(Jenny) Then stop tormenting me!

Out of spite, Lorraine then turned her head around, her face right in front of the mouth that held her hair. Loraine took this chance to thrust herself towards Jenny’s hand, opening her mouth wide.

Loraine managed to fit the entire hand in her mouth, and with one fatal sweep, Loraine clenched her mouth shut.

(Jenny) OWW!! LORAINE!!

Jenny snarled. Putting her left hand on Loraine's forehead, she then spread her legs several inches away from each other, her back straightened as her stomach clenched.

In one push, Jenny put half of all her strength into her left arm, with Loraine’s head tilting upwards, yet she still contained Jenny’s right hand.

And with her right hand, she used the other half of all her strength, pulling back her hand with enough speed to catch Loraine off guard.

Lorraine was pushed back several feet from Jenny. Landing on the stone-paved ground, Loraine hit her head, creating a small bump that slowly started to form.

(Loraine) Ow!

She whimpered as she massaged her bump with both hands. Jenny meanwhile, wiped her hand covered in putrid saliva against her pants. As her face contorted with disgust, she started to inhale and exhale slowly. Looking up, she noticed that Loraine already stood up from the ground, her eyes tearing up.

(Loraine) You hurt my head!

(Jenny) You started it! You’ve been causing me so many issues ever since you first joined! Can’t you just listen and behave for once you weirdo?!

(Loraine) Weirdo?

Loraine looked down onto the ground, her tears nowhere to be seen. Noticing this sudden change, Jenny noticed that Loraine stopped rubbing her head, her face continuing to stare at the ground.

Looking up, she glared at Jenny, her eyes soulless.

(Jenny) Hey! Are you listening to me?! W-Why can’t you just freaking listen to what I have to say?!

(Loraine) … Don’t call me a weirdo.

Jenny took a couple of steps back, her feet shaking as Loraine formed a fist with her right hand. Steadying her feet so that she could have enough strength and room to launch herself off the ground, she eyed Jenny, not wanting to break focus.

(???) Oh no!

A man with a white robe managed to drop his bag of apples.

Loraine lost focus on her stance, steadying her eyes on the old man who dropped his apples.

Jenny turned her focus onto him too, leaving behind that fearful look she had when she was about to be attacked by Loraine. Seeing the old man bend down to pick up the large amount of apples beside her, Jenny approached the old man.

(Jenny) Here, let me help you.

(???) Oh, thanks dear.

Helping the old man pick up his fallen apples, Jenny took note of the old man’s clothes and face. For one, the old man’s glasses appeared to be more metal than plastic. Jenny would have thought he was a priest if she didn’t find his light green hair unusual.

With all of the old man’s apples in the bag, Jenny stood up to meet the old man, her face sweating a bit.

(Jenny) I think that’s all of your apples. Do you need me to walk you to wherever you're going?

(???) No thanks dear. I’m going to my friend’s friend's house. I may be old, but I’m sure I could walk by myself with no worries.

(Jenny) That’s good to hear.

(???) Pardon me for asking, but is that little girl your daughter?

Placing his hand underneath his chin, he started to scratch the little facial hair that he had, focusing his entire attention on the girl who shook violently.

Loraine ran to hide behind Jenny, grabbing fistfuls of her shirt.

Jenny then turned towards the old man, her face pushing up to form a gentle smile.

(Jenny) She’s not my daughter. She’s my boss’s daughter and I had to keep watch. She just got upset about something.

Loraine put Jenny’s arm close to her, tightly gripping her arm as her little hands shook. Jenny, who noticed this odd behavior from Loraine, looked towards the man who continued to smile warmly.

(Jenny) So uh, I should be getting going now. I don’t want to let my boss get worried for her daughter.

(???) Oh, no worries. Say dear, is the building you're working at several blocks away? If you want, I could escort you to your work, since you helped me out.

(Jenny) You don’t have to do anything, I just helped out a citizen in need, that’s all.

Jenny rubbed the back of her head with her left hand, her face slightly flustering.

The old man gave a subtle nod, smiling gently at Jenny. Turning his body in the opposite direction of where Jenny and Loraine were going, he put his right hand up, waving it toward the two females who held hands.

(???) Then you have a good day now. I’m going to see if there’s anything in the store behind me to look for a new and much better bag than this.

(Jenny) No worries. I hope you take care.

As the old man and Jenny went their separate ways, Loraine firmly squeezed Jenny’s hand as she continued to look down at the ground, her body still shivering with sweat.

Jenny, who noticed the tight squeeze on her hand, looked towards Loraine, her face sharpening as let out a small sigh.

(Jenny) What was it, Loraine? Why were you scared of him?

Loraine didn’t respond.

(Jenny) Was it because of his outfit? He looked too old to be that scary. Maybe you’re just overreacting.

Looking down at her, Jenny rubbed the back of her nape with her left hand, her black slightly crouching underneath the Kepputhan cool summer. Loraine placed her right hand on her stomach, her eyes remaining underneath as Jenny heard a loud gurgling from near her.

(Jenny) Was that your stomach?

Loraine gave a shy nod, continuing to look down towards the ground as she continued to firmly squeeze Jenny’s hand.

(Jenny) Do you want me to take you somewhere to eat?

(Loraine) Yes please…

(Jenny) sighs …Fine. But I ain’t letting you off the hook.

As the two females carried onward, the old man turned around to see the two close together. Adjusting his glasses by pushing his pointer finger towards the center of his lenses, he devilishly grinned with the corners of his lips reaching the length of his nose.

(???) Those two are close, despite them almost fighting in public. Reminds me of some people…

Turning his head towards the dark alley, a dark silhouette was leaning against a wall in the shadows. Not being able to distinguish the outside features of the man, the old man regardless still looked at him, his eyes gently gleaming at the young man.

The silhouette in question walked towards the old man, yet his body and face were still kept in the shadows.

(???) I want you to let Pedro and Kenichi follow those two, and make sure they don’t lose sight of them.

(???) Got it, sir. Permission to speak.

(???) Go ahead, son.

(???) Why can’t I do it? You know in terms of power, I would be enough to take down the rest of the dark angels.

(???) Well son, you just explained it. You’re too valuable for them. Let the weak fight the weak to give them a shot of hope. And besides…

The old man took out a handkerchief, cleaning his hands out of random despite not touching anything.

(???) To truly drive a man or woman into despair, one must let them re-live a dark past.