46The Scythe of the Heartless: Chapter 1
Dangerous Puffle
Think in Mission-mode, just without the speech bubbles. Supply your own imaginary voices to characters.
GiGi/ Ebony speaking: I'm directing the movie, yeah.
Normal: The story goes on. Actually it begins.
Imagine darkness.
Imagine silence.
The silence is quenched by the sound of distant, muffled voices, the darkess weakens and fades away into blinding light.
Suddenly loud and clear:
"What's making you so worried about this puffle, Agent PH?"
The speaker with his solemn voice asked. The dark blue penguin looked up from his late night coffee and the paper in his flipper, causing his round glasses to gleam in the light.
It was Gary.
Seated opposite him, on the other end of the meeting table in the CR, was a frustrated and exhausted-looking PH.
"A lot, G," she said quietly.
The inventor adjusted his glasses and studies the puffle trainer, perplexed. Sitting beside G, Rookie does the same.
"Agent, I don't see why you consider this matter so urgent that you put much needed rest to one side to talk to me."
He straightened his tie wearily.
"But I will look into it, if that's what you want."
G turned his attention back to the paper and scanned the words.
After a moment, he cleared his throat.
"So this black puffle's name is Scythe. It's been drafted into the elite team about a month ago and trained. Other than being slightly different from its kind, I don't see anything worrisome about it."
"Scythe is dangerous, don't you understand?"
The trainer stood up and gestured with her flippers in agaitation.
"The puffle has been trained by Sensei to use weapons. The purpose was originally to teach it to be a bodyguard, and defend its charge, but now the situation has crossed the line. Apparently no one told Sensei ONLY to teach it defence tactics. And the thing is, if we had taken any other puffle, I wouldn't be worried at all! This puffle, Scythe, it's smart. It knows how to use weapons, and it's not afraid to use it. It could attack whom it sees as enemies, be it bear, or crab, or penguins." She drew out the emphasis on the last word. G was evidently unsettled, while Rookie's lower jaw had already hit the table.
"Worse still, if you get in its way, consider yourself in its enemy list. Scythe doesn't have...kindess? Oh, I don't know the right word for it. It doesn't have consideration? A conscience? A heart, figuratively speaking? But it can cause serious injury without feeling the least remorse or guilt. Absolutely no hesitation. It did that once, while it was in the Pet Shop. That's why it got sent to me. The shop assistant apparently did something that displeased it. The puffle got angry, and then guess what? It threw the penguin right across the room with pure mind power. Do you know how darned STRONG its telekinesis would have to be to do that?"
The agent paused, because she realized she was having an outburst, and sat down hastily, reddening at the cheeks. More calmly, she continued.
"Scythe neeeds a penguin to take care of its many fussy demands. I can't handle it on my own, not with all the other puffles I have to look out for. The previous helper was Agent SugarAnne16, but now she's withdrawn. I need your advice, G."
Gary rubbed the side of his beak thoughtfully.
Rookie, who had been wisely silent during the whole talk, piped up.
"We can put him back in the wild, can't we?"
PH groaned.
"That's the worst we can do, Rookie. As I said before, Scythe is clever. It could find its way back to us, and who knows what it'll do if it resents us for 'putting it out'. Besides, if Herbert finds out about its fighting abilities, and manages to get his grubby paws on that puffle, I wouldn't like to think what could happen. Klutzy the crab is bad enough. We definitely don't need an elite on the 'dark' side."
"Should we keep it confined?" G suggested.
"No. That's bad. That'd make it hate us for taking away its freedom. It'll become an uncontrollable monster."
In the silence that followed, Rookie said, "Looks like we could just hand Scythe over to the next agent that walks in as an assignment and hope for the best, until we can find a better plan for it."
"I'm inclined to agree with you, Rookie," G sighed in defeat.
"I have a white puffle. It's name is Smoky Fog."
Shocked silence.
(Almost at the same time)
G: Who is that?
R: Not me!
PH: Whoah...
"Eek. Be scared, be afraid, be very, very afraid. It is I," a low female voice said dramatically in a flat, unamused tone. A figure stepped into the light. The newcomer was a lime green penguin wearing a bright pink and blue scarf and a black hoodie and a black, studded hat with a fake small fish skeleton on its side.
"Agent L," G relaxed, "we didn't hear you coming in."
"Nobody does," L shrugged. "Chill. I didn't eavesdrop. Only heard something about an assignment and hope and a better plan." She added, since PH looked wary. G seized up the chance.
"Talking about assignments, are you willing to take this dangerous case?"
"Fire up right away, G." The penguin plopped herself into a seat next to PH. The light revealed that, beneath the shabow of the cap, the penguin's lime green left cheek was flecked with splatters of light blue. Her left flipper that rested on the table was purple. It was a funky and disorienting effect, like L had knocked over a few pots of paint some time ago and didn't bother to recolour herself again. PH looked bothered. "G, as much as I respect your judgement and L's ability as an agent, I don't think that Scythe's case..."She trailed off when G held up a flipper.
"Unfortunately, we have no choice, PH. L is willing to tackle this case, which is good because this urgent matter has to be dealt with ASAP. Like you previously said. It's a dangerous puffle, but better it being on our side than Herbert's."
The brown penguin slumped down in her seat. Agent L coughed and raised a purple flipper apolegetically. "Um, may I ask what is going on? You sound like you're gonna hand me a living time bomb."
"That's almost correct."
"Gulps nervously," L uttered under her breath.
"This assignment will take an unknown amout of time, maybe a week or two, so be prepared. You have to look after this puffle," so saying, Gary gave the penguin the paper and continued," You must attend to its demands with speed, with precision and definitely, without error. This puffle can cause harm to penguins if angered, so keep a close eye on it." G turned to PH. "Hand her the list that SugarAnne16 gave you." PH reluctantly passed it to L. The multi-coloured penguin scanned the list. "Gosh and shogs," she said with some awe and read some points out loud. "Bath water must be luke warm, or Scythe will scorch a black mark on your igloo trying to heat it up to the right temperature...Bubblegum must be mint flavoured...Allow Scythe to go out at seven p.m. to eight p.m. That's his playtime: he goes to the Ice Rink to skateboard. Don't try to detain him. He is very punctual, so if he isn't back by then, something might have happened...Scythe's hair needs to be dried after each bath, because his hair is too thick for him to shake all the water off...don't ever babytalk Scythe; someone could get hurt...don't underestimate him in any way." She chuckled slightly. "This little guy sure is fussy."
G noted the change in her personality and tensed up. Better get it over and done with before she...
"Indeeed. Operation Puffle Guard starts tomorrow, nine a.m. sharp. Get ready to meet him by then. By the way, try and win its loyalty over. It's not easy, but we wouldn't want it to change sides if Herbert discovers its speciality and talks it over."
L smiled sinisterly. "You're asking the wrong penguin, G. I'm no good at winning hearts over."
G sighed in defeat for the second time that night. "I hope you realize the seriousness of this mission, agent."
"Righto, G. You smart, hey. Putting an oddball and a weirdo together...hnhnhn," she laughed that dark, closed-beak laugh that meant she flipped into another of her modes.
Maybe it was a mistake...G thought.
In the Elevator "Zap":
L: You don't look too happy, Puffle Handler.
PH: I don't trust you with Scythe.
L: I don't really care if you trust me or not, but do tell me. I'm so curious. (sweet voice)
PH: I know your real name, Agent L, and the things that follow.
L: That is offensive. You're being 'name-ist'. What things have you heard, I wonder.
PH: Things like you being watched by the PSA before and the command given by the very Director that Dot has to keep an eye on you. In my opinion, I don't think a undependable penguin like you should be here at all.
L: Rumors, blah blah! The cruel things penguins say! Spare me. You're being a bit mean. (waves a flipper around)
(Elevator door opens)(L steps out first)
PH: I'm watching you, LovelessHart.
L: Watch all you want. (drops voice low) I always like to have a bit of an audience. (grins)
GiGi/Ebony:
Then the screen goes dark. End.
Er, ok, time to take a break. Review and tell me what you think! I'd really like to know. Light's on please. See you at the next show~!
A/N: Changed L's name, since it seems a bit weird. *sweatdrop ^^;
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