ToT: Missing in Action: Part 2

“Prisoner care?” said David. “Isn’t that Arnhold’s job?”

“It- it’s supposed to be a way for apprentices to learn restraint” said Gnarl. “Help the prisoners adjust, let them know they’re being cared for, that sort of thing. Vander assigned me to do that today, but… I’m not really the best person for this job.”

“Why not?” asked Aveline.

“I’m the one who arrested a lot of the people in these cells” said Gnarl. “They’re not very happy to see me. So if you could help them out…”

“Why would we do that?” David said, sharply.

Gnarl stepped back, surprised. “B- because they need comfort and-”

“Comfort?” David growled. “Do you know what some of these people did?”

“I- no, the ones here are non-violent criminals” said Gnarl, quickly remembering that David’s team was usually sent after more dangerous bandits. “Con artists, shoplifters, that sort of thing.” This didn’t calm David down quite as much as Gnarl had hoped, but at least he stopped growling.

“So, you want us to- what?” said David. “Pat them on the back and say ‘there, there’?”

“Resin said that most of the people here were just desperate, fallen on hard times” said Gnarl. “Check up on them and just… be gentle, okay?”

The first cell Aveline opened contained a Purrloin girl, barely out of her childhood. The girl looked absolutely miserable. Aveline’s list had her on record as a pickpocket.
The Purrloin looked up at Aveline. She seemed healthy enough. Aveline was about to close the cell again, and then stopped and looked back.

“Are you alright?” she asked. The girl didn’t look at her. “I know this place might seem a bit scary, but you’re safe here.” On impulse, Aveline reached into her bag and pulled out a stuffed Meowth. She wasn’t sure where it had come from- it had sort of just shown up at one point.

She put it in front of the girl, and exited the cell.

The next prisoner was a Pikachu brought in for disorderly conduct. He winked at her.

“You seem healthy” said Aveline, shutting the portal.

_______________________

In another place, several days later, Penelope woke up.

The first thing she noticed was the bonds. She was tied neck-to-tail on a dirt floor- the dirt floor was the second thing she noticed, since her cheek was lying on it.

Unsticking herself, she looked around. She saw a Weavile a few feet away, similarly bound. The Weavile's frill was still growing in, as if she had just evolved. She had familiar violet eyes and a dark blue scarf…

“Samara?” she asked. “What’s going…?”

Everything flooded back to her at once. Tracking Prier to Darkhowl woods, discovering his dealings with the witch Morgan, being discovered by Morgan, fighting her…

Losing…

As if to confirm that, yes, she was fully awake, her burns from that battle all started screaming. Burns were a strange new experience for Penelope; normally, she couldn’t get burned. She decided that this was a very good thing. The ropes against her body didn’t help much, either.

“Easy” said Samara.

“Ugh” said Penelope, struggling into a relatively upright position. After the initial shock, the burns weren’t quite so bad. Her scarf was gone, though. Probably burned off in the last explosion. Her movements were a bit sluggish. She looked at Samara.

“Yeah, I think Morgan drugged us” said Samara. “On the plus side, my new body seems to be working… for whatever that’s worth.”

Penelope looked around. “So… where’s-”

“Your esteemed host?” cackled Morgan, prancing into the room. “She was in the other room, trying to decide your fate.”

“Quick or slow death?” said Samara.

Morgan stood over her. Or tried to; even standing up, she was shorter than the Weavile. “Evolving during battle…” The witch clucked her tongue. “Not generally recommended, as I understand. How did it feel?”

“Kinky” said Samara, her voice completely deadpan; Morgan looked surprised for a moment. “So, are you going to kill us or not?”

A sadistic grin spread across Morgan’s face. “Kill you?” She laughed. “And waste so many fresh ingredients? Never destroy what you can use, young lady.”

Penelope glared at her. “So, Houndour today, potion of night vision tomorrow?”

“Could be, could be” said Morgan. “There are so many choices, and for most of them, the ingredients have to be fresh- which means a fresh kill. I haven’t decided what to do with you… or what to brew with you, as the case may be.”

“Your puns are terrible” said Samara. “Maybe make a potion to do something about that?”

“Sure” said Morgan. “The kidneys of a Weavile are a vital ingredient in an elixir of eloquence, after all.”

Samara’s eyes widened.

“Or…” continued Morgan “I could become more intimidating with a draught of fear. Made with fresh Houndour skullcap.” Penelope reflexively tried to cover hers, briefly forgetting that her paws were bound.

“Or…” Morgan’s smile now bordered on the deranged. “How about a love potion? That has a nice romantic feel to it.”

She was silent for a moment. Penelope swallowed. “Um… what’s that made out of?”

Morgan looked at her in mock surprise. “Isn’t it obvious?” The witch kneeled in front of Penelope. “A love potion is made out of hearts, of course!” Morgan crooned as she ran a claw across the Houndour’s chest. “Two… warm… young… beating… hearts.”

“Why would you want a love potion?” asked Penelope, trying and failing not to freak out.

“That’s none of your-”

“Probably to use on Xavier” said Samara. “I saw her scrying the guy the last time I was here.”

“Xavier?” said Penelope, who suddenly felt like ripping someone's heart out herself. “As in, the bandit that keeps flirting with me?”

Suddenly, Morgan’s face turned murderous. “Love potion it is, then” she snapped. “You two now have roughly a month to live while the other ingredients simmer.” She turned around and headed out of the room. “If you have any goodbyes you’d like to make…” she stopped at the doorway and grinned. “Oh. Right.”

After Morgan was out of earshot, Samara said: “In hindsight, bringing up Xavier was a really bad idea.”

“Think the others will be able to find us?” said Penelope.

“Yeah” said Samara, trying to look optimistic. “Absolutely.”

Outside, a figure picked up Penelope's burnt scarf and backpack. It glanced at Morgan's hut, and then melted into the shadows.