"Please stay here tonight." Alissa asked politely with a slight sweetness in her voice,
The demon clown smirked at her as an agreement.
Alissa knew how to act this time. She finally understood how to balance her emotions with her mind. She decided that she would only use her power over the clown when necessary. But she made sure that she would convey her fear of losing Pennywise instead of completely showing It love. There was definitely a hint of love in her fear of losing It, but that would do, she thought. At least she still had the upper hand somehow, even just a little bit, Alissa stated in her head.
She felt more confident and relieved now that she knew how to act around the demon clown; the company whom helped her find herself. The least she could do was return the power It needed.
She thought it was a fair trade. Alissa wasn't planning to tell the clown the way she saw things as she assumed that It understood just by the way she acted around It now.
If she gave It the power and she was It's 'plaything', what she had in return was It's company, the feeling of being important, 'plus, I take hold on the situation since I have power,' she thought.
This was so much better for both beings. And she was genuinely satisfied for once in a long time. She wished there was another way, but there wasn't. If there was, she would definitely take it. But sadly, there wasn't any.
"I want you to stay away for the night." She asked the clown politely again. Alissa knew that Pennywise would follow her request as the clown sensed she was sure. "I have work tonight at a seminar, and I really want to focus." She was told the clown her reason, although not telling the whole truth. Alissa did not want Pennywise to hear any of the information she was preparing to ask in the seminar about evil entities. She needed Pennywise to be away from her as possible.
How convenient this was, she thought.
Pennywise did leave her alone for the whole night and returned in her apartment when morning came, just as she asked, completely unaware of Alissa's newfound knowledge about everything she had been looking an answer for.
Alissa arrived at the seminar right in time, although, she didn't approach Dave right away. She didn't want to be seen yet, scared that Dave might notice how early she was. During the seminar, she stood alone at the corner of the auditorium and started taking photos. She walked from time to time, following the speakers during the talk to snap photos. But most of the time, she was lost in their words. She was rather more interested in what the guest was speaking about than taking photos of the people on stage.
There was so much she realized that night. And she was thankful that she found out she could order Pennywise around just in time. Now, she could do additional digging without Pennywise's knowledge.
The speakers definitely got Alissa's attention. But one subject definitely had Alissa's eyes and ears focused on him.
One of the speakers, an old Filipino man with the name Panchito Agong, slumping even while It stood still on the podium, spoke specifically about how evil entities were bound to be evil forever except for one rare opportunity. Paolo would have elaborated but was told that his time needed to be spent more on talking about the classifications of evil entities. Alissa desperately hated this. She was overly curious.
Before Panchito could return to the podium, he was stopped by Alissa's voice. She stood behind the microphone in the audience, "What do you mean an evil entity isn't bound to be evil forever?"
She felt all eyes glance at her, making her heat up under pressure. But she didn't care. She had to take advantage of the situation.
Suddenly, a man from the staff spoke up, "Sorry but questions will only be entertained after-" but he was interrupted by Dave who stood beside him. He gestured at Alissa to carry on. She smiled at him as a thank you. Dave smiled back at her.
Paolo walked back to the podium and spoke through the microphone, "Well," he started, "Some evil entities are either created evil or born evil."
"What if they were born evil? Like, they existed out of a universe as already an evil being?"
She felt eyes drag back to glance at her again. She looked around and shrugged, "It's for research." Alissa defended herself,
"What's your name?" Panchito Agong asked,
"Alissa." She said shyly now,
"Alright, Alissa." Panchito cleared his throat, and leaned over at the microphone, slumping down even more, "This evil entity obviously seems to be bound to be evil forever, just as how it was born to be. But it does not entirely mean that this evil being cannot be...purified."
The word echoed in the back of Alissa's head, her eyes widened in hope, and her heart beat louder than ever at the possibility of salvation for the evil being she longed for.
She wanted to ask how but she was shaking; both in excitement and in shock. She had to know immediately. But the man from the staff spoke again, "I'm sorry but your question will be entertained a little bit later, as Mr. Agong needs to discuss the remaining topics."
Dave knew he had no choice, and so did Alissa. She only nodded and walked away from the microphone. She knew she had to meet Panchito Agong right after. It was tonight or never.
Right after the seminar, Alissa rushed against the crowd to approach Panchito. She glanced at her wrist watch, paranoid that the night might be over and that she might be caught looking for things against Pennywise. But even though it was still eight in the evening, she rushed behind Panchito and called for him desperately, "Mr. Agong!" She shouted, but the old man did not stop walking. He heard her but kept walking.
Finally, Alissa kept up and was panting, walking beside him. He glanced at her and had a smug look on his face, "Ah, Alissa."
She didn't want to waste time, "What do you mean by purify?"
"Why are you so interested in such an uncanny subject?" The old man asked back,
Alissa furrowed her eyebrows at him, "It's just...for research."
"Hmm," Panchito looked away and stopped walking, "I don't want to discuss such a complex and difficult thing to someone who only finds this subject either baffling or interesting. This is not just small talk, you see. This is sensitive, ancient information you're asking for."
"I know." Alissa couldn't help herself, she tried to calm down. "And I really want to know. It's a very long story but-"
"I don't care." Panchito interrupted and calmly replied, "What I want to know is this: will this information go to waste?"
She furrowed her eyebrows further, "N-no, Sir. It won't."
"Good." Panchito firmly replied and started walking again, making Alissa catch up with him.
Fun trivia: Pagong is Filipino for Turtle.
Let that sink in. If you get it, comment your answer
with your name and get a chance to
have a cameo again! Hehe.