Episode 22: Mr. Rippen
So I know I said I was excited to write this…but the reason is because I get to write about two of my OCs, and this is the first time I've given them a scene together! This chapter is super short, but I still like it :)
Cit invited Verge to play video games at his place one day at his house. He'd played all the games with the other members of the art club so he figured that while is parents were at work and he didn't feel like going to school today, he could start this tradition with Verge. They were playing mostly fighting games like Super Smash Bros on his Nintendo Switch and Tekken on his PS4. They were having such a fun time that before they knew it, it was an hour before Verge had to go to work.
They'd finished one round of Street Fighter when the taller male exhaled deeply. "I didn't know you were so good at these games, Verge!"
The brunette fairy chuckled. "In truth, neither did I!"
"I'm gonna get some lemonade, you want some?"
"Sure, thanks!"
As Cit retreated to the kitchen, Verge stood from her Indian-sitting position and stretched her wings. There were a lot of pictures around her friend's living room. As far as she was concerned, Cit was an only child, but in some pictures, she saw a little dark-haired girl with her parents, always grinning from ear to ear. The images made Verge smile.
When Cit came back with two glasses, the fairy picked up one frame and held it out. "This your little sister?"
Much to her surprise, the blue-haired boy laughed as he set Verge's glass down and sipped his lemonade. "No, that's me."
This took Verge aback. "Sorry, is 'Me' like, a French name or—"
"You heard right, Verge. I used to be a girl."
The fairy must've looked back and forth from the frame to her friend a dozen times. Strangely enough, the more she looked at both figures, the more she saw the little girl in Cit. "Wow," was the first thing that came out of Verge's mouth. "What—"
Cit crossed his legs on the floor and Verge sat beside him. "When I was young, I always knew something was wr—different about me. I never liked to wear dresses, I didn't like girly things, and as soon as puberty hit, I realized I was into women." The boy tugged at his pink checkered scarf. "I relate to myself as male. I was lucky enough that my parents were very supportive, even though they're still in denial sometimes. They told me to wait until I was 18, a time where they will finally accept that I'm sure of my choices. But right now, they'd let me cut my hair and wear these clothes. Then, I can get surgery and finally feel like what I'm supposed to be."
"That's…awesome, Cit," Verge admitted. "You're so dedicated to what you believe."
"It's my true self," he insisted. "Of course I believe in it. This is what I really am. I'm glad you accept it, Verge."
"Of course I do! You accepted me being a fairy… But Cit, how can you know that, this is truly it?"
Cit smiled gently, as if this was a question he'd been asked a thousand times. "Because I know, deep in my heart, that this is who I was supposed to be. I know it, and no one can take that away from me. It delights me to know that soon, things will all eventually fall into place. I'll be seen as a guy for real, and not only will I have what I want, but I'll finally feel like things will be right."
The fairy never had felt so much respect for a friend than how she was feeling right now. She stared at the blue-haired boy with so much admiration, until a realization began to settle in her heart. Deep down, she knew what was right, as well. She knew what she was meant to be.
She held her glass out to Cit, and he clinked his own against hers with a smile.
Verge got to work just in time. She zapped with her friends to their new mission and was ecstatic to be back in her pirate clothes. Boone rowed his fins as they floated on the sea. Verge noticed some fishes were swimming before him and was about to point it out but then Penn was taking a deep breath.
"Ahhh, smell that open sea, love me some open sea."
Sashi squawked in response. "I hope your good mood isn't about pirate Maria."
Verge pouted, shrunk to her smaller size, and sat on Penn's shoulder. "Hope you're not even thinking about something close to her."
"Uhh…" The expression on Penn's face looked guilty, but he tried for a smile and poked the fairy's cheek. "Come on. You know I'm not."
The brunette huffed, but smiled lightly.
Sashi looked behind her and her eyes widened. "Penn? Behind you!"
"What, it's Maria? It's Maria, isn't it?"
Verge noticed the dark shadow looming over them, looked behind her, and shrieked. This caught Penn's attention and turned. The dark shadow was being casted by a giant Kraken, and it looked ready to attack!
"You're not Maria! You're a big monster Kraken boat!"
The Kraken roared, lowered a tentacle, and lifted Boone into the air. Verge held onto Penn's coat, and he held onto Boone. The whale boat gasped, feeling whoozy. "You're gonna make me sick!" he cried.
"Uh, Boone?" Penn shouted, slipping. "Tickle it! Tickle it or something!"
The boat began moving his back fin. "One tentacle tickle coming up! Tickle! Tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle!"
The monster laughed loudly and eventually dropped Boone back into the water, making him lie on his back. In a hurry, Verge flew to dust Penn, making him float a bit so he could stay dry and safe. "Thanks Verge," he breathed, balancing himself.
"Don't mention it,"
"Penn!" Sashi suddenly gasped, looking at the boy's belt. "Your MUHU is green! There's a shard in this world!"
"Oh wings, yes!" Verge cheered, flying to see the bright glow the device was emanating.
"That's amazing!" Penn exclaimed.
"Zero…"
"But, don't worry. I-I'm not gonna let the shard distract me from the mission this time." Boone slowly began to regain balance, and the Kraken flailed its tentacles, trying to get Penn.
Verge grew bigger, trying to swat it away as Penn lowered himself onto the ground. "Argh, I like animals but not when they attack!"
One tentacle accidentally hit the MUHU, and Penn got to see where the shard he needed was located. "Hey, look! The shard's coming right to us! Okay, okay, I know I said I'd focus on the mission, but we get that shard and we can go right to the Most Dangerous World Imaginable and get my parents back!"
"Zero, we know," Verge said calmly, now trying to use water powers to shield them as the Kraken tried to attack. "But are you sure you're not blind like last time again?!"
"Verge, I'm sure! But first—"
The Kraken tore right through Verge's water shield, and just as she was about to make a new one, its tentacle lifted Boone into the air again. Verge managed to get away and helped Penn and Sashi tried to break free from the restraints of the tentacle as they slowly neared the monster's mouth.
"I love food and now I'm gonna become it!" Boone wailed. "I guess it's kinda neat?!"
"You won't, Wiseman!" the fairy shouted. "We just need some he—"
She was cut off by the sound of the Kraken being hit on the head with a canon, stopping it to look at what shot at him. A familiar dolphin boat was grinning. "Say hello to my little friend! Maria! I'm talkin' 'bout the person, not the cannon."
Sure enough, their old pirate friend was in her talking boat standing proudly beside a cannon. Penn exclaimed, "Maria!", looking happy to see her.
But the Kraken roared again, looking more furious, but Maria the boat leapt into the air while Maria the pirate fired her canon again. It hit the rock arc that was just above the Kraken, and while Boone fell safely back into the water, the rock fell right on top of the monster's head, knocking it back into the sea.
Verge gasped, wanting to cheer, but then Maria dropped in and smiled at Penn. The redhead, although probably enamoured, scowled. "Stay back, Maria! Was this whole rescue just a trick to rip off our goldfish boats? Huh?! Was the Kraken in it? Huh? Talk! Talk, you harpy!" He brandished what was supposed to be his sword. "Aha! A feather…"
"Uh, you finished?" Maria asked smugly. Penn lowered his sword-feather in shame. "Okay, good. Don't worry, I'm a good pirate now. You inspired me."
"Well, that's a relief," Verge commented, flying over to stand on Penn's shoulder again.
The redhead suddenly gasped and pointed at the pendant around Maria. Once the fairy saw it, she knew what it was. "Look, Maria, I know this won't make much sense to you but, that pendant is very important to me."
She paused once, but began to take her necklace off. "Say no more, Ponytail. Something about it always made me think of you." Penn smiled, but Verge huffed. Maria then tossed it over. "It's yours."
Just as the redhead was ready to take it, Rippen as Woodbeard came swooping in, grabbing the pendant with his hook by the rope it was hanging on. He laughed as he landed on a netting of the ship. "Your precious shard is mine, Penn Zero. And you'll never get it back. Just like you'll never get your parents back!"
Penn's expression shifted from anger to worry in a split second.
Rippen began to laugh maniacally, but little did he know that his fairy enemy was on his shoulder until she grew and kicked him in the nose. Verge got the pendant once Rippen went to cover his face in pain. He was about to fall off at the impact but kept his balance. That is, until he lost it again when a great force hit the ship and the part-time villain screamed as he fell off Boone.
"Larry…you did what I asked you to do?"
"Of course! It's your birthday!"
"Happy birthday, Rip!" Verge called out, flying back to Penn as she grew smaller. "But I only have a gift for Zero."
Penn received the shard, grinned wildly, and gave Verge a tiny fist bump.
"Give my regards to the bottom of the ocean!" Maria the boat grabbed Larry's shark tail with her mouth and tossed him into the swirling whirlpool. She approached Rippen next, saying, "Hey creepy wood dude! Happy birthday!" She scooped him up with her snout and spat him out, right after Larry. The villains began to slowly sink into the water. Penn and Verge cheered together.
Thanks to the Marias, they managed to get the goldfish boats safely to school. The little critters were so excited, and Verge gushed, adoring how cute they looked.
"I'll never be able to repay you, Maria," Penn said, holding up the glowing blue shard. "I'm so happy I could—" He cut himself off.
"Do this?" The female pirate moved closer to Penn, a look in her eyes. Verge saw her just in time and let out a tiny, tortured sound.
But just before she could press her lips to Penn, they got zapped back home.
"Phyllis likes interruption," The mechanic was saying, as she brought the heroes to the ground. Penn didn't show it, but he was furious. "Moreover…"
Verge flew down, trying to let the flush on her cheeks die down, and pointed at the shard in Penn's hand. "Zero! You finally have it!"
The redhead snapped back to reality and held the blue pendant up, happiness flashing in his eyes. "Well, whaddya know…" Boone and Sashi also beamed, looking exultant.
A metal hand snatched the shard up and brought it to Phyllis, who held it up herself and inspected it. A small smile tugged at her lips. "We are ready."
Penn beamed with exhilaration. "I'm going to find my parents…" He looked like he was on cloud nine. When he looked at Verge, she grinned at him, looking almost as excited as he was.
The boy exited the Odyssey, hooting and cheering, with his friends laughing right behind him.
"Quadruple fist bump!" They laughed more and proceeded to get hom.
"That's really dumb," Penn put in.
Verge made him stop in his tracks and stare straight into his cyan eyes. "It's what gives me joy."
The laughter died down for a few moments.
Later that evening, Verge would have celebrated with Penn, but she had instead asked instead gather everyone at his house for a few hours. Everyone would have to bring their own food. Verge brought salad. Soon, for a while, they enjoyed what they had. Gloria liked beating a struggling Lance at Smash Bros every time. Brook and Lena took turns using Cit's tablet to work on a commission. Cit took pictures of everyone and joined the fun.
Even though Verge orchestrated the whole thing, she simply liked watching her newfound friends do their thing. She'd only known these people a few days, but it seemed like she'd known them her whole life.
The fairy found that she really loved them.
"So, why'd you call each of us here, Vergie?" Lena piped up, resting her elbow on Verge's shoulder.
Hearing this, the other art club members turned to her. Verge was dreading this question, but what could she do? It couldn't have been avoided. So she spoke.
"I needed this. You know? Just a quick hang out with some of the greatest people I've ever known."
"Awww Verge you flatter us." Gloria waved a hand, but she was beaming.
"Guys, I hope you know that…no matter what…you're all special to me. And I couldn't ask to be a part of a better club." The smile on her face looked pained.
The five people before her were silent for a moment, until Lance said, "Dude, you act like we're never seeing you again."
Brook put her hand on Verge's other shoulder. "We're happy that we met you too, Verge."
Cit crossed his arms and smiled. "No matter what, we'll always be the art club."
Their smiles warmed Verge's heart.
Even though she planned it, she had to leave the mini-party early. She wanted to spend her late night with Penn as well. While she was at the party, Penn was just at home, lying in bed, eating, and reminiscing old memories and looking at pictures of him, his parents, and Verge. There was one picture he especially liked; the one his parents just happened to take, as he was trying to cheer up Verge. Her tiny head was poking out of his hair, and she was smiling the brightest smile he had ever seen.
Penn remembered that was the day he first fell in love with her.
He simply loved having memories like that with her.
When she came back from her get-together with her art club friends, they decided to make late-night sandwiches, ate cookies and drank milk, and just sat on Penn's bed and remembered old missions. They talked and laughed and basically just acted like kids.
It was a perfect night for Verge.
"I can't wait to finally get my parents back," Penn finally said.
"I know," Verge said, smiling. "I'm excited too." She paused for a second and went to hug Penn's pillow. "Zero…you know I love you, right?"
"Yeah, you made it clear on this very bed."
"No matter what, okay? I'm always going to love you."
"I know Verge…" The redhead placed a hand on her shoulder. "Is something wrong, Verge?"
The brunette shook her head, smiling wider. "No, of course not."
"You sure? You, you don't wanna talk about it?"
Verge quickly moved to kiss his cheek. Before Penn could even be surprised, she replied, "Everything is perfect. We're going to save your parents. We're going to be okay."
When Penn smiled, Verge liked to believe it would be.
Just a heads up guys, I'm planning on dividing the finale into two parts. Also, might take a while before I post the first half because I need a break whew
Wow I can't believe this is really happening… Two years ago, I wasn't even planning on continuing this. Now, I'm gonna be writing the finale soon
But I guess, like I always say, you should always finish what you started, no matter how long it takes ^_^
Four years ago, I also didn't have a boyfriend, and now he's helping me transcribe the last episode of Penn Zero. I love him so much haha
But yk, thank you to those have that stuck by this story until the very end :3