For all intents and purposes, one could not label Mr. Skink as evil or as good. Mr. Skink was rather receptive to her point of view and how she felt for the last few weeks. He was a good listener, and very polite. However, Mr. Skink had aberrant ideas and plans, which often involved involuntary breeding of humans as if they were racehorses. While the ideas technically had merit, she was not quite able to condone them.

"If I am understanding this correctly," began Mr. Skink as he continued trucking down the hall, "you do appreciate Mr. Bronzewing, and the company he provides you, but you wish that he did not feel as if he had to defend you as if you were a lesser?"

"Affirmative."

"Have you informed him of this?"

"I believe I have not," admitted Penny.

Mr. Skink hummed. "The basis of all relationships is conversation. Communication. If one does not communicate, then the relationship is most likely to remain in stasis, or more likely, degenerate. I feel as if you often talk at one another, but not to each other."

"I talk to him," stated Penny defensively.

"You say that, and yet this is a problem which was brought to the surface by the involvement by a third party, namely, me." Mr. Skink paused to take a sip from his thermos. "While yes, I did manipulate both parties and exacerbate any issues between you two, these problems were already underlying issues in your relationship. You often feel as he does not give you the respect you deserve and feel as if he is overbearing. He feels stressed for having to provide for you both, and both wants to have companionship, and is afraid of causing loss."

"He did say that it was likely that he would not live out to see the end of the year." Amended Penny. "It is most likely that he wants to not be alone, yet, he does not want me to be attached."

"Precisely. Unfortunately, human relations do not work in that fashion. You cannot have it both ways, and compromise and cooperation are necessary to make relations of any kind work."

"Cooperation? How so?"

Penny could feel Mr. Skink smile at the question, much like a teacher humoring a student for having an interest in the subject matter, no matter how ignorant they may be. "Compromise has the slight issue where it leaves one, if not both parties feeling as if they are not fulfilled. Cooperation is where you both make it very clear what you desire, and instead of chipping away at each other's plans and objectives to make room for both plans and objectives, you make a new plan. You hybridize your objectives and make a plan which is mutually beneficial for both of you. In the process, you have a bonding process, as well as it leaves both parties feeling equally fully satisfied."

Penny resonated with that. It made sense. Alone, a person was not very strong, but together, they could do more than the labor of two. "Thank you."

"Any time Penny. Thank you for telling me your life story and hearing out my short terms plans." Mr. Skink unraveled his black glove and pressed his weathered flesh glove against the scanner. The scanner beeped, and a lock was undone. "I have a few people I would like you to meet. Would you be as kind as to not tell Dove about them?"

"Of course. How come?"

"They are, how do I say this, most likely things that he would be sensitive about."

"And why do you feel as if you can tell me?"

"Partially, it is because you are much more receptive to non-antagonistic conversations. However, it is also because you are a box, and pose no threat to them, my plans, or me."

There it was. She was still not a threat. Not that she should be, but at least Mr. Skink was kind enough to be upfront with it. "Understood."

"Thank you for not being offended." Mr. Skink closed and ensured the door was locked behind them. "She'll probably be here soon enough."

Within 15 seconds of the door clicking shut, Penny could hear the pitter-pat of little feet running down the hall. A small girl dressed in an oversized shirt and pajama pants, with long, dark black hair, and the most vivid blue eyes launched herself headfirst into the stomach of Mr. Skink. "Mr. Skink! You're back!"

Mr. Skink grunted as he caught her and spun. After a few rotations, he set the little girl down again. "That I am little one. Today I brought a guest. Would you like to say 'hi' to the guest?"

With a massive smile, the girl bellowed out, "Hi, nice to meet you! My name is Ash!" She then paused as she looked around. "Mr. Skink, don't tell me its one of your imaginary friends again."

Mr. Skink laughed at the pouting face of the little girl. "Of course not." He unclipped the scroll from his vest and handed it over to the little girl. "Be careful. If you pull out the chord, she can't talk to us. Okay?"

Ash's greedy palms grabbed at the scroll. "Okay! Hi there!"

"Hello." Greeted Penny. "My name is Penny. Nice to meet you Ash."

Ash looked up at Mr. Skink with sparkles in her eyes. "Woah. How are you doing that! How is she doing that! What is this Mr. Skink!"

"Why don't you ask her?" Gently guided Mr. Skink.

"Uh, Penny, how are you doing this?"

"I am-" started Penny, before she was cut short by Mr. Skink. Surprisingly rude on his end.

"Now hold on Penny, she didn't say please."

"Ah, really Mr. Skink?"

"Really really. You need to be polite and respectful with guests."

"Fine, Mr. Skink." Groaned Ash. "Penny, can you please tell me how you are speaking through this box? I've never seen anything like this before."

Penny could forgive Mr. Skink for his rudeness for these few moments. "I am speaking to you through a scroll."

"So, this is called a scroll?" chirped in Ash. "Cool."

"Now, now, little one. Let her finish." Admonished Mr. Skink.

"It is quite alright Mr. Skink. She is simply excited." Explained Penny. It was simply adorable. "It is called a scroll. While rare nowadays, these devices used to allow individuals to communicate over long distances."

"So, you're calling from outside the Keep?" Excitedly asked the young girl. She could not have been older than 6.

"Unfortunately, that is no longer possible due to the climate outside." Not entirely accurate, but not wrong either. "I am calling you from the box on your father's back."

The girl looked at the scroll weirdly. "Mr. Skink isn't my dad."

"Apologies. However, I am the box on his back."

Ash followed the chord from the scroll to the server tower being carried by Mr. Skink. "That's okay. Other people have thought that I was Mr. Skink's daughter." She poked the box. "You're in here?"

"Technically yes, but I would like to ask you to not poke so recklessly."

"How come?" Asked Ash.

Mr. Skink's gloved fingers found their way under the arm of Ash, poking her in the ribs repeatedly, tickling her mercilessly. "This is why! Let's see you poke now!"

Ash could only squeal in bursts of giggles and scampered away from the relentless fingers of Mr. Skink. "That wasn't fair Mr. Skink!"

"Were you going to continue poking her?" Smirked Mr. Skink.

"No." Stated Ash with as stubborn of a gaze a 6-year-old could muster.

"Tell the truth."

"I wasn't going to."

"C'mon."

"I wasn't!" Screamed Ash.

"The Gobbley-Goop." Mr. Skink's hand started imitating a mouth, and imitated moving closer to Ash.

"No. Mr. Skink. I wasn't!"

"The Gobbley-Goop." Mr. Skink too another step closer.

"I! Wasn't!"

"The Gobbley-Goop." Only one more step, and Mr. Gobbley-Goop would be upon her.

"No~" whined Ash. "I promise!"

"The Gobbley-Gooo-" Mr. Skink lunged forward, and Ash squealed as she dropped backwards, landing harshly on her butt on the hard cement floor. However, Mr. Gobbley-Goop did not take prisoners, and tickled her mercilessly on the floor. "-ooooop!" Mr. Skink stood up, brushed himself off, and helped Ash up off the floor. "So, were you?"

Ash looked off to the side, with an utterly guilty look on her face. "Yeah."

"What have I said about lying?"

"I'm sorry." Earnestly apologized Ash.

"That's not what I've said."

Ash thought a moment. "You said to not do so."

"Exactly. Good girl."

"I won't do it again Mr. Skink. Promise."

"Don't promise, if you're going to do so again."

"I won't!"

"You will need to do so again eventually. Never say that you won't do something. Okay?"

Ash seemed confused but nodded along. "Yes Mr. Skink."

"Very good." Mr. Skink smiled. "Now be honest, have you been trying to sneak your father parts of your meal?"

"I don't like the seal. It's too fatty!" Complained Ash.

"Now now, little one, you need to eat up to grow up big and strong to take care of your father, you know?"

"Yes Mr. Skink."

"Speaking of your father, do you think he's well enough to meet Penny?"

Ash thought for a moment. "I think so. Follow after me Penny."

"You don't know where it is?" Asked Penny into the ear of Mr. Skink.

"I do. She just likes screening anyone who meets him. Who am I to stop her from having her fun?"

The three of them walked down the hall until they reached a plated metal door. The little girl heaved the door open, and the three entered a dark padded room, with an internal chamber, separated by a thick plastic window. The little girl pulled open the second door as well and called out into the darkness, "Daddy, Mr. Skink is here to visit you!"

An inhuman moan echoed in the darkness. A sob mixed with a groan.

"Penny, this is Prisoner 003. Prisoner 003, this is Penny." Introduced Mr. Skink.

"Hello, Prisoner 003. It is nice to meet you." Greeted Penny.

A moan was given in return.

"Would you like me to call you something other than 003?"

A sob this time.

"He can't talk. His last caretaker did a number on him." Mr. Skink commented quietly. It was the slightest she had ever seen his smile.

"How so?"

"She removed three of his limbs and his tongue." Mr. Skink's words hovered with the fog in the air. Hot breath, gently dissipating in the cold.

"She was a meanie." Added Ash.

"She was indeed."


Flynt Coal. The ID card was slipped back into a small black wallet and placed back onto the desk. Dove had no idea who this guy was before the resistance, but he probably wasn't that important. Especially since the profile that Mr. Skink had on him essentially meant that this was all an inevitability. You can't have people finding out your semblance, friends, common routes, or even your favorite foods without knowing that they might use them against you. Sneaking in had been surprisingly easy, but everyone was just a bit uneasy, making it easy for Dove to feel out the patrols when they got near. No alarms, and Mr. Coal would die in his sleep. Better than what most of them got nowadays. Did Dove feel guilty about this? He honestly didn't know. The man was a dead man walking. He was just expediting it without crushing this cell. Good things in his book.

It didn't take long. While a bit unsavory, beheading always did the trick. No chance of surviving with brain damage, or someone healing them at the last moment with some baloney semblance. He knew he couldn't take the whole head back with him as evidence. So, he took the man's blue ring, the cat bell in his pocket, and his room key. After feeling for a patrol, Dove locked the door behind him and started making his way back.