Penguin

~Giggling, a little girl is giggling. I turn towards the noise but nothing is there. I clasp my hands over my ears in attempts to drown out the noise. It's getting louder and louder. It seems less like an innocent child and more like a maniac. I can't stand it! I hurts.

"Raven!" the voice chants in between fits of laughter. That voice, I know that voice.

"Stay away! Get away from me! Leave me alone! Why can't you just stop torturing me!" I yell, crouching down into a ball. What is she doing here?

"Raven! Raven!" the noise keeps getting louder and closer. I can feel her shaking me viciously.

"Stop!" I sob while trying to reach for my weapon, then realize it's not there. I don't want to look up at her, I don't want to see her.

"Raven!" she yells so close to my face that I can smell her breath. A mixture of alcohol and morning breath… Wait, she doesn't drink. I finally force myself to open my eyes and look up at her.~

Penguin was right there trying to shake me awake. My cheeks felt wet, whether it was from tears or drool, I didn't care to find out. "Are you ok?" Penguin asked me as I sat up with a throbbing headache.

"Y-ya," I muttered while trying to rub my temples. Penguin continued to sit next to me and watch, waiting for me to say something I'd guess. I let the dream replay over and over again in my head. Damn it! Why does she still haunt me?

"I need a weapon." I said finally. My sudden speech seemed to have startled Penguin. It took him a second before he answered me.

"Don't you have your guns?" he asked, a bit confused.

I shake my head. "I need my weapon" I emphasized the word 'my.' He motioned for me to follow him and we weaved through the tangle of bodies that littered the floor of the dining room. We went down a few hallways before coming to a bolted door. Penguin pulled out a key and opened the latches. Inside were mounds of metallic weapons.

"No one really uses blades so we have a pretty decent collection." Penguin told me as we entered the room. I scanned the mounds of gleaming iron and shook my head.

"You don't have one." I said, not bothering to hide the disappointment in my voice. He gave me a look that said, what kind of weapon could you possibly use. "There is a weapon shop on grove 35. Could you take me?" I asked. He seemed a bit uneasy about it but agreed none the less.

We walked to the store in silence and I was grateful for that. I didn't need him asking me about my dream. He hadn't said anything about it but I am sure I was talking in my sleep. It was early enough that we encountered no one on the way to the store. As we walked into the shop a bell rung, signaling that someone had entered. I scanned the small space and found what I was looking for.

"Can I help you with anything?" a burly man asked as he walked in from the back.

"Could I see that scythe?" I asked while pointing over his shoulder.

"You have a good eye Miss, I made that one myself. Never thought someone would be interested in it though." He said while pulling the weapon off of its shelf. He handed it to me and weight of it felt oddly comforting. The metal rod was black and the silver blade on top curved into a wicked point. I had forgotten how natural it felt to hold one of these. "That one is 250,000 beli, Miss." The clerk said, pulling me from my examination.

"Ok, Penguin. Pay the man," I told my crewmate before walking out of the shop, giving him no time to argue. A minute later he walked out of the shop, fuming. He opened his mouth as if to scold me, but I cut him off with a hug.

"Thank you for the welcoming gift, Penguin!" I said in the most cheerful voice that I could muster.

"W-well. You're welcome." He said sheepishly while blushing and rubbing the back of his head. These men are easy to play.