[Summer – Parso]

The darkness seemed more striking on this frigid summer night in Parso. As Jennings and Penny approached the Blue Rock Cemetery just before midnight arrived, fear was becoming commonplace.

Jennings was longing for the introduction to go as well as possible. He knew the limited amount of people with the skill set to improve his own. A battle had begun unannounced in the past few weeks, and he had doubted himself along his route. His subconscious was the toughest enemy. Whether or not he was prepared to see it through until the end, his only test of determination could provide insight or relief. He glanced at Penny, at his side, he parted from her to walk toward the center of the graveyard.

“Let's get this over with,” he finished his thought before it grew.

Trees darkened the surrounding area. It was difficult to identify any shapes in the dark so instead Jennings relied on his other sense for the time being.

A dull overtone from nature was fitting to the situation in Jennings' eyes, as he awaited the presence of this unknown ice Agist. As he reached carefully into his pocket to secure a pre-rolled cigarette, he heard a familiar voice pierce his ears which caused him to halt any expressions.

“Mr. Jennings,”

A voice proclaimed from a close distance, still hidden but emerging from the night. Not for long however, as C.C. emerged from the shadows that surrounded the Blue Rock Cemetery. Situated on a small plateau behind some inclined hills, their privacy was guaranteed.

“You made it I see. Good.”

Jennings refused to get used to the uneasiness of being surprised. He wasn't welcoming to the idea of C.C. showing up when that wasn't the arrangement established.

“Where the fuck is your boss?”

“Let me introduce myself J.J. Cool. My name is Curtis Marcho and what you've failed to realize is that I am my own boss.”

He bounced on his toes a bit before continuing.

“Coldsmith Curtis-C.C., you see where I was aiming at?”

He delivered the same, crooked smile that he had presented before at the theater.

“Was a little clever thing I came up with. In fact there's probably something else you'd like to know.”

Jennings was taken aback, yet frozen in the sense of urgency or craving for more information to digest at the moment. He began to visibly plot his next move. Meanwhile, Curtis pulled out his pistol and took aim at still-footed Jennings.

“You're making a mistake.”

“I may not be the smartest bounty hunter in the West, but if I'm not mistaken, it's you who has made the mistake Jennings. You're coming with me tonight,” replied Curtis. “Now, what I want you to do is listen very close here. You're going to place that gun on your right hip onto the ground and the dagger tucked in your ass waistline back there, onto the floor and walk on ova’ peacefully. Or else I'll have to bring in your remains to collect my reward, and you know businesslike right?”

Mentally probing the situation, Jennings complied and removed the knife from his waistline. He continued to disarm while informing Curtis that he had not brought his gun tonight as instructed and lifted his shirt as confirmation of the statement.

“Well at least you somewhat made an effort to be smart,” retorted Curtis. “Now let's get this over with. Come here so I can tie ya’ myself and take you back into town as my lil’ trophy catch, now!”

A hesitant Jennings stood still instead, reluctant to let this be an end to his quest. Failure wasn't an option and he knew he only had instinct to rely on in moments like these, however his limbs had a different plan. It was as if a parasite had overtaken command of the controlling brain functionality, but no, it was simply fear itself driving and he wouldn’t accept its judgement any further.

“You know…,” added Curtis. “This stalling you're doing is only making my fingers itchy. You want to know the way I deal with an itch Jennings?... I fucking scratch it. So pa-lease, move that behind!”

Curtis leaned downward to meet at eye-level with Jennings. Before any additional orders could be voiced, the outlaw yelled directly in his opposition’s exposed scowl.

“Penny!” Jennings shouted into the distant darkness.

His young female companion appeared from behind an obsolete tombstone while taking aim herself at the bounty hunter. Catching Curtis off-guard successfully, he swung his attention to Penny as simultaneous gunshots rang out. Both Penny and Curtis fall to the floor in the aftermath. Jennings ran up to secure the upper hand on the now-grounded Curtis, kicking away the firearm.

Every second mattered to him, as he couldn’t negate seeing Penny may fall and she needed him immediately.

Curtis had been struck in the stomach and was beginning to bleed out on the grassy grave where he lay in pridefully suppressed agony with a fiendish grimace.

“Y-,” Curtis coughed, interrupting his own words. “You...bitch...” muttered Curtis as the pain began to evidently increase as each lucid second passed. Blood activity caused his face to become stoic and emit no emotion whatsoever, just a reddish hue. Through the futile rage, C.C.’s seething glare never subsided.

Jennings moved his right hand directly over Curtis' face and spoke aloud.

“Was never much of a talker, now I remember why.”

Following the declaration, he conjured a few fatal ice shards, the size of melons and proceeded to crush C.C.’s fragile frame. Without any further delay and the enemy seemingly suppressed firm, Jennings ran back to check on the well-being of Penny.

She laid mere meters away behind the aforementioned tombstone shivering, but alive.

Accompanying her quick short breathing, Penny gandered up to Jennings who was crouched at her side, panting.

“He-he missed, like I had hoped.”

Overcome with relief, Penny intuitively let out tears as a likely result of her involvement. Jennings grabbed her chilly hands and lifted her to her feet. She clamped her arms around Jennings with a tight squeeze and half-hugged the derelict outlaw. The moonlight's presence was more conspicuous than prior as the two processed the results of the meeting, while entangled in the slimmest of warmth.

Jennings placed his hands on her shoulders and created a slight distance between them before saying.

“I'm glad you're okay Penny May, I really am, but there's no time to celebrate here. Leeroy is in danger!”