“Take me with you.” Said Penelope squishing her plump cheeks.

“I take you every day. I don't see why you are making a big deal about it.” Said Scarlet taking her hand.

She knew Valentines was in four days and she had the intention of getting something for Lucius.

Penelope pulled at Scarlet’s long red braid “Because I haven't see you all day and I missed you”

Scarlet lifted Penelope over a pile of glass “I'm already taking you. So how was school?”

“Good, but someone stole the books at night.” Penelope began to make popping noises with her mouth.

“How much did he give you?” Said Scarlet.

Penelope looked back at her “two”.

That’s more than usual.

Scarlet smiled. She had sold one fine silk swimsuit to a broker for one hundred marks. Half the original price but making good deals with brokers worked out in the long run. She had had enough money to pay for the food for the next two months. She felt bad about selling the two things she had but it helped her family.

It’s a good things Penelope’s education is basically set.

Someone had donated to her sister's school fund and she would able to go to school all the way through college.

“So will I be going to the same school as you?” Penelope mumbled while squishing Scarlets cheeks.

Scarlet moved Penelope’s hands away from her face “Yeah, I'm taking you tomorrow”

They got to the market and looked at the hundreds of people bartering. Hunting the wildlife was illegal for most of the year but that didn't stop anyone. Deer, Moose, and Ox rabbits were the most common in the market. They walked around and saw Cona. He was a large man with a larger heart.

If only our purse was as big as his heart. We’d be able to buy anything.

“Good day” Said Cona through a thick fluffy beard.

It was snowy white like his coat.

“Cona what you got today?” Asked Scarlet as she looked around.

Hopefully something we can afford.

“The usually hunt. A few pelts and meat” Said Cona patting his thick yet muscular body.

Scarlet's eyes honed in on the price tags “What's cheap?”

“Well, just got a full grown Ox rabbit, it was hard as stone to finish” Said Cona.

“I believe you, I’ve tried” Said Scarlet.

Ox rabbits were like bears with more fur. They were also larger and faster. To top it off they had massive horns. A gun had a hard time getting through their fur when half grown. She could only imagine what it took to keep it in one place. She looked at the enormous leg and nodded. It was half the size of a bear on its own.

The only reason I didn’t catch mine was because one of the patrols showed up, and I don’t have a hunting license.

No one in authority actually cared, the patrols usually just looked for a reason to bring someone in. So they could avoid actually trying stop the people who were tearing the slums apart with gunfire.

“What did you do to bring it down?” Said Scarlet.

“I didn't do anything. It got in a fight with a bigger Ox and it lost” Said Cona.

They were only dangerous because of their horns and stubby claws. The real big animals were the moose. They were like tanks of meat. But spent their day eating all the plant life they could find. Usually they kept their distance from humans but had migrated in the past few years.

“How much for a pound?” Asked Scarlet.

“How about one mark and a smile” Said Cona with a happy chuckle.

“You got a deal” Said Penelope flashing her ‘I’m a good girl’ smile.

“How about I send you home with a bundle of love?” He carved a chunk about the size of Penelope out of the beast.“Take it right home”.

Wow… that normally would have costed over a 300 marks. Well that’s Cona for you, the Santa Claus of Mars.

Penelope and Scarlet both hugged Cona, and walked back home. They locked the meat in the icebox and walked back to the market. They looked at the fruits and vegetables. Cona’s son once worked a garden but lost his life defending a school from a shooter. The gunman was executed as always but not before they were tortured to the brink of insanity. In fact the ex-head scientist of the E.N.D Legacy corporation personally came down to interrogate him.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

I heard that when he was done the shooter was begging to tossed into a meat grinder…

Scarlet shook that disturbing thought out of her head and turned her attention back to Penelope who was running amok around the market stalls.

They were unable to bargain for any good deals. They looked at the random nick nacks the market had to offer but moved on. They decided to find some furs to make bedding out of. They had an eye out for thieves that were all too common.

Scarlet eyed an especially thick fur and turned to catch the attention of Harbor; the man who ran the stall. “How about one fifty?”

“Please” Penelope sealed the deal.

“You got me. Here” Said Harbor.

His old pale eyes blinked and he passed her the bundle of fur.

“Thanks Harbor” Said Scarlet and Penelope.

As they walked Scarlet felt a hand pull the bundle away. And she turned to see a hooded boy start sprinting off with their newly purchased bedding.

Oh no you don’t, you ass!

She began to run after the boy until she saw him lifted into the air.

“That wasn't very nice of you” Said Cona.

Cona was about seven feet tall and had served in the last world war. Dispute being nearly a century old he stayed in shape. He had been one of the last humans experiments on during the Titans project. Or the last legal experiment.

He pulled the bundle away and handed it to Scarlet. Then he placed the boy in a cage “Now think about what you have done”.

Scarlet waved goodbye and walked home. She cooked some of the rabbit and fed Penelope. Her mother would be back at ten and her brother would be home at two in the morning.

“So have you asked that boy out yet?” Penelope spun around when she asked.

“I'm going to ask him on Valentine's day”

If I have the courage, and if someone doesn’t claim him first…

Penelope nodded and Scarlet patted her head.

“How much are the Valentine's grams?” Penelope questioned.

“The small ones are one Mark the median size boxes are five, the larger are ten. But there are some other ridiculously sized ones, but those are like fifty, the biggest are two hundred”

They could only imagine how big the box would be.

“What are you going to get the boy with freaky eyes?”

“Don't say that, he’s just different, not freaky. And I have something big planned. I know he will love it”

I hope he will.

She was worried he wouldn't. She had already finished her homework thanks to Lucius. She went in bed and wondered if Lucius actually liked Havana like Athena had said.

Maybe

Scarlet fell asleep with that word on her lips.

Scarlet woke before the sun, she cooked the meals for her mother and brother.

“Love you, bye” Scarlet waved as her brother walked out with a chunk of meat.

And stay safe.

She got her sister ready and made her some breakfast.

“Can I have toast?” Asked Penelope with her mouth full.

“You're already eating toast, and don’t talk with food in your mouth” Replied Scarlet.

“I know but, more” Said Penelope stuffing more toast in her mouth.

Scarlett sighed as her sisters little face. She continued to stuff her mouth with toast. Breadcrumbs fell from her face like a light snow.

“You're already tubby enough as it is” Scarlet squeezing her cheeks.

“It's baby fat” Said Penelope running her fingers through her wavy fire red hair.

Scarlet struggled to button the upper part of her shirt. “And this is baby fat too, I’m guessing”

They walked to school holding hands and Scarlet left her sister at the office to get oriented.

Penelope was starting at the school. She was gifted in mathematics to say the least. But sadly it was her only super power. She was just above average in most other categories.

“Hey” Morrie whispered with her sleepy voice.

“What's up?”

“Nothing much. By they way did you hear what happened to Lucius?”

“No? What happened?”

I hope it’s nothing bad. But then again he's always getting hurt

“I was hoping you would know” Said Morrie.

“Hey girls” It was Allison.

She seemed a little to happy. Her usual expression that could only be described as bitchy was replaced by a snarky smile.

Morrie opened one eye fully “Why are you so happy”

Allison looked ecstatic “I have a date”

Hex heard them and walked over “Hey boys”.

“Hey Hexy” Said Morrie

Hex blew Morrie a kiss.

“Oh it's you” Allison eyed Hex like she was a piece of gum stuck to her new designer shoes.

Well someone’s about to get it.

That someone being Allison.

“So what were you guys talking about?” Said Hex.

“Nothing much, but I just got a date” Allison smirked.

Hex somehow returned the smirk. “When don't you, you never turn anyone down” Scarlet could tell that Hex was winding up for the pitch.

“Thats rude, I do turn people down. Oh, and you’ll be happy to know its with Lucius”

“I'm not surprised”

“Of course not just look at me”

“Well Alison if I could look at you I'd probably die so no thanks. Your just lucky Lucius is made of stone and he cares about looks just as much as I do.” Said Hex.

Annnnnndd Striiiiike

Allison didn't say anything this time.

Hex: infinity, Allison: 0

“Where is he anyway, I didn't see him yesterday?”

Hex hasn't seen him either but she's blind so… Hmmmm, since he’s not with Allison, then where is he?

“Havana was gone too” Morrie added with her lullaby voice.

Allison picked at her pink professionally done nails “Maybe they took a day off”

“He probably got tired of seeing you” Said Morrie looking at Allison.

Allison glared at Morrie and seemed taken back by her words.

“Then have any of you seen Athena?”

“Yeah she was in the weight room. She was lifting like a million pounds” Said Allison.

“Wow, she can lift you?” Hex went for another kill shot.