[Fall – Parso]

Jennings limped down a dirt path which he believed, or truly wished, had Penny awaiting. Fredrick's Bed-and-Breakfast was the spot where they had agreed to meet following the altercation with Fujeh.

Blood continued to seep from the torn clothes that covered Jennings over hours. Still surrounded by darkness, he had finally reached the front door of the establishment. He lumbered over and swung open the heavy wooden door in one swipe.

He rang the bell to draw the attendant's attention in another, which created an intently-shriveled expression on the worker behind the desk, previously in slumber.

Jennings proceeded to extract the money for the night's stay and presented it on the desk in front of them, advancing toward the back shouting.

“Penny!”

The employee that had rushed and encircled the desk halted at the fearful sight.

Several people awoke and peered from their room to check where the shouting was emanating from. When Penny was the last to reveal herself, she finally recognized Jennings' unusual tone and bolted to his side.

“C'mon J.J., get to the room in an instant!” said Penny. “You sure know how to make a ruckus, mister.”

Onlookers began to retreat back to their beds without making more of a fuss. No one lifted a muscle, thinking of their best interest. Instead Penny was forced to solely assist the outlaw back into their room and lower him onto the single bed.

He let himself be carried and caressed his rib in pain. In one swoop, she helped prop him onto her bed, sitting-up.

“What happened?” asked Penny.

Jennings winced and replied.

“I bit off a- ahh... a little bit more than I could chew I'd say.”

Penny began to wrap his most glaring physical wounds in a worn shirt in an impromptu decision to attempt to stop the bleeding.

“Looks like you were paying attention when we visited Leeroy.” joked Jennings before he slammed his head back against the bed frame in pain.

“Hold in there J.J.” instructed Penny.

She wondered if she would actually be able to support Jennings when times got rougher in the very-immediate future. After some speedy internal contemplation, she figured this was an opportunity to test herself. She yearned for more freedom and forced herself to help.

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Jennings completed his respect worthy mission. Beginning to drift between states of consciousness, he passed out one final time for the night.

Before he shut his eyes, he let out a heartfelt whisper.

“Thank you...”

He nodded off completely.

***

After he awakened from his loglike position, Jennings leaned up on the bed and called to Penny to catch her attention from pouring herself a cup of water. So distracted, that part of her shock directly led to the knocking over the freshly-poured cup, which sent it careening to the floor.

According to Penny's testimony that followed, as she stood closer to the outlaw, he had been unconscious for roughly half of the morning. She filled another round in their cups that had been provided by the inn, and quietly handed Jennings his respective drink.

Penny asked, “So how long are we staying here? Is it even safe to rest the couple days ... o-or weeks that we-?”

Jennings stopped her sentence, but not her worries, interjecting his corrections to her inquiry.

“Weeks?!” he let out with a disconcerting laugh before proceeding, “That … That just ain't gonna happen lil' lady. I'm the man with a damn plan, you see.”

Penny looked on, bearing witness to a man who never knew his own limits although he always tested them. She once again mustered the courage to ask for clarification, although she knew that hadn’t resulted in her sought bliss, she proceeded.

“A plan huh? Well, would you like to fill your concerned partner in on this lil' plan of yours? And when you stop trying to get yourself killed with it?”

Ending, with an invested gaze and a trembled grasp when directing her words, she finally realized the severity of events at hand. In a way though, even before Jennings had answered as calmly as he ever did, she felt a bit of mental pressure being relieved.

In his gravelly tone, Jennings spoke over Penny’s attempt to offer unnecessary details and explanations.

“It's all going down at the Rain Festival in Blue City, in one dreadfully dry week from now. The old man that's so damn fixed with myself is gonna' be hostin' a hanging of some knock-off criminal.”

Jennings shook his head.

“I've already reached out to a local business owner that is willing to stash us outta' the way and the best part is that he's leaving early in the morning. That means- Miss May, no time to second guess ourselves.”

“Morning!?” blurted Penny.

She anticipated no luck in being able to hide anywhere within a twelve-hour period, notably with the current set of injuries he was enduring. Jennings spoke concisely.

“I've said it before, and I thought I truly meant it then. Seems I lied to myself, which was a habit I’d seen destroy lives around me. On the streets of Sureal, in the slums of Parso.”

He winced at his chronic pain.

“If the past me saw how fucking serious I am now. The past me wouldn’t last. But after coming this far, I’m going to kill him at the Rain Festival.”

Penny stared at him, nodding her head.

[Fall – Blue City]

After having a cobbler buddy from Leeroy’s distant past watch Poni for the duration of his current mission, Jennings and Penny had made their way to the bright and cheerful Blue City on the back of a loaded cart.

Under a dusty potato sack, it shook and rained dust at every bump in the rocky road. The Rain Festival meant that hundreds, if not thousands, had congregated to the edge of Sun’s Lake with festivities first and foremost most prominent in their thoughts.

Jennings hopped off the giant haystack that served as his makeshift bed in recent nights, for the duo, it was a luxury.

Now standing alongside Penny, who looked around suspiciously, the outlaw gave the driver of the cart a gracious tip of the hat and a gracious tip of currency as well. As the dust clouds formed around the standing pair from their departing ride, Jennings took a deep breath in, sand and all.

Both individuals tilted their heads upward to confirm, ultimately, that they had arrived. A giant banner scorched into reality by a seemingly skillful fire-Agist, hung just overhead and read out an introduction.

“Welcome to the rainy desert show! 18th annual Rain Festival”