Microgame Melancholy Parts 1 & 2

Diamond City - Penny's Laboratory

"Alright, and it's done!"

Penny smiled as her computer's screen went blank. She had just finished her final Microgame for Wario's next game. Grabbing a disc from the CD drive, she placed it in her pocket and leapt from her chair, running outside.

"Now to get to Ashley's, and see if she's done …"

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

"Ashley, the meeting's in twenty minutes, and you haven't even started on your games!"

Red tried his best to convince the witch to begin work, but Ashley didn't respond. Sitting in front of a computer that Penny had given her, she had a blank stare as she watched the Microgame creation program boot up.

"I don't feel like contributing this time, Wario can make plenty of money without one more handful of Microgames." Ashley said, turning around to face Red. The little devil sighed in disappointment, turning and leaving the room.

"Fine, but he's not gonna be happy at the meeting." Red said, closing the door behind him. As soon as he started heading downstairs, a knock echoed throughout the mansion. He quickly ran to the large double doors, pushing one open to see Penny standing there, smiling at him.

"Hi, Red. You two ready to go?" Penny asked him, Red sighing and shaking his head.

"No, Ashley hasn't even finished one game, and she just flat out refuses to work. I don't know what to do." Red sighed again, turning around and motioning for Penny to come inside, which she did and followed the little devil upstairs. Red opened a door, leading Penny into the room Ashley was sitting in. It wasn't a special room at all, just one of the mansion's many rooms that didn't really serve a purpose. Penny smiled at Ashley, running over and pulling her into a tight hug.

"Hi, Ashley! You ready to go yet?" She said, nuzzling the girl's cheek. Ashley didn't reply as she accepted Penny's affection. Penny looked up, a concerned look on her face. "Ashley, are you alright? You usually have your games finished far in advance." Penny said. Ashley didn't reply.

"See, this is what I told you." Red said, walking between the two. "She said that Wario can do without her games this time." He said, Penny sighing at this.

"Ashley, don't be like this, you know as well as I do that Wario won't release an unfinished game. If you don't finish your Microgames, we'll all be missing out on a paycheck." Penny said, looking at the witch. Ashley sighed, staring at the computer screen.

"I know that, I just really don't care. I'm too busy to be working on this lame little video game." Ashley said. Red and Penny both looked disturbed, exchanging glances.

"But Ashley, we need your games! Your dragging games were pretty much the most challenging in the last portable game!" Penny said, flailing her arms in desperation.

"Yeah, and we gave the game a real song! Remember, we spent a whole week writing it?" Red said, trying his best to help. Ashley said nothing as she kicked the little devil across the room, knocking him into a wall. Penny's desperate look turned into frustration as she grabbed Ashley's hand.

"Look Ashley, I'm not letting go until we finish your games. I'll stay by your side every single minute as long as it takes." Penny said, Ashley scoffing at this.

"Don't you usually do that anyway?" Ashley said, causing Penny to blush and turn away, still trying to keep her frustrated expression.

"Well, I … That isn't the point!" Penny said, looking back at the witch. "Look, don't make me force you into doing it." She said, this causing Ashley to glare at her, which made Penny gulp in fear.

"How exactly do you plan on doing that, hm?" Ashley asked, seeing beads of sweat fall down Penny's face. The redhead thought for a moment before getting a smirk on her face, grabbing Ashley's arm.

"The way I always do. Come on." Penny said, dragging Ashley by the arm and out of the room. Red rubbed his head as he stood from the floor where he had landed.

"Where are they going?" He thought out loud as he peeked into the hallway, seeing Ashley being dragged into her bedroom. " … Aw, dude." Red sighed, cringing. "I swear, it's every day with these two, they're like rabbits …"

"Penny, this isn't going to work." Ashley said as Penny locked the door behind them, sitting on the edge of Ashley's bed. She winked at the witch, smiling.

"Sure it will, my love. You just have to be in the spirit of things." Penny replied. Ashley sighed, standing and dusting herself off. As she looked up to talk back, she froze. Penny was completely nude now, sitting in the same position.

"How do you keep doing that?" Ashley asked, sighing. Penny giggled, hopping from the bed and grabbing Ashley's hand, pulling her close. Ashley was silent as she felt Penny's nude body rub against her dress. "Okay, fine … Just let me undress." Ashley said as Penny stepped back, sitting on the bed again and watching her with interest. Ashley sighed, untying the orange scarf around her neck, letting it fall to the floor.

Penny smiled as she watched this show, seeing that Ashley was expressing no emotion at all, or trying not to. Penny smirked as she saw a small blush appear on the witch's cheeks. Ashley turned away as she grabbed the orange rim of her red dress, awkwardly pulling it away and over her head. Penny giggled, causing Ashley to glare at her.

"What's so funny?" Ashley said, Penny giggling even more.

"Your dress unzips in the back, remember?" Penny said. Ashley turned away once more, her blush becoming a brighter red.

"I … Forgot." Ashley muttered. Penny crossed her legs, smiling at the witch.

"Come on, you're not done." She said. Ashley looked down at herself, seeing her small red bra with matching panties still covering her body. Penny had seen her nude countless times before, so much that it wasn't even a shy subject anymore. But even so, Ashley always blushed when she had to strip in front of her.

"Fine, I guess you're right." Ashley muttered, pulling the red straps of her bra past her shoulders and to her elbows, slipping her arms free and reaching behind her, unfastening the clasps and slowly letting the garment hit the floor. Penny smirked at the witch's shyness, continuing to watch as Ashley grabbed the sides of her red panties, pushing them down her legs and kicking them aside. She looked up at Penny, sighing.

"Is this it?" She asked, Penny shaking her head.

"You're missing two major details." She said, pointing downward. Ashley looked down, seeing her knee-high black socks and red slippers still on her. She pulled the slippers off, peeling the socks from her feet and tossing them aside, now completely nude. Penny clapped, sticking her tongue out. Ashley glared at her, turning completely around. Penny gave a teasing whistle, causing Ashley to freeze.

"That isn't funny, Penny." She said, turning to the girl. Penny smiled, pulling Ashley into a tight hug, the girls' nude bodies rubbing against one another. Ashley blushed slightly, hoping Penny didn't notice, but of course, she did.

"I don't see why you still get so jumpy, we do this practically every day." Penny said, looking into the witch's eyes. Ashley was silent as she leaned close, pressing her lips to Penny's, embracing her into a deep kiss. Both girls closed their eyes as they held each other, falling back onto the soft bed. As Ashley released the kiss, Penny leaned forward and gave her a small peck on the nose, causing the witch to blush.

"I love you." Penny said, Ashley giving her a warm smile and nodding.

"I love you too, Penny-"

"Ashley! Penny! Get down here now!"

Ashley was cut off by a scream echoing throughout the mansion. Quickly dressing, they both dashed downstairs to see Mona standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.

"Where have you two been- Oh …" Mona paused, seeing the girls. Penny had nothing on but pink panties and her pink coat, with her glasses falling down her nose. Ashley's dress barely covered her chest. "Would you two mind getting decent and coming with me?" Mona said, giving the girls an angry look. "We've been waiting for an hour now." Ashley and Penny nodded, running back upstairs without a word.

Diamond City - WarioWare, Inc. Office Building

"Okay Wario, I found 'em." Mona said as walked into the meeting room, seeing the other employees looking very annoyed and bored. Ashley and Penny peeked in, slowly following her and taking their seats next to each other. Penny was blushing, looking extremely embarrassed. Ashley's annoyed look didn't look any different as she saw her co-workers glaring at her.

"Where have you two been?!" Dribble asked angrily, slamming his fist on the table. Spitz grabbed his bulky arm, trying to pull the bulldog back down.

"Calm down, I'm sure they have a good reason!" The yellow cat said, Dribble knocking him away and back into his seat. Spitz stayed quiet as Dribble continued banging his fist on the table, pointing at the two girls.

"It's been over an hour now, and do you know how angry Wario gets whenever he's held up?" Dribble yelled, pointing at the front of the table where Wario was busy picking his nose and ignoring them entirely. "Look how angry the man is!" Dribble yelled again, sitting down.

Wario finally stopped his nose navigation, looking around to see everyone at the table.

"What are you guys here for? I'm busy." Wario said, spinning around in his chair. Mona sighed, knowing the man would forget during the time she had left to gather Ashley and Penny.

"Wario, we're here for a profits meeting." Mona said, Wario's eyes now lighting up.

"Wa-ha! Yes, I remember now! We need to discuss Wario's money!" The man said, rubbing his pudgy hands together. "As everyone knows, we have a few new games in the works, and we'll need all the Microgames we can get!" Wario smirked. "So everyone needs to present their game themes, and tell me a few of your ideas!"

Mona stepped from the table, walking across the room to a large chalkboard. Grabbing a piece of chalk, she quickly started sketching.

"Okay, so my theme this time would be for … Wait a second!" She paused, looking at Wario. "You haven't even told us what kind of games we'd need! We spent these weeks making games for a system they might not even match!" She said, glaring at the man. "Are these games for the Wii or the DS?" Mona asked as Wario remained quiet.

"Hm … I don't know, have Crygor go invent a new system." Wario said, waving at the door. "I'm busy." Mona's face turned red with anger as she grabbed the man's neck, squeezing forcefully.

"You don't even have an idea this time, yet you dragged us all out here again!" She yelled, Wario's fat face starting to turn blue from lack of air. Mona sighed, tossing the man back into his chair and facing the group around the table. "I assume you've all finished a set of games?" She asked, everyone except Ashley nodding. "And just why haven't you?" Mona said, slamming her hand on the table in front of Ashley, who stayed silent.

Slam! The door opened, Red walking in and panting heavily.

"Sorry … I'm late … I was locked in a closet … Anyway, Ashley said she didn't want to make Microgames for this game." Red said. Mona's eyes were filled with fire as she glared at the witch.

"You just didn't feel like it, eh? Do you know how much money it'll take to work around that?!" Mona yelled, Ashley's annoyed expression not changing.

"One small problem … I really don't care." Ashley said, causing Mona to become even angrier.

"You don't- I have never seen you act like this, Ashley! Get your magical butt back home and make your Microgames, now!" Mona said, slamming her fist down. Ashley didn't move. Penny leaned between the two, her eyes filled with tears.

"D-Don't yell, Mona! I'll help her, I swear!" Penny said, trying her best to calm Mona down.

"I know what she'll help her with." 9-Volt whispered to 18-Volt, both snickering at the other side of the table. All three girls turned, glaring at both boys, quickly silencing them. "S-Sorry." 9-Volt said, both boys staying quiet. Mona turned back to Penny and Ashley, sighing.

"Fine, Penny. If you think you can help little miss attitude here, you help yourself. Just make sure you get it done before this month's over." Mona said, Penny smiling and grabbing Ashley's arm.

"You bet! We'll start right now! Come on, Ashley!" Penny said happily as she dragged the witch from her chair, Ashley not bothering to resist, as it never worked anyway. Red waved at everyone as the three left the room.

"Jeez …" Mona sighed as the door slammed, turning to see 9-Volt and 18-Volt snickering again. "Shut up!"

"Yes Ma'am."

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

"Come on Ashley, we really need to get started on your games!" Penny said, tugging the witch upstairs and into the room where her computer still had the Microgames program loaded. She pushed Ashley into the chair, grabbing another and sitting next to her. "Now let's think. What kind of games do you wanna do this time?" Penny smiled, patting the girl's hand. Ashley sighed, beginning to think about this.

"I don't know. What would make Mona really, really mad?" Ashley said, Penny sighing.

"Ashley …" Penny placed her hand to her forehead, sighing. "Mona's been nothing but nice about our relationship and all you're doing is being mean to her. Now really, we have to get started."

Ashley remained silent, lost in thought as she stared blankly at the computer screen. Red walked over to her, tugging on her dress.

"I have an idea, Ashley." He said, Ashley and Penny both looking down at him. "I think we should make games that revolve around stabbing stuff, if it's a game for the DS." He said quietly. Penny smiled, patting the devil's head.

"That's a great idea, Red, but poking was Wario's idea in the last portable game. We'll have to see what console this game's going to be released on before we can even come up with ideas, so …" She paused, seeing that Ashley hadn't moved an inch. "Well, you're right in a sense, Ashley. There's no use working until you know what you should be working on."

"See? Now you know. It's because of that reason, and … Still because that I'm really not in the mood." Ashley said. Penny reached into her pink coat pocket, pulling out a silver disc.

"I finished a set of games, but they all have a scientific theme to them. I wasn't sure whether to make them remote-compatible or stylus-compatible, so they're really just designs and backgrounds." Penny said, looking at the disc before placing it back in her pocket. "I wonder if Wario's made a decision yet …" She thought out loud, Ashley shrugging and laying her head on the keyboard. Penny sighed, placing her palm to her face. "Please, stop being so crabby …"

Diamond City - WarioWare, Inc. Office Building

"Wario, it's been a week now. What console is this game being released on?"

Mona was in Wario's office, trying yet again to figure out how the employees should base their games - Stylus or Remote. For the past week, the large man kept telling her that he was too busy to figure it out, and really didn't care. As long as he somehow made money, he was happy.

"I don't know, you guys think of something. I'm way too busy." Wario said, picking his nose. Mona sighed, sitting down in a chair across from him.

"Wario, if you don't make this decision, we can't make the game." Mona said, Wario completely ignoring her. "If we don't make this game, you don't make money." Mona said, Wario now sitting up in his chair. The mention of money, or lack of it, clearly got his attention.

"Fine, fine … Um … Make another game for the Game Boy Advance, we haven't done that in a while, or … Something …" Wario waved his hand at the door, motioning for Mona to get out. Mona's face was becoming red with rage as she grabbed Wario's shirt collar, yanking him from his chair.

"Listen you fat tub of garlic! We've been busting our butts day in and day out to support your little 'game company' idea, and all we're getting from you is … Well, nothing! You'd better figure out what this game's gonna be for this instant before I rip off that helmet of yours and cram it down your throat!" Mona yelled, Wario slowly nodding.

" … This one's for the DS." Wario muttered, Mona tossing him back into his seat, causing the chair to spin around.

"Thank you. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Mona said, smiling and kicking Wario's chair, causing it to spin even faster and make Wario's face start to turn green. "See ya next week!" Mona said as she left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Diamond City - Mona Pizza

"I almost forgot that I have another job to do …"

Mona thought out loud as she entered the restaurant, a small bell ringing as the door opened. She stopped as she saw Penny sitting at the bar. The girl looked positively bummed, which wasn't like her at all.

"Penny, are you alright?" Mona asked, walking towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder. Penny shook her head, sighing.

"No, not really … Ashley's being really stubborn, no matter how much I try to get her motivated." Penny said, sighing once more. She looked at Mona, her eyes beginning to tear up. "Do … Do you think she's gonna dump me?" Penny asked her. Mona sighed, rolling her eyes.

"No, Penny, she isn't. Ashley wouldn't leave you over something as stupid as this, or … Over anything for that matter." Mona said, patting Penny's shoulder. Penny's eyes began to sparkle at Mona's answer. She hugged the older girl, causing Mona to slightly jump. "Penny, it's okay! Please, let go!" Penny did so, smiling up at her.

"Thanks, Mona. I feel much better now." Penny said, smiling. Mona sighed in relief, sitting on the stool next to her. "I guess I should keep on thinking of a way to motivate her. Maybe we can just-" Mona quickly slapped her hand over Penny's mouth, muffling her words.

"No-no-no, I don't wanna hear that, thanks." Mona said, her eye twitching from the thought. "Besides, Ashley's the one who confessed to you, but it seems like you act like the dominant one." Mona said. Penny looked confused. "Well, think about it. According to what Red told me, you were the nervous one in the beginning, but now it's like you two have been dating for years." Mona said. Penny smiled, hugging her again.

"Thanks, Mona! I'm gonna go back to Ashley's now!" Penny said, hopping from the barstool and running for the door.

"Wait!" Mona yelled, Penny pausing and turning around.

"Hm?" Penny asked.

"Wario said this game's gonna be for the DS, so plan your Microgames around it, okay?" Mona said, Penny nodding.

"You got it!" Penny said happily as she ran out the door, down the sidewalk.

"Oy … This is gonna be one heck of a week." Mona sighed.

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

"Ashley! I have good news!"

Penny's voice echoed through the mansion, her footsteps just as loud as she ran upstairs, making her way into the computer room. Ashley hadn't moved from her seat, her head still on the keyboard. Penny walked up to her, seeing that she was fast asleep. She blushed, leaning down and kissing the witch's forehead.

"Sweet dreams, my one and only." Penny whispered, leaving the room and quietly closing the door behind her. Ashley wasn't in a talking mood at the moment, so maybe Red was awake somewhere. Penny made her way downstairs, deep into the mansion's library.

The room seemed to be covered in more dust than usual - Ashley must not have been down here in a few days, as she usually makes Red clean up when it gets this bad. Penny browsed the various books as she walked past the large shelves, looking for the small devil.

"'World Domination - The easy way' … 'How to turn your friends into Minions' … 'The Apocalypse and you' …" She read the titles out loud, each book thicker than the last. Ashley had some pretty weird books, in her opinion. Just as she walked past the last shelf, she saw Red sitting on the floor, flipping through a very big book. She walked up very slowly, getting right behind the devil. "Boo!" She said, poking the devil's shoulder. Red jumped three feet into the air, landing hard.

"Ow …" He turned, seeing Penny laughing. "Hey! What was that for?" He said, rubbing his backside in pain. "That scared me!" Penny wiped a tear from her eye, smiling.

"Sorry Red, I couldn't resist." Penny said, sitting down next to him. "Ashley's asleep, what are you doing?" She asked. Red smiled, pointing to a large amount of text on the book's page.

"I'm trying to find a spell that will motivate Ashley into working harder." He said, pointing at a specific title in red text. "This one is supposed to give the person more energy, but I don't think that would work too well … She would just hit me more." He said, shivering from the thought. Penny crossed her arms, pondering this for a moment.

"Hm … What can we do to make her want to finish her games … I guess I can-" Red cut her off, sighing.

"No. No, and again, no. That's your answer for everything." He said, turning a page. "Jeez, you two are like animals." Penny smirked at this, chuckling.

"Yeah, I guess we are." She said. "Well then, mister knows-everything, what do you suggest?" She asked. Red nodded, pointing to a paragraph on the page.

"This seems like it would work; The 'Overworking minion' charm. This spell will cause the person to perform a job at maximum speed, and never tire until you decide to free them from the power." He said. Penny nodded, standing up.

"I can do it! I-" Penny started. Red put his hand to her mouth, cutting her off yet again.

"No way, not again, the last time I let you try it, you read it wrong and you two ended up staying in her bedroom all night." Red said, looking at her with an annoyed expression. Penny giggled nervously, putting on a false smile.

"Well, I … I was kind of trying to … Okay, you win." She said, hanging her head. Red smiled, grabbing the ingredients he would need from the shelves on the walls, tossing them all into the large cauldron at the edge of the room.

"Okay, so according to the book, all she has to do is drink this stuff, and she'll start working as soon as she gulps it down." He said, scooping up some of the cauldron's liquid into a glass, handing it to Penny. "Think you can manage this, without you two ending up practicing your multiplication tables?" He said, looking at her suspiciously. Penny gave a determined nod, snatching the glass from Red's small hand and running from the library as fast as she could.

"Ashley! I have the answer to all of your problems!" Penny opened the door to the computer room, seeing Ashley still hadn't moved. Penny smiled warmly at the sight, walking to the table and placing the glass next to the keyboard. "Just drink it whenever you're ready, my love." She kissed the girl's forehead again, leaving the room. Red was waiting outside; his arms crossed and foot tapping.

"So, how did it go? Is she working?" He asked. Penny froze, looking down at him with a small smile.

"Um… Y-yeah! She'll have those games done in no time!" Penny said, giggling nervously. Red sighed, turning and walking down the hall.

"Whatever, I'll trust you this time." He said, eventually disappearing from sight. Penny sighed in relief, leaning against the door and sliding to the floor.

"What am I gonna do …" Penny thought out loud, closing her eyes. Suddenly, the door was pulled open, Penny falling to her back. She blinked, looking up to see Ashley standing over her, a glass in her hand. Her eyes were blood red, and her hair was beginning to stand.

"Where's Red." She said, looking into Penny's eyes. Penny shivered, slowly pointing down the hall. Ashley nodded, stepping over her and walking down the hallway, her hair starting to turn white - The witch was certainly not happy. Penny slowly followed, making sure not to be seen.

"You know not to create any potions without me!"

"I'm sorry, Ashley! I'll never do it again-Ow!"

Penny watched the two from behind the stair rail - Ashley had found Red, and was giving him a pretty hard beating. Apparently, Red wasn't supposed to use any form of magic when she wasn't there to supervise. Penny couldn't understand why - Red seemed to know what he was doing. She watched in horror as Ashley became even more violent, many bumps and bruises beginning to appear all over Red's body.

"There, maybe you'll listen next time." Ashley clapped her hands together, dusting them off. She turned, walking towards the stairs. Penny quickly hid, watching her walk. "I'm going to take a nap, Red. Don't bother me. Penny, stop hiding and follow me, we need to talk." Ashley kept walking upstairs, not saying another word. Penny and Red exchanged looks of confusion, Penny running up the stairs to follow Ashley.

When the two reached the bedroom door, Ashley turned to her.

"Look. I understand that you're worried about me, and I appreciate that. But for once, can't you let me handle myself? I'm your girlfriend, Penny, not your child. Remember that for once in your life." Ashley said, opening the door and walking in, slamming it hard. Penny froze; completely shocked that Ashley would speak to her in such a manner.

Tears brimming on the edges of her eyes, Penny wanted to say something through the door … But no words would come. As the first tear fell, she was already halfway down the stairs, and by the time Red had stuck his head out from behind the stairs to ask where Penny was going, she had already left.

--- Part 1 END ---

Diamond City - Café Gelato

Penny sighed.

It had been a few hours since Ashley slammed the door in her face. Penny was absolutely shocked - Of all people, she'd never thought that she would be treated so cold.

"Cheer up, Penny. I'm sure she didn't mean it."

Penny looked up to see Mona leaning on the counter, giving her a warm smile. Penny shook her head, now looking at the strawberry milkshake in front of her.

"I don't know, Mona. Ashley sounded really mad … All I wanted to do was help her finish her games." Penny said, feeling a tear run down her cheek. Mona grabbed a napkin, holding it to the girl's face and wiping the tear away.

"Look, Penny … Ashley's had that attitude long before you came into the company." Mona said, giving the girl another smile. "Like I said, I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it. She loves you."

"I guess, but … Oh, I can't take it anymore!" Penny shouted quietly, tears falling down her cheeks. "I can't live knowing that Ashley hates me!" Penny's voice started to crack from her silent sobbing. "I love her, Mona … I really do." Mona reached over the counter, hugging the girl. Penny buried her face into Mona's shoulder, her crying now becoming louder.

"Shh … It's gonna be okay, I promise." Mona said, patting Penny on the back. "Ashley will cool off soon, and I bet she'll even apologize." Penny looked up at her, her eyes still filled with tears.

"No she won't! She hates me because I tried to push her too hard!" Penny said, once again crying into Mona's shoulder. Mona sighed, holding the girl while she let her emotions out. "She'll never love me again, all because I had to be such a jerk!" Penny said through heavy breathing.

"Look … I'll call Red, and you two can spend some time together until Ashley calms down. Is that alright?" Mona asked as she reached for a phone connected to the wall. Penny nodded, still sniffling from before.

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

Ashley was in her bedroom, staring up at the ceiling. Her bed just wasn't comfortable without Penny next to her. Ashley never thought out loud when she was this angry - That would usually lead to breaking objects and accidentally hurting herself (or Red.)

"Huh? Hello Mona."

Ashley sat up, faintly hearing Red's voice.

"Wow, really? Sure … I'll be there in a few minutes."

Normally, Red didn't receive phone calls. Ashley pondered getting up to find out who that was, but at the moment she was still too angry to care. She had flat out said that she wasn't going to contribute to this game, and Penny kept trying to lead her along like some lost puppy. Ashley sighed, deciding she'd might as well take a nap - Maybe she would feel better after a little sleep.

Just as she closed her eyes, the mansion's door silently closed.

Diamond City - Café Gelato

"I'm here!"

Red looked around as he entered the building, seeing a sobbing Penny sitting at the counter, leaning on her elbows with her hands covering her face. Mona was patting her shoulder, attempting to calm her down.

"Mona, is she okay?" Red asked, walking over. Mona smiled slightly as she saw the devil, but shook her head.

"No, she isn't … She's really torn up over this. How's Ashley doing?" Mona asked. Red shrugged.

"I don't know, she doesn't come to me when she's upset. She's probably taking a nap; it's what she always does when she's angry." Red replied. Penny must've heard this, as her crying became loud enough for Red to hear.

"She's still angry!" Penny exclaimed, her crying becoming a little louder. "She'll never forgive me … Ever!"

Red sighed, hopping up onto the stool next to Penny. He patted her arm, giving a warm smile. The girl looked over at him, her eyes bloodshot and still full of tears.

"Wow, she really is unhappy." Red said, looking over at Mona, who nodded.

"I told her that maybe you two could spend some time together. Get both your minds off the little witch, you know?" Mona said quietly to avoid disturbing Penny. Red nodded, jumping to the floor.

"Come on, Penny. Let's go take a walk." Red said. Penny didn't move an inch, her crying becoming faint.

"I don't wanna … I just want my Ashley back!" She said, laying her head on the counter. Red sighed, scratching his cheek.

"What's it gonna take to cheer her up …?" He thought out loud, looking at Mona for help.

"I have an idea." Mona said, both Penny and Red looking up at her. "Why don't you two just sit here for a while, I'll make you some lunch, and you can just have a nice, quiet talk. Ashley will probably be awake by the time you leave." Mona smiled, walking into the kitchen and leaving the two alone.

Red looked at Penny, trying to think of a way to start conversation. He knew that she really liked Ashley, and yes, maybe even loved her, but this much …? It surprised him.

"So … How long have you been here?" Red asked, trying to add a hint of cheerfulness in his voice. Penny shrugged, remaining silent. "Um … Let's see … Oh! I hear Wario's making a TV commercial for the new game. Cool, huh?" Again, Penny didn't utter a word. Red sighed. "Look, I know you're upset, but that doesn't mean you have to give me the cold shoulder. I get that enough at home."

"I'm sorry." Penny mumbled, glancing at him. "I'm just really unhappy right now, Red. It's nothing against you." She reached over, patting the devil's head. "You're being a really good friend right now, and I appreciate it." Red smiled at her words, nodding.

"You know I like seeing you two happy." Red said.

Penny sighed, sipping from the straw in front of her - The milkshake looked like it was halfway melted, but it didn't look like Penny really cared.

"You know, strawberry is Ashley's favorite flavor, too." Red said. Penny sat up, looking at him with interest.

"It is?" She asked. Red smiled, nodding. He lied - Ashley actually liked vanilla, but if this made Penny happy, he figured it wasn't that big of a problem.

"Yup, it … It sure is." He said, nodding.

"Here you go guys!" Mona appeared with two plates full of food, setting them in front of Penny and Red, who nodded with appreciation. "You're welcome." Mona said, smiling. "You two eat up, and please, feel better." Mona looked at Penny, winking. Penny smiled slightly, nodding.

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

"It's all her fault! Why does she have to be so cute?"

Ashley was yelling in anger as she stomped through her room, knocking things off shelves and breaking a lot of glass objects from the top of her dresser. A nap didn't help - All she could think about was Penny's face as the door was slammed. Rage wasn't usually an issue with Ashley, but in this case it was quite a big one.

"If I didn't have to love her so much, I wouldn't even have this problem!" She yelled, swinging her arm and knocking over a (thankfully unlit) candle. "It's all her fault!" Just as she took one more step forward, she heard a very loud sound - Glass breaking. For some reason, this particular sound stopped her.

She sat on the floor, reaching for what she damaged - It was a photo of Penny and herself at the company picnic. The picture itself was intact, but the glass was split right down the middle, as if it were cutting the pair in half. Ashley sighed, looking at Penny in the photo.

"Why do I have to love you so much …?"

Diamond City - Diamond Kindergarten

"Goodbye, Sensei!"

"We'll see you tomorrow!"

Kat and Ana ran from the building, heading down a dirt path on their way home. Eventually, their run slowed to a walk, as Ana wanted to admire every flower on the way home.

"So yeah, we should really practice that tonight; it's a hard move to pull off." Ana said, discussing with her sister over the new moves they'd learned in class. Kat nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose … Wait, do you hear that?" Kat put a hand to her ear, looking around. "It sounds like someone's crying."

"Yeah, I hear it too, I hope everything's alright." Ana said, nodding. "Should we go check it out?"

"We might as well." Kat answered, the two ninja children running off.

Diamond City - Diamond City Streets

"Come on Penny, I'm sure Ashley's over it by now."

Red patted Penny's arm as the two walked down a sidewalk. Penny had started crying again when Mona reminded the two about a company meeting coming up that weekend - She only started crying because she used to sit next to Ashley every time and now didn't know if that would be possible again.

"Probably not … She probably still hates me. I'm so stupid …!" Penny mumbled, sighing.

"You're not stupid, Penny. You're the smartest girl we know."

Penny and Red turned around to see Kat and Ana following them.

"Like I said, you're not stupid." Kat said, smiling. "We heard you crying, what's the matter?" Penny wiped her eyes, facing both girls.

"Well …"

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

"I'm such an idiot! I had to drive you away!"

Ashley was walking through the mansion, knocking things off the walls, the picture in her hand.

"I just had to yell at you! Why do you make me so angry?" She yelled, kicking over a plant that was sitting on the floor, shattering the pot. "It's not fair! I love you, and how do you treat me? You get sensitive and care too much!"

Apparently, Ashley had changed the blame from Penny to herself. She hadn't let go of the cracked picture since she found it. She meant to find some glue to repair it, but her thoughts quickly changed from that to hating herself for unintentionally kicking Penny out of the mansion.

"Now I'll never get you back … Oh, I am gonna kill Red when he gets home, just because … Because …"

Ashley sighed, sitting on the wooden floor and looking at the picture yet again. She had no reason to hurt Red - He didn't do anything. She was just mad at herself and wanted an outlet. Hurting Red wouldn't help matters. Ashley sighed, nodding.

"I have to go fix this."

Diamond City - Penny's Laboratory

"Why don't you just invent something to make her forgive you?"

Kat and Ana were looking around Penny's lab, thinking up ways to help Penny with her problem. They were both shocked that Ashley treated her that way, but both knew that Ashley would snap out of it eventually.

"Tried it, she ended up being so cheery it was sickening." Penny replied. "I can't cry anymore, it hurts. I don't know what to do." She sighed, sitting in a chair. "I'm just scared, guys."

"Scared?" Ana asked, walking over to Penny, who nodded.

"I'm scared that she really will hate me. I'm in love, and I can't stand to think of my heart getting broken." Penny said, sighing. "I just hope Red doesn't get hurt." Red had decided to go check on Ashley, and said he would call back when he got home - It had been over an hour.

"You need to march over, look her straight in the eye, and tell her like it is! If you keep pouting, you'll just break down every time you two have a disagreement." Kat said, nodding.

"Kat's right. You get over there, and we'll play with all this neat stuff- I mean, we'll be rooting for you." Ana said, smiling. Penny nodded, standing.

"You girls are right. I'm gonna go over there and give her a piece of my mind!" Penny said, leaving the building. Kat sighed as she watched the door close.

"She is so done for …"

Diamond City - Ashley's Mansion

Penny stood at the front door, staring at the doorknob. She wanted to follow Kat's advice, and tell Ashley exactly what she thought! … Who was she kidding? She didn't want to do that at all.

She wanted to go inside, burst into tears, and hear Ashley tell her that all is forgiven - But what if Ashley didn't think that? Penny took a deep breath, slowly turning the doorknob. She peeked inside, looking around the room. Seeing no one, she quickly scurried inside.

"You'd better make her love me again!"

Penny paused, hearing Ashley's yell ring throughout the mansion.

"I can't make someone do something, but I'm sure she misses you!"

Ashley must be yelling at Red, as far as Penny could figure out. It sounded like Ashley was pretty unhappy, though. Penny took another deep breath, making her way upstairs.

"Ashley …? Are you up here?" Penny mumbled, looking down the hallway to see Ashley sitting against the wall, holding a picture frame in her hands. Penny quietly made her way over, sitting next to the witch. Ashley looked over, startled that Penny had got there so quietly.

"Penny … What are you doing here?" Ashley asked, looking away. "I thought you would hate me by now." Penny leaned in, kissing the girl's cheek.

"I love you, Ashley. You're my one and only, and nothing will ever change that. You're my everything, and I've been so terrified that you hate me after what I did. I'll never push you to do anything again, I promise." Penny said, looking away and wiping a tear from her cheek - She was extremely nervous. Would Ashley forgive her?

"Penny … It's my fault. I was so cold to you, and you don't deserve that." Ashley said, looking into Penny's eyes. "I love you. Would you please forgive me?" She asked, giving Penny a small smile.

"Ashley, of course I'll forgive you. It was just as much my fault, so let's just put this all behind us." Penny said, wiping away another tear - This time, a tear of joy.

Ashley grabbed her, holding her close. Penny smiled, sighing in content. This felt like absolute heaven, knowing that she was back in Ashley's arms and never had to leave. She looked at Ashley, who stared back, both girls silent. Without a word, Ashley pulled Penny closer, pressing her lips to the girl's, holding her in a sweet embrace. Penny blushed, knowing that she was back where she belonged - In the arms of her love.