"You can't just block my way like this! I only want to take a look inside. Is that really so unreasonable?"
"Who are you calling unreasonable, you oversized brat? I'm old enough to be your father!"
Markh stood in front of the store entrance, hands on her hips as she glared at the obstinate creature before her. The so-called "brat" she was arguing with crossed his stubby arms over his chest, adopting what he clearly thought was an authoritative stance.
Worth noting: despite his toddler-like height, this Pepeshi sported a small mustache on either side of his nostrils and a distinctive ball of fluff perched atop his head like a crown.
"What does being Pepeshi have to do with anything? You still can't just block people's paths! This store isn't even yours!"
Markh tried reasoning with him, but logic seemed to have no effect.
"Scram! Get lost and cool off somewhere. If I say you can't enter, then you can't enter!"
"You stubborn little, I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
Markh had just rolled up her sleeves, ready to show this Pepeshi what happens when you mess with the Astral Express crew, when a hand gently caught her wrist.
She looked up to find Victor standing beside her, with Stelle right behind him.
Relief flooded through Markh's expression. "You're finally here! Come on, you have to see what this guy's doing. He won't let us in!"
"Why did you insist on entering this particular store?" Victor asked, studying the building before them.
Unfortunately, the storefront was completely opaque, impossible to see what lay inside. Based on the recruitment flyers posted out front, though, it appeared to be some kind of clothing boutique.
Markh pulled Victor and Stelle aside, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "We're looking for clues, remember? Just now, we spotted several suspicious characters sneaking into this store. They looked really shady, like they might be connected to what we're searching for. So I thought I'd follow them inside and investigate. But who knew this little idiot would suddenly appear and refuse to let me pass?"
Victor's expression remained neutral, though internally he was less than impressed.
"Since you knew suspicious people had entered, why did you make such a big scene? If anyone inside heard the commotion, they've probably escaped by now."
"Exactly!" Stelle chimed in, nodding vigorously.
Markh's face flushed as realization struck. She tapped herself lightly on the forehead with her palm.
"You're right! I got so caught up in the moment that I completely forgot about that."
"So what do we do now?" Stelle looked between Victor and Markh. "Should we still try to get inside?"
Victor stroked his chin thoughtfully, considering their options.
He knew the plot well enough that he could bypass this entire situation and lead them directly to Dreamflux Reef. There, they could find Robin's and the Watchmaker's legacies and expose Sunday's conspiracy without any of this hassle.
But this deviation from the original storyline piqued his curiosity. What were these suspicious characters really up to? What could they gain from investigating an event that hadn't occurred in the game?
Who knows, they might stumble upon something unexpectedly valuable.
With that thought in mind, Victor spoke up. "Don't worry. Leave this to me."
He walked back toward the entrance, Stelle and Markh following close behind.
"Why aren't you leaving yet?" The Pepeshi guard waved his stubby arms dismissively the moment he spotted them. "Get out of here! Stop cluttering up the entrance!"
Victor looked down at the diminutive creature, barely four and a half feet tall, and allowed a dangerous smile to curve his lips.
"Are you absolutely certain you won't let us pass?"
"What do you think you're going to do?" Something about Victor's expression made the Pepeshi take an involuntary step backward. His earlier bravado faltered for just a moment.
But then he seemed to remember something and puffed out his chest again, forcing confidence back into his voice. "I don't care who shows up today, nobody's getting through this door!"
"Really? Then look into my eyes and say that again."
The moment Victor finished speaking, his dark eyes transformed. Blood-red irises blazed to life, three black tomoe spinning slowly within each eye.
The Pepeshi, remarkably obedient, lifted his gaze to meet Victor's stare.
The next instant, his eyes glazed over. All awareness drained from his expression, leaving him standing there like a mindless puppet.
"Will you let us through now?" Victor asked in a conversational tone.
"Yes... you can pass through..." The Pepeshi's voice came out flat and mechanical as he nodded.
Victor's Sharingan faded back to normal. He turned to the two women behind him with a casual gesture. "All done."
This random Pepeshi wasn't even a Pathstrider, controlling him with a basic Sharingan illusion had been laughably easy.
"Let's head inside."
The three of them walked past the entranced guard and entered the store.
What they found inside caught them completely off guard. The space was utterly empty, not a single employee in sight. Not even a cashier manning the register. For a clothing boutique, the absence of any staff whatsoever felt deeply unnatural.
The entire store stood vacant and silent, an eerie quality permeating the air.
Markh spun in a slow circle, scanning every corner. "Where did everyone go? We clearly saw them enter! How did they just vanish?"
"Obviously," Victor said, "there must be some kind of hidden passage or secret basement beneath this place. A concealed space we can't see from here."
"Then we should look for a mechanism or button that opens it!" Markh's excitement returned, the prospect of a mystery reinvigorating her spirits.
Victor and Stelle both nodded their agreement. The three split up, methodically searching for any hidden switches or suspicious architectural features.
It didn't take long before Stelle's voice rang out. "Come look at this! I think I found a button!"
Victor and Markh hurried over immediately.
Sure enough, there was a small red button tucked beneath the counter.
"Yeah, that should be it," Victor confirmed.
Without hesitation, Stelle pressed it.
A deep rumbling sound echoed from somewhere behind them. The three turned in unison to see one of the display cabinets slowly sliding aside, revealing a doorway to what appeared to be a hidden chamber.
"Whoa! There really was a secret room!" Stelle's eyes lit up with the thrill of discovery.
"Let's go see what's inside."
Victor took the lead, pushing open the concealed door and stepping through. Stelle and Markh followed right on his heels.
They walked down a long, narrow corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. Eventually, the passage opened into a spacious underground hall.
What they saw next left all three of them momentarily stunned.
The hall was packed with Pepeshi, dozens upon dozens of the small, fluffy-topped creatures filling every available space. They all appeared to be engaged in some kind of synchronized activity, muttering in unison, completely absorbed in whatever ritual they were performing. Not one of them seemed aware that three intruders had just entered their sanctum.
"What in the world are they doing?" Markh whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Some kind of cult ritual, maybe?" Victor hazarded a guess, though even he wasn't entirely certain.
"Damn," Stelle muttered under her breath. "I can't believe there's actually a cult operating in Penacony."
The three hadn't made any effort to keep their voices down. Their conversation immediately caught the attention of the gathered Pepeshi.
Every single one of them spun around simultaneously, dozens of pairs of eyes fixing on Victor and his companions.
"What the, ? How did these tall-folk get in here?"
"How is this possible? Caston was supposed to be guarding the entrance!"
"There's no time to worry about that now! We need to capture them immediately!"
"Break their knees so they can never look down on us again!"
"Yeah!"
With a collective roar, the assembled Pepeshi summoned their mechanical servants, bulky robot constructs that lumbered forward with surprising speed.
Stelle's eyes widened in alarm. "Victor! Protect my knees!"
Victor rolled his eyes but said nothing. Instead, he raised one hand and unleashed a surge of spiritual energy.
In an instant, every single mechanical construct in the hall crumbled to pieces, reduced to scrap metal scattered across the floor.
The sight sent immediate panic rippling through the Pepeshi crowd. Their earlier bravado evaporated like morning mist. Faces that had been twisted with aggression moments before now showed nothing but pure terror.
"Tell me," Victor said calmly, his voice carrying easily across the stunned silence. "What exactly are you all doing down here?"
He raised his hand again, and invisible force yanked one of the Pepeshi, apparently the leader, judging by his slightly more ornate clothing, through the air. The small creature flew across the room until Victor caught him by the scruff of his collar, holding him at eye level.
"Well? I'm waiting for an answer."