NOVEMBER 11 CATCHALL

[fleshedout]

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WEEK 0 DAY THREE

[fleshedout]

[Sometime after the whole hubbub over profiles, Hot Pants will approach November separately.]

...Are you an agent of some kind?

[thejkdefense]

[It was unavoidable that question would pop up sooner rather than later. Were he still an agent, he wouldn't be so willing to answer bluntly, but given his codename and skills are out in the open, and how he burned bridges with his workplace in a spectacular and very much bloody fashion, and also got killed for it, he doesn't care at all anymore about that. Secrecy is dead. The only reason why he bothered lying is because explaining things is a hassle.

But that was all for naught, turns out]

Former MI-6, special field team leader. Relieved from duty shortly before my arrival here.

[fleshedout]

...Don't know that organization.

[But there's a lot she doesn't know, she's finding. But she nods.]

I see. Makes a lot of sense. You hold yourself like one.

WEEK 0 THURSDAY

[fleshedout]

[She's just walking through the apartment hallways when she sees November, coming up to him with a light huff.]

How is your place? Livable?

[thejkdefense]

[There comes November! Going down the hallway, as usual in what seems to be good mood! Judging from the direction he came from, he checked out the apartments just a moment ago!]

They're surprisingly hospitable. You'd almost think we're meant to stay here for the rest of our lives.

[It feels a little too permanent for comfort. It's nice stuff, don't get him wrong! But it's so comfortable and nice-looking it feels as if it's meant to be a permanent residence instead of a temporary one to be at during their stay in the Prism]

[fleshedout]

I don't like the sound of that.

[She's of the same opinion, honestly. It's nice.]

[It's too nice.]

I'm glad for a bed and living space, but...I'd rather take a way out above all else.

Week 1 Thursday -- After the Return

[thejkdefense]

[I can't believe the latest installment of Jojo has Ryunosuke Naruhodo turning into a truck and a million internal injuries for everyone.

Oh, wait, no, that's par for the course.

Regardless, November arrived to the medbay at some point. Hot Pants wasn't outwardly as injured as Ryunosuke, and didn't throw up blood like Garou, so perhaps her injuries were less serious. Most likely not, though -- November knows from experience how tricky certain kinds of wounds are]

I have heard a lot about how the moment of your arrival. I wish I hadn't arrived too late to see it.

[It's a rough situation and, perhaps surprisingly, November subdues his usual demeanor. He has respect for Hot Pants, after all. Those he respects get consideration from him.

That's why he asks:]

Are you able to eat anything?

[fleshedout]

Hey, November.

[She's here! She's alive! That's what matters, right? She's got bandages up and down her arms, her upper right chest bandaged up as well. For the most part, she looks intact, but as stern as ever.]

...No. [She looks away.] Don't feel like eating.

[thejkdefense]

I hope the refusal isn't a sign of internal injuries.

[You certainly look like you have seen better days, gal]

WEEK 1 SATURDAY

[fleshedout]

[Ah, on the rooftop. She's going to go stand beside him, looking out on the horizon of the Prism, pensive as ever.]

[It...sure has been a day.]

...I wonder what..."Execution" will look like.

[thejkdefense]

[November sure has been looking out on the horizon for a while, ever since the trial ended. There's something kind of peaceful about standing here, he has found. Helps put things in perspective]

It's not going to be a pretty ordeal.

[That much is a certainty. November exhales -- he had been wondering the same, just what is the execution going to be? Perhaps Kazuma should have chosen the other option]

Something is going to carry it out, and it won't be any of us. Perhaps one of the residents of this world will, like it happened with Damien and that paintball fight a week ago.

[fleshedout]

...That would be horrible.

[But she can't say it wouldn't happen. It's very likely it could.]

In the end, our hosts are just flies in the web just like the rest of us. Though they're more web than fly, at this point.

WEEK 3 MONDAY

[fleshedout]

[Stuck in a bubble! Great. Hot Pants isn't even going to spare any words, using a splash of color to try to leave as soon as possible-]

[But with color, of course, comes the price. A set of memories (the first, 10-28, the second, 14-22) bleeds through, of Hot Pants trapped with two men in a horrific trap, forcing the regrets and sacrifices of the past onto its victims. Hot Pants, tearfully telling the young man, her heart weighed with sorrow at the sin she committed, about becoming a nun, and yet unable to leave the past behind. And then, throwing everything into the search for a corpse of a saint, in the hopes she would find forgiveness.]

[And her sins, wrapping around her, stifling, crushing her body even as she implores the man to save himself-]

[Hot Pants stands, and....ducks her head. She doesn't even want to look at November right now.]

Tch.

[thejkdefense]

[Rough.

First thing November does is look around. Hot Pants riding a horse, that fits with the data of the profile. Following to that town, Hot Pants dressed like a nun, and the absolute body horror would make most people step back, that's for sure...but November didn't.

The confession of what she did, sacrificing her brother's life to what's probably an eldritch bear (thanks araki), and looking for forgiveness for what she did...that doesn't get any judgment from him either. Instead he watched everything, with perfectly impassive expression.

Sins are heavy to carry, that he knows. Contractors don't feel guilt despite the many, many lives they have taken and will take. Still, he's well aware having a conscience is a heavy burden, and pretty much what defines you as human.

As far as he's concerned, it's far better Hot Pants feels that guilt. She's as human as someone can be, that's for sure, and that's good]

Does it embarrass you I know this now?

[It's a pretty blunt question, but it's not lacking some sympathy. Despite everything, he understands Hot Pants must have a lot of turmoil inside, even if she has left this behind by now.

Well, that he's also regaining some slight emotional awareness due to the loss of his powers helps with the sympathizing part too, admittedly]

[fleshedout]

...Embarrass?

[She actually turns to look at him, eyebrows a little raised, because that's not quite the reaction she was expecting. A moment...and she frowns, a shake of her head.]

No. Not embarrassed. [...] It's just...strange, I suppose. Like my life's some sort of book for people to read.

WEEK 3 SUNDAY

[fleshedout]

sure was one hell of a day huh

[thejkdefense]

Yes. It has been one turn after the other.

[November waits a bit before sending another message:]

I once said to Danny and Kumon that I thought the balance of this realm involved bad things following good things. There's partying, then there's maiming all of a sudden. Good days come before a trial.

After everything that happened today I think I'm not too off the mark.

[Those two survive the fight without dying, then everything with Malik happened. It's uncanny!]

WEEK 4 THURSDAY : THE MURDER

[fleshedout]

[She wakes.]

[And this...is already wrong. She knows she shouldn't be awake. Not like this. Panic rises, and then it settles, as she looks over the medbay.]

This...shouldn't be happening.

[thejkdefense]

[First thing he notices is that he's awake. When November opens his eyes he doesn't stand up right away -- he tended to evaluate the situation to find out if anyone else in the vicinity is awake. If there are other people, then it's the next morning.

But from here he is, it's pretty easy to see the other people in the medbay passed out...with one exception.

Wow. The Prism plays dirty, he thinks. November sits up, dusting his suit off from having fallen to the floor when he fell unconscious]

Indeed, it shouldn't. How unfortunate.

[Inwardly he's trying to check his own emotions. Refraction is supposed to work by making them out of control, right? But he doesn't feel any different. Is he not refracted, after all? Or perhaps it's too early to tell?

Oh well. Time to stand up]

WEEK 7 WEDNESDAY

[fleshedout]

[Someone is here, checking out your new COOL HOUSE, November. She looks over at him, letting out a huff.]

I still think the No Smoking signs were a nice touch.

[thejkdefense]

I'm certain there's no sentimentality and instead are meant to be a jab at my expense, just like that book with 'actually good jokes' Percy left.

[Even though he makes this face, he finds the signs really amusing. People really worked hard to make something that just shouted 'November lives here' and they succeeded, haha]

WEEK 7 FRIDAY

[fleshedout]

[Well, googly moogly, everything's gone to shit.]

[Hot Pants is coming up to November, slapping at an eye on her hand as she looks between him and the archway.]

What the hell is all of this?

[thejkdefense]

Looks like our annoying friend has decided to make a move of some sort. If I had to guess, he intends to force us all to refract and stay in this Prism forever.

[He can't determine if it's with them turning the Prism into a realm according to his wishes, or if he wants them as mindless beasts, or something, but one thing is obvious to November: Dreamer wants them to stick around]

WEEK 7 SATURDAY

[fleshedout]

[Rooftop, huh. She approaches, sort of glancing at him, then...she can't help it, the railing that she remembers, vividly, where he was pushed off.]

[....All's well that ends well.]

...You doing okay, November?

[thejkdefense]

Surprisingly enough, I am. As far as missions go, this one seems to have been a success.

['Seems' being the operative word here, truthfully speaking]

The final results of our efforts remains to be seen. Until then, I can't let my guard down.

[Which is why he's on the rooftop, once again gazing at the horizon. These have been some long weeks, eh?]

Do you believe everyone made the vote in a way that will end without any future issues?