AUDIENCE FOR: Clementine

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week 6, sunday

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[



eventually, when clementine is asleep and in the blank white space, gemini appears. their hands are folded behind their back, and they're towering over her once again.]

Good afternoon, Miss Clementine. [the tone is a little dry and a little tired.] How may I assist you?

[stillnot]

[ hmm, don't like that they're tall again?? ]

Came to hang out. It's been a while.

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It has been a while. [listen, gemini is meant to be tall? surely this is fine.] I imagine you've been busy here just as I have been over there.

[stillnot]

It's better now that the cannibal is gone. But yeah.

[ it's fine. ]

... You okay?

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Mm. I've heard. Souji did mention that, as did Rupert. Something about a ball of light.

[but they fold their arms over their chest and nod.]

It has been a very long week, but I suppose you could say that for every week. [there's a tilt of their head.] Might I ask you to update me on what's happened on your end of things?

[stillnot]

Yeah, I don't know what that's about. [ magic..........?? ]

Some of us got whisked away to a mausoleum and it was - how those things usually go. Lots of familiar faces that just disappear when it's over.

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A mausoleum? [hm. weird.] What were you doing there?

[stillnot]

[ personally i was laying down dead in real life but ]

I don't... I don't really know. Virgo said something was really wrong, and then we just kind of needed to help each other get out of there.

But if the person leading you out looked back you had so start over.

[ she does not know mythology, this means nothing to her. ]

It was really annoying.

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[rubs your shoulders.

but they kind of think this over. they don't reply immediately. they're letting this rotate in their mind palace before there's a very soft sigh.]

Sounds annoying, sure. But if that happened enough, maybe there's supposed to be a reason you can't look back. You all got out eventually, right?

[stillnot]

Eventually. Maybe it was like a... Trust exercise?

[ ... ]

But that's stupid. It isn't bad to worry about people and check on them to make sure they're okay.

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[they shrug at that.]

I suppose I can't say one way or another. I've never quite understood what happens over there. I don't know if it's bad or not to worry, but maybe it doesn't hurt to consider an alternative, too.

[stillnot]

No, that's stupid.

[ she's considered the alternative and it's bad. ]

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[. . .

a sigh.]

Okay. Sure. It's stupid.

[they usually do not agree this easily, but here they are.]

Then maybe don't worry about it right now.

[stillnot]

[ yeah this is weird! dislike. ]

You asked.

So what's been going on with the living? We can see a little of it, but not everything.

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I don't know. Stuff, I think. [they seem to be kind of staring off into space, thinking to themselves.] ...another group came back from one of those adventures. Yoo Joonghyuk and Marie were killed. Yoo Joonghyuk came back. He was a head for a while. Just...a talking head. The vote came in for Hua Cheng. Kim Dokja executed him by making him explode earlier today.

The living are probably planning some things. The hotel's pretty quiet. [...they aren't sure what else to report, so they nod to themselves.] It's been another long week for everyone. All we can do is regroup and move forward.

[stillnot]

[ the vaguest part of that is the part she's most curious about but! it's not like! they can just talk openly about things! SO!!!! ]

... If it works like it did in the Realm, whoever's got Xie Lian's role is doing a good job.

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Who knows.

[...they seem to realize they're being vague and kind of an asshole, at least, because they take a breath and shake their head.]

...sorry, Clem, can we talk about maybe literally anything else?

[stillnot]

Sure.

[ except she doesn't really know what to talk about because she's pretty single-minded when it comes to goals and Figuring Out Bad Situations?? help.

... she feels like she's not supposed to tell them this but she thinks it's kind of funny and it's all she can think of, so: ]

Think everyone on my side is gonna fight, today.

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[well. it startles them out of their somewhat gloomy mood and there's a suddenly-surprised laugh.]

What? Why? [a beat.] Kinda wish I could join 'em.

[at least they sound more like themselves again.]

[stillnot]

Me too.

[ whether she means gemini joining them or that she wanted to... is unclear. do you ever think about how clementine was a smart, well mannered child once and in an ordinary world would not have grown up to be a jock?

but alas. ]

I dunno. Gotta pass the time somehow. Souji gets more into it than anyone else.

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[the funniest character arc but also clem...your normal life...]

That doesn't surprise me. He seems like the type to really want to spar all the time. All that energy.

[they're one to talk.]

You could start a tournament or something. Bet your tickets for a prize.

[stillnot]

It surprised me the first time.

[ he's previously ill housewife, why is he brawling!!! ]

Sounds fun. Don't know if the people sending me spare tickets would be thrilled, though.

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[a pause.]

Have you talked to him much about his history? [it's fine! it's fine. but she can probably visualize them grinning.]

Hey, what they don't know won't hurt 'em. And besides, it's not like you're getting rid of the tickets entirely. They'd still be around if you needed them.

[stillnot]

Not much. I know he used to be sick, from seeing his memories. I figure he's not from the safest place.

[ and then, joking?? ]

And I know that he doesn't want to come home with me.

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[it gets them to laugh a little at least.]

Things aren't as bad there as they used to be, right? [lowkey concern, but.] You know what I'm gonna say though. About talking to people. It never hurts.