THE PANTS OF THE HOT

[disestablishment]

i don't know what i'm looking at

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[disestablishment]

Mistress Hot Pants.

[ .............. ]

How kind of you. He would thank you for saying that.

[fleshedout]

...I guess he would, huh? He's that kind of guy.

[disestablishment]

Aye, he is. A heartbreaker, I daresay.

[ Anyway. He does a little watering too for the pots that seem dry. ]

Most are unsavory and harsh, sometimes the result of infighting. [ Eh. ] What of your life before, Mistress Hot Pants? I know you an adventurer of some kind...

[fleshedout]

I could see him running away from people he doesn't like.

[He's just the type to.]

...Me? [Hm. She considers that for a moment.] Would it surprise you to learn that I had a quiet, uneventful life before I went adventuring and traveling?

[disestablishment]

The same could be said for the people he does like.

[ He shouldn't dunk on Estinien so much. ]

Surprise? No. I wouldn't imagine what kind of life you must have led to that detail. 'Twould be too presumptuous of me. I would instead ask what motivated you to adventure and travel.

[fleshedout]

Oh, so he runs away from you?

[Just saying.]

Motivated me... [Hm.] I was...restless. You could say that I needed my soul to be soothed, in a way, and I realized that quiet life wasn't going to give that to me.

[disestablishment]

[ He goes quiet and squints at her like... What is she trying to say? Estinien would never like him. Like that.

Avoids it so he doesn't get bullied. ]

Have you yet found fulfillment, if for a moment?

[fleshedout]

[AYMERIC YOUR HUSBAND]

No, not yet. I'm still looking.

[disestablishment]

[ he is not the wife and doesn't have 3 kids ]

Then that's something to look forward to at journey's end... Once we find the path to return.

[fleshedout]

[She's....silent at that, for a moment.]

Aymeric...in your world...is it common for adventurers to die?

[disestablishment]

[ He's quiet, too. ]

... It isn't uncommon. The life of an adventurer is glamorized, so you see many take leave to live their dream. Unfortunately, only few have the strength to survive. The wilderness on my star is relentless, monsters abound.

Mistress Hot Pants, is there something you are insinuating?

[fleshedout]

...

[She closes her eyes and moves to a different row of pots.]

No. I was just curious.

[disestablishment]

Whatever is on your mind, I hope some day you’ll be open to sharing it.

[ He doesn’t think he should press and continues to just mist the plants… But since they’re talking about dying. ]

Does your world believe in an afterlife? On my star, we return to the aetherial sea.

[fleshedout]

[................]

[An afterlife...]

Yes, there is. There's two...or I guess three, technically. Most believe in a heaven, a hell, and a purgatory. Where you go depends on how you've acted during your life. If your heart is full of sin, then it will drag your soul down to hell, where it will burn forever.

[disestablishment]

'Twould seem the concept of heaven and hell is universal. How austere... But I cannot judge when my own religion speaks of Halone's Halls to be where we all wish to go. Allegedly, strict it is for whom it'll open its gates.

[ ... ]

I do know of the afterlife on my star, not based on beliefs. 'Tis the aetherial sea where all life returns. All forgotten memories are returned to you and you may reunite with those you've lost. There you wait until you are reborn anew.

In ways, a fallen adventurer's journey does not need to end.

[fleshedout]

That's a nice thought. To see your loved ones, and be reborn.

[Reincarnation....hm. She thinks over it a moment.]

I don't know if I'm worthy enough to be reincarnated though. In fact, I don't think I would want to, unless I had a chance to set things right. If I can't...then things have to end.

[disestablishment]

[ how is someone named hot pants making me vague sad ]

Of course that is your answer and I have no right to argue it. We have only known each other for less than a moon. We also wish escape from this place, if not for ourselves then for others... But still I find myself relieved and gladdened to have you here betwixt shared meals, discussions, and the silly antics.

... The thought that we may not meet in another life saddens me. [ A laugh. ] That only means I should savor the moments we have here, should I not?

[fleshedout]

[because araki does this to you with the weirdest named characters i'm only sharing the misery]

...

[She's a little taken aback by the sincerity of his statements, and it takes a moment to react.]

You're a sap. [She says, a little terse, but its obvious that she's touched, her lips pursed in the semblance of a pout.] But...I guess so. [...] You're not bad, either.

[disestablishment]

I'm flattered, Mistress Hot Pants. Though I should warn you that you are barely a level above Estinien when it comes to voicing your emotions.

[ It is time to Bully. ]

Do try not to fall.

[fleshedout]

[WOW]

Honestly, I get the man. Sometimes you don't need to talk about feelings.

[disestablishment]

[ steel 🤝 estinien 🤝 hot pants
CONCEAL, DON'T FEEL

Aymeric, yelling: NO ]

I suppose there's charm to stoic character...

[ he gives up ]

[fleshedout]

[aymeric shaking all these stoic people like WHYYYYYYYYYYY]

...There's charm to your character, too. You're very likeable, Aymeric.