[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie's knees went weak with relief when she heard the familiar barking of an excited Boltund from the other side of Jack's front door, followed by heavy footsteps and the click of the door being unlocked. When the door swung open, the only reason she didn't launch herself immediately at him was because of the pizza and wine bottle in each hand.

Well, that and a very effusive Watts enthusiastically rearing up to paw at her, sniff her, and lick her hands and face. Aurelie let out a breathless giggle. "Watts! Hi buddy! How've you been? Let me just put this stuff down..."

She turned unthinkingly and started to put the pizza box down on a table she remembered being near the door, only to realize it'd been moved a few feet away. The redhead frowned, reminded by this minor change about the greater changes Jack had gone through. Quietly, she set down the pizza and wine.

While she gave Watts the petting and belly rubs he richly deserved, the coolness of Jack's greeting sank in for her. Aurelie looked up at his face, searching it for any emotion at all.

He looks...well, good. As always. The redhead chuckled at herself. Handsome as ever. But serious. And...almost angry? Definitely annoyed. Like he...like he doesn't even want me here.

"Are you mad at me?" she burst out impetuously, too hurt and confused to think about tact or diplomacy. "Do you still hate me for what...for the things that happened in... Do you want to...to..."

She couldn't finish any of her sentences. That last one, though, would've been, Do you want to break up with me? Her heart hammered in her chest.

"So, uh, clearly, I think we should talk," she stammered instead, trying to awkwardly recover some dignity and graciousness. "Over pizza, though. It's got all your favorite toppings, at least the ones I remember. And no mochi, I promise."

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Anger flared in Aurelie's heart at Jack's seeming emotionlessness and indifference to her. He's acting like he hardly knows me. Like we're strangers who only vaguely met in passing, or something. Yet, he was someone she'd known almost as long as she'd been in Hoenn, and he certainly knew her body the best out of anyone in Hoenn, if not her mind or heart.

Was it only the food, and maybe Watts, that got her in the door now? He'd never been like this before, not even after their first and only conversation in dream-Ultra Megalopolis. He'd clearly cared then, so much so that it made her heart ache. Could he really have moved on so thoroughly since then?

Even with that heartache, though, his dry, clinical request reignited her ire. If he wasn't going to show any softness, then Aurelie wouldn't either.

"Fine," she snapped, crossing her arms and clenching her jaw. "I don't know if you're having a memory lapse or trying to guilt me, but I'll say what I did.

"When they asked our ward to vote for another ward to be punished, I voted for your ward. I didn't do the noble thing and either abstain or vote to punish my ward instead."

There was much more Aurelie could have added to this simple account. She hadn't recognized Jack at all, or Isaac, or Howard, or anyone else in that ward—or in the other ward, for that matter. All she had seen was that the Dummy ward was a little smaller and yet had more people who attacked the guards.

Nor was it that the only time or the only ward to get punished. On that first day, her ward had been "rewarded" with a vision of what they yearned for most, but on following days, every ward was beaten, laughed at, and taunted with visions of their heart's desire. No one had been favored; they'd all suffered equally in the end.

Somehow, though, Aurelie didn't think this new, infuriatingly dispassionate Jack would care about those details. He only wanted her to list her crimes. And presumably, to pass judgement on her all over again.

By what right does he even have to punish me? she thought. Her face flushed a blotchy pink with her rising emotions. How dare he stand there like judge and jury to proclaim that I "betrayed" him? How dare he?

"Anything else?" the redhead challenged him, raising an eyebrow and reaching toward the box to seize a slice of pizza. She chomped and munched it with a fury. "You said that was just to start. Anything else you want to discuss, Jack?"

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT