"So today's book we'll be discussing is 'Hugo Strays, The Cowardly'!" Treize slammed down her own copy without much ceremony. A loud clang echoed in the little club room.
Huit surged from his seat with unusual passion, "Alright!"
"Are you excited boys and girls!?"
Again, it was only Huit who exclaimed, "Yes!"
The Princess giggled and clapped while November sat there with a quiet smile.
"Okay!" Treize chanted loudly before looking back down at the book in her hands. She tilted her head, "So this book…What was this book even about again?"
Huit's mouth gaped open, "Don't tell me you forgot…!"
Treize stared at him blankly, she totally forgot. "Well. I guess nothing happens in the book then."
She wasn't the only one unsure. Princess Ceci placed her hand under her chin in thought, "I know, it's mostly just Hugo following his friends around, isn't it? I don't think he did anything very important."
"W-what, how can you say that…?" Huit, flabbergasted, picked up his copy and began scrolling there the pages, "Wasn't there was part…where was it again…! Oh yeah, he was fighting a Nightmare to save his little cousin, you can't tell me that wasn't cool."
"That Nightmare…was described as a rat. The size of…a rat," the Princess's brows furrowed in disappointment.
"Y-yeah but, it was still a Nightmare, you know?"
"Oh, I remember now!" Treize suddenly perked up, "Didn't Hugo's kid neighbor end up saving him from the rat? That's what happened right?"
"Yup!" The Princess giggled in response, "I won't lie, that part was quite hilarious. Though the book didn't really have an ending, now did it? I thought it was a bit disappointing."
Huit groaned and slumped down on couch. Desperate, he looked over at November with pleading in his eyes, "Help a guy out, won't you?"
All eyes turned their attention towards November. He ran his fingers through his black hair, his smile was apologetic. "Sorry, I didn't read it."
Huit cried at the injustice. He felt so terribly betrayed. Just what kind of childhood friend was November supposed to be!?
Their meeting ended with 'Hugo Strays, the Cowardly' being added to the pile of books due for burning. The club members tidied up, November swept the floor and Huit gathered the trash off the table. "You look better," he remarked.
November sighed. Well if anything, a least he was able to get some quality sleep nowadays, "All thanks to your help."
Huit smirked, "Yeah, you owe me now."
November rolled his eyes but gave no retort. When Treize locked the door, Huit nudged his arm, "Hey, you want to come over? Been pretty boring studying alone. I could use some help with Theory of Summons."
But before November could answer, Princess Ceci was quick to cut in. "November," she said, almost breathless, "Why…Why don't you come over to the castle instead? I can show you around. I really need help with my studies so...Won't you help tutor me?" There was something desperate in her eyes, like little Cecilia who quietly begged for one more lesson.
November was endeared and patted her head on instinct, "Next time, Your Highness. I'll help you with that pesky Philosophy homework that I know you hate."
"O-Oh." The Princess blinked dumbly, her face was just barely flushed. What was she even thinking? November was her enemy. Her heart was a mess and told her that she needed to leave. "I see. Next time then." The Princess swore there was once an etiquette's teacher that would swear at her if she didn't do properly courtesy. But she didn't, and left like an uncivilized little girl.
Hurry, the Princess told herself, she needed to kill herself faster!
"Are you coming with us?" Huit asked only when the Princess was out of sight.
Treize frowned and inspected the state of her nails, "Maybe later. I have go search for something."
"What? That thing that you lost?"
She nodded, "Still can't find it. I swore I left it in the club room, I have no idea how it just up and disappeared. You don't think it could be magic right?"
"Huh!? Magic? Don't even joke about that!" Huit paled which only made Treize laugh. But unlike earlier where she was unapologetically boisterous, she sighed in a way that made others feel sorry for her.
"I suppose not."
"Perhaps it was stolen?" November asked as he pushed open the door at the end of the hallway, leading them outside to a dusky sky.
"That wouldn't be good," she admitted sullenly, her shoulders sagged in defeat only to be lifted once more as determination crept back into her visage. "There is no point in moping about it though. So I will continue looking. Catch up with you boys later."
After bidding her goodbye, the two childhood friends made their way towards the Patch. The sky was warm but night's chill was already seeping into the air.
"You sure about that?" Huit asked, no doubt about the Princess. Since November began taking Marilyn, it became more obvious to him that Huit was afraid of Princess Ceci more than anything else. He feared to antagonize her. Which really begged why the guy decided to join Kaleidoscope.
Realization dawned on him as November thought. His friend, like him, probably didn't have much of a choice. "It'll be fine," November hummed. It was a lie, but there also wasn't much he could do about it.
For he and Princess Ceci were not made to co-exist in this world.
Huit frowned and kicked pebbles at his feet. "So how's awareness working out for you?"
Ah, right. One of the main side effects of Marilyn was to gain awareness. November felt like he was sobering up for the very first time, and like any addict, suffered from withdrawals. He laughed, warm but a bit hollow, "It has its ups and downs."
Huit fixed his glasses. The buildings around them slowly shifted into shabbier ones. The quaint little tea shops and book stores became discount magical tools and rundown bars that also served as restaurants. The sun sank lower into the horizon. "You're a Month though, that must mean you have a Privilege, right? Some special magic."
November ran a hand through his hair and frowned, "Yes, but my Privilege isn't that interesting."
"Just because it's not flashy, doesn't mean it's not powerful."
November supposed Huit was right about that. But that only worried him more. His Privilege was a little too influential for his tastes.
After winding around the maze that made up the Patch's alleys, the sky was a twilight blue. They entered that rundown orange building and followed the only hall that remained lit. It was as though no life touched any other corner of the entire building and only the heart where June had fashioned into a little living room was still alive.
"Welcome back!" He called, looking up from a game of billiards when he saw the two young men enter the room. "How are you two today?"
Huit looked around, "You sure the rat problem was solved? Like, really sure? I think it might be a good idea to think of a new place..."
"I'm fine. How about you?" November bit the tip of his tongue to stop himself from saying father. Out of everyone, he was the most tempted to use his power on June, but decided against it.
"It was a day like any other," June laughed, "I encountered our dearest Princess again when I came back from gathering more ores."
"And here I was wondering why she hadn't shown up to Philosophy again." November shook his head. His odd infatuation with her had melted away and turned into distant paternal affection. November set his bag down against the couch then joining June for a game of pool.
"So have you made your decision?" June asked.
November lined up his pole. The balls clanged loudly against each other, two falling into holes. "I'm thinking about it."
"Hm," June mused as he walked around the table before crouching down, "There's no rush. I still have one major plot point to fulfill." The balls that remained on the table lessened by three. June was really good at this.
November bristled at the mention of plot, "I'm not interested in these silly plot points." His next shot missed all their marks.
"How could that be?" June's laughter was warm and simple, as though there was not a single thing he truly cared about in the world. He sat on the table to get a better angle, crouching over like a tiger, "You're a major character in all of this. If you refused to participate then the entire story might fall apart."
But the story of this world was full of lazy writing, November decided. He wasn't interested, just like how Lorn was uninterested in Royal Mother Gentillia's cruelty. He wanted to stand by his own morals, his philosophy. "The plots are foolish and unjust." With awareness, he could understand that with terrible clarity.
June simply shrugged and wrapped up the game with a final shot, "You've never gone off-script before. You've always been a good kid, Lorn. Always one who followed the rules."
November had nothing to say to that.