hisdarkmark | Fortieth Hex - [Written/Action]

[When he first opens his eyes, he's immediately blinded by the sunlight and he hisses loudly, rolling over in the dirt to shield his eyes. He doesn't move for a moment, barely bothering to take in what was going on. It was obvious he was back. His clothes were still torn and disgusting from the last draft, and he had a few dried scabs on his arms, but otherwise...he seemed fine.

Sitting up, he gropes around the area for his journal to check the date.

Shit. Just how long was death supposed to last in this place? He supposed it wasn't too entirely unusual, considering how long Arumat was gone when he had been murdered. He adjusts himself on the ground, shifting the way he's sitting and reaching in his pocket for a pen. The writing is scratchy and scrawled, but the words are legible.]

So that's what it's like.

[He doesn't care. He doesn't care to read through everything and find out what he's missed. He's on his feet and carefully walking toward house 25, already knowing that Tsuzuki and Hisoka were waiting for him and most likely could kill him again for being dead for so long.

The thing was, however, was that he couldn't figure it out. He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around what he's lost as a penalty. Maybe he got lucky and they didn't take anything at all. That would be nice, wouldn't it? But it seemed highly unlikely, especially considering the nagging in the back of his mind that something was missing. He'd just have to work it out later.

Hmm...hello house 26. You seem awfully familiar, and not in the way that it was the house some of Draco's friends live in now. He used to spend a lot of time in that house, didn't he?

No. Maybe not. He couldn't imagine why he would...must be mistaken.

It isn't until he's almost at his front door that he takes his journal again, scrawling out a few more words.]

...am I the last one to come back then? Suppose they really do save the best for the end.

[ooc: Death penalty explained briefly here]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well -- it's a very intimate offer, isn't it? Asking someone to live with you. It's all fine and dandy with the other Slayers but -- here? You probably should like someone rather a lot before you offer them the house keys.

[ it took her, like, a year to ask her boyfriend to move in. she's got issues. ]

[Doesn't seem to make a difference to a kid who currently doesn't even remember how he acquired his own house. Still, he gets her point. If he were in his right mind he's wholeheartedly agree. That's why he and Caroline never lived together, really.] Well, granted, if you don't like them you could always kick them out again. With how quickly people cycle in and out of this place...

That's the problem. The cycles. The house feels more like a hotel than a home.

Well, perhaps there ought to be a prerequisite in order. Anyone who's lived here for over a year is allowed to move into the Summers home, or something like that.

And when my beloved sister turns up again, as fresh and newbie-like as the driven snow?

Well now Dawn's an entirely different case. I should think people that you know at home are a different case...sort of. There's only one girl from my world here, but I don't see myself offering to let her live with me anytime soon. [Despite the fact that before she left and came back that's exactly what happened.]

[ she spends a moment (pleasantly) surprised that draco recalls her sister's name when --

of course. she had lived with caroline, of course.

but that makes her wonder if--

no. don't poke and prod. not when there could be tender bits. ]

Hermione, right? Back again? We've talked.

[There are a few undecipherable scribbles that show up on the page. He has a lot of thoughts about Hermione, mostly just that she's obnoxious and some stuff relating to their home world.] Real gem, isn't she? I think I would have been much happier if they kept her out of the village.

She seems fine to me. Reminds me of a friend, actually.

That's because you haven't known her as long as I have. She's just as bad as Saint Potter.

Then again, you're all alike...the do-gooder type with the martyr complex.

Wait -- should I be taking offence?

Probably not. Most people in these worlds need a hero whether the hero wants to be or not. [At least he retained something from his time with the gryffindors]

And all I'm saying is you could do a lot worse than being clever and do-goody. Which is all I really know about Hermione.

Typical Gryffindor, really. All three of them are like that. I guess I've just been bred to hate them and what they stand for ~~despite the fact I'm counting on Potter to get us out of this mess~~. Opposing sides and all.

Ever consider crossing the Rubicon?

...doing what?

Turning your coat. Changing your hat. Rehabilitating. Whatever you wanna call it. Buttoning your robe the other way...?

[ was that suitably wizardy? ]

Yeah, I've considered it, but I can't exactly do that.

Never say never. Trust me -- you really won't manage it with that kind of defeatist attitude.

I managed here for three years with that attitude, didn't I?

Managed isn't really the word I'd use. Endured in spite of might be more accurate.

What does it matter anyway? I can't stand Hermione, and it's not like Potter's ever been around for me to try this newfound goodness on in the first place. Sounds like a waste of my time.