" ": You talking

' : You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

*Stand user: Weather Report.

Stand: Weather Report: -Power A

-Speed B

-Range C

-Persistence A

-Precision E

-Potential A*

"Okay, what happened this time ?"

Guard: We're not entirely sure yet... But those proximal to the area are checking right now. My guess is that nothing significant has happened...

"Hall 7B, right next to the factory... No cameras ?"

Guard: It's too large for that, and since there's no possibility for a fire or a prisoner uprising... It seems to have responded to some stimulus, but probably nothing to worry about.

"... Someone must've triggered the alarm... That could be serious..."

Pucci: No... There's no cause for worry... I trust this prison and its prisoners completely.

"Father Pucci, you followed me ?"

Pucci: It was getting a bit loud, so I became curious, and wanted to see what was going on.

Guard: Please don't worry, father. You are aware that, during these 20 years, there have been no successful prison breaks from this facility, am I correct ?

"Just because it never happened doesn't mean it will never happen... But, this is bugging me... Besides the factory, the only area accessible from there is the courtyard... Even the last of idiots wouldn't try escaping from here..."

Pucci: of course, I see... Well, until later, then.

Guard: Please leave it to us, father.

Pucci: ... ... My curiosity is firing again, but... the clock on the wall... Is it correct ?

"... the clock... ? Yes, it seems to be... It's 11:58, almost lunchtime... That was quite the strange thing to ask..."

'The... ICSF ? And a call from the women's ward... Did Jolyne try to contact them ?'

Pucci: ... I have a favor to ask of you again... This list of outgoing calls... I want to hear what they were saying... May I ask you if I can hear it now ? From the women's ward, telephone number 16... It happened about 10 minutes ago...

'Jolyne makes a call to the ICSF, and not even 10 minutes later, we've got an emergency to a hallway leading to one of the only open areas of the complex ? That can't be a simple coincidence... And if the alarm ringed, then...'

"I'll go check what's going on there, just in case."

Guard: You sure ?

"How bad can it be ? Rest easy, I'll be back before my coffee can even cool down."

Jolyne: Beyond that door... Is where the courtyard is... How long until the ICSF comes... ? 3 minutes... Maybe 2... ?

Weather: ... Once you open this door, there's a hallway, and that hallway eventually leads into the factory and the men's ward. On the right hand wall... There are windows where you can look into the courtyard. And beyond that, you can see the revolving door. That's the gate to the courtyard. During the day, the door isn't locked and allows free entrance into the courtyard.

Weather: But, the problem is this door... How are we going to open this door ? Are we going to destroy it using our stands ? It's just a metal door. If we had time, we could open it... On the condition that there are no guards patrolling this area.

Jolyne: ... I'll have a guard open it for us. We have this guy's entry pass... We'll fool them into opening it.

Weather: I see... And, when the door opens, you'll knock the guards and force your way to the courtyard... Fine. That's the only way... But, if we do this, you won't get away with just an attempted prison break charge... You'll probably be sentenced to more than half a year of solitary confinement, where you won't even be allowed to move around...

Jolyne: I don't mind... To go to the courtyard and give the disc to someone from the ICSF. that's the only goal in my life right now.

Jolyne: there's someone there... I can hear the guard's footsteps coming. Weather Report, you should probably hide somewhere.. I'll go alone from here. You're seriously wounded, and anyway, if the guard sees how much you're bleeding, they'll probably lock the whole place up.

Weather: I see... I understand...

Intercom: What happened ? Why are you hitting this door ? Is it you... ? Lang Wrangler ? What happened ? What is this commotion ?

Weather: ...' Is it you'... ?

Pucci: if you're returning to the men's ward, Lang Wrangler, won't you accompany me to the chapel ? I need to have a word with you...

Jolyne: 'Huh.. ? It's not a guard... Not a prisoner, either... those clothes, this guy is...'

"Father, you should stay behind. I have a really bad feeling about this... 'The whole room reeks of blood'..."

Jolyne: 'Oh thank god it's him...'

"... FE40536, Jolyne Cujoh... What... Why..."

Pucci: ...' What is this... ? This... It can't be, I thought he took care of everything... But this is Jolyne Cujoh, not Lang Wrangler... Where is he ? The entry pass that was used right now, did she use it ? Then, that means... That he failed his mission, and she's still in possession of the disc... And in a few minutes, someone will be in the courtyard to retrieve it...'

Weather: 'That's... The priest, from the prison chapel... the priest... Why would he be here ?'

Pucci: 'To see her here... Does she know ? No... If she thought I was an enemy, she would have attacked by now !'

"... If you wanted to go to the courtyard, why didn't you just ask for permission ? It's open at all hours of the day... And that emergency alarm, what happened here... ?"

Jolyne: 'What should I do ? If the priest is here with him, he must not be an enemy... I could take him out... Compared to my father's life... Just punching him wouldn't be so bad...'

Pucci: ... No matter how you look at it, isn't there already a problem here ? You used someone else's pass and made us open this door. Where is the prisoner that this pass really belongs to, Lang Wrangler ?

Jolyne: This is the first time I've met you... I'm not going to ask you to believe me, but I'm not lying... I was assaulted by that prisoner, it was self-defense. he's in that basket, unconscious.

"... Even so, I'll have to report that to the higher-ups..."

Jolyne: Y- Yes, of course. If you'll wait until after I get to the courtyard.2 minutes... No, it can even be only a minute. All I want to do is get to the courtyard, that's it ! Only to meet someone, and they might not even be there... In any case, I'll be back in one minute.

Pucci: Are you telling me to ignore your wrong-doings ?

Jolyne: Someone's life is on the line. My father's life and spirit... After a minute, I'll be willing to take any punishment. Any priest would be able to understand my position... What kind of rules could I break, in a barred courtyard ? I couldn't even attempt to break out...

"Your father... Are you alone ? Or is there anyone else close by ?"

Jolyne: No... I'm alone. Please, only one minute...

"... I never saw you here. Be sure to get back to the women's ward before anyone else sees you. One minute, is that correct ?"

Jolyne: Th- Thanks !

Pucci: ... ... The moment she mentioned her "Father"... all hints of hesitation left your gaze. You were resolute to let her pass at that time. And before that, even though you were "Surprised" to see her, it was not "Shock"... Were you... Expecting... To find her ?

"... Her father and I were... I'd say acquainted, long ago, but even that's pushing it... We were classmates back in highschool. So to meet his daughter here of all places, more than 20 years later... Maybe I feel the need to go out of my way for them."

Pucci: ... To do something for others... Is usually built upon what you can benefit from it. To be kind to others is to expect kindness from others as well. There is no such thing as unconditional love. Unconditional love is... the expectation that you will eventually go to "Heaven".

"Again with Heaven... I told you already, didn't I ? With the sins i'm carrying, I'm already expecting the red carpet once I descend into hell..."

Pucci: ... ... Say... Do you believe in "Gravity" ?

"Uhh... I may not look like it, but I have a degree in astrophysics... Not believing in gravity at this point would be quite the problem for me..."

Pucci: Pardon my phrasing, I didn't mean the one that keeps all down. I meant, the one that pulls people towards one another... the red string of fate, tying them.

"Fate... Along with "God" another idea I don't specially enjoy. Thinking that something or someone, not only overlook all, but also controls it... "

Pucci: Even so... Don't you think there might be a reason ? That after all these years, you just stumbled upon your friend's daughter of all people, and in these circumstances, no less ? Don't you think all meetings are a form of "Gravity" ?

"... I've been traveling around the world... And I've had my fair share of encounters. If anything, as far as Fate goes... I've been taking a hold of mine. No one but me can tell me how I must live my life, and I intend this to continue."

Pucci: ... A peculiar mindset... One would believe that you only live for yourself, but you unconditionally help those around you... very peculiar indeed...

*BANG BANG*

"Huh ?! What... That... That came for the courtyard !"

Pucci: ... 'Jolyne and him... I had to let them go. She was not alone... There's someone behind that oil drum... The oil drum that Jolyne tried so hard not to look at... That was indicative of her lie. If she does indeed have comrades, I can't afford to show them I am "Whitesnake", even if it is to kill Jolyne...'

Jolyne: 'The ICSF said... That the way in which I would give them the disc... I would find out once I got here. Once I got to the courtyard...'

Guard: You... Do you have a pass that permits you to be here ?

Guard: Looks like you don't. I see this as an attempt to escape.

Pucci: 'I wasn't planning on sounding the alarm. I'm glad I arranged for a guard to patrol the courtyard just in case... How she was going to pass the disc on... I did want to see, just out of curiosity. And, to kill two birds with one stone... To reveal that guard true colors...'

"Wh- What the hell is going on ?!"