❀ 3.9 - Took Cupid's Arrow to the Knee ❀
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"Prairie, there you are! We've been looking all over the place for you!"
I look up from where I'm seated on the floor of the library beside Rantaro, seeing Tenko's frame stepping around piles of books to reach us. Kiibo and Angie closely follow after her as she stops near our feet at the far back corner, her expression turning into one of frustrated displeasure at the sight of Rantaro and I holding a book between us.
Considering that the only reason I don't feel so bad after the Kokichi issue is solely because of Rantaro's company, I shoot her a critical look to play nice even if she doesn't want to. Thankfully she sees and promptly takes a seat with a reluctant sigh. Likewise, Angie and Kiibo follow suit.
Hnn, so they're joining us? I thought I'd have a little more time to enjoy Rantaro's company alone...as much as I adore being around Tenko, reading over Rantaro's shoulder in peaceful silence was just what I needed after our snowball fight over my nectarine ticket.
"We're here with a proposition!" Angie starts off, which seems to be enough for mild concern to jump up to Rantaro's face- at least what I can see out of the corner of my eye.
"Is this about-" Rantaro starts to ask, only to silence himself when Angie holds up a hand for him to wait.
"Yes, it is indeed! It's only fair I ask her as I did you and everyone else. After all, she deserves to choose for herself, isn't that right, Rantaro? You wouldn't want to rob her of making her own choices, would you?" Angie asks, obviously implying something that is not only between Rantaro and I, but also a problem I'd much rather keep between him and myself. Not between us and Angie's troupe.
Needless to say, whatever she wants from me? Yeah, she's lost me. And the scowl plastered to my face must say it all if I'm to go by Tenko's visible jaw clench and Kiibo's wince.
"Four," I simply state, causing Rantaro to look my way and force a smile on his face. Despite his efforts to diffuse my anger as he throws a casual arm over my shoulders to relax me, my emotions don't settle. Tenko eyes his motions critically, but she's wise enough to not open her mouth about it considering my obvious rise in temper.
"It's okay, Prairie, it doesn't bother me," Rantaro soothingly states as he rubs my shoulder. Despite his efforts, my eyes don't shift from Angie whatsoever, lasering into her without so much as a single blink. Her smile doesn't waver, retaining a look that says she isn't concerned over my attitude.
"It bothers me," I clarify for Rantaro, making him laugh helplessly at my admission. "Whatever you want, Angie? Go ask someone else. I figure you're about to invite me into your little religious group, so I'll go ahead and give you my refusal now. I don't like you enough to entertain you. Close the door on your way out."
I shift to get comfier beside Rantaro, reaching over for his book to open it up again until Angie hums in understanding. She's about to talk again, isn't she? Dang it, can't she just go away? This is supposed to be Rantaro and me time!
Still, she opens her mouth anyways.
"Boo...oh well. The offer to find serenity in Atua will be open if you ever have a change of heart~! He will always be waiting with open arms!" Angie comments, before clasping her hands together pleasantly beside her face. "Which just leaves one last proposition to ask!"
I groan remorselessly and Angie lets out a delighted laugh, clearly unconcerned by my misery.
"What is it now?" I huff, trying not to let myself lash out at her. It's a good thing Rantaro's trying to relax me with neck rubs, or I'd have already jumped up to chase the Ultimate Artist down.
"As you can see, we are missing Himiko from our ranks! And it happens to be for a specific reason we discussed earlier. Do you remember? Back in Tenko's lab?" Angie asks, prompting me to raise a brow. They're not gonna say where she is? I think we ought to keep track of where we are relative to one another with someone like Kirumi lurking the halls...
We don't want another Kaede or Ryoma incident to happen because someone strayed off the beaten path without so much as a heads up to the rest of us.
"Where is she anyways?" I inquire curiously.
"Well, she's actually taking a nap in her room, but that's not the point. We've taken advantage of her absence now to start planning her birthday party, and we were hoping you'd be willing to offer a helping hand," Kiibo explains, taking over and watching as I unhook my arm from Rantaro with a sigh.
They're not leaving anytime soon, that much is obvious. Furthermore, they were serious about throwing her a party? I just thought they were loosely entertaining the idea.
No matter, I guess it'd be something to keep us all sane in this place. There's not really much to engage with if we don't put things into action ourselves...unless we're talking about murder, which in this case I'd rather we not engage with at all.
"Alright, what about it? What would you have me do?" I ask, even though I suspect they want to ask me to help with some of the physical labor in setting the gym up. Without Kirumi, there's so much more work they'd have to disperse between the three of them, so I guess I can offer some mercy and help them out...
"So you'll do it?!" Tenko asks with an eager fire in her eyes, her face lighting up at my words.
"Ah, so kind and generous~! Nyahaha! I just knew you'd be willing to assist us!" Angie chirps, visibly pleased. Hopefully that doesn't mean they'll give me all the most difficult tasks...Angie probably wouldn't hesitate assigning me extra work, and I could guess Tenko wouldn't hesitate to assign me extra work in the name of physical training.
"Okay, we already thought of most of the things we want to include, right? Himiko wants to hold her magic performance for us, so that is a must. We've already decorated the gym partly and just need to set up the main 'birthday' streamers and sign the night before- just so Himiko won't know what hit her until she walks in! We've already gone around asking the others to get her gifts too! So...I had this idea! Why should Himiko be the only performer of her party when she's the birthday girl? We should have someone else up there too!" Tenko explains in a long-winding and somewhat breathless rush, before she stares at me with an expectant smile.
I guess she wants my input on the plan so far? Must have been her idea if she's saying it all to me. No surprise there, she seems about as fond of Himiko as she is of me.
"Sounds like you have things under control," I comment, playing thoughtlessly with the metal pendant hanging around my neck that Rantaro gave me. "So who are you going to have as the second performer? I can't imagine anyone else can do something spectacular like Himiko."
...
Rantaro suddenly puts a hand over his mouth to stifle a chuckle that still slips out, making me blink and look up at him in confusion.
What's he laughing about? What did I say?
"Prairie...did you forget you're a celebrity?" Kiibo gently pushes, making the memory suddenly click in my mind along with Tenko's implications on bringing up an idea of a second performer to me. I gasp and turn to face the trio across from us, somewhat intimidated by Tenko's and Angie's irregular eager smiles. Who smiles like that?! They look like actors on a late night infomercial marketing scammy products to unsuspecting consumers!
"No! Well, I mean, yes, I forgot- but no, I will NOT perform anything! What would I do? Climb the gymnasium wall for show?" I laugh like it's ridiculous, hoping they don't remember that I've done either acting or singing in my past-
"You can sing! Prairie, don't play dumb, I can see you making the connections in those cute big blues of yours!" Tenko accuses, making me wince and shift to tuck my face behind Rantaro's back when I feel my cheeks go warm.
"T-That doesn't change my answer. I'll tell you the same thing I told Kaede back when she told me I sang! L-Lipsync is a thing and I doubt I'm talented enough beyond rock climbing," I huff defiantly, up until I hear Tenko sigh in resignation. Kiibo clears his voice box (if that even does anything for him), the robot smiling when I peek up over Rantaro's shoulder.
"Then that means the music scene is up to me then! I must admit, I've always wanted to be a pop star myself," he reveals with a glimmer of joy and anticipation in his eyes. I hold onto my expression as best I can when I feel my eye nearly twitch. Can he...even sing? "If you can at least coach me so I can make sure I sing properly, then would that suffice?"
"Hmm..." I think, crossing my arms and giving it some thought. "As long as you guys don't force me to sing, then I'd be more than happy to try helping Kiibo. Fair warning about my memory- I don't remember ever singing and I can't promise I'll have any memory on how to properly sing...much less when it comes to coaching a robot with an inorganic physiology. I'll do my best if you're okay with it though."
"You sure you don't want to try singing, Prairie?" Rantaro asks, making me turn to see his pensive smile. "It could be a really good experience if you just try it out. I mean, it'd be much easier in here than on stage in front of a thousand strangers, don't you think?"
I scowl and purse my lips slightly in suspicion when I notice a glint deep in his lovely green eyes. A glint of a dastardly, underlying motive.
"...You just want to hear what I sound like, don't you?" I accuse, causing Rantaro to hold up his hands defensively with a pleasant smile as he tries to dissuade me from the thought. Too bad he's lying. "Still 'no'! Also, this would be far worse than singing in front of a thousand strangers! At least I'd never have to look a stranger in the eye ever again after singing in front of them! But here? I'd have to see you guys every day knowing you saw me do something as embarrassing as that! You think I could live with that?"
"Er...are you sure you aren't blowing it out of proportions?" He asks innocently.
Ohh...this dude really believes he can sway my decision, doesn't he? Fine, I'll frame it in a way where he'll understand my position.
"Oh? Then I assume you'd be totally up for singing instead, Rantaro?" I suggest pointedly, smiling up at him despite how quickly he raises an eyebrow my way.
"I can't sing," he points out and crosses his arms, visibly amused by my attempts at trying to dig my way out of singing.
"What a coincidence! As far as I'm aware, neither can I!" I brightly comment, holding up a finger when he tries to say something else. "Nope! Let's leave it at that. I refuse to sing."
"Hm...well, if you say so," Rantaro concedes to my delight, but not before he adds. "Now that I think about it, we don't really have any stage dress for you to wear other than the cosplay dresses Tsumugi left in her room anyways."
Even just the thought of prancing around on stage in a cute bubblegum idol dress with a microphone is enough to make my cheeks heat up, causing me to grab the end of my ponytail and pull it up over my face with a squee of horror. To think Rantaro had that crazy sort of image in his head! I'd rather jump into a geyser pool than go on stage and do cutesy, embarrassing dances in front of everyone!
"Ah, and you've gone and embarrassed her again..." Kiibo observes. "What's so embarrassing though? The dresses and dances in the pop industry are very cute!"
Nooo, you're making it worse, Kiibo! Wait, can I even dance? Or would I end up just shaming myself even more in front of the group?
I can't help but duck down and tuck my head in my arms, my body in the turtle pose as I try to control my nerves from taking over once again. Still, my reaction makes Tenko and Angie laugh as I try to make myself as small as possible in their presence. They're probably imagining me doing something like that right now...! Or worse, they're laughing because they've already seen me do things like that! Have I? Ugh, I don't even want to ask, I'd be mentally scarred by the truth forever!
"By the way, how did you guys fare with the Insect Meet-and-Greet anyways? I'm surprised you're not still trapped up there with Gonta," Rantaro comments, causing Tenko to scowl and roll her eyes.
Oh, thank god he's changing the subject. My brain feels like strawberry pudding after the hypothetical embarrassing scenarios that they had running in my head!
"Oh, that. Well, Gonta ended up disbanding the whole thing to talk to that degenerate midget alone. Something about teaching him the importance of being a gentleman to other people or something...I can only imagine what he did to Prairie this time to upset Gonta," Tenko comments, eyes shifting in my direction where I'm peeking past the barrier of my arms. Thankfully, my face isn't red anymore. "What happened between you two, Prairie? You're okay, right?"
At her query, I sit up and brush my curls back to give it some thought. Should I tell someone yet? About what he said? Or would it cause more trouble than necessary? It'd be great to see people verbally put Kokichi in his place some more to drill in the message he royally screwed up, but...
...
No, I think I'd rather just tell Rantaro and pray he doesn't deliver the rotten leech retribution. But still, not yet.
"I'm not ready to talk about that, I need some time to think about it," I simply answer, earning a nod from Tenko in understanding once I peek her way. "Anyways, is there anything else you need for Himiko's party? Besides singing?"
"There is one more thing!" Tenko pipes up, though her gaze drifts over towards Rantaro with a less than enthused look. "Angie and Kiibo wanted to ask Rantaro of the favor if you were planning on singing for the party, but I guess if you'll have extra time on your hands..."
"You see, you see? We were discussing all the elements needed to plan Himiko's party, and somehow we nearly forgot the most important part! A crucial element to every party!" Angie exclaims, meeting my gaze and then revealing the mystery 'element'. "The confectionaries~!"
"Ah. I don't bake," Rantaro is quick to shoot it down himself, causing me to glance back at him in confusion.
"You don't bake? ...Do you not like sweets?" I ask in bewilderment, only to earn a sheepish laugh from the teen when he reaches a hand back to muss up the hair behind his neck in embarrassment.
"No, I love sweets as much as the next person. I just...I don't bake. It's too domestic for me," Rantaro answers, his cheeks tinting a mild shade of pink that I can't help but find somewhat endearing...
You know, besides totally bonkers, off-the-wall, utterly ridiculous.
"You can cook all willy-nilly...but you're embarrassed over baking?" I ask, eyeing him like he's sprouted a second head. "If that's the case, now you have to bake with me!"
Making Rantaro suffer with embarrassment as he's done to me before...! It's a dream come true! Finally, the universe has acknowledged how unfair it's treated me in his presence and now his embarrassing karmic retribution is nigh!
"No."
I feel a crushing wave of shock roll over me like a cold bucket of iced water.
Eh? ..."No"?!
Rantaro turns his head away with such a startling amount of finality that it catches me off guard. Rantaro totally unwilling to submit to my wiles? He'll shower me in nectarines, hugs, and compliments, but he won't bake with me? That's...unacceptable.
All I truly know right now is that I need to see this through. Even if it costs me everything.
To truly reach self-actualization and enlightenment, one must make great sacrifices I suppose.
"Not even if I agree to sing for Himiko's birthday?" I ask with solid determination, even though I'm already regretting my words when I feel my cheeks start to get warm. Still, my words manage to get Rantaro to relax and look back at me. He seems unsure, considering it carefully until he frowns slightly and cracks a bit of an uncertain smile.
"Okay, deal. No backing out of it now, you hear? I'll bake with you if you sing for Himiko's birthday, but if you make me bake and you leave your end unfulfilled..." A shadow crawls over Rantaro's features in warning, green eyes lasering into me so I know to take him seriously. I try not to show I'm intimidated, even as my brain is already searching for a legitimate way to get around the compromise. "Let's just say you don't want to see what happens."
A voice clears, causing Rantaro and I to look up at Kiibo, who seems a tad bit glum despite his hopeful smile.
"D-Does this mean Prairie isn't going to coach me anymore...? I still would like to have those singing lessons we talked about, if that's okay," Kiibo speaks up after a beat of silence.
❀ 〰〰〰〰〰〰 ❀ 〰〰〰〰〰〰 ❀
"Finally we're rid of that-"
"Tenko," I comment with a groan of mild exasperation, hearing her words fade and trail off as we enter the gym with foldable chairs and tables we dug up from the warehouse. "Please stop calling him a degenerate male. He's my friend and his name is Rantaro. I know I let it go before, but I was being intentionally disrespectful to him back then. I don't want to call him that anymore and I don't want to hear him being called that- especially when he's frankly the biggest factor in this place that keeps me sane. Plus, he's a nice person and I like him a lot."
The Ultimate Aikido Master coughs, composing herself before offering me a strained sheepish smile that I can tell is forced.
"R-Right! Sorry, Prairie..." She apologizes, setting the bags of folded chairs aside so we can start unzipping the slim black square bags that contain the tables. While she sets up one table, I start unfolding and setting up another in peaceful silence. We've been sent ahead by Angie while she checks on Himiko and devises a good lie to convince the magician she can't enter the gym for the next few days. Not sure how good of a liar Angie is, but I think she could pull it off.
Rantaro and Kiibo were sent off to recruit anyone else willing to help, leaving Tenko and I to begin taking things to the gym and setting up without them. It's been a while since Tenko and I were alone together...maybe I lost "Rantaro and me" time, but I suppose some "Tenko and me" time will sort of make up for it. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've run off with her compared to Rantaro, so in a way this is actually a little more exciting.
Himiko, Angie, and Tenko already did a good job with setting up the stage area to the back of the gym, including the construction of a large...water tank. Not sure what that's about, but the curtains are open to show off the empty interior- waiting for someone to finish the preparation by filling it with sparkling water.
"Has Himiko told you guys what sort of magic trick she's planning on pulling off? Or is she keeping it a secret until the actual magic show?" I ask as I pull one side of a table leg straight and then the other side. With the table set up completely, I turn my attention to the third one that Tenko's already started, crouching down beside her to help her set it up so we can move on with the other things faster.
She shakes her head at my question. "No, she hasn't. Either way, I know it's going to be spectacular! Angie was really curious, but I think Himiko likes the element of surprise that goes into her magic show. I mean, look at that tank!" Tenko comments, gesturing to the empty tank to our left in awe. "She said she wants to fill it up with water! Also, we have to hang a smaller glass tank above it with piranha fish? I can only imagine what she has up her sleeve with that sort of thing! Ah...magecraft is beyond my understanding. But I know she'll look cute doing it!"
I stare at the tank a bit longer, feeling my nerves spike just a little at the "peek behind the curtain" I was just given. Himiko isn't...considering jumping into the tank with the fish in there with her, is she? No, no, she definitely wouldn't do that, maybe she's not that daring or hardcore...
But what if she is and gets hurt? Or what if someone takes advantage of the magic show to pull a fast one and off her?
"...Let's just make sure to be careful, whether Himiko's a professional mage or not. Piranhas and a water tank could make for a dangerous cocktail that I think we'd rather keep Himiko from falling victim to. Never hurts to keep an eye out," I suggest as my eyes return to the table, finishing the set up with Tenko and moving on to grabbing the bags of folded chairs to set them up.
We have more than enough chairs for everyone to utilize, save for Kirumi, of course. She can buzz off and make herself a cake of her own if she wants some.
Speaking of, if the kitchen gets locked up now and three differing keys are each held by the three main cooks to ensure security, how in the world is Kirumi eating? What is she eating?
A brief, disgusting thought breaks into my mind for just a fraction of a second, one which is quickly smothered so I don't see Ryoma's face flash in my mind again.
Sure, Kirumi sucks, I'll be the first to say it. She tried to kill me and she's horrible for that regardless of the reason. Still, she's not a monster though, jeez! Cannibalism is hardly something I think she'd resort to! Besides, I don't think the bodies are accessible to any of us either way...and if they are, I'd rather not think about that. The idea of possibly stumbling across Kaede's green rotting body and Ryoma's bloated corpse somewhere in the academy is not the most comforting of thoughts. I feel faint just thinking about it!
Before I can ask Tenko if she knows how Kirumi is feeding herself, Tenko opens her mouth first- paused with her hand resting atop the table and her head angled down like she's just made her mind about something she didn't want to think about.
"Prairie, what is it that you like so much about Rantaro? I legitimately want to know, because I really just don't understand!" She eventually blurts out, teal irises earnest as I study her face. I can't sense her question is out of disdain or anything negative, but it's such an odd question. It doesn't even seem that she dislikes him all that much either- save for his gender- so...
"What don't you understand?" I ask even though I almost don't want to. Obviously her real question isn't that, but "why do you like a man so much?"
Can't say I'm very thrilled to be asked that underlying question, but I may as well try to explain so Tenko can understand.
"Well, because! H-He's a guy..." Tenko admits. Before I can answer her, she adds, "I just don't get it! You let him get so close to you! All that interaction- that physical contact...! All that power you're held back from just by being next to him is practically wasted potential!"
Wait...oh, that's right. Almost forgot about that one.
"I think I remember you bringing that up to me before. How you master told you that being around the male gender 'weakened your Aikido abilities' or something along the lines of that, right?" I speak up with a casual sigh, having had enough of the topic of Tenko's biases. "Then I must be pretty strong if I can still kick your butt no problem, especially considering I'm cuddling with Rantaro so much..."
At the cocky response from me, Tenko seems flabbergasted. Clearly she wasn't expecting me to say something like that. Seconds later though, she seems to realize what exactly I've said and her face tints pink with both embarrassment and horror.
"C-Cuddling? With him?!" She asks as I begin unpacking cheap plastic party table covers and unravel one on my own. I give Tenko the time to process this frankly obvious fact amidst my work, half-smiling in amusement when she gasps. "Wait, wait...! So then Rantaro really has spent the nights in your dorm room?! He didn't just wake up extra early for you to let him in?!"
"No? Of course not. How else would he have been able to enter my dorm room when I was asleep for those five days?" I point out, noticing how she turns to glare at the doors leading out of the gym with her hands fisted up angrily. To dissipate her rising temper, I decide to interrupt whatever's storming in her mind after my revelation. "So, Tenko...if being around men weakens Aikido powers, wouldn't it be better to just be around them passively? You know, sort of like how fighters sometimes wear those weighted accessories to promote their strength training?"
"Wha- no! It's not like that. Accessories like those inhibit strength by stagnating speed and forcing your body to put more effort while they're on. The effects of men on aikido is more like energy being sapped from you? It's like a cup of water with a leak at the bottom! Once the water hits the ground, you can't just scoop it back up! That's how it's like!" Tenko claims, prompting me to pause as I struggle to straighten out the table cover on my own.
Sheesh, even the logic put forth behind the lie her master told her is specific...how does she believe it so easily though?
"Okay. So how strong is your master, Tenko? He must be pretty weak and fragile when it comes to aikido then, right? So brittle he'd probably collapse with a slap to the back? Hm, it's a wonder he taught you anything," I state dryly, only feeling a smidgen of real guilt over the sass playing at the tip of my tongue. Maybe if I wasn't annoyed, I'd tell her outright. But right now, I'm still extremely annoyed that she still wants to call Rantaro a degenerate.
"Hey, you take that back! Your assumption is completely off the mark, my master is impressive and the strongest aikido master I know!" Tenko is actually pretty quick in the uptake of pushing back against my words. I guess just 'cause she's fond of me doesn't mean I can go talking about her master in such a way. Why she can criticize Rantaro with unfounded presumptions such as him being a womanizer for his looks and "bad for my fighting prowess" yet gets up in arms when I make blind judgements about her master is beyond me. Technically what I'm saying has some "merit", at least based on her absurd beliefs.
"But didn't you just say men sap aikido energy?" I ask, noting how rumpled her attitude appears from my comments. She puts her hands on her hips, half glaring and half pouting. It's actually a little cute, but that aside...
"Yes...I did. If you're trying to say it doesn't, I'll have you know my master wouldn't just lie to me. He-" Tenko starts proudly until I cut her off, something she doesn't look so happy about when she narrows her teal eyes on me.
""If men sap the energy of aikido irrefutably no matter what, then by your master's logic, he'd either be a feeble fighter, or he would have zero aikido skills altogether," I explain, already feeling the bubbles of simmering frustration fizzing to the surface when she scowls in disagreement and shakes her head. She seems to be getting worked up more and more now too.
"I hate to break it to you, but you're wrong. See, Master would have to constantly be around a degenerate male for that to be true, and he's not. He's around them only when our situation necessitates it in the temple!" Tenko argues. "Plus, I'm always with him!"
My eyebrows knit together as I toss the table cloth to the floor and turn to completely give Tenko my undivided attention. I close the distance boldly with heavy stomps, only stopping once I'm in front of her. Crossing my arms defiantly only seems to fire her up even more at my clear disregard for her explanations.
"I don't enjoy behaving like this- especially towards you. Still, I have to draw the line somewhere and I'll have to do it sometime. Especially when you're calling every. Single. Guy. A degenerate. So Tenko...I guess you've also just handed me a valid reason why it's so easy to sweep your feet out from under you, right?" I comment, noting how quickly she seems to catch on.
Tenko jumps aside out of range when I shift my position closer and swing my leg around to kick behind her knees. Tenko gets in a defensive stance, but I relax my posture and straighten up to put my hands on my hips. Facing her direction where she doesn't relinquish her guarded stance, I smile a bit.
"I could probably kick your master's butt too," I half giggle, causing Tenko's eyes to flash as her temper boils behind her eyes. I didn't actually think I could egg her on to the point of angering her...wow!
"As if! You only just started learning, don't get all cocky over a few wins! My master would school you right! Aikido isn't even a competition, it's about understanding one another! If he had to though, I promise that you wouldn't be able to stand upright for even a full second!"
I cock my head to the side, ready to deliver the final reality check to end the squabble.
"Really? I find it hard to believe your master would be strong enough considering he's a degenerate male himself."
Tenko opens her mouth.
...
And that's all she manages to do. In her teal eyes, I can see the dots finally connecting. It's like the moment a light switch is flicked on, and just as quickly as it hits her, her temper sizzles out completely like dipping red-hot metal into water.
"See, I would guess it'd be hard for a man to avoid men if he himself is one. Also, if it were really true in the first place, you wouldn't even be the Ultimate Aikido Master. Now, no more of this 'degenerate male' stuff. If you don't like hearing me insult your master, don't insult m- Rantaro in front of me," I comment sharply, turning away quickly when I feel a red-hot sensation climbing up my neck and to my face.
Oh god, I almost said "my Rantaro"...embarrassing...! Brain! Zap the memory out of my mind, quick!
Tenko seems wholly oblivious to my embarrassing word fumble and what I was going to say, so I continue with, "If you can't help yourself with the 'degenerate male' thing? The doors always open to walk out. I like you, but not this part of you."
With an indignant huff of finality, I return my attention to the table cloth and step over towards it, picking it up from the floor and wrestling around with it until I can throw it over one of the tables. As I smooth it out and eventually move to one side of the table, Tenko moves to the opposite side to help straighten the plastic over the surface. She looks sheepish again, this time to a greater degree than when I first asked her not to call Rantaro a degenerate. Still, she ultimately doesn't run away despite such an aggressive confrontation out of me. It isn't until we're finished covering the third table that she speaks up again.
"I'm sorry...I'll admit Rantaro is one of the better ones, and before all this I have met guys that weren't much different than myself. I guess you're right and maybe my master told me a little lie now that I'm thinking about it, but...I don't understand why he'd do that," Tenko says, her appearance rather dispirited unlike her usual energetic self.
I guess that's to be expected. I didn't exactly tell it to her gently or anything- no thanks to my temper flare yet again...honestly, it was more like I pulled the rug out from under her.
"I'm sorry I let my temper get the better of me again. I mean, your master obviously cares about you though, Tenko. You're probably like a daughter to him and he wanted to prolong your phase into the dating scene. That's the only thing I can imagine based on what you've already told me so far," I suggest, flattening the plastic sheet out as she shifts some chairs into place.
It's a fraction of a second later that I hear her half-snort in amusement.
"Well, if he was worried about me dating, boys aren't the ones he should have been worried about," Tenko comments right after, only to abruptly stop her organizing as if she hadn't meant to say what she said.
I pause from turning away to focus on the last table, facing Tenko again where I see her get back to adjusting chair placements when my eyes land on her. She doesn't actually need to keep doing that anymore, but I guess she's trying to keep herself looking calm and discreet. The slight pale tone to her features says otherwise though.
"What?" I ask, even though she appears closed off to the topic. Still, she manages to tear her gaze away from the chairs enough to face me with a bit of a grimace. I can see her swallow nervously. "You said...I don't..."
And after a beat, the realization kicks in.
My expression relaxes into understanding along with a smile that Tenko seems to relax over.
"Oh, you mean you like girls! Okay, I get it now," I laugh, watching as Tenko visibly eases up more with a laugh of her own.
"Y-Yes, that's right!" She agrees, before realizing something and adding, "Just, um, keep it between us for now. I'm not exactly ready to have everyone here knowing that part about me yet or anything."
"Sure, my lips are sealed!" I promise as we return to decorating the third table, flattening the table cloth over the surface and then gathering party favors to set along the tabletops. It's while I'm throwing sparkly confetti over the tables that my mind begins to wander with Tenko at the forefront of my thoughts.
So Tenko likes girls and has no interest in boys like that...honestly, it should have been obvious from the start, especially with her initial favoritism of girls in particular.
...
And then my brain does it. It's a whisper of a thought, hardly an intrusive one. It's a thought that feels like it's been waiting for this precise moment from the start.
Hey, Tenko likes girls and you're a girl.
A stiff feeling of embarrassment suddenly rolls over my body, along with a warmth I'm sure would be noticeable if Tenko even just barely glances at me for a split second. Where the feeling comes from, I have no clue, but I find my movements shaky and unsteady as I try to retain my organization speed and composure.
Huh? Why do I feel so nervous all of a sudden? Oh no, what if Tenko looks at me and thinks I'm reacting badly to her accidentally coming out? I feel lightheaded...
Wait...this feels just like how I felt while I was in the AV room with Kokichi. The initial feeling after he put an arm behind my shoulders and had me cling to him.
My heart is pumping hard, as if to keep up with my rushing thoughts. I focus on the sensation, taking a moment to really allow myself to feel it before it inevitably fades. It's not actually a bad feeling, it's...
"...airie? ...Prairie!"
I blink out of my daze, only to realize I'd stopped working during my moment of introspection. My hand rests on a pile of napkins in a box I'm supposed to be setting out. Tenko has a hand on my arm, but when I look up at her, she quickly removes it upon studying my face. A flicker of suspicion flashes in her eyes.
"Prairie are you...worried about what I said? Are you thinking something weird like I might have a crush on you? I know I like girls, but that doesn't mean I like every girl," Tenko states, suspicion and mild vexation growing in her teal eyes when my cheeks start to warm even more at my shame.
I knew it, she took one look at me and now she thinks I dislike her because of her preferences!
Desperate to alleviate her concerns, I quickly shake my head almost too dramatically.
"No, no, no! I'm not worried about that, it's okay! You having a crush on me wouldn't upset me at all since I totally like you anyways!" I blurt out off the bat, only to realize my implicating phrasing when Tenko's scowl dissolves and her eyebrows rise with bewilderment. The wide eyed look of confusion on her face is apparent enough that I try to recover with, "I-I don't mean like-like you, just regular like! I mean, I don't even know my own sexual orientation anyways! So I wouldn't actually know...um...n-nevermind. Just know I'm not worried about it!"
"...Right! Okay. B-But to be clear just in case, I definitely, positively don't have a crush on you! So you don't need to worry either if you are nervous!" Tenko says, making me nod in agreement.
"Okay! I'm definitely not nervous though, I promise!" I repeat, prompting Tenko to nod in understanding.
"Good!"
"Great!"
With an eager smile, we both turn to face the table ready to continue setting out party favors. The boxes sitting on a spare chair we haven't placed around one of the tables yet are open for our perusal to take what we need.
...
Neither of us reach out to continue working.
...
This is my fault, isn't it? She totally must still think I'm weirded out or something...I didn't mean to make her think that, my brain is just being dumb! It's not my fault I started thinking about her availability, it just popped in my head unannounced!
Totally running on impulse at this point, I decide to turn and hug her just as she's about to start talking about who knows what.
"Wha-?" She starts, cut off as I cling to her tightly.
"I'm sorry I'm being weird right now, but please don't think it's because I don't like you or don't think well of you anymore! You're super cool and fun to be around, so...just disregard my weirdness, it's about something else!" I say, peeking up at her to see if she believes me.
You liar, it's totally about her.
Even as my brain accuses me of my own lies, I find myself staring at Tenko far longer than what's maybe socially acceptable, enough that Tenko eventually breaks into a smile and reaches over to poke my forehead.
"Of course I'm fun to be around! But you know, it's always exciting to be around you too! I'm only sorry we don't hang out as much since you're always around..." She trails off, but I have two guesses on what she'd been ready to say: that I'm always around Rantaro or Kokichi...and possibly a third guess she was going to say I'm around the both of them often.
"We'll hang out even more then!" I say before I've even given it much thought. "I don't always need to be around Rantaro! And Kokichi could be a tree stump for all I care! Besides, I'm a girl too! Rantaro may have experience with some feminine aligned activities, but..."
I trail off, but Tenko comes to my rescue in rationalizing my goal by picking up where I left off.
"Of course you'd still enjoy being around more girls! We can talk about cute things! And tell each other stories! And talk all night!" Tenko points out, even though I mentally check off those exact things as things I've done with Rantaro before. Still, I wonder what it'd be like doing those things with Tenko rather than him.
"Do you want to spend the night in my room tonight?" I ask Tenko, watching as her eyes light up in excitement. "Like a sleepover?"
"Oh, oh? Prairie's planning a slumber party tonight?"
Tenko and I both jerk and cry out at Angie's sudden arrival, the girl blinking her wide turquoise eyes at the two of us before grinning and throwing her arms up. She clearly doesn't realize she's killed a certain mood that was in the air between Tenko and I, but I try not to hold it against her too much.
"I can't wait! I'll let Himiko and Kiibo know and we'll all come to your room later at ten in the night!" Angie declares, sliding a bag from around her shoulders and pulling out one of the rolled up streamers from inside it. There seems to be an array of party colors in the shades of red, yellow and blue, along with some holographic streamers in a rumpled zig-zagging design. "Prairie, will you climb up and hang these from the beams above?"
The swift change of the subject tells me she's not about to allow negotiations on the slumber party she's invited herself to, so I take the bag with a sigh and face Tenko with a helpless shrug.
"At least we'll still be together. That's really all I want," I point out, causing a touched smile to form across her face. She reaches over and pulls me into a final tight hug.
"Right! Be careful up there, okay? Just scream if you fall and I'll be right there to catch you!" Tenko reassures me to my amusement, releasing me so I can grab a nearby ladder and scamper towards the wall with a stupid smile on my face.
Calm down! It's a slumber party and it won't even just be the two of you! Just chill out! Even if it was, it's not even so scandalous! She's seen you naked and that wasn't cause for getting worked up!
...
Oh my god, I forgot she's seen me naked before.
My face is on fire now, so red and dizzy inducing that I don't even notice the arrival of other students as I struggle in setting up the ladder and try to calm myself from my overactive thought process.
"Hey, are you having trouble with the ladder? I can set it up for you if you're really..." I hear Rantaro's voice next to me, only for him to trail off after I turn towards him. "Are you okay? Your face is really red...are you sick? Or did something embarrassing-"
"I'm not sick and nothing happened! It's just hot in here!" I lie defensively, watching as Rantaro's critical eyes study me. Still, he sets up the ladder for me anyways and offers me a grin that only serves to make my insides twist at his knowing gaze.
"Right, so it was that second one then. I'm almost disappointed I missed out on whatever happened, but I suppose I'll wait for the next show instead," Rantaro pokes fun, causing me to puff up my red cheeks in embarrassment and turn away to climb the ladder with a weak stutter of, "L-Leave me alone..."
I hear him laugh as I reach the thicker and sturdier vines along the wall of the gym, his laughter eventually contorting into a cough when he sees me start to pull myself up and climb the overgrowth.
"Wait, how far up are you going, Prairie?" He asks with a stiff, contained query, making me find a good grip on the vines where I can free a hand to point up at the beams above. Rantaro seems to understand without my verbal input. "All the way up?"
"Don't be a worry wart, I'll be fine. The vines up here are supportive enough, I promise," I reassure him passively. Although I say it, I already know he probably has an expression of disagreement on his face down below, so I keep my gaze glued up towards the beams above. "Besides, even if I do happen to fall, Tenko will catch me. See? I've got it all covered."
"...Duly noted," Rantaro concedes even though I hear the disagreement tinting his voice. On the bright side, at least he's not trying to actively dissuade me.
Doesn't seem like he's about to drill me for the specific reason why I got so red and embarrassed in the first place either...which is good, because what would I tell him anyways? "Oh, I was thinking about how Tenko has seen me au naturel"? But then I'd be even more embarrassed! And on top of that, he'd probably ask WHY that thought would make me so flustered in the first place!
...Actually, why does that thought make me feel flustered?
Am I anxious because she likes girls and I want to be a girl she's interested in? Admittedly, it makes me kinda happy when I think about it, but I've never given much thought to how I'd feel about girls in a romantic setting. I mean...I guess I've gotten butterflies around the girls here a few times before: around Miu prior to her transgression, around Tenko several times, around Himiko a bit, and maaaybe with Maki that time she helped convince Kirumi not to kill me. Doesn't change how scary she is, but I can't lie and say it didn't happen.
This isn't about other girls though, it's about Tenko. So just to be sure I'm not just liking the attention...how would I feel if Tenko asked me out on a date?
The wave of heat that coats my face is instantaneous, to the point I have to pause climbing to allow my moment of vertigo to settle down. I'm not sure if that's an "Affirmative! You like girls too!" or what...
Does it matter?
I blink, feeling the vertigo settle enough for me to keep climbing.
Boy or girl, I don't think...gender really matters in the spectrum of my preferences when it comes to who I like- romantically or platonically. Like, if Rantaro was a girl, I'm pretty sure I'd still be as clingy with him as I am now. So it makes sense that I'd also be totally fine finding romantic interest in girls and liking someone like Tenko!
...
It's at that moment that the thought forms perfectly in my mind unprompted, like an epiphany coming to fruition just as I climb over the wall leading out between the gym and the school hallway. It's that gap the Exisals use to enter the gym since they don't fit through the doors. Straddling the wall for a moment to catch my breath and adjust the placement of the bag over my shoulder, I let myself think about it again.
I like Tenko.
As I word the thought in my mind again, I wait to see if anything feels "off" in thinking it like it would whenever I thought about Kokichi. I repeat it again curiously under my breath, my voice lowered like anyone could overhear me even though I'm way up high.
"...I like Tenko," I say to myself, embarrassed even just hearing it outloud. As a result though, a giddy smile bubbles to my moderately warm face and I grab my hair so I can fluff it over my face. I throw myself back along the top of the wall- as narrow of a wall as it is.
Laying there and staring up at the ceiling where I can see the nearby beams I'm supposed to climb onto, I wait some time staring through the gaps of my curly hair to indulge in the feeling. The butterflies are intense- so intense I almost don't know what to do with myself.
Maybe it's because I don't need to stifle my emotions this time. With Kokichi, I had to constantly be on guard. Although my attempts to hide how intense I felt towards him were mostly unsuccessful, I still put in the effort.
Tenko on the other hand? Why do I need to hide anything from her when she's very in-tune with emotions? She wouldn't play some sort of horrible trick on me like Kokichi did. If she really likes me, I wouldn't have to worry about anything- I could just be happy and enjoy my time with her.
I sit up once my face doesn't feel as hot, looking over the edge of the wall as I stand up. Once I'm balanced on my feet, I grab onto the nearest beam and pull myself up over it. Finding the best places to tie up streamers is easy, and watching each color unroll every time I remove the staple keeping them bound is satisfying- a job that I do as I simultaneously examine who's entered the gym during the time I've been lost in my thoughts over my new predicament.
Kaito and Kiibo are working on setting up equipment around a second stage that's against the wall adjacent to Himiko's stage. There's a microphone and speakers set up- likely the stage meant for me when I sing for everyone.
Aaa, I don't wanna think about that yet, I'm getting stage fright already!
The water tank at the other stage from before is finally getting filled up via a large hose leading in from a window to the indoor pool thanks to Rantaro's help, Tenko shouting directions over the sound of the rushing water.
Towards one of the other walls, I can see Shuichi helping Angie decorate by hanging up large painted canvases I assume have been made by Angie herself. They're quite bizarre looking- most falling in a geometric theme and being somewhat hard on the eyes...actually, they sorta look like optical illusions from all the way up here. And just by Shuichi's visible efforts to hang them up without looking at them, they clearly aren't any merciful to his eyes either.
Seriously, of all the things she could paint, she chose to make those atrocities to decorate the walls of the gym? Ah, whatever. Technically this is all half of her idea, so it's not like I can complain.
Besides Himiko and Kirumi, who else isn't here? Hmm...I don't see Maki or Korekiyo. Nor do I see the leech from hell or his gullible companion. Still, this is a lot more help than I expected we'd get- I guess when Kiibo went off to find other students willing to help, he really brought the calvary.
I continue tying the ends of streamers to the beams, watching them unravel from their constraints as if I'm hypnotized. On the other hand, my eyes can't help but drift down every moment or so to find Tenko scurrying around between students. She's visibly engaged with the process of organizing the gym properly and it shows- especially when it comes to the stages for Himiko and I.
"...Is that enough? Can I go now?" I hear a dry voice ask, followed by a gasp of mild shock from below. The speaking voice is so unexpectedly close that it catches me off guard, making me half slip as I flinch and follow the direction of the speaker with my eyes.
It's Maki, who's also sitting atop the beams nearby nonchalantly with her hands around a spotlight to properly move it. For a second, I almost thought it was Kirumi hunting me down...!
Maki's eyes flick towards me, causing my mouth to go dry at the expression of annoyance on her face.
Nope, she's still scary, let me just re-inhale that mistaken sigh of relief.
"Not yet! Don't be in such a hurry, it's all good! Just aim the light to the right a bit!" Kaito calls up from a spot on the music stage where he stands on an 'X' mark made with red tape.
As I tie another streamer up upon inching closer to Maki, even though I'm ready to hop to another part of the beams away from her, Maki moves the light according to Kaito's request. I hear him laugh awkwardly before his voice flits up to us again.
"Whoops No, sorry, I meant my right!" Kaito calls up.
"Idiot..." Maki mumbles moodily with an eye roll, but follows his instructions anyways before he calls up for her to hold the light there. It's strange being up there with her alone, and I'm sure it shows in my stiff body language. Eventually as I start moving to tie streamers on other beams away from her, she says, "Will you relax? I'm not going to kill you or anything. Your behavior's going to make me look suspicious."
"Of course I know you're not gonna do something like that! You're just scary and crabby all the time. I don't want you throwing underhanded comments at me like you always do," I huff, speeding my crawling pace to move away from her.
"If you shuffle around so much, you're going to fall," Maki remarks, just before my knee half slides off of the beam, nearly sending me plummeting down as the beams shudder from my clinging grip. I quickly scramble back up properly until I'm balanced, letting out a breath as the movement of the beams around us calm down. "...Like that."
I glance over my shoulder to shoot Maki a last semi-salty look before I carefully continue my work pulling streamer rolls out of my bag and tying them to the beams.
"Prairie, you doing okay up there?" I hear Rantaro ask from below as I'm tying one of the holographic streamers to a beam, making me flash my friend a winning smile without a verbal response. This seems to be enough of a response for the green haired teen to raise an eyebrow but turn away respectfully without any more questions.
The rest of us continue working around the gym, up until Korekiyo strolls in with a curious look around at those of us hard at work. He's quickly handed work in decorating the sound stage by Kiibo, despite him not opening his mouth at all to offer the help in the first place.
Everything seems to be going well...and then I hear his voice, causing me to scowl at the wall beside the beam I'm straddling and reach up to tighten the ribbon of my ponytail. If only I had earplugs to block out the sound of his annoying voice.
"Holy shit, you guys have been busy!"
"NO! No, no, no- you're definitely not welcome here!" I hear Tenko's voice loud and clear even from way up on the beams above with Maki.
How Maki got up there is enough of a surprise to me, but I simply sit in place and fiddle with a streamer when she starts crossing the beam parallel to mine carefully. Her eyes flick down and then back up to me, making me blow out a breath and shrug carelessly. One thing's for sure, I'm not about to stop Tenko from scolding Kokichi in front of him. If I did that, he'd end up thinking I forgive him...which I don't.
"The way you've treated Prairie since you pulled that horrible trick on her is reason enough to ban you from helping or attending Himiko's birthday party. Gonta, you're more than welcome! But Kokichi isn't allowed here and I won't change my mind about it."
"...Why'd you set out twelve seats then?" He asks curiously, before adding, "There's a total of twelve of us left...if I wasn't included by at least one organizer, there would be eleven. Which means I'm totally accounted for as far as RSVP goes. If you're worried about me wreaking havoc, I'm too lazy for that right now. Unless you're telling me that seat is for Kirumi? But I highly doubt that."
I slap my hand over my face at his words in annoyance. Shoot, I did set out enough chairs to account for even him...I should have left one more behind since I was the last one in the warehouse!
"Um...if nervous, Gonta watch Kokichi! Make sure he no cause trouble," Gonta says, causing a groan from Tenko before she momentarily falls silent to think about it.
...
"I'm telling you, if I see him look at Prairie the wrong way, the degenerate gets the boot out the door. And this time, it won't be just because he's a male, got it?" Tenko sternly states. "You don't get to attend for free. If you want to see the performances on Himiko's birthday, you'll have to prove you want to see it by helping put it together."
Yeah, you tell him, Tenko! Make him turn tail and run at the idea of being put to wor-!
"Whatever. Gimme something to do then."
I make a funny face at that, finally peeking over the side of the beams to find Kokichi following a mildly irritated looking Tenko with Gonta at his side. To think he'd agree to working so easily! If I were Tenko, I'd give him the hardest jobs to do after what he did to me.
I watch as Tenko points to the hanging glass case over the water tank, filled with water after Rantaro's earlier efforts besides just filling the main tank.
"Fill that up with the piranha fish in the boxes by the stage. I'll get you a step ladder since you're..." Tenko scrunches her nose a little as she regards his shorter stature. "You know."
Kokichi looks less than amused, but says nothing as he waits for Tenko to return with the ladder, allowing me to finally return my gaze to working on the beams.
"You're not going to say anything then? You don't have to tolerate him. Just kick him out if you want."
I nearly jump out of my skin at how close Maki's voice is next to me, turning in time to see her take a streamer from my hand to help. After a moment of hesitation, I manage to find my voice.
"It's whatever. I don't care what he does. I don't want to isolate him and put him in danger just because I don't like him," I say watching Maki nod before she reaches in my bag for another streamer to tie. At this point, I can't hold back the nagging question that's been lingering in my mind. It comes out faster than I initially expect it to. "Since you're being nice to me, does that mean you don't hate me?"
"I said I didn't trust you, not that I hated you," Maki cooly corrects me without missing a beat. She's still scowling, sort of like she always is, but it doesn't seem as outwardly antagonistic as times before. What's changed since the last time she's made her dislike of me clear?
I can't pinpoint anything...maybe the fact Kaito's been around her as of recently? Maybe he's just that good of an influence to others. I might have misjudged him just 'cause he can be kinda clumsy with words.
"So then...you trust me now?" I ask curiously. Her scowl deepens, but only slightly as she ties the streamer down and watches it unroll once she relinquishes her grip on it. It takes a moment, and she doesn't reply until it's completely unraveled.
"That remains to be seen," she simply recipes, reaching over to take two rolls of streamers from my bag. Holding them up, a look graces her face as she glances down at her uniform. No pockets, I guess...
Just as I'm about to tell her I can handle them, she resorts to stuffing the rolls in her bra carelessly without blinking and promptly starts crawling away to an area along the beams in need of more streamers. "Don't forget to come see me later. Or the answer to that question will be a definitive 'no'."
Once she's further away, I take a glance along all the beams, deeming my work up there done. With my nearly empty bag, I tie the remaining streamer to a random beam on my crawl back to the wall where the ladder is.
I'm pleased to see Tenko notice my descent down the vines along the walls, prompting her to come over towards the ladder. As I get closer towards it, she grabs hold of the frame of the ladder so I can step down without the risk of it falling over.
"Thanks," I chirp, my eyes meeting hers for a moment once I'm safely on the top step. As soon as I find her eyes focused on me, I can't help but look away despite myself. It's a bit too much for me to hold her gaze, I think I'll faint if I tried to!
"Like I'd let you get on an untrustworthy ladder without proper security!" She comments, holding a hand up to me after a second of hesitation on her part.
Unable to control my sudden sharp inhale, I'm internally embarrassed when I eagerly waste no time in putting my hand in hers.
In fact, it's so fast that I basically slap her hand hard in the process, causing me to wince in visible bewilderment as a stinging sensation settles in my palm...and probably her's too if I'm to guess. My initial stupid smile turns to a look of sudden horror as heat crawls up my neck and to my face, settling over my features even though I can't bring myself to pull my hand away.
"S-Sorry! I just really wanted to hold your hand!" I blurt out, only to see her confused frown turn to one of surprise.
"Oh. Um...why?" She actually asks, only for me to process what I said prior. My cheeks get even warmer and I tighten my lips together as I reach over with my free hand and cover my cheeks in horror. If I say it's for platonic reasons...she'll think I'm out of the question, right? Then I won't say anything! I'll just let her come to her own conclusions! And maybe she'll come to the right one...and then...
I wake up staring up at the streamers above the gym. Confused, I scowl a little and eventually notice three faces looking down over me- Tenko, Rantaro, and Kiibo.
"What happened...?" I ask drowsily, causing Rantaro to sigh in what seems to be relief. When I try to sit up, my head begins to swim slightly, but I manage to get comfy with Tenko's help.
"Well, once again, you fainted for some reason! We're not sure why, but how do you feel? You would have hit your head or worse if Tenko hadn't caught you!" Kiibo explains, making me look back at Tenko.
"Thanks," I say, only to remember why I fainted when she flashes me one of her charming smiles and pats the top of my head a bit too roughly. Still, it makes my heart skip a beat and I feel my body go tense all of a sudden in realization.
Oh no. Stop thinking about what you were thinking before! Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it-
And yet despite my very best efforts, I still have to pull my hair over my lower jaw and nose to hide the blossoming red tint trying to reclaim its place over my face.
I can see the others start looking curious, up until I stand up in my wobbly state and pull at Tenko's hand to try and lead her away with me. If we could just both leave and hang out together without everyone eyeing me like I feel they are, I could totally handle turning tomato-red once or twice with only Tenko as a witness!
"Ah! Are you leaving, Prairie? Hm...I guess you do have to go practice for the performance and stuff, but I can't leave just yet. I'm sorry!" She apologizes, making me turn to look at her in obvious dismay that I can't do anything to hide. I know we'll have some time later, but I want now with Tenko!
"I can go with you! That way we can practice singing together. I mean, Tenko's more or less given most of the stuff I was going to do to Kokichi, so I have time to spare," Kiibo states, making us glance in the direction of a frustrated groan that echoes in the gym right on cue.
"Urgh! H-Heavy, heavy, heavy, Gonta, help-"
We all look in time to see Gonta glancing away from where I am with the other three, quickly helping pick up a container of piranhas in water bags that Kokichi was trying to get on stage with. At the sight, Tenko immediately bristles beside me.
"Hey! No cheating with Gonta's help! You have to get the container up there!" Tenko shouts, causing the two to turn towards us.
"...Have you seen what I look like?" Kokichi dryly asks, accompanied by Gonta adding, "Gonta really no can help him?"
"Of course not, don't be ridiculous! He's doing that to redeem himself for his crimes! And Kokichi, if Gonta helps, he'll be earning the credit, not you. You'll just end up using him as a pack mule!" Tenko scolds them, causing the two guys to share a look with one another.
I feel awkward just standing here while she's scolding him...I mean, the crime is obviously what he did to me, and I don't really like hearing about it.
A vibration at my wrist makes me glance down at the watch under the fluffy cuff of my fingerless gloves, noting the flash of a five percent remaining battery that makes me sigh under my breath in mild annoyance.
Right...I actually need to charge this stupid thing, I guess. Well, at least the countdown is only for the tranquilizer refill and not the battery recha-
Just when I think it's all okay, the countdown appears at the forefront of the screen, reading ten minutes before it starts counting down. I glare at the watch face of Monokid, only somewhat guilty that I'm casting such a look at something that looks as cuddly as him. How dare they make this infernal thing look like Monokid.
Either way, no one ever gave me the heads up on how to recharge its battery in the first place, but I guess it's no surprise it would function on the same rules as replenishing the drugs inside it.
"Hahaha! Fiiiine, you got me. Alright, I'll do it myself rather than make Gonta do all the work!" Kokichi suddenly laughs, prompting me to look up from my watch to see him folding both arms behind his neck and casting us a huge grin.
It's just a bit unnerving that his eyes seem locked on me, trailing down to my wrist where my watch sits in a way that tells me he noticed something's up with it. Still, he doesn't bother trying to ask and Kiibo passes me my coat which I quickly pull over myself after covering the watch again with my glove cuff.
"Let's get going," I say to him quietly, only pausing a moment to look back at Tenko and Rantaro who are both focused on Kokichi and Gonta.
Kiibo tugs on my arm after a second, making me turn to face him as he gestures towards the exit. Much too eager to get out of there and feeling somewhat suffocated with Kokichi around, we quickly leave the gym without another word to anyone. As much as I'd like to say bye to Tenko and Rantaro, I don't want to attract Kokichi's attention again.
I can see Rantaro turn in surprise when he doesn't find me at my last spot, but I only manage a small wave goodbye before I cross the doorway and follow Kiibo down the hall.
"Okay, so where would you want to start practice? I would have suggested the gym if we weren't already using it for something, so we'll just have to make do with another place. Any ideas?" Kiibo queries.
"Let's go to Miu's lab," I say, causing Kiibo to stagger slightly in his stride before turning to look at me as I walk past and take the lead.
"What? Wait, isn't her lab locked? Unless we get Kokichi to-"
"I have the key for the lab since it's where I need to refill my watch with the tranquilizer drug if I run out. I assume it's also where I need to charge the battery of the watch since it's put a timer on me," I add as I flash my watch for him to see the timer on the always-on screen.
"W-Wait, is that the timer that will release that dangerous drug if you don't attend to it before it hits zero?!" Kiibo asks, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a jog that I quickly match so I don't stumble. Still, it's such a surprising reaction considering I still have seven and a half minutes, and it takes a second to figure out how to run over the thicker snow without tripping.
"We don't really have to run or any-" I start, only to cut myself off when I realize Kiibo isn't even listening.
Well, I guess I can't blame him for being worried this time. He might have the right thing in mind anyways, I don't want to get there on limited time only to find a complex machine I'll have to figure out in a hurry. It'd suck to get drugged for a stupid reason like not knowing how to charge it fast enough.
Plus, I have to start working on those ideas I was having before I fainted in the gym.
Namely how to get Tenko's romantic attention rather than her platonic attention.
Blood rushes back to my face and by the time we stop at Miu's old lab, Kiibo turns to face me. Thankfully, I think I can blame the redness on the run and the cold rather than for having embarrassing thoughts about Tenko.
"Alright, let's go in! Quickly!" Kiibo exclaims as I go through my key ring, puffs of steam from my breath hitting the air once I unlock the door and step in with Kiibo behind me.
The two of us have been here before, and it's quickly apparent which is the charging station since it's a machine standing in the middle of the room that wasn't there the times we've been here previously.
As soon as we get close enough, the screen attached to the half that hangs as a structure from the ceiling seems to register my proximity and powers on to a screen with a logo with Monokuma's face on it. Schematics then appear on the screen showing most of the details usually visible on my watch- including my heart rate, my temperature, and the chambers of the four drugs stored within the watch.
Next I see a red battery icon flashing at the top right of the screen, making me approach the bottom half of the machine where I can peer through the gap between the two halves of the same station. The bottom half has a groove for placing my arm and hand along the bottom in the shape of my arm, and the top has a similar groove that I eye suspiciously until Kiibo speaks up.
"It's saying to put your arm on the bottom part..." Kiibo says, although he looks just as untrustworthy of the machine as I am. "This thing isn't going to crush your arm, is it? It doesn't really look safe."
"It's perfectly safe for Ugly!"
We both look down to see Monophanie half leaning with a paw against the side of the machine's base, smiling up at us casually.
"Once you rest your arm there, the top will come down slowly and position itself to get your watch. There's even a groove to show which part of your arm the watch should rest while it's charging! Even someone as unintelligent as Ugly should be able to understand it," Monophanie chirps before pushing off of the machine to tap her wrist with a coy expression of amusement. "Better hurry though...! That watch is still ticking~"
I glance down to eye the remaining five minutes, more than enough time that I don't feel so alarmed as I adjust the watch lower away from my hand and eventually place it along the lower groove of the machine.
Nothing happens at first as my hand half hangs over the curved edge past the back of the machine, but then both Kiibo and I jerk once we see the top half power on with green lights. The top extends like a telescope, descending over my arm and locking in place so only my forearm and the watch are within the fitted confines of the machine.
I wiggle my fingers on the other side of the machine, somewhat nervous at my state of vulnerability until I feel Kiibo rub my other arm comfortingly in an awkward manner. As awkward as it is, it still allows my shoulders to ease into something more relaxed.
Looking up at the screen, it seems to already be charging the watch.
Thirteen minutes to charge this little thing, but it lasts three days on a single charge. Still, that's thirteen minutes I'll be stuck to this machine and vulnerable to any attacks if Kirumi or anyone else starts feeling bloodthirsty. Not the most comforting thought.
"Can I charge the watch in advance even before the battery gets low enough to hit the countdown? So I'm not stuck here for so much time?" I ask the pink bear, who hums in thought before shrugging.
"As far as I know, nope~! It only activates it's charging " she chirps cheerfully, before bounding away and out the door with a tackle that sends it swinging on its hinges and slamming against the back wall.
"Kiibo, lock the door! Grab my keys, it's the one with the red key cover," I hurriedly say, just a little more than anxious at the idea anyone could walk in. So far, no one but Kiibo knows how I need to charge this thing, being stuck to a machine for a while. We need to keep it that way.
A quick swipe at my belt and Kiibo unclasps my keys, using the specified one to lock the lab door with us safely inside. He lets out a sigh and eventually joins me back by the machine to glance up at the display. Looks like it'll be a while, so I guess I might as well get started on what to sing and how to sing. Before that though...
"If anyone asks how I charge this thing, make sure to tell them in private where you're sure no one else can be listening in. If Kirumi finds out I'm gonna be stuck to a machine charging this watch once every three days, she'll try and take advantage of that," I explain to him so he understands, making the Ultimate Robot nod in agreement.
"Affirmative! So that aside and as long as you're alright...what should we do first? I think we should still use this time to get started on practice," Kiibo says, making me nod and then look up at him once I have an idea set.
"I agree. I don't remember anything about singing, so...how about you start with showing me what you can do? Just sing something you know and we'll figure out the rest later. Who knows, maybe we can both sing a duet for Himiko's birthday party," I point out with a smile, causing Kiibo's cyan eyes to light up in excitement at the proposal.
"Really?! Y-You think so? Then..." Kiibo pauses to take a deep breath, before momentarily down at me and adding, "I think I'll do pretty good since I already uploaded some popular pop songs and their lyrics since I last practiced. Tell me your thoughts after I'm done, okay?"
"Sure!" I chirp, preparing myself to listen to a nice pop song I can vibe with. Trapped here with music would be nicer than just standing in silence, so at least we can pass some time with-
Kiibo opens his mouth and starts singing.
The white-hot searing pain hits me from my ears first, traveling to my jaw, eyes, and brain. It's an all encompassing type of pain, one bringing forth nausea like the kind the smell of raw fish left out under the sun by a sewer for three weeks would summon.
I can hear myself blindly screaming at the top of my lungs. It's hard to breathe, so it's surprising I can scream like that.
God doesn't answer though.
I'm sure he watches me suffer with popcorn and a soda.
❀ 〰〰〰〰〰〰 ❀ 〰〰〰〰〰〰 ❀
❀ End of 3.9 - Took Cupid's Arrow to the Knee ❀
A/N: Hey guys! Just a quick heads up that updates for this fic are going to be slowed down. :0 I recently got a full-time job, and it really sucks the energy out of me on weekdays.
Writing doesn't feed me, so sadly I can't dedicate my focus to it like I would before while I was unemployed. It's still going to get updates when I can get chapters finished, but I need to figure out how to write (and draw) around my work schedule before I can promise (semi)consistent updates again. Hopefully that will happen soon!
For now though, I humbly offer you this new chapter I've been trying to finish for several weeks now. Hope you like it, and I hope the 2 times a week updating doesn't bum anyone out too much :') at least not as much as it bums me out...
-Reset