Out of Control

Chapter 15: Plot!

by Darkenning

"Something something something something,
something something something."
- Someone.

"This concludes our report on the crime scene in question," Takane read off from her clipboard while Mei and Megumi stood behind her. "As an addendum, we should note that we have been unable to contact any of the deceased pony's colleagues who are also known to be present on campus, and so the victim's family has not yet been notified."

"I see," said the Headmaster, nodding soberly. "You have all done very well in this investigation."

We have? wondered Takane. We haven't even positively identified the victim yet. Maybe he's just being polite.

"Please leave your reports with me, and I'll be sure to pass them on to the investigators who'll be taking over the case," the old man continued.

Now Takane blinked. "But sir, shouldn't we be the ones to -"

"Not in the least," he interrupted. "This is an affair which should be left to professionals. You're not CSI: Mahora, after all."

While that was exactly what Takane herself had been thinking a little while ago, the implication that she wasn't a professional rankled. "But -"

"Consider that while you'd be investigating this situation, who will be patroling the streets as a magical defender of justice?" he asked, eyebrows raised. "One of those duties is a higher calling than the other."

She sighed. "Of course, you're right, sir. Please forgive my impetuousity."

"Certainly," he replied. And lifted up a box. "Now, how would you girls like some cupcakes? Old family recipe."

After some hemming and hawing and well just one-ing, the girls each took a cupcake and started noshing on them as Konoemon smiled genially at them. "Well?" he asked cheerfully.

"Uh, well," Takane temporized. The cupcakes seemed oddly bitter to her taste buds, almost as though they were tasting tears. From the looks on her Ministras faces, they didn't think much of them either. "They're certainly a unique flavor," she finally decided to say. This was true. "I'm sure they'd be very popular with lots of people." Also true. People ate bugs, after all.

"Thank you. You warm this old man's heart. I'll take care of the rest," he added, holding out his hand and receiving the reports. The girls bowed and headed out of his office, closing the doors behind him and leaving him alone.

He waited a moment before he got up and danced over to the waste basket and filed the reports in the circular file, grinning madly all the while. He danced back to his desk and opened a drawer to reveal the bound form of Chamo resting on its bottom. With a flick of his finger, he undid the gag that prevented the magical ermine from making any noise. "Go on, say it!" he crowed.

"You'll never get away with this!" Chamo shouted.

"But I am!" the old man giggled.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull, Albert Chamomile, but eventually your evil schemes will come to naught!" the ermine said with grim resolve. "Transferring your mind into my body won't save you when -"

"Sorry, but could you please say that evil schemes bit again? I love that expression, I really do!"

Konoemon-in-Chamo's body sighed, and then opened his mouth to repeat the expression "evil schemes". This allowed whoever-in-Konoemon's body to push the gag back into place and shut the drawer.

"I'm getting away with it, I'm getting away with it," he sang to himself.

"I can't believe her attitude!" Chao lamented to Satsuki. "I mean, she doesn't even call me by my personal name, but she wants to get married? Kind of missing some intimacy steps in there-aru yo!"

But I thought Chao was your personal name, Satsuki observed serenely as she prepared delicious meat buns.

"No, Chao is my family name, Lingshen is my personal name. I really hate it when people get that backwards!"

So sorry.

"Oh, not you. It's other people who do it that annoy me. But what am I going to do about this problem-aru? I can't marry Hakase, my three husbands back home would never stand for it!"

Satsuki opened her mouth to reply to that statement, realized the dozen or so things that were wrong with it, and promptly closed it. I'm sure that everything will work out in the end, she expressed after a moment.

"Well, yes, but how -"

Just then, Hakase came running up. "Chao! Chao!" she cried.

"See, she doesn't - what? What is it?"

"Our daughter - Amalthea - she's -"

TO BE CONTINUED.