give your friends a surprise

[closewithnewintown]

Who: EVERYONE
What: FAMILY MEETING
When: 8/4, right after school closes.
Where: Student council room
Warnings: Eventually, probably.

["If my friends back home were acting like this, I would've already locked them in a room and forced them to figure out their feelings."

the job puts all of her considerable superspy skills to the test. she knows where every normal kid's locker is; it's easy enough to slip the note into each that morning. if it's someone who she knows would be unable to read the note, she tells them its contents, but keeps her own involvement out of it. lies of omission don't count.

the note reads:]

I have very important information about this place. Please come to the student council room after school ends today.

- Nao Sato

[and if the text looks just a bit girlier than you'd think she'd write, hey, you don't know her. she's got layers.

either way, it's a pretty interesting proposition: the student council room door is, for the first time in seemingly ever, wide open. anyone can walk inside - and, hopefully, most everyone should. because it's only when Stephanie thinks that she's got enough of them inside that she actually enters the room, shutting the door behind her.

click.

it locks. she grins, spins the key on her finger, and slips it into her pocket.

"How are you supposed to do that with grownups?"

the exact same way, she's decided.]

We haven't had any meetings since, um. Well. The last one. But, I'm pretty sure nobody has no more murders to report, so it shouldn't be too bad, and we can all just focus on the most important task: Getting along! All of us are on the same team, but most of us barely even know each other; some of us even hate some of the others! [SHE SAYS, LIKE SHE DOESN'T ACTIVELY DESPISE KOKICHI] So, I figured we could spend the evening fixing that problem. Play some games, talk about stuff we've discovered since the last time...

And, maybe, if everybody does a really good job, I'll unlock the door!

[smiles]

Comments

[bloodmetries]

He doesn't seem the type, but I don't know.

[ And don't get him wrong, he doesn't care. ]

He told me that you're basically the number one person to keep an eye on, so I'm curious as to why he'd think that. But I'm starting to get an assumption as to why.

[commences]

...Did he now?

( is akki that terrified of him!?!? rokkun's crippled, how is komaeda even a threat to this man that he has to talk like this about him.

he does smile, a little eerie, but it's a smile. )

I don't believe I'm special to warrant that much attention... he's very skittish, so anyone with a stronger personality than his must make it on the list.

[bloodmetries]

I was able to catch that when I told him to show me his wrists and he did.

[ Spoken like that's not supposed to be a secret. ]

But I'm just curious of what you've been doing to warrant that... during the whole conversation, it seemed that that was the only time he responded quickly. Like he really wants you gone.

[ So he might even consider this as a warning... ]

[commences]

I've never actually looked at his wrist, how many tallies does he have?

( he knows what akki has been doing with his wrists, making zombies and the like, sewing with his blood... stuff of that matter. )

If... that's what you were checking him for. ( as for what he's done, he doesn't know if akki is aware he's killed, or maybe he is. does komaeda have connections he's worried about, but he doesn't need that to cause problems. )

I'm not sure what I've done... when I first spoke with him, he thought I was being bullied... and then he changed... ( sighs, he acts like he's disappointed. ) He might have hit his head... he was battered and bruised last time I saw him, ( wasn't he hit by a truck or sumn. ) maybe you should check for lumps!

[bloodmetries]

I couldn't tell. [ Akira answer honestly. ] The guy has... a lot, and he said a majority came from him, so I'm not sure how many are self-inflicted or from doing whatever the fuck else. But he's willing to show them to me every day so I'll have the chance to spot any differences.

[ Because between a wound made deliberately and a tally mark that's made neatly on their skin, he imagines it would be hard for Akki to replicate. ]

Well I can. But I'm just letting you know that apparently he wants eyes on you -- [ Akira is seated, elbows braced against his knees as his hands come together. Fingers threaded into themselves as he leans in, canting his head slightly. ] So I'm giving you options: I'll protect your ass in exchange for that shit I don't know or I just keep lookin' the other way.

[commences]

( so akira really wants to keep that under wraps, his sewing life... what's the point of doing so if he's allowing the other to see their marks. in a way, he's not wrong because it's both. he lifts his hand, a finger bent as he taps his own bottom lip in thought since he's a little shocked at the arrangement. )

That's a first... well, there are some who want me dead, or want me alive... Are you really up to the job?

( he remembers the last time he met akira too that he wanted to understand what was going on, and it's almost funny how things play out. )

Protecting me means everyone will come to hate you, and wouldn't you want a happier life than what I have to offer...

[bloodmetries]

I doubt it. [ He says, waving a hand. ] You piss me off as is, but it'd probably be a little more comforting dying at the hands of someone who will at least make it quick and easy than someone who wants you to suffer, right? [ 'Cause Shinobu probably wants to tear the muscle from his neck, watch him bleed, put salt into the wound and then peal it back together before kicking him off the rooftop or something.

Or maybe she's normal and not deranged like Akira. This is what he gets befriending the son of yakuza. ]

Just because I'm making sure you don't die doesn't mean you don't piss me off, too. Pretty sure anyone can tell I'm not sticking around 'cause I like you or anything.

[commences]

Are you sure, they could kill you to get to me... but...

( his luck will kill akira first and foremost, so it doesn't even matter when he thinks about it. it's more about akki's reasoning, what made him compelled to use akira in this manner — ah, maybe akira's stick together. slowly, his arms cross on the table as he watches the other trying to find a slip in his expression, something that reveals there's something more past this man's violent stupidity. )

If you want to do guard duty... you'll have to be around me all the time.

( he taps his fingers against the table, laughing softly. )

So first thing's first... I'll be seeing you at ethics.

[bloodmetries]

I'll only be there when it's convenient.

[ Stop making it sound like he's gonna be around all the time... he hates this. ]

Why the fuck would I be at ethics? [ A pause. ] What the fuck is ethics?

[commences]

So I just have to get myself killed, and you'll be around...

( he's getting up so he can do just that, where are the knives? it'd be easier if he just did it himself, but hearing that akira doesn't know ethics. )

I see. ( he does. ) You are cordially invited to ethics, just come with me after this meeting. It helps you understand what you don't, and that's what you wanted?

[bloodmetries]

I mean if you got yourself killed I'm sure a lot of people will pop up.

[ ... ? What is he doing? This is a student council room? ]

If you mean stuff about this place then fine.

[commences]

( dying!!!! )

...You give my death too much credit, if I die... I want it to open a few doors. Not for people to stand and gawk around it, that sort of hope seems... tiring.

( whatever that means, but he doesn't want to elaborate as he thinks about the location, and how much will be there to quench his thirst for knowledge.

komaeda will be there to feed him what he needs, so same difference. )

Yep. It'll have information for you. ( komaeda claps his hands together lightly, tickled at the idea of being an informat. ) What sort of lore are you searching searching around the school, would it happen to be the mysteries, or about the people...

( akki... but he doesn't say him aloud, just the idea. )

Whatever it is, Kiryu-kun is just as hungry for knowledge.

[bloodmetries]

Do you trust the people here to do anything other than gawk? Half of 'em look like they couldn't open a jar by themselves.

[ He taps his finger against a desk, irritated. ]

And all I gotta do is go there, right? I'm not looking to becoming an official member to your fucked up club.

[commences]

Nope, I don't trust much aside from their hope, so I want to learn about yours.

( komaeda probably can't open a jar... okay, with his good arm, maybe. )

You don't have to look at all! I'll answer what I can, you can trust me... and it's just ethics, that's how we learn about one another.

( nods, yes, that way they can help one another. ) It's best to have friends here.

[bloodmetries]

[ Ethics... right. Learning about one another... no. ]

Is it? Or are you all just buddy-buddy for the sake of staying alive because otherwise you can't do shit independently?

[commences]

Everyone has their own reasons for why they act, or at least I do.

( it's ethics, just a cover-up name, but komaeda's genuine in the idea of it... but for the people who are taking part of the class can make a person think otherwise. )

Shall I write your name on the list for you, I don't mind. It's best we stay together for as long as we can.

( smile smile :) )