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

[moraloutrage]

Of course! It would be wasteful not to eat them in the end, even if they are works of art.

I will be glad to demonstrate for you anytime! Just... ah, not now... as we are still confined to this room for the time being...

[decrypter]

When we have time and the resources, then. I don't mind waiting.

[and since she will still hold Stephanie accountable for their situation, she can give Ishimaru a sincere smile.]

[moraloutrage]

[But he wants to be held accountable! Judge him!!]

Very well! I am sure that such a time will come soon enough! In the meantime, what else should we discuss? Other interests?

[decrypter]

Hmm...

[she falls into a thoughtful contemplation for a moment, before something occurs to her.]

I do have a question for you, since you seem to have been here for a length of time. Are these meetings always quite so chaotic?

[moraloutrage]

[He sweatdrops in response.]

Ah... I am embarrassed to admit that they often tend to be somewhat disorderly. [But he has to speak up in this meeting's defense.] This is the first one in which we have been locked into a room, however! Also, no fights have broken out! I would also call that an improvement!

[closewithnewintown]

[cheerfully from across the room]

Every stabbing was self-inflicted this time!

[moraloutrage]

We... we still have room for further improvement, to be sure...!

[closewithnewintown]

It's fine; I'll just pat everyone down before the next one! [because otherwise stabbings are inevitable.]

[moraloutrage]

Ah... a pat-down is a splendid idea to ensure the safety of these meetings! ...But, I should carry it out! You have already done so much, Stephanie-kun!

[closewithnewintown]

No, no, see, they'll hide them. My hands are smaller.

[holds up tiny child hands]

[moraloutrage]

[He leans over and squints as if appraising the baby hands.]

They are quite small. I do recognize that and their advantages. ...But I am still confident that my own hands, relatively large as they may be, can suffice in finding concealed weapons!

[closewithnewintown]

[pause] You know that Rika is the most likely culprit, right. Are you really gonna be okay having to search a girl?

[because she's only known him a few months and would confidently answer that with "absolutely not."]

[moraloutrage]

I- I will do anything I can for the sake of justice and our safety!

[But there's a beat, as the sweat accumulates on his forehead, before he finally voices his doubt.]

But... ah... Would that really be appropriate...?

[closewithnewintown]

[flawless victory]

Dunno! Would it?

[moraloutrage]

Of- of course it would not be! It would be completely uncalled for!! [He says, turning red. Then he takes a breath.]

...Perhaps... we could do such checks together, divided by gender. That way, none of us can have any worries! [And Ishimaru won't have to worry about the possibility of anyone somehow getting hostile towards Stephanie!]

[closewithnewintown]

That's a great idea! [she smiles, glad her ability to trick people into coming up with her own ideas isn't completely gone.] We'll start doing it at the next meeting, okay?

[moraloutrage]

Very well! [He still worries about Stephanie taking part, but at least he will be there to protect her if need be. And maybe Stephanie's presence will be helpful in getting other students to comply!]

I look forward to working with you, Stephanie-kun. Let's make these meetings safe!

[decrypter]

At least physically, you mean?

[there are certainly more than a few argumentative types...]

[moraloutrage]

I suppose so. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a spirited debate, so long as it does not become physical!

[decrypter]

Perhaps...the next time one of these meetings is called, if we prepared a topic ahead of time, we could have more official debates.

[it's a genuine suggestion, but it's also testing the waters. who knows, someone might get up to argue something absurd.]

[moraloutrage]

Interesting! I do not mind preparing any debate topics in the slightest. Of course, the purpose of these meetings usually tends to involve current events of the school and progress towards solving its mysteries, so those tend to generate topics naturally. But I can always bring some subjects to the table for times when there is less to discuss!