shslant-blog

[shslant-blog]

shsldollartisan:

shslproducing:

Aha, two of his favorite people! That didn’t mean much, considering that he hated most of these pests, but at least with these two he wouldn’t be nearly as disgusted as he could be. 

He smiled down at Minako and patted her head softly. What a good little watch dog she was! She helped discover that disgusting thing… Kazuma wondered if she had a knack for sniffing out dead bodies, or perhaps her lust for death brought about these situations? 

“Yes, quite amazing! I am in awe of your luck, dear girl! Perhaps you can share a bit with me next time, hm?”

He turned his attention to Gyo and shrugged, attempting to hide his amusement at this mess, and utterly failing.

“A bit of both, perhaps. It’s a shame that my client was struck down, but I can’t ignore the thrill of the hunt. Investigating a murder could prove to be quite entertaining. I see why so many people watch those silly crime dramas.”

This is about revenge. I want proper payment from the little shit that did this.

“Hm…? What’s this?” 

Kazuma knelt down next to the bit of dark hair on the sidewalk and smirked. How interesting. It seems he has found something out of place. Hah! Perhaps he should have been a detective.

“Dearest companions, I believe we might find more if we venture out, don’t you? Perhaps this hair can be our starting point. It may lead somewhere exciting~”

“Mr. Shingen! I just knew we’d meet here. Let’s have lots of fun solving this together and punishing the one who did this, yes?” 

With Gyo here, Minako was certain they’d get a good lead on the murderer. She figured it would be much more fun to be on his side this time rather than debating him. She wanted so badly to ask him if he had any leads as of yet, even just about the dark hair, but decided to let him speak on his own for now. 

Minako yelped a little out of surprise when Kazuma patted her head, but smiled softly and blushed as she accepted her reward. She was admittedly a little averse to his suggestion to leave, however. Truthfully, she didn’t want to leave Tatsuya’s body so quickly. She was just getting acquainted with her first dead body, after all. Not wanting to be rude to her new friends, though, she conceded and agreed in silence. 

“I’d like to check around a little more, though, if that’s alright.” 

She returned to Tatsuya’s body and smiled and she ran her hands along his stiff arm. Predictably, he was thoroughly lifeless. The Tatsuya who had spent so much time screaming and instigating altercations wouldn’t ever make another sound. Isn’t it so amazing how easily human life can be snuffed out? If only she had known Tatsuya a little better, perhaps she’d feel something for him right now. Something other than excitement, anyway. 

Before returning to Kazuma and Gyo’s side, she scanned his body for any other distinguishing marks aside from the obvious bruise on his neck. 

"Yes!" he echoed at Minako, wearing a bright grin. While she examined the body, Gyo stood over her and observed.

Quick and clean, or so it seemed at a glance—more or less as he had expected. Had the killer dressed up the crime they might have already had a short list of suspects, but as things were any one of them could have pushed Tatsuya down the stairs. Gyo pulled a frown. Rarely did he find himself wishing he had been wrong.

The myrmecologist followed Kazuma's eyes to the tuft of hair on the ground. It was black as his own, or so it seemed from far away. Patting down his own head as he approached, Gyo drew to a neat stop and knelt beside his companion.

"Maybe it's mine," he suggested, his smile waxing cheeky. He folded his hands over his knees and turned to meet Kazuma’s eyes. "Kami-sama, what if we both lose the bet? Double forfeit?"

So Long, Frog Prince | Investigation | KazuMinaGyo

[shslant-blog]

smoll drrp doodles! I love Kazuma and his Two Rowdy Kids…but also, rip bby, bbyyyyy….

[shslant-blog]

Gyo liked to think himself the unfeeling strategist, but this one got to him. He stood at the top of the escalator, his hands on his hips and his eyes trained on the corpse.

The ramifications would not be small. The colony had lost a soldier of great value—and perhaps great company, though he had lost the chance to discover that firsthand. He wondered what Tatsuya's favourite food was, or what sort of music he listened to. The thought prompted a tight frown. It was a poor choice of victim, but when every day had brought them closer to death there was no question that this was for the good of the colony.

The young scientist tapped a finger against his hip. Respiratory failure was what the file said. Certainly it couldn't mean in the traditional sense. He grit his teeth. Respiratory failure...

"Kami-sama!" Gyo chirped, politely inclining his head. That he had been caught off guard was written all over on his face. When he noticed the small artisan at Kazuma's side he repeated the gesture. This one had graciously admitted defeat last time they spoke—a move requiring both humility and maturity. Her presence was especially welcome. "Minako-san!"

"You two look to be in high spirits!" He linked his hands behind his back. "Which are you enjoying more: the fresh air or our decomposing classmate?"

So Long, Frog Prince | Investigation | KazuMinaGyo

Kazuma skipped down the road like a giddy child on Christmas Day. Ah, he had truly been blessed! That announcement he had waited so long to hear had gone off… That means someone really decided to spice things up!

‘A body has been discovered!’

It was too good to be true. However, when Kazuma found himself at the scene, he was a bit more upset than he expected. He stopped in his tracks, looking down at the poor lifeless red head. Tatsuya… The frog prince… This couldn’t be! This meant that… It meant–!

“Tch… Who in the hell thought it was okay to off one of my clients? The least they could have done is given me a heads up! Can’t rely on anyone to do their job properly around here.” 

Kazuma squatted down next to the body, picked up his arm, and then let it fall back down to the ground like the rag doll he was. Yup. Dead. He rolled his eyes before standing back up and crossing his arms over his chest.

Couldn’t have picked the fake idol? Jesus, you just had to go and kill a client… Now I have to actually TRY and solve this.

Kazuma hiked back up the stairs, looking on the ground for anything suspicious. Jeez, he usually would have someone do this type of thing for him. Ah… there are plenty of idiots around. He could definitely find someone to do the hard work for him!

“Ah, dearest classmates! Would any kind soul like to accompany me on my investigation of our dearly departed friend’s murder~? I promise, it will be worth your while.”

As if.

[shslant-blog]

Because of what the anon asked Nagisa about, Do you think you will ever apologize to them, or would you want an apology from them?

“What good would an apology do when everything I say bounces off their head? Show me a Nagisa Honami that can listen and think, and I’ll consider making amends.”

“Someone needs to keep the peace around here, after all, and given how our conversation went, I can’t expect them to rise to the occasion. In the meantime, I’ll keep my distance.”

[shslant-blog]

shslproducing:

“Oh, Shingen, you wound me! I always make good on my deals~ However, I suppose I can’t blame you. What do you propose?”

Kazuma crossed his arms over his chest and rose an eyebrow. What could he possibly want that is more binding? A written contract? A blood oath? Maybe a sacrifice? He wasn’t really opposed to any of those options.

“Do you want a secret for insurance? If we both already have information on one another that we don’t want to get around… You could easily blackmail me if I lose and don’t want to go through with our arrangement. What do you say?”

Say yes, you little gremlin. Do it.

He couldn’t help himself when it came to secrets. He just had to know it all, and if he wanted some kind of binding then Kazuma couldn’t think of anything better than blackmail right now! 

For someone so shady, Kazuma was transparent as a fresh puddle. Had he not just elevated Gyo to near-equal in intellect? The myrmecologist was beginning to wonder if he should be offended by the comparison.

"And give you the chance to blackmail me before I lose? Kami-sama..." Gyo laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, and when he spoke it was drenched in pity. "How stupid do you think I am?" He let his hand slide off Kazuma's shoulder. Once it was back at his side, he had to fight to keep from wiping it off.

"I'd rather take my chances with your word." A smirk played across his face, and he planted his hands on his hips. "But it’s sorely tempting, I’ll give you that. One can’t help but wonder at the sorts of shameful capers you high society types get up to."

Spotlight | Motive 1 - OPEN

[shslant-blog]

shsldollartisan:

“My, what an interesting question. Well, let’s think clearly about this possibility, yes?” 

Gyo was a fascinating boy, admittedly. Not many could talk so casually about such a situation, even if for the sake of winning an argument. Would he approach a real murder so informally? 

“Let’s see. The obvious answer is Killer A, since you specified that Killer B left more evidence- but that is, of course, assuming that those investing are capable enough to make the deduction.” 

She brought a dainty finger to her chin and looked off in the distance in thought. 

“But what if Killer B didn’t stop there? What if they dismembered the rest of the body, and hid their body parts all over town, forcing the students to search for them? There’s a big chance not every piece would be found, successfully obfuscating a good portion of the evidence. Also, it would create multiple crime scenes, all of which would need to be carefully investigated, leaving the opportunity to plant all manner of red herrings. Not to mention the fact that searching for the mutilated pieces of their classmate would traumatize a lot of the class… rendering them in a state of mind unsuitable for proper investigation.”

When she turned back to him, she had a bright smile across her face and her cheeks were noticeably flushed, as if just talking about such a gruesome murder had excited her considerably. 

“Now compare that to a single corpse, with a single wound, on a single crime scene- and ask yourself the same question, Mr. Shingen.”  

Flinty eyes squinted above a smile, and with tightly folded arms he waited for Minako to sew up her explanation. Though he did try to hold himself back, Gyo could hardly wait to sink in his proverbial teeth.

"You're expecting me to change my mind, but I can't. You've fallen victim to oversight." Though lamenting, there was nothing sincere about his sigh. "Killer B can't count on mental disruption alone to escape accusation. Your infatuation with violence may guarantee you clarity in times of crisis, but that hardly means the rest of us will lose our minds. Some, perhaps, but certainly not all." Gyo slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Besides, dismembering a body isn't something everyone can do. It takes a long time and requires patience and stamina in spates—not to mention a grasp on basic anatomy and a strong stomach." Gyo tilted his head and looked at the ceiling.

"Now, say Killer B didn't leave any extra evidence behind. A mighty feat, but for discussion's sake we'll pretend it's possible. All we need to do is consider who can dismember a body and run it against who would. Drain the pool of suspects down to those who fit both criteria, and there will be so few left that even Honami-san could solve the crime." Gyo smiled.

"Your move." His eyes returned to Minako. "If you have one."

Motive 1 ♡ Open

[shslant-blog]

shslproducing:

Kazuma rose an eyebrow at Gyo and looked him up and down. Did he not have a concept of height? Kazuma was blessed with height to look down on the masses. The only one that stood up to his own stature was that giant fish man. 

“Everyone shorter than me is ‘little,’ Shingen. The Rough Boy isn’t much smaller than me, but he is still ‘little.’ Is that not clear?”

The question Gyo posed was quite interesting. He loved ruining lives, but ruining a social life first let the game go on longer. He couldn’t pass up a chance like that. Besides, what could Gyo possibly be hiding.

“Both sound pleasant, but let’s start off small. Social life ruining will do just fine.”

It was time for his favorite part. The social custom that would make their bet official.  Kazuma offered his hand to Gyo. His smile stayed friendly and warm, but it was clear that he felt some kind of sick thrill out of this no matter how mundane.

“Let’s make it a deal, shall we?”

"I won't stop you from calling him little, but the two of you look the same from all the way down here," Gyo said, and shrugged.

Now wasn't the time to niggle at Kazuma's pride, but citing a scant few inches of height to call a well-muscled athlete little was no less pitiful than comparing inches below the waist. Gyo bit back a laugh. Perhaps that was what the producer was compensating for.

"I agree. Small is wise." It took his most sophisticated mechanisms of self control to keep from busting a gut right there. Pulling in a deep breath, Gyo took the producer's hand in his own and gave it a firm shake. "Deal."

Whether his classmate held up his end of the deal or not, Kazuma's social life would without a doubt be more precious to him than Gyo's was. Producers relied on networking, on establishing connections, on reputation. Myrmecologists played in the dirt. Gyo clasped his hands behind his back.

"Is there anything we can do to make this more binding?" he asked, looking at his friend. "I'm not sure I can trust you hold up your end when you lose."

Spotlight | Motive 1 - OPEN

[shslant-blog]

shslcinderellaboy:

Whoa, this guy had both mentioned the name thing and hadn’t minded it. That was new. People tended to either skim over it or give him that sort of ‘did you really call me that’ look. If they didn’t outright tell him that was stupid, not their name and to cut it out.

“I’ll try to call you what name ya want, don’t get me wrong, but my memory’s shitty with names. I can memorize a menu in seconds though.”

Which meant ‘Gyonigiri’ was probably here to stay. Why was that exactly? Maybe he really was that selfish a person. He’d never given it a real thought. Gyo’s handshake was stronger than expected and in some weird way he appreciated that.

“I don’t really mind if it’s no good. You can be as harsh as you want. I’m kinda used to plowing through things on my own so this whole grand tactics n’ working together shit is new to me. Still, I’m gonna do my damndest.”

It sounds almost like a reassurance, have patience with me because I’m trying, but really Kaneto is as literal as ever. He’s not good at it but he might need to be so he’ll try and fix that. A simple problem deserves a simple solution and yeah, there’ll be some trial and error in between. Big deal. He’s probably broken a hundred bones getting this far. This’d at least probably be less brutal to his body.

What Gyo says after that takes on an almost low and ominous tone. The way he’s talking makes it seem like… if not killing then letting someone be killed. That’s dark. Not unbelievably so though, in some fashion. Kaneto’s had his own worries about someone dropping, succumbing, but it’s more he just hoped he’d find a solution before that.

“You really think someone’s gonna die before we find a way out, huh? I’m sure as hell tryin’ to get out of here but the sad thing that’s too real a possibility to just handwave. Still, the bear seems like a sketchy fuck, I wonder how much of what it says is even true, y’know?”

As long as he doesn’t die it doesn’t matter too much but he’d still rather it not happen. Unless Kazuma Misao’s the one who ends up getting found in a ditch. He could live with that.

"Don't get me wrong—I wasn't softening the blow for you. You seem like someone who could endure all manner of personal insults," Gyo said, turning to look at his companion. "But I really did misspeak. Attacking the bear wasn't a bad idea. It's something we could consider resorting to after we've tried everything else."

The young myrmecologist planted his chin between his hands and looked down at the tracks. Perhaps Monobear had a weak spot they could exploit, but even if there was one, he suspected it would be no easier to find than an escape route.

"There's a chance Monobear the Great and Mighty might be bluffing or that all of this is some kind of humourless joke, but there's just as great a chance that it's all real." He pulled his mouth to one side. "Our lives may be on the line. It would be unwise not to plan for the worst."

To set himself at ease, Gyo kicked his legs—a gentle motion, but a restless one. Before long, his eyes found Kaneto again.

"Thanks for letting me run my mouth. I may have pushed you out of your comfort zone, but you really rose to the occasion." His smile warmed. "You’re pretty cool."

Enmity ◑ Open

[shslant-blog]

shslmagic:

     “Ah! - Oh… I, um… I- I won’t.. do that.. d-don’t worry…” His smile falters somewhat at the other’s joke. Of course, that’s all it was, right? A joke…And yet…

     “Okay! Well then…” He takes in a breath to prepare, starts to close his eyes – then suddenly stops.

     “Oh! A-actually, you’ve got something… Um…” With a quick apologetic look Nobu’s hand reaches forth just behind the boy’s ear. “– Got it!” 

    Pulling back, he reveals a fully-folded origami crane resting on his open palm.

     “Look at that! Your ears must be pretty dexterous.” He beams.

Though he smiled up at his classmate, there was a sharp gleam in Gyo's eye. He was ready to see right through the other boy's trick. Perhaps Nobu would have him pick a card, or pull on a scarf, or— His jaw went slack and skepticism peeled away, leaving behind it childlike awe.

"Wow, Classmate-san!" he exclaimed, grinning. "You're not a Hope's Peak student for no reason!" Gyo got to his feet and brushed himself off. The gesture bought him enough time to sort himself out.

The trick was a simple one—a classic—but where on earth had that crane actually come from? His hat? His sleeve? Had the magician folded it out of sight, or did he have it ready? Gyo for certain that his ears weren't actually dexterous, but pulling the trick apart was proving more difficult than he had thought.

"So, then." The young myrmecologist adjusted his glasses and looked Nobu in the eye, tone just shy of expectant. "How did you do it?"

Enmity ◑ Open

[shslant-blog]

shsldollartisan:

“Well, of course your view of the game is valid.”

It was obvious from the way he spoke he was a natural strategist. He obviously would never admit he was wrong, and honestly, he wasn’t. But Minako couldn’t help but feel that he was looking at this all wrong. 

“Worthless? That’s doubtful. If entertainment value was worthless, we wouldn’t have been forced to live together before being told to kill each other. This is obviously entertaining to someone out there. Whoever is behind this wants us certainly encourages creativity, don’t you think?” 

She continued to pace as she spoke, though her tone was much less lecturing and more thoughtful this time around. She wasn’t so much debating as deliberating now, figuring that Gyo had ideas of his own about their situation beyond just a someone’s potential murderous intent. 

“And besides, it’s not just to amuse us. Or even just themselves. There’s a lot of factors at play. For example, in just the short time we’ve been here, some have already made pretty bitter enemies. And what’s more entertaining than putting a fitting end to ones enemy?” 

"Perhaps I've been a bit hasty," Gyo said, tapping a finger against his bicep. Concession had never come easily to him, but Minako wasn't wrong. "Entertainment value won't be completely worthless. You could use it to endear yourself to our captor, smoke out your enemies, break the wills of a choice few classmates—I could go on. It has its applications, and I'll admit there's real worth there."

His eyes were alight. Few things in life brought him pleasure as acute as meeting someone on a mental battlefield did, and firing back and forth like this lit something within the young myrmecologist that he took care to keep tightly reined.

"What you can't do," he went on, "is use it to win. Think of it like this: there are two killers—A and B. Both garrotte their victims. Killer A leaves immediately, but Killer B isn't satisfied. Preoccupied with entertainment value, Killer B cuts off the head of their victim and hangs it from a tree for someone to find. This takes time and creates extra evidence, but it will amuse our captor and disturb most of the class." Gyo spread his palms and looked his classmate in the eye.

"Who do you think stands a greater chance of getting away with it, and why?"

Motive 1 ♡ Open

[shslant-blog]

shslant:

shslproducing:

What a little strategist this boy was. He rose an eyebrow as he looked at Bunji and Blackfin. So they were linked somehow? This was information he found particularly interesting. Was there any way to turn them against each other? …Ah, what was it Gyo had just said? He should learn to like them? Hmph. He didn’t like the idea, but perhaps they would be more powerful as allies than enemies. 

Whatever.

“Dear sweet Mina, hm? That certainly would be a twist. However, I don’t believe she will crack that easily. No, no… There must be others. Perhaps the little red headed brute?  He has been easily to manipulate so far, at least.”

Oops, did that slip? Oh well. He couldn’t trust Gyo, but he was sure he had picked up on Kazuma’s true character the moment they met. No use in hiding it now. 

“I’m not saying I’m going to manipulate anyone to do something, but… I’m not not saying that.”

He laughed to himself before turning towards his small strategist. Being able to be so honest was a little liberating. Wait, what do you mean he has been brutally honest to everyone he has met so far save for a couple of pretty girls? That sounds fake. Anyway–

“As fun as slapping someone would be, I can’t say I would get anything from doing that to you. Why don’t we try something else? Such as… betting secrets? That sounds far more interesting~”

"The little red-headed brute?" Gyo blinked. Kazuma couldn't possibly mean Minako—she had a penchant for the brutal, but she was hardly a brute. "Do you mean the big red-headed brute? I don't know his name, but you might be right. Largely depends on how much self-control he has, I think, or how accident prone. Either way, I stand by my bet."

A thin smile split Gyo's features. Win or lose, this wager could only fortify their alliance, and that was a win in and of itself. Had he thought of it earlier, he might have even manufactured a loss for himself—if Kazuma won his pride would be fed, and as long as the producer's pride was nice and healthy he would be easy to catch off guard.

"You don't think if would be satisfying?" Gyo raised his eyebrows and gave himself a light slap on the cheek. "I know better than anyone how annoying I can be. But I'll bet a secret, if that's what you'd like." He turned his gaze back on his friend.

"Are we talking life-ruining, or social life-ruining? You seem like the type to have some of each."

Spotlight | Motive 1 - OPEN

[shslant-blog]

shslant:

shslcinderellaboy:

The second Gyo speaks, it feels like something in the air changes somehow. There’s a knowing quality to his words. Unlike Kaneto, who’d worked on assumptions and gut instinct, Gyo seemed to speak from a place of knowledge, a tactical high-ground you could say. It wasn’t something he could do, not in such an orderly fashion, no, but he could surely appreciate it. Especially at a time like this. Perhaps a kid like this would be very useful during times like these.

Kaneto finds himself nodding to the smaller boy’s words, his cheek resting in his hand. It’s not just that he’s listening, he’s trying to formulate ideas of his own.

“Huh– you’re really smart, kid. The way you say it makes total sense, yeah. I had a feelin’ goin’ for the bear head-on was a bad idea. I mean, he just kinda appeared outta nowhere n’ took control. Somethin’ ‘bout all that just felt… off.”

After saying that much, he goes back to thinking mode, resting his chin on his knuckles now. What he says, again, resonates, makes sense. Going at it blind is stupid. Even for a guy who acts on emotion mostly, he can admit that much.

“So then… what it comes down to is gathering data, right? I mean, that’s what this is about. I’m not sure if it’s what you mean but I do agree, like… the more he find out, the more we know what we have to play with. You can’t play a game without rules and you can’t escape a prison if you don’t know the routine. Feels like the smart move is to figure out what’s really goin’ on. With the bear, the rabbit, the city… everything.”

He snaps back to reality at the gesture. Kaneto hadn’t actually realized how far off he was in his thoughts and planning until Gyo changed the subject.

Names… huh. Yeah, they really hadn’t exchanged those yet, had they? It’s weird that it slipped his mind. Well, perhaps not that weird. Even on a good day Kaneto could skip right past the introduction stage. He takes Gyo’s hand and gives it a good shake.

“Gyonigiri? Uh– I mean to say Gyo. ‘Kay. I got it. Kaneto Shirousagi. Feel free to skip the formalities.”

He waves a dismissive hand.

"Gyonigiri is fine, if you want. I'll respond to almost anything." With his classmate's hand around his own, Gyo's smile warmed. While it seemed as though strategic thinking didn’t come naturally to Kaneto, the guy was giving it his best—few things in life were worth more praise than that. Gyo made sure his half of the handshake was appropriately firm before returning his hand to his lap.

"Oftentimes we have to sift through the bad ideas to get to the good ones," he assured his classmate, then froze. He gave his head a quick shake. "I shouldn't say that. It wasn't a bad idea at all—there are just better ones."

The young myrmecologist peered over at his new friend. His eyes flitted between each of Kaneto's. If this situation was as serious as they had been led to believe, there were difficult decisions to be made here. Some of the light went from his face, and he lowered his voice.

"If we do commit ourselves to gathering data," he said, "we may find ourselves with a body on our hands. I'm not sure we can get a firm grasp on this game any other way."

Enmity ◑ Open

[shslant-blog]

shslant:

shslant:

shsldollartisan:

“A pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Shingen.” 

She punctuated with a light curtsy and a polite smile. The more Gyo spoke, the easier he became to understand. Despite his frame, he didn’t seem to be particularly burdened by their circumstances. She was curious to see just how much it would take to truly stress him, but she seriously doubted she had the means to accomplish that. For now, at least. 

“My apologies, but I can’t help but disagree with that sentiment. It’s not that you’re wrong, people definitely kill out of desperation and raw emotion, but this is a unique circumstance. This is a game after all, is it not?” 

She paced as she spoke, lecturing the boy as her shoes tapped rhythmically on the subway’s clean floor, creating a sort of unsettling ambiance to compliment her speech. 

“And what’s a game without its players? I assure you, there are several people among us who are playing not just to participate, but to win.”

Her pacing came to a sudden stop as she turned on her heel to face Gyo, anticipating the rebuttal he doubtlessly had. 

As the artisan paced, Gyo held still. His fingers were linked at the small of his back, and behind thick lenses his eyes followed Minako's every step. While she hadn't quite ascended to threat, this girl was sharp and her motives worth minding.

"You raise a solid point, Fukumori-san. This is a game," Gyo replied, and paused. He let his words hang in the air. Minako had given real thought to their situation and deserved a moment of recognition before he opened his mouth and shot her down. Though he tried, he couldn't wipe the little smirk off his face.

"But," he went on, "while we are players, we aren't by choice. Very few of us will be excited to play this game, and fewer still will be motivated to tailor their crimes to amuse the class." Gyo folded his arms.

"Entertainment value is worthless here. That’s not how you play to win—that’s how you get caught."

Motive 1 ♡ Open

[shslant-blog]

Gyo don't die, you are my favorite and my favs always die so stay safe.

“In times like these, I like to think of Tetramorium caespitum—the pavement ant! As their common name suggests, these little guys have not only adapted to but thrive in urban settings all over the world. A human-modified environment isn’t the first place you’d expect to find a colony of ten thousand, right?”

“So not to worry, Anon! While I may not look it, games like this one suit me well.I won’t let you down!”

[shslant-blog]

"Considering the size of the target on my back is the first step toward taking defensive measures. How clever I am won't matter if I can't successfully anticipate an attack." Gyo squinted above a smile. "Even I can't think my way out of a knife in the chest."

The young myrmecologist grinned up at his friend. Regardless of how intelligent Kazuma actually was, he seemed to consider himself the smartest man to ever walk the earth. That he was willing to elevate Gyo to his level was likely the highest compliment the producer's pride could handle.

"Bunji-san is Blackfin-san's manager," he explained brightly. "Those two are nice. I like them. You should learn to like them too. Even if Blackfin-san wasn't the size of a large horse they'd be terrifying foes."

He tapped his fingers against his arm. Biased or not, Kazuma seemed to have an eye for prey. His projected victims were well-chosen, and though he tried for argument's sake, Gyo couldn't think of any reason why a killer might avoid them.

"In terms of killers, maybe Mina-sama," he offered with a shrug. "I like her and talking to her was fun, but she's not exactly an open book." Gyo returned his eyes to his classmate.

"What are we betting, anyway? Invisible money? Slaps to the face?"

Spotlight | Motive 1 - OPEN

“I wouldn’t be so sure, Shingen-kun. You seem to be quite clever. I’m sure you could think your way out of any sticky situation you find yourself in. You may even be as clever as I, hmhm~”

He softly gave Gyo a pat on the back, and smiled at him genuinely. Hold your horses, Kazuma. You can’t go liking people now that you’ve already got such a good record of hating everyone else here! Better relax on the friendliness. Kazuma retracted his hand, and slapped on a more serious expression. 

“I’m not sure what a Bungeesan is, but if you are referring to the girl that smells suspiciously of dog, then I would agree whole heartedly. She is weak. An easy target for any hopeful killer. I can’t stand her crying.”

He placed a hand on his hip and scanned the crowd of children coming and going. They were all fair candidates, but a couple others stood out in his mind. He picked them out silently, and his trademark smirk reappeared on his face. 

“That fake idol, Ururu, is too timid and fragile, but perhaps I have a bit of a bias. I would say the same goes for the one in the top hat. He is pathetic. There are many options, but I would say they are the easiest targets. Now, on to a more telling question…”

Kazuma turned to Gyo, and crossed his arms. His smile seemed as if it was becoming a bit more wild, as if the thrill of everything was getting to him.

“Who is going to kill?”

[shslant-blog]

Gyo blinked up at the other boy. He had suspected the magician could be disarmed—what he hadn't anticipated was just how easy it was. While it didn't seem as though his classmate was perfectly comfortable, a single question had done the work of a dozen.

"A magician, huh..." he repeated, thumbing his chin in thought. In his experience, magicians never let laypeople pick their brains, but this one seemed particularly nice. Maybe, Gyo told himself, he'd have better luck with him.

"Unless it's to make me disappear," Gyo said, grinning up at his classmate, "I'd love to see a trick!"

Enmity ◑ Open

     “…Y-You do?”

     The lighter topic of conversation works in easing him a little. He even cracks a bit of a smile, truly elated at the chance to mention what he’s most passionate about.

     “I’m… a magician!” Almost instantly his nervous expression peels away, revealing a more confident and happier Nobu. He was about 99% sure this boy would want to discuss what just went down, so this was as pleasant a surprise as could be.

     “…..” He pauses, considering his next offer carefully. This boy didn’t seem too threatening.

     “If you’d like to see a trick any time, just let me know.”

[shslant-blog]

"Gyo Shingen," he replied, pulling on a smile. "Nice to meet you, Fukumori-san."

Gyo's smile grew as he watched his classmate laugh and twirl about. She wasn't just shorter than he was—she was significantly shorter than he was. He pulled his back straight. Might as well heighten that distance as much as he could.

"Fear has never served me well in the past, so I cast it aside when I can," he explained, eyes never leaving the young artisan. "But I can't disagree. We're two of the easiest targets here." As he fell silent his features settled into something more pensive.

"You know, considering the entertainment value of murder while assessing your personal safety might not be wise. Not everyone looks at this game through the same lens that you do." Gyo adjusted his glasses. "Most of those with the aptitude and motivation to kill will do it out of desperation."

Motive 1 ♡ Open

“Oh, no. I’m fine, really!” 

She continued to giggle slightly, stunting her conversation. She looked the boy over intensely for a few seconds, adding to the tension of an already alarming situation. He was slightly taller than her, with an unremarkably average style. It was difficult to guess just what kind of person he was just from appearance, but he didn’t seem like he meant any harm. 

���You don’t seem very scared. Are you certain that’s wise? You know, I think our statures make us pretty easy targets.” 

“But then again, perhaps going after the most obvious targets wouldn’t be very entertaining. It all depends on who’s wielding the knife, right?”

She continued to chuckle and twirl, contemplating all the ways this could play out. The thought nearly sent her into another laughing fit, but she retained her composure for the sake of conversation. 

“Oh! My apologies, I haven’t introduced myself!” I’m Minako Fukumori~ And you?”