Two's Company (Oumaede)

Chapter 14: 'Magic' Show

DING DONG, BING BONG!
"Rise and shine, ursine!"

"Morning Kaede!!" I jumped at how energetic Kokichi was, despite just waking up. It's as if he was the main character in a Disney movie..

"Ah! Morning..! You're chirpy today.." I finally responded.

"I'm just excited for Himiko's magic show! It's gonna be great!"

"You like magic?"

"Nope! It was a lie, of course! But you being there is what will what makes it magical." He smiled, knowing he made me blush heavily.

"S-stop.. you're being cheesy..!"

"I wouldn't be caught dead being cheesy! I have no idea what you're talking about!!"

"You lie significantly more in the morning, you know that?" I let out a soft chuckle.

"Thats a weird thing to notice, Kayayday! Oooh, let's go to breakfast!!" He screamed while I was still waking up.

"Okay, okay! Just give me a second.." I stretched, making sure to crack every bone I could. I don't know why this became a morning habit, but it made me have less spontaneous cramps.

Crackcrackcrackkkk crack

"..what the fuck.....?"

"Okay, let's go!" I smiled at his confusion.

"I- ...Yep! Okay, let's go!!" His mood changed in a split second.

We walked out of his room, Kokichi locking the door behind him. Our hands intertwined as we walked to the dining hall, talking about the upcoming magic show. When we got to the dining room, Kokichi decided to make a dramatic entrance and swung open the door.

"Hello, my loyal servants! Miss me?" Nobody responded but Maki.

"I don't think anybody missed you."

"Meanie! I can NOT believe you would ever insult me, the Supreme Leader of Evil!!"

"And how old are you again?"

"Hmph!" He scoffed jokingly and sat in between maki and me. After that, we all talked and laughed for a bit.

"Good morning, Kaede!"

"Morning Shuichi! Are you excited for the magic show?"

"I would be but.. am I the only one who has a bad feeling about it?"

"Don't worry, I do too.. but we'll be alright, I don't think anyone is going to get hurt today!"

"Thank you." He gave me a small smile before going back to Korekiyo. They've really been hanging out a lot lately.

"Hey Shumaiiiii!!" Kokichi came from behind him and wrapped his arms around Shuichi's shoulders.

"Oh! Hello, Ouma. Sorry, I was kind of in the middle of some-"

"And Kork! You've been spending way too much time with my beloved!! Are you two..?" Beloved? I know he's joking, but it's just weird to hear him say it.

"What!? No! We're just friends-!" Shuichi yelled defensively.

"Hmmm, okay! I totally trust you!!" He put his hands behind his head and sat back down.

Angie bursted into the room with Tenko and Himiko at her side.

"Please come to the gym now, Himiko is ready to preform! Praise Atua for helping!"

"Huh!? What about the rest of us who helped??" Tenko scoffed at Angie's disregard for the other's help. After a bit of fighting, we all made our way to the gym to watch Himiko's magic show. Everyone except Ryoma, who I hadn't seen all day. Well, I guess that was pretty normal.

When we got there, Himiko was standing on a giant water tank, piranhas in a separate glass cage, there were obviously a lot, because they looked cramped. If this is what I think it is..

"Himiko! Are you sure you ca--"

"Shush!" I was cut off by Angie, "We must let Yumeno preform!! She will be safe with Atua watching over her."

"O-okay yeah, I..I can do this... Atua is watching over me, Atua is watching over me..." Himiko repeatedly mumbled the same sentence to calm herself down, thought she was still visibly shaking.

"Oki-doki! It's time for the great, the amazing magic show, starring- Himiko Yumeno!!" Angie presented her like a gameshow host.

"N-nyeh... my performance today will be.. the Extreme Water Magic..." She took a few deep breathes before continuing, "U-underwater.. Escape Act..."

"Now, please turn your attention to the water tank in front of you!" Himiko was way too nervous to be preforming right now.

"When the timer above starts, Himiko will enter the water tank! Once she's in the tank, her assistant--me!-- will draw the curtain in front of the tank. After 60 seconds have passed on the timer... a secret, suspended tank will open and drop in a school of piranhas! Oh my goodness! After the piranhas have fallen, and the curtain is opened... if by some miracle, Himiko has been gobbled up, please give a big round of applause!"

I heard Kokichi choking on his Panta from laughing at the last part of Angie's explanation, followed by me laughing at him.

"Juuuuust kidding! It's a joke!!"

".. I'm concerned for Himiko. She isn't responding to any of Angie's jokes." I overheard Kirumi talking to Shuichi.

"Please protect Himiko..." Tenko started, "Wait, why am I praying to Atua!? That's Angie's thing!!"
Tsumugi responded to her.

"Then, maybe you could pray to another God?" I wonder if this is what would've happened no matter if I died or not..

"N-nyeh... let's begin... 'The Amazing Himiko's Magic Show.' " Himiko made her announcement and started the timer. She took a long breath and dove into the water tank!

"Okay! I'm closing the curtain!" Angie closed the curtain, blocking any view of Himiko from the front. We all sat in silence, and I instinctively held Kokichi's hand out of anxiousness.

00:40 "Himiko's still not out..." Tenko muttered nervously.

"She went in mere moments ago..: Korekiyo replied.

00:30 Tenko spoke up again, "W-well, do you think she's alright?"

00:20 "Sh-she still hasn't come out! Are you sure she's okay!?" Tenko was sweating and I gripped Kokichi's hand tighter.

"That's it! I'm going in. Himiko, I'm coming!" Kaito yelled as he stopped over to the cage.

"Wait...Kaito!?" Kirumi cried as Kaito continued to climb up to the stage.

"Aw, don't do that! We're in the middle of the show!" Angie wined.

"Shut up! If I don't do anything, Himiko will get eaten by piranhas! Do you want that to-- huh?"

00:08 "Uhm, less than 10 seconds remaining.." Kiibo spoke with concern in his voice.

"It doesn't matter if it ruins the trick, just come out! This stress is bad for my heart.." Tsumugi drifted off at the end.

"Himikooooooo!!!!" Tenko screamed once again.

BZZZT BZZZT BZZZT BZZZT

The buzzer went off just as the timer hit zero. And then...

"RYOMA!!!" But it was too late, right before our eyes, Ryoma... he became a skeleton within seconds...

...

"Tadaaa! See? I did it!" Himiko shouted.

. . .

"Why is nobody clapping? Did you not like it?"

"Turn around, Himiko..." I whispered as she slowly turned back to the glass cage.

"N-nyeh!?!?"

(Word count: 1139)