Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 1 (A New Oumeno)

The Not-Your-Talent Show! (8)

   "Everyone...everyone...settle down," came the whiny voice of Headmaster Kirigiri on stage. The members of the audience quieted down. "Hope's Peak Academy is proud to present its first ever...'Not-Your-Talent Show!' E-haaaaaahhh..." He tried his best to sound excited, but all he sounded like was a constipated goose. Someone in the audience coughed amidst the awkward silence. 

   "Oh, no...the show is starting!" Ibuki whispered to her bandmates in terror.

  "Well...whatever," Kirigiri muttered. "Anyway...our first act is Rantaro Amami doing...something." Headmaster Kirigiri stepped aside as Rantaro took the stage with his head hung low as the spotlight shone on him. He lifted up his head, winked, and clicked his tongue as he pointed finger guns at the audience. The audience burst into applause as he exited the stage. The majority of the girls were clapping and cheering.

   "I love you, Rantaro!" one of them shouted.

   "You are so hot!" another one screamed. Maki rolled her eyes.

   "Seriously?! That's all he did?!" she scoffed.

   "We have more important things to worry about, Maki!" Ibuki whined as the show went on and Makoto took the stage next. He started tap-dancing. "If Sayaka can't perform, we can't go on! Then, Himiko loses the bet and her hai-I mean...her relationship with Kokichi!"

   "Sayaka, how did you lose your voice?" Sonia asked. Sayaka frowned at her and made grumpy grunting sounds. "Oh...sorry, I forgot that you could not speak," Sonia laughed sheepishly. 

  "I bet it had something to do with all that screaming she was doing," Kokichi chimed in. The others looked at Kokichi with surprise, then at Sayaka who was nodding her head in agreement.

   "Wh-Why was she s-screaming, Kokichi?" Mikan asked. Kokichi shrugged.

   "I dunno," he replied. "When you guys left, I thought you went to 7th Island House to practice one final time, so I decided to go there and wish you good luck before heading to the school myself. But you guys weren't there, apparently. So, I went to Hope House thinking that maybe that's where you guys were. I couldn't go inside, since the door was locked, so I assumed everyone at Hope House was already at the school. That's when I heard screaming from the shed in Hope House's backyard. I went to go investigate, and when I approached the door, it was locked. Thanks to my lockpicking, I opened the shed door, and there was Sayaka, screaming her head off!"

  "Why were you screaming, Sayaka?" Kaede asked as Makoto left the stage and was replaced by Kazuichi whistling a tune with his nose. Sayaka stuck out her front teeth, held up her hands like little paws, and took small, quick, scurrying steps.

   "Nyeh...there was a mouse in the shed!" Himiko exclaimed. Sayaka pointed at Himiko, nodding her head. 

   "There was a note in my locker from Ibuki that said to meet her in the shed behind Hope House at 6:00," Sayaka explained in her hoarse voice. Toko took the stage next and began acting out a scene from a play. "I was confused as to why she wanted to meet there, but I went anyway. That's when I felt someone push me into the shed, and I heard the door lock. Then, I was trapped inside with a mouse, and because everyone else had left before me, I was stuck in there for almost two hours!"