SHSL Magician

Come one, come all, are you here to see the show? Step back and be amazed as you are about to witness things beyond your wildest imagination...! Super High-School Level Magician Satoru Nobu

[cinnamonchai]

Investigation | Self Portrait Facing Death

[shslmagic-blog1]

nagisahonami:

shsl-acrylics:

Tsukasa was about to go on about possible ways about possible ways a neck could be broken, but he gets interrupted when he hears a loud thud from a distance away. Oh, it seems someone else had been listening. That was the magician from before, Satoru or something…whatever his name was, he wasn’t taking the whole thing very well at all.

“Oh…a-are you going to be alright? You may w-want to be careful, it might start to s-smell like…well, dead body in here.”

Honestly, it’d probably take much longer for Tatsuya to flat-out rot, but death had a fairly distinct smell. Nobu would probably pass out if it got any worse, and more dead bodies were not what they needed for this investigation.

“Y-you’re right though, Honami-san, Mikami-kun was p-pretty strong…pretty angry, too. I d-doubt it was easy to take him down…hmm, are there a-any bruises on him…?” 

Tsukasa crouches back down near the corpse, lifting up Tatsuya’s shirt to expose the stomach to check for other marks on his body.

“Besides the ones around his neck? I’m not too sure…”

They shrugged, being useless and not even bothering to get closer to the body to take a closer look. Tsukasa looked like he had Tatsuya’s corpse handled so they were just gonna chill from afar. Thanks Nagisa.

Hearing a sudden new comer, Nagisa turns to see a familiar face. Oh, this was…! The kid whose name they didn’t get last time they had spoken. Whoops. Either way,  even if they didn’t know his name, it seemed like he was fairing much worse than he was.

Approaching the magician, Nagisa crouches down besides him and gives him a worried look. They refrained from actually reaching out and comforting the poor guy, both cause Nagisa wasn’t too big on touching people and they didn’t want to startle him.

“Are you going to be okay? If you’re not feeling too good perhaps it would be best to head outside for a bit and catch some fresh air? I’d be happy to escort you if you’d like.”

To be a kind gentlemen and not to totally ditch the gross corpse in the subway of course.

     “No!... I-I mean yes, I’m fine -- but...” Alright, on your feet now. He palms his knees to pass any dust away before fully straightening up. Casting a nervous glance towards Nagisa as thanks, Nobu clears his throat.

     “Um, no -- I-I’m fine. I came to help, and... o-oh my God, can you do that?” Watching Tsukasa oh-so-easily lift the shirt of a boy who’d just days earlier had scared the living daylight out of Nobu, his face blanches further. By now it’s a competition of who could look more palid -- the corpse or the magician.

     Though he attempted an approach, Nobu finds himself looking anywhere but down. It’s still too much to bear, despite them not exchanging too many words he still saw Tatsuya alive, breathing, with his head screwed on correctly. He seemed so strong... maybe just because he was bigger and could yell louder than anyone Nobu knew, but that alone was just as impressive.

     That thought silently connects with something he overheard Tsukasa mention to Nagisa. Tatsuya was strong, way stronger than most of the people he’d seen here -- most. Gravity may have lent a helping hand if the murderer had missed a couple leg days here and there.

     “H-Have... you checked up the escalator?” Looking back and forth between Nagisa and Tsuk-- no, no -- he’s still doing that shirt thing. Maybe just to Nagisa. But hopefully Tsukasa wouldn’t feel too left out.

[cinnamonchai]

Investigation | Self Portrait Facing Death

[nagisahonami-blog]

shsl-acrylics:

Noticing the blood on Tatsuya’s fingers, Tsukasa held up the hand closer to so he could see it, noticing the scrapes of skin under the dead man’s fingernails. There hadn’t been any scratches on Tatsuya’s body from what Tsukasa saw, so it had to be from someone else.

“W-well…if I had to guess, I think…th-there was some sort of struggle down here. Enough to d-draw blood at least. M-maybe that’s important…” 

Figuring this was as far as he’d be able to go on examining the body, Tsukasa dropped the hand to the ground and stood up, looking back to Nagisa. 

“Yeah, it’s g-generally not pleasant. It’s p-possible to die instantly upon breaking your neck, but…r-respiratory failure implies that he suffocated from it. Plus, w-with the spine breaking…Mikami-kun’s death was probably excruciating.”

He wasn’t the most tactful when it came to Nagisa’s squeamishness about the dead body, obviously. Great job, Tsukasa.

In all honesty, Tsukasa was curious what those last moments looked and felt like. He figured breaking someone’s neck for real was a lot more messy than they portrayed it in the movies, and there was a lot more bruising as well. Even horror wanted to cover up some gruesome details apparently.

Now that he was done with the corpse, Tsukasa checked the surrounding area by Tatsuya, particularly searching for any other bloodstains.

After eventually growing tired of looking around the subway, Nagisa begrudgingly turned back to face both Tsukasa and Tatsuya’s corpse with a sigh.

“Well if there was a struggle I don’t believe Mikami-san would the type of person who would’ve gone down without a fight… He was quite the athlete, no? I’d imagine it would’ve taken quite the force to subdue someone like himself…”

They mused, crossing their arms as they tilted their head in thought. From what Nagisa had seen of Tatsuya’s physique he seemed to be quite fit, and rather hot headed to boot. If blood was really drawn during some sort of struggle then they can’t say they’re surprised.

“Eeugh… What a horrible way to die…”

Those were a lot of details Nagisa didn’t particularly want to hear. Turning away from the body, the fencer tried to take some deep breaths as they tried to regain their composure. Everything was fine, they were fine, they weren’t about to get all sick in the middle of an investigation god dammit-

They’re gonna need a minute.

[shslmagic-blog1]

     THUD.

     Investigations and dead bodies weren’t a magician’s usual expertise. Pretending to kill others, sawing them in half, piercing their flesh with hundreds of swords -- that kind of thing he could do. But actual, real, bona-fide death? Not a chance.

     He had decided, upon receiving the revolting instructions to divide and explore, to instead sit back and observe others in order to see how it was done. Among their talents he didn’t recall any detectives or crime-scene experts, but low-self esteem led him to believe if anyone had a chance of successfully coming to any sort of conclusion, it wouldn’t be him.

      And so wound up the sniveling Magician, watching the Fencer and Artist from a distance, quiet as a mouse. That is until, Lord have mercy, Tsukasa’s blunt investigation approach and the facts they had unearthed unnerved his easy-queasy stomach.

     To the floor his weak knees went, palms slamming as he took a gasp for breath.

     There was no use attempting to hide himself after such a cacophony. Instead, he immediately places attention on Nagisa’s last statement.

     “...A-Ah... Ahaha... I-If you’re not feeling well, you c-can do ... what I do...” And what’s that? The great magician’s super secret trick....?

     “Um, I mean... If you just hold your breath for a while and count to one hundred... Ugh.” Catching sight of the gruesome display of their former classmate once again, his eyes flutter away as he just sits there on hands and knees, like a dog waiting for its food.

[shslant-blog]

Enmity ◑ Open

[shslmagic-blog1]

shslant:

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!”

     “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.

[nagisahonami-blog]

[Motive 1] Retreat

[shslmagic-blog1]

nagisahonami:

They must have really been out of focus if they missed someone approaching so closely with an outfit like that. Nagisa gave their classmate a quick look over as he stepped backwards. A top hat and everything? Huh.

Before Nagisa could even introduce themselves they noticed their peculiar dressed classmate going tumbling backwards with a yelp. Eyes going wide at the sight of it, Nagisa immediately got up on their feet and approached the fallen magician to make sure he was alright.

“Ah-! Oh my goodness are you alright? You didn’t hurt hurt yourself or anything did you?”

After making sure it wasn’t anything too serious, they let out a sigh of relief. Oh thank god. Without even waiting for a response Nagisa reached down to grab him by the arm, pulling the magician up slowly.

“Oh there’s no need to apologize, it’s quite alright… You’re not injured anywhere are you? That was quite the fall you took there.”

     Like an angel descended from the heavens, this stranger bypasses any opportunity to sling ridicule to the fallen boy and, instead, gently lifts him from the ground up. They even go so far as to ask if he’s okay... Somehow, that level of kindness is embarrassing.

     Not as embarrassing as the tumble he just took in front of someone new... But that’s nothing to be surprised about, considering his luck.

     “Ah-- uh-- thum-- Thank you...”

     “I-I’m fine!” Quickly shaking the other off with an apologetic smile, Nobu instinctively scratches at his head, where no longer a weight sat. “Um...” His eyes dart around. “A-Are you okay?...”

     It might be nice to ask, right...?

[shslcinderellaboy]

Hurdle 1 ❄ Killer Croquette <Open>

[shslcinderellaboy]

Okay, so… going through everything again in slow motion…

A little kid had come in, the chimes ring-ding-adinging merrily… and then Kaneto had spoken up. Now this kid, he seemed like a nice enough kid at first, freaked out a bit and began babbling about this and that, about leaving him alone. Kaneto had reached out his hand to try and calm the guy down, or at least, getting to sit still. His eyes were going all around the place like a clock or something. Wasn’t he getting dizzy doing that?

Well, maybe he was, as he takes a step backwards, hits the fire alarm and then, with a gentle fwwsh, the store gets soaked. There’s a moment of silence where one can just appreciate the comedy of the situation. Drip. Drip. He’s almost fascinated by water droplets falling from his hair.

“…”

After the shock, and it is shocking, begins to fade he grabs the boy, placing a very firm hand on his shoulder.

“Buddy, you aren’t goin’ anywhere.”

There’s a quiet fury in his voice. Perhaps this here, right now, will be the first murder. Kaneto takes in a deep breath.

“Now what the LIVING HELL is your goddamn damage?! Look at the fuckin’ place, you opened the fucking floodgates and now the shit here might go bad! That’s all kinds of snacks n’ vegetables n’ eggs and stuff! Apologize! Apologize to the chickens!”

With a powerful wave of his hand, he points to… nothing really but he’s probably imagining there’s a chicken there to apologize to. God damn it, that VREEP VREEP fire alarm sound is driving him up the wall. He scans the area for something useful, finds a can of beans and lobs it up at the alarm, smashing it with a righteous fury. That little crack and thud it makes is somehow satisfying.

“Jesus christ! How’re we gonna clean this shit up? There’s a limit to how goddamn clumsy you can be!”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     What is this feeling...? This particular sense of icy dread, as if he is a squirrel paralyzed before a mighty husky. The grip on his shoulder causes Nobu's pupils to dilate and then quickly disappear. Is he going to die?

     His stomach clenches dangerously, threatening to up-heave every meal he's eaten since he was 7 out of nervousness.

     But he keeps cool. He's cool. He's cool he's cool he's cool he's he's he'she'she'she'she'sSSSSSSSSS----------------!!!

     "Ch-ch--- The chi---chickens ---" What is he talking about!? The combined cacophony of his heated growls and the relentless blaring of the fire alarm discombobulates the magician into another dimension. He knows whatever he's saying - shouting - should make sense, but it doesn't, are they even words? He's so scared.

     And then, like a hypnotist snapping its fingers and awakening its victim, the crash of glass signaling the now-broken alarm pulls Nobu back to reality. His hands fly to his stomach, boiling with queasiness, and his eyes quickly dart around the room.

     "I-I'm sorry," he gasps pitifully. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll c-c-clean it, I'm cleaning -- R-Right, clean.. I'm cleaning it-- S-S-Sir, okay--- Don-----t worry-- Don't --" Breathe.

     "I'llcleanitbymyselfsodon'tworry!" He manages before spying a back door, possibly holding supplies. Alright, he can get away from this guy -and- look productive, he's off --!

     -- And within three steps, the trembling magician called Nobu Satoru slips on the water and falls on his face.

     ...Just murder him, Nobu pleads silently, just get it over with.

[shslmagic-blog1]

You're so cute

     —!

     [FLOWERS, BURSTING]

[nagisahonami-blog]

[Motive 1] Retreat

An apocalypse? Air purifiers? Murdering each other? The more his bear went on the less sense any of this made. Everyone was in some kind of city, weren’t they? Unless this was some kind of facility that just mimics the appearance of a city…? Auugh, this didn’t make any sense. Surely the bear had to be bluffing. Taking a deep breath, Nagisa took a moment to regain their composure. This was fine, everything would be totally fine.

Besides their initial shock, Nagisa seemed quite calm compared to most. By all appearances they seemed to be handling this quite nicely for the most part. You’d have to be really paying attention to them to notice how unnerved they really were. A shaky breath or a slight tremble of a hand, although small, it was obvious the bear’s words seemed to be somewhat affecting them. Not that they would ever admit that of course.

“…”

Nagisa shifted around rather uncomfortably, trying their best to avoid eye contact. The room and everyone in it was so tense, and who could blame them? After being told that the only way out of here would be to murder each other who wouldn’t cast suspicious glances at one another?

They couldn’t be here right now, they needed a place to collected their thoughts in peace. Without another word they turned on their heels and left. Striding out the hotel and heading over to the park instead. At least it was quiet there and relatively empty at the moment. Sitting down at one of the benches, Nagisa sighed heavily. 

This was one hell of a long day.

After taking a couple of minutes to relax, the sound of approaching footsteps seemed to catch his attention. Although a bit too late it seemed, when Nagisa finally looked up they were greeted by the face of one of their classmates. Man, they were really out of it today, weren’t they?

“Oh… My deepest apologies, I didn’t see you there.”

Well, so much for being alone.

[shslmagic-blog1]

     All things considered, Nobu still had yet to locate his trusty pet rabbit. Of course, the whole situation that was just thrust upon them was a pretty mind-blowing dilemma.

     So of course, he’d like nothing more than to think about something else. Like his rabbit, who may have hopped its merry way to the nearest park to munch on some grass, or discarded tootsie roll wrappers. A feast fit for any long-eared king or queen.

     So enters the ever-nervous magician, shuffling into the natural scenery with his Vegas stage-worthy costume contrasting mightily. He’d claim to be looking hard, but his eyes are glazed over, his attention lost.

     He hardly even realizes how close he’s gotten to someone else until the soft “Oh” leaves their lips and pops his personal bubble.

     “--OH!” He echoes, much louder and with an accompanied stumble. And -- oh, another yelp escapes his mouth as his backwards steps collide into an uprooted branch, causing the magician to tumble over and his hat to roll seveal meters away. 

     “S-- Sorryyyyy!” 

[shslant-blog]

Enmity ◑ Open

[shslant-blog]

So he was choosing not to sit—an act of blatant distrust, but only an idiot couldn’t see why. Gyo and this classmate hadn’t so much as exchanged names. Not pushing the issue was an easy choice.

“Well,” he started, “instead of avoiding one another for fear of being killed, we should be talking about how to escape. We have a common enemy, after all. Nothing brings people closer together than that.”

Gyo leaned back and peered up at his classmate. This one looked a little soft—maybe steering to lighter subject matter would help him feel a little more at ease. Not everyone could be expected to converse enthusiastically about grand strategy.

“I like your hat!” His words were as cheerful as they were sudden. Only after bringing up this boy’s costume did Gyo reflect on just how much of a costume it actually was. “What do you do?”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     “...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.”

[shsl-rugby-player-blog]

[Motive 1] Screeching Halt {Open}

Tatsuya wasn’t happy to be summoned back to the hotel. He felt like he had maybe a million better things to do than listen to that dumb rabbit thing talk again. If it weren’t for the fact there was literally nowhere else to go, he would’ve ignored the call - and speaking of call, hadn’t people already mentioned there was no service? Maybe there’s more to this rabbit than there seems.

His suspicions were half proven right. There was more to the situation at least, but it didn’t entirely have to do with the rabbit. The appearance of the bear made all the difference. Tatsuya was really getting sick of all the mascots, but this one didn’t feel warm or fuzzy at all.. whether it was the grin or the mis-matched eyes, something made him feel uneasy. Looking around the room at some of the other students, he felt he wasn’t alone in feeling that way. What was going on here…? He staved from speaking up while the bear had its little speech.. but the more it said, the more he wished it never spoke up at all.

“Wait.. what…?” he didn’t feel like he quite caught that. Killing? Mutually? Mutual killing? This wasn’t making sense, not in the least. They went from being told to make friends to being told they’d have to kill each other. He wished he could take comfort in the fact he wasn’t sure he ended up making friends or not but.. this wasn’t the time for thinking like that.

“This is fuckin’ bullshit!! We’re not fuckin’ murderers!!! If you wanna get your god damn kicks with a shitty murder festival, then just do it yourself!!!” Not the best suggestion he’s ever handed out, but he really couldn’t care less right now. As soon as Monobears little speech can to an end, Tatsuya was quickly turning heel and heading deeper into the hotel, hopefully heading for his room.

He wouldn’t make it there, however. It would seem someone had followed him from the lobby. Or at the very least happened to leave with him. He looked back at them with a glare, more so because he face was just stuck in a very pissed off expression. He wasn’t in a good mood at all. He had no patience for a conversation, and he was tense as all hell, his hands curling into fists because otherwise they’d be shaking.

“Can you believe this??” he asked his new conversation partner. “This…. I don’t get this! Whatever happened to just going to school and having a shitty normal school life and all that??” He ran a hand through his hair, grumbling loudly through clenched teeth. There was a lot on his mind now after listening to all that, from the vague mentions of an apocalypse, to the talk of murder to escape, to the threat of killing every last one of them by shutting off the air purification, as well as a few quick and passing mentions at a few things that made him more than a little uncomfortable… all he wanted to do was shut himself up and blow off steam, but it looks like that’ll have to wait.

[shslgrooming]

It seems that Kohaku wasn’t the only person who refused to believe this entire situation. Though she’d never have such a loud outburst… It just wasn’t part of her character to be so outspoken. But it seemed like he had the right idea. Maybe locking herself up in her room wouldn’t be such a bad idea. 

Meekly, she followed him as he headed deep into the hotel. Maybe she’d even be lucky enough to avoid having any conversations while her mind was spinning. With words like ‘murder’ and ‘mutual killing’ swirling around in her head, like a fresh tornado waiting to swoop up the next cow on it’s way to Kansas, she didn’t really notice just how closely she was following him.

Not until she caught glimpse of his glare. Fuck… This wasn’t going to be good. He couldn’t possibly want to murder her right now? Was she really going to be the first victim? No! Not yet! She still had friends to make! AND MINA!!! MINA-SAN WAS GOING TO TEACH HER BEAUTY TRICKS IF IT WAS THE LAST THING SHE DID BEFORE FLOATING OFF INTO THE GREAT BEYOND.

Without giving Tatsuya a second chance or even listening to him speak…

“aaaaaaAAAAAAAAああああああああああああ?!” 

She screamed.

[shslmagic-blog1]

     This was it. No doubt he was prime victim-material, what with his shaky disposition and unnaturally bright-blue hair and... his general Nobu-ness. He didn’t want to think that way, but he couldn’t help but let his anxiety get the best of him, as always.

     He longed for solitude. It looked like most of his peers were heading in their own directions, probably to go off and cope... or plan his murder--! No, Nobu. Stop that. He sighs, resigning to just head back to his room. The magician’s head hangs low with bright orange eyes glued to the ground, a lifeless marionette whose puppet-master had grown too feeble, too tired.

     That is, until suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierces the air and stains the atmosphere red with panic. Like a spooked animal Nobu jumps at least three feet with shock, his heart bludgening violently against his well-dressed chest.

     He should run. Yes. Run. And he does... but his feet don’t move in the direction he intends. Instead of high-tailing it out of there like his shriveling heart told him to, he dashes deeper into the hotel towards the source of trouble. It didn’t take but a few turns to reach the scene of the crime. That crying girl with the pigtails stood, once again, in distress and staring at a taller, unhappy-looking man.

     Nobu can only stare for so long with his knuckles blanched and gripping the door frame. Eyes dart from pigtails, to redhead, to pigtails, to redhead again.

     “Wh--- What’s -- What’s going on h-h-h-here!?” The ever valiant Nobu Satoru. He’s here to take a stand.

[shslcinderellaboy]

Hurdle 1 ❄ Killer Croquette <Open>

Perhaps it was wrong, but he briefly wondered if he was the only one silently cheering when Monomi got launched into the sky by a punch.

No…

Wait, wait, wait… everything needs to slow down a second… he was already pretty irked by the one stuffed animal with a stupid way of speaking, why did he have to deal with two? With a groan, he runs a stressed hand through his hair. Okay, so if he was processing this shit storm right… there are purifiers in the city and Murderbear’s going to shut them off one by one until… one of them kills each other?

He eyes the group around him with wary eyes and furrowed eyebrows. Most of these guys he’s confident he can take. If not take, then at least give a good run for their money. The fencer’s probably got skills. Big guy can crush his head if he gets close enough. The rugby guy… well, they’d almost already had a bit of a confrontation. If relations were tense then, they were only going to get worse from here on out.

The question was, who was going to act on it? He didn’t want to be a pessimist but he’d seen enough horrible people in the streets do godforsaken things in the name of selfishness. Some in the name of some sort of made-up chivalrous excuse. People were, for the most part, pretty terrible. He’d come to terms with that and it meant he had to be prepared. The apocalypse comment had almost slipped past him but the more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. What did that mean? With all their security, the Shirousagis should be fine. He can hold down the fort here if they’re okay but… the what if hits him and it hits him hard.

There’s an urge to punch out either one of the plush toys or whatever they hell they are but he pockets his clenched hand instead.

“… Great, so there’s two evil fucking toys for the price of one. Just the bargain I didn’t ask for.”

He drives his heel into a sofa behind him and heaves a huge sigh. Damn it! That’s all he was thinking of. Just… damning Monobear. And Monobunny. No wait, Monomi. Damn both of them and this whole situation. Why hadn’t he seen an air purifier when he walked around before? … Well, he had no idea what they looked like anyway but he was frustrated.

No good. He had to calm himself down.

The doors are practically thudded through as Kaneto gets some much-needed fresh air. The Stop N Shop is close enough so that seems like a perfect place to hit. And hit it he does, opting to look through the supplies and sneak a couple of snacks into his pockets every now and again. The chimes clinkle as someone else enters and, rather than alarmed, he seems almost… calm.

“Yo, yo. Hey, as long as you don’t some stupid shit like try and attack me, I’d say we’re good.”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     Someone’s peanut butter cups. Ross’. Ruth’s. Randy’s. Something. He couldn’t remember. And yet, that’s all Nobu could think about. All he could bear to think about after the information having been thrust upon him and the others.

     The convenience store was the most natural of places to solve this mystery, of course. Wouldn’t they have the latest on-brand sweets the world could offer? If they were in some place weird, then that’s the least that could be done for their peace of minds. Right?

     Just keep thinking that. If he distracted himself enough, couldn’t he become lost to safe delusions...?

     Ding-ding. 

     The door chimes softly, though to Nobu it felt like someone scraping the back of his skull with toenails. Such a contrast to the stifling quiet of the streets.

     Speaking of noises, a voice calling from the rows of junk food and toiletries turns his heart to ice. Perhaps he was way moreon edge than he wanted to believe.

     “Oh--” Taken a bit back, every second Nobu reaches for words dizzies him further, until finally.

“N-No, I just, I wasn’t following you, actually... I-I’ll leave you alone!” This guy looked confident. Confidence kills! Kills him! Taking a step back with his eyes fluttering around the interior Nobu’s palms reach behind him for the door.

     Instead, however, they happen to clumsily reach for the fire alarm -- triggering a loud alarm and several sprinklers to go off with the flick of his clumsy wrist.

     Abra-cadabra!

[shslant-blog]

Enmity ◑ Open

Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity.

This district was an environment of strategy now, and of its four corners Gyo’s greatest obstacle was uncertainty. He didn’t know what laid beyond the confines of their new home, he didn’t know who to trust, and above all else he didn’t know what to do.

He took a step back toward the exit. This was nothing he couldn’t conquer, given enough time—or so he told himself. At his sides, his hands were balled into little fists, and with no further hesitation the young myrmecologist turned on his heel and strode out of the hotel.

In minutes he was underground. The subway station was blissfully quiet, and the clear, crisp echoes of shoes on tile helped to clear the fog from his mind. As he inched closer the tracks, Gyo wore a little smile.

He was not strong or fast. His throwing arm was pitiful, and he could scarcely work a slingshot without smacking himself in the face. Without a shadow of a doubt he was an easy target, but he could spin strategy like no one else, and faced with endless possibilities this place was starting to look less like a home and more like a playground.

His heart was dancing in his chest as he sat down at the edge of the platform. Monobear the Great and Mighty had given him plenty to chew on, and for that he couldn’t help but feel a bit appreciative. But before he had a chance to settle in, there were footsteps at his back. Gyo nearly jumped out of his skin.

“What?” he snapped, twisting to face the intruder. His features were quick to soften.

“Uh… oops! I guess I’m a little on edge,” he admitted, shrugging. Gyo kicked his legs over the edge of the platform and let them dangle above the tracks, then patted the space next to him. “Want to join me? There’s a lot to talk about, I think.”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     Not really.

     ...Is what Nobu thinks initially, but the polite disposition hammered into him makes a different gesture. “U-Um... okay...”

     He really hadn’t even meant to come here. After Monobear (the Great and Almighty Monobear, at that!) had announced plans for their mutual murder, Nobu's mind immediately dunked itself into another dimension. It was fuzzy, numb, his stomach tickled with an undercurrent of dangerous anxiety, before long he had foud himself wandering around as if searching for a direction. An answer.

     What he found was a bespectacled classmate. Angry, understandably, enough to make the magician initially jump.But he soon turned amiable -- as amiable as one could be when they've just been requested to commit murder, Nobu supposed. He didn't consider himself in any sort of mood to mingle, but he wasn't rude enough to entertain that train of thought long enough to dictate his actions.

     Miscommunication kills, as the say. Perhaps communication was the key, then...? He takes a breath in before awkwardly walking to the edge of the platform. He does not sit, instead fearfully eyeing the tracks, but addresses the other as casually as he can.

     "What... should we talk about?"

     ...Please don’t say killing.

[shslmagic-blog1]

{task 1} Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

[cinnamonchai]

“…m-magic. Um…okay?”

That didn’t actually make sense to him at all, but Tsukasa didn’t know what else to say in regards to that and doubted he was going to get a further answer. Did Tsukasa believe in magic? No, not really, he’d mostly viewed it as fictional, or tricky illusions made by very good magicians. 

Speaking of which, the boy next to him definitely had the garb of your usual magician. A magician in a top hat with a rabbit…exactly what you’d expect. 

“A-anyway, your rabbit…couldn’t have gotten f-far if it’s here, right? Did you ch-check the room you woke up in?”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     Completely unphased by the other boy’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction, Nobu takes another gander around the room, gripping his elbow with nervously-winding fingers. His gaudy decorum was really quite unfitting for his aversion for attention. And quite the contrast to the pale-toned dress the other boy was in, despite the similar furrow in their nervous brows.

    “Oh...!” And for a moment, he stares wide-eyed at the stranger, acknowledging the truth to his statement before darting his eyes away again.

     “A-Are we allowed back in there? I was so shocked, I didn’t... ahh...” 

     “...A-ah.. Ahhh.. y-you don’t think it’s locked, do you? What if we can’t get in, h-he’ll starve, I.. I.. Or worse... O-ohh..”

[shslmagic-blog1]

{task 1} Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

[cinnamonchai]

Tsukasa could only stare in confusion at the odd sight of a boy surrounded by scarves for a moment. Just how many were going to come out of that hat? Regardless, the boy seemed distressed about something. Maybe something wrong with his hat. However, Tsukasa found himself even more confused when the boy addressed him in a frantic voice. What does he do, he’s being addressed by a boy in a tophat about…a rabbit? Ok, that’s new.

“Um…n-no, I haven’t seen any r-real rabbits around here, sorry…do you just k-keep a rabbit in that hat all the time? How does th-that even work?”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     Nobu blinks. The change of topic confused him. Albeit it’s only natural he should ask such a thing. 

     At least it got his mind off the rabbit for a second, pulling him out of his self-spiral of panic. He readjusts his hat back on his head.

     “It’s magic.”

     He stares as if this was totally obvious. Doesn’t everyone have a rabbit in their hat?... No, this boy didn’t wear a hat at all. Of course he wouldn’t know what it’s like.

[shslmagic-blog1]

{task 1} Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

     “A-Ah, where.. Where!?” It hadn’t been ten minutes since the stuffed animal’s announcement before one could find the white-and-blue magician boy frantically searching. Palms skated over his clothes, eyes darting across the floor, at one point he even removes his hat and peeks inside. Daring fingers reach into the white tophat and pull out a scarf -- then another. Then another. Then another. Then another. A long string of rainbow scarves now coiled around him like a multicolored anaconda, quite the bright and happy juxtaposition to his sickly-stricken expression.

     He stops at the last scarf -- just how many littered the floor, now? It didn’t matter. Nobu notices someone nearby, no doubt wishing local magicians would stop littering, and turns to face them boldly. It’s obviously a bit painful to speak, but he squeaks out the words in a fluster.

     “E-E--- Excuse--- Excuse me! I’m sorry... Have you seen a rabbit? Bl-Black fur, long ears -- uh. Um... N-Not that one, a real rabbit!”

[shslkyudoka]

01 ↣ First Arrow | Open

[shslkyudoka]

“….!”

When Misaki turned around, she was not expecting a flurry of colorful, artificial flowers to burst towards her. Despite being someone not easily taken by surprise, Misaki at that moment, had been in fact, taken by surprise. The kyudoka stared back at the student who had approached her silently, still recovering from the sudden display of color and whimsy. As the remaining flowers fell to the sidewalk, Misaki took a moment to look at their source.

A boy in a white top hat who had the disposition of a small animal. She watched as he began to frantically gather the flowers now scattered at their feet. Was he supposed to be some type of magician? Misaki stood for a moment in silence, before bending down onto her knees, sitting on her heels, pulling her kimono sleeves back and gathering some of the flowers herself. She pitied the attempt he made to converse with her, only to make a fool of himself. She extended her hand towards him, which was now full of yellow roses on plastic stems.

“I’m afraid that I do not have what you are looking for.” She said as she placed the flowers in front of him. “I am just as perplexed as the rest of the people inside, so if you are seeking some kind of explanation, I suggest seeking that out yourself.”

Misaki stood up again, brushing the dirt and cement remnants off her hakama pants. She smoothed the silk of her kimono against her arm and turned away from the magician in front of her to look out past the streetlights that paved their way down the sidewalk towards the opposite block.

“Ah, my apologies. My name is Misaki Watanabe.” She bowed politely. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. Would you mind giving me your name?”

[shslmagic-blog1]

     Looking for?.. Looking for. What was he looking for, again? Oh, the stem to this flower was missing -- no, that’s not what she was talking about, was it. 

     He was looking for a bed. Any bed would do, just as long as he could fall asleep in it and wake up from this strange situation, back to some place familiar.

     But it would have been just silly to request something like that from this woman who, despite her calm demeanor, was no doubt just as stressed. Or at least, he’d like to think he wasn’t the only one around here heavy with uncertainty. Although she says she’s perplexed, Nobu can’t help but feel embarrassed at how much he was showing it compared to her.

     “Ah... Th-Thank you.” As for the flowers, they’re all home now. When Misaki turns her back Nobu quickly puts them back. Back where?

     ...Magician’s secret!!

     The blue-haired boy rises to his feet, dusting his knees. Not a minute here and he’s already dirtied his uniform. The woes of a man in all-white.

      “Oh --” Bowing was unexpected. It’s not that he hadn’t been bowed to before -- no, it definitely wasn’t that. But somehow, the grace with which she does it catches him off guard. Such a stark contrast to the hurricane of anxiety always within him.

     “Th-thank you... Misaki. Misaki-san-- Watanabe-san.” Please. “My name is Nobu Satoru, and thanks again... A-And sorry... again...”

He bows in return, overshooting it and nearly allowing his hat to fall off. However gloved hands are quick to catch it, just as he is quick to place it back on his head and straighten up, cheeks flushed.

     “Um.. are you okay?” He felt the need to ask, in general.

[shslkyudoka]

01 ↣ First Arrow | Open

She woke gradually, then all at once. Misaki shot up from where she found herself, a cold sweat kissing the back of her neck in a panic. The violent surge of a headache beat against her temples as she attempted to find her ground. What happened? The last thing she could remember was the hue of the morning sky, but everything after that, was black. Misaki groaned quietly to herself as she brought a hand to rest against her forward, applying some pressure to her forehead in a feeble attempt to quell the aching. Her eyes were diligent to catch any type of anomalies in the surroundings around her, in some attempt to determine where she was. Any sense of familiarity would benefit her, but the was little of it to find.

Forcing herself onto her feet, and using the adjacent wall to keep herself stable, Misaki took one moment to examine herself as best she could. Nothing felt painful, nothing felt strained, except perhaps for the headache that consumed her, but besides that, nothing else seemed out of place - even her kimono was still finely pressed to a sharp seam. 

Out of instinct, Misaki reached into her pocket for her mobile, thankful at the sight of its remaining power, but irritated at its lack of signal. The cryptic and unlisted message on the display, likewise, cautiously intrigued her. Her heeled boots gently click-click-clicked down each step of the stairwell, until she found herself in the open lobby of some sort of hotel, being greeted by some stuffed animal. She felt a nerve in her cheek twitch in irritation.

Hope’s Peak Academy was known for its eccentricities, but wasn’t this going a little far for new class initiates? A stuffed animal, as a teacher?

“Ridiculous.”

The tension in her shoulders never left, but instead, dispersed. Smoothing the fabric of her sleeve, Misaki felt the presence of strangers fill the empty space of the lobby. A company of over a dozen unfamiliar faces, only united by their shared expressions of confusion, worry, and irritation. The air was beginning to sour, so the kyudoka silently slipped between the empty spaces of the crowd and headed towards the entrance of the building, stopping at the edge of the sidewalk before it. Eyes adjusted to the vacancy of the city streets before her; A chill unlike one she’s felt before began to rumble in the soles of her feet.

“I take that you, too, are in search of some sort of reason for exactly what has happened to us?”

Misaki did not turn to face the student that had come out of the hotel as she spoke to them, but simply glanced behind her to catch their gaze for a moment. Instincts aside, it seemed that whoever these strangers were, they were just as perplexed at their circumstances as she was.

[shslmagic-blog1]

     An enclosed space packed with strangers was no good for the magician’s feeble heart. He had never been good with crowds, whether it was 5 people or 500, something about the presence of multiple bodies was just anxiety-provoking.

     The situation itself he had stumbled into was, of course, uncomfortable enough without the added stress of claustrophobia. Thus, it was only natural for him to exit the room as quick as possible.

     It seemed he wasn’t the only one who’d had the same plan. However, this unfortunate boy named Nobu was much too absorbed in trying not to panic to even notice. Not until she would acknowledge him first, calling out in a calm unfitting for the situation.

     Her words were like a slim, smooth needle popping the swollen balloon of panic that welled inside him. Ever the jumpy one, and this was no exception, Nobu jerks back with an unholy mixture of a sharp inhale and a puppy-dog yelp.

     “AHH--”

     His sudden movements trigger an eternally-hidden trick, causing bouquets-worth of fake roses to burst from his clothes. Red, yellow, orange, blue and purple flowers flew through the air only to quickly lose momentum and rain around the magician.

     At the very least, it added some color to this bleak atmosphere -- the very thing Nobu’s face was now devoid of as he gathered himself. A cough.

     “I mean -- Sorry! I - Y... Yes ...” He qinces at his own voice, how forced a squeak it sounds as it initially leaves his throat. He’s just going to pick those up now...

[shslmagic-blog1]

Intro~

Hello. My name is Pog. She/her pronouns. I’m a college student in Colorado and i own 3 dogs and 2 cats. I love drawing. I was Etsuko Reiki (not shsl nun) in RR and Antoinette Adheir (shsl nun) in RRR. Now here to break my streak of Roulette Rampaging Nuns is Nobu Satoru, sweaty magician.

Nobu is a famous magician who is well-known for his stage charisma and fantastical tricks that tip the border of illusion and magic. However, off-stage he is an anxious piece of bean curd with a severe lack in social skills. Warning for stray pigeons and rabbits randomly popping from his person.

Bork bork