If Witches count, then yes. Yes, you do believe in 'magic'. On the one hand, even if you're just in your first year of high school, you don't necessarily want to admit that in front of a crowded theater. Much less a crowded theater with
your cousin in it.
"Well, I guess I'm open-minded about it," you eventually say in not-totally-feigned embarrassment. "Although honestly," you stage-mutter while eyeing those
very sharp swords in the crate, "I would like very much not to get stabbed, please."
The woman laughs in amusement, before she outright
beams at you. "You're an honest one, aren't you? I like that!"
The audience get some claps and cheers out of your totally-sincere comment as well; 'all part of the show', you guess.
You pointedly glance at the absurdly sharp-looking swords, and then at the box with the slits in it. "....you really,
really want me to step in there, don't you?"
The magician's response is to
pout at you and clasp her hands together. "Please?
Pretty please?"
......if you could say 'no' to a face like that, you feel like at least half of your girl problems wouldn't be problems. With a sigh of defeat, you step into the box - which looks increasingly like a repurposed casket, on further inspection - and let them close the door on you.
You are now isolated, and your only clue as to what's going on outside the casket - oh, crap, now that you're stuck inside you're
actively thinking of it that way - is by what you can hear.
And just when you think this can't get any worse, you hear a sound you didn't even know you were dreading: a series of
clicks, as the door is locked shut. If you ever you had a chance of escape from this situation, you've sure lost it now! Your only hope is that the magician running this trick is the benign showman she presents herself as, and not secretly some kind of closet psychopath.
"Now," you hear her say to audience, "I'm going to take these swords here and stab them into our lovely friend in the box!"
Unable to do much else in the cramped cask-
BOX, you sigh. That's pretty much
exactly where you figured this was going.
As if punctuating her statement and your inner thoughts at the same time, you hear the distinct noise of wood being cut. "This meter-thick log was cut in half with but a single swing, and I can assure you that the other
twelve swords are just as sharp!"
Wait, she's going to stab you with THIRTEEN swords?! In the Western culture she appears to hail from, that's as ill of an omen as the number 4 is in Japan, right?! What kind of twisted joke is this?!
While you're busy freaking out, you can hear a chorus of impressed "oooh"s and "ahhh"s from the audience.
With no further warning, a sword abruptly starts coming through one of the slits in the box, and you don't completely have enough room to get out of the way! The sharp silver grazes your arm and...!
.....passes through completely harmlessly? Sure enough, that sword is sticking out of your arm, and your jacket sleeve isn't even scratched a little. Not only that, but you're still able to move your arm, and it passes right through the blade without issue, pain, or injury. In fact, you don't even feel
any kind of sensation to indicate that something unusual is taking place.
Bizarre, is the only word you can readily think of to describe it.
A split-second later, you feel
someone's hand in your jacket pocket, and yelp in alarm. A moment later, the hand disappears, and patting your jacket you can tell that
something's in your pocket that wasn't there before.
"I know it may sound like he's having a rough time of it," you hear the magician say from outside, "but rest assured that before the night's over, he'll be back with us all, right as rain!"
Another sword slides into another slit, and you hear
the magician's voice whispering in your ear: "That one was pretty good. Care to give me a few more, for the sake of the show?
Pretty please?"
....even if it turned out not to be today, you're sure that sooner or later this kind of behavior is going to get you killed. At the same time, though, you're starting to understand what's going on. As you think back to Witch Hill - specifically the moment when you jumped on Ruby to stop her from hurting herself and, in doing so, cut yourself on Mr. Joestar's Hermit Purple, most of your fear leaves you.
"You're doing this with a Stand, right?"
Playing along with the show, you let out another sound of shock and fear with the next sword, even as you can feel a rush of air next to your head. From what you remember about Mr. Joestar's explanations on the subject, you're getting the impression that the Stand is humanoid in nature; probably, it gasped in shock on behalf of the user, who must retain a façade of perfect control for the audience.
"Mm, you're even cuter now than I initially thought, aren't you?"
....you never expected you'd be wishing to be surrounded by Moka and Kurumu,
and even Yukari, but here you are. Because you'd really like to have someone to put between you and this lady.
You hear a
laugh in response to your tensing up, though it seems more teasing than mean-spirited. "Just relax, and enjoy the show~"
The process continues, as you're metaphorically stabbed by an older woman who is much,
much too playful for you to be fully comfortable in this situation, until the last sword passes right through your head.
"And now that I've gone and skewered our cute friend to bits and pieces..."
You can hear a lot of swishing and swooshing noises, as if a giant tarp or curtain was just thrown over the box you're in.
"With a wave of my hand and the magic word, I will present him to you all,
miraculously unharmed!"
You don't so much hear as
feel the quiet hush of anticipation that falls over the audience, and you have to admit -- even though you're in here,
in on the illusion, you have to admit that you're a little excited yourself.
"ABRACADABRA!"
The box, the swords, the tarp --
all of it is pulled around you and through you to one side, with you feeling no sensation of it at all. You're bewildered despite yourself, even as you see the audience as one get to their feet with applause you can only call
thunderous.
A quick trip to the bathroom, and you take a look at what she slipped in your pocket. It's.... a damn postcard. On one side is a picture of the woman at a tropical beach somewhere, in a well-fitting swimsuit. She's giving the camera - and you, by proxy - a flirtatious wink and blowing a kiss.
On the reverse side, is a
lipstick imprint of a kiss, with her name - Natalie Lee - and a phone number, with an ominous message:
Make sure and call me when you're a few years older, mmkay? <3
What are you, some kind of
catnip for women with superpowers?!
....no one can know of this. Ever. You're taking this secret to the grave, and then when you're dead? You're not going to tell any of the other
dead people about it, either.
Still, the girls are waiting on you before you can all leave, so you may as well get going.
Making your way back into the lobby, you see Ms. Kurono waiting in a car outside to pick up Kurumu. Kyouko's out there talking with her about something, and Kurumu was waiting for you by the door.
Um, Tsukune? I... had something I wanted to talk to you about. Do you have a minute?
"Sure thing, Kurumu. You know I'm always willing to listen to my friends."
Kurumu fidgets, and has trouble meeting your eyes.
Actually, that's... kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.
Visibly needing a moment to gather herself, Kurumu turns the page in her notebook. Apparently she's already figured out what she wants to tell you, and just needed to find the courage to say it.
I want... for us to be more than friends. I know it's a big thing to ask so suddenly, but... could we give it a try, just to see if it works out?
Well, if she puts it that way, then it sounds... actually kind of manageable? And, really, it's not that you've ever had anything
against the idea of you and Kurumu being.... more than friends, but at the same time...
"I get what you're saying, Kurumu, but... I don't want to hurt Moka, either."
And I'm not trying to hurt Moka, either! I want to stay friends with her too!
Considering the circumstances of your first meeting, it feels a little strange to see Kurumu 'say' that with such an honest expression. ...strange in a good way, of course! Is this what people mean when they talk about irony?
With that pleading expression of hers, you feel pretty confident that Kurumu's not going to let you leave until you give her an answer...
Good grief, you can't help but think. You hope Jotaro-senpai's having better luck with his love life than you are with yours...
_________________
You're Jotaro Kujo, and you need to come to a decision. Fortunately, Holly's condition is improving, and Tsurara believes she ought to be fully recovered by tomorrow.
Counting today, you think as you rise from your futon,
there are three days left before school starts again.
You need to come to a decision.
[]You came here to relax, and you intend to keep doing so.
[]That wendigo is a threat, and you can't rest at ease until he's dealt with. Get with Hiyasu and figure out a game plan.