After observing Kurumu in your peripheral vision for a few moments, you turn to her in concern. "You look like you've got something on your mind, Kurumu. Something bothering you?"
Kurumu starts, before pulling out her notepad.
It's not that it bothers me, really, but I just thought of something a second ago. All these people here in the audience, and on the bus, and that we passed by on the streets.... I was just wondering how many of them might be monsters in disguise, like me?
...holy crap, not once during the entire summer break has that
ever occurred to you. And, really, just from looking at
Kurumu right now you wouldn't guess that she's actually a Succubus unless you already knew beforehand. Under the same logic, how many of the people in this audience might be some kind of monster? What about the other kids you went to elementary and middle school with, before you found your way to Youkai Academy?
Heck, what if
Kyouko is secretly a monst-
....actually, no, that's
stupid, but the original idea still stands.
Kurumu gets your attention with a tap on the shoulder. She's got a look on her face as if she just realized she kicked a puppy, or something.
I'm sorry if I freaked you out, Tsukune. I should've kept it to myself.
'Freaked you out?' While it's true that the idea was pretty deeply unsettling when she first brought it up, now that you've actually had a second to think it over...
"Actually, now that you mention it, I don't think I'd mind it at all if I were the only human here right now."
Kurumu looks nothing short of
baffled by your statement, and you realize that you need to explain it. "I mean, the entire point behind Youkai Academy is to teach monsters how to live peacefully in the human world, right? Despite all the chaos we see at school, when you mention the possibility that there could be monsters among us now..."
In an effort to demonstrate your point, you casually gesture to the crowd around you. "I look around me and all I see are
people; people that came here to have some good-natured fun. If there might happen to be a Frankenstein or a Kappa or something -- or even a lot of different somethings -- in attendance, then to me it would serve as proof that humans and monsters
can coexist in harmony."
You can't help the smile that wells up from inside you. "It proves that the ideals behind Youkai Academy are more than just some crazy pipe dream that'll never become a reality, doesn't it?"
Kurumu remains pensive for a moment, visibly considering what you've said. She starts to scrawl out a response on your notepad, when you suddenly feel an insistent tapping on your shoulder. You turn to look at the person seated behind you, and nearly jump out of your seat in alarm at
the sight of the man seated there.
"It was a nice little speech," he says with a grin, "but next time you might try a little harder to keep the
secret, kid."
....well, this is embarrassing. Not just because you unwittingly spilled your thoughts to a total stranger without knowing it, but also because he's right -- it's lucky that he apparently
also already knows about monsters, or is one himself. "I'm sorry about that, sir. It won't happen again."
The man waves you off casually, before leaning back in his seat.
Kyouko
just comes back in from the front lobby while you're still looking that way, and you wave her over. Your cousin rushes on over, and manages to seat herself next to you just as the lights begin to dim and the show finally begins.
The hour that follows is nothing short of
fantastic, as a trio of foreigners put on one awe-inspiring display of illusion after another; animals have been conjured from enclosed spaces, audience members have been mind-read and had fortunes told with Tarot, and stunningly,
one of their members even managed to escape his way from a coffin that was chained up
and on fire,
after he'd been tightly restrained in a straightjacket and put in handcuffs.
As he departs into a cloud of mist and fog,
a beautiful woman, whom by her having MC'd the event thus far appears to be the leader of the troupe, emerges. With an excited smile, she says, "And now for the final trick of the evening, I need assistance from a member of our fine audience tonight."
There's a chorus of cheers and whoops from men older than you clamoring to volunteer, doubtless seeking only a chance to get closer to her. For your part, you're perfectly content to remain right where you are and spectate.
Casting her gaze across the room, she eventually smirks and raises one hand. "I think I'd like..... you there! The cutie in the fifth row, third seat from the left! Will you please come on down!"
Fifth row, third seat from the left..... oh. That's where
you're sitting, and the woman's pointing directly at
you. You look around to make sure there's no misunderstanding, before she very eagerly affirms that, yes, you're the audience member she has in mind.
Seems you have no choice. Kyouko supportively claps you on the back, and Kurumu ups and
hugs you as you're getting up - and, well, that's Kurumu for you.
You climb up onto the stage, and see some assistants bringing out a couple of boxes. One of them is tall and narrow, with several slits on both sides of it. The other is more of a storage crate, and visibly holds a collection of swords in it. From the way they gleam in the lighting, you can tell that they are very
definitely metal, and they look very,
very sharp. The woman grins at you. "Before we begin, let me ask you a question:"
Forcing eye contact with you, she asks, "Do you believe in
magic?"
......do Witches count, as far as what she's asking?
[]Yes.
[]No.
[]You're open-minded.... but you would like very much not to get stabbed, please.
