So without further ado…

*

(One night after Kurz was sent over to meet his maker…we start off where Chromus’ tries to insert himself into…and always fails miserably…)

(…yep, the blunettes room. But for good reason, as whilst Kotone isn’t exactly the most angry of people, her relief is washes over after Kurz’ elimination last night.)

Kotone: O.K…what today?

(We see two clothing she has held up – her grey jumpsuit and a pretty blue shirt and red longings.)

Kotone: What do you think Hinata-chan?

(Hinata, in mid morning kata (and without that damn ugly jacket) turns briefly at Kotone…before Kotone realises that she isn’t exactly talking to the best fashion expert of the group…)

Hinata: Um…

Kotone: (sighs) Never mind. I need to get you to a clothes store before we leave here…

(Hinata laughs slightly before returning to mid morning kata. Downstairs, Fai is preparing breakfast with Shiine-chan not up, and seems to be in a conversation with himself…or Yuko possibly…but hey…)

Fai: …so Ban-pan survived…hey, had to make sure he realised what he was doing…can’t loose my favourite plaything.

(Fai seems to have turned into Shigure Sohma in living in this world, but we see Ban enter the room…)

Ban: Please don’t tell me that’s the real reason you said that stuff…

Fai: Now Ban, you know that’s not true.

(Ban steps in shock, as Fai calls him by his name without a suffix that Duplica would be proud of…)

Ban: The world IS ending isn’t it?

Fai: You miss Kurz?

Ban: (shrugs) Not really…we were gonna double cross each other in the end…just I don’t have to pretend to feel guilty now…

Fai: Ban-pan is evil…

Ban: Damn…starting to get used to that now…

*

(There a bit here where Negi, Shiine and Kotone bump into each other upstairs with mostly everyone downstairs, however Miyabi and Triela are just getting up and meet up with what appears to be a lack of sleep Aya…)

Triela: You have such a splendid figure Miyabi – makes me jealous…

(Before Miyabi explains the obvious reasons why the difference (and that she went into 5 different saunas before confirming her weight loss attempt WAS successful), Aya emerges from the room that has been her own since Day 2…and concern hits considering she is shivering…)

Triela: Aya?

(The Super-gal turns and sees the young cyborg and the manager of the Sakuraba estate, and gives a slight smile…but her face seems to have returned to a state she had hoped to discard back in her non-gal days…depressed…)

Aya: Hello there Triela-san, Miyabi-san…are you heading down?

Miyabi: Yes, but Aya-san, how shall I put this…

Triela: …what’s bugging you?

Miyabi: That works.

(Aya sighs…)

Aya: I thought Mizuki leaving me was bad enough, but seeing she gave me an opportunity to make my opinions clear…but now…I feel exactly how you do after you eliminated Mizuki, Miyabi-san.

Miyabi: Er…well…

Aya: (shakes her head) No, no…I don’t blame you!!! It’s just…I just get the feeling that Ban is definitely more the vengeful type, and I’m just worried…

Triela: Concern is noted and obvious…

Aya: I wish I was as happy-go-lucky as you are Triela-san…

Triela: I don’t think you should worry Aya. That’s 2 days worth of worry if you’re not careful. If that’s the case, you’ve already lost before you started.

Miyabi: Impressive, Triela-san.

Aya: I guess…how’d you get so good?

(Triela smiles…)

Triela: I’ve said that speech back to Henrietta a million times back home. Now come on…let’s enjoy a cup of tea with breakfast to start the day.

Miyabi: Besides, why are you concerned with Ban?

Aya: Well…

*

(Aya sighs as Ban is nominated the Team Leader for this episode. Miyabi seems to understand her concern (ironic considering what happens at the end of the episode) but after Tsuyoshi is given the once over…but fortunately, there is someone to help Aya out…)

Negi: Come on Aya-san!

Aya: (smiles) I can’t be gloomy when you’re around Negi-kun…

(Shot of Satoshi looking at his teammates…)

Satoshi: That’s good. If Aya wasn’t herself, then we could be in trouble.

Miyabi: You think that?

Satoshi: I’m glad you told me though – it’s by luck that Ban put her with Negi, he has a real feel good factor around a team…

Miyabi: Maybe you should follow that example…

Satoshi: (adjusting his glasses) Maybe I will…

(Satoshi exits as Miyabi goes over to a conversing Shiine-chan with Fai…)

Fai: …I’ve always thought cooking was like a kind of magic…Sakura-chan was the one who said it…and I guess it works in your case as well Shiine-chan.

Shiine: Mmmm! Dorothy-san could probably create a pizza out of mid-air…but it would always be soggy cold…there is something about creating food with magic itself which never works...and Dorothy-san isn’t exactly rich or a great cook…so I kinda learned…

Fai: Shows your skill with magic is equal to your skill in the kitchen?

Shiine-chan: Well, I am the top student in Uraura Academy…

(Debate time – which school has more magic? Ura or Mahora? Answers on a postcard to…)

Miyabi: You two ready?

Fai: Hai ma’am…come on Shiine-chan…

(As Miyabi should really heed her own advice…ironically again is what leads to her downfall…)

(…meanwhile, Kotone and Hinata are a team for the first time…much to Triela’s evil delight…)

Triela: Aw nuts…we’re last out…(evil smile)…oh wait, that’s a good thing…

Kotone: For some reason, the way you say that makes it seems so evil…

Triela: Damn she’s good. It proves a psychic…

Hinata: Um…I don’t think she needs to be psychic to read that face…

Triela: Damn again! Kotone, are you teaching her some tricks?

Kotone: (sweatdrops) Not quite…

Triela: Well, come on ladies…let’s make sure we round up some suspects so we can stay together a bit longer…

Kotone: (another sweatdrop) I can’t wait…

(Hinata wonders if she can byagugan sarcasm…^_^)

*

(The inquiries are always a good way to see how a team gets on and how they work as detectives. Sometimes however when they meet a particular suspect, skill, intelligence and everything else you need are thrown out the window…)

(…take for example, one Shiine-chan. He has fallen big time for Anna Respighi.)

(Shot of Shiine heading back to where Miyabi and Fai were interviewing Duplica…and he seems to be having one of his famous inner monologues…)

Shiine: …I’m not unfaithful to Chacha-san! Sure, I’ve blushed at Hinata and now at Anna-san, but it’s nothing! Besides, Anna-san is much older than me, it’s not like me to have a crush on an older girl…

(Shiine however pauses for a moment…)

Shiine: …but she was so…elegant! She was different from all the other girls I know – she was beautiful, poised, sweet…

(…another pause…)

Shiine: …but she could be a killer…I have to remember that, she could be a killer…

(…pause…)

Shiine: …but that mystery of her…she’s an enigma…a diamond…

(Shiine shakes his head a few times to get the cobwebs out of his head…)

Shiine: (screaming) CHACHA-SAN GOMEN!!!!

*

Miyabi: What was that?

(Fai thinks for a moment…)

Fai: Well, if I was a betting man then I would guess that it was Shiine-chan meeting that girl we just saw and falling in love with her, and then apologising to his one true love back home….

Miyabi: Oh.

Fai: At least act a little surprised…

*

(On the way back to HQ, Kotone explains about the relationship…or lack of…with the two archaeologists at the site…)

Kotone: …what is wrong with using charm when someone you are interviewing is being problematic?

Triela: You changed from the first days here Kotone…

Kotone: Negi’s face of depression was what did it…that and thinking what Aoi-chan would think of me if she saw my performance…

Triela: Hinata, if she begins to call you chibi-Aoi, I’d run.

Hinata: R-right…

Triela: (laughs) I was joking…but your nervousness is real cute – hard to believe you’re a ninja.

Hinata: (blushing) Well…I am working hard…want to be stronger…more power…

(Shot of Hinata opens and closing hands, almost like she’s controlling her chakra…)

Kotone: Kensuke seems like a perverted time, and unlike Kurz, I was willing to play along…

Triela: That, and you had some back up this time. Negi isn’t exactly a slouch either if I recall…

Kotone: (smiles) I guess…

Triela: That Seta though…do you think he knows something? After all, he wanted that item pretty damn quick after he realised it was missing…you’d think someone of his intelligence would realise that we need it in this sort of thing…

Hinata: I’m sure Seta-san didn’t realise what link it had with the case…of course…providing he IS innocent…

Triela: See, you’re getting the hang of it.

Kotone: (smiles) Just go with the flow, and you’ll grow…

Hinata: Thanks.

(We have a close shot of Triela’s face, as we see it tinging with sweat…and it’s not because of the suit she wears…shot of her hand getting into her pockets, as we see what appears to be tablets briefly in view…)

*

(Negi and Aya seem to have returned in better moods as well, which is good as after they met about looking at Duplica’s alibi, Negi and Aya have a quiet talk in the kitchen…)

Negi: …I just felt it’s my turn to be by your side Aya-san, as you helped me before.

Aya: I know…I just feel that I’m all alone…and I’m thankful for your help Negi-kun, but…

Negi: (smiles) Aya-san, despite my appearance, I do teach 31 girls all older than me, so let’s just say I’ve gotten a little used to this sort of thing. Besides, whilst Hinata-san, Shiine-chan and Triela-san are my friends and more my age, I can’t let you suffer if Ban-san is going to be like this…

Aya: I don’t know if he is…I just feel like he will.

Negi: Well then, let’s make sure he won’t shall we?

(Negi puts his hand on her shoulder as Aya smiles at the cute young boy – no, she doesn’t turn shotacon – as Negi begins to make some tea…)

(…outside the window however, he sees Triela in her paintpall practice, and struggling…)

(…Negi’s keen eye sees Triela kneel down slightly…but it is stopped when Kotone and Hinata come into view. Everything seems fine…but Negi briefly saw that pained face…)

Negi: Triela-san?

* * * *

(…how concerned Negi is over the GSG is irrelevent when it comes to her expert touch in how they are fighting…and making Ban realise there are possibly people on this world stronger than him…)

(…as was the moment after he caught Hinata and Negi sparring…well, they call it sparring, Ban calls it…)

Ban: WHAT THE…

(bleep)

Ban: O.K, O.K…I can understand in a weird way. I deal with Himeko who is a voodoo child, Ginji is the dumbest electric eel alive, and a pretty boy with a string fetish, a monkey boy who mimics and a maniac of a doctor who hides knives inside his body….but kids that young can do that sort of crap?!!!

(Ban seems to momentarily forgotten that we are dealing with a wizard and a ninja here, but still, he seems kiddy…)

Ban: Geez…maybe it isn’t a good idea to focus on them…not that I wouldn’t have any problems with my Jagan of course…but…

(A shot of inside Fai and Miyabi talking…)

Ban: On the same note, at least they are working hard…in their own ways…and I hate kids…dammit…starting to get attached…

(Ban punches the wall…)

Ban: Maybe strategy in who to keep friendly with works as much as who you have to suck up too…

(Just behind, we see that Negi, whilst tired, is very happy, and seems more like a 10 year old kid than the wizard/teacher he is…)

Negi: This energy gives me a real buzz Hinata-san! Kufei-san may not be here, but your style of fighting gives me a new take on using martial arts – Chinese Kung Fu is brilliant, but Hyuuga-style ninjitsu – it gives me new ways to adapt!

Hinata: (blushing) I-I-I’m glad I could be of help Negi-kun!

(Negi is all smiles, but he casts a glance at Triela, who is busy trying to convince Shiine-chan that both of them are all right…Negi’s smiling face twinges a little in concern as Triela doesn’t notice the mahou shounen staring at her, but he shrugs and continues…)

* * * *

(After the late meeting, we can see that Satoshi is still hard at work at his notes…and a few are getting a little jealous…)

Fai: My my, Satoshi-kun…he’s a hard worker…right Ban-ban?

Ban: Stop it…I might get used to it. But damn…I wish I could know what he’s writing – he’s probably got so many theories out there that it would give anyone that saw them a huge advantage…

Miyabi: Indeed, Satoshi is definitely remarkable. He knows every part of the case which has been established, and every part he doesn’t know he has half a dozen theories to try and work it out.

Ban: I wish we could get them…

Miyabi: (shakes her head) He won’t show them to anyone – I’ve worked with him and he won’t show them to me either.

(Ban raises an eyebrow on that…)

Fai: Can’t we ask him nicely?

Miyabi: Unlikely. He seems very possessive of them, like they are the key to El Dorado.

Fai: Well, there must be a way we can look at them…

Ban: Outside of violence, I doubt it. Unless we can see past him and see the notes visible to another eye…

(Suddenly, a light bulb goes in Ban’s head…and an evil smile comes up about it.)

Fai: Uh oh…Ban-ban has got a scary look…

Ban: (all pleasant) I think I’ll see how the kids are doing…

Miyabi: I don’t like this.

*

Aya: Don’t come in!!!

Ban: (outside the door) Aw, I just want to speak to you guys!

Aya: I MEAN IT! YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO KURZ…

(Ban FINALLY gets it and goes red…shot of Kotone, Hinata and Aya in Kotone/Hinata’s room…)

(…we don’t get to see Kotone change into her night clothes as Ban curses his luck…good or bad, you decide if he values his life…)

Ban: You guys O.K?

Kotone: We’re fine now…but…

Ban: (smiles) I just want to borrow Kotone and Hinata for a teensy-weensy moment, if it’s O.K?

Aya: I don’t like this…

Ban: Am I that untrustworthy?

(Hinata and Kotone almost open their mouths simultaneously before Ban puts a hand out…)

Ban: No, don’t answer that.

(Aya is very uncomfortbale considering she voted Ban out last night, and Hinata notices Aya’s concern around Ban…)

Hinata: Aya-san, we’ll be back in a moment…

Kotone: Hinata-chan?

(Hinata just nods as Kotone shrugs…as they leave, Aya shudders…)

Aya: He just scares me…

*

Kotone: You want us to do WHAT?!!!

Ban: Oh come on, he hordes the notes like Fort Knocks. You can read minds and she has an all seeing eye. What’s the harm?

Hinata: Well…it’s an ability that can be used for this…I mean…it’s something that the Hyuuga’s have done in exams in the past…

Ban: Cheat?

(Hinata seems a little ashamed, though for the record, she herself didn’t use it for cheating…)

Ban: So come on ladies, share the love around for all of us…we don’t have a chance if he gets his IQ in gear…

(Kotone seems to pause…)

Kotone: Well…it would be a help – I certainly haven’t got a good idea on who the killer is yet…

Hinata: I never really thought about doing it…yet…

Ban: So…

(The girls look at each other for a moment…and nod together.)

Kotone/Hinata: Sure.

(Ban smiles…)

(…not realising the fingers crossed (in unison again) from both girls…)

*

(Fai, Ban, Miyabi, Aya and Shiine are there with the two girls – Negi has joined Satoshi in what seems to be study time…)

Aya: I still don’t like this…

Fai: I don’t see the harm…we are supposed to help each other, and if Sato-kun is holding information from us…

(Both girls look on the guilty side…)

Kotone: Reading minds isn’t my speciality, otherwise I probably would have already known who the killer is…I’m just going to use my abilities to power up Hinata-chan…

Hinata: Pressure…

(Only Triela seems missing as Hinata sighs as her latest mission is to steal the notes of one Satoshi Hikari/Hiwatari…)

(Suddenly, Negi looks around…and turns…)

Negi: Excuse me…I just need to go to the toilet…

(Negi leaves…as Hinata at that point flashes her Byakugan towards Satoshi’s notes…)

(Out of sight, Satoshi continues working as Hinata concerntrates for a few moments longer…)

(…and longer…)

(…and longer…)

(…before she stops, a little chakra drained…)

Hinata: S-sorry…

Miyabi: I guess the notes were that detailed…

Hinata: Um…well…

Fai: Hmmm?

Hinata: All that I saw was…

Ban: Huh?

Hinata: …stop getting others to do your dirty work Ban.

(All but Aya and Kotone facefault…)

Ban: WHY THAT…

Fai: Now, Ban-pan, Sato-kun isn’t stupid…

Ban: Gah…how the hell…

Hinata: (out of breath) I think I need to rest…can you help me Kotone-chan…

Kotone: Sure…sorry guys.

(All seem apologetic, except Ban…whose annoyed. As the girls head upstairs…)

(…we see Triela looking pained in the toilet…)

Triela: (throwing up) This…is worse than I thought…I didn’t expect the repercussions to be so…violent…

(Shot of Triela’s hand, showing red…blood…her’s.)

Triela: (wiping her mouth) I have to take them to stop this happening…but I want to hold off my conditioning as much as I can…

(Triela echoes Ban earlier and slams her fist into the wall…)

Negi: Damage to the house isn’t high on the agenda Triela-san.

(Triela nearly reacts violently with a swing, but stops in time before nailing Negi. Negi steps back a bit scared, but soon everything is normal…well as normal as a child teacher/wizard and a girl cyborg/assassin can be…)

Triela: N-Negi…damn…I didn’t think y-you were a pervert…

Negi: No jokes Triela-san…you’re not very well…what’s wrong?

Triela: N-nothing my chibi cutie…just a little…cramps…

Negi: Causing you to cough blood?

Triela: (surprised) You s…

Negi: I don’t know much about cyborgs – Chachamaru-san is about my limit – but I saw you after talking with Kotone-san and Hinata-san, you looked half-dead…and I saw you putting so…

(Triela moves and claps Negi’s mouth with her hand…and you see for the first time, true vulnerability in Triela’s eyes…as she cries slightly…)

Triela: P-Please don’t t-t-tell anyone Negi…it-it’s a relapse of my conditioning…the pain I need to confirm I need to be alive…

Negi: (mumbles)

Triela: S-sorry…(let’s go…)

Negi: So, what medication you had…it’s to stop this relapse?

(Triela nods, as a cold sweat appears on the European girl’s face…)

Negi: (smiles) Then hold still a moment.

(Negi gets his magic wand for a moment and chants something. A fairy light envelopes Triela as she looks astounded…)

Triela: C-cool…

(Negi chants in Latin for a moment as Triela grits her teeth and closes her eyes, not knowing what negi is going to do. Suddenly, a swirling wind surrounded the GSG as it goes around and through her body. Triela gasps slightly as the wind surrounds her…)

(…until…)

Negi: There…that should do…

(Triela relaxes…and suddenly…)

Triela: Huh…I feel…better..

Negi: That heeling spell should keep you well for around 3 days…it restricts pain extractors in your body…however, don’t expect a top up too much, the more I use it, the less effective it is for you…ask me if it gets really bad, but the lasting effects should be good for someone as strong as you…

(The ‘strong’ girl leans forward and hugs Negi…not a Triela cheeky or glompable hug, a proper hug, as the GSG cries, gently holding Negi…)

Triela: T-thank you…Negi…kun.

(She uses a suffix! Cute!)

Negi: (smiles) Aw, come on, where did that strength go?

(Suddenly they hear footsteps. Triela realises Negi and wipes her eyes as Negi steps out…upstairs, another collapsed girl is need of healing…)

Negi: Hinata-san?!

Triela: What happened?

Kotone: (half carrying her) She drained her chakra just, she just needs a rest, she’ll be fine…

Hinata: Negi-kun…Triela-san…are you O.K? You’re red under the eyes…

(Triela hides her blush as Negi covers for her…)

Negi: She hasn’t slept well so she was just checking in the mirror…I met up with her as I came from the toilet…

(All 3 girls now blush…but Kotone and Hinata go into their room…)

(…where as soon as they do, Hinata sits down…fine?)

Hinata: I know I’m a ninja, and sneaky by nature but…

Kotone: Ban gave the idea…but we’re just not going to let him profit from it. So…what did Satoshi really say?

Hinata: Let’s see…

(Another first…Hinata being sneaky – looks like she DID get answers from Satoshi…just not sharing with anyone but Kotone…interesting…)

* * * *

(This is of course where the shit hits the fan. However, without spoiling too much until we get there, the next day is as is…Triela seems to be fine as she is the first to see that a few people had been taking liberties with their free time…)

Triela: Now…these guys are supposed to be the older role models…

(Shot of Fai sleeping off the couch after a drink-a-thon battle with Miyabi saw him on the losing side…whereas Triela’s roomate seems to be fine and is already in the evidence room, looking through notes and wearing her glasses…)

Triela: There is a lady who is elegant…learn from that world-boy…

(Unlike Negi, Triela doesn’t see the hidden asaparin that Miyabi is holding, as whilst his two teammates do their own things, Shiine is enjoying a breakfast conversation with Kotone…)

Kotone: …I’m not as good as Akari, but I can at least makes eggs and toast…

Shiine: That’s better than Dorothy-san…

Kotone: Anyway, are you O.K? You seemed a little out of it recently…

Shiine: N-no reason…just a little tired…

Kotone: (smiles) Love sick…

Shiine: YOU USED YOUR POWERS?!!!

Kotone: Trust me Shiine-chan, don’t need to use them to see what is on your mind…

Shiine: I-I-I’m not! I d-don’t fall in love so easily that a beautiful girl…

(Kotone leans in as Shiine’s face turns red and jumps back…)

Shiine: CHACHA-SAN, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY…)

Kotone: Sorry…I’m not the teasing kind, but when you’re like that, it’s really cute Shiine-chan…

(Suddenly, a shot of a stirring Fai makes a decision for Shiine…)

Shiine: I’ll get the umiboshi…

Kotone: Do that.

(Anything to get away from his embarrassment, Shiine begins adding a little cure for hangovers to his breakfast. Just outside everyone is up, as Aya pops her head in the kitchen…)

Aya: Kotone-chan? What’s wrong with him?

Kotone: I think he’s just repenting realising there are so many pretty girls here and outside…

(Aya looks a little stern…)

Aya: O.K…

(Kotone looks confused as the Supergals rep exits the room…outside, Ban has just done his kicking ritual to get Fai up to speed, as we can see Negi and Hinata looking through some notes, with the ninja seemingly not showing the ‘information’ she picked up to the young wizard…but they do seem quite the studious pair…something that is picked up by other members of the group…)

Hinata: …I’m trying to round up a few suspects and focus on them…we’ve got details on everyone…but…

Negi: It’s hard isn’t it Hinata-san?

Hinata: (nods) And I’m not sure who to focus on…I have a feeling there is a link to the bigger picture, and whoever is linked in the most is my most likely suspect, so I guess Ruri is high…and I seem to lean towards Tamahome and Touji for some reason…more for their anger and motive than gut feeling…

Negi: I feel the same way. People like Chiriko, Anna and Hikari seem like the nicest people in the world, but I suspect them as much as Touji, Tenchi and Tamahome at the moment. Not until the bigger picture is showing…

Hinata: What about Seta-san? Do you th…

(We don’t know what they think, because you know the three quickest ways to get information – telephone, telegram, tell a gal. Quite appropriate here as Aya spies the two…)

Aya: Negi-kun deserted us Satoshi-kun…

Satoshi: I see. I guess he’s trying to see if they can pick each other’s thoughts…

Aya: You’re way too old-fashioned Satoshi…Ran would have a field day with you…

Satoshi: (surprised) Huh?

Aya: (chuckles) I wonder…

(Aya pops back into the kitchen, and out comes Kotone…and soon Triela joins them. Shiine is still in there so isn’t witness to it, and both are surprised at the interaction and the smiles coming from both youngsters…)

Aya: Aww, they’re so cute!

Triela: No, that can’t happen…

Aya: Why not?

Triela: BOTH OF THEM ARE MINE!!!

(Aya sweatdrops as Kotone blushes…)

Kotone: They ARE cute like that…

Aya: They are, aren’t they? Surely…

Negi: Huh?

Hinata: For some reason I felt the feeling of several pairs of eyes around here….

Aya: NO! All your imagination Hinata-chan, we’ll be moving right along now!!!

Kotone: Right, right, carry on…

Triela: I’m so jealous…but of which one…

(The three girls go, as Hinata and Negi looks confused…)

Negi: What was that?

Hinata: (shrugs) No idea…

(Shot of Ban entering as he looks as confused as everyone, and trying to find Fai as well without puking his guts out is an idea…)

Ban: Did I miss something?

Fai: Ugh…those plums are sour…

Ban: Ah, you livened up now…

Fai: Shiine-chan is evil…

* * * *

Satoshi: Hoshino-san, when you said I was old-fashioned, what did you mean?

(Aya nearly freaks, wondering because Negi is of course there…)

Aya: Well…we don’t know enough of you Satoshi-kun…it’s like you have an aura only giving to yourself, and towards yourself. You are a great person to have on this team, but it seems like you close yourself over and don’t understand the outside world as much as you should…

Satoshi: Really?

Aya: I should know…I’ve felt that feeling as well…I’ve lived like that for the longest time in my life and didn’t like it either.

Satoshi: I wouldn’t say I don’t like my life…but…

(Satoshi stops. That a moment for Negi to interrupt…)

Negi: What do you do then Satoshi-san? You’re a real police officer back home, yet you are only 14…do you go to school or have you skipped grades?

(Satoshi seems reluctant to say anything…but Aya and Negi are probably as trustworthy as you’re getting in this game, so…)

Satoshi: Yes, I do go to middle school – however more to go against my father and to be in what is considered a normal school environment. I did have another reason to be there as well…but…

(Satoshi smiles wryly…)

Satoshi: …that doesn’t apply now.

Aya: Even in answering, you’re the trademark mystery bishounen…(sighs)…just like Otohata-kun…

Negi: A mysterious 14 year old…sounds like Mahora academy to at least half my student class…

Satoshi: Do you want to know or not?

(Aya and Negi await with eager eyes…Satoshi actually seems nervous speaking about this…)

Satoshi: Well, I was one half of…well…shall we say an etherial being…and the curse of this has always been in my families blood…as is the other half of these wings…to ANOTHER families blood…but…from my generation, we actually avoiding being enemies…more like rivals…and somehow…I escaped the Hikari fate…

(Both Aya and Negi seem quiet…)

Aya: That’s…very deep.

Satoshi: I know…I was reluctant to say that much alone…I know it sounds silly with wizards, ninjas, ancestorial German witches, fighter pilots and cyborgs to feel ashamed of my own genetics but…I cursed the day I was born a Hikari, which is why I changed my name…

(Satoshi smiles slightly…)

Satoshi: I guess…if I was a suspect, I would be with the church of the Returners now, planning my revenge on Kalos.

(Aya and Negi look at each other slightly…)

Aya: (chuckles) Hey, Satoshi made a joke!

(Satoshi seems embarrassed, though still stoic…)

Negi: Satoshi-kun, you are by far the best person in this game…however, if you want to do well, if you open up like this, you stand a better chance at winning that just being the 210 IQ young man…

(Satoshi nods)

Satoshi: I’m aware of that…but trusting someone has always been difficult…Niwa was my natural enemy, so that seemed out of the question, yet no matter what I did he was always forgiving of me. And now…I guess there is younger-Harada…

(Satoshi blushes slightly…)

Aya: Ah, so the chains of your heart can be broken…

Satoshi: I guess…

Negi: Then we’ll plug away to make sure the chains are crushed!!! Come on!!!

(Satoshi smiles.)

Satoshi: Yeah…and guys…thanks. That felt good.

(Aya and Negi both seem surprised, but smile and put a hand on Satoshi’s shoulders…)

Aya: Glad to have you on the team Satoshi-kun.

Satoshi: Glad to be part of it.

* * * *

(However, three people (two in particular) aren’t quite so happy to be in the same team, as demonstrated when they return back to HQ…and Ban greets them.)

Ban: Geez…just got from them going to Yomi’s…it’s getting boring – that and all three girls beat me at Isuka…damn…

(A van comes up…)

Ban: That’s gotta be Fai-tachi. Hopefully I can get some conversation out of…

(As soon as the van is exited, Shiine runs in, upstairs. You can tell he’s been crying as Ban looks in shock. In the rec room, Hinata and Triela also peek their head round corner and Kotone isn’t too far behind…)

(…Miyabi and Fai exit together as Miyabi, stern face, heads straight to the kitchen…)

Kotone: Miyabi-s…

Fai: Not now Kotone-chan.

(Fai sighs and in a rare state of depression slinks under the settee. Even more surprising, Ban seems concerned…)

Ban: Fai, what the hell just happened?

Fai: We screwed up…both on the job…and with each other.

Ban: Huh?

Hinata: Miyabi-san…and Shiine-chan…

Fai: Ladies…Ban…

Ban: Damn, this is serious, he didn’t add a stupid suffix…

*

Fai: …and that what’s happened.

(Ban looks upstairs where Shiine went, whilst Miyabi seems to have stayed in the kitchen after making a coffee and assuming the Gendo position. Triela looks upstairs…)

Triela: So he took it kinda hard then…

Fai: Yeah…I think deep down he knows he messed up…but also…he felt he should have been treated better.

Hinata: (concerned) Shiine-chan…

Kotone: Miyabi-san…

Fai: (sighs) I’m not one to talk – I kinda tried to get in the middle and failed. Back with the party I’m with, me and Kuro-puppy get into scrapes, but nothing serious – not where Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan have to get in between us…this…is not what I’m used to.

Triela: So what do we do…

Ban: We should let them stew for a while. It’s only going to get them into a deeper hole if they continue like this…hopefully they can come to the logical conclusion and realise this is just plain stupid.

Fai: Wow Ban-pan, that sounds good!

Ban: Hey, can’t I say something good once in a while? Oh, and I guess you’re better as you are back with the stupid names…

Triela: Hey, we’re worried about them…but one hand I want to help my roomate, the other, a sweet young man…

Kotone: Triela, try and get to talk to Miyabi-san…we’ll try and sort things out from here.

Ban: That might be could. Hinata, do you mind if we brief Fai on what happened whilst they went – they’ll need to know…

Hinata: Sure.

Ban: Don’t worry about that kid Hinata, he’ll be fine.

(Hinata nods once as Fai gets ready to hear about the surprise person who apparently took the bounty, as Kotone and Triela try to see if they can reason with Miyabi-san…)

* * * *

(…which of course, fails miserably. We now cut just before Miyabi and Shiine are playing the killer’s game…and we see Negi and Aya discussing with Satoshi about what they feel should happen, especially as after Negi and Aya were friends…)

Aya: (sighs) I know you are roommates with Shiine-chan, but I can’t say I like Ban’s way of thinking. He just thought that he could get rid of a strong opponent in Miyabi-san.

Negi: I can see that…but forgive me if I prefer Miyabi-san to be eliminated…

Aya: Friendship, I can understand, but control under pressure whilst a game is being dealt with – I suggest otherwise.

Negi: Aya-san…

Satoshi: Negi…Aya…it doesn’t really matter.

Negi/Aya: Huh?

Satoshi: In the end, whoever goes, goes. In the end, only one of us will be at the end of the game winning. I suggest you realise that now before you get too attached…because some day along the line, you WILL be stabbing each other in the back.

(Satoshi leaves as both Negi and Aya look at each other in realisation. He’s right…but it’s a look of not wanting to accept it…)

Negi: Shiine-chan…

(Negi runs off, presumingly in case to say goodbye to Shiine…as Aya stays behind…)

Aya: I see…Ban IS playing the game…and probably better than any one of us…

* * * *

(As Shiine and Miyabi are out playing, we cut to an outside scene where Trielas and Hinata are doing dual katas…)

Hinata: (forward palm strike in tune with Triela) What…what do you think of tonight then?

Triela: (echoes) Tonight? Well…it’s worst for me I think.

Hinata: (side kick) Really?

Triela: Well, Miyabi was my roomate, and Shiine-chan is my friend. It doesn’t matter in my opinion who goes…because whoever goes I will miss.

(Hinata pauses…)

Hinata: Miyabi-san…I like her. She’s someone I can admire and work towards…but…

Triela: (smiles) I understand.

(Triela puts a hand on Hinata’s shoulder and gives it a squeeze. Hinata suddenly falls slightly onto Triela’s shoulder…)

Triela: Hey, Hinata-chan…

Hinata: I don’t like this…I don’t like this at all…

(A slight sob comes from the ninja as Triela, whilst won’t cry this time, calmly hugs her…)

* * * *

(Shot of Kotone with Aya, as Aya speaks about the misgivings she has on their team leader after Miyabi’s vote, Ban Mido.)

Aya: …he is really playing, not in a way that Satoshi is playing…but in a way to totally destroy us.

Kotone: It won’t last…he won’t be leader next time, and if Miyabi comes back…

Aya: If…if Shiine comes back, I just feel this will fall into anarchy…

Kotone: Well…who else that Miyabi been close to…

Aya: Well…Triela…and Satoshi…why?

Kotone: (smiles) Do you think if she goes she won’t go with a fight. Triela and Satoshi can make anybodys life a living hell. I wouldn’t worry.

Aya: I guess…

Kotone: Anyway, I need to rest for a sec – I’ll be done to see the vote.

Aya: (nods) Bye Kotone-chan.

(Aya leaves as Kotone sighs with relief…and resumes examining the notes she stole thanks to Hinata’s spying…)

Kotone: Ban isn’t the one I’m most worried about…

* * * *

(Shiine’s return that night is met with mostly joy, though Aya’s reaction suggests otherwise. Shiine explains in details what happened at the end of the killer’s game…)

Shiine: …when I got to the end of it, there was a dummy or something, and covered with black lillies. The clue was on the chest of the dummy, and as I reached it…

Shiine: O.K, this is…

(Shot of the dummy collapsing with a fake hand through the heart area…and Shiine’s screams go as far back as Urara Academy…)

Ban: I’m amazed you didn’t swear…

Shiine: No, screaming was bad enough.

(A few laugh at that…)

Shiine: Anyway, in the hand was the clue, and all it was, was this piece of cloth in blood.

(The team inspect the cloth as it is shifted to the evidence room…as Aya continues to shake her head…)

(…Shiine look around and sees the mixed reaction – he seems a bit uncomfortable especially with the fact that the argument he had with Miyabi went in favour of her it seems…and he returned.)

(Shiine excuses himself as a few of the younger members head to bed. Aya heads to the kitchen…)

(..and sees Triela there sighing.)

Aya: You O.K?

Triela: Yeah…I just…well…I hate sleeping on my own.

(Aya seems surprised…)

Aya: I’ve been alone since Miyabi took out Mizuki…

Triela: …and you actually wanted Miyabi to come back?

Aya: I guess…I can understand this game…but it doesn’t mean I like it.

(The two girls sigh…)

Triela: Hey, Aya…

Aya: Hmmm?

Triela: Do you want to sleep in the room? We’re both lonely now…and both pissed off at this game.

(Again, Aya seems surprised…but nods.)

Aya: Yeah, I do my best plotting with people around.

(Triela smiles and the two head out, as another day at treachery land is over…)

* * * *

Yay, done again! Chapter 4 is going to be good considering what happens, but time for a HQ update…

*

Ban accusing of Hinata cheating with her Byakugan is a reference to the exam episode of Naruto where they have to answer 10 really damn near impossible questions – the actual purpose of the exam is to cheat without getting caught. In Naruto, Neji (Hinata’s cousin) uses the Byakugan to scan one of the plants in the exam who knew all the answers, which Sasuke also did using his Sharingan. Other ways of cheating included Shino using a bug to spy on the answers, Tenten using her weapons to prop up a mirror (allowing her and Lee to see them), Gaara using his sand to mimic an eye and enter the people who knew the answers, Kankuro using Karasu to mimic an examiner, Kiba using Akamaru to tell him the answers, and Ino using her Shinten no Jutsu to enter Sakura’s body and scan her answers (Sakura actually knew all of them). In an ironic twist, Hinata didn’t need her eye technique as she actually knew the answers as well, and was going to let Naruto copy them…but his pride wouldn’t allow it. (And he regretted it seconds later…^_^)

Triela’s comment on ‘elegant’ is an obvious reference to another modified anime girl, Lumiere from Kiddy Grade – a guilty pleasure to be honest as it’s a show I shouldn’t really like…but I do. The school that the Hoshino’s look after as well is named after her if you hadn’t known before. Lumiere’s catchphrase after her partner, the gorgeous Éclair has done her usual hyper entry/vicious fighting/running/hugging/whatever, Lumiere’s retort is always ‘A lady should be more elegant.’

So what is Satoshi’s other reason for middle school…I’M NOT TELLING YOU! :) Geez, I’m not totally spoilerific – WATCH D N ANGEL DAMMIT!!!

Another Satoshi quickbit – his blushing when mentioning Niwa and younger-Harada (Risa) is to satisfy both the yaoi fangirls and the Risa/Satoshi fans. Yaoi innuendo is rampant in DN Angel with Satoshi/Daisuke…but despite their best efforts, it fails to beat Daisuke/Riku, probably my favourite couple in anime. Sorry yaoi fangirls, not only is it canon, THEY ARE DARNED CUTE DAMMIT! (I guess this is where doujinshi and fanfiction comes in…^_^)

And now, I bid you adieu! Ja ne!