Yep, I’m evil. And I still suck for missing Acen. Happy?

O.K, usual ‘I suck’ joke aside, we have a very interesting chapter which (hopefully) you’ve read. Now, we’re down to 6 and a lot of emotion plays a big part here…so let’s get straight to the character angst!

*

(The angst isn’t just there for three kids who kicked ass on Days 1 and 2 and are now permanently apart…it happened for our second favourite mole (Tomoyo still owns you), Aya Hoshino…)

(The Supergal is awake, and getting changed inside the bathroom…inside her own room, her roomate Triela is asleep, as Aya reflects on what happened and what she overheard…)

(She does of course, in the chapter…but you can see that the ‘mole’ is slowly unearthing…her pretty face is in constant frown mode…)

*

(…speaking of frown mode, Shiine-chan, alone in his room, is in a state of anger and depression…)

Shiine: …I did do the right thing right? It was strategy, that was the reason! I wasn’t jealous…no way!

(Shiine is not looking at himself in the mirror…kinda says it all. Anyway, the Chacha mahou shounen looks at the empty single bed…Negi has been pretty good in his sleeping (in other words, no trips to any of the female rooms and sneak inside their beds…^_^) but the neat bed, most likely not to be slept in again, is a chilling reminder of the friendship they had…and how it was ruined…)

Shiine: No…not jealously…not at…

(Outside)

Satoshi: Are you O.K?

(It’s odd that Satoshi is the one asking Hinata if she’s O.K, her normally pale face seems even worse this morning, as it’s been two killer games of tears for the ninja…one for losing her best friend…and one for losing her sanity over the fact that Shiine tried to eliminate Negi out of jealously…)

Hinata: Hmm…I-I didn’t g-get much sleep last night…

(And it looks like the nervous Hinata has returned…Satoshi (who remember tried to eliminate her two episodes ago) seems surprisingly concerned…)

Satoshi: Hinata…we haven’t exactly been friends considering I tried to eliminate you and you tried to steal my answers…

(Hinata looks embarrassed at that ninja-esque attempt at stealing…hey, she’s a ninja. (YES! BEEN WAY TOO LONG SINCE I SAID THAT! *pays Adam R. Pulver the obligatory $20 to use the line*) Satoshi continues…)

Satoshi: …but you’re a much better detective than I think even you realise. Don’t lose it to emotions which weren’t your fault.

(Satoshi heads off as Hinata tries to hide her face as she goes downstairs…back inside his room, Shiine sits his ass down…)

Shiine: I am…aren’t I? I was jealous…

(Shiine’s logic finally reaches a logical standpoint, but logic is something not on the menu in this murder investigation…)

*

(Shot of Triela dressing up, realising Aya isn’t there and sighs with relief…)

(Triela runs out, and bumps into Ban…literally…)

Triela: Oh, I’m so…

(Sees it’s Ban…and smirks.)

Triela: Oh it’s you, so that’s alright then…

Ban: (sarcastic) Ha ha, very funny…though your humour normally isn’t this droll early in the morning…

Triela: Yeah, such had a very tense night with Aya…god knows how Negi felt last night…

Ban: Downstairs on a couch away from Shiine…I don’t think he had any problems…

(Triela sighs…)

Triela: Sometimes I wonder if there is anything inside your head beside money…

(Triela steps forward as Ban puts on his trademark sunglasses…)

Ban: You’d be surprised kid.

*

(Already we’ve seen Shiine-chan being dragged down by Ban, and the first re-meetings between him with both Hinata and Negi, so now we cut to a chat about new investigator Ami Mizuno…and Ban seems infatuated with her…which brings a rare conversation between him and the group…)

Satoshi: …she’s a well respective physcian who corresponds between Japan and Germany apparently – she’s only 22 years of age but is already a master of her craft, she’s got an IQ of supposedly close to 300…

Ban: …and a beautiful woman like that is helping us?

(Ban goes into a swoon like position as comic Triela (heading out with Negi) elbows him on the way out…)

Triela: My, my, so Ban is searching for a loved one?

(The sea-urchin headed Ban doesn’t go red, but does go ballistic…)

Ban: DAMN YOU ROBOT-GIRL, I’M GOING TO CALL YOUR SUPERIORS ON GROUNDS OF EMBARRASSMENT!!!

Triela: Good luck finding them…

(Ban bobs his tongue out at Triela, as Satoshi wonders how the immaturity level could have risen so fast…but then Ban seriously speaks…)

Ban: Actually, been a long time since I’ve considered someone by significant other…well, aside from Ginji…

(Behind him, Aya goes red as Triela whispers into Negi’s ear…and he goes red as he has to think if THAT is what Haruna draws…)

Ban: NOT LIKE THAT!!!

(Ban sighs…)

Ban: Certainly I haven’t trusted someone like that I can care for that person that much…well…there was Himeko…

(Ears raise interest – shame it wasn’t Minako as the Investigator, she’d have a field day with the detectives…)

Triela: Himeko?

Aya: Who is she?

Ban: Gah…some girl I worked with as a thief…she…she was my confidant, her…and her brother…

(Ban flicks out a cigeratte from his mouth…)

Ban: …but…things changed.

Satoshi: How?

(Ban surveys the situation…3 kids under the age of 16 and Aya is only just over that. Whilst the three kids are probably more mature than most their age (still got nothing on Hatoko) Ban decides not to tell them the story…)

Ban: I think I’ll keep that one to myself. But things…have got better though. (smiles) Maybe…

(Realises he has the attention on himself, and not on the case…and quickly coughs…)

Ban: Anyway, Satoshi…work comes no harder for modern men, let’s kick ass!

Satoshi: Yes…quite.

(Satoshi and Ban head off, as Triela tries to hide her smirk…then sees Aya’s face…and it drops. Shiine now comes and Negi finds a reason to head to their inquiry PDQ (Pretty Damn Quick)…)

Aya: Hmm…wonder if Rei and I will be like that…

Shiine: What?

(Aya blushes…)

Aya: N-nothing…

*

(During the inquiries, after an embarrassing moment for Satoshi when he forgot his notebook, we cut to Aya and Shiine after a relaxing wind blowing in the hair after finding Ukyo Kuonji…it doesn’t seem to be helping Shiine-chan though…)

Aya: (on the way back) Shiine-chan, are you going to be like this as long as the investigation lasts?

Shiine: Maybe…

Aya: (sighs) You are heading for a one way ticket out of this game you know…Negi seems fine…

Shiine: Negi has Triela-san on his side, anybody would b…

(Suddenly, Shiine realise what he has said, as Aya looks pissed. Ran-esque pissed…)

Shiine: I…I’m so…

Aya: So…you’d be fine with a genki girl like Triela-chan, but with someone like me…it’s…

Shiine: I didn’t mean it that way!

Aya: Oh, so she’s smarter than me then?

(Shiine realises he’s screwed…)

Shiine: I…I’m sorry…I j-just…well…I’m venting my frustrations out on anyone but myself…

(Aya sighs…)

Aya: You’re blaming everybody but yourself Shiine-chan. You caused this when you voted Negi off – and we know why you did it…

Shiine: I WASN’T…

Aya: (interrupting) …jealous. I know, we all know…but we also know you’re lying. So grow up and get a backbone, otherwise the last thing Hinata will say to you is ‘Shiine-chan, you’re playing the killer’s game.’

(Shiine doesn’t seem to enjoy that rather true assessment of his chances at the moment, but seems to accept it…)

Shiine: O.K…so we need to see if Ukyo is telling the truth then…

Aya: We head back, prove we did well, and make sure we avoid the vote…and then Hinata will do the rest and prove that she still cares…

(Yes, for those who have read Chapter 6, you may laugh when you are ready…)

*

(A discussion with Touji was a surprise as Triela and Negi meet up with Ban and Satoshi at HQ…)

Satoshi: So how was it?

Negi: Pleasant…yet terrifying.

Ban: Hinata’s in there…

Hinata: (callings) Let’s see…Ban playing tonight…

(Sweatdrops…)

Ban: When did she get a sense of humour?

Triela: My fault – me bad.

Ban: Should have known…

Satoshi: Anyway…

(Negi and Triela discuss their talk with Touji, as they also explain the situation with Anna…)

Ban: Hmm…Anna returns to the dark side then…

Triela: True, though it was nice to see Touji show a side of himself that didn’t brand him an asshole.

Negi: Triela-san…

Triela: What? You’re not old enough for that…damn, for a teacher you’re way too innocent.

Satoshi: Is this where we remind her he’s 10 years old?

Triela: (snaps her fingers) Damn it…

Ban: Hinata is bad enough, but YOU with a sense of humour?

Satoshi: Oh, I have enough of a dry wit to suffice.

Ban: Ginji…all is forgiven…

*

(When all three teams have returned, the usual problems seem to occur aside from the silent treatment between the two wizards – as half of the remaining detectives are trying to crack a few clues…)

(…but the big thing is of course the kidnapping of Anna, which the team as a whole has to work together. During this, they find that the location where the Third Eye was located (the item used to trade Anna back) was opposite Ruri’s mansion…back at HQ, theories are traded from some key facts today…)

Satoshi: You see?

Ban: Damn Satoshi…what’s your secret?

Satoshi: I would say being fed with a Hikari gene which makes you transform into a white angel alter-ego of a famous thief, but you won’t believe me.

Ban: You met who I work with?

(Satoshi pauses for a moment…)

Satoshi: Fair point.

(Satoshi is looking at a picture where Ruri was shown, one of the pictures Kensuke took before he died…)

Satoshi: So we know Ruri has access to Kaleido Stage…and now the item we traced is outside Ruri’s location.

Ban: We haven’t even spoke to her and she looks even more suspicious than before!

(Upstairs, Shiine is already in bed as Negi is not looking forward to a night on the coach again…we see Hinata in the corner of his eye looking at him briefly before hiding away, Negi shakes his head as he has to wait until Ban and Satoshi have finished talking before he can get a chance for some shut eye…)

(…the knowledge of Kotone’s elimination a few episodes ago combined with the silent treatment has affected Hinata’s mind more than you’d think…her exhaustion combined with the truth seems to have made her wish to go home…)

Hinata: This…this isn’t how I wanted it…

(Hinata stays down to wrap up as outside, Aya is enjoying some stargazing alone…)

Aya: (using a telescope from the rec room) Wow – at least we get a few moments respite from the game…

(She looks in the direction of her room…)

Aya: Triela…

(Aya shakes her head, remembering Shiine’s comment earlier and her own problems…)

(…upstairs, Triela clutches her stomach slightly…)

Triela: No…can’t rely on him…not like this…bare with it Triela…

(Triela struggles as she wraps blankets over her – pain, both physical, and emotion, now draining the majority of the cast…)

*

(Sadly, it’s until around 2am when Satoshi and Ban finish talking, meaning a tired Negi is first up with some hot chocolate. Things fortunately don’t get too awkward as Triela is the first up…)

Triela: N-Negi…

(…who nearly collapses as Negi catches her…)

Negi: Triela-san?

Triela: Help…

*

(A healing spell later makes Triela very thankful…)

Triela: I wish I made a bet with Hillshire now that I could have handled this without these drugs…

Negi: (sweatdrops) I guess he didn’t expect someone like me here…

Triela: Secret Negi, secret.

Negi: Right…

(The two actually decide to do some morning detective work – focusing on the kidnapping last night…)

Triela: Touji’s right though, that girl would be hard to stop, especially considering how few suspects we’ve got left…

Negi: I think we’re assuming that the kidnapper is the killer here…

Triela: A good point, that’s certainly not always the case…

(With the case rounding down, a lot more focus is on the case and not each other…hence why the voting talk has been kept to a minimum. However, it’s still something to be concerned of as Satoshi in particular seems particularly concerned…)

Satoshi: I know…I know I’m a threat which makes it worse…but…

Ban: The part of the plan saying ‘Hinata would return’ never figured into the equation…

Satoshi: Well…it did, but as a Team Leader didn’t…

Ban: Well…

(Ban’s brain has a lot of intelligence, but food and money pre-occupy most of the grey matter in that sea urchin head of his, which is not exactly a comforting though for Satoshi as he cuts some bread up…)

Ban: …what?

Satoshi: Never mind…

*

(When everyone is up and the inquiries have been set up, we get to see Shiine-chan spark up a little…though sadly it doesn’t last too long…when he gets manhandled by May Wong…however, the concern is high in Hinata’s mind as she has to make a vote for someone…)

Hinata: Let’s see…

(You can see she HAS been thinking of it, with the highest authority looking at Satoshi…BUT…)

Hinata: What happened…was…because of me.

(She doesn’t have a locket, but she goes into the kitchen…and makes herself a riceball.)

(With yellow crackers in it.)

Hinata: Wh-what should I do…Naruto-kun?

(We of course KNOW what she does, but the poor saps at this point are not aware of it…)

*

(Shiine-chan in particular – his energy has vanished rather quickly after his initial banter with May and Sora…as Duplica’s little trick has pissed the living daylights out of him…)

Shiine: How did she know?!!!

Aya: Yes…how did she?

Shiine: Dammit…with everything I feel here, she brings my home and my heart in the same breath, and I feel lousy again!

(Aya is feeling very uncomfortable…)

*

(…and lets her teammates know about it…)

Aya: Shiine-chan…he wasn’t a happy camper. This Duplica is scaring me…

Ban: So…she dresses as a girl that Shiine seemed to recognise…

Aya: (nods) Probably his crush.

Ban: But I thought it…

Satoshi: (shakes his head) You’ve seen Shiine-chan through. He’s rather…frivilous.

Ban: He’s also a player…

(Satoshi withdraws the urge to sweatdrop…)

Aya: But he’s definitely serious about Hinata…

Satoshi: That’s what I’m concerned about…

(Under his breath…)

Satoshi: …and what I’m hoping for…

Aya: Hmm?

(Before Satoshi can explain his unheard statement, Triela and Negi appear…)

Triela: Is there any reason why Shiine is trying to bully that boxing game inside?

(Aya remains quiet)

Ban: I think he’s just a little pissed that scary cosplay girl got the better of him…

Triela: Touché.

Negi: He’s…digging himself into fear…

(Aya looks at Negi…)

Aya: Well, I don’t know what has happened with everyone else…I guess we worry about the vote…

(Signs of frustration from the SuperGals representative show as she walks off…)

Negi: Now what?

Ban: We eat…we drink…and then we vote.

Negi: Forgot about that…

(Triela puts a hand on his shoulder…)

Triela: Just intimidate these two and confirm their asses are on your vote!

(Compare – near 6 foot bad ass Ban to 10 year old shrimp Negi…if you take away the magic of course…)

Negi: Er…hi?

Ban: Nice try kid.

*

(Shot of the team doing alternative ‘shifts’ during looking for information, especially in regard to Seta’s phone call that Ban and Satoshi walked in on. Hinata however isn’t exactly computer literate so Satoshi is doing a little more of the share…)

Satoshi: At least you pick things up quickly…Risa Harada always gets someone else to do it…

Hinata: I…well…it’s kind of my work to pick things up quickly…otherwise I get left behind…being here…I was already behind the others and this is making it worse…

Satoshi: Do you think you’ve bettered yourself in other ways here?

(Hinata pauses on typing…and nods.)

Hinata: Yes. I think…being here has helped me…become braver…a bit more confident…

Satoshi: I’d say you’ve gotten stronger…

(Satoshi sighs…)

Satoshi: That’s why I voted for you.

(Hinata looks in surprise…)

Satoshi: I felt that whilst my biggest threats in the game were Negi, Triela and Ban…the person who I felt would be the biggest threat at the END was you. I felt it when I felt that chill…

Hinata: My chakra?

(Satoshi gives a rare smile)

Satoshi: I’m half angel – I can get auras around me…whilst you can see everything, you can’t hide everything.

(A nervous blush hits the kunoichi…)

Satoshi: Simply put, Hinata…you’ve won my respect. I suggest you use that as much as emotion when thinking tonight…and trust me, I won’t begrudge you tonight if you vote for me.

(Hinata remains quiet…)

Satoshi: I’m going to get Aya to help and take a break…

(Satoshi heads off, wondering if he has muddled Hinata’s mind well enough to avoid elimination…)

(…indeed, he’s a master of psychology…or was it legitimate honestly…)

(…but either way…)

*

(The vote involving Hinata seemed to have worked with Satoshi, as the surprise that came in a tie between the feuding wizards Negi-kun and Satoshi resulted in Hinata having to make a choice…and she made two.)

(The vote also revealed the slightly animosity that Aya and Triela seemed to have to each other. The moment the vote was announced (and it was made obvious that Aya and Triela – sometimes Ami is truly evil…honest – voted for each other), we see Triela head to her room…)

(…about 2 minutes later, she has her stuff.)

Triela: We’re gonna have a spare room completely now. So why not?

Ban: We have 6 rooms I guess after tonight…

Satoshi: Nothing to do with the fact that Aya voted for you?

(Triela pouts…)

Triela: It would be uncomfortable…

Aya: …guess you should be careful when you speak about earlier votes Triela. I’m not Kotone, but hearing you makes things a lot easier…

(Aya walks off as Triela sighs…)

Triela: Claes always says I’m mouthy – guess she was right. Guess I owe her a cake when I get back.

(We’ve already documented about Hinata saying why about Shiine and Negi, but Triela soon has a heart to heart talk with Hinata…especially as she overhears Shiine’s ‘confession’.)

*

Triela: There, there…

(Hinata has given up holding emotion and is being comforted by mother hen Triela (ignoring the fact the two girls are the same age), a cybernetic arm around the ninja’s shoulders is enough for the moment…)

Triela: You toughed it well there.

Hinata: I-I-I didn’t want to…but…

Triela: You did it though. You couldn’t choose between the two of them…so…you actually did the smartest thing…

Hinata: It’s not like that! I-I’ve never been liked like this be-before…but…

Triela: So….Shiine-chan’s confession…

Hinata: (nods) No-one has told me they loved me…not even really in my own family…but…

Triela: …you have someone else.

(Hinata pauses for a few moments…and then nods.)

Hinata: At least…in that way…I like both Negi-kun and Shiine-chan…but…

Triela: Home is where the heart is…right?

Hinata: I-I guess…

(Triela nods)

Triela: Keep your chin up Hinata. You’ve got to live with the fact that you three, who are the only guys who have officially beat Satoshi in an inquiry so far, are now doomed because of what seems to be petty jealously. I don’t want to be in your shoes…but…please don’t go off the deep end.

(Hinata nods, as Triela leaves…and as soon as she’s out of sight…)

Triela: Damn…don’t want to break up now…

(The fact that Triela is more than a tad fond of Negi, is now showing, as her eyes also tear up…)

Triela: I-I shouldn’t be crying…this is impossible…I-I don’t…no-no…

(Triela runs away, hiding her tears from the cameras…as off the side…)

*

Satoshi: I told you emotion would be the ruin here. It’s best to be off with it.

(Ban shakes his head)

Ban: You’re an ice man you know that?

Satoshi: Oh…I know how emotions feel and how they cloud your judgement…

Ban: No offence man, but are you taking the route of ‘emotions in trying to get revenge on your family’ or ‘emotions of the fact that a guy liked a girl and was jealous?’ Because I’d say the two are different.

Satoshi: Maybe…but in both circumstances, you can act completely without thinking…

Ban: Geez, no wonder Kurz called you the creepy yaoi boy…

(Satoshi seems to take offense…)

Satoshi: Just because I don’t show emotions doesn’t mean I don’t have them…

Ban: Yeah…bet you’re the high school heart throb and you won’t have anything to do with the opposite sex…

Satoshi: True…

(Paused…)

Satoshi: …and not true…

Ban: Huh?

(Satoshi moves away out of sight…and smiles.)

Satoshi: She’s annoying, energetic…scheming, yet silly…

(Satoshi shakes his head…)

Satoshi: Why Risa Harada?

*

(Shot of Shiine-chan prior to the killer’s game…crying and looking at his Chacha-san picture…)

(…a moment of clarity…which he should have really got a hold of a few days ago…)

*

(…because after the killer’s game, he won’t have any more of those moments…)

(Shot of Negi with some water…not exactly energetic…)

Negi: That was the worst…the end…I mean…

(We can see 4 passport photographs on the desk – the Killer Clue retrieved by young Negi Springfield. I won’t reveal who they are yet, but let’s see if you can work out who they are…)

• A crop haired red/brunette holding a red and white ball and having a large butterfly perched on her shoulder.
• A tanned girl with a genki smile in black pigtails.
• A pigtailed red head with a polite smile – the pigtails are more curly than straight though.
• A sandy haired brown haired girl with boyish looks, and maybe familiar to Murder Game veterans…

Negi: I’m not sure what scared me more…the fact that tiger stripes shot at me after I picked up the clue or the fact afterward that I survived…and Shiine-chan has gone…

(Shot of Aya being housemaid this time – it would have been Triela, but seeing Aya there made her change her mind…)

Aya: You did well Negi – you both couldn’t win….

Negi: (nods) I know…I just…I think I need to recover…

Aya: I think you need a good night’s rest…

(Negi nods in agreement as Aya helps the wizard upstairs. A momentary glance at Triela before the two head up as Triela sighs…)

Triela: That means I get the spare room then…

(Indeed, all 6 are now alone in their own rooms – though some have moved (Triela and Ban) most have stayed put…aside from Negi’s movement the other night…)

(Shot of Hinata a nervous wreck inside her room, as Satoshi and Ban watch from afar…)

(…the game had hit it’s peak…but who will peak first?)

*

(And thus, another wrap job.)

This one was enjoyable, and yet…in the end, the fact that it did end in a sombre note was a bit different. Kotone’s elimination was similar, but this brought the divides between the group even further…and now it’s really hard to see if anybody has a true friend left in the game.

And I guess now is a good time for the half time vote on the characters and such – plus a special bonus – a Murder Game quiz. The three highest scores on this special quiz will get a bonus clue on the killer’s identity, free of charge. Those who don’t get the clue can still get it, but must sacrifice one of their quizzes scores from 1-6 – and the top 5 scores count, so you better be careful.

And now the random notes!

*

*

The recurring mole joke hits again with Aya’s comparison to a mole demonstrated by Mayu when they are comparing characteristics. But yes, Tomoyo is still the best mole in anime fanfic history.

Hatoko (Angelic Layer) again still holds the best record of materity in terms of age despite the competition she has in Negi, Satoshi and Triela. Actually, the majority of the cast are quite mature in their own ways (sans Kurz) – their quirks just make it more fun…

Oh, and for those who saw Episode 6’s commentary, I said about Negi’s 5 pactio cards. Still 4 for fanfic purposes…BUT…a certain Mr. Klemm informed me today (22^nd May 2006) that Negi now has 6 PACTIOS!!! Geez…he WILL form the largest harem in known existence…fact now…lucky bastard…

For those who want to know what happened between Ban and Himeko, give me an e-mail. It’s really verging on spoiler territory though.

O.K, time for my rant. :) This is aimed at people who seem to annoy writers who don’t tend to their needs. Namely in romance fics. So if anyone is pissed off about Satoshi being interested in Risa – then tough. There is more than a subtle hint in the manga and the end scene in D N Angel also give evidence, and before any hyper yaoi fangirls go after the Daisuke/Satoshi bit, and scream blue murder, cue the facts first.

1. Fanfiction is there to be made to enjoy your yaoi fantasies, just don’t slate people who don’t tend to said needs.
2. Daisuke and Satoshi are indeed a good basis for a yaoi pairing, but they don’t get together officially – innuendo yes, offical no.
3. And the third…and most important…

AHEM…

DAISUKE AND RIKU ARE A CANON PAIRING! CANON – MEANING OFFICIAL! AND THEY ARE SO DARN CUTE TOGETHER!

So if anybody moans at anyone (myself included) the next time I see a Riku/Daisuke fic (or anything else with yaoi innuendo, such as Himeko/Ban, Al/Winry, etc.) and yaoi fangirls scream all over it because it’s not their preferred pairing, get over yourselves – especially if it’s an official pairing.

Sorry, rant over.