15strangers | Meeting

[Yes, she expects all nine of you to squeeze your butts into her bedroom with her. It'll be standing room only, but thankfully this sample bedroom isn't as cluttered with random kid-detritus as he one at home, mostly because she hasn't been to the toy store yet. She's wearing an unfortunate combination of a black t-shirt (still with a starburst on it, or something close enough Joey can pretend it is one), a leather skirt, leggings, and ballerina slippers, and has a notepad and some kind of frog mask in her lap.]

Okay. Just to put this on the table. This is a meeting for how we're going to get out of here. I am done with this bull and I think so are all of you.

There's no such thing as an inescapable prison, especially not if it's made out of a shopping mall of all things! I'm no expert in criminal activities, but I think we're supposed to have a couple here, right? All I know is the first step is to have meetings in the bedrooms: no cameras, and they're soundproof.

After that, what I am an expert in is solving puzzles. That means making a list of our assets, and a list of the problems to be solved to get out of here. I've got mad dancing skills and an unused ability to animate some object like I'm a wizard or something. What's everyone else got?

Finally...we need to keep alive. No one goes anywhere without a buddy, okay? Not even the bathroom. This is basic stuff. Ideally, groups of three, but we've got ten people, so...

[She looks over the group.]

Anywhere, we're all here, and we're all sick of this, right? What's everyone else got?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Something about Karma just seems impossibly tense when he shows up, quiet for a few moments until she asks about what they can do. He almost hesitates before finally deciding to answer. He's got a lot to think about since the memory he received this time was... something that left a bad feeling that wouldn't go away. ]

Same as usual. If I gather energy in my fists and hit someone right, I can send them flying. Simple as that.

[ Casting a brief glance over at Akira before looking back to Joey. ]

How do you suggest us setting up this 'buddy' system to start with?

[Joey notes the look. She'd gone after Karma for a minute too, because she didn't want to believe Akechi was the killer any more than Akira did, but that was behind everyone now, right?]

Don't go anywhere without another one of us within sight, especially at night, and triple-especially after we get our "motive". Two people might not be safe, but three people should be...

...If that's the case... I'd like to stick around Shuuichi-san and Akira-kun.

[ Spoken without even the slightest bit of hesitation. After what they pulled last week, he's not going to trust them not to make stupid decisions. At least he's not thinking about all the accusations people were shooting at him throughout that one point in the trial. ]

...

[ Can he say he's surprised? ... not really. ]

I take it you don't have a problem with that?

[ He's only saying this because he cares about both of them, plus those were some recklessly stupid decisions there. Even if he 100% gets where they're coming from. ]

[ He holds a blink. ]

You'd know if I did.

[ But there's no spite, no anger... Just sass, plain and simple. In any case... ]

I'd prefer it that way.

Figured as much. Not that I intended to give you much choice in it but it's better that you're cooperative.

[ There's no real bite to his words, either. While he won't say it? He really has come to care for Akira and Kurama. Both very competent and good people. ]

Luckily we're not in the mood for games. Under better circumstances, it could be fun to see you try to catch us, Karma.

[Not that he doubts Karma's skills. But he and Akira are very talented thieves.

...it sounds like he's putting in a good-faith effort, but the words mostly lack the usual teasing edge of challenge Kurama would give them.]

Probably. I don't doubt that in the least.

[ Don't think he hasn't noticed that lack of teasing in your tone there, Kurama. Though the words coaxed something of a smile back onto his face. ]

I'm pretty good with tracking people down so you'd have to be really quite good to keep up in eluding me.

[Even if it's not much of a smile, it's something. Lifting Karma's mood even a little is worth it, so Kurama dredges up a faint portion of smile of his own and offers something else.]

Once we've made our tormentors pay and regained our freedom... How does a friendly game of hide-and-seek sound?

[ Well... these two are doing better at smiling than he is, at least.

He's quiet as he listens, though... something in the air around him does seem to relax a little. Carry on, guys... this is actually nice to listen to. ]

[ A blink follows those words before a soft chuckle sounds, the smile still light but looking a little more uplifted; even if only slightly. ]

Sounds good to me. I don't doubt that you'll actually be able to make it interesting.

[He'll count that as a victory. Kurama brushes his fingers lazily through his hair, tilting his head with a touch of pride and confidence.]

I should hope not.

[ Yeah.

He noticed too. ]

Should we just focus on having a minimum of three around the time of motive announcement, then?

That's where we need to focus it, yeah.

I'd like us to be in pairs as much as possible anyway, though, since we still have to consider that someone's messing with crime scenes, and they might be reporting other stuff, too.

[She is more than aware she's talking about someone in this room. She's saying it in front of everyone for a reason.]

Meeting

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