View source for 2023-02-18: Enhanced Electoral Interrogation

{{Log
|cast=Sousuke Sagara, Seolla Schweizer, Teletha Testarossa, Alouette Pommier, Kaname Chidori, Kallen Kozuki
|location=Jindai Academy
|summary=Sousuke Sagara and several student council members managing the GUTS prom are missing. This naturally spells very little good news.
}}
{{PhaseAndTurn
|phase=1
|turn=3
}}

 <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<poem>
THIS MORNING:

Sousuke Sagara received his homework packet after once again returning from one of his many several-day absences. Eri Kagurazaka, homeroom teacher for Jindai 2-4, was out today, and so it was another teacher who gave him a conspiratorial little grin and said, "I think even you will appreciate this one, Mr. Sagara."

He of course, had no idea what she meant. But within, as he reviewed the package on his way to class...within was something he couldn't imagine. A list of names...? Prom...no, he didn't recognize the word. PROM? An acronym, perhaps. Not a weapon, he'd know that. But...

Perhaps a proscription list. He felt sweat bead on his forehead. Not good. Had it been an accident? Was he being scouted for something outrageous--

Only one thing to do to find out.

&#42;

The first sign something is terribly wrong is when the ''sub'' for 2-4 needs a sub, on the day Sousuke Sagara is expected o return and doesn't show up.

The second sign is when lunch rolls around, and a girl with pink ribbons in her hair slams the door to 2-4 open and hollers, "What did that reprobate do with Momoe-chan!?" because, apparently, Sawada Momoe, the head of the Prom committee, disappeared from directly behind her friends just a few minutes ago. They have an important meeting today! They can't miss it!

Sousuke Sagara's empty seat sits silently and does nothing with immense power.

He's up to something. ...somewhere.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
<poem>
        Jindai is no stranger to Mysterious Transfer Students With Way Too Intense An Aura. Marching into class in a diligent yet bold defiance of the (usually somewhat defied) uniform - the deep teal skirt most girls go with, and the stern black buttoned shirt most boys with - accented with a big fluffy red ribbon at the collar, of course!

        Her name is Seolla Schweizer, and while she is explicitly here on some level to keep attention off of her, she has a way of gravitating attention all the same.

        Already Seolla suspects something is amiss - her colleague, Sergeant Sagara, who she's supposed to be coordinating with, is missing from his expected chair. But she's stern and sitting ramrod straight all period long. She does, however, have one little encounter to her name.

        It's the kind of silky smooth approach fired off with lightning precision. A long red haired boy swiftly introduces himself, and suavely inquires, "Admittedly, I'm a little out of my depth when it comes to physics, but I took one look at you and knew you were someone to turn to. Mind if we study together?"

        ---Seolla takes one look at the first page, and boldly declares: "I don't understand the first thing about any of this!"

        Hopes and dreams shot down like a glinting rifle from afar.

        Lunch rolls around, and Seolla stands bolt upright at the declaration of Momoe's disappearance. "...! I knew it! A string of mysterious disappearances...tch. So soon after enrolling here, and I'm already on the case for incidents like this..." With enough force in her footsteps to start sending any furniture and lightweight students flying off to either side, Seolla plants a hand like a meteor on the pink-ribboned girl's shoulder, shadows over her eyes, her glare a bit overly intense. "Tell me everything you know about the dilemma. Where you last saw her. If you saw this classroom's previous substitute teacher anywhere. And, for that matter, if you suspected anything awry with Serg- ...Sousuke Sagara from earlier in the day, as I've lost contact with him over the past 24 hours."

        ---there's two of them aren't there. The hell unleashed upon Jindai has doubled, potentially.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
<poem>
There is something terribly wrong.

It's nothing explicit. It's nothing so worrying as to have the police in. Maybe. For now. But she can tell. The obvious absence of Sousuke Sagara is worrying. Extremely so, when she was told everything was mostly fine the night before, she didn't sense anything amiss. Mostly.

...But at the same time! This was normal, wasn't it? She only smiles at the thought of Sousuke doing something, tapping her chin in light amusement. She's just a regular student, a regular girl in this instance. Regular human, regular ponytail, completely and utterly regular in spite of her beauty and whatnot.

So, what's the harm in stepping back the smallest bit and seeing daily life? "If he's anywhere specific, then it'd have to involve something recent, wouldn't it?" A chintap. There's not much more to go on, but the reports belied the obvious.

...There is an inkling of what might be going on, but. Regular student. "I think he'll show himself...Hopefully...Soon enough." Her confidence is waning!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
Speaking of strange transfer students, Alouette ''has'' decided to attend in person today, in her extremely layered overly frilly modification of the Jindai uniform. She doesn't pay too much attention to the going-ons around her at the beginning.. she doesn't really think Sousuke not attending is a huge mystery.

She also recognizes Seolla, who she'd last seen in Tsutsujidai. For some reason, she's a little anxious about directly approaching her.. but she's glad to see she seems to be faring better.

And she ''is'' happy to cover her when that red-haired boy approaches her for study help. "Oh, that? It's mostly just the basics... it's actually pretty simple. I can help run you through it if you'd like." And she does just that - listing off the concepts in as much detail as she finds appropriate. She smiles, earnest, as if intent of the boy went directly over her head... likely much to his chagrin.
%Once the lunch bell rings, the Sousuke situation seems to take a turn for the worse as a girl rushes in, claiming he disappeared with one of her friends. It's hard to put the dots together here, seeing as she doesn't know who Momoe-chan even is. And even Tessa is hardly confident about what happened.. he's up to something alright. "...Hmm. Let's slow down and start from the beginning, maybe. Did any of the missing people have something in particular planned for today? Maybe there's something that can link them all together.." She cups a finger on her chin thoughtfully.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
<poem>
Kaname Chidori's seat in Class 2-4 is also empty today; she, however, has an excuse. A school-endorsed excuse, in fact! As Student Council VP, prom season is a busy time, and the council is working hard on on their part in organizing the event.

Or, they SHOULD be.

While this girl from the prom committee runs off to yell at 2-4, Kaname Chidori knows exactly who to blame: Sousuke.

It's always Sousuke.

Those in the hall give her a very wide berth as she storms through, toward the classroom. Anyone who doesn't manage to get out of the way in time gets lifted by the collar and asked a single question, uttered with a bone-chilling calm, like a Terminator hunting a Connor:

"Where. Is. Sousuke Sagara."

</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<poem>
Alas, the boys of 2-4 are already well aware of girls with.......loud, personalities. They all attend class with Kaname Chidori, after all.

The pink-haired girl looks startled as Seolla closes fast (Bleach-blonde haired Kotaro Onodera goes flying from the shockwaves, it's kind of awesome honestly) and basically kabedons her against empty space. Like gravity increased a hundredthousand fold on her innocent, pure body.

"Uh, uhm!" she stammers, blushing for reasons she doesn't understand. "It's just...when things get weird around here it's always Sagara! There was that time he blew up Eri-chan's confession letter...and the time with the radio tower...........and the time with the security tower........and Live-Fire Dodgeball--it's usually him! Uhm, I was just walking to the club room with Momoe-chan since we were gonna go put the latest votes in the lockbox, and she suddenly stopped talking, and when I turned around it was like she was totally gone! I couldn't find her anywhere!"

Missing teacher...She tips her head at that. "I know Kagarazaka-sensei is out because she's still recovering from Sagara disassembling her car. Did the sub not show up, either?"

All she has to do is look around at the darkening eyes to guess that one. "Uhhh...I hadn't heard? Oh, we could check in the teachers room, then!"

Kaname, meanwhile, has both appeared and captured maybe the best person to ask about this stuff:

Shinji Kazama, Sousuke's quiet, mecha-pal friend, squeeks like he's been caught in a mouse trap. "I, uhm, he's just - He said something about securing the facility?? You know him he's probably emptying the trash cans..."

</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
<poem>
        There's nothing but PURE DETERMINED STEEL in Seolla's gaze as the Many Sins of Sousuke Sagara are recounted, and all she has to say is- "...Damn it. Things must be more hectic around here if someone as by the books as Sagara has to resort to measures like this just to keep the peace."

        Securing the facility presumably places Sousuke at the entrances, exits, or at strategic nearby vantage points, Seolla realizes. Biting her thumb, she whirls around, and clearly indicates to Tessa, "...Oy! I'm here to make sure ''you're'' secured, so now that things have become dire, you're coming with me!" And thus, Seolla's hoisting the captain up under her arm like a football, and marching o-

        ...wait that's Alouette. Seolla fidgets and flusters at place, before giving Alouette a terribly forced peace sign. "Thanks! For the assist! On physics! You're very clever. Uhhhh. Uhm!!! ...I didn't know you'd be here uh but hi! And bye! I've gotta resolve this before the threat facing Jindai comes to true terror!"

        And on her way out the door, still carting Tessa under one arm, Seolla marches straight past Kaname, only to whirl around in place, and lock eyes with the blue haired girl. "...damn it, that's right, you were in the dossier too. Right. Looks like I have no other choice. Chidori, until we can be assured this isn't a diversionary plot to make an attempt on your life and safety, you're coming with me."

        Hoist. Hup. Carry. There are now two Whispered in Seolla's arms, hoisted afield through Jindai's halls. It's astonishing how capable she is of sprinting to and from with these two in her grasp. "Sergeant Sagaraaaaaaaaaaaaa are you ANYWHERE HERE please-!" Juggling a radio from within her blouse, Seolla broadcasts on ~all wavelengths~, "IF YOU HAVE YOUR FLARE GUN IT'S THE TIME TO USE IT-!"

        nothing about this situation is poised to improve

</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
<poem>
The prom situation has been... complicated. A LOT of things have been complicated as of late. The people closest to Kallen at Ashford have been able to see it on her face. That something's bothering her. But she can't really talk about it. So... she's opted to get away for a bit. She's close... enough, to people in other schools. But they're less likely to ask those questions from her. So of course, the first opportunity that came up to do some work at one of the other schools for the day, she latched onto it. That it happened to be prom organizing and tedious paperwork that would require she slide over to Jindai for a day or two... Well, that's fine. Sousuke of all people DEFINITELY won't pry at her issues.

Of course, she failed to take into account the way Jindai... is. That this school is prone to events on a scale much like Ashford's own Parade of Nonsense. And she was having such a relaxed time too, somehow managing to avoid anything unusual or bizarre today. Right up until she hears the sound of somebody TEARING down the hallway, voice projecting impressively. She glances at people in the room, who... seem to hardly even be reacting to the commotion. "I'll go take a look at what's going on. Won't be long!"

And that's how she finds herself walking right out into Miss Seolla's Security March. A face she recognizes, but recalls being much more... sullen before? Well, it was the lockdown after all. "Oh. Are you a recent transfer here?" Maybe she'll relax and explain something when she sees other people trying to talk to her. Then again... she's carrying two girls under her arms, so... "Also before it slips past. Why are you carrying them that way? Is there some emergency I'm unaware of?"

Hopefully her purse-knife and hand to hand skills won't be necessary.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
<poem>
Kaname releases Shinji a few inches above the ground and lets out a much more human-sounding groan. "I'm gonna kill him," she grumbles... and then Seolla makes eye contact. She blinks. "Oh, you're--"

She doesn't manage to get a full sentence out of her mouth before she's snatched up off the ground, tossed over Seolla's shoulder beside Tessa... and then she remembers her own briefing on Seolla's role.

This is getting out of hand... now there are two of them!

'Angel' gives Seolla a smack on the head from behind with her harisen. "GodDAMMIT, do ANY of you know about opsec?!" she yells in a... very public way, herself. "Right, so he wasn't in class, then..." she says in Tessa's vague direction.

Looking over her shoulder, she waves. "Oh, hey. Uh, Kallen, right? Weeee're just looking for Sagara, and Ms. Schweizer here thinks Tessa and I we need protection." She rolls her eyes.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
<poem>
She was involved like all the rest, (un)fortunately. That, and she can't exactly spend all day being cryptic about Sousuke when he's being disruptive like this...Well, whatever plans she had in her docket (Read: basically none) went out the window anwyays!

"Eh?" The sole exclamation before being picked up and whisked away!? A kidnapping!? Consensual kidnapping!? She didn't exactly protest, but being held underhand did have her limply flailing for a bit. "Wait, I think tha-" ...This would solve the problem quicker, no? "...Carry on." For the better; Seolla having her own mindset was crucial to her own care.

And a wave to Alouette, only managing a light, embarrased grin. "Don't wait on my account...I think it'll be fine." What a display of unrefined confidence! ...There's no reports of him actually blowing up the school, so it'll be safe.

Right!?

That being said, she does greet Kaname with a wave, only for a pang of sympathy at being carried along as well. "Seolla..." ...Terrible opsec. "Try not to pull on-duty ranks, okay?" The light tilt of admonishment without trying to graze upon direct command.

"She's uh...What Kaname said, really. If everything's fine, we'll just have a light scare on our hands." Don't mention the time he evacuated the school. Multiple times.
SCENESYS: Ranka Lee has posted scene #283, 'Legend of Zero: B-Movie Killer Animal Rampage Part V', at 19:00 EST on 03/06.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
It takes a turn for the worse, and then it takes a turn for the crazy as Seolla PICKS UP Tessa like a football and starts for the exit before she notices Alouette. "...Ahaaa, no problem. And, ah.. I'm just an ordinary high school student. Of course I'd be here.." She states, very convincingly. "We'll have to catch up another time, but I'm pleased to see you're safe.. I think."

The same can't be said for Tessa, who to be fair, looks more chill than most about being picked up and carried across the room. "...Good luck, Tessa." She offers in sympathy, even if she's convinced it'll be fine.

And once Seolla is gone, Tessa still in tow, Alouette makes the decision against her better judgement to follow behind. Not at an urgent pace, but she's kind of curious. Is Jindai always this totally off-the-rails? From there, she stands back, tension relaxed, as Seolla makes Kaname the next victim of the deadly football-carry.

A sympathetic look for Kallen as she stumbles upon the situation as well. "...This is new to me too. I think they're just trying to find someone? If you've seen an Eri Kagurazaka, Sawada Momoe.. or ''especially'' a Sousuke Sagara, that'd probably be a lot of help in putting this chaos to rest." And maybe in convicing Soella that no, the school and its occupants are ''not'' in unspeakable danger.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<poem>
Students walk Seolla storm off physically carrying two people over her shoulders like bags of flour.

"Golly," Shinji stammers, adjusting his slightly crooked glasses.

"christ that's hot," Ono-D mumbles, newly awakened to something that will change his life.

Seolla thunders for a sign from the missing Sergeant. She puts out an emergency beacon using the all-wave radio!! Truly, it's a sign of incredible urgency!!

Several long, tense seconds pass as Seolla presumably sends students pinwheeling on her charge.

And then a flare launches out from the direction of one of the equipment buildings in the corner of campus!

It's not hard to ''get'' there, of course, but arrival reveals a familiar sight at Jindai High:

People milling around a mundane facility that has been marked 'INTERROGATION IN PROGRESS - KEEP OUT' for no obvious reason.

"We need the hurdles for gym," a young man mutters, sighing. "Jeeze, what is he doing in there?"

Inside the building someone yelps "NO NO NO I'LL TELL YOU ANYTHING AHHHHH"

"Seriously, since when did we rent this out to the roleplay club?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
<poem>
        Astonishingly, Seolla is only capable of moving ''faster'' carrying the weight of two people once the call sign is clearly displayed, sprinting out to the direction of the equipment building. It looms overhead with ominous an aura - the screams of the innocent belting out from deep with-

        "SERGEANT SAGARA I SAW THE FLARE AND GOT HERE AT ONCE WHO ARE WE INTERROGATING - Unless you're being interrogated yourself-? ? ? If you are then - jeez, stop that, dummy, you know like 30 different ways to break out of captivity I'm sure-!"

        Within the safety and sanctity of Sousuke Sagara's Intel Extraction Chamber, Seolla ''finally'' sets Tessa and Kaname down - oh right! "Chidori-san! ...right. We haven't met yet. I'm Seolla. Just transfered here. Primary duty is to make sure no harm befalls Tessa! But I'll do all I can to protect" ---she's certainly insistent on just Calling Her By First Name- "...Also, please teach me the secrets of that seemingly ordinary paper fan. It was so fierce and powerful that the back of my head is still ringing. I'd like to learn your technique."

        At the sight of Alouette and Kallen following, Seolla's clearly very very protective of Tessa there, jumping in front of her with arms wide spread - then quickly flicking her wrists to deploy ~mysterious rubberized handles~ from each sleeve. Thankfully, though, she relaxes, at these familiar sights. "...right, I suppose...both of you...kinda...first met me, when I was, uhm. ...Look, I'll just leave it as that I was rather sapped on power during those times. When on a mission I promise I'll be firing on all cylinders! ...speaking of which would any of you have any idea why exactly there's interrogation going on in here...?"
BBSYS: Post 717, 'WHY NOT: Knights of the Round!' has been published to Character Pitches by Cornelia li Britannia.
SCENESYS: Scene '717' not found.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
<poem>
Of course, Kallen has NOT spotted Sousuke all day. Which presents the obvious issue with telling anyone where he is. At the same time... she doesn't exactly seem like she's incredibly surprised right now? Seolla being here is the most shocking thing, really.

But then. They, and he, don't know she's aware he's actually military. Instead of just an... enthusiast. She was about to explain even, that she'll help them find their missing students... Of course this is the point when a flare gun ACTUALLY GOES OFF, bathing the Interrogation Room in its light. She glances at Alouette, and offers a hand to her. "Kallen Stadtfeld. I'm an Ashford student, here helping organize the... extensive preparations for the multi-school prom." As if the uniform didn't give that first part away. "You'll get used to some... unusual goings on, I promise."

And only a few minutes later, they're all standing at the interrogation room. Where Kallen is just shaking her head in disappointment. "I understand. Those were trying times for all of us. I hope you're doing better now Miss Seolla. I may go to another school, but I'm always happy to help if needed." She offers a bright, friendly smile for a moment, but then... "Though... do you really need...?" She gestures with a hand at the two handles poking out from the girl's sleeves. Oh this one's got secrets too. And she's just as bad at hiding them as Sousuke is. What is with high schools and shockingly well-trained kids with shady backgrounds!? And what was even the point of her old sickly girl cover to begin with, if people do this so openly!?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
<poem>
She is, of course, lightly perturbred by the sudden onset of events happening. Being carried away is a DEFCON One situation all on its own; With Kaname, DEFCON...Minus One? Whatever the case may be, it was only that she was Tessa's bodyguard that didn't result in What Would Be Massive Property Damage Everywhere. Hopefully.

She does brace herself against Seolla, resigning herself to be carried along to the equipment building, eyes naturally following the flare and noting the crowd. All as said in the reports, all the usual. Even the screams barely noted a rise out of her: Clearly, in the reports, stuff like this was "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques intended to extract information from uncooperative but critical targets of notice". Obviously. Okay, a little concerned.

Set down, she takes the few seconds to dust herself off, allowing Seolla to take the lead in introductions. She has that down to something, which is better than Tessa's plans of "she's The Sousuke For Myself" that she originally planned to go along with.

"Ah, you don't have to be so reactive in school..." Not one, but two bodyguards clearly invested in protecting her and Angel. ...It'll be fine. She gives a light bow of apology towards Kallen and Alouette. Don't worry, don't worry, this is perfectly normal and fine. "That being said, it should be Sousuke in there, wouldn't you say so?"

...She can hear the screams just as clear as anything. "...The roleplay club? What are they roleplaying? A Titans base?"

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
<poem>
"Huh?" Kaname asks at Seolla's request, looking at the paper fan in her hand. "Uh, sure," she replies, as if she's not sure what exactly the girl means...

But the moment she's set down, Kaname twirls around on her heel, kicks the door to the equipment room off its hinges, and &#42;launches&#42; off the ground, impacting Sousuke in the side of the head with both feet. A clarion call resounds throughout the school grounds, as Kaname yells out, "SOUSUKE, YOU DUMBASS!!!"

"An INTERROGATION?!" she yells once she's on the floor once again. "What the FUCK are you doing?"

She brandishes her harisen at him, seeming to imply that if this gets in the way of prom, it's going up his ass.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
A flare gun suddenly signals, onto an ''interrogation room''? At this point, it's hard to even be surprised by the happenings at this school. And so, everyone makes their way to that interrogation room to find out what Sousuke could possibly be up to.

Alouette ''immediately'' tenses up as Soella goes into bodyguard mode, and relaxes as Seolla proceeds to deflate. "We might've gotten off to the wrong start, haven't we? I don't hold it against you but.. I'm glad you can remember, at least." The memory part was what she was most strongly worried about when Soella's situation become known. "As for the interrogation.. that's probably Sagara's fault, isn't it?" A small sigh.

Kallen introduces herself and extends an arm toward, which Alouette takes for a short handshake. "Alouette Pommier. It's nice to meet you, Mademoiselle Kallen." The mention of prom gets her to perk up a little. "A multi-school prom.. sounds like it's going to be chaotic." She can't imagine just how much work that must be for Kallen and the others. "Exciting too, though. I think some of my friends are really looking forward to it." She smiles.
%Alouette waves her hands out, as if to assure Tessa no worries when she bows in apology. "If I'm going to attend more often.. it seems like this is just the perfect crash-course on what to expect." She giggles lightly. "Rule number one being not to panic when a girl sweeps you off your feet."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<poem>
Seolla charges up like a mighty steed and sets Tessa and Kaname free. Everyone around looks at each other with a slight concern that oh no there is in fact a second one.

The crew around the equipment room back off a little, because Kaname has arrived and the situation will now be resolved in the traditional fashion.

The door flies off the hinges. Within is a sight of unimaginable terror. Tanigawa-sensei, the first-string substitute for 2-4, is unconscious on a crash mat, eyes rolled up in his head, his shirt buttoned open precariously.

Sawada Momoe is strapped to the arms of a gymnastics horse, fear in her big, wide eyes. Looming over her is Sousuke Sagara, who does not get to explain himself in the 14 frames between the door flying open and Kaname's flying double jump kick  creaming him in the side of the head. He makes a loud "HWOARG" as he tumbles into a pile of field cones and mixed-use sport javelins.

"That hurt," he reports, as if he were in no pain whatsoever, and sits up, eyes staring at the point of her harisen like it were a real sword.

"I received an unexpected communication as part of my homework packet this morning," he says, simply. "Fearing it might be a proscription list accidentally slipped into my belongings by an unknown party - or, worse, an unknown party signalling they had penetrated my identity and moving to challenge me - I moved immediately to seek all possible information. As it happens, I have been studying up on nonviolent forms of interrogation, and felt it an optimal time to put those skills to use."

Next to the gymnastics horse is a bag of goose feathers.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
<poem>
        The mystery is unveiled. The culprit is made clear! (it was clear to everyone the moment Sousuke was missing) The scheme has been-

        -hang on-

        -give it a minute-

        Seolla is, perhaps, struck by a bit of a dazed stillness. A circular icon practically hovers in front of the blank look she's giving to the sight. tsun.exe loading. 34%. 39%.

        An intermission - "Hoh! Nice kick, Chidori! ...Jindai's full of kinda amazing people, huh? Even a cool and cute genius like Miss Alouette-" ('miss alouette??')

        ---47%. 54%. She's gonna be processing this situation for a little while. Please be patient!

        "-right. Ah. The only thing I can imagine is that a super miscommunication has happened. Uhhhm. I don't think Momoe-chan is. Exactly. A terrorist. Or a paramilitary. Probably not. ---are you!?" She asks Momoe this with complete and total earnestness - while, gratefully, stepping in closer to start undoing the ties on her straps. "...Uhm. Don't make a whole lotta sudden moves, please? ...I mean I ''guess'' it's a good instinct to run off screaming but uh. ...uhm. Uh!"

        After at least setting the hostage free, Seolla's scratching at her cheek in frustration, before settling on gently prodding and squishing Sousuke's cheek with the rear end of one of the javelins. "...I may have underestimated that you can be a bit of a dummy, as competent as you were back then. If you're gonna tie a bunch of people up and interrogate them, you really need an assistant to take point and clear out onlookers! There's a whole crowd out there basically wondering what's going on in here, mou!" -no Seolla you started off so reasonable-

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
<poem>
To say this scene is a headache would be an understatement. Of course Kallen knows by this point, that certain people tend to go... overboard. She's heard about last year's pitfall traps at this point. And will be endeavoring to MAKE SURE THERE ISN'T A REPEAT PERFORMANCE. However. The sheer scope and frequency of these events may have evaded her. Particularly given everything else that's been going on.

Still, she's among friends and future friends. Probably. Hopefully she doesn't get into knife-fights with any of them while wearing a mask. "Chaos is expected. Ashford always hosted events that were... perhaps the proper word is 'wild'. Partnering with so many schools has only strengthened that. But they're also a good time. And you can wind up learning so much. About others. About yourself... Well. I'm definitely nothing like the person I was a year ago."

Kaname tearing the doors off their hinges doesn't even surprise at this point. She's seen enough from her by now, if somebody told Kallen this girl was secretly an underground boxing champion, perhaps with the stagename of Hurricane Harisen, she'd believe that. "Hmm. I'll call the repair staff to fix the door once this has been settled. Still, it seems we've all found our missing people."

Sousuke is steadily explaining the what, of these events. As Kallen's eyes trail over the 'nonviolent torture equipment'. Has Sousuke been... tickling people for information? Tar and feathering would be too painful to count as nonviolent after all. Still, she'll offer her thoughts. "Sousuke. Could you show us what the letter was?" She's pretty sure she knows exactly what it is. "Because this MAY in fact be our fault. The misunderstanding anyway. Ashford sent out something to every school we're affiliated with." He's not getting off the hook, but explaining the possible origin would go far in helping him understand what happened.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
<poem>
She's seen this song and dance before. Sousuke does something. Kaname cleans it up. It's a slight mood-booster to the day, actually; It's something she can watch and poke at for her own fun, and no one's really the wiser in Jindai about what the trio is actually about.

...The fact that there's more people getting involved only made the experience...Funner?

That being said, she is slightly amazed at how easily the door comes flying off. It crashes to the side, a newly crumpled door that's been delegated to a life of being known as A Useless Door. Fight, Door-kun!

She does peek inside. The sight of someone strapped down to a gym horse elicits a few seconds of staring. ...Really, those bindings look tight. And the network of ropes...But expertly done, too. She'll look it up later.

That ''also'' being said, she does manage a smile on confirming everyone's there. "So it's just the prom stuff? I did see that in the packet, but it's still a bit far away...Were you thinking it was a hitlist?"

...Wait. "Or were you trying to influence the results?" That's the more obvious junction.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
<poem>
Kaname's eyebrows twitch, and she resists the urge to just smack him again; Kallen asks the question she was about to. It's certainly a good thing that her ire is reserved for Jindai's foremost Military Nut.

Seolla, then, starts talking about the &#42;possibility&#42; of Momoe being an enemy operative, and then offering to be Sousuke's assistant and lookout. Kaname's head seems to RATCHET AROUND to look at Seolla, her eyes aglow, face cast in shadow.

On second thought, maybe not exclusively for him.

Tessa brings her out of her rage-fueled fugue, though, explaining exactly what it was Sousuke probably saw, and she shakes her head, puffing out a sigh. She knows Sousuke well enough to know it's probably closer to the first than the second. Either way, though, she perches her harisen on her shoulder. "Can one of you untie Momoe-san? I promise, she's not an enemy operative."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<poem>
Sousuke is tremendously grateful for Seolla's level head and serious consideration of the most dire possibilities. "We can't discount it," Sousuke says, earnestly. "She has resisted mightily. It's the skills of a pro."

Momoe nods rapidly at Seolla because ANYTHING THAT LETS HER LEAVE EVENTUALLY YES THANK YOU

Tessa asks him a question, and so does Kallen. He nods, and produces from his back pocket the offending form.

...yep, that's the prom voting form.

"Student council elections are a ways off, and Tanigawa-sensei appeared suspicious when offering it to me," he notes. "As if I would take particular interest. Of course, such signals are used frequently to indicate discrete attempts at threats or blackmail."

Momoe ducks behind Kaname as soon as she's free, wibbling precariously. "Miss Kaname no offense but I really hope he dies single," she says, peeking out from behind the Student Council VP.

Sousuke does not react to receiving the Killing Curse.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
Even after Seolla's show of strength in carrying two girls around, Kaname isn't to be bested as she ''kicks down the door'' out of sheer rage for Sousuke, and he is sent flying before he can even explain himself. And with that, literally everyone's theory is proven correct as the other missing people are in varying states of 'non-violent torture' in the interrogation room.

But before she can take in that wild sight for what it is, she has to momentarily turn away as her cheeks flush slightly red at Seolla's compliment. She's still not very used to being seen that way! But yeah.. Jindai being full of 'kinda amazing people' is an understatement in its own right, where the strength of pro wrestlers comes naturally to high school girls.

Kallen reminds her that chaos is to be expected, citing Ashford's events. "Right, right.. I actually paid the school a visit the other day, and even acquainted myself with one 'Miss Prez'." Alouette nods. "Even if she was still recovering.. I definitely got the sense that she cares a lot about these events, and that the chaos only makes it better." Not to mention that it makes it easier to conduct school-wide intelligence operations - god, Sousuke would have a field day with ''that'', wouldn't he? "I think it's important, too. Learning and growing.. at least I've changed a lot too." She agrees, wistfully.

And finally, she turns her attention to the Sagara situation. "The packet...? Ah that - that was just voting for the school dance they call the prom. Short for promenade I think? The couple-voting tends to be highly anticipated.. which is probably why it's happening so early." She did a little bit of research on school functions, and maybe that would've done Sousuke some good too. "Non-violent or not, maybe it would've been better to ask someone before immediately turning to the torture methods.." She sighs, but also can't help but laugh at the sheer severity of such a mundane situation. "Besides that, I'd guess the only reason he thought you would be interested is because you're serious about playing bodyguard for not one but two girls."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
<poem>
        ...The idea of a 'prom' is a bit out of Seolla's league - really she's bewildered by a lot of things at school, but doing her best to...navigate through it. (Not much stock is being taken in her grades so to speak - they really just want her to be in some sort of social setting...)

        -Kaname's glare does make Seolla skitter backwards, grimacing and wide-eyed, backing towards Tessa as something of a reliable island of stability. Who's guarding who here?! On that topic- "...Oh! Right, part of why they especially wanted me to enroll here is to take that much off of Sagara's plate! Really, it's pretty logical to have two VIPs defended by two guards, just in case they try to play us off one another. Sagara's pretty impressive, but, at the same time-"

        Blinkblink. Steam rising from Seolla's ears. "...Hang on, you totally - left the VIPs unannouncedly in my care!? Honestly, unbelievable that you went off on a tangent like this...that's a hairy situation, if you're entrusting me to keep watch on them both, just like you were-! It's like you were assuming I could handle all the responsibilities that you were...that you were..."

        "...That you were handling this whole time...ah! Now I understand! That's our team dynamic! With two of us on hand, one can be on vigil to ensure Tessa and Chidori don't get ambushed, while the other can investigate external plots that might overwhelm ordinary human perception. Sagara, that's brilliant! It'd be brilliant if you weren't such a dummy about it this time around!"

        --it's almost ''impressive'' how seamless she is mirroring Kaname and Sousuke alike-
Kaname Chidori says, "I don't blame you," Kaname mutters to Momoe, snatching the page from Sousuke, looking at it briefly, and passing it back to the others for their own edification. "I'm... really sorry about him," she says, allowing Momoe to hide behind her as necessary."
Kaname Chidori says, "Sousuke..." Her tone turns a bit mroe sympathetic. "the form is for voting on the couple that'll be prom king and queen." A brief pause. "Or king and king, or queen and queen. It's just meaningless popularity thing, mostly." She shakes her head. "But it's an important part of prom tradition!" She taps her harisen on her shoulder a couple of times."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
<poem>
"I don't blame you," Kaname mutters to Momoe, snatching the page from Sousuke, looking at it briefly, and passing it back to the others for their own edification. "I'm... really sorry about him," she says, allowing Momoe to hide behind her as necessary.

"Sousuke..." Her tone turns a bit mroe sympathetic. "the form is for voting on the couple that'll be prom king and queen." A brief pause. "Or king and king, or queen and queen. It's just meaningless popularity thing, mostly." She shakes her head. "But it's an important part of prom tradition!" She taps her harisen on her shoulder a couple of times.

The fact that Sousuke might not know what prom IS hasn't entered her mind.

She groans at Seolla's conclusions, head tilting back as she does. To Momoe, exasperated, she explains, "Seolla's another military nut who thinks me and Tessa need special protection. But don't worry, she's not gonna do shit like this."

Her head tilts toward Ms. Schweizer, and she smiles. "Right?"

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
<poem>
        The light absoluely fades from Seolla's eyes at that overwhelmingly gleaming, assertive smile of Kaname's. It is, unfortunately, her superhero-like weakness. Knees have become jello. She's falling. She's tumbling. Tsun down. Spirals in her eyes. She's a pile on the floor emitting smoke.

        "O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-of course I won't. Gyaaaaaaah..."
</poem>