<KiruGM> Good evening.
<KiruGM> The sun has set, and it looks like the cooler air is presaging one of Ohtori's spring storms.
<KiruGM> Most of the party is gathered outside the Ohtori Gallery, in preparation for one of Chuck's parties.
<KiruGM> Kamiko, you've been to several of these. The rest of you have barely even considered it, since it's common knowledge that anyone but seniors will be chased out of the Ohtori Gallery immediately.
<KiruGM> First, a brief interlude to explain how Kseniya came to be here.
<KiruGM> Kseniya, when you came out of the pool after lifeguarding the younger students' swimming lessons, you found Issei waiting for you, looking sickly and pale.
<KiruGM> He had a bandage around his left arm.
<Issei> Hi sempai.
* Issei rubs his eyes blearily.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Issei-kun! What happened to your arm?"
<Issei> Oh, it's okay. One of the older girls said I should come with her, and not to tell anybody.
<Issei> But I think it's okay to tell /you/, because you're my best friend.
<Issei> She said it was for a special project, and not to worry.
* Kseniya_Opasnost leans in for confidentiality.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> It's always okay to tell me things. What did the older girl do?
<Issei> She took some of my blood with a needle.
<Issei> it went into this bag. I always thought it would be red, but it was real dark!
<Kseniya_Opasnost> She shouldn't have done that without a teacher around, Issei. There are forms and things.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> Which girl was it?
<Issei> She said Dr. Weyland told her it was okay.
<Issei> I don't know, one of the senior girls.
<Issei> She was pretty tall.
* Kseniya_Opasnost makes sure not to frown at Issei while thinking about this.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> I'll talk to Dr. Weyland about it.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> If anyone tries this again, make sure an actual teacher says it's okay. Only real doctors should use needles like that.
* Issei smiles at Kseniya tiredly
<Issei> Okay, sempai.
<Issei> Thanks for talking to me!
<KiruGM> The sun is just setting as you head over to Valpurgis to see Dr. Weyland.
<KiruGM> He looks to be grading papers or something. A large stack of paper sits on his desk, and he is carefully studying it and making notes.
* DrWeyland looks up as the door opens
<DrWeyland> "Ah, Kseniya. What can I do for you?"
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "A boy I tutor has had someone taking far too much blood from him. And apparently she convinced him to do this by saying you'd given permission."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Do you have any idea who might be running around sticking children with needles this way?"
* DrWeyland takes off his reading glasses.
<DrWeyland> "This sounds very serious. No, I have no idea who the girl could be."
* DrWeyland gets up and checks the lab's supply room.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Then I'm glad I came to you first, so that you're aware of what's going on."
<DrWeyland> "Sure enough, some hypos and tubing are missing. Hm."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "He couldn't name the girl, but he might be able to identify her if we can figure out who's likely."
<DrWeyland> "Who was this boy?"
<DrWeyland> "I'll need names for reporting these accusations to the administration."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "The boy was Issei, in fourth grade. I hope we can take care of this without upsetting him. He's already been injured."
* DrWeyland nods.
<DrWeyland> "I'm sorry to hear about the boy's injuries. I'll report this straight away. Meanwhile, if you'd like to ask some of the senior girls, I know they gather at the Gallery on Fridays."
<DrWeyland> "Disgusting business, really."
* DrWeyland turns back to his grading.
<KiruGM> For this reason, Kseniya meets the rest of you at the threshold of Ohtori Gallery at 10 PM.
<KiruGM> The party's been going a little while now, but hasn't really hit its peak.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "You see, by arriving late, we show that we are not over eager."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "I was just busy with more important things first."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Oh! Keseniya, you weren't with us this whole time? Goodness, we might have left you behind!"
<Kita_Kiyone> "It's nice to see you though, Kseniya-chan."
* Inoki_Aoi nods amiably at Kseniya
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko looks at her student council's apparel with a critical eye.
<KiruGM> Well, it can be hard to know how to dress for these things.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Faust-san, could you be a little less... rigid?"
* Kseniya_Opasnost nods around, looking a little distracted still.
* Kita_Kiyone dressed somewhat casually, denim skirt, boots, high-collar shirt and jacket. I mean, this "Chuck"-sempai is an American.
<KiruGM> Faust is coming to the party after his victory at the dueling arena. He may be a little tired.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "And Inoki-san, could you be MORE rigid? You look like you're ready to swoon into Chuck-kun's very arms."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Kiyone-san! Undo one more button on your shirt! This isn't Mass! Kseniya, at least *pretend* you enjoy having fun!"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko claps her hands. "It's all I can do with what I was given. Let's make an appearance, my council!"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko strides into the party without looking to see if any of the other students are following.
* Kita_Kiyone 's eyebrow twitches at Shimabukruo-sempai's comment.
<Inoki_Aoi> "I shall do my best to avoid other's arms, Kamiko-sempai."
* Inoki_Aoi smiles blandly.
<KiruGM> You cross over into the foy er of the Ohtori Gallery. Your senses are assaulted with a room that is nearly all red velvet, from the curtains to the furnishings. It is decorated in the Regency style, and Chuck cuts an imposing figure within.
<KiruGM> Chuck is vast, and dressed to match the room, in a striped red suit voluminously and extravagantly cut. He wears a loosened school tie and a grin nearly as wide as he is.
<Chuck> "Welcome! The Student Council!"
* Kita_Kiyone internally thinks, "oh look, the school brothel", but smiles politely at Chuck-sempai as she enters.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Chuck-san! We simply could not miss one of your celebrated fetes!"
<Chuck> "Hey, I didn't think all you guys would come. Can I get everyone a drink?"
* MaxFaust looks around
<MaxFaust> "Thank you. This is not at all what I expected."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko smiles, and bows to Chuck. "Please, we have all worked up a noble thirst today."
* Chuck picks up five red plastic cups from an adjacent table.
<Chuck> "One for the beautiful Kamiko, have a good time for once, heh heh heh"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko 's smile doesn't waver.
<Chuck> "One for Kiyone--hey, you can't train all the time, right?"
<Kita_Kiyone> "T-thank you, sempai."
<Chuck> "Aoi and Max, you guys have a great time. Try and see the whole Gallery!"
<Chuck> "And one for Kseniya. You take little sips now, you hear?"
* Chuck smiles avuncularly.
* Inoki_Aoi looks from one end of the foyer to the other.
<Inoki_Aoi> "A lengthy task, Chuck-sempai."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko sips her drink, surveying the crowd from over the rim of her cup.
<KiruGM> This room has four doors that you can see.
<KiruGM> One to the northwest, one to the north, one to the east, and the entryway you just passed through.
<KiruGM> The drinks are a mild lager beer.
* Kseniya_Opasnost does take little sips. It's just good policy.
* MaxFaust sips, makes a face
<MaxFaust> "This is more like what I expected."
* Kita_Kiyone watches Chuck and Kseniya carefully, loops her arm around Kseniya's. "How about you join me, Kseniya-chan?"
* Kseniya_Opasnost tries to look less concerned about things, this being a party and all.
<Chuck> "Hey, you guys, get out of here. I'm still greeting people! Don't want everyone hanging out in one room."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Of course, Kita-chan."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko meanders to the northwest.
* Kita_Kiyone starts walking towards the east door.
<KiruGM> The door to the east is locked.
<Kita_Kiyone> "Tch."
<KiruGM> The door to the northwest is open, and you can see a large reception room, similarly decorated but in a lighter tone.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko stands in the doorway, assessing the crowd.
* MaxFaust pushes past while finishing off the cup
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Are you looking for something, Kita?"
* Kita_Kiyone walks to the northwest, Kseniya still in tow, passing by Shimabukuro-sempai.
<KiruGM> There's a small crowd here, but all nonentities as far as the Student Council is concerned.
<Kita_Kiyone> "No, no, nothing to look for here."
<KiruGM> There's also a buffet, all fruit. Starfruit and peeled white grapes and sliced apples.
<Kita_Kiyone> She smiles, then adds quietly, "honestly, I just didn't like the way sempai was looking at you."
<KiruGM> The reception room is decorated with large portraits of the former school heads. There are doors to the east, northeast, and the one you just came through to the south.
* Kseniya_Opasnost glances back over her shoulder. "He was being awfully...American."
* MaxFaust eats a grape. With clear remorse.
<MaxFaust> "This doesn't seem very American either. No hotdogs or chipzendip?"
* MaxFaust sighs
<Inoki_Aoi> "The beer seems very American."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko waves briefly to any of the guests who may notice her, but she's already moving towards the east door.
* Kita_Kiyone has been very carefully not drinking.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "It's very American beer."
* Kita_Kiyone looks at her juniors Max, Aoi and Kseniya, trying to keep out of earshot of Shimabukuro-sempai.
* Kseniya_Opasnost tries some starfruit to get the beer taste out of her mouth.
<KiruGM> The room to the east is very white and diffusely bright, and there's something round on the walls.
<Kita_Kiyone> "So, how're you three finding the student council so far?"
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "It's exciting to get a chance to make a real change at the school."
<MaxFaust> "I didn't expect there to be fighting."
* MaxFaust shrugs
<Inoki_Aoi> "That was a bit of a surprise, yes."
<Kita_Kiyone> "Yes, the fighting..."
<Kita_Kiyone> "You've all been part of that already, haven't you?"
<Inoki_Aoi> "One never entirely knows what to expect at Ohtori, I am finding."
* MaxFaust shudders
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "The fighting was also exciting, in a somewhat different manner."
<KiruGM> Kamiko, you can now see that the room to the east is dedicated to the Ohtori clan's ceramics manufacturing, a highly profitable business which funded the construction of the school after the war.
<KiruGM> Pottery of various eras is affixed up the walls, giving them the look of tables turned on their sides.
* Kita_Kiyone sighs, "I'm going to go take a look around as well."
<KiruGM> Most is the famous Ohtori "eggshell" china, painted with variations of the Rose Crest, but there is also some earlier work.
<Kita_Kiyone> "Please be careful about how much you drink?"
<KiruGM> You can also see that there's only one person in this room, goth Haruka, looking like an ink splatter on a white page.
* Kita_Kiyone walks off to follow Shimabukuro-sempai, leaving her cup behind.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Haruka-san! Why are you cloistered away? And where are your ducklings?"
* Kseniya_Opasnost is keeping her full cup of beer with her, and using it as camoflauge now.
<Haruka> "Oh. It's you."
<Haruka> "I was just looking at the Korean pottery. Did you know that when they kidnapped the artisans, the Japanese soldiers would cut off all the noses of the rest of their village and deliver them to their commanding officers?"
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "How distasteful. Who would want a /Korean's/ nose?"
* Haruka gives Kamiko an appraising look, then turns to Kiyone.
<Haruka> "How you holding up, anyway? I heard about your coach. Rough stuff."
<Kita_Kiyone> "I'm fine, sempai, thank you for asking. I mean, it was a shock, certainly, but someone had to do something about it."
<Haruka> "And your teammate, the one that got molested. Is she okay?"
* Kita_Kiyone stands quiet for a few moments.
* Inoki_Aoi stands quietly in the background, wincing slightly.
* MaxFaust catches up
<MaxFaust> "What's going on? What's wrong? Did someone break something?"
<Kita_Kiyone> "It's not really my concern how she feels. She had to know what she was getting into."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Well! I must go check up on my own ducklings! I will leave you two to your girl talk!"
* Haruka shrugs
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko leans over and whispers into Kita's ear as she leaves, "Try and sell her on our plans for Nemuro!"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko attempts to shoo the boys away.
* Kita_Kiyone looks back at Shimabukuro-sempai, then back at Haruka.
<Kita_Kiyone> "It seems we made them all awkward."
* Haruka has turned back to the pottery and is ignoring everyone.
<MaxFaust> "It's really white in here. I can't tell how far away anything is."
<KiruGM> One thing on the walls is different from the others.
<KiruGM> It's flat and reflects the whiteness of the room dully. At first you thought it was a plate, but it's a polished metal mirror.
* Kita_Kiyone takes a closer look at the mirror.
<KiruGM> You see your own face, slightly blurred. You seem to be covered in some kind of thick red lines, like lipstick.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Is that one of those one-way mirrors?"
<KiruGM> A thin serpent's tongue juts rapidly from between your lips and waves briefly.
* Kita_Kiyone touches her face, then steps backward when she notices the tongue.
<KiruGM> Kseniya, you see your own face, as normal.
<KiruGM> You're looking quite young tonight.
<Kita_Kiyone> "Whatever it is, I don't care for it."
* Kseniya_Opasnost studies the mirror a moment longer.
* Kseniya_Opasnost goes to find someplace to leave her beer.
<KiruGM> It's definitely making your eyes look bigger and your face rounder and softer.
<KiruGM> Probably a bit warped with age.
<KiruGM> There was only one exit to the white room, back into the large reception room.
<KiruGM> Kiyone, when you enter, you see a familiar blonde figure.
* MaxFaust shakes his head at all the vanity and returns to the reception room
* AltheaStonewall looks a bit frail and lost, with one of the red cups in her hand.
* AltheaStonewall spots Kiyone and moves over to her.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "The beer isn't very good, is it?"
* Kita_Kiyone thinks, "why did she have to come?", before turning around, trying to figure out what to do before Althea walks over.
<AltheaStonewall> H-hey Kiyo-chan.
<AltheaStonewall> "How's it going? This...seems like a good party..."
<AltheaStonewall> "Are you still mad at me?"
<Kita_Kiyone> Kiyone continues facing away from Althea, her hands held tight. She looks up and sighs.
<Kita_Kiyone> "Please don't make a scene, Althea-san."
* AltheaStonewall hangs her head
<AltheaStonewall> "I don't see anybody anymore....I feel like I'm going crazy."
<AltheaStonewall> "I know what I did to you was wrong, and I wanted to say how sorry I am...please, please talk to me again."
*five minutes elapse*
<Kita_Kiyone> Kiyone turns around, coldy looking past Althea. "Well, maybe you should have thought about the consequences beforehand, Althea-san. I can't... I won't be associated with all of what you brought down."
* AltheaStonewall is tearing up.
<AltheaStonewall> " I never meant to hurt you!"
* AltheaStonewall swigs her entire cup in one and runs out of the room to the south, towards the entrance.
* Kita_Kiyone crosses her arms and stamps her foot. "Idiot girl, I said not to make a scene."
* MaxFaust laughs
<MaxFaust> "We've only been here fifteen minutes. Fast work."
<KiruGM> Everyone turns back to their own conversations, while still clearly keeping an eye on you.
* Inoki_Aoi winces again.
<KiruGM> If you'd like to get the hell out of here, there's a door to the northeast.
* Kita_Kiyone glares at Max, and then looks at the crowd's eyes on her. She stalks towards the northeastern door.
<Inoki_Aoi> "I would think someone who spends so much time in three-minute segments wouldn't be surprised by how much damage can occur in fifteen."
<MaxFaust> "This is great. I can't wait to see who runs off crying next."
* MaxFaust swaps his empty cup with someone's unattended full one
* Kseniya_Opasnost has another grape, and then follows Kita more slowly.
* MaxFaust glares at them for a looooong five seconds
* MaxFaust follows the pack
<KiruGM> The room to the northeast is a much calmer one, unfurnished and without windows.
<KiruGM> The walls are yellow-green, papered with twining vines, and a row of paintings goes down each wall.
<KiruGM> You're in an area that generally isn't open to students, but has clearly been unlocked for the party.
<KiruGM> Each of the paintings is a watercolor or pastel rendering of a nude youth reclining or twisting in a tortured way.
<KiruGM> Ayone, the school's art freak, is stalking from painting to painting with her camera.
<KiruGM> She isn't wearing shoes or socks.
* Kita_Kiyone is rubbing her eyes with her palm, trying to look at the paintings without really focusing on what they depict. It's hard.
<Ayone> "Beautiful, aren't they? And they're worth a fucking mint."
<MaxFaust> "I suppose. You're not using a flash, I hope?"
<MaxFaust> "Are they by a famous artist or something?"
<Ayone> "Hah! Of course not, just a long exposure. They're all by a bunch of the Ohtori clan ladies, over the years. Old as fuck, some of them."
<Ayone> "I guess since it's been a school so long, some of them ended up--"
* Ayone makes an obscene gesture and whistling noise.
<Kita_Kiyone> "The Ohtori family certainly has a theme going for themselves."
<Ayone> "Lemme show you the oldest one. I think they're all takeoffs, after that."
* Kita_Kiyone follows Ayone to the oldest one.
* Ayone motions you to a painting between the south and southeast doors. It's an inkwash, and looks very brittle and yellowed.
<Ayone> "This is from like 1605. So you can guess how pervy it looked back then."
<KiruGM> The painting depicts a light-haired, light-eyed young man, staring out at the viewer and leaning backward on some ornate cushions.
<KiruGM> He is completely naked and his legs are sprawled apart. He looks a great deal more relaxed than the rest of the paintings, in fact.
* Kita_Kiyone blushes a bit.
<Ayone> "I'm gonna do versions of all of these in a newer medium. Maybe video?"
* Ayone gives each of you a once-over as potential subject material.
<Ayone> "Hey, Max, how you doin'?"
<Ayone> "I can see you in all your boxing gear, right...Maybe with bloody knuckles?"
* MaxFaust avoids eye contact
<Kita_Kiyone> "Putting a video of nude underage students is more than a bad idea."
* MaxFaust drinks deeply from the cup
* Ayone rolls her eyes
<Ayone> "Do you feel underage? It's just an excuse for warehousing you until you learn to be compliant."
<Ayone> "We can do anything we like."
<Kita_Kiyone> "And I'm saying you /can't/. There have to be rules, limitations, even if we don't necessarily like them."
<MaxFaust> "So, uh...he doesn't look Japanese. Or something."
* Ayone scoffs at Kita
* Kita_Kiyone looks at Faust.
<Ayone> "Yeah, I don't know. Usually the artists of that period drew their guys with dark hair, so maybe he was Portuguese or something."
<Kita_Kiyone> "It's probably from the Dutch period."
* MaxFaust nods knowingly
<MaxFaust> "Ah yes, the Dutch."
<Ayone> "Anyway, you ever wanna model, you give me a call."
* Ayone shoots Max a gun gesture
* MaxFaust flinches
<KiruGM> To either side of this painting there is a door, one to a light-colored room and one to a darker one.
* Kita_Kiyone eyes Ayone. She's going to be troublesome. She then looks at the doors and decides to move on to the darker room.
Part 2
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