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[IamanElfCollaborator]

If Kanade picks up on Shiro's family issues, she doesn't show it. Damn actresses.
"Well, by your logic, I shouldn't be helping an Akari. But here we are."
"I see someone in need of help, I want to help them. Even if they do kinda have a hate-on for me, have been looking at me like they kinda want to strangle me and suspect me of having ulterior motives. It's that simple."
Kanna looks between Yui and Akihiko.
"....tell us what, Sakurajima?"
"You promise not to tell Otoya, right? It'd kill him if he found out."
"Sakurajima....you had my back after that thing with Sasanuma. You, Tadano, Miyazono and Koga. If there's anyone I owe after Saya, it's you. I swear I won't say a thing. What is it?"
"..."
"...so, you know that tournament Otoya and I did?"
"It was the big one, right? The Eastern Japan Duet Tournament?"
"This is what happened..."
....
A few days ago...
The roar of applause sounded through the auditorium. Beads of sweat ran down Otoya's forehead as he stood, taking a bow, cello in hand.

He looked over at Kanna, sitting at the piano, mouthing something.
_{"Do you think we did it?"}
Kanna slowly nodded. She felt....exhausted. Unnaturally so. Maybe it was just the stress of playing in front of an audience. Or maybe-
No. Not yet. Please. I haven't done it yet. A little longer, then I can rest.
Her limbs were numb, and all she could feel was tingling. Still, the audience was applauding, and it was only right to bow.
I just need to take a bow, then I can get backstage and rest. It'll be fine. Miyazono doesn't need to worry about me.

She pulled herself up. Her legs, numb as they were, had enough strength in them to let her stand. She was thankful Otoya was looking back to the audience; she could get up in peace without him worrying.

It was like moving through a thick jelly. She stumbled towards Otoya, trying to maintain her composure, maintaining a smile on the way. Otoya was turning to face her, a smile on his sweet, sweet face. If she could reach him, so long as she could, it was okay, it was all worth it.

Then, something gave.

Her body fell towards the floor, and the world began to spin.

Ah.

As she lost consciousness, the last thing Kanna remembered, falling to the floor, was Otoya's eyes widening in fear.
....
Akihiko just stared at her. Kanna sighed.
"I told him I was just dehydrated, but....I don't know-"
"Is it serious?"
"....I don't know how long I have."
"Shit."

"Do you know them, Sakurajima?"
Akihiko turns to see none other than Tsukasa Kazami, clad in the red Amamiya uniform, approaching them.
"Kazami-senpai! I....these are some people I know from school."
"I know two of you. Sawatari, you're working with Kanade. And Kasuga...."
Kazami looks him up and down.
"I know your reputation. Kanade respects what you did. So do I."
"Thanks, I guess?"
"Kazami-senpai knows already. I...uh, I know since...is it okay if I explain?"
"Someone close to me is staying here."

Mori notices the cogs spinning in Akihiko's head, however.
"Well, as Sakurajima's out, maybe Miyazono should be in the cafeteria! Let's go!"
Saya leads the way.
...
After a bit, Masaru receives a text.
Heading to cafeteria now. Miyazono-kun should have something on Tadano-kun's problem?

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Well, with the exposition out of the way, and my point on this being an urgent matter proven," Mori replied "Let's discuss the matter at hand. What is your private request?"

[Chevaleresse]

"Exactly. You shouldn't be. And you're assuming I need help in the first place. And if you know I don't like you, why try this hard? Shouldn't you be happy to watch someone who hates you struggle, or something?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Kanade lifts an eyebrow.
"Why, do you want me to be happy watching you struggle? Intriguing....I won't question your interests."
She quietly sighs.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist teasing you a little bit, Akari."
"But are you so unused to having people offer you help that this is your first reaction?"
"I actually have two requests, They're connected, i-if that's alright. I know this might be weird of me to ask of you, Kasuga-"
"Hey, you're the client. Long as it's a reasonable request, we'll do our best to fulfil it. Like I said, I owe you. And, well....can't exactly tell you no when..."
Akihiko tilts his head towards the hospital. Kanna nods slowly, but smiles, clearly grateful.
"If it's not too much, I have two requests. One is...that you help me prepare a small....dinner for Otoya. I'm...not really much of a cook, and I promised to do something to make it up to him for making him worry so much about me."
She looks at Mori.
"The other is....you help me record a message for Otoya. I considered leaving him a letter for when, well....but it seemed so cliche when I thought about it. Like it's been done before. Besides, there's things I need him to hear in my voice and not on some piece of paper."
"Why do this all now?"
"The....illness I have....it'll make it difficult for me to move, slowly. I wanna do as much as I can for Otoya while I still can, Kasuga. He deserves that much from me, after all he's done for me."

[Chevaleresse]

"What? No- I mean. Maybe?" She huffed and shook her head.
"It doesn't matter anyway. I shouldn't need help. I don't need help. I'm better than that."
"And you shouldn't be helping me. Don't you know that we're enemies? That our families are enemies? Do you have any idea how Father would react if he found out I stooped low enough to owe something to a Mishima because I wasn't strong enough to deal with my own life?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Really? Nobody's above help. Least of all myself. Or you."
"Well, I suppose your father would be enraged, ask what kind of child of his would need help from a Mishima of all people and you would continue hating me over a grudge that neither of us have any real part in. And I'd continue....not really caring about a grudge that doesn't really mean anything to us kids."
"But, that's where you're wrong. We're not enemies, Akari. You're not your father. We're a bit more similar than you think. Of course, you probably don't believe that. I also believe you're stubborn enough to go your own way, with or without anyone helping you."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Of course, I possess an allowance to use all of the Audio Visual equipment available to the fine arts department of Hermelin for my purposes," Mori replied, "And currently, the completion of your task falls under such purposes."

Mori turned and shot his trademark "arming" smile at Tsukasa.


"As well as the temporary convenience of access to the audio visual equipment of Amamiya, if my existent resources prove insufficient, I believe."

[Chevaleresse]

"I'm not so stupid that I can't see that, Mishima. I thought about that as soon as I saw you. We have almost the same life, except your family is on top and mine isn't."
"I can't just give up on this, either. I can't just turn around on my family. I'm carrying hundreds of years of tradition forward with me, and caring about that tradition is the whole reason my family hates yours."
"Not that I'm any good at that shit, either."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Perhaps not the tradition they expect you to carry on, no."
Kanade looks around, making sure nobody is there to hear her say what she's about to. When Kanade is sure nobody is around, she continues.
"I suppose your father isn't looking for a samurai of old who can lead the Myrmidons into battle. And mine isn't looking to hand the reins to an actress, no matter how successful and famous. Still, it's liberating, in a way."
"But someone with your strength can find a way out. Even if it has to be with someone throwing you a rope."
Tsukasa just gives Mori a flat look.
"You'll have to ask Kanade."
"What about you, Aiuchi? Got anything to add?"

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Oh no, you see, I was talking to you as you will be relaying the request to her, as I personally seek to avoid interaction with her as much as physically possible, as I believe she well knows."

After having sat through Tomorrow With You with Veep, who now owed him two more unspecified future favors, Mori has developed a decent idea of how good of an actress Kanade Mishima was, as well as a certainty that she壇 seen through his entire thought process in their meeting.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"...."
"If you're too flustered to talk to her, that's not my problem. Talk to her yourself."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Very well," Mori replied "I知 certain what I have access to will be sufficient."

[Chevaleresse]

". . . yeah, you could say that."
"I need to do a better job keeping that under wraps, don't I?" Shiro sighed, shaking her head. "Fine, you win. I won't stare at you like I'm trying to cut you down unless my family's watching. And. . . I guess I'll talk to people, or whatever. If I need to."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"My, my, at least I got through to you a little."
Kanade quickly pulls out her phone and checks something.
"Well, that's a shame. That's all the time we have today for impromptu therapy sessions with Kanade Mishima. Do make sure you have others to stand by you when the time comes. This town's pretty crazy, what with those Akuma things around and all."

With that, Kanade leaves the toilet, leaving Shiro to herself.
"Uh huh. You know that's not going to work when you're working on Kaguya, right?"
"Huh? Are the rumours true, Kazami-senpai? Are....do Sawatari and Mishima have...a thing?"
"No."
"Aw."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"A. Yes, and the fact that I'm going to have to see her that much is part of why I want to avoid doing so while I have the chance," Mori replied "And B. please quash any such rumors you hear in the future. I don't want anyone making that assumption."