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Two heavy knocks on the door of the Drone Club feel like the last nails in their coffin.
“Everybody, sh-h-h!”
“Oh gods, please, help us! I don’t wanna die!”
“Don’t move! Maybe she will think no one’s here...”
Every member of a club lies low, scared even to breathe. Everything around quietens down... But only for a minute before there is the wild roaring of a buzz saw, shrieking of metal and blinding sparks, flying in all directions. Someone squeals, another one drops to the ground, covering their head. The door swings open with a powerful kick.
Towering over everyone, the secretary of Student Council Kanamori walks in a club room like she owns it. Her cold stare is too terrifying to meet.
“Ah, here you are, the famous Drone Club,” She starts in a threatening voice, a saw is still in her hands. “Do you even know how many complaints the Student Council received about you invading other students’ privacy?! Do you really think that the president will allow such a problematic club to exist, ha?!
“Kanamori-sama! Please, be kind and put yourself in our shoes! H-how... How can we reach an agreement?..”
“Well then,” Kanamori’s lips stretch into a dangerous grin, full of teeth, grey eyes are twinkling mischievously, “Now you are working for me.”
Afternoon sky is clear and calm. Across the serene blue, white feather-like clouds are floating... alongside with a buzzing drone, its camera flickers with a red light. The picture, filmed by a drone, is broadcast on the monitor in the command center of the Student Council, the silence is full of tension.
“Gotcha!” Exclaims the president of the Student Council Asakusa as soon as the view of the Lure Appreciation Club’s window is finally captured.
“Keep it right here,” Kanamori orders a member of a Drone Club, who is currently in control of the drone.
”That’s no good: they are just standing there! And we can’t see what’s in the case.”
“Any useful information yet, Doumeki-san?” Kanamori addresses their recruit from the Sound Effects Club. That’s only fair: she was ignoring their eviction order, so the Student Council made her work for them. Her current “work” is to listen to the microphone, that was secretly placed in the Lure Appreciation Club’s member.
“No, only a bunch of irrelevant chatting...”
So they continue to sit on pins and needles, watching the monitor uptightly. Kanamori could burst into they damned club room and deal with it all by herself, but the thing is: they need evidence. Otherwise, how are they supposed to cover all expenses?
“Yes, finally!” Doumeki shouts suddenly. “They are talking about the “deal” and “paying”. We’ve got evidence!”
And that’s the only thing that Kanamori needs. The very next moment she shouts into her headset:
“Mizusaki-shi! Go get them! Now!”
“Roger that, the secretary!”
The same moment the door is kicked, the Security Club, led by their fearless leader Mizusaki, breaks into the room of the Lure Appreciation Club. Rifles at the ready, a crowd in helmets and safety vests fill the room. Mizusaki comes forward, wielding her machete.
”Hands up unless you don't wanna get a paint ball between your eyes!”
Loud tromp, shouting and twisting arms. In all this rush, they almost miss one of the students’ escape.
”Damn it! There’s a back door!”
”The leader of the Lure Appreciation Club is running away with the case!”
”I’ll get ’em back!” Mizusaki is the first to react.
She and a couple of her mentees give a fugitive chase. Outside the sun is blinding, and crowds of students don't help many members of the Security Club, loaded with heavy equipment little by little fall behind. But not Mizusaki. Her eyes are sharp and steady on her prey’s back while she herself cleverly races forward. Finally, in one killer jump shot, she closes the last distance between them. The struck criminal falls on the ground. Mizusaki twists their arms behind back, holding a machete to the throat. It’s just a piece of plastics, but nevertheless in it shines brightly and dangerously in the sun.
The trail is held on the bottom of an empty pool. Its tall light-blue walls tower over the students’ heads with a crushing dominance, creating the impression of the impossibility of escape.
On the one side of a long table sit confused and frightened members of Lure Appreciation Club, while on the other there are relaxed and confident Kanamori, arms crossed and chin upturned, Asakusa all nervous and jumpy, and Mizusaki with her hand still on the machete handle.
“The Lure Appreciation Club, d-do you understand w-why exactly you are detained?” The president of the Student Council clears her throat and asks, stuttering.
Behind the huge table Asakusa seems so small and unthreatening that it makes the accused braver, so the club’s leader squares his shoulders and tries to answer as cheekily as his courage would allow.
“Well, you know, not really! This people just broke in, we have no idea why! By the way, did you even have the right to? I bet if administration’ll discover...”
“Nice try but it happens that we have both video and audio evidence. As you must know, unauthorized transactions are strictly forbidden, and that's why you are going to bear the blame,” The last sentence Kanamori mutters through her clenches teeth more for herself: “Only Student Council has a right to profit from this school.”
”But!.. But!..”
”Aw, cram it!” Suddenly Asakusa hits the table with a loud shout.
Well, that’s not what the accused students expect from shy and anxious president. Her head is bowed and eyes are hidden by the brim of a hat. Asakusa’s clenched fists are trembling, voice comes out shaken from anger and passion.
“You bunch, thinking you can get high and mighty just ’cause you think you’ve got all school over a barrel! Well, we ain’t exactly the kinda folks who’re gonna bows to bums like you!”
Asakusa’s vibrating voice becomes louder with every new word. It echoes inside the pool-office.
“So here we are, tryin’ to deal with all ya mess like clowns ‘cause you decided to put on a show, and now you wanna rake us over the coals?! Say what now? All kinds a problems?! Blast it, all you’ve done is run your mouths and whine, ya nimrods! You think we were running from those goons and wrecking ourselves in that idiotic chase just for fun?!”
Her lips quiver, but she thrusts her chin outward and tries to be brave. Sincere tears dwell in Asakusa eyes, but she stands her ground stubbornly.
“Everyday we take our lumps to give every student a chance to make their dreams come true, and that’s how you pay us, ya ignoramuses! If that’s how ya gonna treat us, well then maybe ya don’t appreciate your lures enough or whatever!”
Finally, Asakusa finishes her speech and tries to catch her breath. Kanamori doesn't let any emotion on, however, Mizusaki stands behind their back with wide eyes. She is not the only one deeply shocked. The leader of the Lure Appreciation Club is already on the verge of crying while other members are extremely uncomfortable.
”Not bad, Your Excellence,” Kanamori utters under her breath, alas it’s impossible to grasp if she’s been sarcastic or not because of her stern face.
Silence falls upon a trial and then a confused and full of incomprehension voice is heard.
“Say what now?”
The secretary looks down on the accused students, sending chill up their spines.
“The president says that by the Student Council's order the Lure Appreciation Club gets suspended. For now. Later a public hearing will be organized in order to decide if the Lure Appreciation Club deserves a right to continue its existence.”
“And no “but”s!” Mizusaki orders sharply, anticipating indignation, and point at the club’s members with her machete.
Lure Appreciation Club has no other choice but to bow meekly.
White walls of Shibachama school burn from mild ember beams of the setting sun. The sky is an endless crimson ocean with waves of rosy feather-like clouds floating by. Three long shadows are dancing on a cooling down asphalt as their owners calmly walk away from school.
“Well, that surely was a productive day!”
“So, what are we doing now?”
“Hm... What about watching anime?”