ɪɴꜰᴇʀɴᴏ • ᴋᴏᴋɪᴄʜɪ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

Chapter 20

I woke up and quickly got dressed to head to the gym, almost stumbling as I walked into the room. I was greeted with a gentle smile from Kirumi.

After glancing around the room for a brief moment, I noticed that not everyone was here.

"Welcome to our magic show! Whaddaya think? Isn't it divine!?" Angie waved to me excitedly as she walked over.

"Yeah it looks pretty promising! Didn't think it would be something like this —" I replied, looking at the stage that was set up

"Mhm mhm! Just sit tight. Once we're done preparing, we'll start right away."

"Oh, I thought you were done already?" I ask

"The star of the show needs to settle her nerves..." as Angie said that, we both looked over to Himiko. She was shaking and stuttering like crazy. It sorta reminded me of... how I used to be when I needed to preform alone..

"Hey Himiko!" I waved, catching the girls attention as I walked over to her. She said nothing and just continued to shake

"You're gonna be just fine! I promise. Um — if it makes you feel any better, I used to be the same way when I needed to preform for my own shows. Try to not think about it that much. Overthinking the worst possible scenarios is never good."

"I-I'm just a little nervous... C-Cuz.. the magic I'll be preforming today is the Extreme Water Magic, Underwater escape act. I-I've never successfully cast it before... it's pretty difficult, so I'm a little nervous." Himiko's voice was shaky and it was very obvious how nervous she was.

"You've never cast it before..!?"

"A-And... today...in order to raise the stakes.. there's a time limit.." she pointed to the timer that hung high up on the wall. "If I don't escape from the tank within the time limit, piranhas will be dropped in... I'll be pureed."

"Wait, piranhas are way too dangerous.." Tenko had entered the conversation

"Oh, hey tenko!" I gave her a small smile

"Heya Y/n! You've gotta agree with me, right?? Himiko has to reconsider the piranhas!"

"N-No need to worry. I'll instantly kill all the piranhas...with my magic."

"Wasn't this an escape trick...?" I questioned quietly

"Himiko...are you serious?" Tenko asked concerned. Himiko went quiet for a couple of seconds

"There's...no way I can stop now. Since Atua's watching the show and all."

"Don't tell me.. you believe in that stuff too..!?" I asked

"Angie brainwashed her!" Tenko shouted

"You don't believe in my magic?"

"...no, it's not that.. but anyways.. Himiko, you're not forced to do this so if you really don't want to, you should tell Angie. I'm sure she will understand. If you do end up going through with doing this, I believe in you! You've got this." I tried to reassure her

"You're right. I can do it.. I'm a skilled young girl... I'm a mage..." she smiled at us before she headed up to the water tank. I looked over to Tenko who looked seriously worried and on the verge of tears.

"She'll be okay! Try not to worry so much" I hugged Tenko and she quickly hugged back.

"Let's get the show started!" Angie's voice echoed throughout the gym and everyone's attention shifted over to Himiko, who was already standing in place. "Thank you, Atua, for being with us today."

"Boo! Boooooo!!! You're supposed to thank us first!" Tenko shouted, her comment made me laugh a bit however Angie just ignored it

"Nyahahaha! I present to you the mysterious, the miraculous, The Amazing Himiko! If you would please turn your attention to the water tank in front of you! When the timer above the stage starts, Himiko will enter the water tank. Once she's in the tank, her assistant—me!—will draw the curtain in front of the tank. After 60 seconds have passed on the timer.. A separate, suspended tank will open and drop in a school of piranhas! Oh my goodness! After the piranhas have fallen, and the curtain is opened..if, by some miracle, Himiko has been gobbled up, please give a big round of applause!" Angie explained. ".. juuuust kidding! It's a joke!