Be Gay, Do Crimes: Ros Vs Everything, Apparently

2 fast 2 Alex

(Rosewood Theatre, Nupur Lala, a day previously)

"Alright, what does this lady want?" demanded Alex, hurling the squirrelly nut into one of her many pockets and turning expectantly to Sora.

Sora shrugged. "I already told you, I don't know. I don't even know who she is. Nadiya said she just keeps demanding to see the Quest leader."

"...me?"

"Despite the fact you keep losing all the letters Sophie is sending you, yes, that's you."

They emerged into the aisle, and Alex immediately caught sight of their visitor; a tall, elegant woman, with dark brown skin and big, soft eyes, dressed in an immaculately tailored yellow suit. She turned and blinked at them, looking bemused.

"...Princess Alexandra?"

"That's me," Alex chirped.

"You... don't look anything like your school portrait."

Alex frowned. That had sounded oddly disapproving. "Don't I?"

"Alex, you're three years older, put on loads of muscle mass, got your nose broken, and cut all your hair off," muttered Sora. "Of course you don't."

The woman's eyes swivelled to Sora. "And this is...?"

"Akiyama Sora," supplied Sora.

The woman looked a little surprised. "...the Tanaka's son?"

"Akiyama Emi's grandson," snapped Sora, immediately stony.

"Oh, of course! My mistake. You just look so much like Daisuke, your father. It's the eyes. Less like Koharu, I would say, but--"

"You're closely acquainted?" interrupted Sora icily.

"I have met them several times, yes," the woman smiled. "For work."

Alex bit her cheek. Over the past three years, she'd learned a little more about Sora's relationship--or lack thereof--with his parents, but he'd never been happy about mentioning it. This was the first time she'd heard their names. It hadn't really occurred to her that Sora wouldn't be using their surname.

Bewildered as to how this woman wasn't noticing Sora's hostility, Alex decided to intervene. "Um, sorry-- who are you? What's your job?"

"Ooh, I forgot to say! I'm so silly, sorry. My name is Hephzibah Fournier, but you can call me Professor Fournier--I'm the new Good Deeds teacher this year!" She beamed at them, arms open wide.

"Oh wow, another one," said Sora. Alex stepped on his foot. Hephzibah just smiled, though.

"Oh, yes, I understand you've had a somewhat turbulent teaching of the subject-- mostly supply teachers and guest speakers, am I right?"

"Yeah, no one really wanted the job after Cromwell," admitted Alex. "I mean, it wasn't as if Dean Anemone could teach it, she teaches Beautification. So we had some... er, variation."

"Yes. In fact, we've gathered that your time at school in general has been a little chaotic."

"...we?" said Alex.

"By which I mean--"
"The Everwood Society," interrupted Sora. "If you work with my parents, you work for the Everwood Society. Are you interfering with the School more directly, now the little Cromwell ploy didn't work?"

Alex opened her mouth to tell him off for being rude--then realised what he'd said.

"You're--you're from the Everwood Society?"