"Holy shit this thing weighs a ton!" I stated, struggling to hold one end of the water tank with Kiyo and Gonta. Kiyo grunted slightly, attempting to adjust his grip on the tank.

"Indeed...it is....quite heavy...." he muttered. Gonta peeked over at us. 

"You both okay?" he asked us. We both on smiles (course I couldn't see Kiyo's smile). "We're okay!" we said. Gonta nodded and we continued to walk towards the stage in the gym. Seems like Gonta is having no troubles carrying this damn thing. Why did I even agree to do this?

"Cause of the sad look on Himiko's face...." I thought.

"No! Shut up me!" I hissed at myself. "Beg pardon?" Kiyo asked. I put on a smile and laughed. "Nothing! Just a little tired from feeling like my arms are gonna be crushed." I replied.

"Okay, right there should be perfect!" Himiko stated. We followed her instructions and carefully set the tank on the stage, all while trying not to crush our fingers underneath. Somehow, we had managed to do just that, and the moment the tank was safely put down, Kiyo and I sat back and panted, arms feeling like noodles.

"I really hope we won't have to that again." I said. "You do realize we'll have to carry it back after the show is over, right?" Kiyo said. 

"Fuck." I muttered. 

"You degenerate males done complaining," Tenko stated, hands on her hips, "cause there's more work to do." she stated. She looked over at Gonta with a kind smile. "Gonta, in a minute here the girls are gonna bring in a smaller tank, and there will be piranhas in it. Think you can manage to get the piranha tank over this tank?" she asked. 

"Yes! Should be no problem for Gonta." he stated. Tenko nodded. "Good. And don't worry, I'll be sure to help out." she stated. As if on cue, Angie, Kaede, and Himiko came into the gym, carrying a smaller tank filled with piranhas. 

"Oh man, I didn't think this would be so heavy." Kaede said. 

"Oh yeah? Try lifting this thing. I promise you it's a whole lot worse." I stated, gesturing to the tank we had to carry. Gonta hurried over to the girls and lifted the piranha tank with both arms, effortlessly carrying it over. He then set it down and grabbed a rope that was hanging above the large water tank. 

"While Gonta and I set up the piranha tank, everyone else should get to painting." Tenko said, gesturing to the other equipment we brought in before the tanks; a box for the saw in half trick, a larger box, and three large barrels. 

We began to get to painting. Himiko said she wanted it all to look amazing, so everyone was determined to make them just that. I was in charge of painting one of the barrels. Himiko and Angie each did a barrel, Kiyo did the larger box, and Kaede did the saw in half box. 

"So when are we actually going to perform?" Kaede asked. 

"Well, we plan to announce the show tonight, rehearse the performance tomorrow morning and afternoon, and then we shall raise the curtains that very night!" Angie stated. "Yeah, you guys will be the only ones who know the secrets to my magic, so you gotta pay attention." Himiko stated. 

"Just what exactly are the acts we will be performing?" Kiyo asked. 

"Well to start, Kaede is gonna be sawed in half in that box." Himiko said. 

"I'm gonna what?!" Kaede said, immediately looking nervous. "Relax, I won't really saw you in half. The spell is that I lay the box on the ground, and cover half of it with a sheet, while your inside. It'll seem like your body is through the whole box, but I'm gonna use my magic to prepare fake legs in the other end, while you keep your body tucked into your half. That way, when I saw the box, you won't get hurt." Himiko explained. 

"Thank goodness. Not that I actually thought you were gonna saw me in half..." Kaede said. "Oh you totally thought she was gonna do that." I stated, causing the girl to playfully slap my shoulder. 

"But it won't be just a saw in half spell. It'll also be a disappearing spell. You see, after you're sawed in half, I'll use my magic to open a trap door underneath you, and you'll go under the stage, making it seem like half of you has disappeared." Himiko explained.

"Oh, that explains why there's no lid covering the bottom to this box." Kaede said, lifting the box to show us. 

"I see. And what shall my act be?" Kiyo asked. "You'll be in that box you're painting right now," Himiko explained, "you'll step inside the box, and I'll stab through the box with swords. But before the swords can hurt you, I'll use the trap door spell to open a trap door beneath you, and you'll also go under the stage." 

"Ooh! Ooh! What about me?! Huh?! Huh?! Huh?!" I said excitedly. 

"You'll be performing the Under Water Escape spell," Himiko said, gesturing to the tanks beside us, "you'll dive in, and you'll have sixty seconds to escape. But don't worry, you won't get hurt. I'll use a guiding spell to lead you to the secret staircase, which will be kept beside tank. But it won't be an ordinary staircase. It'll be small enough just for you to squeeze through." 

"Oh, I see. But say I don't come out in sixty seconds?" I said. 

"If for some reason you'll need anymore time, we won't drop the piranhas until you escape. If something is wrong, and you can't leave the tank, that's where Tenko will jump in and get you out." Himiko explained.

"Sweet, so no matter what, I won't be eaten by piranhas." I said. 

"I'm surprised you're telling us your secrets, Himiko." Kaede said. Himiko blushed, then looked down, twiddling with her fingers.

"Well, like I said, I'm trusting you with my secrets. That's the only way the show is gonna work out. But you can't tell anyone! Promise me you won't tell anyone!" she said. Kiyo placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded.

"I promise that I shall not reveal the secrets to your tri- er, your magic." he said. "Yeah, it wouldn't be magic anyways if people knew how it worked." Kaede stated. Angie nodded. "Yes yes, I shall not say a word." she stated. 

Himiko looked to me for my reply. I smirked, and pretended to zip my lips with a zipper, then locked it and tossed the key away. This made Himiko giggle. 

"Thanks guys. Really." she said.

"Okay, piranha tank is in position." Tenko stated. We all glanced up, seeing that the piranha tank was indeed above the water tank. "Perfect. Now we just finish painting these boxes and barrels, and we ca begin rehearsing the act." Angie said.

"Gonta have question. What the barrels for?" Gonta asked, pointing to the one I was painting.

"That's for the final act. You see, after the first three acts, it'll seem like Kaede, Kiyo, and Kokichi have disappeared. However, after Kokichi's act, they'll hide in these barrels. On stage, I'll make a ball disappear. Then, the barrels will be brought onto stage. I'll have someone from the audience come up and decide which barrel the ball is in. No doubt, they'll probably reveal you guys one after the other until they find the ball." Himiko explained. 

"Man I can't wait for this to start! I'm so excited!" Tenko stated. 

"We have to finish painting these first, and that could take a bit of time." Kiyo said. Tenko whined, sitting down on the edge of the stage. "Fine...." she muttered.

"Perhaps we could pass the time with small talk." Angie said. "And talk about what?" I asked. That was when an almost evil smile plastered on Angie's face as she giggled.

"Crushes~"

"Crushes? As in people being crushed?!" Gonta asked in a panicked state. Kaede giggled and shook her head. "No Gonta, a crush is what you feel when you...when you like someone. Um, its kinda hard to describe." she said.

"That okay. Gonta think he has idea of it." he said, but I could see he was still puzzled.

"Okay, if that's what you guys wanna talk about," I said, looking at Kaede with a mischievous grin, "then let's start with your crush on Shuichi." Kaede immediately looked at me with wide eyes, and a blush on her face.

"Huh? My crush on Shuichi?!" she said. "Yeah, you two always sit by each other, and you always seem so buddy-buddy all the time. Could it be that you actually have feelings towards our young detective?" I asked. 

"Is that true Kaede? Do you like Shuichi?!" Tenko said. Kaede had dropped her paintbrush at this point, holding her hands out and moving them frantically. 

"What?! N-No! I don't have a crush on him! We're just really good friends! Believe me!" she stated. "Then why are you acting so flustered?" Himiko asked. "I just wasn't expecting that, that's all." Kaede said. Kiyo looked at her curiously, arms crossed.

"Alright, if not Shuichi, then who do you like?" he asked. 

Kaede blushed brighter, and looked away, keeping her hands on her lap. "W-Well, um....." she stuttered. I've never seen her so nervous before. It was adorable really, and that only intrigued me further on who her crush was. I nudged her with my elbow, a sly grin playing on my lips. "Well Kaede? Who do you like?" I asked.

"I....I like Gonta!" she suddenly blurted out. 

.....

"EHHHHHH?!" we all said, except for Gonta, who only looked puzzled. 

"Huh? Kaede like Gonta?" he said. He looked down at Kaede innocently. "But what you mean? You like Gonta?" he asked. Blushing more, Kaede stood up and walked over to him. She seemed hesitant, looking away shyly. But she eventually smiled.

"Like I said, its hard to explain, but....it means like this." Before we knew it Kaede was standint on her tippy toes, pecking Gonta's cheek. Immediately his face lit up in a shade of red so bright it could out shine Rudolph's red nose.

"O-OH!" he said, looking to Kaede. "Y-You like like Gonta!" Kaede giggled at his reaction and nodded. We were all staring in shock. 

".....okay, I guess she doesn't have a crush on Shuichi." Tenko said. 

"B-But why Kaede like Gonta?" Gonta asked. 

"Isn't that obvious? You're kind, strong, helpful....you're a true gentleman." Kaede replied. Gonta looked at her surprised, but then he smiled. "Gonta....never had someone like him before. Gonta happy you feel that way, cause Gonta like Kaede too!" he stated. 

"Awwwww!" all the girls cooed.

"Well, you two seem good for each other." I replied, painting a few stars on my barrel. "What about you, Angie? Who do you like?" Himiko asked. Angie giggled, glancing at Kiyo.

"I had figured that was obvious after the...recent event." she said. Kiyo looked over at her, and I could tell he was smiling behind his mask. "Well, we never did tell them officially of our relationship." he said, walking over to the girl and sitting by her.....gently wrapping his arms around her waist from behind her.

"Huh?! Kiyo and Angie?!" Tenko said.

"Don't tell me you forgot about the portrait of Kiyo we found in Angie's lab." I said. Tenko blinked before nodding. "Oh yeah, we did find that, didn't we?" she said. 

"Kehehehe, yes, Angie showed me that very portrait. I found it to be wonderful, just like her." Kiyo said, holding Angie closer. The Ultimate Artist giggled, nuzzling into his embrace. 

"Kiyo! You're going to make me blush!" she said. 

"Well, better then having an incest relationship with his dead sister...." I thought.