Roleplay

"I-I still think i-it's a b-bad idea."
Hanako's voice interrupts the echoing taps of footsteps  moving down an empty corridor. Her stomach feels like gravity's wrapped a fist around it and is now pulling her down. She shouldn't have told Lilly, she really shouldn't have. How would she have known her friend would actually do something about it?
Her protest is met with a smile that tolerates no resistance. She slumps her shoulders, remembers her company and adds a sigh for effect.

"Come now, you won't know until you try. I for one think it's a great idea."

You would think that, wouldn't you? Hanako bites her lip. Lilly is a great friend to have, but she takes to everything and everyone so well it just seems unfair.

The two continue their walk in silence, Lilly leading the way to the library. It's hard to believe she actually convinced Yuuko to allow them to meet there, or that she got people to go along with this.
She could be in her room right now. Hanako glances longingly over her shoulder.

"We're nearly there, do give this a chance."

How does she do that?

They round the corner and come to a stop in front of a set of doors. The glass panels reveal the lights inside are already on. Great, the others must be waiting for them. Now Lilly is waiting by the door. That's on purpose; Hanako knows she has to be the one to do it.

"W-who's going t-to b-be there?"

"You'll see. After you."

That's it then, no way but forward. A scarred hand reaches for the door, its owner wishing to find it locked. Instead, it swings open soundlessly and Hanako steps inside.

***
The table is a mess of dice, drinks and sheets of paper. Hanako shifts in her seat, looking around. Her one comfort is that Lilly is sitting next to her. At the head of the table are Shizune and Misha from her class. Opposite her is Miki, a one-handed girl who's also in her class. Like Lilly, she smiles a lot, except her smile looks like she's in on some joke at your expense. It reminds the scarred girl of her orphanage days. Next to Miki is Emi, the fastest girl in Yamaku. Hanako only knows her by name and reputation. It's unsettling, Emi doesn't strike her as the kind of girl who'd be up for this.  At the other end of the table is an empty chair.

Shizune is mostly hidden behind a large screen set up on the table. She peers over the edge, as if noticing the empty chair for the first time and signs.

"Where's Tezuka?" Misha's cheerful tone draws an apologetic smile from Emi.

"I'm not sure if she'll make it, when I left she was still drawing her character. She won't come until it's finished."

The pink-haired girl relays the message to Shizune, who gives an exasperated sigh.

"Alright, I guess a party of four will have to do then."

The student council president scribbles some notes behind her screen as Misha helps herself to a couple m&m's set out in a bowl in front of the screen.

Hanako looks at the sheet in front of her. At the very top it says 'Hanako the Brave'. How did they get this? She chances another look at the duo behind the screen.

"Could you help me with mine?"

Lilly is holding her sheet, frowning. Of course, it's not like she can read it. Hanako gingerly takes the character sheet out of her friend's hands and starts reading from the top.

"Lilly the F-foul…"

 There's a resigned sigh from her blind friend.

"D-did Shizune write this?"

Misha looks up at the mention of her friend's name and beams.

 "Yup! Lilly asked if we could make her a character!"

Hanako looks at the door. Would she be able to make it out unnoticed?

A sharp snap of Shizune's fingers draws her attention back to the table. She weaves a string of signs for Misha to translate, which she does joyfully.

"Since everyone who was likely to actually show up is here, let's get started."

"How do we play this game anyway?" Miki rattles the dice in her hand, looking around the table.
"I don't exactly see a game board or anything."

"Wahaha! We don't need one. I'm in control of the world your characters live in. You can do whatever you like, Misha will tell you how the world responds,"  Misha explains.

The tan girl raises an eyebrow.

"Alright, so how do we start?"

Shizune adjusts her glasses, peering over the screen.

"You'll introduce your characters first so we know what they look like. Let's start with Emi!"

The twin-tailed girl clears her throat.

"My character is Emi, just like me! She's a barbarian and she's got a big mace for smashing baddies!"

Miki groans.

Shizune waits for Misha's translation and gives Emi a curt nod.

She motions for Miki to take her turn.

"Well… My character's also a barbarian-"

Emi frowns at her fellow barbarian.

"Couldn't you be an original character?!"

"Wahaha!"

"If you'd let me finish… She's also a barbarian, but mine's got a big sword. Much better than some stupid club."

"Mace!"

"Whatever."

The animosity between the two forces a smirk on Shizune's face that only Hanako notices.

With a snap of her fingers she breaks up the argument.

"Calm down, Shicchan says it's fine if you're both barbarians. What's your barbarian's name?"

"Uh… I didn't pick one yet. Miki's fine, right?"

Shizune's nod confirms as much, and Miki relaxes, resting her chin on her hand. She turns her attention instead to Hanako.

"How about you? Did ya make a barbarian too?"

Hanako stares at her sheet, suddenly aware of the eyes on her. Worst of all are Lilly's, who seems to be awaiting her introduction the same way a mother would her baby's first words.

it's embarrassing.

"I-I'm p-playing Hanako, a p-paladin."

Her claim is met with confused looks from the barbarians.

"I-it's a k-kind of holy knight."

"Ohh…" The two mutter in unison, briefly forgetting their rivalry.

Another snap from Shizune. With only one introduction left, the president is looking exceptionally pleased with herself.

Misha starts rattling off what Hanako saw on Lilly's character sheet, feeling her heart sink.

"And then there's Lilly! Wahahaha really Shicchan? Lilly is an evil favored soul. Shicchan says Lilly's character is shackled, with no equipment except for her clothes."

"Wait… Lilly's a prisoner? I thought we were all supposed to be heroes!" Emi's protests are waved away by Shizune, as she hands Misha a piece of paper to read out to the group.

"Lilly is a criminal. She was arrested by Hanako, who now has to take her back to the capitol to face justice. Right now you're in the woods, where Hanako doesn't know the way, so she hired Emi and Miki to be her guides. Your mission is to take Lilly to the city, alive! Good luck!"

Disturbed, Lilly turns to Misha. "I'm evil?"

Misha nods enthusiastically. "Yep!"

"But what did I do?"

The question is translated and in response Shizune rubs her temples.

"She says it was something evil. You're evil, so you have to act like it!"

"It matters to me, though," Lilly responds reproachfully.

Misha and Shizune discuss this briefly. Finally, Misha is able to offer an answer.

"Shicchan says you sacrificed an entire orphanage to perform a ritual."

Lilly gasps, covering her mouth with a genuine look of shock.

"That's terrible! I would never do such a thing!"

With one hand Shizune lifts her glasses, so that she can pinch the bridge of her nose with the other. She doesn't need to tell Misha what she wants her to say.

"I know you wouldn't, Lilly, but in this game you have to pretend that you would! It's role-play! You have to play your role!"

Lilly frowns, wrapping her mind around the notion of pretending to be evil. She nods to nobody in particular, having made up her mind. "Very well, I shall try to be evil."

"Yay! That's the spirit!"

"But just in case… Could they have been evil orphans?"

Defeated, Shizune gives in.

"Alright! Let's begin!"