"...In other news, the school will be hosting a visit to an art museum this Saturday. Please get your permission slips signed if you wish to attend." And with that, my homeroom teacher concludes his announcement. An art museum this Saturday, huh? That's some pretty bad timing. Well, let's see which one we're going to-

"This is a disaster." Jason sighs as he looks at the permission slip in his hand. "I can't believe that the school trip is to the art museum you're planning to steal from."

"What do I do? What do I do??" I flounder around in a panic. "I already sent a notice saying that I'll take the painting during its grand reveal! I'll look so suspicious if I pretend to go to the bathroom or something right before Chloe shows up!"

"Yeah." Jason sighs. "Bad luck, huh?"

"I heard that the museum director actually requested our school to have a tour there after they received my note." I sigh. Every few months, our school will host a tour of an "educational" location, like a zoo or a laboratory. Jason and I always go since our parents value extracurricular education a lot. "Apparently, they specifically want Sherry there since she caught me before on that cruise."

I was planning on inviting her to the museum after I stole the painting to see if she could figure out my method, but, uh, I guess I can skip that step now. 

"Well, there's no way we can convince mom and dad to let us not go. Not without a good reason, that is." Jason sighs. "Why don't you just skip this heist?"

"No way! I can't chicken out after sending a note!" I exclaim. "My pride and reputation as a phantom thief is on the line here!"

"Would you rather risk getting caught?" He asks. "This is different from the cruise, you know? That time, you triggered a blackout, and there was a huge crowd to mask your absence. The plan is different this time, and Sherry will definitely sense that something's up if you suddenly disappear."

"You're right. It's different this time." I grin as a plan begins to form in my head. "Because this time, I have an assistant on the field." 

"Meds, you know I'm useless with anything other than making costumes and tweaking your ridiculous plans." Jason sighs. "I don't think I'd be much help in the middle of the operation." 

"Don't worry, your role is simple." I turn to Jason. "We just need a little bit of extra preparation." 

"Are you excited, Sherry?" I ask as we step out of the bus outside the art museum. "This is your first time participating in a trip, right?"

"Well, it's not like I wanted to, but the headmaster promised that he'd give me extracurricular points if I at least showed up." Sherry sighs. Does she even need extracurricular points? I guess all her detective work doesn't count. "Don't you think these people have way too much faith in me? I only 'beat' Chloe once, and it sure didn't feel like a victory either." 

"You're the only person who has beaten Chloe so far." I giggle. "You need to be more confident, Sherry. I bet that you'll send her running with her tail between her legs just like you did on that cruise."

"Please don't tell me that you buy into the crap the news feeds you too." Sherry rolls her eyes. "It wasn't as cut and dry as they wrote." 

"Maybe they'd have a more accurate report if you actually told them about it." I tease. 

"..." Without a proper retort, Sherry opts to change the subject instead. "So. Paintings. They're expensive, huh?"

"Of course that's your first impression of them." I chuckle as I marvel at the artistic pieces around us. "Come on, Sherry. Don't you think that they're pretty?" 

"No." She replies bluntly as she stares at an abstract art piece that is reminiscent of Jackson Pollock's work. While it isn't made with the drip technique that Pollock's artwork is famous for, it is clearly an attempt to mimic its effects using traditional painting methods instead. Its strange overall style, paired with the violent red lines contrasting the pale yellow background, provides a strong sense of contrast that is difficult to articulate. Whoever made this piece is clearly a big fan of Pollock, and poured a lot of passion into their art. 

"This is literally just a bunch of lines randomly scattered across the paper." Sherry mused, clearly unimpressed. "Is that all it takes to be featured in a museum?" 

"You just don't get it at all." I sigh as I shake my head in disappointment. "With your eye for detail, you could be an excellent artist, you know?"

"Not interested." She shrugs. "I'm more concerned about preventing Chloe from stealing that...what's the name of the painting she's planning to steal again?"

"A Meeting of Stars." I reply. "That painting is a huge deal because it's a piece of artwork from a famous painter that was thought to be lost in a fire."

"You sure know your stuff." 

I am planning to steal it. "Of course! I'll have you know that I'm very well-versed in art history." 

"Sure. I guess Chloe wouldn't have set her eyes on that painting if it didn't have some sort of significance." Sherry shrugs as she continues walking. "But according to her note, she's going to pull a similar stunt as she did at the cruise, huh? Stealing the painting right in front of an audience..."

"Do you think she'll try a blackout again?" I ask, hoping to get a hint of Sherry's thought process. "Should we go check out the electrical room or something?"

"Maybe." She hesitates for a moment before adding. "We don't need to check that place ourselves, though. I asked the museum director to have extra security there with frequent check-ins to make sure that Chloe doesn't have a chance to plant anything. Besides, it's the middle of the day. Even if she causes a blackout, there'd still be enough light to see."

It might just be my imagination, but I think I notice Sherry giving me an uneasy glance when I mention visiting the electrical room. Is it possible that she already...?

...Shaking away my doubts, I return my focus to the present. Worrying about hypotheticals isn't useful right now. I have to be careful if I want this plan to succeed. 

"Hey! Medea!" Jason calls out to me from behind. We had to come in different buses since he's a grade below us. "Nice to see that you're still alive." 

"Of course." I reply. We have a simple code that we use when we need to discuss our plans in front of people who are listening. Seems like everything is going as planned. "I wouldn't be dead even if you wanted me to be." 

"So, when and where is that star painting going to be revealed?" Jason asks. "We're all supposed to gather there to witness it, right?"

"Yeah, we still have half an hour left." I say as I glance at the clock. "The hall is just nearby, so we can head there beforehand if you want." 

"Actually, if there's still some time left, Sherry, do you mind if I borrow my sister for a while?" Jason turns to address Sherry. "There are a few art pieces that I wanted to ask her about."

"Go ahead." Sherry nods. "None of these paintings interest me, so I'll just wait in the hall for the reveal." 

"Wonderful." Jason nods before leading me away as Sherry heads to the place where A Meeting of Stars will be revealed. "Come on, Medea."

As I follow Jason away from the hall, I quickly check if Sherry's still within earshot before I speak. "Your acting is as wooden as ever, Jason." 

"Not everyone is a natural liar, Medea." Jason rolls his eyes. "I sure hope that the plan works. If you aren't there for the entire duration of the reveal, it could raise suspicion." 

"Don't worry. It'll work." I say confidently. "Come on, Jason. Have some faith." 

"Yeah, yeah." He sighs. "Just don't lose your costume again, please."

"No promises~!" I giggle. "But I'll try my best!"

"That's reassuring." He mutters. "By the way, I dealt with the security hanger, but are you sure no one checks the painting?" 

"It's pretty standard procedure in this museum." I nod. "They don't usually allow the guards to touch the displays, and the curator does his rounds in the evening. No one should notice what you did."

"Fingers crossed." He mutters. "Time to get into position. It's almost time for the reveal."

"Alright." I grin in anticipation. "Good luck to us both."

It's showtime.