GRADUATION DAY

[idolpro]

Who: A graduating idol, and others
Where: Shinjuku Gyoen
When: Day 95, afternoon


[ The gray winter clouds that shroud the sky part over the park part, and there's a small patch of sunlight there— a warm, slightly preternatural natural spotlight on the set-up that has only just now appeared. All remnants of snow, even the puddles that would be left by its melting, have vanished to clear away the set-up for a party.

Round tables with tablecloths, one for each unit in unit colors and embroidered with white birds and roses, have been laid with vegetarian fare-- mindful of Yuuya's meat trauma since the House of Mirth. Fancy salads and bread for all! The AlcheME! table also has a crown and a feather cape draped over one of the chairs, and a CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION banner , just in case anyone wondered what this was all about. Voice-controlled speakers have placed around the perimeter, playing music until you ask for them to stop.

At one end of the clearing is a stage, currently empty except for a podium standing there. You can make speeches, if you like. For now, it's all yours to use or ignore. ]

Comments

[columbidaring]

[ POSES ]

Interested in the technical details? Because it was all mostly symbolic but I can fill you in.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Of course I am.

[Pulling out a seat for E]

[columbidaring]

[ FLOPS ON DOWN ]

So! There I was in the cafe, minding my own business, and I turn around and Azzy is sitting there. Boom! No warning, no explanation.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Was going to drag the bread closer to E, but that makes him stop mid-gesture]

What? Azzy?!

[columbidaring]

In the flesh!

So he sits down and goes hey, I'd like to talk business with you, and I say some bullshit or other, and basically what he said boiled down to: I'd like to offer you your heart's desire!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And you were still in the cafe? Not in some extra-dimensional copy of the cafe?

[columbidaring]

Still in the cafe! I ordered a bubble tea for him!



He didn't drink it!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

. . .

Why would you think---?



Never mind. Of course you did.

Continue.

[columbidaring]

So I told him that I couldn't go with him because I had prior obligations that couldn't be put aside and he was like, that's a pity, oh well, and walked out, but for a second there I thought he was going to straight-up kidnap me into demonhood ANYWAY. Like he had that aura, you know?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Vengeance and murder aura? That is his spiel, you know.

[columbidaring]

Yeah kind of!

But obviously he didn't drag me off into the next layer of hell and then after I sat there wheezing for a bit another lady walked in. She was all dressed up in white and gold. Mighta been Exael's boss?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Did she have burns on her legs?

[columbidaring]

I'm a gentleman so I didn't look at her legs.

But yeah, she did.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Of course you didn't.

Don't know if it's Exael's boss. But it's definitely whoever fucked with Heart Soldier Senshi.

[columbidaring]

Sounds about right. Anyway, she said that as a result of my turning down temptation I'd won the Lord's favour and could depart with Heaven's blessing.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

. . .

How hard was Azzy trying to tempt you?

[columbidaring]

Well, he kept his pants on.






Honestly, I think he knew that either I was going to tip his way immediately, or I wouldn't. That's probably the criteria.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[E. E, please. Now he has that mental image.

Thanks for that.]

And so that's it. You're ready to go?

[columbidaring]

I'm so ready to go.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Well then let's see if Heaven is true to their word. Off with you.