♯ graduation ♫

[idolpro]

Who: Sunset, Sol, and invited guests
Where: The park
When: Day 129, morning (forward-dated)

[ For those who were invited - and maybe those who were not - you find banners circling around one particular grove of trees like a fairy's circle, opening up at one end to an archway of flowers. Through the entrance you can see the banners reading "CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES" and "HAPPY TRAVELS" in gold font atop red and blue banner cloth.

For those who are unaware, or those who don't go through the entrance, they'll find themselves unable to pass through the trees on either end - they'll find themselves pacing in the same place if they try to proceed, and nothing will go through. In fact, you can't even see past the trees without going through the entrance first - it's like a pocket dimension, or entering another world. How . . . strange. . .

Well - step through the entrance and you'll find music beginning to play, although there's no particular source. It seems to be the ambiance - well-fitting too, given the festivities going on!

(Stepping back out of the entrance completely stops the music, and you can't even see what's going on beyond the entrance until you step back in. Hhhhhuh.)

Anyway. On the rows of picnic cloth-covered foldable tables are an unusual mix of food and drink: bread dishes, meat skewers, roasted fish, stew, and ale . . . along with soda, fried chicken, takoyaki, various street fair food, and -. . . . conbini bento? The spread is all mixed together, like whoever set it up just has no idea how they were supposed to be organizing this. There are no chairs to sit on, however; every seat is a rooted tree stump, completely immovable.

A dazzling gold carpet rolls from the entrance to the very back, where a makeshift stage has been created. There are two large speakers that stand off center on either side of the stage, but neither of them are making the music happen . . . At the center, two mic stands with sparkling confetti boas wrapping around them: one is Taisho madder and the other is pep!pep! navy.

Oh and - there are just a few barrels near the trees, strewn about. What are they there for? Atmosphere??? You can't interact with them at all - it's like that awkward thing where the graphics weren't finely tuned enough so even trying to touch them just results in the attempting appendage hovering in place. That's weird.

Well.

Putting that all aside, it's a party! ]

Comments

[malignstar]

It's a super important role!

[bluerosestyle]

Wouldn't it be better if it wasn't?

[malignstar]

But then you'd be out of work.

[bluerosestyle]

Well, I'm leaving, so I won't be able to actually do that job.

[malignstar]

Not if I think of you every time I consider doing something stupid. What would Sol do?

[bluerosestyle]

You think too highly of me.

[malignstar]

Never!

[bluerosestyle]

...

Thanks, Sunshine.

[malignstar]

I have something for you. In case you ever go insane and want to remember me.

[bluerosestyle]

[not that he's not surprised by the first part but]

Why does everyone assume I could or might want to forget about them...?

[malignstar]

[ Hair muss ]

I'm just messing with you! Give me a sec so I can grab your gift. I didn't want to smoosh it while I was carrying Sunset's around.

[bluerosestyle]

[stares...]

[malignstar]

[ Dashing off and returning with this only with a perky smiley face. And yes, it's handmade. ]

To our honorary sunboy!

[bluerosestyle]

[takes it...]

This... is for me?

[malignstar]

You bet! Think of it as a memento.

[bluerosestyle]

Sunshine...

[hugs it close]

Thank you so much!

[malignstar]

Aww, you really like it! I wasn't sure you would think it was too cheesy. I'm glad you don't.

[bluerosestyle]

I always liked matching with Sunset, you, and the others on your unit. And I'll be using my other name when I leave, so this is even more meaningful...

[malignstar]

Sol...

[ Okay, that is a lot of feelings at once and Sunshine probably looks absolutely overcome, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. Naturally, the best way to deal with this is just an immediate hug ]

[bluerosestyle]

[returns the hug!!]

[malignstar]

[ Pats him on back ]

Take, take care of yourself, okay?

[bluerosestyle]

I'll try. It's part of the reason why I wanted to leave in the first place, so...

[malignstar]

What do you mean?

[bluerosestyle]

. . .

I'd been thinking about this for some time. I think I started around a month ago... We edited our profiles, and Yasuragi left, and... I realized that this place was changing me in ways I couldn't avoid, and that I didn't like what I was becoming.

I almost broke up with Sunset because of that, you know? It seems cruel now, but at the time, I thought it was the only good thing I could still do for her.

[malignstar]

What do you mean what you were becoming?