HANDSHAKE EVENT: FANSERVICE START

[idolpro]

Who: Unfamiliar faces?
Where: Tokyo-F
When: Day 424, morning

[ The cryptic countdown pauses: 999999.

Then, the video feed turns on. Who's this—why, it's Man☆Eater! ]

A big ol' congrats to our final winner, who requested: "PLEASE MAKE C KING OF HEAVEN"! Now, we could make that happen for you, but where'd be the fun in that? And hey, we've got a special occasion to celebrate: the start of our fourth season! If the third time's a charm, the fourth's gotta be even better, right? Gyahaha!

They say you should meet your heroes... eh, or wait, was it the opposite? Oh well, too late! 'Cause guess what, you lucky rascal? Instead of sitting back and watching all the action through a screen, you're getting the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet the man himself! No accounting for taste if you ask your host here, but hey, go bask in his divine presence or whatever! Gyahahahaha!

[ the video shuts off before further explanation can be given, though fortunately you're receiving a text message: ]

IMEEJI'S FIRST HANDSHAKE EVENT BEGINS
FULFILL FAN REQUESTS TO BECOME MORE POPULAR ♥

[ And the ground begins to shift . . . there's a rumbling sound—an earthquake?

—no. Those are the sounds of footsteps . . . thousands of them, all at once.

Wherever idols are, they'll be able to see the streets and buildings are being invaded. Not by imps, not by demons, but rather, monochromatic people—sometimes just silhouettes, shadowy facsimiles of people rather than people themselves. Though they look lifeless, the energy they bring with them is overwhelming. Suddenly, the empty once-plastic city feels like it has the population to justify its size, and every building, communally upgraded or not, now accommodates the visitors, with non-upgraded buildings revamped inside to be bare-bones sleeping quarters for the . . . just how many people are here, anyway?

Perhaps more intimidating than the abrupt number of the Damned in Tokyo-F is the fact that they're all wearing. . . idol merchandise. Jackets with idol faces on them. Headbands. Lightsticks.

And. . . wherever you are, they're there. To get your signature. To shake your hand. Maybe to ask you to do something.

Idols will have to deal with this for . . . some time. The cryptic countdown has started again, but this time it's ticking reliably, though slowly, down.

Incidentally: far from the hotel, tall white walls have been erected around Honmachi Sakura Park. They're not magical walls, though—it seems determined idols can use any number of methods to climb over the walls to get to Heaven. It looks like it's largely there to keep fans away. . . ]

SIGN-UPS | REQUESTS | TURN-IN @ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12

Comments

[bondsofsuffering]

I wonder how much it cost to get in...

[crossmyheartandhope]

Like a ton, probly.

Had to be enough to make em go to all the work to get the logistics sorted out, right?

[bondsofsuffering]

Yeah, but once they figured that out it looks like they had a pretty high capacity.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah... look at them all down there.

[Leaning over to peek. He waves again, when the audience waves up at him]

[bondsofsuffering]

So even if it was a paltry amount, that's big money right there.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah... that kinda money adds up.

[bondsofsuffering]

They're making tons off us right now, I'm sure! It looks like a sold out event!

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah, I bet.

Dude, check it out, they're like everywhere.

[bondsofsuffering]

They seriously are... Just how long are they going to be staying, at this rate?

[crossmyheartandhope]

Dunno. If it's anything like the temp team thing, a couple weeks, maybe.

[bondsofsuffering]

It better not be like the temp team thing.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yyyeah, that one ain't my favorite.

[bondsofsuffering]

Then again it wouldn't surprise me if they put us through a bad game while everyone's here to watch... ugh, guess I'd better check my first aid kit stock.

[crossmyheartandhope]

["Cut off your finger!" yells a shadow-figure from a nearby rooftop. "Pleeease!"]

...jesus. Maybe even for out of game stuff.

[bondsofsuffering]

That one's a lot easier thanks to our powers, at least.

["OH EM GEE I KNEW IT write your name on his heart while you have him!!"]

...Spoke too soon. No thanks.

[-Is he going grey?]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Hurricane is looking a little washed out, too]

Dude. Are you - ?

[bondsofsuffering]

Am I what?

[-Wait.]

You're kind of washed out.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Crap.

[A beat]

Do you think it's cause...?

[bondsofsuffering]

...

Our existence here is predicated on our fans' images of us, but if we spurn them, then...

[Hm

fuck]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[hm]

[fuck]

...well. Well, lucky you, you can do that last one no problem.

[Reaches into his chest, a little shaky, to pull out his heart blades]

[He passes one over to Izanagi]

Just don't use a sharpie or nothing, okay?

[bondsofsuffering]

[Sorry, he isn't even bothering to reach to take it.]

Hell no.

[Immediately. And, after a beat:]

I don't want to hurt you for some fan's request. We'll find some other way to fix it.

[The fans that are now growing increasingly disappointed. One yells, "At least give us some makeouts!"]

[crossmyheartandhope]

Hey, it ain't gonna hurt.

They just said write it, right? So use something that'll wash off easy and we're good.

[Keeps holding it out toward him]

I promise. I won't even feel it.

1/2

[bondsofsuffering]

[bondsofsuffering]

[Taking in a breath, eyes moving towards the fans, and then back to Hurricane.]

Ravioli can keep flying even if you're indisposed?

[crossmyheartandhope]

...not sure.

Maybe we better find soemwhere to land, just in case.

You see anywhere pretty empty?