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

[leaveofabsence]

[ He stumbles a step forward, reaching up to grip Venti's leg so the both of them don't immediately eat pavement. ]

Barbatos...

What are you doing?

[outofoffice]

Going shopping.

What are you doing?

[leaveofabsence]

Attempting to walk but you insist on being a hinderance to that motion.

[outofoffice]

[ Flaps a hand ]

You're big and strong with sexy rock-hard abs, you can handle it!

[leaveofabsence]

My good qualities should not stand in for your inadequate ones. Are you so opposed to walking on your own two feet?

[outofoffice]

Yup!

[leaveofabsence]

[ Deliberately walks under something where Venti will have to duck to make clearance. ]

[outofoffice]

[ BE NICE!!! ]

--Hey! Watch it!!

[leaveofabsence]

My apologies. Something is obstructing my vision.

[outofoffice]

Old age?

[leaveofabsence]

Something besides old age. I wonder what it could possibly be...

[outofoffice]

[ Pets his hair lol ]

Huh. Weird!

But you're doing admirably despite that, so I guess it's fine.

[leaveofabsence]

. . .

[ Eventually.

As he always does.

He just accepts that Venti is going to barnacle to him as they walk through the arcade.

He sure ain't going to check for clearance vertically or horizontally though. ]

Yes.

Quite.

[ And he's heading toward the largest building with the large selection of idol clothes. ]

[outofoffice]

[ That just means he clings on even harder whenever Zhongli nearly bonks him into things. And no, he's not getting down. ]

Aha! Let's go to the sensitIV area first, I want to get you something! You'd look cute in pink. ♪

[leaveofabsence]

. . .

Pink, you said.

Also I believe you said you had no funds.

[ So he was paying attention to that conversation ]

[outofoffice]

[ Since when do you pay attention to anything he says ]

I have enough for some clothes, dummy. That's different from a whole vehicle!

[leaveofabsence]

[ He pays attention all the time. It's just usually not worth commenting on! ]

I do not see the difference.

[outofoffice]

[ Why is he attracted to this . . . ? ]

No, you wouldn't.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Bad taste.

Also, he does not parse the insult. ]

Yes. Quite.

[ But he heads to the floor where one can purchase SensitIV! clothing, bypassing the hordes of grey fans they pass as well as being the kind of person who does not walk up an escalator to reach the top faster. ]

[outofoffice]

[ It's not like Venti's in a rush. He has a ride and everything.

(He does wave at fans the entire time they're riding the escalator, though.)

Once they reach the top, he points left. ]

sIV is that way~

[leaveofabsence]

[ As long as he is not using his horns as handlebars. ]

Very well.

[ And to the left they go.

It is very easy to see when they arrive into the correct area.

Everything goes pastel and with "aesthetic" blood stains. ]

[outofoffice]

[ Hehehehehe ]

Pick whatever you like, okay~? It's on me!

[leaveofabsence]

. . .?

I'm picking?

[outofoffice]

[ Giggling a little ]

You may not have heard, but I'm quite fond of free will!

[leaveofabsence]

Then should you pick a Heart Soldier Senshi outfit for yourself.