imeeji_frontstage | ✨🏮🐅🏮✨

Who: Idols and idol accessories
Where: Tokyo-F
When: Day 437

[ Idols will start their day today to find red envelopes, each with their idol names, presented to them on a table at their dorm's landing. Each envelope is supernaturally sealed, incapable of being opened except by their designated recipient. Inside each envelope is a gold zan-style hairpin with stripes of silver carved into its stem, and the tip is heavy with a weighty decoration—be it a dragon, phoenix, tiger, butterfly, flower(s), or anything else, they are all inlaid with bright, glowing tiger's eye gemstones.

As ornate as they look, these hairpins aren't just for decoration: upon the recipient touching the accessory, they'll find their clothes magically changing into fanciful Chinese or fantasy Chinese clothing—perhaps vibrant red, regardless of unit, or woven patterns and colors that reflect the idol's position. At the same time, the hairpin knits itself into the idol's hair (if capable, else it pins itself as a brooch) which has also magically been done up fancifully.

Down at the lobby there are more hints toward the holiday, if the red envelope didn't already make it obvious: red streamers and paper lanterns decorate the hotel, along with tiger decorations which vary from elegant wall scrolls to cute tiger plush pillows on the lobby seats. And, if it still isn't clear enough—perchance for those who aren't familiar with the culture at all—a red and gold banners hang from the wall, reading "HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY" and "LUNAR NEW YEAR" and "YEAR OF THE TIGER".

Near the kitchen, there are tables with spreads of Chinese foods from various regions, all available in an all-you-can-eat styled buffet. And, what's more—the food seems to be completely safe! They don't contain even a little bit of status effects. For once, here's a party with safe food.

There are additionally tables with gift bags, once again labeled with each idol's name. These are not supernaturally sealed, and in each bag are . . . well. . . tiger things, along with a note that reads,

300 points per item worn for the day! Max 1,200 points (head/hands/tail/feet

Oh, right, this is an idol show. And oh, surprise, the tiger appendages (optionally) have some sort of status effect thing going on:

Feel more cuddly/desire cuddles
Feel more mercurial/contrarian
Feel more possessive/territorial
Feel more hungry, both for food and for immaterial things (especially attention)
Feel more brave
Feel more light-hearted/more easily amused

At least they're all fairly mild in effect.

Last but not least, decoration wise, there's also an ominous poster near the elevators. . . Well, who's afraid of a sign, right? . . . Nevermind that if someone were to break a taboo, they'll find themself just slightly unluckier today, on the level of breaking their shoe/sandal laces and receiving the wrong order at the café.

Outside, though the weather is cold, the sun is auspiciously bright today, warmth radiating out the city to soften the chill. Moreover, there's an infectious energy on the streets, one that would surely make a person forget the temperature—long paper puppets, taking the form of dragons and lions and tigers, parade down the street, powered by ghostly dancers and backed up by the orchestra of a marching band and fan dancers. Floating lanterns guide them throughout the city, where they'll circle around the streets ceaselessly until evening.

At the stroke of midnight, idols will find their old clothes back in their closet and their hairpins no longer glowing, but they'll also find they're able to keep the clothing they received from the hairpins. They can also keep the tiger paraphernalia, which have lost their effects. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[dressed up beautifully as always, like this and taking in the decorations and surroundings.]

Ah, this is lovely...

Edited 2022-01-16 00:52 (UTC)

[PERSEPHONE PRETTY

wait he should probably also comment on the surroundings instead of his unitmate.]

It's all really... fancy?

[nods in agreement] A lot of, ah, effort was put in for this...

It would be nice if they'd always put all that effort into this kind of thing...

[He doesn't quite manage to sound as bitter as he might have, though. The power of pretty lanterns and pretty unitmates.]

It, ah, would be nice, if they would...

But we should, ah, enjoy it, while we can...

...mm. Have you ever seen a festival like this one, Persephone?

Besides, ah, here? Calibration, from my home, has some resemblance, but everyone stays inside for all five days. There, ah, are no parades or...anything like that.

You celebrate by staying at home?

(no subject)

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And so are you! That's an amazing outfit.

Ah, thank you... [smoothing down his skirts.] A bit, ah, taboo-breaking, I'm afraid, but so it happens.

It's okay, mine is too.

[So much black...]

But it can't be helped.

Sometimes it, ah, cannot...

Do you, ah, have any plans for today...?

Not really! Why, would you like me to accompany you?

I, ah, wouldn't mind, if it wasn't too much trouble...

But I, ah, haven't any plans for today, either...

Then...

[Holding out an arm for Persephone to take.]

Would you like to try out some of the foods?

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Wow, not that you don't normally, but you look great.

Ah, thank you...

Are you, ah, enjoying yourself?

This is nice, yeah. I just got back so it kind of feels like a welcome home party.

Ah, you were away on another program...? Hopefully it was, ah, as pleasant as those...can be.

It's surprisingly nice, yeah.

[ wearing a butterfly pin and this attire, he stops at first to wave to Persephone, then

recalibrates,

bows respectfully instead. this is very much not his instinct, but he wants to try anyway. ]

Your outfit suits you.

Ah, thank you...

Yours, ah, looks very nice, too.

I'm, uh. I'm getting used to moving in it, I don't think this was the kind of thing I ever...

[ well, wore. he'd probably never had any opportunities to dress in anything resembling fanciness. ]

Thanks, though. Have you tried the food yet?

With, ah, practice, you should be able to get used to it. Even, ah, if you never wore them before.

Not, ah, yet. Have, ah, you...?

I don't know how often I'll wear this realistically, but... mm. Maybe I'll give it a try every now and then around the dorms, where nobody can pick at me if I get caught on something or get it wrong.

[ well. they can, but most probably won't? ]

I haven't, but it smells pretty good. Can I get us something from over there, do you want to come along..?

If, ah, you would like to practice, the dorms would make a good place for it.

I can, ah, come with. I'm, ah, not very hungry, but perhaps some tea would be nice.