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[idolpro]

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. ]

Comments

[proceedwithcautus]

[ she has, somewhat humorously, put a pair of tiger ears in front of her bunny ears. she now has six ears. and also she took a pair of those slippers for reasons of comfiness although they look a little out of place with the tidy schoolgirlish hanfu.

you might find her following aorund the parade, reading the signage, or just making herself a little plate of food. ]

Ehe... oh, it's a little like celebrating in Lungmen.

[shatteredhourglass]

Hah... now you can hear really well, I guess.

[proceedwithcautus]

Ehe. It always seems a little silly to me, but then again, it's a little cozy. Are you dressing up?

[shatteredhourglass]

Mm... I guess so? It's not like it's all that different from what I always wear.

[He may as well get points for putting on cat bits if he'd already do it anyway without the extra motivation. Time to stick on another pair of ears himself.]

[proceedwithcautus]

...something about it suits you, even if the orange doesn't.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He's all done up in this, hair pulled back into the tiniest ponytail. It's threaded through with a gold hairpin of a bird that looks supiciously like his aibou]

[Also, he is under a compelled obedience effect and has not realized yet,]

Lungmen?

[proceedwithcautus]

Ah—it's a city I've visited, in the country of Yan. Their new year's celebrations are a little like this. I think I spent some time there around the holidays, anyway, although I don't remember exactly.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Man, so this's probly all just regular to you, huh?

[proceedwithcautus]

Well, they don't do it every day! So it's still a special occasion.

[ also like is it weird to be getting a hug because he's getting a hug? don't think too hard about it buddy ]

Happy new year!

[at_heart]

[ —Wow, so. Apparently if you stack cartoony fake ears (and big cartoony slippers) on top of real ears? It just sort of... cancels out his whole problem. That's... kind of amazing. ] [ Sorry, Eirene, he was staring a little, but he's quick to offer up a smile, which then fades to curiosity. Also dressed up. ]

Lungmen?

[ Also getting food, because the tiger tail's making that a little extra appealing. ]

[proceedwithcautus]

Ah—it's a city I've been to for work reasons, Mr. Lupine! It's usually along the western border of the country of Yan.

[at_heart]

[ ...It's probably cute that he thought any of that would help him. ]

—So they do something similar for New Years?

[proceedwithcautus]

Oh! Yes, the stylings and decorations are very similar, in fact—I didn't grow up there, but from what I'm familiar with it's very fun! There's fireworks and everything.

[inspiteful]

Hm? You have a celebration like this back home?

[proceedwithcautus]

Oh, not really at home... I mean, we celebrate most festivals our employees are used to. Lungmen's a city I've visited for business.

[inspiteful]

Ah, I see. So there are probably places who don't celebrate the new year like this?

[proceedwithcautus]

Mm... well, where I was born, I don't remember it very well, since I left there when I was pretty small. I think there's a lot of different customs across the world, though.

[forgottenmercy]

[dressed like this.] Ah, is that a city from your home...?

[proceedwithcautus]

Well... not too far away, at least. I'm from another country, but I've visited Lungmen now and then for work, so I speak the language and know the local customs.

[forgottenmercy]

I, ah, see...

So they, ah, celebrate like this, there...?

[proceedwithcautus]

Well, admittedly, they don't hand you costume pieces. Tokyo-F is always a little unique, I imagine.

[1istheloneliest]

So you don't normally have this holiday at home?

[he figures it's just another holiday he's never heard of because, well, growing up on the moon and whatnot but maybe it's world specific who knows]

[proceedwithcautus]

Oh—ehe, well, some places I've been to celebrate the new year like this. In the country I'm from, well... I don't remember much of it, really. I think I left there when I was pretty small.

[1istheloneliest]

Ah, I see... I guess it's probably a given that not all of us even observe similar calendars, much less holidays, since we're from all over the place. I don't remember this holiday myself, but we didn't really do holidays in general in the house I grew up in...

[proceedwithcautus]

Oh, I see...

...well, even if you don't know much about the holiday, I think that means that most people here don't have that much of a leg up on you, sir! And I think the point of most holidays is to have fun and spend time with people you care about.