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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

[identitypolitics]

[ dressed for the day, although she's also got a tiger-eared headband and a tail affixed via belt, because she likes money? duh ]

...well, when among Hapans, I guess. I think I'm safe from bad luck, based on this list. Do you think the accessorizing gets points toward better luck?

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Would that be how it works? I wouldn't say no to some better luck.

[identitypolitics]

Admittedly, I'm not sure I believe in it. But can't hurt, right?

[ she makes a sort of "like nya" gesture holding up some plush tiger paws. ]

The local wildlife hasn't been giving you more trouble, have they?

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ Laughing, by now he's got on a stuffed plush tiger head and paws so he mimics the movement. ]

I've been safe so far. Changing up my routine seems to have thrown them off the trail, in any case.

[identitypolitics]

Well, good to hear. We wouldn't want them to get cocky and stage an uprising. Maybe you can shore up your luck a little bit today just in case, though.

How's the settling-in?

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Going decently. I had a bit too much to drink at a Live the other day, but I've learned quite a few lessons against that for the future.

[identitypolitics]

Ahaha... right, I saw BARiTONES hosting something. They're pretty generous with stuff like that.

I guess it's all a learning experience, when you don't remember anything.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[dressed like so, his bird skull hairpin stuck through the sash as decoration.]

Pretty sure that shit just gets you more points.

[identitypolitics]

And luckily I like having points. Now don't you look fancy, there.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Thanks! You're looking pretty good there yourself.

[identitypolitics]

Refreshingly straightforward! Eight out of ten.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[laughs]

You can't just tell me that and not tell me what I'm being fucking graded on.

[identitypolitics]

Show me where it's written in the rules.

But since I like you, it's a rubric of tone, comportment, facial expression, and personal charm.

[at_heart]

[ Also dressed for the day, with the tail because. Look, the ears haven't been bothering him on other people, but he didn't wanna push his luck. ] [ Her outfit is really cute; kinda practical-looking, and the colors are good on her. ]

I mean, I guess it'd depend on whether dressing up like tigers is lucky on its own or not? [ Beat. ] What's a Hapan?

[identitypolitics]

[ there's just a little lift of her eyebrows, in a like, "nice outfit" kind of way, ]

A planet with a lot of eccentric nobility. Don't you have a saying where you come from that boils down to "don't flout the local custom"?

[at_heart]

[ He notices, but. Mostly he's distracted. ]

Probably. You've been to other planets, huh?

[identitypolitics]

Well, only real country bumpkins stay on their homeworld. Or, I guess, plenty of folks who already live on a planet like Imperial Center who don't need to go anywhere else...

[at_heart]

[ Might've made kind of a face at Imperial Center. ]

Huh. Man, we've got all types here — people from big worlds, people from small worlds, people from weird flat worlds, and now people from spacefaring worlds.

[identitypolitics]

I mean, from my perspective, everyone's world seems really small.

—flat worlds, though? Physics doesn't do that, unless they mean they're from a space station.

[scattershot]

"Hapans?"

[It's 'humans' here, surely?]

[identitypolitics]

Oh, it's, ah—kind of like saying, "when you're in a place with particular customs, follow them, even if they're strange to you." I'm sure it's a different idiom in every parlance.

[scattershot]

Really?

I wonder where Hapans is, then. And if its customs are particularly peculiar.

[identitypolitics]

Well, I don't know exact distances, but it's an Inner Rim star cluster—

...though, that probably doesn't mean anything to anyone else, here.

[scattershot]

But you know what happens there?

[Look, someone's experience with space has been 1. largely forgotten and 2. mostly involves bunnies anyway.]

[identitypolitics]

[ ????? ]

...I mean, there's news programs? I know most places people are from here don't have space travel, but you get foreign news, right?