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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

[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.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Yeah, and I've definitely learned from that. Now I think it's time to learn how to relax and enjoy myself at a festival in this place. The sudden clothing change was definitely a surprise, but it also appeared to be a regular thing.

[identitypolitics]

I guess they like to make sure everyone's properly festive and on-brand, since it's also entertainment. Sort of like making sure everyone's dressed for a formal event or for a role in a play.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

At least that means we won't have to worry about finding something to wear at future formal events.

[ Glancing around. ]

It does look like everyone's properly attired, so that makes sense. It does also set a good festive mood.

[identitypolitics]

I think this is more or less the first formal event I've seen, actually...

...maybe there'll be more of them? Or, at least—it seems like some of the people who used to be here and work for the program want to make "nice" events.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

This is also my first, given I've been here less than a week now, but if there's someone willing to put in the effort to throwing a celebration for the new year, I'm sure there are other major holidays we could expect to have festivals during. If nothing else, we could always host our own.

[identitypolitics]

Admittedly, most of the holidays here are pretty foreign to me. Although I guess everyone celebrates the new year everywhere, seems like.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

What other holidays have you witnessed so far? New years is a familiar one to me too, even without my personal memories.

[identitypolitics]

Something called Christmas... that was pretty recent, and it seems like it's kind of a winter thing. Oh, and before that, there was something called Halloween, that involved a lot of people dressing up in costumes.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Hmm... neither of those sound particularly familiar to me. A winter festival in general, perhaps, but not that specific name.

[identitypolitics]

Something about an old man called "Santa Claus" delivering gifts, and kissing under a plant called mistletoe? It didn't seem familiar to me, either. Well, neither of them.

I think they tend to celebrate the holidays from the city this place is modeled on, but I'm definitely not from there.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

... Those are some very strange traditions. Wouldn't it be taxing on an elderly man to have to deliver heavy presents? Is he not allowed to have help?

Neither of those sound familiar to me, but then again, only a few aspects of this city are familiar to me.

[identitypolitics]

It's not a bad city, and it's definitely not a backwater kind of place, but it seems kind of old-fashioned in a lot of ways...

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Really? A lot of it seems more advanced, to me.

[identitypolitics]

I guess there's some people here like that, too... I get the sense that where I come from is pretty different from what a lot of people here think is familiar.

I mean, half the people here think "magic" is pretty normal.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Oh, yeah... I guess that concept is pretty familiar to me, now that you mention it.

[identitypolitics]

Huh. I wonder what the statistics are on things like that.

...I guess I am on the unit that gets points for conducting polls.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Sounds like something worth a poll, for interest's sake.

[identitypolitics]

Well, I'll put it on the docket, then. A sort of "get to know your fellow idols" thing so that people can find everyone else who understands their kind of background.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

That could be pretty fun. It'd be nice to have a live centered around getting to know more people.