Open ♔ Searching for a flower-like dance partner

[priforprince]

Who: Hibiki Shikyoin & Daybreak at large
What: After failing to take over the school, Hibiki decides to be a nosy trespassing jerk instead.
When: Throughout January
Where: Student Council elevator, drama club haunts, around campus
Warnings: She's still Hibiki.

[ As evidenced by the fact that nothing has changed, Hibiki did not succeed in taking over Daybreak Academy. Despite this, the topiary statue of herself (which stubbornly continues to bloom despite the season) has moved just outside the fanciest apartment complex in Soleil, and Hibiki herself can be seen around campus. Never enrolled in a class. Never instructing, either. Simply....present.

Some things' worth can only be assessed with one's own eyes. This is her Style!

She may be spotted in the following situations: ]

[ I. ]

[ Hibiki is riding the Student Council's elevator. Not to speak to them, or to depart from seeing them - no, she's just in the elevator, riding it up, and then pressing the button to ride it down again. The fact that the same song is on loop in there doesn't seem to bother her.

In fact, she sighs a sigh of utter relaxation. ]



This nostalgic melody.....My heart is at ease.

[ II. ]

Ridiculous! This was PERFORMED?!

[ Less pleasing to Hibiki than the elevator: the Drama Club. She's gotten hold of a transcript of their last performance, and to say she's unimpressed would be an understatement. ]



Such an unbeelievable farce deserves no memorializing! I'll have you dispose of it!

[ Upon seeing someone enter the room, she chucks the transcript at them. She doesn't seem to care if it's catchable or not. ]

[ III. ]

You.

[ Yes, whoever Hibiki is pointing at, out here in the quad. To those adept at identifying illusions, the snow boots she's wearing are glamored to the nines - they're emitting a glow evocative of warmth. Something odd is also going on with the sunlight around her: it's casting just the right shadow angle upon her so she looks extra-impressive for the cameraman at her side.

A man holding a stapled-together bundle of papers trails behind her, blowing on his hands in the cold. "Miss Hibiki, where are you-"

Hibiki doesn't even spare the man a glance. Not even when someone runs up behind him, carrying one of those folding chairs that say DIRECTOR on the back. ]

I am unaccustomed to waiting. If my opposite number for this commercial fails to appear, a stand-in will be supplied.

[ She meets the eyes of whatever victim she's chosen. And smirks. ]



Right here.

Comments

II

[missleading]

[ Look, she knows that Bee Movie: the Play was stupid, but they all had fun putting it on? As the script sails through the air, pages flapping as it flies at Minako, she quickly sidesteps. ]

Whoa!

[ Hey, that's kind of rude?! With a fluttered blink as the book smacks into the wall, Minako offers up an almost apologetic smile. ]

But it was the buzz around campus last year. People loved it.

[ You can't just set her up like that and expect her to not pun back, Hibiki. ]

[priforprince]

This scrap-heap campus's hivemind disinterests me! Remove that document before its influence stings---

[ Hibiki breaks off in mid-sentence to audibly and exaggeratedly gasp, having only just realized what has happened to her after reading That Document. Her skin goes clammy, her pulse trembles.

oh

oh NO ]

III...............

[silksoul]

Excuse me?

[ WHAT IS THIS COMMERCIAL SHIT. She stares back, completely unwilling to back down, though. ]

[priforprince]

You've opinions about theater but no experience, correct?

[ Hibiki smirks. She wouldn't mind being wrong about that last assumption, but... ] Follow me.

[ The director looks less certain this is a good idea: "Well, ah, we were hoping for someone a bit..."

Less prickly? More of a contrast to Hibiki? Whatever the director was going to say is stopped the moment Hibiki raises her chin and slides her glance backwards towards him. Then he's clapping his hands together. "But if it's what Miss Hibiki wants, then it's sure to be a success!"

Hibiki inclines her chin again. And the costuming crew is heading over brandishing measuring tapes... ]

[silksoul]

[ Hornet's not one for performing, but she's also not one to back down from a challenge. ]

If it's measurements you desire, I can provide them. [ Her voice is businesslike. Once she's been given a task, she commits, it seems. ] What kind of outfit do you expect me to wear?

[priforprince]

[ The costume group, all talking over each other, begin explaining: it's a commercial for snow boots, so modern clothing for outdoor jaunts is the idea! Lots of bright colors and a sensation of warmth. Brand-name or obviously well-put-together pieces, too - after all, this is a commercial starring Hibiki Shikyoin, so everything in it has to be of the finest quality......

Ando the goat butler, focusing on a spell to keep a cup of tea warm outside in the snow, retrieves this beverage for his maa-ster. Hibiki takes a sip.

A very long sip.

An "are you done yet?" sip.

She very much would like to not have to involve Herself in stage crew affairs.... ]

[silksoul]

[ Hornet processes this information for a moment, and then starts making her own requests. If the costume group can provide the pieces, then modifying them to suit her needs won't be difficult, or take long.

It sounds like bragging, but when she receives the clothes they want her to wear, she sews, cuts and modifies like every piece is something to be conquered and forcibly pulled into line. Soon enough, she's pulled together an outfit that meets the specifications - form-fitting, brightly-coloured, and cosy - though she supposes it has to pass this girl's approval, too, rather than her own. ]

I'm ready for your little performance. [ She crosses her arms, staring at Hibiki. ]

[priforprince]

[ Well, would you look at that. The critic can back up her words when she wishes to. Hibiki smirks. ] Then, we'll begin.

[ She backs up, resting a gloved hand on a large snowball that Ando has just finished getting started for her. The other pieces of a snowman are waiting just off-screen. The head has Hibiki bangs already carved on it.

They're constructing a Snowbiki. This is probably fine. ] The script failed to inspire me, so we're going to ad-lib. The scene is "Romance blossoming among winter fun."

[ The cameras train on Hibiki, whose face is already alight with anticipation. ] Now, let's put on an enjoyable show!

[ "Action!" ]

[silksoul]

[ 'Romance' and 'fun' are two words that live far away from Hornet's vocabulary and understanding of the world, and especially in the context of the person standing in front of her. But she's committed to the job, if nothing else.

Her mind works quickly, to her credit. She's fairly certain weapons aren't allowed here (though it might be amusing...no), and this isn't some kind of fight scene, so. She supposes she'll just have to 'ad-lib' like her temporary partner.

Building a snowman is supposed to be a bonding activity, possibly. She balls up snow in her gloved hands and throws it as non-aggressively as she can towards Hibiki (which means with somewhat less velocity and painful accuracy than she normally would). ]

Here! Catch.

[priforprince]

[ A classic right out of the gate?!

Hibiki sidesteps at the last possible moment because her genius reflexes won't allow her to be hit with a snowball that she sees coming, holding out a hand to, indeed, catch the snowball. And she bursts into laughter, like she's completely charmed and diverted by getting to play with Hornet like this. ] Ah-ha ha ha!

[ She makes sure she's taking a deliberate step forward, snow boots on full display, when she tosses the snowball back and then moves for cover behind the largest pre-started snowman portion. ] The only thing you'll ever be able to hit - is my heart!

[ The director is nodding along. Good stuff, this. ]

[silksoul]

[ She dodges the snowball and picks up another one, firing back with the same easy-to-see throw that she'd done earlier, just from a different angle.

She notes the deliberate product placement and climbs onto a mound of snow, the colourful boots standing out. It's for the Drama.

This is weirdly fun. She's not sure how she feels about this. ]

I wouldn't have expected you to give up your heart that easily, Shikyoin... [ She points dramatically. Her cloak might billow in the wind, if she still had it. ] But I'm not giving up on my other target, either! [ She gathers up another snowball and gestures...!! ]

I

[infestedcouncilpresident]

[The elevator door opened on the ground floor and Kohaku stood aside for Hibiki to get out before getting on herself.

After a moment, she realized Hibiki wasn't planning on getting off and kind of just...awkwardly got on herself to go back up to the council room.

She just kind of rocked on her heels as they went back up, not making eye contact, like you do on an elevator, until Hibiki said something about the music.]

You know this song?

[priforprince]

[ Ah. Company. Oh well. Hibiki should probably try and figure out whether Kohaku merits her further attention, but it's hard to focus on anything but the bombardment of HER EXACT AESTHETIC in this elevator.

At least the ambiance relaxes her enough to answer the question. ] When a genius encounters a fellow masterpiece, prior knowledge is immaterial.

[ Perhaps Hibiki realizes that's not helpful, or perhaps she wants to keep talking about this because this elevator is her favorite place on campus now. So she continues: ]

It style resounds.

[infestedcouncilpresident]

Honestly, I've heard it so many times I stopped paying attention to it.

[She listens to the music for a moment, during which Hibiki can size her up and probably determine that she isn't worth too much attention if your main standard is looking like a fabulous prince. She's wearing the student council uniform and she has a sword at her hip, but it isn't one of the rapier most of them carry, and it is in a sturdy plastic sheath with no decorations to speak of. And, like when they first briefly met during Hibiki's first arrival, Kohaku is the kind of person who produces an aura of scruffiness.

Now it feels more like artful dishevelment than just lack of attention to grooming, but she still is a notably untidy person.

Also, she doesn't seem too wild about the muzak.]

It's not really my style, but it's alright if you're into that I guess?

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki does give Kohaku another eyeing-over. ] ......So I see.

[ She averts her eyes again, but now she's started to think about something. And until she asks, she won't be able to properly focus on the music.

So. Best handle this. ] You're a surprising presence on the Student Council.

[ Practicality possibly alludes to competence, yet lack of panache makes her seem out of place. Such an anomaly is either a twist or a betrayal of genre. One speaks to exciting depths that might contain further Radiance (or Hibiki's definition thereof, anyway, which is the one that counts). The other...

She shan't consider the other. ]

[infestedcouncilpresident]

I ran for president, actually. Against Rex. But then he bowed out and Nana won.

[Kohaku perked up slightly, paying Hibiki more than casual attention. Focusing on her body language, her breathing. That didn't feel like a casual question.]

I guess I'm not really a great match for the whole swirling rose petals and shojo bubbles aesthetic, am I?

pardon the delete, this was funnier

[priforprince]

So you're aware....

[ There's good information here! Kohaku has a rival! That is a promising start to understanding how this anomaly could have occurred! And those who have rivals can polish each other through their rivalry!

But she knows. She KNOWS, and she has done nothing.

Even the sweet, Seazer strains of oddly familiar Muzak cannot soften this blow. ]

[infestedcouncilpresident]

That I'm not some fabulous prince? Yeah I know.

[Hibiki's entire body did a subtle wince, and Kohaku noticed. Might as well set her straight on some things.]

I'm not here to lounge around being hot, I'm here to get an education and, for some FUCKING reason, to save the world. I don't have the time or the patience for people who are only interested in aesthetic.

[priforprince]

And if I told you I knew a way to achieve both?

[ Hibiki isn't backing down. In fact, now Hibiki is curious.

And she also seems completely serious, despite her smirk, about having a method she thinks will save the world. ]