Open ♔ You there, with your weak heart all a-waver

[priforprince]

Who: Hibiki Shikyoin & Daybreak at large
What: A Celebrity arrives to make a Tremendous Announcement.
When: December 4
Where: Quad & courtyard, in front of the Main Hall
Warnings: Pomp. Circumstance. Flying pirate ships. Hibiki.

[ What had been a quiet day in the Daybreak Academy quad is interrupted by the sound, faint at first and then growing louder, of a trumpet fanfare. And then, possibly, some violins.

Anyone who heads outside to see exactly why the air itself is seeing fit to reverberate with a classical march will discover a rather striking aeronautical vehicle turning a slow but steady circle above campus. From over the sides of the ship, purple roses and lilies fall like shoujo rain. They are accompanied by golden calling cards.

Anyone who tries to pick up one of the flowers will discover their hand whiffing right through them - someone is seeing fit to scatter the area with illusions. The cards, however, are real. One side is emblazoned with a crown emblem. The other side reads: ]

You are cordially invited to the dawn of revolution. Gather near the Main Hall.

[ Those who ignore the cards may go about their days unimpeded. Those who heed them, however, will find the airborne ship paused over a newly-erected stage in front of the Main Hall, next to which a rosebush larger than the average human sits in an opulent pot. A man in a goat suit stands next to the bush, as unobtrusively as someone who's decided to go out in public dressed like that can stand.

The ship hovers above everyone. Nothing happens for a good minute or so. And then, just as the sense of dramatic anticipation reaches its peak -

A figure in a blue velour prince costume vaults over the side of the ship, trailing purple sparkles in her wake. She lands in the direct center of the stage, having turned a somersault on her way down. And when she straightens up, she accepts the microphone the goat person offers her on a small velvet cushion, turns to the audience, and addresses them thusly: ]

Everyone, I've kept you waiting. This is Hibiki Shikyoin.

[ "Hibiki Shikyoin?" someone asks. "The mage who's also a movie star?"

"The one whose eyelashes are insured for five solid gold bars - each???"

Hibiki lets the murmurs ripple, then continues. ]

I've arrived today to reveal my noble mission. As things stand, Daybreak Academy is like a pile of muddy rocks being passed off as diamonds. Even if a true ore were buried within it, no brilliance could ever hope to shine through.

But all is not lost. [ She lifts her chin in a handsome, purposeful pose. ] Casting aside the dredge-sipping drudgery of "missions" and such, I hereby create the position of Daybreak Academy Principal and appoint myself. Unlike your facile faculty, I'll grant students of true potential the polish of refinement!

[ She snaps her fingers. Gardening tools fly upwards, set upon the rosebush. In a matter of moments, they've completed their task - and what had been an unpruned plant has become a topiary statue of Hibiki herself.

Hibiki, standing in front of "Hibiki", raises her arms above her head. ] Elation is best. Together with me - the ultimate Radiance!

[ The pirate ship's cannons "fire" illusory confetti over the crowd. It spirals down around Hibiki, her smile itself alight.

With self-satisfaction, and the secure knowledge no one could ever take umbrage with this. ]

Comments

[infestedcouncilpresident]

[Kohaku's uniform marked her as a member of the Student Council, so she stood out a bit from the crowd. She wasn't looking at Hibiki, however, she was frantically flicking through her email on her phone, trying to figure out if this had been announced and she had missed it, or if Hibiki was just insane.]

Did I miss an important meeting? Am I being punked? What the fuck?

[priforprince]

It's no deception.

[ The Student Council! Hibiki can't say she's....impressed with what she knows of them, but their elevator uniforms precede them. Therefore, she's perfectly willing to give a sincere reply.

Lucky Kohaku. ]

My advent was unannounced. Though - [ don't dwell on this don't dwell on this it's too depressing don't dwell on this ] - given the state of the inspiration provided here, perhaps it was inevitable.

[infestedcouncilpresident]

I, uh...

[Kohaku looked slightly scruffy and tired no matter how hard she tried to take care of her appearance. Her clothes tended to get a bit wrinkled even if she spent the whole day standing completely still. Standing next to Hibiki, she cut a pretty sad picture.]

I don’t think we need a principal? We already have a headmistress and a president.

[silksoul]

[ Oh, it's this girl again. If this is supposed to be another 'theater' performance, it's not very good. ]

It looks like all you're going to teach is how to make frivolous use of magic. [ The look in her eyes and her flat tone conveys that she understands what she's seeing and she's not impressed. ]

[priforprince]

[ The theater critic. Of course. Hibiki smirks. Playing out this particular scene should entertain!

....Herself, if no one else. ]

You seem quite invested in magical theory.

[silksoul]

[ Of course she is. Magic is part of her - quite literally in her blood, in the lost heritage she never got a chance to really know.

But there's no reason to tell a nosy stranger something like that. ]

I wouldn't have come here without a reason. It's a school for magic. [ What else do you come to a school for but to study relevant subjects? ]

[bluespearmanofthewind]

[Lancer just got in to the academy as well - and he is definitely not as flashy as this person. Announcing herself as the principal of the academy just after she got here? Call it insanity if you will - but might not hurt to play along with her. He applauded her the loudest as she ended her speech and came straight to her.]

Such an impressive speech! I myself just arrived in the academy itself - maybe ya can show me the tricks to get power within the academy the seconds you arrive?

[It didn't sound sarcastic. at all.]

[priforprince]

Unfortunately, such feats are only attainable for geniuses.

[ Just. Flatly. Too bad. So sad. She's rad. ]

Keeping your eyes fixed upon me anyway is best, however. It might prove instructional.

[ Especially if this newcomer wild card turns out to be a genius himself. She has...doubts...based on his diction, however. ]

[bluespearmanofthewind]

[This kid is arrogant as she sounds, aye? But it's alright - let her has her fun for a bit.. Or maybe teases her to get her true colors on?]

mm, geniuses - ya say? i heard people who can enroll to this academy is something special. i don't know if they're necessarily the geniuses you're talkin' about but, isn't it too early to claim yourself to be above all of em when ya just came in?

but as you said - i'll probably keep an eye on ya to see if you're something that ya claim to be.

[ain't lancer the talkative one? sorry hibiki, but lancer truly doesn't have anything against her at all.]

[shockingblue]

[Gunvolt had found one of the cards fluttering down in the quad, picking it up curiously.]

...A revolution, huh? Pretty sure France doesn't need another one of those.

[Still, he eventually turned up where he was "invited" to, if for no other reason than to see what was going on. Monarch's spherical AI Core followed along over his shoulder, but she refrained from activating the hologram for now, and they both watched the show as it unfolded.]

Hibiki Shikyoin...?

...No way. Didn't think she was even real. I've heard of her. Famous actor, musician, and Mage, but... uh...

But what?

...I didn't expect her to be like this.

[Once she wrapped up her grand introduction, Gunvolt stood, struggling to decide how he should be feeling about. Anything. Even Monarch's featureless AI Core managed to look bewildered, floating oddly at an angle, like she was craning her head in curiosity.]

Well, that was quite a show, but you're not serious about that whole "principal" thing, are you?

[priforprince]

[ What is that hovering thing? None of Hibiki's cursory handwaved surveillance that only picks up things players want her to know about research had indicated such an object.

Ah well. It's likely nothing of note. ]

The most suitable person fills the most suitable position. What there is objectionable?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail is sitting cross-legged on top of one of the statues in the courtyard, balancing a bowl of popcorn in her lap and watching the proceedings with an expression of mild interest.]

[When Hibiki finishes, she speaks, summing up her heartfelt feelings with a single word:]

Dude.

[No inflection or context or anything. Just... dude.]

[She casually tosses another piece of popcorn in her mouth, apparently unmoved beyond vague curiosity. But hey, a free show's a free show.]

[priforprince]

[ Oho. Someone brought refreshments. Hibiki smirks. ]

Ando.

[ "Yes, Maa-ster Hibiki."

The man in the goat suit approaches Jail with a....fresh bucket of gourmet popcorn? It's the kind with a bunch of flavors added to it. And since it's in a gold bucket, it must be Fancy.

The popcorn is offered with a bow and the phrase "With compliments". Hibiki watches, still looking insufferably pleased about something. ]

[hattersgonnahat]

[It was an...impressive performance. A little bit startling with the explosions and all, but by the end of it, Puella was left kind of confused what even just happened. She waited only after the crowd started to disperse before trying to get closer.]

...Can you really just make new positions like that? [Like, other schools definitely had principals and such for sure but pretty sure you couldn't just appoint yourself to it. ...That's what the Headmistress was already!]

[priforprince]

For a genius, the impossible becomes possible.

[ Hibiki Shikyoin's benevolence is such that she will even deign to address questions posed to her by a mere child! Behold in amazement. She's even striking a pose!

...Or maybe that's normal. Who can say. ]

Even remaking such a scrap-heap academy.

[imitationsoul]

[ Wow.

Miach is not easily made speechless. She really thinks she's seen and understood most personalities mankind has to offer. And in a way, that holds true, but this is... more. A lot More personality. Huh.

She'll stick at the corner of the crowd for a bit and approach casually when the whole commotion has died down a little. ]

You promised a revolution, but this is just a plain old coup d'etat.

setting be damned, you will prise the fact she overuses this pun from my cold dead hands

[priforprince]

[ Splitting hairs over the definition of "revolution"?

....Be still, Hibiki's heart. She arches a careless brow, raises an Expository Hand. ]

This was merely the overture. Full revolution rings out in the following act.

[ Hibiki smirks the smirk of someone who's indulging in wordplay that doesn't scan in this language, the better to silently gloat that She Alone gets her own cleverness. ]

It'll surely resound.

[synthsized]

Haha, holy shit.

[Rover is watching this all the way one watches people about to get into a brawl - with morbid curiosity and a little bit of anticipation.

They take a drag of their cigarette, before blowing a smoke ring in Hibiki's direction.]

Aren't you, like, twelve?

[priforprince]

[ The butler in the goat suit steps up, drawing an ostrich-feather fan to waft the smoke ring away. Master Hibiki only breathes rarified air.

Hibiki, for her part, assumes a pose that packs as much regality as can fit into her (fifteen-year-old, merci beaucoup) frame. ] For true talent, age is irrelevant.

[inflictwounds]

[Hieke's only here because Stool found one of the invites on a student who came in to the infirmary with a nasty paper cut from catching said invite, so he's standing there holding a piece of paper covered in blood with what seems to be a rather tall mushroom in his arms. Stool is delighted, but Hieke is more...

Concerned.]

You sound like you're starting a cult.

[Is she aware of how she sounds? She has to be, right, this is definitely a cult.]

[priforprince]

[ That.....is an unorthodox prop, for sure. Hibiki chooses not to acknowledge it, as the resulting conversation might interrupt the scene. ]

This is the style most in line with my ideals. To not perceive that - you must be faculty.

[preppedandloaded]

[Hazel doesn't know what to think about any of this. Certainly she would have received a vision if someone had decided to commit a coup against the school's authority figures. Something would have given her a clue about...this.]

Why steal a school when you could have made your own?

and bragging rights for when that's what hibiki ends up having to do GO TOOO......!!!

[priforprince]

This one's condition is intolerable.

[ Obviously. ]

For an elite institution to hire and produce such dross......Such an assault to my ideals cannot be borne.

[ Yes, this is a. Very serious revolution. Perhaps its brilliance was so blinding all visions of it were obscured. ]

[subconmodo]

[Avery looks down at his cup of """""""coffee,"""""" and then back up again. And down. And back up again.]

...Huh. I guess you really can die from too much caffeine.

[That's the only explanation he can think of for all this, anyway]

[priforprince]

Do you perceive yourself to now be in Paradise?

[ Hibiki is not completely an idiot. She can read his tone.

But she can also deliberately choose to pretend not to for maximum obnoxiousness. Behold: the multifaceted genius! ]