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?

[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. ]

[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.]

[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]

[ 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.

[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?

[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.

[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]

I'm pretty sure you can't just create a new position out of the air... much less change the school's objective like that. ....But what's your endgame? What do you even mean by "refinement?"

[Honestly, Gunvolt just looks more puzzled than outright upset about the matter, mostly because this situation is so baffling.

Though the AI Core over his shoulder didn't strictly have a "face", it does seem to be studying Hibiki closely, but it remains quiet for the moment.]

[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.

[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]

And yet your Radiance increases at a paltry rate.

[ For Hibiki's definition of "paltry", apparently. She may or may not be looking down her nose at the state of Kohaku's uniform. ]

So Candles may ignite their true potential, such interference became necessary.

[priforprince]

I'm sure the results will satisfy.

[ But enough about her. Well, actually, never enough about her, but a new person on campus means an unknown factor. And that means Hibiki needs to learn more!

So that she may JUDGE HIS WORTH! This is a thing that she likes to do. ]

What's your name?

[priforprince]

Of course, maximizing Radiance.

[ Of course. From the look on Hibiki's face, there's absolutely no point in doing anything else. Ever.

(Granted, that in itself is possibly a means to an end, but she plays that card incredibly close to her chest.) ]

This was the most graceful way to achieve that.

[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. ]

[nor_iron_bars]

Thanks, buddy. [Jail gives the goat guy a thumbs up. She's a big believer in being polite to waitstaff and other service industry professionals.]

[Just because you're basically a supervillain doesn't meant you can't have some standards.]

[Taking the bucket with one hand, she rummages around in her pockets with the other and pulls out a little glass bottle with a brush in it. It could almost be mistaken for a bottle of clear nailpolish, except for the strange scent when she opens it.]

[Apparently, she just... carries nitric acid around with her? Admittedly, not the weirdest thing that you could find in her pockets. Besides, being a professional thief means needing to test the quality of what you're stealing sometimes- it's one thing to cheat your customers, another to cheat yourself.]

[Totally unashamed of testing the gold so blatantly, she brushes a little onto the outside of the bucket. Let's see what happens.]

[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? ]

[priforprince]

[ ....Not much happens, is the answer. There's hardly any reaction at all - from the bucket, or from the "goat", who has fallen silent after a mild bleat of acknowledgement at being thanked.

The test is enough, however, to entice the host of today's impromptu event to wander over. ]

Such a scent will affect your palate.

[ Apparently it's NBD that the bucket might very well be real gold. ]

[priforprince]

Then you should hardly oppose witnessing a new methodology.

[ Hibiki raises a hand. Purple sparkles swirl around it, congealing into the image of a rosebud. ]

More powerful Candles emit more powerful Radiance. Cultivate the individual, and their power is sure to blossom, like a seed planted in top class soil.

[ On cue, the "rose" blooms. It's almost absurdly gorgeous. And is sparkling a little. ]

None is better-suited to provide such a garden than I.

[ this is what hibiki shikyoin actually believes

It's also only half the story, but where's the dramatic suspense in being completely transparent? Not at all how one scripts a scene, in this world of falsehood. ]

[shockingblue]

"Maximizing Radiance." ...So you're looking to make Candles stronger? [That's probably an extremely reductive way of putting it, but....] ...Pretty sure that's what Daybreak already does. I've been growing a lot since I got here almost a year ago.

How is your plan more effective than what we already have?

[He's quite skeptical, but at least he's willing to hear her out. He is mostly unaware of how much of a mistake this might be.]

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail examines the results, nods in quiet satisfaction, and recaps the bottle, putting it back in her pockets.]

[With little regard for the intermingling of fancy flavors, she dumps the popcorn from the bucket into her own bowl of cheap microwave popcorn, turns the empty bucket upside-down, and uses it as a makeshift table for her now-filled bowl.]

Eh, the shit I've eaten over the years, my tastebuds can take anything. Just wanted to see how many karats we were looking at, here- [She taps the bucket idly.] -so I could tell how much I could get for it. I know a guy who knows a guy.

[She knows a guy for most things, honestly. There's very little that you can't sell to someone.]

[priforprince]

Why don't you try experiencing it yourself?

[ Sorry, Gunvolt. Hibiki loves talking about herself - but she also loves crafting the Perfect Scene. Dramatic suspense is important!

As is, apparently, being an asshole. She looks Gunvolt up and down, smug as can be (and still ignoring...whatever....is floating in the air. Inconsequential distraction!) ]

Assuming you're chosen, that is.

is there anything you'd like hibiki to already know about jail from trying to nose around daybreak?

[priforprince]

Your approval thrills me.

[ And that's...about as far as Hibiki is willing to pursue that particular topic. If she lets this person continue to speak on it, Hibiki might end up exposing herself to something inelegant. And that would never do!

So back to the matter at hand. Based on a number of factors, including but not limited to the way this person possesses absolutely no sense of class whatsoever - ]

You're faculty, correct?

The part where she's an internationally-wanted criminal might have come up. Also a mad scientist.

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail shrugs.] Kinda?

[She clarifies:]

It's like, I'm "a teacher here" in the same way that one raccoon that rummages through your trash cans every night and you've given up on making it stop is "a member of the family": it's a little dubious, sure, but you could make a case for it.

[She actually makes the fucking air quotes with her fingers. It's terrible.]

Why, did you need someone responsible? 'Cause I think Ekkehardt is over there. [She points in the vague direction of the infirmary.]

[When in doubt, dump all problems on the school nurse. Most bullshit around here results in minor injuries anyway, so she figures it saves time making it his problem from the start.]