yumemigaoka | ★ so perfect as a liar, you are really

[ You'd think the glitz and glamour of celebrity life would mean that Ai gets all her groceries delivered in gold-lined bags or something, but the very dull reality is that idols grocery shop like anybody else. She's not exactly much of a cook but even Ai can throw together curries and stews and with autumn and winter rolling in, it's a good time to start stocking up on veggies in advance.

With how busy it is, though, she's having a bit of a time. The perils of being a 151cm womanlet in a regular sized person's world. At any point during the day but usually during the biggest rushes, you'll find a nice young woman who is definitely not Ai getting slightly swept away by the crowds and trying to politely make her way through. ]

Uh, excuse me! Can I just– well, okay, I'll just hang back here...

[ Help her...!!!

She's not even safe once she does get her groceries, though – she's got a chunky canvas bag packed with food on her shoulder heavy enough that it's made her a little unbalanced... so of course the instant she gets bumped into, she staggers, the bag slips off her shoulder and produce goes everywhere. She immediately stoops down with a noise I can only describe as a restrained yowl of exasperation. ]

Oh come on, really?!

[ Today is not her day. ]

[ Around the beginning of the month, a few flyers go up around the ground floor of the DU office. ]

Seeking musical Dreamers! ♫

If you or a Dreamer you know is particularly musical over on the other side, we'd like to hear about it! The DU is seeking Dreamers with powers stemming from or resonating with music with the hopes of forming a dedicated unit. If you're eligible and you're interested, please leave a message for care of Dreamer Ai-Doll and wait to be contacted!

[ Well, that's straightforward enough. True to her word, anyone who gets in contact with Ai will get a response relatively quickly, requesting they come in for a little meeting... and some paperwork. Because it's always paperwork.

Ai's pretty sunny about the whole thing, though. Meetings are held in the lounge and she'll be there a few minutes ahead, so anyone coming along for their meeting will probably find her having taken a seat already and doing some last minute notes on her paperwork – then she looks up and promptly snaps into her sunniest smile. ]

Thanks for coming along on such short notice! Do you want to grab a snack or a drink and then we'll get started?

[ When Hibiki saw the flyer seeking musical Dreamers, Hibiki left a message immediately. She hadn't had her singing powers for very long, but she knew enough about it since it was the same as her mentor's power. As such, isn't she perfect for what this flyer is asking for? Plus!! A dedicated unit with Dreamer Ai-Doll herself!? She could never miss a chance like this!!

The unfortunate reality of paperwork, however, is not the greatest revelation to Hibiki... but still! That's not going to stop her now! So soon enough, the door opens and Hibiki steps into the lounge. ]

O-Oh! Of course...

[ Because yes, that is the first thing Hibiki addresses... though while she does blurt that question out, she is sort of... stuck at the door with how nervous she is. This is the first time Hibiki is going to actually meet Ai in person, not just in the dreamsphere. Not that Hibiki is too worried about not being recognized, since her overall appearance doesn't really change much in the dreamsphere. ]

...there are snacks here?

[ Important question. ]

[Lisa saw this flyer a few days ago, in the aftermath of the Disturbance; Ai being who she is, and Rhodonite having powers that do both those things, Lisa wastes zero time, she writes up a short note and leaves it at the desk. Not that Ai needs her to introduce herself after their harrowing fight not that long ago, but, well... better to be thorough. Paperwork is rather less exciting, but meh, she'll deal. Especially given the circumstances!

That said, the Union is a business, Ai is nominally management at said business because of who and what she is, and Lisa really needs for said business to see her in a good light given what she is. So she shows up with only a small handbag, having gone home to change before coming back to the DU office, in a nice, professional(-ish) dress and short heels. Yes, this is stuffier than she's used to, but... this is important, is important to her, and she wants to make sure she communicates that. She's perhaps not as nervous as she would have been this time last month, but that voice in the back of her head telling her to slip her heels off and make a run for it isn't... entirely silent. Despite that, Lisa shows up a few minutes early herself, finding Ai still already present when she arrives. Well, so much for that... She checks briefly, before clearing her throat and offering her best smile in return.]

Of course. Last month was a wake-up call for me, so... if I can help, I want to. Um, let me just- [Anything more complicated than water would throw her off-balance just now, so she just picks up a bottle of water and slides neatly into a seat across from Ai, letting out a long breath and trying to shore up her confidence.] What can I do for you, Ai-san?

[ By contrast, Ai seems easygoing enough - she definitely has a different shine here at work than she does over in the Dream l
Sphere, even if you can't exactly say she looks like a regular office lady. Should it really be strictly possible for someone to look so sparkly in a plain old blouse and skirt combo?

Idols, man. ]

There sure are! In fact, I have it on good authority there's some ice creams in the fridge if you're wanting something cold.

[ Definitely restocked by Ai out of the goodness of her heart and totally not because she wanted to make sure she had ice cream to eat on her break at work. Perish the thought. ]

[ Y'know, she's still nervous... but man if the thought of snacks and ice cream doesn't considerably calm Hibiki's nerves. It probably won't take Ai long to figure out that Hibiki is a very simple girl.

Speaking of, wow... maybe it's just the inherent appeal of an Idol in normal clothes instead of fancy frilly dresses—or in Ai's case, as a magical girl—but wow... okay, deep breaths Hibiki. Sure, she's an incredible idol, but she's also just a regular woman! Like Kanade-san! You've done this once before, so do it again, gosh darn it! ]

Aah, ice cream... o-oh, but I should probably leave snacks for later, huh?

[ Hibiki finally moves out of the door to find and take a seat. They did already fight together against that glass nightmare, so Ai already has first-hand experience with Hibiki's power... but it's best to say things clearly anyway. ]

Um... we met already in the dreamsphere, but!! My name is Tachibana Hibiki, age 17!

[ A pause. ]

A-Ah, wait, 18! I'm 18 now! Ahaha...

[ Whoops. ]

Oooh, I see. Happy birthday then, Hibiki-chan.

[ She's making a lil note of that... More and more of the young Dreamers who come to them for help are really starting to grow up and come into their own, huh? It's nice to see it happen. ]

You're a Striker but if I was hearing things right over there, your powers work kind of like mind, don't they? It comes out in different ways, but music is your magic in the same way it is for me.

[ Which is honestly kind of impressive, now she thinks about it... at least as a Sentry she gets the breathing room of not needing to deal directly with enemies but Hibiki has to keep singing even when she's pummelling Torments. ]

[ Ah, she's all out of sorts, isn't she... it's not like Ai doesn't get it. Being who she is as both Ai the idol and Dreamer Ai-Doll is about dazzling people and taking their breath away. Usually it's all in the name of excitement and making their days just a little brighter but looking at Lisa right now, she knows she's seeing the other side of that coin, where that bright presence becomes just a little suffocating to endure.

It's not really something she can turn off at this point. But she can do her best to mitigate it, at least. ]

Well, it all comes down to if you'd be interested or not. You're here because you saw the flyer, right? After the way we all fought together against that Nightmare, I've been interested in coordinating a unit who could fight like that more regularly. Come to think of it, I guess that means I should be thanking you for giving me the idea in the first place.

[ She flashes Lisa a grin. ]

What do you think?

[You'd think that, after nearly six months of professional exposure, Lisa would be getting used to Ai by now. But, alas, the sparkle is not to be denied. Then again, it's... not necessarily Ai herself that's got her on edge this time, not that Lisa's entirely processed that small difference herself.]

I'm definitely interested, yes. That battle... [A wave of emotions crosses her face, if briefly: the fear she'd initially felt, the determination to do her best anyway, and... the freedom she'd felt playing together with them. The last lingers a bit longer, a tender smile settling for a second, before her lips smooth into a more neutral expression, some of her nervousness subsiding.] I think that's the most comfortable I've felt in the Dream Sphere, since the day I Awakened, even if I was scared out of my mind for more than a little bit of it. Playing with everyone was more reassuring than I expected it would be. So I'm really excited for this. I, um, meant what I said in there, though - I'm no idol. I'm not really even a professional musician, or a vocalist. That could change, but for now I need to make sure you're not planning to form another B-Komachi on the other side and put us in the spotlight. I... [She hesitates.] -don't know if I can sign on for that. That's not me, not even in my dreams.

[Discomfort flickers in her entire bearing, as she squirms slightly in her chair. She wants this, more badly than she's wanted anything in months, if she's honest with herself. But she knows her limitations. She trusts Ai not to push her too far if she does sign on, but Lisa just... doesn't want to set herself up to get her heart broken again.]

Mm, that's right! I can still fight without it, but when I need to go all-out, I just... start singing! The lyrics come to me from within, and it just comes naturally to me from there!

[ She smiles proudly, but then suddenly shifts into an awkward laugh. ]

Aha... though I did end up biting my tongue a few times before I got the hang of it! It doesn't work if I get cut off, so...

[ Honestly with the way Hibiki moves in battle, it'd be weirder if she didn't bite her tongue at least once. ]

[ No matter what she does it always comes back to idols, huh? Maybe that's to be expected. She's Dreamer Ai-Doll, after all. That's the name she chose for herself back when this all started. It telegraphs certain things about her, some intentional and some otherwise. She shouldn't really be surprised if that's what Lisa assumes this is about, right?

Still... ]

Oh jeez, can you even imagine me as a manager? [ She laughs, shaking her head a little. ] No way, doing what I do here at the DU is more than stressful enough for me!

[ She puts out the joke to deflate the tension a bit but then her expression softens. ]

I don't blame you for being worried but– I don't have any plans of putting you on display or in the spotlight. You might get a little more attention than you're used to just because you're working with me, but I'm not going to throw you in the deep end unless you ask me to. Is that something you think you can handle?

[ A pause in her note taking – and Ai visibly perks up in interest. ]

Really? You don't need to know the lyrics beforehand?

[ Her notetaking picks up again, a little quicker than before ]

Let's say... you were duetting with me over in the Dream Sphere and I improvised a song. Would you be able to follow along with the lyrics, even if I was making it up as I went along?

Mm... I think so, yeah! See, the songs that I sing when I'm on my own are kind of like... my own songs? It's not like I'm singing a song from out here, it's basically like... the song of my heart? My mentor has the same ability, and she said that her lyrics would reflect the state of her own heart, and mine are kind of the same!

[ Does that make it less impressive? That Hibiki isn't actively coming up with what to sing, but rather just going along with whatever her heart provides? ]

I haven't really gotten to sing with others until we fought that Nightmare together, but when I heard you start to sing... I wasn't actually that familiar with the song you were singing, but I could kind of... feel what you were singing instead of hearing it? Then I just knew what to say! I'm not sure what would happen if it were totally improvised, but I think it might still work!

[ It was a strange feeling, really. Through just a few lyrics, Hibiki was able to understand Ai's intentions and follow along with them, understanding far faster than ordinary words could've ever achieved. ]

[Lisa smiles at what Ai clearly means as a joke to break some of her tension, but can't quite bring herself to quip something in response. She couldn't imagine Ai as a manager, no, but that doesn't seem like something that would stop her. Where music is involved, she isn't going to count Ai out ever. That's not how it works.

That said, when Ai lays down her ground rules, it feels like she can breathe again, and Lisa slouches into her seat in relief for a moment, before remembering where she is and straightening up again.]

I can do that. I don't mind a little extra attention - I would have never signed up as a Dreamer if I couldn't handle that. Not in this city. There's just an upper limit, and you shine brightly enough at full tilt that I... [She shakes her head, but her mood doesn't sour.] Mm-mm. Not as I am now. Maybe later, but not now. Thank you for your patience with me, though. I understand I'm a little high-maintenance. [She grins; she knows how she is.]

Anyway... if you'll have me, I want to see what we can do as a musical unit. I want to explore how far my power can take me, and how I can help everyone succeed together.

That's so strange... [ she says it in a pretty approving voice, at least. ] I guess it makes sense, though. The Dream Sphere is made up of our emotions and thoughts and so is our magic, so it manifesting that way definitely is possible... but I've never heard of it doing that before.

[ She puts a hand to her chin, mulling this over. Hibiki's got her thinking about Magic Experiments. ]

Do you think you'd be able to do that with other people, even if they were improvising something without lyrics? Or if they were just using an instrument?

Ahaha... I think it's pretty neat! I'm not really good at coming up with lyrics myself... but whenever I sing my songs, it just feels right, y'know?

[ Something about just being able to sing your heart out, to just let out the song of your heart... it felt good, even if it does mean wearing her heart on her sleeve. ]

Mnnn... I'm not really sure! I've never really tried that before. I know that whenever I start singing, instruments and stuff start to come out, but I dunno what would happen if it was just somebody else with one...

[Keiwa and his sister would usually tackle large sales like these together. Usually with the smaller Sara leading the charge and the taller Keiwa pointing out where the best route was, hot on his sister's heels. But Sara isn't here so it's just Keiwa, by himself, trying to make his way through the crowd.

It took a little longer than usual to get the produce he was aiming for with the crowds the way they are, but not enough for him to call it a waste. The local vegetables looked really good and even if he had no intention of coming every week, it seemed like a waste to not try some at least once. He's humming to himself, thinking about what to make for dinner when he hears the sound of something heavy hitting the ground (wince) followed by a barely restrained yowl.

Is he a busybody? Can he just not help himself? Either way, he's picking up some of the wayward produce rolling away from the crime scene and jogging back to the original source]

Hey, are you oka- Eh?? [wait, this time he recognizes her! Progress!! And he's got a soft voice in the first place, so it's not like his surprise draws anyone's attention. He smiles a little sheepishly before adding;]

Umm... That was probably a dumb question. Here, let me help.

I guess we'll find out soon enough!

[ said in a cheery 'well, that's decided!' sort of voice. Well, even if she doesn't have anyone else on board yet she's pretty confident in her ability to wrangle a few helpers. And if nothing else, she can tell Hibiki won't be passing up the chance to jump on board. One person by herself isn't exactly a Unit, but Ai's worked with worse resources before. She's got this! ]

Remind me, you're still at Promised Morning, aren't you? How much time are you realistically able to take away from school? I know they're a bit more flexible for Dreamers but school's still important.

[ Ai's smile turns a little wry – the sort of smile she purposely pops on because she knows it's disarming, it's the sort of expression Dreamer Ai-Doll shouldn't be seen wearing. It takes the edge off, just a bit. ]

If you think you're high maintenance, remind me to tell you some stories from B-Komachi sometime. You'd be surprised how much work goes into making a client happy, even though you're just there to perform.

[ She knows she shines bright enough to take your eyes out – that's her job, after all. But hearing it come from Lisa and knowing it's something that makes her feel poorly in comparison... that's not what she wants at all.

Maybe dimming it a little is for the best. ]

But I'd love to have you, if you're happy to join us. The rhythm section is the most important part of a band, right? And I've seen enough of your magic on the other side that I think you'd be good at keeping everyone on beat.

[ When Ai looks up at him, it's with her glasses and her cap both a little askew from all the commotion. She blinks – and then recognition clicks into place in turn and she hastily straightens both of them with a little laugh. ]

Aah, you caught me at a bad time, huh? [ She sounds a little sheepish – even dressed up like this she's recognizable enough that she can't exactly be losing her temper like that where anyone could see her. She shoves a few errant potatoes back into the bag, recaptures a carrot that was at risk of going rolling again then gives Keiwa a little grin. ] I really didn't think everyone would be going this crazy over veggies!

[he passes her the items he picked up before standing and offering Ai a hand up. One day he'll understand the importance of idol culture to the general population. Today will not be that day and Keiwa simply continues to be too polite for his own good]

Well, this is usually what happens during sales... Sometimes it can't be helped. [a laugh] There's nothing like baked sweet potatoes in the fall.

[ Up she gets...! She ends up taking hold of his wrist more than his hand, just to give herself some good plausible deniability in case anyone else recognizes her, eases up onto her feet. Her veggies are secure, at least, and if they're a little bruised... well, it's not like you can tell once they're diced and turned into curry! ]

I guess you're not wrong... there's definitely been some major scraps for sales over at the Tsubaki Department Store every year. Matsuba's not usually so bad, though! I guess I was expecting everyone to be little better behaved? Heehee.

[for his part, he lets go as soon as she's standing. Even without her being an idol, Keiwa's been volunteering at places long enough to recognize that he doesn't need to hold on longer than necessary]

It's probably because it's the start of the month... After everything that's happened-

[a pause, because how much did that Distortion event affect the average populace? He probably wouldn't have noticed anything other than the earthquakes. They're just dreams after all]

Some people are just really gung-ho about sales, I guess. [he scratches the back of his neck] But we should probably move out of the way. Before... [a nebulous gesture to one side, probably meant to indicate 'someone recognizes you' without completely giving away what he's talking about]

[Lisa's pulse quickens at a smile she's never seen before, even if it's one that does a lot to humanize someone she's put on a pedestal for a long time, and her eyes sparkle at the prospect of B-Komachi stories... for a second, before she checks a little and schools her cheer into a mostly-polite, bright and happy smile.]

I can believe it! But I'd love to hear them sometime. Especially if we'll be spending a little more time together, out of necessity. [That light... will be bright and hot enough to scorch. But it'll be okay. She can lean on the others to keep her from burning up.] I'm excited for the opportunity. The bassist's job is to give you a steady rhythm and a subtle push into the front, to reinforce everyone else's sound, and with my magic I'll make sure every eye's on you. On us. I know it's presumptuous of me, but... please, even if it's only a little, depend on me.

[A beat, as her smile twitches and falters.] Or as much as you need to. I... [Even if it's her fangirl tendencies talking, Ai is so far above her station - many times her experience as a Dreamer, to say nothing of her life experience on the shining stage - that Lisa worrying after her feels backwards and almost taboo. And yet... as she glances around the room discreetly for anyone she needs to watch her mouth around, she looks back to her new hopefully-teammate with poorly-disguised concern.] Even on this side, if there's anything I can do, let me know.

Ehehe, yep!

[ Hey, decisiveness is hardly a bad thing in Hibiki's book! Plus, there's practically no chance whatsoever that Hibiki is gonna turn down joining. ]

Oh, well... I should be fine! If they weren't so flexible about the whole Dreamers thing, I'd probably be in hot water, but I'm totally fine now!

[ Hibiki's actual grades would beg to differ, as she barely scrapes by even with the flexibility... but ah well. ]

★ so perfect as a liar, you are really

OPEN - Matsuba World Market - October 6th onwards

OPEN - Dreamer Union - October 5th onwards

no subject

basically right away;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject