yumemigaoka | ★ my genius, flawless idol for life

I'll stream it to my grave!

[One hand comes up to dramatically clutch at her desk, trembling as he lifts his failing body up with all the strength he has left.]

Why is it so catchy... what sorcery is this?!

That's the Christmas magic, obviously! That and the fact that you've probably heard it two hundred times since it started airing. Anything would get stuck in your head after that many times. But in case anyone else asks, it's one hundred percent Christmas magic.

[ anyone would think she has no sympathy......... ]

Cheer up! You only have to heard it on TV until Christmas Day. Think you can hold out until then?

That long!?

[Zeke loses his grip as all strength leaves his body, collapsing back to the floor with a thud to sprawl out.]

[A lot of people might wonder why Ai has an apparent corpse in her office. Then they'd notice who it was, and either recognize he's being overdramatic or wonder how she hasn't snapped and offed him long ago.]

Anyway -- [Still sprawled out, but now he's totally conversational] -- I figured I'd better check in. New song out means life's exploding for you, right?

[ Entirely unruffled by the talking corpse in her office, Ai casually taps away at yet another godforsaken email. You'd think all this chaos (heh) would have thrown her off her groove even a little bit, but bizarrely, this is just kind of helping her focus a little more?? You get used to operating in high pressure situations alongside people with big personalities and your brain just sort of accepts that as standard practice for Work Mode. ]

Just a bit! [ impressively, she makes that sound more cheery as opposed to a cry for help. ] We're coming up on the end of the promotional circuit but I still have a few TV spots that are recording for the new year and a handshake session or two but so long as nothing new explodes at the DU, I should be able to manage it.

Ah ha! [Zeke's hands shoots up, followed by the rest of him as he points at her.] The Department of Armaments, Materials, and Necessities (Including Therapy), at this juncture, formally asks Dreamer Ai-Doll to engage in a public relations campaign for Dreamers and the people at large. To wit! The Department, in the person of me, will handle your DU duties for the duration of the holiday season, while Dreamer Ai-Doll, in the person of you, uses the time freed for rest, self-care, and enjoyment!

[He bangs one fist down onto her desk to stop her from interrupting at that point... winces, then continues on as he shakes his hand. Note to self, remember you are less durable awake.]

By accepting, you'll signal to other Dreamers and all your fans and followers that even legends need time to be themselves, relax, and do their own thing. Which is not only a lesson Dreamers need, but also the idol industry, as we've recently noticed. Show people that self-care is valid, and we'll make this a happier holiday for everyone, and just maybe decrease the appearance of future Disturbances from both our own ranks and those on the verge of awakening!

[Of course Ai won't take a break just because he asks him to. Or because she needs one. Nor does he have the confidence that she truly thinks he's an equal to be listened now, instead of a younger, louder Dreamer who she needs to watch over and continue guiding. Thus, the Zekenator must bring every weapon in his arsenal to bear against her, the better to drive her to the only acceptable outcome. Public relations, public messaging, helping others -- all of those ought to be legitimate corollaries to his true goal.]

Edited (so much juncture) 2023-12-12 18:20 (UTC)

[ Ah. She's fallen into a trap, it seems. Really, she should've seen this coming but if years of working with Zeke has taught her anything it's that he's more or less completely unpredictable. Rather than let herself be thrown off though, Ai finally lets up on her furious typing and puffs out a laugh. She lances her fingers together and plops her chin down on them, not quite Gendo Ikari style, but still. ]

That's an interesting proposal! But it comes with its own set of problems, don't you think? If the Department takes on all of Dreamer Ai-Doll's DU duties for the remainder of the holiday season, then that creates a situation where one person is left with double the workload while the senior DU members enjoy their free time. Don't you think that creates a public image concern, where DU officials are happy to offload their workloads onto less senior members during busier times of the year?

[ Her eyes are sparkling a little even with all that. Play with her in this space!!! ]

[He has a bunch of techniques he can employ, mainly hitting hard at the benefits to other Dreamers and all that. Because he truly believes Ai cares about them. Didn't she go to so much effort for them all, after all?]

[But Zeke's not one to win a fight with a low blow till he's played out the rest of his hand, to mix metaphors. Speaking of hand, one idly spins as he takes a half-step back, almost bowing as he lifts up two fingers.]

First, as an offer extended by the Department, you are not delegating to a fellow Dreamer, but to the bureau most interested and invested in providing aid and assistance to the DU! In turn, that allows for delegation among the members of the Department, who will then use their experience with the DU's means and methods to improve their own understanding, and thus benefit their efforts towards the DU in the future. Which isn't even getting into the political benefits that can result with public cooperation, as you well know.

Second...

[Straightening up, Zeke drops a little of the fancy-schmancy melodrama, folding his arms behind his head as he regards Ai with a smile that looks almost alarmingly serious.]

What have you been training us all for, if not to reach your level? What better way to show your trust and faith in the DU you've built and the people you've raised, than to leave your work in the hands of others for just a little while, and step away with jolly full confidence that everything you've done for us has led to you getting a well-deserved break?

[ Ai's expression holds on serious for just a few seconds than Zeke's but then it breaks into a smile as well — a complicated one, proud, fond and a little annoyed at being outmaneuvered but a smile all the same. She's been thinking for a while now that it always feels so sad and strange and lovely to see one of her trainees take off on her own and looking at Zeke right now, she feels that same bittersweet nostalgia going in the opposite direction. He's gotten on to be a capable Dreamer in his own right and more so than that — a capable adult. What was she working so hard on training him and all of them for if it wasn't for that?

Ai inclines her head. Not quite a surrender, but... ]

That's all you needed to say. The rest is just fluff. When you're making a pitch, you should lead with your conclusion and build from there.

[ She grins, to show she's just playing. ]

But... I wouldn't feel right handing all of it over to you just like that. And even then, I can't exactly enjoy my Christmas if I know you're busy because of me. So how about this? I'll give you everything I haven't had a chance to start working on yet and you can run interference on all my calls and emails for me, so I have a little breathing room.

I think it's unwise to use your strongest attack first, without seeing if a weaker one will work. Better to save something for next time, isn't it?

[Now he'll need to come up with another line of argument, or another avenue of attack. No one can accuse Ai of letting him slack, even without actually asking anything of him. Especially without!]

[Zeke curls one arm up, tipping his head slightly so he can tap his temple and think about the counteroffer.] You know I live for this stuff. I don't have split obligations, so I don't think I'm busy at all. Take your offer and add the week between Christmas and New Year's away from the DU entirely, and we've got a deal.

[ Still on the negotiations... but this really isn't a bad deal at all. And Zeke doesn't even know exactly what it is he's offering her. A week after the holidays that she can spend at home with Aqua and Ruby, without having to worry about work...

Well. Knowing herself, she'll definitely worry about work at least a little. She just can't help it. But the idea of being able to spend some precious free time with the kids and having everything at the DU handled in her absence... ]

I'll agree... on one condition.

[ She inclines her head. ]

You take New Year's Day off. No volunteering for the skeleton crew or going into the DU or any other departments anywhere else for work. You have to take one full day off. How about that?

Done!

[Little did Ai realize he'd already planned to take New Year's Day off! The government is closed, after all, and he has certain plans for New Year's Eve that a day off afterwards will only benefit. So, satisfied that he's got the best of this deal, and pleased that he'd gotten more than he expected out of her for sure, Zeke sticks one hand over the desk for a shake to seal the deal.]

[ Ai takes his hand and gives it one cheery, no-nonsense shake. ]

Pleasure doing business with you.

[ The fact that she's leaving this interaction feeling like she won really proves that Zeke is the chessmaster here. ]

Here — take a seat and I'll start putting some things together for you. I'll have to take a day to get everything organized but I can start passing off some things now, at least.

[A double victory, because he secretly had one ultimate weapon hidden away in his arsenal that he hadn't needed to deploy. Likely it'll just get spent anyway by chance, but oh well -- that's how these things go.]

[All bright grin, Zeke drops into a seat and somehow manages not to fall out the window. Yeeees, today IS going very well.]

[ She goes back to tap-tap-tapping on her keyboard for a moment, presumably pulling up a few things to send over his way — god only knows exactly how many things she has in her inbox and on her to-do list on any given day of the year, let alone so close to Christmas. ]

Do you really not have any plans for Christmas, though? [ she says that idly, still rattling away. ] I thought for sure you'd have some sort of party with friends to go to.

[ not that ai..... has ever been to one............. ]

Sam's doing a thing around then, I'm going to help her with that. Otherwise I'm keeping my ears open, but I haven't heard of much.

[No option to throw one, either -- Zeke has a rather cheap apartment, unsuited for hosting all but maybe one visitor. And of course, one can't wander into Promised Morning looking for parties at his age, that's just creepy.]

I guess things were a little too crazy the last month or so for anyone to go really hard on party planning...

[ And that's WITHOUT a Disturbance messing things up. Thank basically every god that whoever's been messing around in the Dream Sphere decided to give them all a break for Christmas or Ai never would've gotten anything done. ]

How about New Year? Are you stopping by any shrines?

...does bed count as a shrine?

[YOU NEVER KNOW IT'S BETTER TO ASK THAN ASSUME]

Are you praying to a god of sleep?

[ she doesn't usually dunk on zeke like that but sometimes he really does ask for it a bit ]

How could you worship a god of sleep better than by sleeping?

[Although if that's true, does Dreaming count? Because Zeke spends so much of his 'asleep' time running around the Dream Sphere that if it doesn't, he might be the god of sleep's greatest nemesis.]

[Eh, add another one to the list, along with that Nightmare he couldn't catch before it got away and the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs for reasons that aren't really important, are they?]

Otherwise... all that stuff kind of lost meaning for me a while back. Not really the look you want from a Dreamer, but there it is anyway.

[Zeke so rarely gets embarrassed by anything, but he ducks his head slightly now. Losing sight of the magic in things like shrine visits and fortunetelling is pretty shameful, in his estimation.]

Edited 2024-01-03 18:07 (UTC)

It did...? [ She sounds... a little disappointed, almost?? The sort of tone your mom might take when you have to gently break it to her that you don't believe in Santa anymore. ] I guess it does land a little different when you spend as much time on the other side as we do...

[ Still. Even if you see plenty of magic in the Dream Sphere, that doesn't mean it should vanish from your life in the waking world too. ]

Do you not even have fun going out and doing shrine visits and everything with friends?

Well. My folks spoiled it for me.

[No secret to Ai, there -- Zeke doesn't get along with his parents in the slightest. The stodgy, traditional, responsible pair had struggled enough with their chuuni son at the best of times; when he donned a skirt to prance about in the Dream Sphere, that had been the end of it. Ironic that he'd taken up a government job, which they would have approved of...]

Going there just reminds me of them.

[ The smile she'd been wearing thins just a bit. Not enough to look like pity or distaste — she knows full well how much that can sting when it lands but she's not going to insult him by wearing a thoughtless, clueless smile in the face of an admission like that.

Finally, she gives a quiet hum. ]

I guess that would suck all the fun out of things. [ There. That's neutral enough to not sound like she's giving him a condescending a little headpat, right? ] But the good thing about being an adult is getting to decide for yourself what your traditions are.

[ She flashes him a grin. ]

Getting comfy in bed's just as good as anything else!

Or spending the time with friends. Or even here. Since I don't actually work for the DU, I can just hang out and chat! Talk people into New Year's Torment runs! Not on the day, of course. [He quickly holds up his hands to forestall that objection. The deal remains good!] Honestly, I'm at peace with what happened. It sucks, but nothing's perfect, yeah?

So long as I don't catch you actually doing any work then that's fine with me.

[ she didn't QUITE turn on the mom voice there but the threat of it was absolutely audible. She'll be keeping an eye on you, buster!!! ]

Honestly, things are so dead here when it's just the skeleton crew, I wouldn't complain about having someone to chat with when I'm in. I'll bring the snacks if you bring the coffee?

Works for me! [Here's hoping he hasn't secretly set Ai up to bring, like, carrot sticks and celery or something. Zeke eats his vegetables responsibly already, dangit!] Not that I plan to let you spend too much time here if I can help it.

★ my genius, flawless idol for life

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