★ blind the masses with a grin, stir up the media

[liedol]

⭐ Who: Ai and you!
⭐ When: End of May through July
⭐ Where: Various prompts around Yumemigaoka and the Dream Sphere
⭐ What: An Ai catchall for the next month! After a suspiciously well timed vacation out to Hokkaido, Ai's back in Yumemigaoka and ready to catch up on everything she missed. I'm also down for doing closed/private prompts so hit me up on Discord if you'd like to plan something!

Comments

Last week of May - Dream Sphere

[liedol]

[ Back to work doesn't just mean flitting around the office, of course – the most important part of a Dreamer's job is the whole... dreaming thing. It's in the name! So as soon as she's settled and caught up on everyone's business, Ai makes her way over to the other side. As much as there is to catch up on here, surely there's even more on the other side.

You'll usually catch Dreamer Ai-Doll in the Slumbering City, doing her usual work of making sure nothing's afoot with any newbie Dreamers. If you're looking particularly worried or out of place, then you might find yourself set upon in a well-meaning way by a very enthusiastic Ai-Doll. ]

It's a little overwhelming to start with, huh? Don't worry, you got this!

[ ... Or maybe you're out in one of the outlying locations and facing some particularly nasty Torments – maybe even a Nightmare! Whether you're struggling or managing to hold your own, you'll see a sudden flash of light strike your enemy like... a spotlight? Once the light hits them, the enemy's attention suddenly whips away from you over to Dreamer Ai-Doll, who's illuminated by a similar plume of radiance. ]

Sorry to barge in. But right now, you're duetting with me!

[darcangel]

[ Dreamer La Pucelle pauses in the middle of a crowd of suddenly distracted Torments her own attention momentarily caught. Incredible.....A beacon from heaven?

No, it appears to be a Dreamer's magic. La Pucelle gathers her wits, figures out what sort of spell this must be, and salutes her fellow Dreamer with her sword. If this person keeps the Torments distracted, then she can wipe them out from behind, one by one - ]

[liedol]

[ Ai-Doll returns a cheery, double-peace salute – not overtly enough to redirect any attention back to the younger girl, but as a quick show of encouragement. She's got this! ]

And now I've got your full attention... let's start the show!

[ A Torment instantly rushes in to try and grab hold of her, but Ai-Doll spins and steps so elegantly out of the way you could be tricked into thinking she really was fighting instead of dancing. Even without the magic she's using, it's hard to keep your eyes off her. It's just the sort of distraction you need to deal with Torments...! ]

[darcangel]

[ And La Pucelle intends to make the most of it. The Torments she's closest to, she hacks down with her sword - those crowding towards Ai-Doll, she targets with a swing of that sword that releases a barrage of doves made of light.

Did she get all -

No! There's a cluster sneaking up - ]

Behind!

[ She leaps towards the Torments, not content merely to warn. Please, Lord, let her make it...!! ]

[liedol]

[ La Pucelle's cry rings out just in time – with her focus on the other girl, Ai-Doll doesn't seem like she's fully aware that she might have been about to get set upon. But at the last moment, she takes a delicate flurry of steps just to the side, making a perfect opening and leaving the Torments vulnerable. Was she really as in trouble as it might have looked for a second, there...? ]

Just one last push and we've got this covered!

[breezyplayboy]

[Hark! A Newbie Dreamer! He's out and about without his senpai around, for better or worse, trying to practice his powers. He's working on balance as he jumps around, summoning and dismissing his shield, which seems to be a slightly different shape each time, and summoning a breeze with his palms.]

[He's looking very serious about it all and not paying enough attention, clearly, because Ai-Doll is able to walk right up to him. Maybe he expects a more familiar face, but he certainly doesn't expect the famous Dreamer-Idol of the DU to greet him. Personally. Within arm's reach. Smiling at him with that encouraging look and her little fangs.]

[Like any true idol fan, he loses his absolute goddamn shit. He yelps and drops his shield, which bounces into his sandglass and lands against his gauntlet again as he stumbles, bowing at the waist to be polite and to hide how red his face is.]

Thank you! I'm doing my best!

[Help.]

[liedol]

[ It's been a good few years of getting this sort of response when she goes ahead and – let's call it what it is – jumpscares one of the newbies, but it still tickles her every time one of them gives her such a good reaction. Especially when it's one of the (many) teens who are so much taller than her. A healthy reputation really makes up for a lot, huh? ]

Heehee, you don't have to be so formal with me. [ She's just going to politely pretend that whole fumble with his shield did not happen..... for his mental health..... ] We're all on the same side, right? We can afford to be a little more relaxed.

[ Not that she expects that to ever actually work, but hey. She gave it a shot. ]

You're still getting used to moving around, right? I was watching for a little bit before I came over.

[breezyplayboy]

[He straightens up, rubbing the back of his neck with a glove. He looks a little less like a tomato, but he is still visibly starstruck.]

W-well, you're still my sensei at the least. [Let's focus on that she's a senior veteran dreamer and not the international superidol thing. For his mental health.]

Yeah, I was. I'm so much bouncier and faster here, even with the armor on. I want to get good at avoiding and blocking since my starting weapon is a shield and all.

[She was watching him... let him Die.]

[liedol]

[ With a laugh: ] Sensei? Jeez, no way, that makes me sound way too old! Just call me senpai if you really have to call me something fancy, okay?

[ That and it still kind of tickles her to imagine herself of all people as a senpai. ]

But I'd say you're off to a good start. Right now, the problem is that you aren't really sure about trusting your instincts, huh? Part of you knows how fighting on this side works but the rest of you second guesses it and you end up losing your tempo. I remember being the same when I first started.

[ She gives him a wry smile as if to say can you even imagine? ]

What part of it hardest for you right now?

slumbering city;

[traceofeffort]

[After getting thrown about the Dream Sphere a week or two ago, Rhodonite has been a little disheartened about her ability to keep up. So, she's been trying to push herself to improve. That, in turn, brought her to the Slumbering City to train today again. There are enough Dreamers running around this area, consistently enough, that she doesn't feel horribly threatened. In danger if she gets complacent, sure, but not actively threatened. Exams being over helps.

So, she's here alternating between taking on the occasional Torment when she finds one, and trying to get better with her magic - she feels like she's on the cusp of something new. Right now her bass is to hand, and she's channeling magic through it as she plays, searching within herself for that little feeling that keeps escaping her-

-when that voice hits her and everything just. Goes out the window, her arms falling to her side. Was. Was that. That can't be-]

Aaaaaaaaaaa-

[Pardon her. Lisa.EXE has stopped responding. Temporarily incapable of words. No, stop, reboot, turn around-]

Y-y-yes! I... I'm still getting used to things, but I want to improve! I, um, ah... I have no idea what I'm supposed to say to someone so cool, aaaaa-

[Lisa, honey. You're supposed to keep that part on the inside.]

[liedol]

[ Despite all her fumbling, Ai-Doll just smiles at her encouragingly.

(It takes a truly concerning amount of professionalism for the smile to not break into a laugh) ]

We all had to start somewhere! Knowing you want to improve's always a good first step. And it's always nice seeing people take the initiative and give training a shot even when their Mentors aren't around! So you get a gold star on that front from me.

[ As if all this isn't bad enough, Ai-Doll leans in a little so she can take a proper look at Lisa's bass, ooh-ing and aah-ing the whole time. ]

Ooh and is this your weapon? I haven't seen anyone with a real instrument in such a long time!

[traceofeffort]

[She might have preferred being laughed at! Still, the reassurance... mostly helps. Rhodonite does sheepishly correct Ai-Doll on one thing, though:]

Ah, I don't. Have a Mentor? I haven't done that much with the Union yet. But thank you for your praise... [There's a pregnant pause where Rhodonite clearly wants to add something else, but gives it up after a moment. Internally, she's trying to decide if Ai-Doll is enough of a senpai to call her that (or something even more extreme!), but she'll. Come back to that. Other problems first. She shakes her head slightly.] I had a battle the other day I'm not satisfied with, and I want to get better.

[The examination of her weapon is perhaps worse - she can at least be proud of it, given she owns a real bass guitar that looks a lot like it on the other side, but it's still...] At least I don't have to depend on my magic to tell me how to play. I'd be doomed. Not that I'm very good, but it's enough for this side. [A small, wry smile.] I'm no professional.

[liedol]

Ooh, you don't, do you? [ Ai absolutely, definitely does not have the time or energy to take on more trainees than she currently has already but it would be a lie to say she didn't think about it for at least a second. ] It's definitely worth looking into if you want to improve! I know it doesn't exactly work for everyone but take it from me – if you have a Mentor you really get along with, it makes things a lot easier!

[ It's funny to look back and remember when she'd been in Rhodonite's shoes – or close enough, anyway. She'd been unsure of everything, frightened of even more and it'd only been the comfort of a steady and reliable presence that had kept her grounded long enough for her to start learning.

Not that she thinks any of them would actually believe that if she told them. ]

I don't think you have to be a pro when it comes to something like this, though! If it came over to the other side with you, it must mean it's something you're passionate about. I think that's cool!

[ She finally lets up on her examination of the bass and instead goes back to favouring Rhodonite with that encouraging smile. ]

What sort of music do you play with it over here?

[darknesshotpot]

[Ango had expected a lot more magical battles in his new "career," but it turns out that working for the DU is more or less like every other low-paid crap job he's had: hours of boredom punctuated by occasional moments where everything goes to hell. Tonight they've got him doing data collection, which is firmly in the "boredom" category. For the past few hours, Ango has been recording the number of Figments in various areas throughout the Slumbering City and making note of any that could be headed towards spawning a Torment. It's enough to make him wonder what happens if you fall asleep in the Dream Sphere - do you wake up in the real world, or do you end up in a deeper layer of Dream Sphere like in that trippy Leonardo DiCaprio movie?

He's startled from his daydreaming by the perky, upbeat voice of a Dreamer who looks like she's straight out of the casting department for a Dreamer Union promotional movie. She's perfect, from the ribbons on her shoes to the layer cake ruffles of her skirt to the sparkle in her eyes. If Ango were capable of feeling shame, he might feel just a little self-conscious about his own half-assed ninja cosplay outfit.]

Uh, yeah, thanks for the encouragement... hey, is it just me, or does that Figment over there look kinda sus?

[There's something familiar about her... is she that club hostess he flirted with in Kabukichou? Or maybe she was in a TV commercial? Most Dreamers don't look exactly like their real-world selves, but there's usually a resemblence... and Ango's seen those eyes somewhere before.]

[liedol]

Ooh, do you really think?

[ Ai-Doll stoops down a little to join him in snooping – she even makes a point to carefully adjust her skirt as she does so, as if the wholesome mahou vibes weren't perfect enough – and shades those sparkly eyes so she can follow his gaze out to whatever Figment he's been keeping an eye on so far. ]

It's definitely a little more solid than they usually are in the Slumbering City... maybe we've got a lucid dreamer on our hands. Or maybe they're just dreaming about really not wanting to go back to work.

[ She glances away from the Figment to give him a little grin. ]

What is it that has you worried?

[darknesshotpot]

I'm supposed to put a check mark in this column for every Figment I see, and a check mark in this column for every Figment that's funky-looking... I guess this place is a reflection of the real world, so the DU's doing's some kind of Dream Sphere mental health study.

[He lazily waves his clipboard at the picture-perfect Dreamer. Despite his bored attitude, Ango has been fairly diligent about collecting data - he wouldn't admit it, but the subject is close to his heart.]

So no worries here - but I gotta say, when I pictured working from bed, I wasn't imagining this!

[That mischevious little grin triggers another spark of recognition in the back of Ango's mind. He's definitely seen that grin before, plastered on billboards all over Tokyo...]

Wait a minute, I know you... you're Ginga!

[Ginga, the yandere idol heroine of "The Innocent," a post-apocalyptic scifi movie based on one of Ango's novels. In his story, the protagonist (a cynical propaganda writer, totally not based on anyone in particular) attracts the unhealthy attention of Ginga, a genocide survivor and singer/actress/model star of the corporate media's brainwashing program, resulting in a tragic love triangle... The studio spent more of its budget on costumes and special effects than on hiring a decent scriptwriter for the movie adaptation, though, so the barely-coherent mess was a critical flop. Still, the pop idol they hired for the female lead proved that she had the chops for more serious roles.]

I mean, you're Ai! From, uh, D-Ko-tachi, right? It's me, Sakaguchi Ango! Shit, I mean "Dreamer Decadence." We're still doing the code name thing, right? Remember that time we trolled our way through an interview on some dumb entertainment news show?

[liedol]

[ She has her mouth open to muse something about Figments – but, for the first time in a while, the recognition catches her off guard and she shuts it again with a look of sincere surprise all over her face. But then it breaks back into a smile and Ai-Doll laughs, delighted and taken aback all at once. ]

Yes, yes – Ai from B-Komachi at your service! [ a correction and an agreement all at once, done so smoothly... she gives him a cheeky smile. ] Ah, but over here, it's Ai-Doll, isn't it?

[ Still smiling fondly to herself, she shakes her head in a bemused sort of way. ]

I'd forgotten all about that interview until you said it... [ Lie. It's one of her quiet favourites, but it's not exactly proper to admit how much fun she'd been having in that disaster of a PR campaign. ] Jeez, though, were we really that bad?

Slumbering City

[sassysachi]

[ Dreamer Zeal is new here. Incredibly new. So new the fantastical, dreamlike state of the world she's now inhabiting not only hasn't worn off, but still excites and amazes. She can first be seen walking through the city staring at various buildings in their differing riotous pastels, every now and then stopping to examine a figment up close, her eyes full of sparkling wonder. ]

Ohhhh...

[ Her straightforward path eventually leads her to the edge of the city where an endless ocean seems to stretch out in front of her, and her already sparkling eyes widen. ]

Woooah! It's so big, and in every direction! I wish I had a swimsuit.

[ That's when something occurs to her! This is a dream, right? You don't need a swimsuit to swim in a dream! Sometimes in her dreams she simply appears underwater, and doesn't even need to breath! ]

Hahaha, here I go!

[ She lets out a cry, one hand on her hip with the other pointing to the sky, the other aiming at the expanse of water in front of her. She takes as quick a dash as she can, and then jumps high into the air, laughing wildly in joy at the height and distance she manages. Tilting over she holds her arms out towards the water--

...and slams nearly face first into the ground while learning this 'ocean' is only ankle deep. ]

Ow, ow, ow, ow!

[ She cries out again, covering her face with her white gloved hands and rolling around in the water, but it only takes a moment before she's laughing again.

But then, what's this? Words of encouragement! ]

Oh!

[ Zeal pops back up to her feet in an instant, eyes going even wider than when she'd seen the ocean, as what can be described as nothing less than a celebrity stands before her! It's an awestruck expression Ai-Doll has no doubt seen many times before, but this particular newbie seems to recover from being starstruck quicker than most! ]

Ahahaha~! It totally is overwhelming; isn't it awesome!?

[ She holds her arms out and spins as if to motion towards everything at once, jogging over afterwards back to the 'shore' with a splish splash of her boots in the shallow water. ]

First I wake up in a dream and almost get murdered by a nightmare,

[ There is exactly zero worry, fear, or regret in her voice at this. ]

then I get saved by real life heroes, and now I get to explore this amazing place and learn to save people myself!

[ She's so excitable that she hardly seemed ready to let Ai get a word in edgewise, though she does momentarily calm, leaning in to note. ]

Oh, but be careful about the water. It's super shallow and you can't swim in it at all!

[ It doesn't seem to occur to her that a consummate veteran literally used to publicly advertise the Dreamer Union would know this already. ]

[liedol]

[ Much to her delight, Ai-Doll finds that her initial suspicions about this girl had been entirely correct – she likes her fiercely and immediately. The instant recovery from a pratfall like that had made her think of Ruby so strongly it almost hurt and her excited chattering doesn't do the comparison any favors. Without even having to think about it, she instinctively stoops down as the smaller Dreamer approaches so the two of them can talk on eye level – just like she used to do with Ruby and Aqua when they were this small. ]

Heehee, it sounds like you're adjusting just fine, then. For a lot of people, the first few times they come here after Awakening can be a little scary but it sounds to me like you're having a lot of fun. That's the best way to feel, if you ask me.

[ She'd been scared out of her wits, after all – it'd taken time for her to be able to find the joy and wonder in it that should have been there all along. Seeing it expressed so exuberantly in someone right from the start is heartening. ]

How much exploring have you managed so far?

[sassysachi]

Being scary doesn't make it any less exciting. I'm having so much fun, and I'm just getting started!

[ Zeal can at least appreciate that getting attacked by a Nightmare is scary. Something can be scary without actually being scared about it, right?

At the question she first makes a soft hum, leaning to the side and tilting her head to look past Ai-Doll before pointing. ]

From the other end of that street there, [ her arm sweeps closer and she twists to point to the ocean, immediately swinging both arms upwards in a gesture only missing a hop to become a jump for joy, ] all the way to here!

[ It's a humble beginning and it impresses just how new the girl is! Ai-Doll has seemingly managed to catch her on her first real trip after her initial Awakening. ]

Oh!!

[ Suddenly, something occurs to her that hadn't until that very moment. She has Ai at a complete disadvantage! This needs rectifying immediately.

In a brisk motion she stands bolt upright, which does nothing to change the fact that the older Dreamer needs to bend down to be on eye level with her, and quickly snaps one hand to her forehead in a salute. ]

Dreamer Zeal, reporting for duty, Taichou!

[ There isn't the slightest hint of military styling in her outfit, so this must be a passing moment of whimsy for her. This is further reinforced when she drops the salute in favor of a wide grin.

If Ai-Doll had looked over info on new members to the Dreamers Union before entering the Dream Sphere she might have seen Zeal's. Apparently she'd been attacked by a Nightmare a couple weeks back and had only very recently gotten all the final bits of paperwork finished up for joining. It can easily be inferred by her lack of exploring until now that she'd waited to return until that moment, a point of prudence that hardly seems in line with the exuberance that practically oozes out of the girl. ]

I'm soooo happy to be working with you! Ehe-ehehe!

[ Again her eyes widen as she takes the brilliantly styled Dreamer Ai-Doll in before her, and she even claps her hands a little in excitement. As she spoke there was a moment where it had clearly occurred to her that the comment was possibly impetuous and presumptive. Rather than being abashed by the thought she'd instead leaned into even harder. ]

[liedol]

[ Zeal isn't the only one leaning into her brand – the smile Ai-Doll favours her with isn't entirely unlike the sort she beams out across crowds, a little less blown out and a little more focused but no less dazzling for it. She's gone and found herself an enthusiastic little Dreamer right on her first trip; always her favourite time to see new arrivals exploring the Dream Sphere. In that sense, which of them is really more lucky here? ]

I'm glad to hear it – and I'm looking forward to working with you too, Zeal-chan.

[ Which is true. She isn't going to pretend they're coworkers just yet, because she thinks that genre of lie is a step too far when faced with a girl this young, but there's a sense of solidarity that comes with working together regardless. ]

Have you had a chance to try out your magic yet?

[hanamane]

[As far as Torments go, most of these ones were considerably puny-- but given their sheer numbers and tenacity, it made them particularly obnoxious to fight. Still, they couldn't just hang around and potentially turn into a Nightmare, so Hanako's got the... exciting... task of mowing down each of these critters one by one. Thankfully, a swipe of his knife or a good shot with one of his Haku-Joudai is enough to poof the majority of these creatures out of existence in a puff of glittery smoke (and appropriate sound effect), leaving just the biggest and the nastiest of the bunch left behind for last. These prove to be trickier to fell, taking more than just a single slice to defeat, and one of them's just about got Hanako pinned, as he struggles to get his weapon angled for one good STAB--

But then, a familiar beam of light comes down from above, catching both Dreamer and Torment's attention at once, and Hanako can't help but pout the moment he recognizes who it is.]

Awww, and it was just getting to the good part, too. ☆

[... nice reaction to getting saved there, kiddo. But whatever disappointment he might have in not getting this particular Torment is chased away by the hum of excitement starting to quickly build through his system, the thrill of being able to fight side by side as a fellow Experienced Dreamer at last being too much to ignore. He nimbly flips over the captivated creature, both his Dreamer agility and Levitation skill giving him some impressive air time, before landing neatly behind Ai-Doll, shooting her the biggest grin over his shoulder before focusing on the remainder of the Torments in the circle.]

Make sure you save some for me when you're done, Senpai!

[liedol]

If there's none left over–

[ Ai-Doll does a tricky little movement with her wand, spinning it through the air like a baton and somehow not once losing her grip on it. Light catches and sparkles off the sand inside and before long, a flurry of glittering stars have begun raining down over the Torments, striking down some and outright poofing away a good handful of them. ]

– then you just need to step up your game!

[ It's a little bizarre to be fighting with Hanako, not training or watching over him – but it's exciting, too. She's said all along that her favourite part of training new Dreamers is getting to watch them graduate and here's the fruits of her labour to show for it. Watching them find their wings and take flight is the best reward she could ask for. ]

[hanamane]

[Well, shoot, after an attack like that, there really weren't going to be many of them left soon, were there? If anything, though, it only motivates Hanako further-- this was an opportunity to show off the months of hard work they've been through, and... let's admit it, he wants to show off a bit for his Auntie Mentor too. His grin turns into something of a smirk at her egging on, idly twirling his glass knife between his fingers as his eyes catch the quartet of Torments charging straight towards him.]

I guess I gotta get just a little more serious then.

[At that, he leaps up, landing lightly upon the front creature's back as it stumbles forward from the sudden dodge. With a decisive gesture from both of his hands, his Haku-Joudai go rocketing out in opposite directions, smacking the other two attacking critters square in the chest and onto the ground. And for the one coming in from above? Well, that one is going to get a very wide and very dramatic slash to the chest, the force of it enough to cut it clean in half and POOF into a glitter bomb of epic proportions. Hanako might not have had wide ranging attacks like Ai-Doll or other Dreamers, but as a Striker, he was very good at making the damage count.

It's not until the sparkly haze clears a little, however, that he spots a Torment making a mad dash in Ai-Doll's direction, just a little too quick and too far away for Hanako to intercept it in time.]

Ah-- Senpai, to your right!!

[liedol]

[ With fewer Torments and Hanako going even more on the attack, it gives Ai-Doll just a bit of breathing room to stop and watch. She works her best with others – ironic, for a girl who spent so long stealing the spotlight from the rest of B-Komachi. Or maybe it's the other way around; maybe Ai was the one propping them up and helping them shine. Maybe that's why she has to do the same over here. Even when she's in the spotlight and the center of attention, Ai-Doll is never the one to bring a decisive end to things. All she can do is make sure the Dreamers who can have the opportunity.

She's so caught up in watching that just for a second, even she lets her guard down. Hanako's call comes at just the right time for her to whip around and intercept the blow with her wand. There's a horrible noise of claws scraping against the glass but it holds regardless and with one final push, Ai-Doll sends it staggering back. Before it can recover, Ai-Doll takes the lead; a few delicate steps and swipes of the wand like someone wielding a fencing sword has the Torment scatter apart and finally dissapate.

Ai-Doll hangs for a moment, still tense – but then she lets out a long sigh and finally relaxes a bit. ]

Phew...! I'm not much of a senpai today if I get caught off guard that easy...