Open ♔ Shikyoin Hibiki’s Magnificent Daily Life

[priforprince]

Who: Hibiki and YOU!
When: Morning through evening, August 12
Where: Mostly the Near Shore; some on the Far Shore
What: A day in the life of a performance god whose temple is now (mostly) free of spirits. Behold its elegance.

[ I. - Morning, a girls’ high school in Tokyo ]

[ It’s a beautiful early morning on the Near Shore, with the air alive with the sound of…..tennis?

That’s right, the courts adjacent to this girls’ high school are the sight of some early-morning private lessons. That…do not appear to be going well. ]

Not like that. [ Hibiki tucks her racket under one arm and comes up behind a very nervous-looking girl, wrapping her arms around her to take her hands and readjust their position. ] Concentrate and observe, if you can’t do it instinctively. This is the difference between effort and—



[ But it’s then that her head raises, and she looks right at you and smiles. ] Perfect timing. Come here.

[ II. - High noon, a movie set ]

[ Why did you ignore the tape that said “STAFF ONLY” roping off this section of town? Did you just not notice it, or did some of it get torn down? Whatever the reason, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped back in time. And it appears there’s about to be a standoff in the streets. ]

That’s no good, partner.

[ Slouching out of the crowd towards the man making his way down the street threateningly, a slim figure clanks its way to the center of the scene and tips their hat up with a finger. A grin flashes. So do brilliantly green eyes. Movie cameras surround them. ]

The sheriff around these parts -



[ Hibiki draws back her fringed vest to thumb a shiny gold star. The cameras zoom back. “He’s good,” one staff member whispers to another. “Who is he again?” the second one asks. “I don’t remember hiring him.” ]

Is me now.

[ ….where are you standing for this? If you’re in the shot, you might get written into the movie. ]

[ III. - Afternoon, outside a café ]

[ “We’re here with the mysterious breakout rookie actor, Shikyoin Hibiki-sa - hm? Is something funny, Shikyoin-san?” ]

No. Do continue.

[ An interview is taking place at this table. Hibiki has changed out of her costume and is sitting politely opposite a lady reporter. The reporter hits “Record” on her smartphone again.

“…Shikyoin Hibiki-san, who came out of nowhere to land a major role in the upcoming film Six-Shot Sheriff. Shikyoin-san, is it true that the casting committee didn’t even realize you were in the room until you began reading the lines for the role you were assigned?” ]

Genius always makes itself known. The timing is of little import.

[ ”You’re very well-spoken, Shikyoin-san. Could you tell us anything about your background?” ]

Then I wouldn’t be mysterious, would I? I’d hate for you to have to rewrite your introduction.

[ ”That’s very kind of…” ]

Besides, even if I’d descended from Heaven, the only angel I would see is you.

[ ”A…ah…..”

The reporter looks over and notices you for the first time, as if desperately seeking for something, anything, to look for that is not Hibiki. Her face is flushed. ”Oh, when did you - are you the intern? Here, ask him some questions….I have to….whoo…”

And now it’s just you. And Hibiki. And this cup of tea Hibiki has just picked up. ]



[ Sip. ]

[ IV. - Evening, the Far Shore ]

[ The day is ending as it began: with the sound of something resounding over the hills. Except, this time, it’s the hills of the Far Shore, not the Near. And instead of tennis balls and rackets, it’s….hooves.



A knight on a white horse! Er, well, Hibiki on a purple horse, but the same idea applies. And something very, very strange has happened.

Hibiki is smiling. ]

Comments

III.

[sweetdeath]

Wait, I'm not the intern--

[Aaaaand she's gone. Oh well. Tsuzuki slides into the vacated seat and grins at Hibiki conspiratorially.]

You know, I think you're going to get a glowing profile.

You could get a lot of extra followers this way, I guess....

[...if fan worship counts as real worship! Maybe if they're worshipping a god, it does.

Tsuzuki, shamelessly, checks the cafe table for any unclaimed snacks.]

[priforprince]

[ There is a cute little basket of macarons, Tsuzuki. Go to town.

Hibiki shrugs, relaxing the Professional veneer a bit. It's just Tsuzuki, after all, and while she's not sure what he's doing here, he's not the audience that role is for. ] Performance is my spécialité. Bestowing my talents upon this entertainment-less world is my duty.

[ She takes another sip of tea. She's pretty calm and relaxed, today. Very noble. ]

[sweetdeath]

They do say "play to your strengths"!

[Oooh, macarons. Fancy. Tsuzuki snags one and tries to nibble his way around the edge, except that the shell shatters at his first bite and he has to ungracefully catch a handful of crumbs. Through the mouthful of buttercream, he continues.]

Are you really in a film?

[priforprince]

I announced as much earlier.

[ But she supposes you were busy being a very poor butler to Princess Sakura, so it cannot be helped. Hibiki puts down her teacup (and decides not to watch you eat). ] Well, once my abilites were witnessed on set, this sort of feature was bound to follow.

[sweetdeath]

Oh, on the BBS? I guess I should catch up, huh.

[Look: social media are still a bit unfamiliar to him, even if he's getting the hang of computers. He grins cheerfully.]

Congratulations! It must be tough, though. How're you getting them to keep noticing you?

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki smirks and can't help risking a sidelong glance. ] You ask a genius?

[ Shikyoin Hibiki cannot remain invisible no matter what obstacles lie in her path. Once she captures an audience's attention, she keeps it!


....right up till they go home and wonder who it was they gave that role to, again, but she isn't about to go into how she has to reintroduce herself every time she comes on set. She would rather not have to do that, so why should she spoil her mood by thinking about it? ]

[sweetdeath]

Who better to ask?

[C'mon, share your genius insight, Hibiki! Tsuzuki laughs, leaning back in his chair, and swipes another macaron. This one's tinted violet, and turns out to taste faintly of lavender.]

I've thought about adopting a cat. Apparently if you've got an animal with you all the time it makes you easier to see, and cats see us pretty well....

[Do dogs? Dogs would be way easier to train. Plus, Tsuzuki kind of prefers them.]

Oh! Right! Before I forget. I'm actually down here looking for Sakura's hairpin. Can you keep an eye open for it?

[priforprince]

[ This is a surprising thing to hear thanks to rp liquid time. Hibiki blinks, not following. ] Princess Sakura's hairpin?

[ That was the only important part of everything you just said. Obviously.

Genius methods are wasted on those who are not geniuses. ]

[sweetdeath]

[He'll have to keep that dog option in mind. Onward to more important subjects, like helping Sakura out...]

Yeah, it's gone missing. You know, the flower-shaped one she always wears? [He taps a finger against the side of his head where her hairpin usually sits.] It was a present, so she really wants to find it.

[priforprince]

An unpleasant twist in the plot, to be sure.

[ Hibiki puts a hand to her chin. Normally something like this would be beneath her notice, but for Princess Sakura... ] I take it your search has been fruitless.

[ And, not only that, you're just about out of clues. Otherwise you wouldn't be eliciting outside help.

Goodness her. What to do with you? ]

[sweetdeath]

So far, yeah. I'm checking some stores she visited yesterday, then I'm going back to the temple to shake all the rugs out again....

[So: it's been really fruitless. He's hoping that it didn't work its way out of her hair while she was walking somewhere, and he's really hoping that didn't happen on the Near Shore, or this is going to make needles and haystacks look like a snap.]

I figure, the more people keeping an eye out for it, the better.

[priforprince]

The search net is wide.

[ Well, that makes this complicated, but if it's in the Near Shore, leave it to her. Not that she'll say as much. Hibiki nods. ] I'll keep it in mind.

[ By which she means "find that sucker and show you up", but, as long as everyone's satisfied with the end result... ]

[sweetdeath]

Thanks.

[As long as it gets found, Sakura'll be happy, and that's the important thing here!

He'd known he could rely on Hibiki. Favors for Sakura are always safe to ask for... and she's a pretty good person when it comes to helping out anytime, no matter how stuck-up she acts. He smiles sheepishly and takes macaron number three from the basket.]

... And good luck with your movie! I'll definitely watch it when it comes out!

[priforprince]

It definitely won't be an experience to miss.

[ She's, you know, in it. And all. Hibiki drinks deeply from her cup, then puts it down. ]

Were you going to attempt the interview?

[ She may be messing with him. But she may be curious.

Or she may be both. ]

[sweetdeath]

[Oh... right.

Shit, the reporter hadn't listened when he said he wasn't the intern, had she? Tsuzuki turns half around in his chair looking for her, but she's nowhere in sight. Neither is any genuine intern he might pass the job off to.

He has no idea how to do an interview.]

Uh.

[He looks down at the table. The first interviewer had left a few papers there, and a little recording device that might, from the cheery red light, still be recording all of this. He winces in embarrassment.]

... Did she write down the questions...?

[Don't mind him while he shuffles through those papers.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki notices that red light at about the same time. A less secure individual might find this an issue. She does not. She is herself, and stands by everything she says. Even the bits that aren't true.

So she'll watch, calmly, as Tsuzuki searches. A paper drifts free. She passes it back over. ] I could prepare alternates if necessary.

[ Said with the casual ease of someone who's done a billion of these things. In contrast, to, you know, some people. If they were inclined to make said contrast. ]

[sweetdeath]

[The contrast immediately leaps to mind, because, as far as Tsuzuki knows (and the sense of growing panic as the reporter fails to return supports) he's never done anything like this before in his life. Where is she? Did she flee just because Hibiki dropped one smooth line on her?!

He taps the papers into a messy stack, scowling with self-righteous annoyance. What a chump.

-- but! There, under the lacy paper mat, there's one more sheet of paper. He pulls it out and brightens immediately.]

Found it! Um.... okay.

"Can you tell us anything about your background?"

[He glances up at Hibiki with a conspiratorial grin. Somehow, he doubts there's going to be much of an answer to that.] Had she gotten to that one yet?

[priforprince]

Try the next.

[ There is, indeed, not. Hibiki doesn't smile back, but her eyebrows do lift as she sips her tea. Which might be close enough. ]

[sweetdeath]

[Tsuzuki'll take it. Hibiki's a very calculated person, when it comes to expressing her emotions, and that eloquent eyebrow raise is as good as a grin.

He scans down the page, smile widening a little as he gets to the next question.]

"Is there anyone special in your life right now?" ... wow, they're really playing to the fans.

[priforprince]

[ No kidding. Hibiki actually pauses in her sipping, though that may be more of a reaction to being asked this by Tsuzuki than the question itself.

She is! However! Having her first splendid day in weeks, and nothing can phase her! No matter her scene partner, her role shall remain played to perfection!

It is her style. ]

...Put down that everyone reading this is precious to me.

[ Time to put this cup down....saucer....where did her saucer go.... ]

[sweetdeath]

[She's pretty good at playing to the fans herself. Smiling, Tsuzuki scrawls the answer under the neatly printed question. Hopefully, the journalist will be able to read his handwriting.

(If not, she's still got a recording. It's fine.)

Hibiki seems to be looking for something; Tsuzuki lifts one of the stray pieces of paper he'd tossed out of the way while searching through the notes. Is that her plate or his? It's got crumbs on it, but he slides it over to her in any case, because it'll probably do.]

-- is precious to you... okay, and, hmm. "What's your favorite thing about this role?"

[priforprince]

....You should be looking at me when you ask these.

[ She'll answer, she swears. But. Just. Something had been off here and she's just figured out what: you're playing the reporter role wrong. Reporters don't read off the paper. They consult the paper and then ask! There's a protocol!

Despite her interjection, Hibiki does make use of that coaster, crumbs and all. Something sighs by Tsuzuki's ear: foiled. Or maybe that was the wind. ]

[sweetdeath]

... Did you say something?

[Tsuzuki looks to the side where that odd little sigh had come from. Is it the actual reporter coming back? No... no. It seems not. He shakes off his confusion and glances back at Hibiki with a cheerful grin.]

Anyway! Okay, fine. [He checks the paper (because he didn't write these questions) and looks back up at her, trying to affect his very best Serious Reporter Face.]

What's your favorite thing about this role, Shikyoin-san?

[priforprince]

[ And now he's hearing things. Perfect. But he's assuming the proper deportment, now, so Hibiki supposes she can continue. ]

Any chance to raise the caliber of entertainment can't be missed. This role in particular, however -

[ A perfectly-timed moment's thought. Really, it's all the same to her, so what would appeal? ]

His duty to his followers.

[ Double meanings for the win. She's so clever. ]

[sweetdeath]

I guess it's something you can really empathize with, huh?

[Tsuzuki snickers, and glances down at the sheet as he scribbles that answer. He's doing his best to get it word for word. Can't skip an in-joke like that, after all... hmm. So, what's next? Something about dramatic interpretation, which looks boring. He glances back up instead, crossing out the question.]

What advice would you give to a fan who wanted to pursue an acting career?