thenearshore | Action

Entry tags:

hibiki shikyoin | pripara

Action - June 19th

Who: Barry Goodman, Elise, Maria Cadenzavna Eve, and whoever else!
What: Meet and greet and all day practice session
When: June 19th
Where: Sparkle Motion talent agency, Near Shore
Warnings: None!

All right, let's get started! Sorry it took so long.

[Barry looks around, frowning for a moment as he notices how many people are gone already since his recruitment video. Sheryl in particular, but Joker and Honoka too.]

It might just be a few of us right now, but that's how everybody gets started! You gotta start at the bottom and work your way up!

[Hey, at least he's enthusiastic. He proudly thumbs at his chest before gesturing to Maria.]

So, introductions first. I'm Barry Goodman, and I'll be your trainer. Maria here'll be workin' with ya on the finer points of voice and dance lessons - I'm here to make sure you can stand up to the physical demands of the job. Bein' an idol isn't all unicorns and rainbows, y'know. There's a lotta hard work involved! I won't go easy on you, but as long as you do your best, I promise you'll reach the top! Any questions?

((OOC: Feel free to make your own top levels for mingling and practicing, and tag around with each other! The post is open to everyone who wants to join. Barry won't turn away anyone who loves music and wants to perform.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ I - within the studio ]

[ There is a weird ripple in the air towards the floor of this practice studio. It moves around sometimes - smoothly, as if rolling - and on occasion seems to vanish entirely. For the most part, however, it's barely noticeable. A flicker in the corner of one's eye, perhaps. Hardly worth noticing when there are dances to learn and songs to sing.

Certainly hardly worth investigating. Please, do whatever you please around it. It's harmless. Why, nothing's there! ]

[ II - outside the studio ]

[ ...meanwhile, within a café not far from the studio (independently-run, this time; she snubs chains), Hibiki is seated with her head propped up on one arm. Anonymity comes in handy, she's found, when one has to be within two blocks of one's target.

She's watching the screen of her laptop, and moving her finger across the trackpad to adjust the angle of the video feed being brought in from the small purple robotic goat on wheels she's got cloaked in an illusion of invisibility within the studio. Normally she'd use a butterfly, but ~~physics don't work like that here~~ for some reason, those haven't been working properly for her...

So the goat it is. Hopefully nobody discovers it. Or invites themselves to her table.

When Barry speaks up, Hibiki nudges the goat towards the nearest group of would-be performers. She sits up straighter, too. ] Mission...start.

Edited 2017-02-24 03:57 (UTC)

[In the middle of one of the practice routines, Barry suddenly stops, arching an eyebrow and glancing suspiciously toward the corner of the room.]

...Hm?

[ How strange, that Barry should feel so uneasy about all this nothing! The corner is just a corner. There is absolutely nothing amiss. That blinking won't fix, anyway; the slight ripple in the air is a trick of the light.

Over in the café, Hibiki blinks but doesn't worry just yet. This plan was perfect. Its depths won't be penetrated by the likes of Barry Goodman. ]

...Huh. Musta just been the wind.

[ Yes. That's right, you. Hibiki can't suppress the tiniest, self-satisfied smirk. That's what you get.

The nothing continues to ripple in its nothingness. ]

[Barry glances up at the ceiling, squinting.]

...Gotta check the lights in here.

[ You do that. Hibiki will just try to move the goat elsewhere while Barry is looking at the lights. The invisibility isn't flawless, it seems, and if the only thing she's catching on camera is Barry, well,

there's nothing worthwhile to see over here! ]

Hmm... they don't look like they need replacing...

[Barry glances back to the place he saw the shimmer before.]

...Maybe I'm workin' too hard.

[ Working hard is hazardous! It should only be reserved for emergencies. But Hibiki has already blocked Barry from her mind, more interested in scanning the rest of the room--

Thud.

The goat hits a case of bottled waters someone had left on the ground that Hibiki, limited as she is by her single camera lens, hadn't spotted. It does not grow visible.

But she wasn't expecting to have to muffle a noise. ]

The hell...?

[Barry's attention whips around immediately to the water, eyebrows raised. There isn't anyone practicing over there. How did they get knocked over?]

[ Hibiki clicks her tongue against her teeth, irritated. That wouldn't have happened with her usual spycams. Not only do those fly, they're automated.

But, so be it. She tries to vamoose the goat out of that corner as quickly as possible, but it's still a toy on wheels. It trundles, more than anything. ]

[Barry heads over to stack the water back up. Right in the path of the goat.]

[ --THIS IRRITATING MAN.

She's tempted to leave it there to trip him. And it's already going as fast as it can, so...

Well, whatever. It's not like he can see it. Even if he stumbles, it'll be seemingly due to his own lack of coordination.

So the question then becomes: does the goat outrun him?? ]

[It sure doesn't. Barry trips right over it and faceplants straight into the ground.]

Whoa...!

[ For its own part, the invisible goat twirls around on one wheel and then lands on all four, just hunky-dory. That's what happens with a genius pulling the strings.

A genius who can't suppress a chuckle. As expected of an agency producer! What Entertainment. ]

Note to self: get floorboards fixed.

[Barry groans as he stands up.]

[ Right, that's that managed. Hibiki is grinning to herself as the goat trundles away. Even if she learns nothing else of use today, Sparkle Motion isn't a total wash when it comes to moving the audience's hearts. ]

[A: Meet and Greet]

[It's good to finally see the talent agency Maria agreed to join a while ago getting well and truly underway, and as Barry does the introductions, she smiles confidently and waves. While Maria lacks confidence in herself when it comes to issues of will and strength, one thing she has absolutely no doubt in is her ability to perform, and now to teach others how to.

Since she's the resident instructor on the "finer points" of performance here, when the meet and greet becomes something more of a mingle, Maria makes sure she starts going among everyone, offering greetings and formalities as one would expect of her position, with a wide smile.]

Hello, welcome to the studio. I hope you're prepared to develop your skills, whatever kind of performance it is you prefer.

--

[B: Demonstration]

[To start off with, Maria's going to be doing a bit of song and dance towards the back of the studio. She's performing without backing music, but despite that, her voice is clear and strong enough to carry the song without it, and her dancing is precise and practiced. It's abundantly obvious she's been in the music industry professionally before, and she doesn't let any eyes on her distract her during her performance.

When she comes to the end, however, her last note breaking off cleanly and her dancing slowing to a natural stop, she'll give a smile to anyone who happens to be watching, offering a hand as if to invite them out to the floor.]

Care to show me what you've got?

--

[C: Wildcard]

[[Feel free to tag in on the assumption Maria has agreed to personally instruct your character, or contact me for any other ideas!]]

[Barry claps when Maria finishes her song, walking up with a big grin on his face.]

Lookin' good out there, Maria!

[With a light, appreciative laugh, Maria turns her attention to Barry for the moment. It's hardly difficult to find her in a good mood normally, but she seems somehow more electric today, tuned in with the studio's activity.]

Thank you. It's been a while since I've performed in studios like this, I always worry I'm going to misuse the space.

With moves like that, I don't see how ya possibly could.

[He gives a good natured laugh, patting her on the shoulder.]

[Laughing a little, Maria waves a hand.]

Well, that's the problem, I'm used to performing on some very big stages. You can have all the moves you like, but they won't save you if you run yourself into a wall.

[It's still an amused remark more than anything, even if she has had legitimate worries about adapting to the space.]

[Barry chuckles a bit too.]

Well, if you're headed for the wall, I'll make sure to yell and let ya know.

I appreciate the thought, but I'll be trying to police myself on that one.

[Her smile still lingering a little, Maria looks around the studio briefly.]

I'll see if I can find more people interested in joining up the next time we have newcomers. It might wear a bit thin making a post about it every other week.

Thanks. We'll need both of us out there hittin' it hard to get enough recruits to keep this place goin'.

[Even still, he seems completely optimistic about their chances.]

Exactly. Not much point in a talent studio without the talent, is there?

[It's rather a shame that Freyja also seems to have disappeared long before Sheryl did, or they would've had another seeming professional to ask.]

You're right about that. Shame we lost so many people before we could even get started.

That's true. [As upbeat as the conversation had been before this, Maria can't help but tone it down a bit in consideration of the topic.] I hadn't realised so many disappeared so frequently here. I really do wish we knew where it was they actually went.

Back home's my guess. That's what I'm gonna believe 'till I find out otherwise.

That's what I'd prefer to believe too. If there's no evidence to the contrary, it seems like the safest thing to think.

[And also the least troubling, judging by Maria's thoughtful tone.]

We'll probably never know for sure.

[Barry just shrugs. This isn't something he wants to think too deeply on.]

You're right, not unless someone leaves and returns later. [And even then, they'd have to remember both having been here and returning home.

Shaking her head a little, Maria moves off the topic.] So, what kind of schedule should I be expecting for this? I'm working on finding another job, even if it is just until this studio settles into itself.

Should be pretty light 'till we get the place off the ground. Couple of hours a day leadin' the practices, probably. Gotta keep the newbies sharp.

Alright, I can certainly make that work. I was looking more for jobs during the evening anyway, so that should be no trouble to organise around. I certainly can't disagree with keeping the newcomers on their toes.

[And at this point, it's probably going to be little more than maybe a part-time job at a karaoke bar. Something that puts her close to music, at least.]

Yeah, that'll work out just fine. I was thinkin' practices would be during the day to begin with.

Sounds good to me. Do you prefer afternoon or morning? I might need to tweak my schedule a bit to fit things in, but it's nothing too important.

[Mostly just things she does to pass the time, like hobbies and keeping herself conditioned.]

Let's go for morning. We can't let 'em have things too easy. Get 'em up outta bed nice and early.

[It's hard not to laugh at that, and Maria nods a little in agreement.]

That's true. The ones who are serious about it won't mind getting up a little earlier if it keeps them on their toes.

And the ones who aren't... well, that's a good way to weed 'em out.

It is. There are a lot of people eager to start in the industry, but if they can't handle the lifestyle, it's kinder to them to learn that earlier rather than later.

[Better to reconcile themselves with that and find another path than get further down this one and realise they can't handle it the way they might have thought.]

I've got high hopes for our current batch, though.

[Current batch being pretty much just Elise at this point, but details.]

Well then, I'll have to trust that you've got good judgement in picking them.

[Maria sounds a little amused at that, but genuine. She doesn't figure he would've opened an agency like this if he didn't have an eye for this sort of thing anyway.]

I'll do my best! Lookin' forward to a great partnership.

[Grinning, he extends his hand for a shake.]

[Maria returns the handshake with a firm hand and a ready smile.]

Me too. On both counts.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Action - June 19th

OTA

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meanwhile in union haruka tenoh sneezes

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/godmodes props for rule of funny, sorry

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OTA

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