thenearshore | Sleepover!

Entry tags:

Sleepover!

Who: Forrest, all of his teenage CR, and CR of that CR
What: Giant sleepover log
When: The night of June 21
Where: Lakshmi's temple
Warnings: Cuteness overload

[Forrest has never had a sleepover before, so he's pretty excited to host one at his temple. He sends out invitations ahead of time to everyone he can think of, letting them know to bring pajamas, snacks, and even a friend or two if they want. He's clad in a frilly pink nightgown with ribbons and bows for the occasion, and he's temporarily converted Lakshmi's audience chamber into a space where the guests can all party and sleep. It was already mostly full of pillows to begin with, so all he had to do was move some more in and set up some tables for snacks and things. One of the tables conspicuously contains all of his beauty supplies, because like hell is Forrest hosting a slumber party without makeovers. Anyone who shows even the slightest bit of interest will get their makeup, hair, or nails done. Soft music and the scent of lotus blossoms drift through the air, creating the perfect atmosphere for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves.]

((OOC: If you've got a teenager that Forrest has talked to more than once, assume he invited them. Friends of friends are totally welcome as well. Everyone can feel free to put up their own toplevels, and everybody tag everybody and mingle to your heart's content!))

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[Carefully, Wendy waits for any reaction. By this point, Hibiki is someone she realizes wears her heart on her sleeve in a lot of ways, or at least broadcasts her thoughts like she's a little kid with a spotlight.]

[Speaking of spotlight.... Wendy wants to shake her head- right, this is a production in its own right, she supposes. But... Instead, she just ducks her head down, huffing out a laugh before she looks back up to smile at Hibiki, reaching forward to take her hand.]

I've been thinking about it for days now. There's no doubt!

Very well.

[ Still smiling, Hibiki kisses Wendy's hand. She did this for Venus, so. The ceremony must be observed.

Her lips linger against the smaller girl's skin as she thinks. A name, that's right. This is the point where she has to give Wendy a name. A name for someone small, effervescent.....A name for someone whose passing indicates the transient nature of life, yet who remains upbeat for all that.

A name for the rainbow born from the sun shining through the rain of Hibiki's erstwhile despair. ]

Edited 2017-03-21 03:19 (UTC)

[ And just like that, she's got it. Letting go of Wendy's hand, Hibiki throws one hand out to the side as if she were wearing a cloak and intended to swirl it. The truth of the matter, alas, is that she's in her pajamas. But that doesn't matter.

She'll sell this scene anyway.

Hibiki proclaims the words that come to her like a royal edict: and really, isn't it? Swearing in her vassal. Laying claim to what's hers. Taking the world and making it exactly as she wants it. ] My name is Hibiki. Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here. With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant.

[ Her arm sweeps across so she's pointing at Wendy. ] The name answers, the vessel to sound. I call thee as my divine instrument.

[ She twists her arm palm-up. ] The name, Wendy.

[ Her fist clenches. ] The vessel, Hou.

[ "Awa" in the more common reading. But nothing about Hibiki is common. She draws her hand back, then sweeps it out again, hand open once more. Ready to receive her new vessel. ] Come, Bulleki!

[ It's Prench for "bubble." Perfect for a tiny dancer in the sunlight. ]

[Wendy doesn’t remember her ceremony with Rosie being anything like this, but, well… Rosie had been a wolf. Hibiki is Hibiki, which means dramatic and princely, and Wendy can’t help smile honestly as the god makes everything as dramatic as it can possibly be while she’s wearing pajamas.]
[This can’t be the worst decision she’s ever made and, whatever else might happen, Hibiki will never make it dull.]

[What’s really important is being named, and she finds herself holding her breath, small hands clenching at her sides. If it’s Hibiki, no doubt it will be a little pretentious, but she’ll take it. She can’t wait in fact, to see this part of being a shinki that she’s only ever been faintly aware of. Her name tugs at her, and she doesn’t even have a chance to see where it might be on her skin before- ]

[It’s… indescribable. Suddenly, she’s fading, twisting, becoming smaller, and she can see so much- sensory overload is the phrase she’s looking for, although she doesn’t know it, and she’s left breathless (if there’s even breath to lose) as she goes spinning through the air to Hibiki’s hand- ]

[She’s weightless, wire around her fingers carrying her up the side of the building and her feet flicking against the walls of the massive mansion. From the corner of her eye, she can still see Jumbo’s large body crumpled against the ground, and it feels her chest with a flame- despair and rage, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you! She lands at the exact same time as her partner, a boy her size with gold hair and a snarl on his face, and they’re in perfect sync as he calls out a plan of attack for her. They go sweeping down, razor sharp wire held taut between him as they aim for the teenage boy staring up at them in surprise-]

[There’s a gunshot.]

[Wendy has no idea of the memories that are getting passed over to her new god. Instead, she’s adjusting to her new form, a tiny toy top, all bubbling surprise and delight.]

So this is what it’s like! This is amazing!

[ Hibiki had overlooked this part of the shinki contract. Venus's death had been much less concrete, the shock that shinki were real, that that story had been true, overshadowing the grimness of the vision.

Wendy's death, however....

She's there. She's there, and it's her pain - Wendy's pain, felt like her own, with the sense of having important things, important people, taken away from her, and the parts of her that are still Shikyoin Hibiki cry out an objection because she'd been promised never again, dolls falling over, doors closing, opening, closing again -

And then she hears Wendy's voice, feels Wendy's joy, and realizes her hand has tipped and she's in the process of dropping the top.

Hibiki catches her new shinki's vessel, down on one knee again, before she's even back enough to reality to figure out what Wendy's become. A...a toy? Wendy's...a toy. And...happy about it.

Because Wendy doesn't know. Hibiki knows things about Wendy that Wendy doesn't know. Normally that's a good thing.

Now she's just hoping that means she can lock the inherited memory away and never have to think about it. Wendy's forgotten. It isn't important. What a relief.

So she just exhales slowly, putting herself back together. It's strange, going from that memory to Wendy's happiness. ] Calm yourself. It's not that scintillating.

[ Even so, she's cradling that top with more care than even she realizes. ]

[Even delighted at experiencing something so apparently fundamental to a shinki's existence, delighted that she's a toy, this is ridiculous, and amazing- Wendy manages to realize that something about Hibiki isn't entirely right. Unbridled delight turns to a low buzz of worry as she focuses up on her new god.]

If you were in my position, I bet you would have different thoughts. But hey- are you alright?

Focus on yourself.

[ A top. At least Hibiki had known what to do when she'd seen Venus's heart-topped ribbon staff. It fit, clearly, into proscribed genre requirements, and performed appropriately. But a toy? There's a certain quaintness to it, to be sure, but what function....

Yet that smacks of impatience. Isn't this a triumphant moment? Perhaps Wendy has the right idea, somewhat. ] Though, I suppose your utility will reveal itself in time.

[ Half-watching Wendy, half-noticing a purple lily that'd fallen out of her pajama pocket (they're kept next to the dueling gloves; one never knows when one's going to need these items, okay), Hibiki flicks the top with one finger to set it spinning. Just a typical top from all angles, correct? ]

Alright...

[Fine- if she wants to be weird about it, so be it. Wendy focuses on the strange sensation of being herself but also a child's toy but also being able to see.... in just about every direction, she thinks. Can she even get dizzy this way? Actually, she thinks she might already be a bit dizzy just from adjusting to it...]

[But as she spins, something suddenly occurs to her, and there's a burst of excitement.]

Size! I mean- I think that's what I can do for you! I change the size of things!

Size?

[ Hibiki frowns. That's a peculiarly specific ability. And is she supposed to control it, or is Wendy....?

She glances at that lily again, gives Wendy another flick. Will anything happen if she wills that to grow...? ]

[A lily growing to enormous proportions is what will happen, sparkles fluttering around lush green and the pale petals. How big does Hibiki want it to be? Because it'll keep growing if she doesn't keep an eye on it.]

[Wendy, meanwhile, is delighted.]

It really happens!

[SHE KIND OF WASN'T SURE... First time being a vessel and all.]

[ So it does. Hibiki takes a step back, astounded. ] That's...

[ ...rapidly becoming unwieldy. So she draws herself up and, frowning at the flower, gestures imperiously with the hand not currently holding her shinki. ] Cease!

[ Does it obey its Prince? ]

[It certainly does. Except now they still have a giant lily looming over them. So that's still a thing.]

[Wendy doesn't seem to mind. In fact, there's nothing but laughter from her end.]

[ Ugh, she's happy. Hibiki had hoped to avoid another bubbly shinki. She can't mind the sensation too much right now, though. Having this kind of control over the universe is

surprisingly pleasing. Gratifying, even.

So, time to implement the reverse. ] Revert.

[ Presumably the lily starts to shrink. And Hibiki's gonna watch it, looking as smug as if this were her power inherently, instead of borrowed from Wendy. ] All truly does shrink before us.

[ What a big heart your new god has, Wendy. She granted you an "us". ]

[Don’t worry, Hibiki, you won’t have to deal with the (ba dum tish) bubbles all the time. Just for right now, as Wendy lets herself be swept up in her new form and the power she can make with her new god. In fact, she’s calming down almost as if in response to the shrinking flower.]

We’re going to be an amazing team, I’m sure of it. I knew I made a good choice.

But of course.

[ Carefully, cradling it in both hands, Hibiki places the top on the bench next to the now-normally-sized lily. She steps back to give her shinki some room. ] Return, Wendy.

[ You made the best choice. You chose her. That's -

It's simultaneously the self-evident choice and, if she could admit it to herself, rather touching. ]

[Forming back into life, Wendy becomes herself again, eyes closed and letting out a deep breath. Carefully holding her hands out in front of herself, she wiggles her fingers again, and smiles.]

Being a top and being a person are so different… I’m glad I finally got to figure out what it’s like.

[Hands folding back onto her lap, she looks back up to Hibiki, a genuine question in her eyes.]

You were going to leave, right?

Ah. [ She'd been thinking about it, but her mood has shifted since then. Besides...

Hibiki looks out around the gardens. This is quite fetching, actually. ] I might enjoy the jardin a bit more.

[ Her attention returns to Wendy. ] You can return to the temple if you'd like.

[ Venus is, far as she knows, there to get the door. And will give Wendy a, hm. Warm welcome. ]

[Honestly, Wendy is glad to hear it. Not only is she glad to see so many people again and have a place to sleep in for the first time in forever, but…. She wants to catch her breath. Deep in her chest- and probably echoing to Hibiki- her excited heart is still beating fast. It’s happened. She’s really a shinki under another god, she’s actually experienced what it’s like to be a vessel, and…. She won’t be on her own anymore.]

[It’s a lot for a girl to handle, you know?]

[So she gets up to her feet again, dusting off the large t-shirt that’s making due as her nightgown.]

Alright! I’ll be waiting in there, then. [A pause, because oh, she’ll have to act a bit more proper now instead of just a dog owner, huh?] Do you want me to bring you a drink or something from inside while you’re out here?

[ Does she - she's not particularly thirsty, but she also wouldn't say no. Hibiki supposes it doesn't matter. ] I'll leave that up to you.

[ There is a calm familiarity to how she's addressing Wendy now. She's definitely still in charge, but her own mood has improved since Wendy asked her for a name. It's not just the happiness she's feeling from her new shinki, either (though she's interpreting that as she pleases). She'd come here under duress but had ended up being beseeched as the Only One her first worshipper could turn to.

From some people, that'd be an imposition. Wendy is a special case. And having the evening end on a high note somehow, somehow, means that Hibiki came out on top in this situation. Within her mind.

In any case, she's relaxed, and really does seem to be soaking up the scenery. A Hibiki surrounded by beautiful things is an amenable Hibiki.

Remember that now. ]

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Sleepover!

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1/2 again, i didn't buy these userpic slots to not use them

2/2 WAGA NA WA HIBIKI

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