Video ♔ Enemies and allies are both meaningless

[priforprince]

From: Apollo
Date: September 19

[ Veterans of the Far Shore might remember a day when the BBS's video function was set to autoplay. It's happening again.

With a flashy light show and a flourish of what sounds like a full orchestra (with plenty of trumpets), red curtains pull back, and -

Here's Hibiki. Standing in a spotlight on a stage. Chandeliers hang twinkling from the ceiling. She's dressed to impress in full prince splendor.

She holds her arms out wide. ]



[ Golden confetti bursts from cannons on either side of her. ]

The rules are simple. [ To punctuate this sentence even further than she just did by using two English words in one Japanese phrase, Hibiki holds up a hand. Above it, an illusion of a pop-up window floats. It has a single button on it: "Like!" ]

Upon all performances' conclusion, a voting page shall appear. "Like" the entertainer whose performance most moved your heart. As you all remember, whoever receives the most "likes" will receive an extravagant prize.

[ The words "A DAY WITH SHIKYOIN HIBIKI" appear in golden script above her head. With blinking arrows pointing in case you didn't know who SHIKYOIN HIBIKI was. ]

Now, let's begin. May this backwater Heaven resound with clashes between true divinity!

[ Hibiki herself begins to glow. So brightly, that the screen whites out.

And when it comes back into focus, the first performer is onstage. And Hibiki is giving her an introduction in the comments below. ]

[[ Voting is forthcoming once all performances have been shared. Feel free to respond to each of the performances, or (once all the top-levels are up) comment replying to Hibiki.

All special effects are provided courtesy of Hibiki's illusion god power, either through offstage coordination or Hibiki having an uncannily keen sense of how her idols want her to ad-lib. She will have a headache later. ]]

Comments

KUROYUKIHIME

[priforprince]

First we have the flight of an elegant butterfly. The Princess whose soul has been stirred by PriPara -- Kuroyukihime!

Re: KUROYUKIHIME

[papillonprincess]

The one and only has come
And there can only be one
And at last I am here...

[ Her voice rings through the darkness, bright and clear without any accompaniment. But the melody starts with a flourish and light that starts as a trickle before it bathes the stage like a flight of hundreds of white butterflies. Hime stands in the center, her coord a midnight blue and purple number with fuscia accents. The ribbons trailing from her wrists and the butterfly hairpin she wears as well as the train trailing from her obi flutter as she walks, adding an almost wavelike cadence to her stride. The cloth swirls around her as she turns, one arm outstretched to allow her sleeve to join the flow. ]

Why can't I even breathe
standing in the wreckage
The rain, a lullaby and so I close my eyes...

[ Her expression as she begins her song again is... unreadable. Her eyes are closed as she sings, her voice soft and almost a lonely whisper into the microphone. As she continues, her voice grows louder. A clear... anger building in her voice. Sadness, anger, regret... but there's resolve building. As if she's holding back the urge to just explode right there and then. ]

All that I miss, it's infinite
And so I see
Tomorrow's come with a new sun
Waiting for me.

[ Perhaps it's intentional but she seems to toss a flirty little smile, punctuated with a small wink in whatever direction Hibiki is. Whatever melancholy was on her face is overwritten. She looks elated, joyful... almost at peace when she takes another turn, the white butterflies kicked up by her movements and the current of her trailing ribbons. Her turns are lively, her body moving with the quickening rhythm and making the flowing ribbons looking like wings. ]

The one and only has come
And there can only be one
And at last I am here...

[ Maybe the wink was a signal. Because it's what precedes her reaching the edge of the stage. Time to put that private lesson to good use. ]

Making Drama
Switch -- on!

[ Another flash of light and Hime is found in a giant gilded cage, sitting in the middle. Her head is lowered, her eyes closed, her body limp in its upright position like a marionette without her strings. Black roses wind around the cage's thin golden bars. ]

I was called to fly free. My wings are clipped--

[ Her voice resonates like an echo as her head lifts, seeing a single rose fall from the top of the cage and onto her lap. This one is silver.

Her song continues in the background, muted: "There is a part of me/that wants to forgive you/But I will not forget - I can't understand yet". ]

No longer!

[ Another flash of light from the rose as it turns into a sword: a silver glittering rapier. She rises up, slashing the bars which causes the cage to fall apart. ]

I shall not be a prisoner to my sorrow.
ARISE, KING OF NEBULUS!

[ With that, she stands triumphant amongst the ruins of the cage and the black roses that fell from the bars around her.

Stirred by PriPara... she can't help but feel that no truer words have been spoken. It seems Celepara - no, Pripara has become her new focus. She didn't think she'd ever get used to performing on stage or singing for one but it feels... cathartic. This entire performance has been... a relief to her. That haughty triumphant look melts to relief. She's found her peace.

The one and only has come
And there can only be one
And at last I am here... ]

NATSURU

[priforprince]

Splendid, wasn't that? Now, hatched from nothing, the fledgling idol whose abilities are woven from threads of my color. Senou Natsuru!

[thirdbeauty]

[The music starts off slow as Natsuru steps out on stage. The shimmering outfit she wears catches the stage lights in just the right way, catching the eye but not undermining the elegance of her entrance. For a brief flash, those who know her well might see the hint of nervousness trace across her face. But when the music picks up in tempo, she gives a graceful flourish of her arms outward, seeming to summon forth two dancing figures whose features can't be clearly seen. Natsuru sways gently with the rhythm at first, letting the figures dance more energetically around her while she waits for her cue.

Soon, the music changes again, and Natsuru takes a step forward and begins to sing.]

The red rose pinned in my hair is the color of passion
As you look at me, you're like a hot matador

[She seems almost like she's going to remain reserved and passive in the center of the stage at first. Yet, the tempo kicks up, and Natsuru's body moves with it. She steps in time with the beat, swaying her hips while the dancers frame her movements with their own.]

When you dance dazzlingly, my heart beats fast
The episode dyes me in the color of a time that will never come again

[All motion on stage slows for just a moment, in the buildup to the chorus.]

You play your burning feelings on a guitar
You'll spin love

[Natsuru and her backup dancers strike a pose at the brief lull in the music, and all three simultaneously launch into a more choreographed routine.]

Oh traveler, if your scars hurt,
then please sleep on my chest

[Natsuru sways and rocks to the music even more now, moving her arms and legs with an elegance that she's learned from at least starting to take an interest in ballet. Perhaps a surprising amount of the action is in her hips; of course, that's all part of the classy-sexy pop idol image Hibiki has fostered in her protégée.]

I'll wrap you up with love,
and only shine on you
Just like tonight's moon

[All three figures on stage move and pose in time with the last line of the chorus, but it's not over yet. The music just keeps going, and Natsuru even keeps the energy of her dance going for the second verse.]

Searching for a dream, you go to the outskirts of the wilderness
Dreaming, I'm now in a sea of loneliness

Let's take steps with these black shoes
And cure our sadness

Oh traveler, on nights when you hesitate about tomorrow,
please return to my chest
You're enriched by knowing sadness.
Today the moon is shining
Fluttering, while swaying

[There's a barely audible catch in Natsuru's voice after she sings the second chorus. She had never quite decided on whether to do this or not before coming on stage, but... if she really wants to do her best in this performance...

Resolve lights up in her eyes as she gazes up towards... something, or someone. Her muse, perhaps.]

Making Drama
Switch -- on!

[A flash of brilliant light takes the entire scenery of the stage away, replaced by Natsuru standing atop a tower, backed by a large moon and holding her hands clutched to her chest. She still gazes skyward, a longing in her eyes. Strangely, the light from the moon seems to be amplified where her hands are clutched over her chest. Lines of the song repeat, muted in the background, while Natsuru's voice speaks over it.]

This feeling... so warm...

I want to share it. I want it to reach...

[The light grows in intensity, the tower seeming to crumble and fade away as Natsuru's body remains silhouetted against the moon behind her. The final chorus of the song repeats in the background:

I'll wrap you up with love,
and only shine on you
Just like tonight's moon]

WENDY

[priforprince]

Our middle performance is bound to soar. I present to you the Far Shore's Number One Shinki, whose talents are worthy of me. Wendy!

[nopixiedust]

[In contrast to the glitter and glam of the stage, the sound which rings over through the video is.... that of school bells?]

[Standing there in the spotlight is Wendy's petite figure, clad in an outfit befitting of her usual style: a white dress layered over with pink and yellow ribbons, held together with glittery stars and with a pair of tiny angelic wings peeking out from her back. It's hard not to recognize her with her unique buns piled together on one side.]

[There's only so long to take in her outfit, because she's moving immediately into action. With each ring of the bell, she twirls to the side- very simply, her hands held behind her back and the ruffles of her dress fluttering. As she moves from one spot to the other, she leaves what almost appears to be a cut-out of her shape behind that's filled with pink and sparkles. As she comes to a stop in the middle, the images continue as if she'd never stopped for a few steps. (Is she taking advantage of her god's illusion powers to the fullest? You bet.)]

[And with the final bell, Wendy suddenly ducks down, bending one knee and stretching her other leg out before she slowly rises up. As music starts to play, her hands position themselves at her waist with the thumbs touching and each hand flapping in opposite to its partner. She continues the same move a couple of other times, with her opposite leg, before twirling around with a few ruffle shakes, shoves her hands down to her sides, and hops around again.]

♪ I may seem like a clear glass bead ♪

[She bounces forward, moving her arms perkily.]

♪ But I won't break that easily ♪
♪ I love you, only you, it won't change ♪
♪ I'll shine on you forever! ♪

[Most of the draw behind this routine is in the constant bouncing around the stage, and the arm gestures; Wendy doesn't do anything fancy with her legs. She's not Hibiki. She tries to keep the neat afterimage trick restricted to only a few select sections, especially where she's trying to hide how much she has to hurry into different positions, or just to spice up a part where she's mostly standing still. A good performer knows you have to use the best part sparingly!]

[Unfortunately... While Wendy has taken to dance pretty well, singing is still something of hers that she's had to practice. Singing while dancing? For all that she has a good voice, she's clearly still affected by the end of the song. That much can be told by the strained sound of her voice or, for anyone looking past all the glitter, the way her chest is heaving for breath even as she tries to give a cute pose and a cuter smile.]

[PLEASE CUT TO ELFNEIN SO SHE CAN COLLAPSE BACKSTAGE, THANKS]

ELFNEIN

[priforprince]

Next we have the debut of CelePara Talent Agency's little prodigy. A stagehand ascended to idoldom -- Elfnein!

[alchemists]

[ Elfnein is really nervous about singing and dancing on stage, but she's dressed in an outfit that's suited for an idol. Holding a mic somewhat close to her chest, everything was leading up till this point and with everyone watching it's a bit nerve racking.

The lights start going up and a song starts playing. ]

"My favorite ribbon can't be tied up neatly
Many times, I loosen it and try again
It's not easy, just like in my dream"

"I don't want to give up, I want to succeed
I will strive to look for it, hey, I'm running"

CHINATSU

[priforprince]

Our last performance is the unveiling of a mystery. The dancer whose true capabilities not even she knows, stirred to rise, phoenixlike! This drama's final act is Hiyama Chinatsu!

[redmare]

Hibiki-san..!!!

[Chinatsu was horrified by the introduction. This was embarrassing enough without that. What made it even worse was that she had watched all the other performances up till now, and she wondered if she had missed the memo... They all seemed so experienced with this and comfortable with putting on a show. You can't expect her to believe they've never done this before! Plus, they danced and sang. She was only doing one of those! Not to mention they were way more dressed up than she was. All she had on was a black, fitted, crop top with thin straps, and a white, chiffon skirt that reached her thighs.

It was too late to back out now or make any changes. She'd been practicing this routine for weeks. Once Hibiki was done, She slipped out of her shoes and headed onto the stage barefoot, waiting for the music to play and for her cue to dance.

There's a chill that runs down her spine, but it's not...fear. It was exhilarating. As the dance goes on, the smile on her face only grows wider. That thrill of showing her hard work to others, all the effort she put into learning something she'd never tried before (or wasn't aware of, anyway), it felt familiar, yet so new to her.]