video; Ishtar, March 13th

[trustheart]

[The video feed is a first person view of a bunch of purple stuffed goats, mounted on wheeled platforms, chasing after someone who's running. Some of them have ribbons around their necks, some of them has attachments connected to their platforms for a variety of jobs. For those that know of them, they'd be recognizable as Hibiki's spy goats.

The camera moves to show Chris's face, who looks both winded and angry as she shouts at her device.]

THEY'VE BEEN AFTER ME ALL DAY! SOMEONE SEND HELP!

SHIKYOIN, DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT THIS IS YOUR FAULT!

Comments

[trustheart]

... What are you doing? Are you cleaning up the doll from the other day?

[priforprince]

Come attend to it yourself, if you're so concerned.

[ She would say it's none of Chris's business, but, really, she probably should have ordered Chris over here for this chore from the beginning. How fortunate that the culprit is receiving her just desserts now, serving those desserts up on a silver platter for Hibiki.

....that metaphor works in her head.

Foam flows. Goats with smeared marker on their sides float by.

Hibiki is starting to think maybe the bathing area might require her attention. ]

[trustheart]

... If that's what you really want, I will. I feel like I kinda owe it to you.

I have to talk to someone, but I'll be by once she and I are finished.

...

They tried drawing on each other, didn't they?

[priforprince]

Hurry your conversation.

[ Hibiki hangs up as the bubbles reach her chin. Don't. Don't make her say what's happened here.

Just come do something about it! Before her temple floats away! ]

[action]

[trustheart]

[It'll be at least an hour before Chris finally makes it towards Hibiki's place. She enters the temple, looking for a sign of where she needs to go, figuring such a place will become evident soon enough, the way it was looking when she and Hibiki talked.]

[priforprince]

[ Good luck navigating the temple, Chris! The foyer is clear, as is the main hall, but the first time Chris opens a door, foam (and floating goats) will come pouring out.

Found it. ]

[trustheart]

Guh! [Chris ends up getting a bubble right in her face, freeing the goat trapped inside and, more importantly, getting soap in her eyes.]

The hell is going on?!

[priforprince]

You're late.

[ All the furniture in this room has been piled into a, well, pile, with an overstuffed armchair up top. It barely manages to rise above the soapy ocean.

Guess who's sitting in the armchair. With tea. But whose tie is askew and her jacket unbuttoned. And who has a cat affixed to the back of her head, shivering. NOT MORE WET. NEVER MORE WET.

Despite all of this, Hibiki manages to look dignified and cross. Such is her power. ]

[trustheart]

I told you I had something else to do first!

[She throws her hands up, and begins marching forward, doing her best to avoid the suds.]

How did this even happen?!

[priforprince]

Are you here to nitpick or to fix the situation?!

[ Several empty boxes float past on the bubbles now. They once held name-brand, high-quality, guaranteed-the-most-top-class-clean-ever soap flakes.

And they're in a temple where more is more. ]

[trustheart]

God, you're even more helpless at this than senpai!

[She lets out a growl of frustration, before popping a few bubbles containing spygoats.]

Oi! You guys! I'll buy you some easy-peel heart stickers if you can find me a mop!

[priforprince]

A vandal's critiques disinterest me.

[ Oh! Stickers!

Stickers sound like fun.

The goats do their best to wheel their way through the bubbly foam, in search of the supply closet. A few do make headway, but one or two also find particularly slippery places and whir in place before beginning to slip backwards, and then float away again.

Hibiki's cat, in the meantime, scales her head to sit atop it and hiss at bubbles. Get away. AWAY!

The next thing to burst here might be one of Hibiki's veins. ]

[trustheart]

... Hurrrgh. They're gonna be at that for a while.

[She stares up at Hibiki.]

You! You seem to have more than you need of anything! You got salt and white vinegar in your kitchen?!

[priforprince]

[ .....SHOOT

SHE DOESN'T KNOW ]

Should the contents of the kitchen be my concern?!

[ Those are common items, though, so. Probably? Hibiki is not in a cooperative mood.

A few goats make it to the door, and venture forth on their brave quest. ]

[trustheart]

Because those two things are the only way to get as many suds and soap like this to go down! We're not gonna take care of this so long as we're wading through a lake of bubbles and foam!

[priforprince]

This situation involves no "we"!

[ In fact, she's this close to being unable to think about it anymore. She has been exposed to too much absurdity already. If something doesn't change soon, she'll....

Two spygoats reappear, carrying salt and white vinegar on mounted platters. They're good listeners, and divided their efforts. Someone else is looking for the mop. ]

[trustheart]

This is your temple!

[Oh good. Chris hurries over to the goats, and smiles.]

You guys really are smart! Thanks a whole lot!

[Chris picks up the salt.]

What about ice cubes? You guys got ice cubes? That can help us cool down the water and keep more suds from forming. If you get those I'll start spreading this around.

[Yeah, she's conferring more with the spygoats at this point.]

[priforprince]

[ That works fine for Hibiki, who would rather be left out of the conversation, frankly. Honestly. Someone who doesn't even recognize a celebrity has other people attend to all such matters doesn't even deserve to be corrected. It's too depressing.

Hibiki will therefore sit up here and crossly attempt to drink tea with a cat on her head while the goat who had had the salt heads off in search of ice cubes. The others whir in what they hope to be a helpful manner.

If there are things that need carrying, they can. Uh. Do that? ]

[trustheart]

You guys are my assistants.

[Chris motions for the remaining goats to follow her, as she begins moving about the room, tossing salt everywhere. You better hope this room doesn't have a wood floor, Hibiki.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki's taste runs more towards carpeting. Purple carpeting with roses textured onto it.

The floor may have been better off covered in soapsuds, actually.

The remaining goats, thrilled to be Assistants, follow Chris and do whatever she requires. Hibiki turns herself around so she doesn't have to watch this, putting Rosalie on her lap and stroking her in a calm and composed manner shared by all villains and ex-villains. (Rosalie, placated, sheds on Hibiki's jacket.)

The goat in search of ice is faced with a quandary. It has found ice cubes. But it has also found a shaved ice maker, for use when the amusement park inside this temple is open to the public.

HMMMMMM. ]

[trustheart]

[Don't complicate it, little goat! Ice cubes is all she needs! Stay true!]

Okay... that's all the salt we need. Now we just need the ice cubes to cool down the hot water, and then we can spread the vinegar.

[priforprince]

[ The goats decide they will go help carry ice cubes, then. They come back with

1) ice cubes

2) the shaved ice maker

3) the syrup for the shaved ice maker (this goat got confused)

4) a gallon of double fudge ripple caramel chocolate truffle ice cream that it looks like someone's taken a bite out of with a spoon in the middle of the night

Hibiki slams her hand on her armrest. ]

AT LEAST TAKE ASSISTING SERIOUSLY!

[ The tower atop which she is perched

wobbles. ]

[trustheart]

[Chris is... incredulous at the sight of the goats, but she sighs nonetheless.

That is, until Hibiki screams and her perch starts wobbling.]

If you don't calm down right now, you're going to fall!

[She turns to the goats.]

I just need the ice cubes. Save all the dessert stuff until we're finished, alright?

[priforprince]

HOW CAN I REMAIN CALM WHEN FORCED TO WITNESS SUCH INCOMPETENCE?!

[ The tower is aquiver with Hibiki's indignation.

The ice cube goat rolls forward, to be of service. The dessert goats figure they should head back to the freezer with this stuff so it doesn't melt.

Except for the ice cream goat, which tips its burden onto a tea table comprising part of Hibiki's tower. This is Maa-ster's, right?

The quivering worsens. ]

[trustheart]

...

[Chris spins on her heel, walking towards the nearest exit to the room.

When she gets there, she shuts the door behind her. No, she can't watch the horrible tragedy about to unfold.]