(Dress Rehearsal) Live Show

[miraclelivemod]

Today's the day. The club meets up and takes a quick train ride down to Hikarizaka, where the Southwest Mall is ready for the festival. Banners with fall trees and leaves are hung, store clerks welcome you and gesture to the deep discounts in their stores, and people in special mall uniforms are giving out everything from maps to tissue packs to promotional eyeshadow swatches. A few stalls around the hallways are set up selling promo goods, if for some reason you need a fall festival shirt, and seasonal snacks like grilled yams and taiyaki.

And then there's the stage. Audio equipment is standing ready and the stage is cordoned off from the crowd, and the light fixtures you've brought in are there to be set up. You've got a little time before your set while the audience is being entertained by the act before you, a group of poorly-dancing kindergarteners who are too cute to boo off the stage. How are you going to spend it?

Comments

PREPARATION

[miraclelivemod]

[For everything before you perform. Wandering the mall, setting up the lights in between shows, preparing backstage, looking out into the crowd, you name it.]

[anchornyan]

[Backstage, Ayaka is trying to do vocal drills, but she's got a pen and paper in her hand and keeps being distracted to scribble.]

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah -- oh, how many people do you think are out there? Should I just say "a good-sized crowd?" Or maybe bypass it entirely and go with "a lively crowd?"

[daughterofthemark]

Dame Ayaka. Is there not something else that should have your focus?

[Actually, Arianna should be warming up too instead of bothering people, but eh.]

[anchornyan]

Busted. But I can't help it! A live like this is a great scoop, isn't it? People are gonna be picking up my paper in no time!

[daughterofthemark]

I'm sure it'll be an even better scoop once there has actually been a performance.

[anchornyan]

I feel a little called out.

[daughterofthemark]

[Innocent smile.]

Now, let us warm up our voices.

[anchornyan]

[She slumps a little, stands up straight, and goes back into the vocal warmups. After a bit more of that:]

You're really into this today, aren't you?

Re: PREPARATION

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

[Rita Mordio obviously can't set up the actual lights while there are children performing, for quite a number of reasons. Like not wanting to think too much about her childhood years - the part she can remember, anyhow. Instead, she's backstage, and she's hooking up a couple of backstage control boards. As soon as the kids are loose, she'll be out there doing the lights.

Notably, she hasn't changed into her idol outfit yet, instead favoring jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. There's a pair of rather thick gloves at her side, next to some highly sweetened drink that technically qualifies as tea if you tilt your head a bit.]

[anchornyan]

Do you need any help with that? [Ayaka's already got most of her outfit on, though the bunny jacket is in her arms for now.] I don't really know a lot about this stuff yet, but you always seem to be having fun with it!

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... Kinda, I guess.

But mostly right now I'm just getting the backstage rig set, then as soon as the kids leave, it's out to set the lighting rig up, run the test cycle, and change.

And, you know. The live itself. I'm less worried about that, though, honestly, if only because I'm not the center this time around.

[anchornyan]

I'm sure you'll do great when you are! I mean, you work as hard as anyone.

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... I just hope it's enough.

[Rita sighs.]

Can't fail people.

[anchornyan]

We're all working at this. Don't worry so much, okay?

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... R-right.

We've gotta work every bit of crowd we've got.

[anchornyan]

Yeah! Exciting, isn't it? Don't worry, we're right here too!

[daughterofthemark]

Is everything going well? I can t wait to see the results.

[Arianna you're going to be onstage.]

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... Crap. Are we setting a camera up for recording this?

[Rita clearly assumed Arianna meant 'after the show', as opposed to 'while she's on stage'...]

[eternalfuture]

[Usagi looks out into the crowd, from where she's been using some hair chalk to put pink streaks into her pigtails.]

Aww, the little ones are so cute...

[She smiles.]

I just hope the crowd isn't all their parents.

[anchornyan]

Let me see! [Ayaka puts on her glasses and tries to mash her face up to the crack between the temporary backstage partitions.] I can't really tell. What if people might be watching now so they have good seats when we come on? That'd be ameowzing, wouldn't it?

[eternalfuture]

Do you think so? I'd love that if it were true!

[anchornyan]

I don't know if we're actually popular enough for that. But sometimes people do it! Maybe we should make that our goal.

[She plays with the rabbit ears on her jacket. These costumes are adorable, okay.]

[eternalfuture]

I think that's a really good goal. We can make it happen.

[holding up her hands in the shape of a heart]

[anchornyan]

It's still hard to control, though, isn't it? But then, that might be what makes it exciting!

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

Doesn't look too much like that, to me. But even then they might stick around.

I'm more concerned that their set finishes close to on-schedule. Knew I should gotten here early to do the light rigs.

[Not like the mall would've let her, but she would've tried!]

[eternalfuture]

It'll be okay, Rita-chan. We'll have time to get everything set up. Can I help?

[...this is a bad idea, do not let her help]

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

Nah. Take the time to get Ryoko looking epic! I've got this.

[daughterofthemark]

If they are, perhaps the families will stay to watch us as well.

[optimism drive engage]

[eternalfuture]

[double optimism drive, MAKE UP]

Maybe! I'm feeling good about it.

LIVE

[miraclelivemod]

LIVE


Rita sets the lights up quickly between shows, columns turning on to glitter in fall colours that shift to the image colours of the Harugaizumi School Idol Club. In cutesy pastel bunny jackets with matching chalk hair streaks and sparkly bracelets, the group takes the stage.

Their dance is a little more complicated than they'd shown at the Cultural Festival, thanks to Carmel's new additions to the choreography, putting the strongest dancers in the front. Ryoko is in the middle, with the largest part, singing a love song where the embarrassment might actually be a plus as far as the lyrics go.

While the stage was being set up, it looked like the crowd was starting to disperse, largely from the parents of the little kids before them. But thanks to Usagi's and Arianna's efforts in getting the word out, the crowd actually seems to grow. A lot of the influx is from curious shoppers, but you get some people coming into the mall and straight into the audience, and others carrying school idol merch in their arms. Not all of it is for you, and there's a decent amount of Powerful Garage rep since they were supposed to be here, but the people coming in with it are excitedly whispering and taking photos anyway.

As the club bows and introduces themselves, the crowd cheers warmly. And maybe it's something left behind from a performance earlier in the day that didn't quite get swept away -- who can say? -- but wherever it came from, when somebody moves, a fluffy white fashion feather lifts up from the edge of the stage in a puff of air and lands in front of this group of girls smiling under the lights.

LIVE CLEAR

AFTERMATH

[miraclelivemod]

[For everything after you perform. This will unlock after the performance is posted.]

[anchornyan]

[Ayaka is so relieved that she stumbles on the stairs going backstage and nearly wipes out. Anyone who comes up to her, she'll grab their hands and sparkle at them.]

I thought I was prepared for whatever cat-punned up there, but that was ameowzing! I gotta get interviews! Photos!

[And later, you can find her around the mall, having changed back into regular clothes but still with the temporary hair streaks in. She's flitting around making notes of everything and occasionally taking a bite of taiyaki.]

Hey, you think I could get some of the people here to sit for an interview about the festival? A reporter's gotta report!

Re: AFTERMATH

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

[As the show ends, soon after the group slides backstage, Rita's back in her jeans and T-shirt, though the chalk and bracelets remain on since they won't get in the way as she heads out and takes down the customized light fixtures, putting them on a cart to get back to the bus. She's moving pretty quickly on this part, almost like...]

---

[... She wants to try a bit of just. Walking around the mall. She doesn't even seem to know what she's looking for, honestly...]

[miraclelivemod]

[And you've found Wakaba inside the bookstore, contemplating a large tome in the local history section when she looks up to see you.]

Oh, Mordio-san. Your show must have gone well.

[miraclelivemod]

[As you wander the mall, you might notice a girl in a snappy uniform that clearly isn't from here. (And why is she in her uniform here, anyway?) She's speaking to one of the organizers off to the side.]

Is it true? Powerful Garage pulled out of this because of a low test score?

I believe that's confidential, miss. You'd have to ask them...

[She gives an exaggerated, put-upon sigh.] No matter. I saw something interesting today, anyway. Speaking of which...

[The girl notices you, bows, and approaches, doing an automatic hair-toss motion even if her hair is already up in twisted buns.]

Hello there. You're the school idols who were performing, right?

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

[Rita glances at the woman in mid-sip of her tea. Her hair is still chalked and she still has one of the bracelets on.]

Erm. Yes? Hello.

[Rita is SO GLAD she got everything onto the bus already.]

[miraclelivemod]

Nice to meet you. [She smirks.] I'd heard something was going on, though I expected to see Powerful Garage. Which school are you from?

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

Ah, yeah. I never did catch why they had to cancel, but it happened.

Our club is from Harugaizumi, up in Maizumi.

[miraclelivemod]

Harugaizumi, hmm? I think I heard your school was back in the scene. Nice job, for something you must have had to put together on short notice.

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

Idols need to be always readying for new shows, so it wasn't that bad I don't think.

[Besides a couple most-of-the-nighters..]

[miraclelivemod]

It's a good way to think, but let me tell you something. Being a school idol takes dedication to your image. What are you trying to be?

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

Honestly?

I'm trying to be the best A/V tech in the country's Idol scene. The rest... I guess I gotta work that out maybe?

But the lightwork today was all me. Last week's school stage show, that was me. And I'm gonna be proud of that.

[miraclelivemod]

Ah, so you're the one doing that. A lot of school idols just get help from other students; I'm surprised you haven't gotten more press for this. Of course, you can do anything with the right resources.

[She pulls a business card out of her pocket and holds it out. Ichinose Midori, Centre of Grace Maiden, Kimino High School Idol Club. Is the print gold-embossed? What weight is this card? Wait, why does a school idol even have business cards?]

I should know.

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

[Rita definitely blinks as she properly takes the card with both hands, and neatly slides it into a pocket on her handbag. It is... A very, very fancy business card.]

I. Um.

[Rita's quickly trying to recall anything about Kimono.]

Thank you. I apologize that I don't have one to offer in turn.

[... Inwardly, she's definitely pretty sure that school idols having business cards is not normal. But she'll have to ask Arianna or someone.]

[miraclelivemod]

[Well, Kimino is a big-city private school, and Grace Maiden is known for its refined image... nothing about business cards, though. Midori nods, practised.]

Don't worry. I'll definitely keep you girls in mind. I only thought you'd want to do the same for us. The Love Live might be a long way off, but preparation is key. I certainly don't want to lay down and lose to Sanayume, or anyone else.

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

I just hope that our efforts keep paying off, honestly... But thank you. I'll have to see if we can check out some of your performances.

[miraclelivemod]

You won't be able to forget us. I'll make sure of it. [She looks up at the wall clock in the mall and frowns.] Ah, I'd best be going. Can't be late, after all. But I assure you, if you're aiming for Love Live, bring your best.