Return to Tokyo-D

[opening_act]

[ You step through the portal into a place where black coats your vision— a solid, glossy coating of darkness that blocks out all light. For a moment, it is as though you've been been blindfolded, and all light is lost from your reach.

The light does not return.

But colors, in impossible neon hues hew through the dark and spangle newly across your vision. The city is drenched in kaleidoscopic light, the skyscrapers spiral to the heavens. At street level, it is Tokyo. Above that, stars move out of their orbits in dizzying motions. Other forms crowd the street with you— shiloettes of people drained of all their colors like it's bled into the city instead move about, not quite tangible but still giving off body heat. Monochrome figures also move through the crowd, a few demons, and

One demon that maybe some of you will recognize? Or not?

There's a girl with big puffy pigtails in full color with a bag full of groceries slung across her shoulder, heading somewhere. ]

Comments

[vitainmorte]

[ Well. she looks conflicted, definitely, because that implies she's-- ]

-- A producer?

[opening_act]

No, no. A host! Exael, the one and only!

[vitainmorte]

[ STILL UNSURE ]

The ones who run the games.

[ but she's... putting more of the pieces together, and others are here...

She offers Exael a curtsy as well. ]

-- sorry for being rude, um. My name is Cypress. It's nice to meet you.

This... isn't another game, is it? With so few people here? Especially if you said it's-- "backstage"...

[opening_act]

You're right~ You must have gotten your hands on an ultra-rare backstage pass! But you must have dropped it somewhere, right? So let's go off to the production building and get that aaaaall sorted out.

[ And, as Exael speaks, she might notice people backing away and phones starting to come out— they're definitely being filmed now. ]

Your program's been super popular lately, so let's not get too much attention before we're ready!

[vitainmorte]

[ stares blankly for a moment, slowly looking to the side as peoples' cameras start coming out.

Ah. she wants them to lie.

She nods (flustering, because being filmed is still embarrassing), and comes a little closer. ]

Alright... my apologies.

[opening_act]

[ Camellia's cast an illusion to make sure they fit into Liar Hell, so she's suddenly monochrome illusion'd. And, well, it seems to be enough to get people's attention off them.

Exael motions more freely down the street ]

This way! The production office is super busy lately, so we shouldn't get too much attention.

[vitainmorte]

[ definitely startles a bit at the monochrome... ness, but follows quickly enough. ]

So it's-- really a show?

[opening_act]

And some other stuff. But the show part is important! People like what they can see with their own two eyes best of all, because it's way easier to believe in that stuff in your heart.

[vitainmorte]

[ ... cute? maybe?? ]

I see... thank you.

[ a pause ]

Do you know anything about how idols are chosen?

[opening_act]

Oh, that one's easy. Either audition or random lottery.

[vitainmorte]

[ a long. pause










,]

-- is it possible to ask to be exchanged with someone else?

[opening_act]

I don't think the staffing department takes requests.

[vitainmorte]

... I see.

Thank you.

[opening_act]

You're welcome.

[ She gestures for her to follow ]

And come this way for now, okay?

[vitainmorte]

Um, yes, alright.

[ obediently following. ]

[opening_act]

[ She leads her down bright neon streets and advertisements bearing idol's faces, arcades with their merchandise inside claw machines, and ducks into an alleyway where people aren't. ]

And for my next trick, I need the audience to close your eyes~!

[vitainmorte]

[ does not... close her eyes for a long moment, nervous

but eventually does ]

[opening_act]

[ MAGIC TRICK!

she feels like she's falling for a moment, but when she opens her eyes she's in an office in one of the Tokyo-D high-rises, judging from the view outside the window. it's a room with a decent amount of desks, one of them belonging to exael's. You can tell by the paperwork piled up with her name on it, though she's definitely not the only one with paperwork undone. ]

Ta-dah! That was the disappearing and reappearing ladies trick!

[vitainmorte]

[ STARTLES, hands immediately going for her knives-- stops before actually touching them, looking around her with alarm and... confusion... ]

...

O-oh.

[opening_act]

It's easier than going past security for real.

[ She explains, sitting on her desk ]

[vitainmorte]

Ah...

[ ... straightens up, awkwardly, refocusing on her. ]

Are we less... [ makes a motion like being surrounded ] here?

[opening_act]

Less! You work for us, technically, so it's not that weird if you're with real staff.

[vitainmorte]

Is talking normally okay, then?

[opening_act]

Just don't say anyone important's name.

[vitainmorte]

The only person's name I know now is yours, Miss.

We aren't-- supposed to be here, are we?