it's the most wonderful time of the year

[innocentloveholic]

[ Today's invitations are stupidly glittery. Like, there is an obscene amount of glitter? It is going to get everywhere and also on you and there is almost nothing you can do, so enjoy it. They are also obnoxiously colored, because Aligula has missed having the option of adding colors to all of her creations, and she has decided to rectify this.

Anyway, the message itself is blessedly simple, and written in her usual curly-cute script:

Christmas party in the ballroom at 5pm!!
Don't be late!!!
Lots of treats!!!!
also bring whatever you don't want from whatever you got out of that crappy vending machine because we're doing a
~SUPER SANTA SWAP MEET~
and a super special contest!!!

~ Aligula ♥

...The ballroom is likewise obnoxiously decorated, with cut-out Christmas trees and ornaments and chains of colorful streamers and... and look, we got an art studio. Aligula's determined to make up for lost time here. Her treats are all sorts of sweets, like cookies and cakes and a small parfait bar, but she actually does have some other things available: peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches, an attempt at curry that's pretty bland, salad. The usual refreshments are there too—water, hot chocolate, milk with various syrups so you can make your own, some tea that's been steeped way too long sorry tea drinkers!!!

The swap meet is more or less relegated to the space by the piano; go dump your unwanted things and trade with other people, or just take it off their hands. Or, if you want to be more Santa-like, go gift someone something you don't want!!! Either to get it off your hands or because you think they'd actually like it, whatever. As for the contest...

There's a table marked "COORDY-J CONTEST" off to the side, with plenty of paper and supplies from the art storage—the rules are there too and also very simple: Draw what you think Jericho looks like, and the winner gets to throw the first doll into the fire. ]

Comments

[ninehundredlives]

Maybe. It's not much good now to just have one.

[There's other people here she needs to keep alive, too many.]

Yeah, go on. I got a lot of new stuff today, but most of it wasn't very interesting to me. [A few outfits, finally, but neither of them look like they'd fit and she wouldn't wear them even if they did.]

[destage]

Not when there's so much in the building that could do something...

[Pointed look at the chemistry lab.

...Still, she searches through the box a bit and pulls out what she was looking for with wide eyes. This is...]

This--this is one of my stage outfits! How on earth did they get all of this into the machine? It's... [It's not even the outfit she performed on stage on that video with...] Man, I didn't expect to see this here at all! May I take it back?

[ninehundredlives]

Oh! Yeah, of course, I'm not gonna wear it.

[For multiple reasons, but she turns and looks at Sayaka and the dress together curiously.]

I never really pictured you in so much pink.

[destage]

[Sweet, she'll gladly take it then! Just kind of beaming at the outfit, before giggling a bit.]

It's pretty much the group's image color--pink, with enough sparkles to put Aligula-san's invitations to shame. Most idols tend to stick with a particular sort of image they wanna convey, and our outfits help with that!

[ninehundredlives]

[Huuuuuuh. That is not the aesthetic she would have pictured.]

I didn't realize you had a group you performed with.

[destage]

Oh, did I not say anything about that...?

[Sayaka smiles, though.]

It's me and four other girls in the group, actually--we all perform together! We've been together since our careers started, and we've been practically inseparable since.

[ninehundredlives]

Oh, that's nice! The whole business sounded so cut-throat...I'm glad you've got friends in it after all.

[destage]

...Make no mistake, it really is. But... [Her smile's a little more somber, and she pulls the outfit closer to herself.] I don't know. They're the closest thing I've had to family for the past four years. I gave everything and more to stay with them, and I'd say we're as tight-knit as they come.

[ninehundredlives]

...I'm glad you had somebody. [Even if it wasn't her family - where were the girl's parents in all of this?] And I'm glad I could get that back to you, then.

[destage]

It's nice to have the reminder here, you know? [She'll gather the outfit and the gauntlet into a bit of a pile, beaming a bit.]

Maybe if Hibiki-chan gets an outfit of her own, I could ask her to perform with me...do you think we'd make for a good duet, Ashworth-san?

[ninehundredlives]

I think so. [Susan smiles.] I've seen her perform, but I've never seen you do the whole song and dance.

[destage]

Heehee--well, I do try to practice in here from time to time, when there's no parties going on. If you'd like, I wouldn't mind showing what I can do?

[ninehundredlives]

[Still not at all her style of music, but Susan smiles.]

Yeah, I'd like that.

[destage]

Then I promise, I'll give a performance you won't soon forget! Idol's honor.

[See, she even does a silly little pose! ...It's really cutesy, and it makes her laugh a bit once she straightens herself up.]

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan laughs a little herself. God, it's funny seeing her do something so...Hibiki-like.]

I'll hold you to that. Sometime without so many people around at once, maybe. Or at least when you aren't three feet away from a bunch of pictures of Jericho.