1321/Dancing in the Wind

From Radiant Heart MUSH

Dancing in the Wind
Date of Scene: 21 March 2024
Location: Obsidian Tower
Synopsis: Utau Hoshina finds a dancing Norie Okana and is immediately impressed, A lot. So much she tries to recruit her by brute force. A friendship is formed! Maybe... Maybe dreams do come true.
Cast of Characters: Norie Okana, Utau Hoshina


Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana stands on the roof of Obsidian Tower. Well. One of the roofs of the complex. She isn't touching that penthouse. She feels terrible dark energy up there. Even she's smart enough to know to stay away. She's letting her clothes, her jacket blow in the strong breeze today, so up high.

She places down an old radio with a cassette tape and it starts to play a familiar tune. Utau Hoshina's Meikyuu Butterfly. Where the hell did she get a cassette of that song?%

Still. It plays the song.

*-----*

Open your shiny eyes in the silent night
I swooped down in the mysterious night.
I sneak without any sound of footsteps
In a lusting black cat's pose.

A silhouette that carries the moonlight on it's back
"Come here" It smiles as it beckons me.

A shadow of desire squirms in the town
It wanders in the guise of an angel
It holds the shards of love without a place to go
In it's arms as if it treasures them

*----*

Norie starts with a spin. She's starting to dance. She lets her feet hover just millimeters from the ground as she does so.... moving into a jump on the second verse, her foot sliding through the air silently as she she gently sways to the beat of the music, moving her arms upwards in a sweep as she closes her eyes.

*----*

As you fall asleep, are you somewhere also
Having a happy dream?
Kiss the starry sky. It's time for good children to go to sleep.

Don't look at me, don't catch me.
I'm a butterfly who got lost.
I sing freely with these wings no one can see.
They're hiding in your heart.

The memories in the mirror
Of when I was a cry-baby.
But I'm not a child anymore.
I untied my long hair.

*----*

She starts to sing at the second verse of the next verse. Her tone is... monotone but strong, like someone who knew how to sing a long time ago but lost their edge. There's very little emotion behind her voice.

"Don't look at me, don't catch me.
I'm a butterfly who got lost.
I sing freely with these wings no one can see.
They're hiding in your heart!"

She stops singing at that verse. It's he only one she does. She gently spins again, sliding to the right as dark energy fl;ares from her arms making for a chilling effect as she kicks her leg in the air and brings it down at the word heart.

*----*

A sweet fragrance that tightens my chest
I'm noticing I'm being seduced
You placed a spell on my lips that lost their words.

Don't look at me, don't catch me.
I'm a butterfly who got lost.
It's too dear, it's too precious.
It's going to break, the key to my heart.

I continue to look for my own story
Even if I am blinded by fate
I pierce through these clouds, and flap my wings to the distant tomorrow.

Don't look at me, don't catch me.
I'm a butterfly who got lost.
I sing freely with these wings no one can see.
They're hiding in your heart.

*----*

She bring her hands to her lips and kisses out at the words you 'placed a kiss on my lips' , dark energy flaring out in the shape of a 'heart', it has a purple aura to it. She gently comes to a stop as she hardly seems winded by the dancing, slightly hovering there in the air as she looks down as the song ends.

She leans down to rewind the tape. Cassette tapes, dammit. No auto repeat!

"It was good enough for me, it's good enough to you." she says in a mocking voice imitating her father, speaking to herself.

Utau Hoshina has posed:
Utau Hoshina needed a think. Now she has to figure out how to wrangle that boy in and keep him. Kukai. She means. Not Ikuto for a change when she thinks about her boy trouble. So she goes to the roof. She has with her a box of donuts. This is happenstance. She wanted a snack. The Cafeteria had a box. She stole it. The box was for everyone. She doesn't care. She's gonna eat an entire box of donuts and think about boys for a bit. Like a proper teenager should.

When the elevator door opens she hears a tinny, recording of her hit single. This doesn't surprise her per say. It just means someone is up here with the crapiest Bluetooth speaker ever. What does surprise her is what she sees when she turns the corner onto the main roof from the elevator.

Someone is Dancing.

Someone is Dancing amazingly.

Someone is Dancing amazingly and using their magic to make it more amazing.

She watches with wide eyes and when the young girl is done she walks up behind her and he speaks. "You!" she says. "What's your name!? You we're gorgeous!!!" she exclaims. She keeps her eyes widened, and then finally says. "Wow is that the rare cassette version?" she asks. "How much did that set you back!?" she asks.

She shakes her head.

"Er. Nevermind all that." she says as she calms down. "Yes hello. I am Utau Hoshina." she says with a bow, and a tone that suggests she's pointing out the truth and she isn't a fake.

She's being respectful to the dancer she just met.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana can sense someone behind her. She stands up. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't know someone else wanted to come up here today. I'll get go---"

Suddenly Utau Hoshina.

The Utau Hoshina. Utau starts praising her. She calls her gorgeous A blush creeps on her face. What's her name? Then she asks if it's the cassette version. Norie Okana looks like a deer in headlights. Gee, one of your favorite singers you like to dance to just accosted you on the roof. Called you gorgeous.

Wait. Did she see all of her dance. She blushes harder. "HIMYNAMEISNORIEOKANA." she suddenly blurts out all at once. She's incredibly red in the face. She hasn't...felt this blushy before. Dark energy is seeping from her fingers even. She hides her hands behind her back when this starts happening. She tries to deep breathe. That isn't gonna work dummy, you don't need to breathe. There's more than a few seconds of awkward silence as she looks down.

She shakes her head. "I mean. Hello. My name is. Norie Okana." she says more calmly. "I.. it's. It was a present for Christmas so I don't know. I. Hi?" she says, trying to hide behind her cassette box in sudden embarrassment. She learns something new about herself just now.

She can still blush hard. And she can still feel strong embarrassment. Wonderful!

Utau Hoshina has posed:
Utau Hoshina may be used to this kind of reaction, because she places a hand to her hips and waits patiently. Ah, the first time meeting your favorite singer idol syndrome. Always gets 'em. She looks down at the nails on her other hand and spreads her fingers as she finally gets a coherent answer from.... Norie Okana!

"Noire Okana. That name. I'll remember it." she says, clasping her hand into her palm finally. "But I've never heard of you. Your producer must suck getting you gigs." she says with a saddened tone. "Because you we're gorgeous just now." she says spreading her hands wide.

Utau seems to think Norie is a fellow idol. She's wrong. But that dancing. Surely... she has to be? "Who do you work for here? Do they... make you drain energy at your gigs, too?" she asks Norie in a confidential tone. "I bet you spin it right out of them. Gliding across stage?" she asks, mimicking a slide motion expertly.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana listens to Utau and she's still blushing, but slowly not as hard. She's starting to calm down, because the desire for good feelings is so strong right now. She wants to smile so badly. She wants to hug Utau. She can't touch, she energy drains on touch. But all she can do is straighten her expression to a neutral. She closes her eyes tightly. She tries so hard to will them.

Nothing.

That neutral. It will have to do. Her blue eyes open and she looks depressed suddenly. But she tries her best to not burst into tears on the spot. Not in front of her favorite idol. No. "...Hoshina-san..." she says quietly. "Do you think... I am an idol? I am not." she looks down. "I dance. I.. love... dancing. It's one of my favorite things." she says quietly at the ground.

"But I'm not idol." she says. "I...I should go." she says. She picks up her cassette player radio combo and tries to step away quickly. She doesn't want to waste any more of the starlet's time.

Utau Hoshina has posed:
Utau Hoshina is now the one to be taken aback. Her hand goes animatedly to her chest in shock. "Not..an idol? Norie. Okana." she says dramatically. "You have.."

>> I... I should go

The girl says that and Utau leaps in front of the departing girl. "No!" she goes shaking her head. "I refuse to let you go." she says reaching out to grab Norie's arm. She wants to drag this girl to Sanjou so bad, now. Kicking. Screaming if she has to. But she just touched her. There's that feeling. That shock of being energy drained the moment she touches her and she burns. It's a shock.

"YOUR DUMB MAGIC WON'T STOP ME!" she says as she releases the arm and shakes her head. "Norie. Okana. You have been Spotted!." she says, stamping her foot down. "Come with me, please?" she asks. "We'll go see Sanjou right now, my Producer. She'll love you." she says. "Dark. Alluring. Guys really like the quiet monotone feel now, you dig. It makes you feel... unobtainable."

Utau Hoshina walks backwards, trying to block Norie. "Look. Let's sit and talk about it at least. I have some donuts to share, even." she says holding up the box. "We can sit and eat. Would you like that? Eat with Utau Hoshina!" she says waving a hand in the air for dramatics.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana is touched. "D..don't touch me. Please!" she says. "I can't help that. Please understand. I'm so sorry!" she says as she stops and holds her hand to her face. She stops leaving when Utau stops talking and she begins to sigh out. Utau Hoshina. Her favorite idol is speaking to her. "I'm so sorry. I hurt you just now. It's so embarrassing. I drain by touch. You touched me....so..so..."

"I am a vampire." she says bluntly. "Sorry. I eat energy." she says quietly. Information unasked for. But she provides it. She then blinks though heavily and peeks through her hands. "You..." she gently lowers those hands. "You really think those things about me? We just met you know..." she says, her blush starting to creep back up.

She doesn't know what to say to the rest as she looks down. "Me...? Sp--spotted?" she asks. Past Norie. The one that could feel all the good feelings would have stars in her eyes. This was her dream. It's almost perfect down to everything that gil thought, wanted. Meet your favorite idol. They like you. They want to sign you. But. Current self? Is it her dream? She..she doesn't know. She's searching her feelings right now. Dancing is her one thing she enjoys still. Along with Donuts.

'I have some donuts to share' gets her attention though? "Donuts. Yes please. I could use. Many of them right now." she says as she sits on the side of wall. It's a place to sit, around what's a big air conditioner for the offices below. She waits for Utau to sit next to or close enough to share the donuts and takes one. It's basically gone instantly into her mouth. It's like magic. Followed by her grabbing another one.

She seems awkward sitting near her favorite singer. What does she talk to Utau Hoshina. Well. About work.

"I work for. Riventon-senpai." she says. "I am. a Dusk Zone researcher and conservator." she says. "I like. Dancing. and Donuts." she says with a look away from Utau. "I like working here. Most people are nice. I didn't know you worked for Obsidian. You mentioned singing and draining... energy, 'too' earlier. I take it. This is what you do." she says quietly. "So is that why some concerts go wrong in actuality?" she asks.

"Would I be complicit in such plans?"

Utau Hoshina has posed:
Utau Hoshina finally relaxes when Norie stops and agrees to talk. Great! She slacks a little and makes sure her hand is finally okay. It is. "Don't. Worry about that. If you can't help it, you can't help it. It was annoying, but. I'm the one that tried to grab you to drag you away. Maybe. I deserved that." she says.

Norie Okana asks if she means those words. She nods. "I mean, Please don't take my compliments the wrong way. Pretty sure I'm only into boys. But you we're gorgeous just now. dancing. It was amazing and you should be proud of that! I really did think you we're some other idol outfit's girl!" she says. "-and I really DO want to see you signed. Just. Under the label I am." she says, looking down at her nails. "I'm positive that if some other producer or idol saw you just now. They'd be saying the same thing I am, and trying to get you under their label." she says. "And as Easter's star--- I mean. I AM the Director's Stepdaughter..."she says, coyly. "...I have a lot of sway and if I want you in, I think you're in because...I said so." she says.

"We need to work on your vocals. Just a little. Why are you singing that way?" she asks though. "It was very. Well empty. Feeling?" she asks. "Its really hard to explain. But that's not a killer. I can vocal coach you even if you want. As I said. Boys are really digging the aloof thing right now."

She then goes into her work. "Oh!" she says. "I don't know a 'Riventon'." she says. "But. Glad you like working with Obsidian down there." she says, pointing down to the tower they're one. She snorts. "I stole the entire box of donuts from the cafeteria because I cam up here initially to think about... a boy." she says. "But ran into you instead. I'm glad I did." she says.

Norie asks about HER job now. "Well, Norie-chan." Norie-chan. "I work for Easter. I am their top idol." she says, motioning to herself. "But you already know that. Right? Because you're a fan Norie-chan. I can tell a fan. They always act that way when they meet me by surprise." she smiles sweetly. "Talking very quickly and exploding into a blush on the spot! But it's why I also walk around in disguises." she admits.

"Oh. Yes. Yes I do. I drain energy and steal the hearts of concert goers." she says bluntly. "With my voice~ Not all the time. Of course. "I'm trying to. Find something this way. I wouldn't worry about helping me. If you drain by touch. And not anything like your dancing is dangerous then?" she gives a very wry smile at Norie.

"Look. I'll be frank, Norie. I'm going to think coming with me is a good idea. I won't interfere in what you're currently doing. I'm just saying....you should do this also." she says, clasping her hands. "Please give me an answer? Pretty please With cherry on top?"

"We'll be like team mates!" she says.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana sits there and listens as she looks down still. It really is past hers dream. Not only is her favorite singing idol trying to sign her. She's begging. Pleading with her.

Pretty please with a cherry on top?.

We'll be like team mates.

Coming with me is a good idea.

Because you're a fan Norie-chan. I can tell a fan.

Norie-chan. She blushes fiercely again. It's all so much. It's almost too much. Norie-chan's own voices are not helping. It's dark and somber. So she tries to. Imagine what other people might tell her, as she ponders the things Utau says.

Riventon tells her to take what she wants. It's hers for the taking! She DESERVES THIS. Grasp it! Don't let it go. It's YOURS...

"I... sorry. My emotional capacity is. Stunted. Due to the dark energy. We think. I do not have.. the good. Better emotions." she says quietly. "So there's no. Emotion in my voice anymore. I'm sorry." she says in monotone. "Are you... sure?" she asks. "About that?" she asks when she mentions people being into the aloof thing.

Mami tells her to take it. Would it make her happy? No. She can't feel happy. But she'd do her best. Right? Her sister would be so proud of her, right? She'd be doing what she likes.

"I see. So you're looking for something by stealing hearts. I get it. Kind of. Yeah. I can't do that. I do drain only by touch. But if you ever need back up..."

Hotaru-chan smiles and leaps. "Yay! Senpai is a famous idol now!"

Norie wishes she could smile right now at her thoughts. Her expression straightens more though. Thanks Hotaru. She needed that right now. She looks back down in thought. "My dancing isn't dangerous." she says quietly. "Look....."

Sunbreaker stares into her eyes and screams "You don't deserve this, youma!"

Norie scowls at the ground. She mouths a curse under her breath. She gets angry. She'll....she'll listen to her friends. What they say in her head.

"Alright. If you won't stop me from working or staying in my department. I'll do it. I'll come with you. And meet your producer. And.. and do the tests and everything. But I don't promise anything..." she says gravely. "But. Yes. I'll come with you. U..." she says testingly. "Utau-chan." she says quietly, hopping down from the wall.

"Lead the way."

Utau Hoshina has posed:
Utau Hoshina can only judge what's on the outside, unable to hear Norie's inner turmoil. If she could, she'd feel slightly bad for making Norie feel miserable. She does listen to what she says though, listening to the girl speak as she brightens her eyes. She wants that yes. Say yes girl. Come on. This is a dream offer. People would literarily kill for this opportunity.

Utau Hoshina frowns when Norie explains her situation. "Oh, so that's why." she says. "Don't worry, like I said, we can work around that. Just need a little coaching!" she says. "Your monotone will be like polyphone soon!" she says with a wink.

And then she gets it. The Yes. She fist pumps. "Outstanding!" she says. "Don't worry, you just made a really good decision, Norie-chan." she says. Utau-chan? Utau smiles a little wryly again. She'll allow it from her new friend. "Come on." she says, leaving the remaining donuts for the pigeons.

Utau will lead Norie to her producer. The rest is just destiny and luck now.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana pauses and grabs the box of donuts before leaving with Utau. She won't leave them for the pigeons. Her donuts now. Because she DESERVES them right now.

M-maybe she can dream a little, still.

Maybe good things still get to happen to her.

Maybe things will be okay in the end... maybe.