❄VIDEO❄

[icysmile]

[The video snaps into focus instantly, giving everyone a good look at Blue Rose chatting with a technician about adjustments to something in her hab. Given the half-finished look of the place, she's strutting through while everyone's still hard at work, making sure everything's just how she wants it. Better to do it now while they're there, after all. She beams at the camera for a moment.]

Hello, everyone! You'd think there'd be some kind of ceremony with a meeting or something. [Oh well.] I'm told this is probably where I'll be staying for the next few weeks until we've wrapped up this whole Chronoblivion situation, so I thought I'd extend a hand and introduce myself to everyone. Obviously I'm one of the newer arrivals. You can call me Blue Rose, or maybe Karina if I'm out of costume. One or the other, please. [She's well aware that there are some cultural difference here, but you've got to draw the line somewhere. She turns to a worker and waggles her fingers.] The softer yellow. The other shade would glare a bit, don't you think? Oh, you don't see the color? Well. Ah. Take my word for it. [She coughs and turns back.]


It's a pleasure to meet all of you! Really, it is. I don't think I've ever worked with so many NEXTs at once! It's kind of exciting. Anyway, why don't I talk a little about myself? Let's see, I'm eighteen years old. I've been a Hero with Titan Industries for almost four years now. I understand that's longer than a few of you, but I'm always willing to lend an ear if you've got any problems. [As long as they're not stupid problems.] I'm an elemental-type NEXT, I can make ice. I'd offer a demonstration, but I'd hate to interrupt the workers here by making a mess. So something small. [She holds up a hand and her eyes glow blue, with an accompanying aura. Slowly, a frosty rose forms between her fingers.] Tada!

Anyway, in addition to being a hero, I'm also an idol! I was looking forward to releasing my third album soon, but I think that's been put on hold. I don't think that will mean much here, though. Even if it wasn't another universe, a thousand years is a long time for music to remain popular, isn't it? Maybe I'll work on something new in my free time. [She turns away again when someone asks her something. She shakes her head, handing them the rose.] No, just a normal piano. I don't know how to work that one! Oh, just give me both, I'll learn that new one. Oh, can you add some cameras? I might start a new blog, and showing people how I work would be good. [And then she's back like she wasn't interrupted.]

Well, that's probably enough about me. If you've got any questions, feel free to ask! But, really, I'd rather hear about you all right now. Why don't you introduce yourselves?

Comments

[bachido]

What are fans?

[He just looks sort of blank at Karina's indignance.]

No, he's definitely earned something. I asked him to do it. I don't know how to make recordings of my own shows, or make it so that everyone with one of these machines can see it easily, and Dave did that for me when I asked. It was very kind of him.

[He looks serious, bringing up his current pet issue.]

The people who talk about us to the rest of the universe, on the machines, they have a new machine that they've decided to use to look into our pasts and share what they want to from our stories. But when they tell what's happening right now, they only tell parts. They don't tell the actual story. So I don't trust them to tell our stories from home as they should be told.

I told my life's story in a performance here about two weeks ago. Dave recorded it, and he's making sure that everyone who sees what they're already looking for about us, will see my story too. The way it ought to be told. So he's really doing me a huge favor. I'd like to find some way to make it up to him.

[That's a lot of sudden seriousness, but Kubo laughs at her explanation of superpowers.]

What does someone who can stretch their cheeks out do with it?

[icysmile]

Fans. People who keep track of you, enjoy your work, talk about you, buy your merchandise... That kind of thing.

[Ah. She settles down a little. She hadn't meant to imply that he did nothing, but... Well.]

Ah. A producer, then. Not a sponsor.

[Still, she's anxious to tell him to work something out if Dave actually is making money off of him, but it sounds like he wouldn't be receptive to the warning. Some people had to learn things for themselves, and it was entirely possible that this was all just a miscommunication anyway.]

Mm. I can understand wanting to get the story straight. It's always irritating when a third party wants to present a totally different picture of you.

[And, oh, does she have some experience with that. "Sadistic Ice Fairy from the Ice Lagoon" her foot. Come to think of it, "Midnight Ice Cream" was still the dumbest name for a radio show she'd heard.]

Still, that kind of machine does sound... Interesting. Has it been put to use, yet? I can see how it'd be useful. The money saved on background checks alone...

[Cheeks. What good were those, anyway?]

Store things in them, maybe? I don't know, they're just someone I've heard of.

[bachido]

Oh, all right! A producer.

[He's glad for the clarification.]

You know a lot more about this than I do. What's your music like?

I don't know if the machine has been put to use yet. I guess keep an eye on your . . . this omni device thing and keep watch for it. They'll probably use it soon. They used their recordings of the last mission really quick.

[He's tempted to ask what a background check is for a moment, but that cheeks thing is still distracting, and he's already asked a question this round. He laughs instead.]

I'm picturing it. Think of all the food someone could store in cheeks like that.

[It's funny in his mind ok]

[icysmile]

[Stroking her ego is always a good way to get ahead.]

Well, I don't have everything set up for most of Blue Rose's songs... [She stands and walks through a doorway, settling down at a piano. She sets the omnicomm up so the holo display lets her keep talking to Kubo. Unfortunately, there's no good way to get him a look at the piano as she plays, but it's just the sound that counts right now. She talks over playing.] As Karina Lyle, I like to focus more on piano music and singing. Unlike you, I'm not really a storyteller.

Anyway. [She's still playing! Don't worry.] We'll just have to see how it turns out. They might do your story a surprising amount of justice. After all, the media should be made up of professionals. Anything other than the truth would be libel or slander, and no one sane would open themselves up to that.

[She's got nothing much to say about the cheeks, but hey. Kubo's cute. She puffs her cheeks out at the camera, sacrificing dignity for just a moment. That's rare for her to do.]

[bachido]

Oh, I've heard that instrument! From some of the music they have here!

Could I come over and look at it some time? It has a beautiful sound.

[Eh, she has more faith in the local media, but she hasn't seen the way they cherrypick their moments yet.]

Maybe they'll do better with it than I think. But I already told my story the way it should be told. Dave said he'd make it so that everyone who saw whatever the . . . media? Is that what they're called? He said he'd make it so that people would be able to find my story as well as whatever they're being shown by the media. I would like that to be true.

[Little wonder that a storyteller would be protective of his own story.

And he was momentarily serious there, but Karina puffing up her cheeks makes him smile and laugh again. She's funny!]

[icysmile]

They don't have pianos where you're from? [Color her surprised.] If you want to come and see, give me a day or two to get everything settled first. By then I'll have everything set up just how I want it and I'll be able to show things off!

[She's certain that it won't end up being that bad. They're just opening themselves up to lawsuits, otherwise!]

Well, with an internet connection, or whatever they have in place of one, I don't see why he couldn't bump your chosen result to the top of a search engine list. [Maybe once she gets her blog up and running, she'll plug his version.

She doesn't usually do embarrassing little things like that, but it seemed like he could use some more reasons to relax.]

[bachido]

I'm from a time that's very different from this one. We didn't have any sort of machines. And not nearly as many instruments. So I'm excited to see yours! If it's all right with you, I'd like to bring my mother with me when I visit. She taught me the shamisen.

[And he doesn't want to be apart from her just now if he can help it. But you know, that's such a serious topic for a lighthearted discussion.]

[icysmile]

[Well, isn't that cute?]

I don't mind. It's lucky that you have your mother here, I'd think. I'd be worried to be too far away from my parents, if I were your age.

[Even now, she knows she'll probably miss them. But no time to focus on that.]

[bachido]

[It's adorable. But Kubo's expression turns strange at Karina's words, because he's not quite sure how to respond to that. This is only the second time someone's assumed he had a normal childhood with both parents and would be afraid in a childlike way to be without them -]

I . . . it's a little different from that, but . . . the story's long and sad, and I told it in the show that Dave is trying to make sure everyone can see. But . . . thank you for extending the invitation to both of us.

[He's satisfied with how he brought that one around. After telling the long tale of how he lost his mother and father each twice and seeing how much it brings people down, he's not eager to throw bits and pieces of the story at folks and make their moods sadder.]

I'll be looking for your messages! And I have one more question - what's a blog?

[icysmile]

[Ah. She said something she shouldn't have. Is his father dead? Maybe she'd have to look up that video of his that Dave was supposed to release. It should be easy to find on whatever passes for an internet here. Either way, he doesn't want to talk about it.

And, wow. She blinks momentarily, taken aback by the question. Well, maybe if he's from so far back that he doesn't know about pianos... Yeah, that'd make sense. Okay, she nods to herself.]

Blogs are... Think of them like journals, but you put them online for the entire world to see. Or maybe 'universe', in this place. You talk about your day, things you've done, people you've met, that kind of thing. Sometimes you add pictures and music. [She had one at home, but hadn't actually run it. In fact, the president of her company had started it without her permission and she hadn't found out until Origami Cyclone had told her. This time, she's determined to spread her own message.] People can read and respond to it, too, if you let them.

[bachido]

[The sad part is, he does want to talk about his parents! All the time. He wants everyone to know how brave and strong his mother is, and how funny and caring his father was, but bringing them up also means mentioning that his father is dead and his mother came back from the dead - It's just hard to bring the focus back around to 'but let me go on about how great they actually are. Were.'

He'll figure it out. Maybe when the telling of the tale is a little less raw.]

In that case, I'll definitely watch your blog! It sounds really interesting. I'll show Mother too!

[But speaking of happy family tales, it sounds like she has one. How nice!]

So, is your family all waiting for you back home? I hope you get to see them soon!

[icysmile]

It's work, but it does help show the fans that you're thinking about them. I won't say that it's always pleasant, though. [If anything, Blue Rose's Midnight Ice Cream had proven that to her.] So if you do check me out, and I hope you do, think long and hard before trying the same thing.

[...Huh. It's kind of fun being the one passing out advice. Was this why Tiger was always butting into people's business?]

I don't know about 'waiting'. From the sound of things, time's standing still while I'm gone. I'll come home with more experiences, more songs, and more fans under my belt while everyone else is expecting the same old Blue Rose. Won't that be interesting?