First Annual Net-Idol Carnival

The audience didn't seem at all put off by Kabuki's high-energy rendition of Glow's original intro. The beginning of the song had basically been that level of flame-haired energy in the first place, and the crowd's own energy was enough to make Kabuki's seem appropriate, even if she kept it a little high at the end. The feeling of doing a performance on such a stage, even with a limited audience, would no doubt be quite different from practice back in the tent: the music was twice as loud, for starters, and a good portion of the audience was joining in providing a light show. Combined with Glow's own internal lighting, Divina's efforts at providing extra lighting, and the bright graphics on the monitor behind her, Kabuki would find herself surrounded by a veritable "rainbow rainfall" that would probably be sensory overload for someone less experienced with performance art.

When Kabuki reached her end, Mo stepped up to begin the second part. The tone of this part had seemed like a jarring departure in the tent, with a sense it was a bit too sad to even bear singing about. On the big stage, however, surrounded by lights and speakers capable of delivering much more, the tone was actually a bit dramatic, with a sort of tension that was probably appropriate for the all-consuming gravity that was teenage romantic drama. Mo delivered the lines properly and with plenty of emotion, as he'd been advised. Kabuki would probably be able to detect major differences between the Mo here and the one she'd seen backstage: there seemed to be an increase in the passion, but a slight decrease in the professionalism. A few steps were a bit less on-point.



Glow stepped up for her own part now, reaching a level of energy between Kabuki and Mo that was surely the measured approach only one intimately familiar with their creation could reach. As good of a show as they put on in such a short window of preparation, there was no denying Mo and Glow were no amateurs, not professionals. That said, the marrying of Glow's enthusiasm with the excitement in debuting her own creation, together with the fact she clearly had practiced the steps on her own at some point, meant she was, technically, probably performing this song and dance number at the highest level anyone on the Net currently could. Needless to say, it might be a jarring difference for anyone who had not yet seen Glow perform.



Glow reached the end of her song and the front row, if no one else, went wild, filling the small space with the maximum level of noise they could. Accepting their applause, Glow took a bow, motioning Kabuki and Mo forward to take bows of their own. Mo did so, still seeming uncertain, but smiling in spite of herself. The front row stood as they clapped (of course, few of them had been sitting in the first place), attempting to indicate the others should do the same.

Following the applause, at a normal idol event, this would probably be the moment when the idols headed backstage. Of course, this wasn't a normal idol event. The whole affair had become a bit more personal, so as Glow and Mo descended the back stage, they immediately curved back into the audience area, where their adoring fans met them (and Kabuki, if she followed) with a shower of adulation. Kabuki would have the sense she was being congratulated, but it was impossible to make out specifics as the various men (none modeled quite as old as MotionCaptureMan) shouted their praise at her. Several things with Glow's face on them were handed to her, which Kabuki was apparently expected to sign. Some had already been signed by Glow, some by Mo, and some by both.

Kabuki, Divina, and Pirouette would all notice that the men's attitude was notably different towards Mo. Most of them spoke to him in familiar terms, although the specifics couldn't be made out. For his own part, Mo had worked up a sweat, but that didn't seem to be the reason for the color in his adopted idol-face as he made light of their comments.

It was beginning to seem as though one of the three was going to have to drag Mo and/or Glow aside if they wanted to have a word with them, but Glow finally made her way over to them, dragging Kabuki and Mo along with her by the hands. When she reached Pirouette and Divina, assuming the two were together, she would throw her arms around the whole gang in a group hug (if one or the other was missing, she would make a hand motion to try and get them to join in). "Oh, this was so much fun! Thank you all for your help! I can't believe I got to throw my own show... well, to be honest, earlier today I'd had an entirely different image, b-but I can't complain! Even if it's only this once, I'll r-remember this as one of the best things that's happened to me..."

It sounded like Glow was probably about to break into tears, but, surprisingly, Mo had beat her to it, openly weeping now as he hugged Glow. "Uooooh! I'm so, happy for you!" he said through his tears. It was interesting to imagine how this scene would look if he looked his native age and gender.

Glow pat him on the back, wiping at the corner of her own eye, and then turned back to Kabuki. "So, how was it? Your idol debut? Now that you know what it's all about, you've got to inv-v-vite me to see one of your Kabuki shows, all right?"

In the meantime, Mo did the best he could wiping his face up, really only half succeeding, such that he was addressing the other two with his face still streaked in tears. "Th-this is like a dream come true... seeing Glow succeed like this, it's got me... a bit emotional. I apologize." Mo really did seem to be taking that break in character seriously, and did his best at leveling out his expression to something more like his usual. "Well, it's not the audience I... expected, but... all things considered, it could have been worse. It meant so much to Glow, too, and that's the important part. I'm, um... MotionCaptureMan wearing a costume, if that wasn't obvious. Well, it was an... interesting experience, to say the least. Of course, you'll all be compensated for your troubles when we post the rewards. Ah, speaking of the cleanup, did you get my suits back from McMan and his thieves?"

Yoshitsune frowned dismally at Hikari, then began to slowly open his mouth to extol the virtues of kabuki theater, which he no longer devoted his life to of course, over base idol routines, before Mikhail interjected with his own point. He seemed to be the only one who the earlier events were still weighing heavily on, among the three operators, though it was also worth noting that he was also the only one who thought of his navi more like a daughter than a sister or goddess. "Hmph. The world of the net is always fraught with danger. If you want your navi to be 'safe' then you should withdraw them from missions, ask your students to come over and clean all of the viruses out of your appliances on Tuesdays, and keep your navi caged up in their PET rather than letting them explore in the open net. It's dangerous to talk to strangers on the net, just like it is in the real world. However, luckily, Pirouette has the added boon of me... and you, I suppose... to watch over her from out there and interject, like the gracious hand of God himself, when things take a turn for the dangerous. With a social experience, you take the joyful with the hurtful; Pirouette must learn to cope with both," Yoshitsune asserted, crossing his arms and closing his eyes, as if thinking deeply. "When I think of all of the identity thieves who may wish to take my name while I've retreated into the shadows... It nearly beckons me out of retirement!"

It was all a bit tougher and perhaps rougher than Kabuki would have put it, but she was busy handling things on the net side. The first order of business was a series of bows; Kabuki was never one to shun the limelight when it was given to her, though she was humble enough at least not to try to muscle in on Glow's. She grinned haplessly, even as she signed things that did not have her face on them, perhaps putting her John Hancock on there two or three times larger than any of them had expected or wanted from a background singer, along with a quick, practiced doodle of her same grinning face. "ARR~RII~GA~TOU!" she reiterated, smiling at each of her fans-for-the-day. Glow, thankfully, kept the line moving, guiding Kabuki and Mo over to Kabuki's friends, who were waiting in the audience. The two eerier looking monster-men stayed in the background, but only because they were both a bit slow moving and, despite their size, were having a hard time nudging their way through the crowd.

"KAAAAABUUUUKI," the larger one growled, opening his mouth and exhaling smoke into the air. Kabuki thought he seemed a little needy, but there would be time to her theater buddies later.

The theater girl was a born hugger; no one had to ask her twice to engage in a group hug. The two on either side of her would be smothered, though thankfully, not as badly as usual with her efforts split. "And me AAAALL~SO!" she exclaimed, breaking into tears with little provocation needed, bawling her pink eyes out. "Your debut was PER~FECT, as was mine! I wish I could stay in the idol business FOR~EV~AAARR! Unfortunately, although it pains me to admit it... I am no longer in the prime of my youth, as UN~LIKE~ELL~LEE as that might seem! The kabuki theater is better suited to my current age and TAL~LENTS," she confessed, sighing deeply. "However, you are welcome to view my kabuki acts WHEN~EV~VAR you like! I perform all the time at the Blood Red... er... Burnt Gold HA~NA~MEE~CHEE. That's where I am now," she corrected herself.

Mo speaking snapped her back into the reality of the moment, however. She found herself wishing that Mo had remembered some important business or gotten lost in the crowd or something, so that she wouldn't have to confront the situation. Judging Kozuke as evil had been easy; he'd had numerous crimes to his name, most obvious, some unspeakably foul. MotionCaptureMan's case was not so easy... he'd come up with a pretty devious plot, callous in many ways, uncaring of consequences and focusing only on one objectives... but his reasons had been for friendship, or perhaps love, and she had a hard time denying either, especially after the happy outcome of the show. Her hair slowly faded back to black as she spoke, become straight and losing its shape, while her skin darkened back to brown. "It did mean a lot for Glow, I think we can all see that! I think with... that in mind... we shouldn't judge the perpetrator or perpetrators in this business too harshly," she encouraged the others, somehow putting her big grin on without lighting her hair back up to pink, which made it obvious that it was forced. She couldn't really make herself spill the beans, but furthermore, she wasn't entirely sure what had happened with the capture suits in the end; only the two that had been there could answer that.

As was becoming common with the two, Hikari took a back seat as the less timid Yoshitsune responded to Mikhail's musings. The latter had reminded her of something, though. Divina had been holding something back after their previous mission, but didn't want to tell her until they were alone. It made her wonder what would possibly not be suitable to say in front of others...in light of the teacher's concerns, it all seemed rather ominous.

"Um, it does happen sometimes. Not all missions are dangerous, of course, but...well, sometimes they can be, even if it doesn't seem like it at first. It's not something that should be treated lightly. But in a way, such is the path of all Navis, isn't it? Facing the perils of the Net, be they viruses, or Navis, or other creatues, or even the environment in some cases...it's always something that should be kept in mind. But there are also joys that can come from these trials. Helping others out, creating new friendships...those sorts of things are what gives life purpose." Of course, there were material benefits as well, apparently including getting your own virtual hot springs. That seemed like something she shouldn't say out loud, though. "Sorry, I kinda rambled there..." Anyway, the point was, while danger certainly existed, there were good things to missions as well. Hopefully she managed to get that much through.

And...done. The song was over, and Divina was free to stop recording. Which she naturally did. Of the three mission goers, she was easily the one least upset by it ending...the longer it went, the less she was caring for it, even as she dutifully worked her makeshift camera. She let out a sigh of relief, though it could easily be taken as more 'thank goodness things went off without a hitch' than the actual 'thank goodness I don't have to listen to that anymore'. Ah well, she was definitely in the vast minority with that opinion. Even among those that were hanging out in the back, based on the look of things. She floated over to her partner in missioning and chasing down thieves, and smiled and waved at her. "Seems you enjoyed the festivities, as well. What do you say we go congratulate the performers?" Regardless of what Pirouette would say or do, she'd grab her by the wrist, and try to lead her onward to the others...key word being 'lead'. She might be a goddess, but she wasn't exactly one of physical strength; she couldn't drag the lighter ballerina even if she wanted to.

At any rate, Glow and the rest met them along the way, causing the goddess to give them a wave as she neared. "Greetings, all! I-oof!" Before she could get anything else out, she found herself as part of a rather large hug. She reciprocated, though perhaps understandably given what she'd been through earlier in the day, she couldn't help but feel a little claustrophobic. Still, she let out a big smile as Glow was, well, glowing in a non-literal sense. "Well, I'm ecstatic you managed to see your dream through!" Around here, it dawned on her that she actually had done very little on that front...Kabuki was the one that stayed behind and aided her. Still, she managed to create a small ball of light, and presented it to Glow. "On that note, here. I recorded the show as best I could. It's hardly professional quality, but I managed to get a good number of angles. Regardless, everyone's hard work will live beyond today!"

...Speaking of hard work...Divina looked over at MoCapMan, and though she didn't show it at all on the outside, she could feel her heart sinking slightly. It seemed almost hard to believe he deliberately tried to ruin things, given how he seemed at the moment. But it was something that needed to be cleared up...though maybe not with certain people on cloud nine at the moment. "Yes, about that...there was something I'd like to discuss with you, MoCapMan. In private, if at all possible." She detached herself from the group and headed toward the back, where there were no people, motioning with her staff for him to follow. "I believe there was something you also wished to talk to him about, Pirouette? As for you, Glow and Kabuki, just soak in the fans. You've earned it!"

As long as he didn't object, she'd lead him back, along with the ballerina. "First off, we don't actually have the GMOs with us. But, due to various reasons, you should fully expect them to be returned over the course of the next few days. But that's not why I led you away from the others. Pirouette and I heard some rather...interesting things, on our trip to the NetSquare." She proceeded to detail what had happened, with FraudMan and the others that had stolen the valuable GMOs. Surprisingly, she managed to remain mostly even tempered the whole time, despite the very real chance that she was spitting out the entire plot to its mastermind (one of them, at least). If nothing else, her not getting upset wouldn't arouse any suspicions from anyone. "...And then we returned here. Now, tell me. Is that all true? Be honest with me, and I'll make sure it just stays between us, all right?" ...Well, with Pirouette around, she couldn't actually 100% guarantee that. Hopefully she'd cooperate, though.

Listening to the others in the small computer room in Divina's temple, Mikhail was not as reassured by their responses as he'd hoped to be. He had been vaguely expecting some kind of haughty response from the boy, true, but the more serious answer from Hikari hadn't alleviated his concerns. the teacher was beginning to ponder what sorts of safeguards he might take, if Pirouette decided she wanted to do this kind of thing more often. In the mean time, he shifted slightly, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, and sighed.

"Physical dangers are one thing, yes. Pirouette is not so much of a fighter, but she knows how to defend and protect herself. Small amounts of viruses and such, they are no worry for her usually. It is more..." He winced, uneasy. "I did not suspect that navis would have to contend with worrying about such personal or intimate violations as well. How can I put this?" He thought for a moment, then continued. "I would not send a young lady to meet with strangers at an unfamiliar location, alone. It would be dangerous and irresponsible, yes? No matter how well armed or protected she might be, the real world has other worries. How then am I to feel about doing exactly this, if I must consider that being a navigator does not shield her from those sorts personal dangers... that simply for being a young lady, she may be the target of... ah, the word.... predators, you know?" He shifted again, very clearly uncomfortable with the topic despite being the one who was fretting over it now. The rational part of his mind understood what both of them were trying to say: at the core of the matter, the freedom to have experiences meant having the good with the bad. He knew it was true, of course, but it was an uphill battle against his own paternal instincts where Pirouette herself was concerned.

"You are both right in your ways, I know. It just surprises me, that is all. Today, things seem to have worked out for the best, and I will try to focus on that." The taller man shook his head and returned his focus to his PET.

----

As the song had progressed, Pirouette herself wasn't thinking of anything nearly so upsetting. Rather, she had allowed herself to get caught up in the drama and romance of the moment, enjoying herself immensely during the performance. In particular, she was thrilled to see how wonderfully Glow came into herself and her own confidence when she actually performed her section of the piece, and the ballerina applauded as fiercely as anyone else when the number drew to its final close.

She was brought back to some semblance of focus when Divina joined her, seeming much calmer than she herself felt. That said, she did want to make sure she got a chance to add her personal congratulations to the performers, and nodded with enthusiasm at the other woman's suggestion. Threading through the crowd was something she left to Divina, happy to let her have the lead as they made their way forward; Pirouette was a bit of a sucker for post-show celebrations, and she knew it, so she held on firmly to Divina's hand while letting the overwhelming exhilaration of the crowd wash over her. she was mostly blind to the particulars of what was going on around her, or who was saying what and to whom, until they were all caught up in a vigorous group hug which she participated in gleefully.

They were mostly talking over the top of each other, and the cute girl that Pirouette had assumed was Mo confirmed the theory, as well as bursting into presumably joyous tears. Seeing him so happy for the success of the performance actually served to bring Pirouette back to earth a little bit, just because it made her wonder how they were going to handle things after everyone calmed down and they all got away from the crowd to talk. It wasn't enough to actually being her down, though, nor was seeing that Glow had fallen back into her stutter once she was off stage. Instead, Pirouette called her own congratulations to Glow, kabuki and to Mo, in whatever spaces between the others she could find, reaching into the group to grab or squeeze hands in a supporting way as she did.

"You were so wonderful, Glow! It was a beautiful piece, and you performed it so beautifully!! And you as well, Kabuki, and you, Mo-chan, hehe! You were all amazing! I am so thrilled for you!" Her various praises were curtailed eventually when Mo himself got around to asking about the costumes, and Pirouette stumbled over exactly how to answer that question. While she faltered for what to say, Kabuki gave a cautious answer with a veiled suggestion to everyone not to rock the boat, but Pirouette couldn't be satisfied with that, in her heart. Fortunately for the ballerina, Divina had the more calm and collected mind for the issue, and hijacked the question from Mo as a good way of stepping out of the spotlight. Pirouette looked quickly to Glow and reached out to embrace her arms again quickly.

"Yes, it will be fine. We will just sort out the business end of things quickly. Glow, you should stay, and enjoy this, you earned it, and they all love you, you know! We will be right back, do not worry!" she wanted to leave the door open to Kabuki to follow them, if she wanted, but suspected that the actress would probably be just as happy to stay and soak up the adulation along with glow. it might also be good for her to stay with Glow in case the whole crowd got too overwhelming for her, too. She took Mo's hand subtly as she followed Divina back stage properly, leading him if he followed but not holding too tight - if he didn't come right away, she'd let go just as easily, simply giving the impression that she wanted him to follow rather than trying to drag him off.

Once they were away from the crowd, Pirouette tried to put on a calmer face again. The seriousness of what they actually had to discuss helped and she felt much of her good mood wilting as her thoughts were called back to the earlier escapade. Divina started talking first, and she let the other woman go over the details of everything they'd heard. A part of her had wanted to give Mo the chance to come clean to them himself, first, but either way they needed to get the whole story out in the open before they could decide how to move forward. The difficulty was that, despite everything, she did genuinely feel sorry for the man, if all of these machinations had been an effort to let Glow shine in a way she'd never have had the confidence to do as long as she had some other safety net to fall back on. It was the sort of situation she could very much understand, and certainly, if he said that Glow would never have performed herself, as long as she had the option of staying out of the spotlight, Pirouette would certainly believe it. When Divina finished, Pirouette was watching Mo with her hands clasped to her chest. She was standing up on her toes unconsciously and her wings were arched high with tension she was failing to disguise.

"Please Mo, tell us the truth, and tell us why. We can see you care for Glow, but these things you have done.... they are not good things to do." Her voice was pleading, even though Divina's recount had reminded Pirouette of the sots of things Mo had apparently said the others could do with their likenesses, and that had rekindled the spark of anger, and distress, in her chest. Unlike Divina, she wasn't going to absolutely promise to keep it a secret, but for the moment she didn't gainsay the other woman either.

"Aww, g-guys!" Glow gasped, restraining her giggles and glowing yellow. "You're gonna make me blush with all that... b-but yeah, I have to say I think it went pretty smooth. More smooth than I expected. Again, it's all thanks to you... And Divina, thank you so much for this gift. I can't believe I didn't think to get this recorded! Now that I think of it, it's kinda weird that Mo didn't think to... I could have s-sworn he said he'd paid a cameraman? Well, at least he had his friends doing the video... A-anyway, enough of that. I'll treasure this, Divina. Thank you so much."

With Glow temporarily having solicited the attention of the other two, Mo turned to Kabuki, adopting a serious, no-nonsense expression. "Kabuki. Your idol experience may end today, but remember: your idol love has no expiration date. None. And as long as you have that bond, you can always connect with an idol as her fan." Kabuki might have mixed feelings regarding that statement based on her background knowledge, but Mo had re-engaged the group as a whole before she could react.

Glow stayed in high spirits even as the group attempted to pull Mo aside, but Mo himself did not. From the moment Kabuki started speaking about the perpetrator unbidden, his young-girl face had gone notably tight. "Pirouette and Divina probably want to discuss their payment. I'll be back in a moment, Glow. If you finish up here, feel free to go on back to the tent. My friends and I will handle cleanup."

The Navi who had become an idol for the night watched her friend leave with her two new friends, smiling widely. She was waving energetically, but faded a bit to purple as they gained distance. She turned to Kabuki, wringing her hands together. "... Do you think Mo b-blames himself for the thin crowd? It d-didn't escape me that most in attendance are friends of Mo, Pirouette, or you... B-but it doesn't m-m-matter!" she exclaimed, waving her hands in front of herself suddenly. "Mo did his best, I did my best, and we b-b-both had a ton of fun. It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it isn't the last time, either! W-wuh-with this video, and with more performansh-ces between now and next year, the next annual Net-Idol Carnival is gonna be even b-b-bigger. I hope he understands that... This seemed really important to him, you know?"

She sighed, putting a hand on her cheek and looking contemplative, but still pleased, as she went a dull lavender. "I'm sure you know, but I really hadn't pictured myself as an idol, p-performing in front of people. My p-passion's always been watching other idols... That's the interest Mo and I share. B-but it probably wouldn't be so b-bad, p-p-performing once in a while!"

---

Once the others had reached the back, Mo shifted back into his original man-form, a move that might seem cavalier considering the three of them weren't completely out of sight of the audience. MoCapMan seemed like he only had one thing on his mind, though, and he kept his tight frown fixed as the two confronted him directly. He seemed to understand he would be best served to hold his tongue until he was asked to speak. When he did begin to speak, it was in his usual dull tone, but a bit more quiet.

"First, I must thank you for securing the return of those .GMOs. As of this moment, I've actually had one returned to me already in my inbox. I don't know how far we can trust the words of those people, but I'll have to cross my fingers. Even if I end up a suit short, I'll consider today more of a success than I deserve."

"And now... I owe you both first an explanation, and then an apology. I'll spare you ladies my entire life story, but... suffice to say, I see the events of today as the culmination of my life's efforts. MotionCaptureMan the Navi existed solely as a tool for motion capture technology. That was a purpose, but not a meaning. The meaning of MotionCaptureMan's life efforts was to bring myself to this point, with Glow, and act as the catalyst to realize her dream."

The Navi exhaled, flexing his fingers. "I apologize. Consider that an aside. The truth of my schemes today... First, I spent a considerable amount of money putting together this venue and hiring an actual idol team, amateur though they may be, to try and create a veneer of plausability for the Net-Idol Carnival. For my plan to come to fruition, it was clear that the second act would need to be treated as a genuine, dramatic spectacle of idol culture, an actual debut, the pressure that turns coal into a diamond. For that purpose, I had only intended to stage it so that the second group of idols would be absent, allowing Glow to take the stage as a solo performance. If absolutely necessary, and only then, I was prepared to accompany her as a partner on stage. I also spent a sum paying an audience to show up and pretend to be caught up in the show, after my actual advertising attempts failed to generate interest in forums.

"I understand all of this probably sounds a bit convoluted, but the truth of the matter is I've spent the few months trying to subtly suggest that Glow make her amateur idol debut at this venue. Her personality is such that she flatly refused the notion every time I brought it up. I knew it was best for her, but I couldn't nakedly pressure her into accepting it. I decided the best way to make it happen would be to leverage the fantasy sold by so many fairy tale stories before. If the fate of our supposed shared dream, the Net-Idol carnival, was at stake, she would rise to the challenge, completing that crucial debut, and fate would be the only one to blame.

"Unfortunately, I made a couple of grave miscalculations. The first was simply a stupid blunder on my part: Glow came up with the disguised performers plan, and I couldn't refute the logic of it. As such, I was stuck in a position of trying to organize your arrival and assistance while simultaneously plotting to undermine your attempt and create the idol debut scenario I'd previously described. My plan, as such, was this: hire you all as the actual dancers from the GNA, and hire a less scrupulous group of individuals from a free agents board, all of them GNA offenders who aren't able to get work from that service and are willing to work for relatively cheap, considering the unusual skill set I was requiring. My plan, unfortunately, was as callous as you made it sound. After taking a fake hit and letting that group escape, I expected the six of you would all be in the NetSquare, so that would force limitations on McMan... er, FraudMan and his gang, that would keep them from going too far. I gave them free reign, otherwise, to force you three to do whatever paltry acts they wanted in order to give you my .GMOs back. My intention was that, by the time you returned, Glow's performance would already be over.

"I want to stress that while I was originally thinking that you three only as faceless mission-takers who would do what needed doing without asking questions, and, frankly, be happy for the easy money, I know now that was an unforgivable mistake. You three are charming and principled young ladies, and, in your own ways, each of you has done for Glow things that I could not. As I said, I was a Navi created to be used as a tool. As such, even in my new-found purpose, I sometimes experience tunnel vision that can cloud my judgment. I know it too much to ask for your forgiveness, but I must at least ask you to understand... That same tunnel vision clouded my judgment in my decision to trust FraudMan. I never imagined he would actually use his advance payment to pay the very audience I explained I'd gathered to leave! To do what? Crush the dreams of a young girl and an old man? For laughs? If I see that fat sack of feces a second time, I'm going to personally see to it that he's held accountable... and if he doesn't return my suit, I'll rend that data from his core at the same time..."

The man was clenching his hands, teeth, and eyelids all at once now, his face a strained mask of frustration. He'd turned his body quite purposefully, hiding these facets from where Glow might be watching. He let out another sigh, easily returning to his former tense frown. "I'm sorry, ladies. I'm aware that I'm not in any position to act as the victim here. And yet, I must ask you two to be satisfied with my original planned payment... If the two of you were to want me to pay for your silence, you'd have to take an I.O.U. My expenditures have truly broken the bank in this venture... a fact I ask you to keep secret from Glow. Similarly, while the two of you might feel some obligation to justice or friendship to let Glow know what I've done, I must humbly beg for your discretion. If Glow's impressions of this event or what she's accomplished are tainted by the truth of how I helped her accomplish it, everything I've done will have been for nothing. My previous efforts will have been meaningless. My continued existence would be pointless. I know it's selfish, but this has to remain a story of a young dreamer's accomplishment over her own inhibitions and a series of unfortunate events. I know you're probably thinking this whole scheme is preposterous, and you want to ask me why I thought this was the only way, but I'm not interested in chewing over the circumstances that led me here. Can you agree to keep this between us? Please, tell me so, and you'll find your payment at the GNA board when you leave."

If the desperation in MotionCaptureMan's words was somehow not self-evident, the tension could easily be seen in his eyes, as he carefully shifted his gaze between the two. There was a notable "If not" that had gone unsaid in his previous statement, but which seemed to scream its absence. "Ah... and I apologize if I got long-winded. I hope you can appreciate how important this is for me. I only wish to give you all of the information, as you requested." With that statement, he'd simmered down to his usual business-like and tired manner, looking like his old self again. It was probably safe to assume that while he'd previously worked himself up with his own internal drama, he had already convinced himself the two would agree to his terms.

"Oh, DEE~VEE~NAH, I want a copy as well!" Kabuki exclaimed, adopting some of her pink glow back for a bit. She fully intended to play back her idol debut a few times tonight. "When I make my surprise come-back tour, I want my two SIS~STARS to join me on the stage!" she gestured to Divina and Pirouette, before pulling both of them into another headlock hug. Both had somewhere they obviously needed to be, though, so she released them quickly enough. She nodded to Mo again, staying pink in spite of the conversation she knew was coming for him. "Yeah, let's continue to CON~NECT with our favorite EYE~DOLLS!" She let the others take Mo off for his talking to, partially because she wasn't really feeling in the right mind to berate him as he deserved, but also because, if they all left, Glow might follow them, which wouldn't be good for anybody.

She'd faded back to black thinking about it and nearly jumped out of her cutesy idol outfit when Glow spoke to her. Once she heard what Glow had to say, though, she fired back up and grinned. "You're ABS~SO~LUTE~LY correct! In fact, what could be better than an audience composed of your GREAT~TEST friends, naaah?" she asked, throwing one arm around Glow's shoulders before gesturing out to the crowd excitedly. She smiled warmly down to her stage buddy and hugged her closer to her side. "Of course, MO~CHAN poured everything he had into this event and the PER~FOR~MANCE! It's fine to question whether your place is in the stage or in the audience, but I'm POS~SEE~TIVE that as long as you have the AH~BILL~LUTT~TEE, you'll want to continue sharing your passion with others! The stage is the PER~FECT way to do that! Never resist its SI~REN SONG!"

"KAAAAA~BUUUUU~KIIIII!" the monsterous red demon roared from further into the crowd, still lumbering towards the object of his affections, but at a glacial pace. He spat smoke uselessly into the air above the theater; from the outside, it might look like a fire had started.

"Glooooooooooow-chan!" the ghostly second figure cheered, waving its banner again, although it still showed Kabuki's face on it. "Mooooo...." it started, before something seemed to sap the spirit from it, causing it to fade to a dim, transparent blue shade. ".... K-Kabuuuuuukiiiiiiiiii," it added as an afterthought, now in a much quieter voice. The red creature turned its perpetually open eyes to his friend momentarily, hanging its huge grin open with a vacant expression. It didn't make it clear whether it knew what the ghost was bemoaning or whether it was blissfully ignorant.

-------

Yoshitsune rolled one hand dismissively when Mikhail expressed further concern. "A navigator is never alone unless they sneak off somehow or their operator abandons them. And if you plan on leaving Pirouette alone, that will be the biggest surprise of a day full of them," he added, providing a positive observation on Mikhail's relationship that still sounded backhanded coming from him. "From what I understand, the history of the net is rife with louts, those of low characters and 'trolls' of the sort we encountered. They are simply unavoidable. It's best that Pirouette learns to deal with them as soon as she's able."

...MoCapMan had hired a cameraman? That was hardly unexpected, yet Divina hadn't even stopped to consider that. Oh well. She hadn't seen any around, so it was probably for the best she'd done it anyway. "Well, who knows? Even if someone else filmed it, maybe I got some shots they didn't. Beginner's luck, and all that." Speaking of beginners, she raised her staff and pointed it at Glow's ball of light, causing it to split in two. "There you go, Kabuki. I made the data easy to copy, so if either of you feel like sharing, it shouldn't be any problem."

Shortly afterwards, she, him, and Pirouette were by themselves. Mo transformed back into his default form, a move that the goddess Navi secretly appreciated; if she had to yell at him looking like an idol? Awkward. And then, they heard his side of the story. As she often did, she simply calmly listened, not interrupting for any reason. But almost the instant he finished, she started to speak...in part because she didn't want Pirouette speaking first, as she might say something in the heat of the moment, but mostly she just really wanted to let a couple of things out. "I can't say I care for all of the cloak and dagger in that plan...but, it's also clear you did it with the best of intentions. You needn't worry about my forgiveness, as you have it. I'll also remain hush about it to Glow...on two conditions. First, I want you to tell her the truth yourself. Not now, but someday, when you believe she can handle it. And second, I don't care what the reason is, but don't ever say your continued existence is pointless. Ever. All life, including Navis, is precious, and to hinge your worth on one thing, no matter how important, is a terrible thing. A terrible, TERRIBLE thing." She slowly started growing more upset during the second part, to the point she almost seemed genuinely angry about it...she'd stomached more than enough of that sort of attitude to last her for an eternity.

"Oh, and one more thing." Divina's facial expression shifted from sour to sunny, almost unnervingly so. Truthfully, it was partially forced, just to help shift the topic, but said topic was at least much more cheerful. "You needn't trouble yourself with FraudMan. Let's just say that a couple of days from now, I plan to teach him, and my congregation, quite the lesson!" She let out a smile, optimistic that her own scheme would bring some light to a troubled heart. Granted, it all probably sounded more ominous than she'd meant...

-------------------

"Yes, I do know." Over in the real world, Hikari had placed her hands over her heart, as she often did during her more forceful moments. "I've been in that situation before...as a woman who sometimes has to delve into seedy areas to do her work, it's inevitable. Some of the things I've heard...that a few have tried to do...but, I've come through, with some help from Lady Divina, of course. She, too, has gone through much, but I'd like to think I've helped prevent some terrible things from happening to her. ...See what I mean? Yoshitsune's right; as long as you watch over Pirouette, she's never alone. I'm not saying to be reckless, but with you, she'll be able to conquer situations she might not be able to otherwise. Have faith in your combined strength."

...It wasn't obvious until she was finished, but the priestess slowly started shaking as she neared the end of her speech. "...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go on like that...and now I'm shaking because I'm so nervous...it'll pass in a moment, so please don't worry..." And sure enough, a couple of deep breaths later, she stopped. "Though, I think it works both ways...Lady Divina's given me strength I wouldn't have otherwise had. I don't think I could even have this conversation, if it wasn't for her...that I'm like this, even after years of her encouragement, should tell you just how bad I was around other people..." Complete sentences around people she'd only just met, and without even stuttering? A total pipe dream back then.

Looking between the two younger people and their shared views on the matter, Mikhail could only nod his agreement at the end of it all, though he did raise an eye at the boy when he said something approaching dangerously close to an actual compliment. He shrugged and made a helpless gesture with his free hand.

"You are right in thinking I have no wish to leave her, but thank you for saying so. Ahh, you will forgive a man his foibles, yes? You are both right in what you say, of course, I know this. I worry for her... more, I think, than she worries for herself, sometimes. Let us leave it be for now, yes? Perhaps I am just... how is it... making elephants from flies, you know?" Whether or not the translation of colloquial idiom successfully crossed the language hurdle, Mikhail moved on. "No-one has been harmed, after all... but I am sorry to hear that you have been subject to similar unpleasantness yourself Hikari. You have my sympathies." If he had noticed the girl's increasing nerves as she spoke, the instructor was polite enough not to give sign of it, instead inclining his head towards her respectfully along with his last words.

----

Elsewhere, in a more exuberant setting and amidst more serious matters, Pirouette was focused on listening to Mo explain himself once she had made her own plea to him. The more the dusty, droll navi spoke, though, the more it seemed to back up the idea that he really didn't like what he'd done any more than they did. there was something... off about the way he waxed lyrical into talking about himself in third person, but on it's own it wasn't enough to make her think about it too much. He was obviously in a stressful situation, after all.

If Pirouette had heard Glow's own words to Kabuki, after they'd left, she might have been more cautious about the way Mo talked about Glow's dreams, and how confidently he seemed to know what she wanted... As it was though, she hadn't caught the star performer musing that performance itself wasn't really her thing, so at first it didn't occur to the ballerina that Mo himself might have misunderstood Glow's wants. It wasn't until he admitted that the scheme to get her on stage and performing had actually come following after months of her refusing when asked, that Pirouette felt her brows drawing down in concern.

Unconsciously, she bit her lip while Mo explained his way through that part of the story, wing tips quivering slightly. Glow was shy, yes, and maybe she did want to perform but had been nervous... but the more he explained, the more it started to look like Mo had crossed dangerously on the line of not taking no for an answer. Nothing positive could come from that, surely... He said he couldn't just pressure her into it, but, well, wasn't that exactly what he had done in the end? Without being aware of it, Pirouette's jaw clenched, and the hands clasped at her chest had tightened until the colour faded from her knuckles.

Her growing worry shook for a moment and the young woman started, blinking several times as Mo broke into some rather unexpectedly strong language, and it was enough of a break for her to notice her own tension, and focus on relaxing again. Even so... About to speak up, Pirouette paused with her lips slightly parted, and closed them again as Divina took the reins ahead of her. It was probably for the best, she conceded to herself. the own thoughts were scattered in several different directions, and few of them were calm enough to be articulate about.

She kept quiet while the other woman spoke for them both, and she did find that she was ready to give her own nod to most of it. She still felt uneasy, but not in a way she could put to words. something just felt... off balance, in the whole picture, to her and it gave the young ballerina an uncomfortable feeling in her gut. Divina and Mo both agreed that he was acting in best intentions... but whose best intentions, really? More and more she wondered about whether it really had been Glow's dream to perform all along at all. She held her tongue. More, she worried, what if that feeling was because it felt as though the main dreams being fulfilled here were Mo's, irrespective of what Glow herself really wanted? She didn't speak. Mo went on about his purpose and his function, and seemed determined to talk about himself in a way that tried to negate his own person-hood... but he had bent over backwards and gone out of his way to pursue this goal with a zeal and determination that was obviously more than any simple 'tool' would show. She said nothing. And in the end, that goal had cared about no-one at all, outside of what he wanted - what he insisted that Glow wanted, despite evidence otherwise... Did she really want to accept money for being a part of something that was making her feel more off balance the more she thought of it? She was biting her lip again, and still she kept quiet.

When it became clear that Divina was wrapping up, Pirouette took a long breath and tried to relax the tension from her wings. Again. Her breathing had deepened while the others spoke and her thoughts had raced, but now she had to give an answer.

"I... I would not have Glow's experience of this day ruined, either, no. But Divina is right! Promise us that you will tell her all you have done, later. If all you did, if it was all truly for her, then she has a right to know how much effort you really went to. And... and..." Pirouette shook her head and looked away. "And if you must pay someone for any of this, pay Divina and Kabuki. I am not sure I wish to be any part of any of this any more. No. No I do not." The high from the joys of the performance outside had been thoroughly displaced by her own conflicted thoughts now, and more than anything Pirouette found that she wanted simply to be done with the whole dishonest affair. The more she thought about it, the more the idea of taking money for the part she had played, sickened her. She knew it was really just her imagination, but she could almost feel the colouration on her wing tips, and wanted desperately to go home and wash it off as soon as possible.

Glow turned orange under Kabuki's arm, seemingly having forgotten her doubts about Mo's state of mind cleared in the light of Kabuki's sheer enthusiasm. "W-well, I like the idea of using the s-s-stage to deliver my p-p-passion, but, um, I'd j-just prefer not to be in the c-center of it next time! But I'm sure I'll perform again s-somet-t-time... Hooooouh!" she suddenly gasped, dimming and clapping her hand over her mouth. "Woah! Exc-c-cuse me, I, uh, think I need a n-nap... I've really been running myself out today planning th-this out... even though it's j-just a small event... S-sorry, Kabuki. Heh, heh..."

Unfortunately, it would be pretty explicitly leaving Kabuki's excited acquaintances in the lurch if Glow were to bolt for bed now. She did her best to put her autograph-signing face (and light levels) back on, stepping forward while waving a hand in her air to the odd-looking figures approaching. "Hey, there! Are you friends of Kabuki's? Thanks so much for coming out to support us today! Let me know if there's anything I can sign for you, okay?" The skip in her step as she moved was as easy as it had been on the stage, so the fatigue must not be that best.

---

Divina would probably be pleased to see, after everything she'd had to deal with today, someone who looked genuinely pleased about her application of the tenets of her faith and seemed as though they actually intended to comply without spitting at her or laughing at her. "Yes," MoCapMan responded, eagerly. "Of course. Thank you, Divina. And as far as my views on the value of life go, I know as well as anyone now that what we see as a 'purpose' for our lives is often just a small sliver of the bigger picture. I thought I was following my true purpose, now, but... it might be fair to consider that I'm not looking at the whole picture, once again. It's a lot to come to terms with, but I'm a Navi with very simple programming, I'm afraid." Listening to a tease of what she had planned for FraudMan, his eyes opened a bit with interest, but he didn't ask for any followup. Whatever it was, it was safe to assume he wouldn't object to whatever lesson she decided to teach the con man.

Mo listened to Pirouette as well, crossing his arms. "You two have my word I'll tell Glow eventually. It may be after she's gained the confidence to stand on her own... I may have made mistakes, but I refuse to be responsible for the death of her dream, and I refuse to fail in allowing it to come to fruition. That said... she's not an idiot. Girls that age are sharp," he said, rubbing a hand on his chin. "Of course, if she figures it out herself, I'll come clean on everything. I promise."

Finally, he turned to Pirouette, his features softening as a rare smile crossed his face. "Pirouette, I'm going to post payment for you at the GNA, and I insist you take it. I don't know you intimately, and I won't presume to know your programmed age or how long you've been on the Net, but... there's absolutely no reason for you to feel guilty in this. With me here and those other thugs out there, who would blame you for allowing a talented but shy girl take the stage and realize her dream for a day? For allowing a miserable old man like me to realize on beautiful step into a new lease on life? For doing what you signed up to do, and doing it well... doing it right? I'd say more, but, ah, me lecturing you about what's the right thing to do is... a little silly, right?" He chuckled without much humor. "Just know that there's no deceit or second-guesses when Glow or I thank you for what you've done, and if you turn down my pay, you're just going leave me thinking ballerinas don't need money! That profitable of an occupation, is it? Hey, maybe Mo-chan should get in on the ground floor!"

MoCapMan gave a forced laugh and coughed, hardly being the Navi who found himself in the position of trying to make a joke to lighten the mood very often. "Seriously, now. You two ladies get on your way and don't forget to pick up your payment." He uncrossed his arms and seemed to be moving for a handshake before he appeared to reconsider, simply crossing them again and shutting his eyes contemplatively.

"Bahaha! I understand well the FAT~TEEG that sets on after a spirited performance!" Kabuki reassured her ally in dance, posing by cradling her head upon two hands slowly, as though pantomiming going to sleep. She did that while still headlocking Glow, before finally releasing her. It was hard to imagine her ever becoming tired, but then, she had a form for low energy... presumably she couldn't be on all cylinders all the time. She looked to her allies, who'd managed to move with the crowd remarkably well given their size, perhaps because they could see where they were going over most of the other show-goers. "Wow! You guys must have really wanted my AW~TOH~GRAPH!" she cackled; the two seemed to regard each other with dull glances for a moment, before they aired their true feelings:

"KAAAAAAA~BUUUUUUU~KIIIIIIII!" the first one boomed, causing the actress' hair and garments to flap about as though she were in a wind tunnel. He had a good voice for this sort of atmosphere, but it'd be obnoxious anywhere else.

"Aaaaand Gulooooooooow~Chan," the ghost added, the indent of a smile seeming to spread across his otherwise featureless face as he allowed her to sign the "KABUKI" banner he'd brought with him. Kabuki's face held a blank grin of its own, as the actress watched someone else's name being signed onto a cheer banner with her name written on it. The ghostly figure dipped its head several times in succession, then pressed its hands to the side of its face and shook its head slowly. "Guloooooooow~Chan...."

"Alright, you guys! Don't go getting STAR~STRUCK! We're actors, we have to keep some STAN~DARDS of dignity!" Kabuki bellowed with laughter of her own, although it was hard to imagine what sort of roles those two might fill beyond simply playing themselves. "These two STAR~REE~EYED~SALL~LEES are ObakeMan and JigokuMan! They're actors from the Blood Red HAN~NAH~MEE~CHEE where I used to work. They're er... only used in one show a day, or else it'd be a bit NOTE~TISS~SUH~BULL," she commented, leaning her head slightly, "so they were free to come see our STAR~DEH~BEWT!"

"Kaaaa...booooooooo...keeeeee," JigokuMan added meaningfully.

"... He's actually referring to the act, rather than me. It gets pretty CON~FEWS~SING," she whispered as an aside to Glow. "At any rate, uh... The others are... Probably WRAPP~PING up with Mo! But boy, it's a little BISS~SEE still! Let's wait for him to come out! And not be OFF~FEN~DED if they decide to check out a little early! They're pretty SLEEP~PEE themselves, I'm sure!" she giggled, waving one hand dismissively.

At this point, she'd gesture to where Yoshitsune was watching and raise her eyebrows... or her eye sockets as the odd case of her mask-like face was... meaningfully. The boy took the meaning and, as eager to be done as perhaps anyone save Pirouette, nodded to the others, communicating only to them and not the navis. "I'd recommend having your navis jack out rather than coming back to the front of the stage. Every chance we linger is another moment we risk 'spoiling the pudding' or whatever that colloquial expression may be, you two would know better than I," he proposed. "... In Kabuki's case more than anyone's. She's not one to keep her mouth shut."

"Well, it's been a dream, my BOOS~SOME~MEST buddy, but it's time that I vanish into the night. The applause is yours and it's better that you and Mo enjoy it TO~GETH~THAR! I will go claim my reward at the GEE~EN~NAY," she finished. "Never forget your PASS~SHUN!" she saluted once more, striking one of her favorite mies, spreading one palm and rolling her head slowly with a mechanical motion. Once that was done, she disappeared in a swirl of embers and cherry blossoms that was just short of dangerous in confined spaces.

Her theater buddies didn't linger much longer, the big red demon disappearing right away and the ghost pausing to give another eerie grin and bow a few more times, before vanishing with an even spookier shriek.

((Jacking out))

Well, it took pretty much all day, but Divina had finally found someone willing to buy what she was selling. She let out a big sigh of relief, just glad that she'd reached someone. She let MoCapMan speak his piece, then, as she noticed she was doing a lot to Pirouette, got in the next word. "That's all I need to hear. Glow won't hear a thing from me about it."

She suddenly let out a big yawn, which caught her off guard a bit. She didn't feel especially tired...then again, this was her second mission today. It'd be odd if she didn't feel at least a little sleepy. Even goddesses needed their rest. "I suppose that's my cue...but, Pirouette? Before I leave, I want to tell you something. Something's clearly bothering you about this whole situation, and I won't ask what. But, I think you should still take the reward. Even if you truly just want to be done with everything, you can always make lemonade out of lemons. That's a Netopian saying that means making something good out of something bad. I don't know what the Sharoan equivalent of that is, and the only reason I really know it is because one of my closest followers says it a lot, but still. Just...think about it, okay? At the end of the day, you should do what makes you happy."

And speaking of the end of the day..."Well, I'm feeling rather peaked. I think I'll take my leave now. Even from here, I can tell Glow's pretty tired, so I'll leave her be." Still, she waved goodbye at her, regardless of whether she'd get noticed or not. "MoCapMan, Pirouette, it was wonderful meeting the both of you! Farewell, and take care!" A beam of light started to come down from the ceiling down towards the goddess Navi, but it suddenly stopped, and retreated. "Actually, one other thing." She raised her staff, and created a small ball of data light, and presented it to the ballerina. "I only saw you once or twice while I was recording, but if I'm not mistaken, you really seemed to enjoy the show. Why don't you take a copy, as well? And, also in the data ball is my e-mail. You needn't give me yours if you don't want, but...eh, I don't know. There's nothing wrong with a new friend, right?" She gave Pirouette a warm smile, and waited for her to accept.

A part of her knew they meant well, and that Mo himself was a good person, who had simply done some very bad things, but the more he tried to smooth the situation over to her, the more it felt, to Pirouette, like trying to make allowances, and defend what had happened as 'alright', when it wasn't at all. The ballerina didn't have the heart to contest it any more, though, instead looking down and away while he spoke. In the end, when he was finished, she drew a breath and answered a couple of his open-ended questions selectively. She couldn't bring herself to make proper eye contact with him again, though; if she did, it would only have been a judgemental gaze, and she didn't want to go that far, but she knew she couldn't honestly manage anything else.

"You are right... you do not know me. And yes, it is a silly thing to do. Here is the costume you gave me. It is beautiful, but I no longer want it." Having already changed back into her leotard earlier, Pirouette handed back the data containing the wonderful outfit that Glow had designed for her. About to jack out on her own, Divina's voice gave her enough pause to look across to the other woman. Her eyes flicked down to the data ball as she contemplated taking it.

"It is dirty, unclean money, and I will not touch it... but, the show, it was good, so I..." her words trailed off and she reached out to accept the sphere. "Thank you, Divina." Taking a deeper breath, Pirouette straightened her shoulders and her wings stood upright again more proudly. She was standing side on to Mo, now, looking straight out, to empty space rather than to either of her remaining companions, but it was clear who her final words were intended for.

"I am going home. Perhaps, if one wishes to take a first step into a new lease on life, it should not be a step paved on a foundation of dishonesty and hurtful choices." A moment later, a brief swirl of white feathers surrounded the ballerina, whisking her off the net.

((Jacking Out, Returning to -> Mikhail's PET))

"You're very welcome!" That was all Divina had to say, until Pirouette had some parting words and left. She sighed, and placed her hand to the side of her face thoughtfully. "I understand what she's trying to say, and to an extent, I agree...but that's just it. I wouldn't mind if it was the case, but not everything is black or white. Ah well, I've had enough philosophy for one day...goodbye, MoCapMan. May we meet again under less hectic circumstances."

And now, the light from earlier did actually come all the way down, sweeping the goddess up, and returning her from whence she came.

(JACKING OUT I TOTALLY DID IT AIM WHAT NOW HUH)

Having lowered his defenses to deliver his weak reassurances, MoCapMan wasn't able to hide a small wince as they were dismissed, however reasonably. Nonetheless, the man had a talent for putting on a straight face, and he did so in order to deliver the ballerina a terse nod and accept his .GMO data being returned. With that same emotionless mask on his face, he offered no response at all as Pirouette gave him her final words and exited.

He turned to Divina, giving her a nod, as well. "Yes, well... I have things to attend to, now. Thanks again for your help." The Navi waited for her to exit before heading back towards Glow.

The Navis who had left would have to trust MoCapMan would keep his word, which might be difficult considering how much deceit the three had been forced to face that day. One piece of deceit they wouldn't be seeing again, however, was FraudMan, at least for now... the Navi, for whatever reason, failed to later keep his appointment with Divina.

((FXP AWARDED for this topic, The Hunt for McMan, Temple of Divina (Electopia), and miscellaneous shop thread interactions:

Pirouette/Divina: 22
Pirouette/Kabuki: 13
Kabuki/Divina: 15

Glow/Divina: 8
Glow/Kabuki: 15
Glow/Pirouette: 12
MotionCaptureMan/Divina: 6
MotionCaptureMan/Kabuki: 12))