HtH90 – A Most Curious Sight
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Hikari learns that our guest resembles a famous vtuber.
After lunch.
In a sideroom on the first floor, the girls are huddled behind an unlikely figure. She sits at a heated table, a kotatsu, her legs tucked snugly under the warm blankets that fall over the sides. For the first time since she arrived at the house, Minara is the subject of great and varied interest from the girls!
"There! That's the skinsuit [3] our guest is wearing, isn't it?"
Ablam taps her finger on the touchscreen, accidentally pausing the video from behind Minara's shoulder. The video had been playing a live performance at a concert, and she paused the frame at a familiar face! She looks up from the video, to the Frxnch beret wearing girl with bright red eyes, who has half her body hunched over from the front of the table as well!
It is an exact match...!
From the white half-rimmed glasses to the overly frilled top, right down to the gold-pleated skirt our mischievous guest wears...
... the vtuber is a dead ringer for the real deal standing in front of them!
"Ehehehe! It looks just as good on video as it does in-person, doesn't it?"
Our red-eyed guest and bike-thief scrolls the video along with her finger, like she were relieving a cherished memory. Rather that linger on the stills of 'herself', she jumps to the portions of the video where other performers took the center stage alongside her, singing and dancing a musical number to a vast sea of penlights.
While the girls are happily chatting away in the break room, the door is left slightly ajar.
A tall, short-haired figure is looking in from the hallway.
She maintains a safe distance from the chatter in the room, looking on as Piaccta and the guest double over in laughter at a clip playing on the phone.
This person is of course, our neon diva, Hikari.
Without words, she observes Minara become the center of attention for once, showing off her vtuber knowledge to the other girls.
(steady tap, tap, tap of soft soles walking down the hallway)
"Food for your thoughts, Hikari?"
Eclair had come down the hallway as well, chancing upon the strange sight that is Hikari lingering outside room, like something unseen were preventing her from entering.
"Ah, a most fortuitous encounter, Eclair. It is a simple happenstance that you chanced upon my ownself's current reticence."
"How... odd. This isn't like you at all, Hikari." Our brown-haired dramaturg twirls the end of her hair, peeking in as well. Piaccta had jumped on top of a kotatsu and started declaring something fierce about being a 'galactic warrior'!
Normally, the girls would have no problems getting along with each other, they do live in the same house after all! This was also a rare occasion where the elusive house guest in Minara took an active lead in conversations, so it felt even odder that Hikari would not want to join in as well.
Maybe Hikari just doesn't like Hxlldivxrs?
No, that isn't it.
Or maybe Hikari is a little miffed that her best friend in Piaccta is being drawn away from her?
That's not it either.
Our 'neon diva' is many things, but petty is not one of those things!
That only leaves...
"... It has something to do with our new guest, doesn't it?"
Hikari nods solemnly.
Her eyes had been focused on Minara's group, but her long gaze fell on the girl with long purple hair and a Frxnch beret.
"Well! To be honest, I was surprised at the similarity! But if she is wearing a freely available skinsuit, it makes total sense!"
Eclair would have continued, but she noticed.
For the first time in the conversation, Hikari fully closes her eyes.
"... ... that unsettles you, does it, Hikari?"
With closed eyes, Hikari forces a grimace,
"Indeed. It is a most complicated feeling. When it was revealed that her form could be endlessly replicated, my ownself had a... visceral feeling. Not one of rejection--- no, nothing that strong. Perhaps---"
Hikari holds a long sleeve over her chest.
"Perhaps displacement would be the right word---"
It was indeed an odd choice of words.
Hikari had never looked as 'distressed' as she was looking now, standing at the boundary of the room like she is doing now.
When she peeks out of her eyes once more, she sighs, putting one hand on the doorframe.
"You know, it isn't like I can't understand...! A vtuber's skinsuit is their identity after all!"
As she is naturally inclined to do, Eclair intellectualized Hikari's worries. A vtuber is instantly recognizable because of the model that they use on stage, so much that it becomes their identity, calling card, and brand all rolled into one! In fact, there are even cases where a freely available avatar inspires---
--- still not it?
Hikari's posture shifts a little, tensing up.
She could not tear herself away from the doorframe.
Yet, she did not want to dwell too long on the subject either.
So Eclair simply gave her a little push---
She lightly hits the small of Hikari's back with a cheeky backhand!
The tall girl gives a light jump where she standing, eyes snapping uncharacteristically wide open!
"You know, if you want an update to your own look, you could have just asked!"
Hearing that, Hikari holds back a small smile with the back of her long kimono sleeves.
"Rest assured, Eclair, should the moment arrive for a grand renewal of Hikari Eiko's appearance---"
The girl brushes the side of her light purple hair, against her embroidered red earrings,
"--- you will be the first one to know."
"Yifuhihihi, I look forward to it, then!"
Eclair, who had been walking forward, turns around with her hands behind her, with as much cheer as the warm afternoon sun spilling from outside.
With that, a pair of footsteps began moving forwards together once more.
"Say, where did Lumi run off after lunch?"
"Our genmate has convened a search for her ever-elusive Pip---"
"(laugh) ... Pip's just a plush fox, he can't have grown legs and run off somewhere!"
Hell's Theatre, continues.
Glossary
[3] Skinsuit - Term for the the 2D/3D virtual avatar that is the 'look' for a veetuba!
We are trying something different! This is a simul-posting at the same time as the Scribblehub release! Go check out the entire series at this link!
