Eriko let out a soft sigh as she looked up to the ceiling, there were so many things happening at the same time. But really, she kind of regretted asking about what happened between Hide and Mumei, especially when it opened up that can of worms regarding the message she received. She had been able to dance around it and pretend it didn't happen then stepped on a landmine that was meant for her.

That was perhaps something to drink to, finally. Eriko took one gulp from her shochu.

"Kitsune-sama! You have to sing! Put us back on track! Time is ticking on this rental, I hear!" she cheered on Izumi.

Izumi really didn't need the encouragement. He grinned and seized the mike. There had been a brief glance at the Hare as he left, but the Alliance was more a set of guidelines than hard fealty rules so he had no command over the Ujina.

"Whatwegotthen? AnyDrop! . . . ?"

He searched through the songs on offer and found the, now rather dated, Orbital Drop To Your Heart! by Usagi Drop! and launched straight into it.

His voice was terrific . . . . in the proper sense. Terrifying to behold. He absolutely butchered it and enjoyed every second to the MAX. An actual howling fox, vulpes vulpes, would probably have been preferable.

.
.
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Far away on the Crane colony of Pale Blossum, Kakita Nazuna shivered as if someone had knocked over his burial urn . . . The other four Drop! boys turned and looked at him.

"I think someone just murdered one of our songs at a seedy karaoke bar again."

"Oh shut it Naz-kun, no one can be that sensitive to their art."

--

D6 FOXEH SING KARAOKE GREAT!!!!! Per/Song/Awa: 2d10 5

Mumei watches Jin with some worry in her eyes, while scrolling absently through her communicator. That was a sad turn, but she was happy to let the matter between herself and Hide...and Eriko? drop.

And then the Fox starts in. Ordinarily, it's hard for her to keep still when there's music around, but this makes her want to curl up and twitch like a dying spider. She could feel herself recoiling against the edge of the couch, and her plans to pull up another tough song evaporated. She needed something less likely to break eardrums.

She taps for a moment at the communicator before tucking it away once more, doing her best to cheer on the terrificness. That's what karaoke was for, right?

She quietly slips the holoslate at the other pair to pick their poison.

Hide had expected this. He was a huge disaster in such a small frame, but even though Hide expected it, she still was blown away by how bad he actually was! Still, she gave a genuine clap due to how impressively bad that was.

When the holoslate was slid towards her end of the room, she glanced over at Eriko. “Wanna go next or should I?”

Izumi was giving them all the bright vulpine eyed stare of . . .

I was awesome, yes?
You saw how awesome I was, yes?
You want me to do it again, yes?

Mumei claps, and offers a congratulatory shoulder bump and upraised cup of congratulations, while giving Hide a quick raised eyebrow stare of 'really?'

"I think your voice would work for Faith and the Fortunes 'Got yer Back, Got mah Heart' Hide-san. Oldie but a goodie, neh?"

She gave Mumei a bit of a puzzled expression. “But we just had an upbeat song from Kitsune-sama. I was thinkin’ about looking through for something a bit more... Reserved? Somber? I dunno, I just feel more in the mood for that.”

She did give Izumi a big thumbs up for his terrifically terrible performance.

That was easily a great test of will to put up with the Kitsune's singing. While she wasn't great, she didn't think anyone could that bad. However, this was exactly what she meant by a moment to drink to and she did take a few gulps of her drink during the song. It really made the drink even tastier, at least.

When Hide was looking through songs, Eriko stood to her feet. "Ah-ah, I don't think something sombre will do tonight. Really? We're going to find something better and uplifting. Got to ride the wave of hype from Kitsune-sama, right?"

Well, that wasn’t quite expected. Hide looked up at the Kuni, eyes wide with surprise. Any and all ability to argue the inevitable gone as Hide looked back down at the holoslate. “Okay, fiiiiiiine. I’m going to find the dumbest, cheesiest song on here that I know. And everyone will have to suffer through how amazingly bad I am.”

"That'sthespiritMatsu-san!! Beltoutsomethingfun!"

He grinned and went to see what there was to drink.

From her corner, Mumei just says to the room "There is a song on there that is literally titled 'this is the last cheese in the world' under the Unicorn bands section."

“Not quuuuuuite what I meant, Mumei-san.” Hide grinned wide, but then a song caught her eye. It was perfect. Something so recognizable, overused, and absolutely the cheesiest shit Hide could think of. She quickly input the information for the song and gave everyone a grin from ear-to-ear. And then the the intro started playing.

Outside of the chorus, it was very apparent that Hide had no sense of the actual lyrics of the song. Because the chorus was all that mattered. She compensated for her lack of knowing most of the song by very much increasing her volume to the max during the parts she did know. And those parts were pretty decent, all things considered.

And outside of the chorus... It was obvious that she knew the loudest part of the song best.

“Yooooooou remain my power my PLEASURE MY PAAAAAIN!”

Then it was back to being kind of quiet until the chorus.
______
D6: Fluff Karaoke, unskilled, VP for 1k1 because WHY NOT: 3d10 16

Eriko almost thought that the Matsu wasn't actually going to change her mind and when she did, she sat back down, perhaps surprised that it worked herself. She sat down and and gave Hide a listen with her undivided attention, nodding along without taking a sip of her drink.

As the song finished, Hide looked to the group with the same huge grin that she started the song with. Her eyes shone with childlike pride in her performance as she looked to the group expectantly.

Also, she totally plopped down onto her seat much more rough than necessary. Really testing the sturdiness of the seats in the room.

Eriko raised her hands and gave Hide an appreciative clap. "That's not bad, Hide-san! You're something of a performer, did anyone tell you that? I get the feeling that you and Nakauchi-san might have us pretty out-classed tonight. Well, both of you and Kitsune-sama, of course!" she chuckled and gave extra claps.

"Welp, it's been pretty fun everyone but it's getting pretty late. I think it is about the time that I have to go," she said with a serious nod as she stood to her feet, giving a glance to Hide in particular.

"...Go have a turn at this, I mean," she grinned and gave everyone a wink before making her way to the machine. She began fiddling with the buttons to search for something. Considering how everyone here had seen her work the serving drone, it almost seemed like she was going to smack the machine any time now.

"Let's see..."

"Hullo..." the door creaked open at the end of Hide's number and the shaggy head of a slightly sheepish-looking Atsumori poked in. "I'm crashing late, sorry--"

Then his eyes widened and he grinned appreciatively as Hide hit (or at least approximated) the last big notes. "Woo! Proper singing, Matsu-san!"

Hide gave the Shiba a wave. “Better late than never, Shiba-san. There’s a seat over by our Fox and Osprey friends.” She motioned to the pair in question. “We got some drinks. Well, shochu. Hope you like it strong.”

Eriko’s little joke definitely got a reaction from Hide, who watched her get up with brow knitted in thought, mouth open to object or something. When the little fake out was revealed, Hide closed her mouth and sat silent. Hide knew full well that was directed at her and didn’t quite know what to think.

"Oh, Shiba-san..." she picked up a microphone device and pointed at the seats in general. "I was wondering if it was going to be a full house at all tonight. You're the last piece to this mystery theatre. Well, was, anyway. You really missed some big performances but get a load of this one..."

She lifted the device and put it perhaps too close to her mouth, "I'm Kuni Eriko, by the way."

Mumei nods at Hide's song. Saaaaapy, but not at all bad.

She brightens as Atsumori arrives. "Shiba-sama! Glad you made it!" And startles just a bit at the overloud introduction, before laughing. That was just what the night needed, really.

"Ooookay, I think I found what I'm looking for..." she said as the finally got the machine to obey her in time before there were any casualties were taken and ultimately hauled back to the Robotics Club for repairs.

There was a pause before the music started playing, it was a low tune that had some whistling and snapping fingers. "Eh, eh? Does anyone know this one?" She looked to the others for any signs of recognization.

"Oh, shit, this one's a duet, I think."