☆TRACK V: I WILL TWIST THE KNIFE PT. 1

[interdimanagers]

Who: Everyone that isn't an opt out!
What: Naomi Rivers throws a terrible holiday party.
When: December 7th, 2054
Where: Naomi's ocean side mansion.
Warnings: Violence, poisoning, various murder attempts, mind control, general uncomfortable lack of consent. Also, probably drug use. Maybe sex? Who knows what you'll get up to.

“I will burn for you; Feel pain for you. I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart, And tear it apart.” ☆I WILL TWIST THE KNIFE The first two hours of the solstice party are surprisingly normal. Members of both labels arrive by private sky shuttle, and are invited into the ballroom for food and drink. It’s even more surprising when both Lesedi Santiago and Edward Blanche arrive as well, and spent most of that first period speaking quietly in a nearby lounge area. Lesedi’s body guards and Juno watch the space around them, keeping anyone of lesser important from interrupting what looks to be quite the serious discussion. After food, the ballroom stage is taken over by a number of increasingly impressive entertainment pieces. It seems to be obligatory for everyone to stay and watch (not that it’s a struggle – the talent involved is unmistakeable), but not long into it Lesedi and Edward can be seen disappearing outside together, and show no immediate signs of returning. And that’s when Naomi Rivers takes the stage. To the Virgo that have heard it before, the song is more viscerally familiar than anything you’ve only heard once should be, and it awakens the ideas that were implanted there the night before. You have a job to do here, tonight. One that is only fair – almost righteous. Lesedi Santiago and her ilk will suffer for her transgressions. The performances end, and everyone is released out to the rest of the grounds, to mingle and celebrate at their leisure. While things may seem civil on the surface, beneath that something dark is brewing. You gradually begin to notice that almost none of the more veteran members of either label are present. ► BALLROOM: The central nexus of the party, the ballroom is the location of the buffet table, the stage, and the dance floor. There will be music available all night, even after the official “performances” have ended. There are tables set up around the edges of the room for eating and relaxing. ► LOUNGE: Where Lesedi and Edward were having their meeting earlier, the lounge is filled with comfortable chairs, classic art, and a large, ornate fireplace. If you figure out who to ask, there are a number of chemical vices available to all guests. ► BALCONIES: There is a generous series of balconies that line the exterior of the upper floor. The ocean can be seen from one side and the gardens can be seen from the other. ► GUEST ROOMS: Down the halls from the ballroom there are a few generous guest bedrooms that have been left open for use. ► GARDENS: Out towards the back there are a wide variety of plants, and a well kept stone path and manmade waterfall. The plant life is on the sedate side due to the winter, but it’s still green. ► OUTDOOR POOL: There’s a pool out front with a shallow and a deep end. The water is clear and artificially warmed. ☆OOC CONSIDERATIONS Please remember that any attempted assassinations are meant to remain covert, and if your character is incapable of being stealthy then you must assume that any attempts you make are happening towards the end of the evening – let’s say around 11PM. The spell compelling people to do this does not want a riot or a bloodbath – what it wants is for people to die before the rest of the group can realize that anything is even going on. Of course, this isn’t exactly going to work out, but if you are finding yourself getting into the realm of intense physical violence you might want to stop and slow down a little. Virgo members that didn’t hear the song the night before are free from any compulsions, and so are all members of Pride. If non-mind controlled characters start clueing in to what’s going on and start trying to evacuate in large numbers, that is where you’ll want to wrap up threads and wait for Part 2 of the log, which will contain the end results and will be triggered by any large amount of chaos. If any characters attempt to escape earlier in the evening, they’ll find that the shuttles have all been grounded, and wandering in the woodland nearby just seems to result in them getting lost and ending up back at the mansion. It’s a real pickle. If you’ve got any question about what’s going on please leave them on the original plot post and they’ll get answered! The opt out event will be posted ASAP. “I will lie for you; Beg and steal for you. I will crawl on hands and knees until you see: You're just like me.”

Comments

OTA

[trustme]

Solo performance in the Ballroom
Doctor had agreed to be among those providing music for the night. He starts his time on stage off with a classical cello solo.

Once he finishes the first song though, he stands from his seat and approaches the microphone.

"Hello! Good evening. As many of you know I'm Doctor, but I've been called by another title: 'Crazy Instruments Guy.' It's a fair title honestly, as there are a great number of instruments I can play." He pulls a sheet off of the grand piano on stage behind him, revealing not only a piano but several other instruments. "When I played in bars here in the city, I used to spice up my performances by giving the audience the option to choose what they'd like to hear me play. I'd like to give you the chance to vote tonight. What do you think? Suggestions?"

He starts to point between the different instruments as people in the audience clap or shout for certain instruments. The options range from accordion to piano, to electric guitar and harp. Which do you vote for?

Poison, anyone?

Some time after Naomi's song, Doctor finds himself seeking out those from Pride Records. His eyes are drawn quickly to any one of them who wanders off alone. He thinks first of offering someone food or drink but he catches glimpses of others taking the opportunity and eventually gives up on the idea.

Instead he waits, until he notices one of them stepping aside for a moment alone, rubbing their forehead. A headache? He just happens to have some headache medicine with him, how fortunate!

"Need something for that?" he asks them, offering a glass of water and holding out a couple pills in his palm.

[ooc: I leave it in your hands how close the attempt comes to succeeding. And no, Doctor has no idea what he's actually doing. I'd like him to remain innocent in others' eyes.]

Solo performance

[giglio_madonna]

Well, if he insists on showing off his many talents...

There's Luce up in the front row at some point, eyes shining as she laughs. "Accordion, dear Doctor!" she calls up to him before she giggles into curled up hands.

[trustme]

"Accordion, for the lovely lady in the front row, who I don't know at all," he jokes, getting some chuckles from the audience. He grabs the accordion and puts its strap over his head, securing it safely in his arms. This particular accordion is well equipped with more keys and nobs than usual.

"Accordion- for some reason nobody I talk to is ever surprised that I play it. Maybe my face just says accordion. It's a favorite of mine for street performances. Here's a tune that always excited the crowds at Cambridge..."

And he starts to play, something classical and complex this time, as is his way so often.

[giglio_madonna]

Right along with everyone else, Luce laughs. After living with the Doctor for what feels like ages, even if it's only been a few months, she's quickly come to appreciate his sense of humor. It's fun, light hearted- exactly what everyone in the band needs with this kind of life.

As the music starts up, she starts to sway from side to side with it. Or maybe it's a bounce... It's certainly enough energy to match the music regardless.

[trustme]

There's a small applause when he finishes and some chortles from the crowd.

"Thank you!" Doctor says with a nod. He immediately launches into some quizzical sounding music not unlike that of a video game menu. "This might surprise you all but... I was considered a nerd in school." Just about everyone laughs at that.

"And I credit music as my savior. My escape. No. You don't understand. I mean LITERALLY my escape. -From getting beat up by bullies. It turns out cellos are great defense weapons. That pointy stand on the bottom for instance."

....

"No I'm kidding! I'd rather take a beating than see one of my instruments take a blow. But it's true that I discovered bullies have a harder time hurting you when you entertain them with music from the latest cartoons. So I was a nerd. But in the coolest way possible."

"But I digress... Luce! It's time you paid us back for getting the first choice of instrument! Come up here. You're going to sing while I play the next one chosen. Pray that they don't choose the recorder."

[giglio_madonna]

"That wasn't in the fine print, my dear Doctor!" Even as Luce calls that up to him, however, she's grinning and ascending the stage. Who is she to deny an impromptu performance? Her eyes flicker about, taking note of how Blanche and Santiago have left, and for some reason that soothes her.

Maybe it was because of those men she met with. They've got her on edge in her own label.

"I just hope the audience doesn't choose something too strange." She grins to her partner. "I've never sung along with some of these instruments."

[trustme]

"You know I won't let you look bad in front of the audience," Doctor says with a wink. "How about a duet then, to take off some of the pressure?"

He turns in a circle and looks back to the audience and calls out, "Well then! What will it be?" There's some murmuring in the crowd and then a shout from the back of the room. Electric guitar!

"How about that? That shouldn't be too hard," Doctor says to Luce as he grabs the guitar and flips the amp on. He gives it a strum and adjusts the strings.

[giglio_madonna]

Taking her place in front of a mic, Luce shakes her head fondly and rolls her eyes with just as much of the feeling.

"I certainly won't turn down any company at the mic." She plucks it from the stand. "Did you have a song in mind already?"

[trustme]

"Yes! How about-" Doctor stops and blinks, dumbfounded. "We never did agree to a name for that song did we? It's the..." The audience starts giggling as Doctor scratches his head like a child trying to remember arithmetic.

"You know. The rainy stormy friends song. With the you're really strong message."

[giglio_madonna]

Playing into it all, Luce gesture to him and rolls her eyes in teasing exasperation to the audience because what on earth will FoB ever do with their perpetually in the clouds Doctor?

"Fortunately, dear, I suspect I have an idea of which you're talking about."

And funnily enough... It's the "rainy" descriptor that she's so sure of. The idea of rain, of a certain shade of blue, of tranquility so potent as to be paralyzing... Luce focuses back on the lyrics she herself wrote.

"Let's hope he remembers the lyrics better than anything, everyone!" she teases before taking a deep breath. These lyrics are ones she couldn't forget for the life of her.

"All so capable
Now we're stuck in a cycle
And maybe we bit off a bit more than we could chew-
you and me and the rest of them too..."

She thinks of the woman in her mind, broad shouldered and sharp eyed, and she thinks of that painfully bittersweet feeling which always surfaces everytime alongside that image. Of watching something amazing and brilliant heading towards something horrible- knowing it'll survive the impact but oh why must there be a crash at all?

Bittersweet.

[trustme]

Doctor's confidence grows as he joins her melody with his guitar playing. They hadn't played this song many times yet, let alone with him on guitar, but as she sang the song and its words became crystal clear in his mind.

"Fall to your knees, bring on the rapture.
Bless the children time can't capture
Oh beauty, you're a soldier.
You try but this burden was never yours to shoulder"

What a tale Luce's lyrics had to tell! Hopefully this song would make it onto an upcoming album.

[giglio_madonna]

Doctor's playing is just what this song needed, she thinks- and doesn't guitar suit that upfront woman so well? The more it continues, the more she puts herself into her singing. At the height of her chest, over her heart, something feels warm.

"And with the rainbow so up high
It's time to say our good byes.
But if it's you, I know you'll fight.
Who cares if the rain fades- it'll never go away"

A hopeful note, a want to be hopeful, and Luce's voice rises with it.

[trustme]

As they reach the chorus Doctor adds an extra flare of drama to his playing, making the guitar cry as he pricks the notes from it, grinning to himself.

He sings to harmonize with her and fill the gap between the guitar and Luce's lead.

"It's not the end
I'd do it all again.
Because you're my best friend.
Don't you know that the you'll always, you'll always survive?
I'm yours."

In his thoughts, Doctor could swear there's an image of a girl on the edge of his mind but she's faint like a ghost. He can't see her rightly but he can feel that she has spirit and fire in her will. Surely not the woman Luce was inspired by but someone of a similar soul.

Poison indeed. Please don't kill your daughter

[faithfulflame]

After the song, Rei's headache came back in a big, big way. It's uncomfortable, and troublesome, and it'd started not long after she'd talked to Molly. Rubbing her head, she went looking for someone. For...really anyone...who was familiar and who wouldn't make it worse. There was just a bad vibe going on now, and she had no idea why.

Of course, when she sees Doctor, she heads over towards him.

"Doctor. Are you busy?"

[trustme]

"What?" Doctor spins around looking for Rei. The moment he hears her voice he slips his hand and the pills in it into his pocket instinctively. When he spots her he stops his wild searching movements and walks her way.

"What's the matter? You look upset." He notices.

[faithfulflame]

"Doctor..." Rei's eyes spin around the room dizzily, taking in sights and sounds and gradually come in and out of focus. "There's something wrong here. Everywhere I look I see something wrong. Can we go outside? I feel like I need air, and I'm not sure I'll make it alone."

[trustme]

"Of course, of course! Here. This way." He gently grabs her by the shoulder and leads her towards the door to the porch. He holds the door open for her and continues guiding her outside into the chilly night air. "What's going on? Do you have a migraine?"

[faithfulflame]

Allowing herself to be led is easy enough, and once they're outside, she leans heavily against the railing of the porch. It takes her a moment and several deep breaths to recover herself, but she nods. "I think I might. Or something close to it. I've...just got a bad feeling. Like something is wrong. Only it's a party, and it sounds completely insane to think that."

Is she just being anxious again? Or is she just a little melodramatic. "I just know something is going to happen, like...I guess it feels like there's a funeral shroud over everything. It's heavy, cloying..."

[trustme]

"Interesting... It isn't anything like the mood swings in the basement is it?" he asks. The party is proceeding smoothly to his knowledge but Rei seems so sure of what she's feeling. When he gives it some thought, there was one moment that seemed odd that evening.

"Naomi's performance was rather strange wasn't it? Did you begin feeling this way after she sang?"

[faithfulflame]

"No, no. Not like that. Just...something is wrong." Shaking her head, Rei takes a few more deep breaths, trying to push aside that cloying, nagging feeling. It's dangerous, whatever it is, and she's afraid but she's not so addled that she can't think straight. His words give her pause, and she nods.

"I think so, yes. That's about when it all started. When she sang. You noticed it too?"

[trustme]

"I've felt funny since then, though not the way you have. It's more like..." He rubs his chin. "Well it's more like I feel a little foggy rather than like there's a dark cloud over everything. But we might have been triggered by the same thing."

[faithfulflame]

"This is...weird. Two months ago this would all have seemed insane, but now I'm starting to wonder if this is normal. If we're...psychics or something?" Are her powers growing in? She's always believed in Magic and Psychics but, isn't it too late in life?

"Are you feeling like you're ill or anything? You say foggy but..."

[trustme]

Doctor chuckles in his throat, not laughing at Rei but laughing at their strange situation. "You might be on to something. Nearly any thing seems possible the way our heads have been acting up."

He folds his arms and bites his lip. "It's not the same foggy as the lockdown. No, that was a feverish dreamy fog. This is... This feels more like the dizziness of being blindfolded. Like Naomi sang while she put a cover on my eyes and now she's leading me around the room by the hand." Doctor bursts into laughter. "Ah that sounds so odd when I say it aloud! But they're the best words I can come up with right now."

[faithfulflame]

"It's alright, Doctor. I think I understand. I really do. But...do you think she did something to you?" Rei can't help but wonder that out loud, leaning against her surrogate parent a little more than usual.

"Is that it, you think?"

[trustme]

Doctor fidgets and leans his weight side to side as his eyes wander up towards the ceiling.

"Well... What can I say? She didn't make any direct contact with me. She simply stood on stage and sang. When people say they've been touched by a song they don't mean it touched them so much that it wrapped a psychic bandanna around their eyes. That doesn't make sense! ...Right?"