☆TRACK V: I WILL TWIST THE KNIFE PT. 2

[interdimanagers]

Who: Everyone in the last part of the log.
What: Everyone has a terrible night.
When: December 7th, 2054
Where: Naomi's ocean side mansion, followed by a secret Pride laboratory.
Warnings: Violence, blood, and at least one murder. Vague gore. NPCs being unhinged in a threatening way, though it's possible to have your character avoid ended up in the ballroom if you don't want to see this mess.

☆I WILL TWIST THE KNIFE The bubble has burst. The chaos of the night’s violence has finally boiled over into something uncontrollable – blood has been spilt, screams have been heard. No matter where you are in the mansion, you know by now that something is acutely wrong. Multiple members of Pride have been hurt – possibly killed – and you may still have no idea why. Some will try to escape. Some will try to fight back. Yet, as any rebellion starts to descend, a piercing note - a melodic cry - will summon you towards the ballroom. It can be resisted, in part - but only as far as you find yourself frozen in place instead of moving forward, at least while this spell holds. It's drawing you to the source...if you follow it, maybe you can stop it. The compulsion is strong for members of both labels. The cry seems to echo long past its termination point, to be heard wherever you are. If followed, it will bring you to Naomi Rivers in the center of the ballroom, her expression creased with strain. Though you may desperately want to strike her, something intangible is holding you back. "No!" she shouts at any Virgo nearby. "It isn't done! You need to...you need to finish this!" She'll point desperately at the nearby Pride, rendered unable to flee. "Get them now!" You don't want to. "Do it!" The compulsion weighs heavily on you - for Virgo, to act, and for Pride to surrender themselves. All subtly has disappeared. This last effort is unconcealed and nearly hysterical. You feel yourself slipping beneath the soundwaves. Power rolls off of her, the energy thick in the air, like something you can taste and smell. You can't do this. "I command-" The fabric of space-time cracks like a peal of thunder. All at once, the spell shatters.

Comments

1

[trustme]

[ Doctor finds Luce sitting alone. Judging by the blood on her sleeve she had either been near Naomi's body or helping one of the attacked party guests earlier. Right in the middle of it all trying to do something- very much like her and her soft strength. She looked strong to him even now with her head buried in her hands.

He discards the paper towel he's been wiping his pants off with in the nearest trash can. Some of Naomi's blood had ended up on his clothes when he knelt near her body. Without a word, he takes a seat next to Luce and leans to the side so their shoulders touch, letting her know that he's with her. ]

[giglio_madonna]

[With how everything has spiraled out of control tonight, Luce certainly doesn't feel strong. She just leans against his arm when he sits down next to her, one hand falling from her head so that she can grip at the fabric of her pants. Her words are quiet and low.]

I'm so glad that Ivan and Pao-Lin aren't here to see this...

[trustme]

Me too.

[ For the time, Doctor is at a loss for words. How would they even begin to explain this to Ivan and Pao-Lin? And where was Rei? He around the room but doesn't spot her. She had been right to worry about this evening. If Rei ever came to him with an ominous feeling again he was going to take it as a forewarning next time.

She'd find them easiest if they stay in place and Doctor isn't about to ask Luce to walk around. He takes more deep breaths to relax and thinks of relaxing, beautiful melodies. ]

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see

[ It comes to him in song and played on strings in his mind. He can feel himself trembling on the edge of tears on the inside as he had been when his parents had died. What a way Blanche and Lesedi had of perverting the music so many people love.

He looks calm on the outside while tune and emotions radiate off of him, perhaps because of his subconscious desire to be with company during such a terrible moment. ]

[giglio_madonna]

[The momentary quiet is reassuring after the panic that's happened all night, but more reassuring is the weight against her.]

[So when the quiet is broken, a feeling of song reaching her, Luce doesn't think otherwise of it. She just sighs.]

I'm not in the mood for music right now, my dear, I'm sorry.

[trustme]

[ Doctor lifts an eyebrow. There was no music playing in the room. Only the song being sung in his head. ]

Well that's odd. Is Luce feeling all right?

[ He thinks to himself before asking her aloud. ]

What music?

[giglio_madonna]

[Now that's just rude. Straightening up, Luce frowns to him.]

You don't have to speak to me as though I'm not here, you know. And the music- it was playing just a moment ago, you had to have heard it.

[That or she's losing it quicker than she thought she would.]

[trustme]

What?

[ Doctor looks her in the eye and slowly asks, squinting. ]

The music just now... Amazing Grace?

It was in my head. How anyone possibly hear it?

[giglio_madonna]

I... Yes?

[And Luce finds herself freezing up.]

As if the night can't get any stranger.

[trustme]

As if the night can't get any stranger.

[He repeats her thought aloud to confirm it again, eyes going wide and mouth falling open.]

We can hear what the other one is saying in their head. Is this- how? But... It's a sort of telepathy?

[giglio_madonna]

Taking in a deep shaky breath, Luce brings her hands up to rub at her face and close her eyes. She can't smile now, but she can hide her reactions in other ways.

Alright. This is happening. Doctor?

[trustme]

Yes. Whatever this is it- Well it has terrible timing. Rude telepathy! Couldn't you have come at a better date. Why not in the penthouse or that trip to the mall?

The memory of Xanxus joining him at the hat rack flashes through his mind and joins with his words sent to her. The voice in his head speak quicker, one thought overlapping with the other when there's no need to pause for breath. He's trying not to let his mind race but it's difficult and there's usually so much firing off in his head.

Telepathy isn't a thing that wanders around- Or I don't think it is. So one of us has it then? You? Me? Not a backlash from what Lesedi and Blanche did? Teleportation is a very different thing. Sparkles. No. Stereotypically it'd be me and my big brain responsible for this. Not that you couldn't. -Can be either of us.

[giglio_madonna]

They don't show the headaches of telepathy in all the movies is Luce's flickering thought as she rubs her head, brow furrowed. Doctor's thoughts are far too quick and overwhelming for her to keep a handle on. The best she can try to do is let them just slip through like water between fingers.

When there's a slight pause, she finally tries to focus in on her words again. Dear, you don't have to mince words. I doubt it's me either. Nothing strange happened when either of them did anything, did it? Like, a strange feeling spreading out or some such thing?

[trustme]

Sorry. Telepathy. That's cool isn't it? This can come in handy.

Doctor silences the thoughts firing by through his head and focuses is in on a single inner voice speaking with hers.

I've felt several strange things this evening starting with Naomi's song. By the time she was finished there was a sort of whisper or sensation in my head telling me terrible things- to do terrible things to anyone from Pride.

[giglio_madonna]

That's better, and Luce seems to relax besides him. She still keeps her face ducked down and in her hands, however. Blanche is still around, and she doesn't want to give away a single thing to him. Especially something like this.

The same here. There was a feeling like they'd done something horrible and had to be punished for it. Maybe not them, but definitely Lesedi by extension.

[trustme]

Yes. Yes exactly! I have friends at Pride but during that time I thought of them as enemies. Really bad enemies. Not friendly label rivals. -That makes a lot more sense after what Lesedi did. This isn't rivalry, this is war. Naomi used her song to turn us into her weapons.

[giglio_madonna]

There's a flicker of thoughts- mixing and going rapid pace so that it's hard to really tell what's going on- before Luce settles.

Or maybe she was being used, too.

[trustme]

As in Blanche ordered her to do it? Or else.

He replays his memory of what Blanche had said to Lesedi when she struck down Naomi.

"Please. You have already taken more than your share. Did you really think it would never catch up with you? That I would just let it 'slide?'"

[giglio_madonna]

I spoke to Anansi before as well. When we were all setting up the party. She and Naomi know- knew each other, and had gotten into an argument.

Luce bites her lip, fingers rubbing over her knuckles.

She said she'd gotten into something and that this party would be a regret.

[trustme]

Anasi knew about what would happen tonight. Then she would know about Naomi's song powers, or even what the CEOs are doing! Did you get any thing more out of her?

[giglio_madonna]

Not yet, but that was before I knew that murder would be attempted. I have her phone number on me, so I can contact her again.