You laugh until you cry; you cry until you laugh

[sailorgenerous]

Who: Virgo musicians - Ghost Quest people and their friends
What: When eight musicians go missing, what happens to those left behind? What happens when those eight come back far worse for the wear?
When: Feb 1st-3rd and after
Where: Virgo HQ
Warnings: Talk of torture, violence, brainwashing, etc. It's ugly in here, folks.

The past three days have not been kind. The hauntings were odd, yes, but when your friends went missing without warning or a trace - well.

How have you been coping? Have you been coping?

And then they came back just as suddenly, and...it looks like your worries were not unfounded.

This isn't good, is it.

Comments

BRING ON THE SUFFERIN'

[agains]

H&C Penthouse

[ A few bruises here and there, a few scrapes -- it's par for the course when you're a big guy and you go drinking. If not for the look in his eyes, like the abyss is looking back out through him, one could write it off as some kind of booze-fueled hangover-part-two electric boogaloo.

Keith is roughly jostled into the door (he hits it with a solid thump) by some "friendly security personnel" and it takes him a moment to remember how to open it. But when he does, it's straight to bed.

Literally. He passes out on the nearest sofa, reeking of three-day-old sweat and tears.

At some point, if roused, he will attempt to find his room. He will not succeed. Would you like a large man about to faceplant into your bed, y/n? ]


Virgo HQ

[ Windows are his salvation. Keith doesn't look at them like a dead man, just a wistful one. Each day it seems that he's looking up from higher and higher floors, as if he hopes to find an answer in the clouds, squinting into the sun.

He sits in communal areas, writing lyrics and trying to sketch anything or anyone that sits still long enough. A recurring motif is aerial views.

But he won't look you in the eyes. ]


(other)

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan is walking around on his way to a cafe or lounge when he happens to look over the railing. Goodman is staring upwards, so Ivan waits to see if Goodman does anything, wave, call him over, something. But, he's... not looking at him, Ivan realizes. He's looking past him. No doubt some after effect from what he had to endure from Virgo.

Reaching into his pocket, Ivan pulls out a sheet of origami paper and starts folding. Moments later, Ivan is letting an origami helicopter lose from his finger tips. It gently spins down toward Goodman.

Not knowing what it'll accomplish, Ivan waits. ]

[agains]

[ He hears the helicopter as it descends. At least, that's what he thinks. He's aware of it on another level that he doesn't quite understand yet -- the same level that made him lose his balance in the middle of the fight.

Keith catches it and looks up at the one who got away. Relief floods through him. He calls up all those levels like an idiot. ]

You must have been practicing a lot recently, Mr. Karelin. This is truly excellent!

[ He could walk to the nearest staircase or elevator...

Before Keith knows it, his feet are off the ground and he wobbles up an inch. As soon as he's consciously aware, however, he falls into an awkward tangle of limbs.

Have the ghosts returned? The urge to call Edward Blanche directly flares up, rings like an alarm bell. Ivan's presence, on the other hand, serves as a counterbalance to the programmed fear. Keith looks at the helicopter in his hands and back up at his labelmate, his... friend.

Even if the ghosts have returned, he'll calm his beating heart and figure out another solution. If he's lucky, nobody saw that. And he can't be punished for something he didn't do on purpose, right? Right? ]

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan smiles at Goodman yelling up at him. He's not about to reply, but then something seems wrong with Goodman. He moves in a strange way and collapses to the ground. Ivan leans over the railing, wide-eyed. Did he fall from his injuries from whatever Virgo did to him?

Ivan yells down. ]

Stay there! I'll be right down!

[ And Ivan runs to the stairs, not bothering to wait for an elevator. He nearly misses the last step, but he manages to steady himself. He's panting when he offers his hand to Goodman to help him up. ]

Are you okay?!

[agains]

[ He takes the hand with no hesitation. ] Thank you. And... [ His head throbs. He ignores it. No catchphrase for you, not yet. ] thank you. There's probably something in the air. I'm fine.

[ Keith tries to spin the helicopter up into the air. A feeling inside of him says that mysterious power that made him float could keep it airborne, but he lets it fall back into his open hands.

I'm so happy to see you alive and well. I'm so happy you're unharmed. You're safe. You did it. You made it. Not a word makes it out. Some airhead, some chatterbox... If only there was a place to go that they might not be overheard. ]

This might sound like a strange question, Mr. Karelin, but... That time I spiked your drink. I never apologized for it. Is there a coffeehouse nearby that I can buy you another? [ He sounds eerily earnest, and completely repentant. And boy, he hopes Ivan can read between the lines, because he's still so bad at being subtle. ] I'm confident I'll know what to say after a drink.

[ in case any robo-managers are listening. that might give his claim some credibility. "my name is keith goodman and i'm not happy unless i'm drunk", etc., etc. ]

[sponsorigami]

[ Out of all the things that could be possibly brought up at this moment, an apology for ruining his drink weeks ago was not among the things Ivan thought he'd hear. Ivan stares blankly straight at Goodman once he's on his feet again.

"I have memory problems because Virgo messed with my head, and I don't know how to stand."
"My balance is off by five degrees because they blew out my inner ear."
"Someone threw an invisible ball at my head and knocked me over."
"I was worried about Luce and wasn't watching where I was going."

A dozen other things but not... buying him another drink to replace the one he ruined. ]

Uh, y-yeah. There is. Would... you like one that's a cafe and bar...?

[agains]

We shouldn't allow anyone to see us together. [ There he goes, failing at subtlety again. Damn it. He's not quick enough with the follow-up. He seems as nervous as he sounds. Not really his best look. ] Because they might become suspicious if they notice our bodyguards. We have suffered the price of fame, with faces like ours, even behind our sunglasses.

[ "please take me to a place that bodyguards won't follow, i'm about to reveal a million secrets and probably get caught again" ]

[sponsorigami]

... Again, I don't believe the tabloid about us being ancient feudal rivals. Staying close with bodyguards won't add anymore material for them.

[ It's an excuse. A cover story for their conversation should anyone be listening. ]

I... think you need a drink.

[ Ivan starts to walk, hoping to have Goodman follow him. ]

[agains]

I entrust our privacy to you, Mr. Karelin, and applaud your insight. Keith Goodman should never be without a drink in hand.

[ You know, for cover. For continuing to cultivate the perfect image of a guy who gets drunk on weeknights and will punch you over musical integrity.

He falls into step, letting Ivan guide him as he struggles to maintain his composure. ]

Though a drink will surely fix me, I regret that it took me this long to realize that it won't help everyone. [ That came out wrong. Too vague, even for one trying to be evasive. ] I am sorry I didn't respect your boundaries sooner. I will buy your friendship back even if it takes one hundred matcha lemonades. [ ...he probably meant lattes. he hopefully meant lattes. it's probably just a slip of the tongue from all the stress. ]

[sponsorigami]

[ It's just a flash, but Ivan sees himself sitting at a strange bar with Goodman near him. They're drinking lemonade. Ivan is pretty sure he is feeling a new level of uncomfortable. Men wearing fundoshi walk around everywhere.

What.

The.

Hell.

Is that a memory or some pain induced hallucination? Ivan desperately shakes his head of the image and tries to order his thoughts into something less mentally scarring. ]

Just... one matcha latte will be enough. Just... one... and... not with lemonade please.

[agains]

Ah, of course. A latte it is.

[ Who'd notice the men in fundoshi when there's such good lemonade? The memory tingles in his own mind, but Keith is far more focused on-- he thinks, practicing being a host with Ivan? Was this to prepare for some sort of Virgo event that he'd forgotten about? The man coaching them along was not their CEO, but definitely in charge of the restaurant. And perhaps a larger corporation.

(A friend and a businessman. Nothing like their managers or Blanche or anyone else in this industry. Musicians stuck together. In what universe could he possibly have been friends with an executive like that?)

...and so, their cafe adventure begins.

But how does one begin to confess all that one needs? ]

It seems the fox has my tongue.

[ unless there's an objection to a quick hop skip and jump in time, he'll say that in conjunction with levitating his own cup just an inch or two off the table and then pretending it never happened. pretending very badly. when the bodyguards had their backs turned, of course. ]

I hope I understood this right. Let me know if I need to edit

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan sips his matcha latte that Goodman insisted on buying him and is a little surprised when Goodman doesn't order an alcoholic drink but a cafe item instead. ]

... A fox?

[ Doesn't the saying use "cat" instead? Why fox? Unless... could Goodman be using some kind of code? Ivan hides his frown behind his latte. Goodman often confuses him when he talks; he could only imagine how confusing it's going to be if code is involved.

And then the cup is... hovering in the air? Ivan looks at it, to Goodman, and then back to the cup. Is that one of the ghost's doing or... Goodman's? ]

... A-Are you trying to write a new song?

[ He says, trying to not draw attention to the flying cup. ]

yes! i'm sorry, that was way too tl;dr for its own good

[agains]

Yes. You could say that. I've never been a good lyricist. [ His fingers circle the bottom of his cup, now steady on the table. ]

But Mr. Karelin, would you keep it a secret between the two of us? Ms. Huang, too, if you wish. [ He takes a sip. It's a little bit sweet, and there's no kick to it. So unlike the alcohol he can't remember developing a taste for. ] If I seem more... flighty than usual, please, pay it no mind. I am not nearly as confident in my writing ability as I pretend to be.

[sponsorigami]

It's not my place to say anything to anyone.

[ Yet, there is something that makes Ivan pause about it. Given everything that has happened, Ivan would have thought that Luce would be the one Goodman would give permission for. How did Pao-Lin's name get there? ]

... Although... why Pao-Lin?

[agains]

She helped us when you were... [ an awkward pause disguised with a cough ] When you were sick and we couldn't attend the holiday party. If you believe she would not betray your trust, then I must agree.

[ They'd felt like a team back then. Keith Goodman has always been more of a loner, a guy with a lot of acquaintances but nobody he's truly close to. Being given a glimpse into the family life of Flowers Over Bones but never taking the plunge to become one of them or get to know them --

It's an opportunity he never took and a regret that will haunt him in the months to come.

He is still too afraid, too dependent on his brainwashing to explain his true feelings: that Pao-lin and Ivan remind him of home, even if his memories of it are swiss-cheesed. Luce is a warm, strong woman, but she felt like a trustworthy companion, not family. ]

Maybe I will talk to my band about the lyrics, after all. But might I run an idea past you first? A small question?

[sponsorigami]

Oh right. That... that feels so long ago now... I do trust her, and you can trust her too.

[ So many things, really crazy and important things have happened since then. It's hard to keep track of everything. And Ivan knows that Pao-Lin is trustworthy. Luce is too, so while he understands part of why Goodman would also trust her, Ivan doesn't understand the whole of it.

Ivan's closeness with Pao-Lin overshadows a lot, and he finds himself really wanting to stick by her since they've confirmed that they do know each other from before they were brainwashed. If he had gotten more of that from Goodman, Ivan's future actions might have changed. (And Ivan will be fighting to make things right once they happen.) ]

What's your question?

[agains]

[ Perhaps it's almost for the best that he remained separate from the other two - guilt is a strong motivator, and he's already failed to save everyone once before. He has to stay here.

He has to spill the beans too, though. ]

If I can't come up with lyrics on my own, I might do a cover instead. Repeat something that's been done before. [ He taps his cup with a finger - you saw this happen before? ] Maybe "You Can Fly."

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan's silent for a moment, trying to puzzle out Goodman's meaning. He was expecting a question from him, and he didn't really get one. Is he asking about coming to Ivan again about his newly discovered power? Ivan... guesses that's what he's talking about after tapping his cup. People regaining powers isn't new news to him when a lot of his band has regained something. ]

It... could be good. "I Believe I Can Fly" might be a better one to cover if you're trying for something like that....

[agains]

[ When Keith pulls a pen and small notebook out of his pocket, the only surprise might be that he's old-fashioned enough to prefer handwritten lyrics to digital notes. He hums the words and scrawls some lines from the middle of the song -- If I just believe it, there's nothing to it / I believe I can fly ]

Your intuition is spot-on again, Mr. Karelin. [ He "absent-mindedly" underlines I can fly ] And your idea is correct. I could float off the ground just thinking of recording it!

[ And we return to your Big Dumb Grin, put-on excitement an excuse to blurt out the extent of his hovering capabilities. ]

[sponsorigami]

[ Oh. It isn't just making things hover. That stumble earlier was Goodman's doing and not something Virgo did to him. It's just the opposite, actually. ]

You might want to practice the lyrics alone for a while. Um, I'm mean, you'll want to control your voice well for it.

[ A flying Goodman is a lot harder to explain away as nothing than a cup is. He's already gotten into trouble from his involvement with rescuing Stella. What more could be done to him if they discover he has a power as well?

And with Goodman's excitement over it, Ivan's more worried about the man than he was before. ]

i just stopped myself from researching if there's an article on how the heroes take their coffee D|

[agains]

I would never dream of using an unpolished song in front of an audience. [ Using an unpolished song? He meant to say technique. No, he meant to say sing. ] Nor would I subject anyone to anything less than a perfect pitch.

[ (Cyclone Tornado! You can do it!)

Keith finishes the rest of his coffee in a large gulp. It's supposed to be satisfying but his face is full of regret. So bitter... Why... ]

Thank you for listening. And-- [ thanks again. unspoken, forgotten words at tip of his tongue. He looks downright confused. It's great that Ivan knows, or probably knows, about his new mysterious power, but his confusion runs deeper now than ever before. ]

I don't think I've seen one =|a

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan hopes that Goodman got his meaning. It sounds like he did, so that's good. A relief. Hopefully, Goodman won't get into further trouble with Virgo for a while.

Finishing his own drink, Ivan almost misses the thanks, but he wonders if he missed hearing something else. ]

... And...? Um, actually. Thanks for the drink.

[ Even though Ivan had planned to treat Goodman originally before he started talking about matcha lemonade. He still intends to. ]

The next one is on me.