interstellar5555 | ☆TRACK I: NOTHING LEFT OF YOU

Who: Every single one of you.
What: Interstellar's first log, and an awards ceremony for jerks you don't know!
When: October 2nd.
Where: A fancy ballroom in neutral territory.
Warnings: Could be anything.

“Oh, it's been getting so hard,
Living with the things you do to me;
My dreams are getting so strange,
I'd like to tell you everything I see.

I see a man at the back as a matter of fact,
His eyes are as red as the sun.
And the girl in the corner lets no one ignore her,
‘Cause she thinks she's the passionate one.”

☆NOTHING LEFT OF YOU

It’s the seasonal Vista Music Industry Award Gala, and attendance is mandatory. You and your band have been touring non-stop for the last two months, hitting locations all over Americana, performing and doing press appearances. This event is set less than three days after your return home, but it’s been made clear that further rest will have to wait.

Though Halloween technically isn’t until the end of the month, the gathering has a formal masquerade theme - masquerade that is, not costume. Dressing up as a mummy or a clown isn’t going to cut it. Themed formal wear is expected, and your image consultants have been pestering you about your choices for the last 48 hours. Whether or not you listen to them, how you dress feels incredibly important. At least if you let the consultants fuss over you, you can be sure it’ll be something press friendly.

Various awards are being given out, but none of them are for you. The media in attendance are starting to bubble with enthusiasm for the ‘rising stars’ of the industry, however, so this could be a moment to shine. Labels besides Pride and Virgo are also in attendance, but who cares about those guys? They seem to be a mere footnote in comparison to the buzz around the heavy hitters.

There’s food, alcohol, dancing, stage performances by notable musicians of both Pride and Virgo, and then the formal awards ceremony in the evening. Yes, you are expected to sit through them. Do try to look like you’re interested, the media is watching.

☆PRIDE RECORDS

Lesedi Santiago doesn’t always make a big deal about introductions - or at least, that’s the impression you get when she just kind of shows up in your group limousine unannounced on your way over to the party. Deep into pre-drinking a bottle of gin, she doesn’t talk with you so much as talk at you, regaling your band with weird stories about the industry while completely ignoring the fact that her presence is more intimidating than comforting. You’re not sure if it’s intentional, but at least she’s a good story teller - her speech doesn’t seem to be at all affected by the quantity of booze she’s already consumed, which is kind of bizarre if you think about it too deeply. You’re not inclined to.

You’ve all met her before, here and there, in a series of bombastic encounters. Her interest in pontificating at you and the other new label inductees seems to fade immediately upon entering the ballroom, as she quickly becomes distracted with more high profile guests. Her attention fixates on Edward Blanch from time to time, but she declines to address him specifically. If you want to get some of her one on one attention, now could be your chance - just make sure you go in ready. Handling Miss Santiago can be a bit of an...experience.

Veteran Pride members are in attendance as well, but most of them are not very good company. Their reactions vary from ‘frat members greeting a new pledge’ to ‘disinterested shoulder pats’, and ultimately it will seem your attention is better received by the other newbies. Maybe even the Virgo Entertainment stiffs, at that.

Because, of course, that crew is here as well. Lesedi suggested you “show them who’s boss,” but you’re not necessarily sure what that’s supposed to mean.

☆VIRGO ENTERTAINMENT

Tonight's event is one of considerable speculation: it marks Edward Blanche's first public appearance after a considerable period of isolation. He's a private man, a mystery and an enigma to the public, and that just seems to make him all the more intoxicating. The Managers and security staff are out in full force, and if you know what's good for you, you'll be dressed to the nines. Your image consultant will be almost desperate to do the work for you, like they're afraid of what might happen to their careers if you embarass the label on their watch.

Personal style is important, but everything in your gut tells you that your nose has got to be clean this time, or trouble is sure to follow. For many of you, this will be the first time you'll ever have seen your CEO in person, and as such, the first time he'll encounter you one on one. If you're going to brown nose, now's the time - but make sure you choose your words carefully, and don't waste his time. Blanche has little patience for it.

There are veteran musicians of the Virgo label in attendance, ones with dozens of awards to their names, but they seem to have little interest in speaking with you. Some are politely avoidant while others and just rudely dismissive, but none of them really give an answer for why they just aren't interested. It's not totally surprising - Virgo's interior politics are harsh.

Other notable guests include Lesedi Santiago and the rest of the Pride Records entourage. Though you may have acquaintances, or even friends, who have been snatched up by the other side, it's even more likely that you have enemies. Everything about your Virgo upbringing makes you feel like you should hold a certain contempt for their ilk - people in this label think of them as classless at best and crass maniacs at worst.

Did you hear about that disgusting stunt one of their front runners pulled on stage last week? Revolting.

☆THE TWIST

Some of you may remember strange events from the past few weeks. Misplaced objects, malfunctioning technology, nostalgic phantom music - it feels a lot like the last portion of your tour was haunted. Now that you're back home, all of that seems to be flaring up again. You can practically feel the otherworldly presences passing through the room, even if nobody besides your tour group seems to notice. Even though they aren't knocking glasses off tables and flickering lights like last time, their presence is somehow even more apparent.

Your programming makes one thing clear: don't make a public fuss about this. Ignore it, everything's fine. The second part only goes so far. Especially when, at some point or another, you'll be shaken by the feeling that one of these ghosts has walked straight through you. For that moment, you feel like a totally different person. At this point, one of four memory regain effects will occur:

► REMEMBER LOVE: You remember a scene, image, or concept related to one of the greatest loves of your past life. Can be either romantic, platonic, or familial. It must be about a person and not a place or activity, though.

► REMEMBER DUTY: You remember a scene, image, or concept related to something you held a great sense of duty or loyalty to in your past life. It could be a person, a cause, a country, or anything in between.

► REMEMBER PASSION: You remember a scene, image, or concept related to something you were passionate about to the point of anger or determination in your past life. Not enjoyment of, but something that drove you, or one of the things most likely to make you throw a punch.

► REMEMBER HOPE: You remember a scene, image, or concept related to something you dreamed about making come true, or an important hope you had for the future in your past life. This covers any kind of positive goal or ambition for you or the world around you.

The feeling will quickly fade, leaving you as the person you've been made into once again. Only now you have something new: the first fragment of a life you can't remember having lived. The CEOs and managers will react to this eventually, and you're probably going to get sent home early. This, however, will be covered with a top level further into the log.

“I'm reaching out for something,
Touching nothing's all I ever do.
Oh, I softly call you over;
When you appear there's nothing left of you.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Cup of water and ibuprofen are both graciously accepted, and Rei immediately downs them, gulping down the medicine and the whole water glass before she answers. Her voice, usually low but gentle, is harsh, almost rasping.]

I don't...I don't know. It just...? I don't...

[She breaks off, looking up at Ivan helplessly, confused.]

Does it sound familiar at all?

It doesn't in a way that makes sense.

[ He moves his mask to the side of his head as she looks at him. Rei sounds like she had a mild panic than just a headache, and she looks... lost? ]

Try taking some deep breathes. It might come back.

Right.

[Rei closes her eyes, taking another drink of water, and spends at least a full minute just breathing and out slowly. Her reaction, she knew, bordered on a panic attack, and that couldn't happen. Not here.

That image does return though, clearer, odd.]

Do you have a pencil? Or a pen? And paper?

[ Ivan's silent as she breathes, watching her as if he could spot what caused Rei to react like this should start to return. He doesn't see anything, however. ]

I have my phone, will that work?

[ He opens up a simple drawing app and holds the cell phone out for her to see. It's a decent one with different colors and brushes, but it'll still be drawing with fingers as he currently doesn't have a stylus on him. ]

It will.

[Rei takes the phone and slowly starts to draw out something. It's a little bit crude, but she sketches out the palace from her sudden vision. There's next to no details other than the crescent moon symbol on the dome.]

This. I don't even know, I just saw this and this weird city a second ago. And I don't even know what this is. have you ever seen something like this? I mean, it looks like something from Arabia, I guess?

[ Ivan takes his phone back and does three things, look at the drawing, save it, and send a copy to Rei's phone, so she'll have a copy of her own. It may take awhile to arrive, however. The internet is spotty right now. Then he puts back down the phone on the app in case she wants to draw some more. ]

No. I've never seen it before. Maybe it's from a travel ad? But that doesn't explain why it would appear to you now even if it was.

I don't know either. I mean, it can't be any place I've ever been. It looked too...I dunno. Exotic?

[She wasn't exactly well traveled, other than on tour.]

It's probably nothing. Maybe just a daydream.

Tomorrow, I can try to see what comes up online, but if you say that it's nothing, then I won't.

[ A voice in Ivan tells him that it really is all related to being a little overworked. Or a lot overworked. However, that's part of the business. Still, he flags down a waiter for another glass of water for Rei. ]

You know what?

[She takes the water and sips at it a bit more slowly.]

Why not? It could be a new song, waiting for us. And the worst that happens is we come up with nothing.

All right. I've already sent you a copy of the drawing, so let's work on that angle while trying to figure out where you could of seen it.

[ An exotic castle like building with a crescent moon on the tower roof, it could be a very whimsical song. About a moon... flower? To fit their theme? Ms. Ramsay would like them working on new material too. ]

Thanks. Really.

[Rei's beyond grateful for the support.]

Should we go check on the others? I don't want to leave them too alone, with all this weirdness going on.

Sure, let's go. I thought those things would have ended once we got off our tour, but I guess they haven't.

[ Those random haunted like things were harmless enough, so they were ultimately nothing to worry about. Maybe they'll be lucky, and it'll remain like that. ]

Same. I mean...I figured it was just the buss.

[And she hadn't minded all that much, but it definitely was better to stick together.]

I hear that we've got a penthouse really set up. I wonder what that'll be like.

As long as it has a bed or a cushion, I'll be happy.

[ He's tired, and a good part of him hopes that things will return to "normal" once they all have a chance to get a decent rest. ]

Well, I guess we should head back in and find out, huh?

[She's sure it'll have a bed at least.]

[ Ivan nods. They should find the others, but the night is still long and won't end until their CEO is wearing a lovely shade of wine. After all that, then they'll finally be able to take in the penthouse proper.

And sleep. ]

☆TRACK I: NOTHING LEFT OF YOU

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