interstellar5555 | ☆TRACK I: NOTHING LEFT OF YOU

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☆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

[Yuffie looks equally bored next to her. Yuffie was sitting lazily in her chair, tapping her claw rings on the table to the annoyance of pretty much every around them. After a moment, Yuffie leans over to Luci in her general way that means Yuffie's found something ridiculous to mock and wants to share.]

They're breaking up tonight.

[She points her thumb at the stage. The current act on stage rambling about their award is a vaguely indie band that has a gig almost entirely based off of the bass player and the singer being head over heels.]

Not the band. The couple. I heard little miss future pop princess talk about it in the bathroom. She thinks breaking it off will make her write the world's best break up album. He's got noooo clue.

[Yuffie's habit of being the world's most irritating gossip pays off, once again.]

[No kidding-- and Luci loves it. She actively tries to avoid the bathroom when it's populated with sugarpop princesses and stuck-up violinists or some shit, but she can't deny that Yuffie clearly makes the pain and the fight to the mirror worth it.]

No shit... [Luci grins, suddenly enjoying herself.] He does look a little Clueless McGee.

She's even got a title.

[Yuffie does dramatic air quotations for effect, and they clink with her claw finger rings.]

"Things I never told you."

[Her grin is vicious and clearly says what she thinks about this choice.]

Cute. Right?

[She points to the drummer, the only other woman in the band. The drummer's grin is completely rictus, like someone who is in the spotlight and not happy about it.]

Little drummer girl and their pet cronies were going on about how it's going to be the next big thing, but I bet you almost anything she's been texting her manager all night to get out of their contract.

[Luci snorts at the title.] Bloody adorable. That should take her at least two albums, let alone one. He should hope she doesn't wait until part two to suggest he go get tested.

[When the bouncy lead had started boring Luci, she had looked over and noted the drummer's discomfort.] More power to her. Is she the one who holds the sticks like she's trying not to chuck them at her lead, or the one who looks bored all the time?

Yeah. I think drummer girl's going to brain her by the end of the night.

[Yuffie pauses, eyes huge and clearly just having thought of something. She looks up at the stage again and points to the bass player who is clearly still starry eyed.]

Bet you fifty he's already bought a ring.

The Devil does not take bets she cannot win, dear. [Luci smirks.] Maybe we could push the drummer and the sap together. They look decent next to one another.

[Yuffie just grins at her, and then she looks at the pair Luci mentioned. Oh. Oooooh. And this is why Luci is so often her partner in crime.]

....Huh. They do look kinda cute. She's pragmatic and he'd a sap so maybe they can balance each other out.

[She takes out her phone and snaps a picture. For later. She's going to keep an eye on this.]

....Do you think he's noticed that she hasn't thanked him yet in her little speech?

Get some blood pumping in lockjaw's veins, and get Mr. Head in the Clouds a healthy dose of reality check.

[Luci tilts her head, squints a little.]

He's waiting for it to be the last thing she says. Save the best for last, leave the audience with an expression of close and undying love. She's not going to do it, and the interesting thing will be whether he brings it up, or she does.

She looks like she could use some blood pumping. She looks so tense you'd think she's got her sticks up her ass.

[Yuffie looks over at Luci up over the edge of her phone. Her air for the dramatic is one of the most fun things about her. No one can narrate drama like Luci can. ]

I wonder if the press is going to say something before or after they break up about it. [A beat.] Tumblr is going to go nuts.

[The speech is coming to a close, and Yuffie sits forward a bit like someone at a fight.]

Okay.....it's got to dawn on him any second.

We've all got plenty of places to put things, us ladies. [She smirks down at Yuffie and lets the gymnast-guitarist focus on getting the right cell shot when it happens.]

Here we go... [Luci grins. The vocalist goes in for the kill: 'And lastly, of course, I want to thank all of our loyal fans--']

Moneyshot Yuffie, go go go.

[Yuffie's grin is positively evil. And....there...we...go. Yuffie gets herself her picture just as they're ushered off stage. Yuffie hands the phone over to Luci with an air of pride. It's got the full stage, and it clearly shows the entire band, the smiling lead, the oblivious guitarist, the guilty looking drummer, and the bass player who looks like he got slapped in the face.

She's been in the public eye since she was small so why not happily use the public eye for her own benefit? Besides, she's better at it than some of those assholes with a camera.]

I bet you anything their manager is having a panic attack.

[If Yuffie and Luci noticed, that means the managers probably have, which means there is probably a manager tearing her hair out. Someone probably wont have a job in the morning for not noticing this mess before it blew up. It's going to be a hell of thing.]

[Luci receives the phone in a fluid motion, like they've been passing each other their phones for years. She looks at the photo, grins as evilly as Yuffie is, and reaches over to ruffle her between the horns.]

Anybody ever tell you you've got a talent for this? [She brings up Yuffie's internet browser, finds their favorite music board that allows anonymous posting without IP tracking, and drops the photo in an untitled post.]

Let's just hurry this up, I want to see sugarpop's face when her Twitter starts blowing up.

Once or twice.

[Yuffie takes to praise like it's the best thing on the planet, and she sits up to look over Luci's shoulder as she drops it in place.]

Make sure to sound really offended. Their fanbase is like....[She makes a clawing motion in midair, made funnier by the claw rings on her fingers.]

They're gonna loop them back around any minute, that's if he doesn't flip. [Yuffie is clearly way too pleased about possible career homicide. They're not Pride so Yuffie isn't at all worried. All's fair in love and Twitter wars. ] So you're gonna get your wish.

Oh, watch and learn, grasshopper. Watch and learn.

[Luci grins, her thumbs flying over the keyboard as the band is on the move back to their table. 'why didn't marissa mention jayden???? :( are they breaking up????? :(((((']

[She hits post.]

[Yuffie is giggling ridiculously as she reads over Luci's shoulder, tapping on Luci's shoulders as she waits like it will somehow make posting happen quicker.]

I'd say give it about....oh....a minute before someone refreshes their tumblr and gets offended.

[They're probably the least subtle people on the planet at the moment, but who cares. Everyone assumes the Carnies are probably doing something awful like watching themselves or doing something horrific. They may be a little bit right, but fuck them.]

I'd start checking their tag any time now.

Let's double team it-- [Luci hands Yuffie back her phone and pulls out her own. She fires up Twitter.] You cover Tumblr, I got Twitter, first whiner the other stands in line for the next round of drinks.

[As the band approaches their seats, the guitarist catches up with the lead, clearly he wants to talk and she wants none of it. But she pauses and pulls out her phone-- it is blowing up. So is the guitarist's.]

Start your engines, ladies.

[Yuffie's grin is about the most evil thing this side of the Carnival, and Yuffie starts scrolling. The reception's terrible in here. But at least it is better than the bus. The bus's is fucking terrible. She refreshes twice, and in that time the band is beginning to look at their phones and a woman in a high waisted skirt that can only be the manager has her fingers on the guitarist's shoulders and if she didn't know better she'd think the manager was going to strangely the poor guy.

Finally she hits gold.]

I've got Eff-yeah Jayden with a screencap of a reddit repost. You?

Fuck. [Luci laughs, clearly Yuffie's won the race this time. Oh, but then--]

Oh, oh, oh-- [Grinning to match Yuffie, she shoves her phone under Yuffie's nose. It's a direct tweet at the vocalist, which Luci reads for Yuffie's benefit.]

'How cld u?? U'll nvr fnd ne1 bettr thn Jayden!!! U've btryd him, all of us & urslf! Goes 2 shw beauty IS REALLY SKIN DEEP!!!! #here4jayden'

Hashtag 'Here For Jayden'... think it'll trend?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

☆TRACK I: NOTHING LEFT OF YOU

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