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

a: the grinning gala.

[Whoever was handed the reins to Pao-Lin's wardrobe for tonight must be supremely smug about forgoing any semblance of disguise in favor of visual punning on her band's name, pairing a tiered pink dress with a sugar skull mask topped with flowers. Pao-Lin has also been given a large sugar skull lollipop as an accessory, with strict instructions not to actually eat the thing. But Pao-Lin's gonna Pao-Lin, so one might catch her taking quick licks when she thinks no one is looking.

Fortunately, such moments are actually few and far between, because will ya look at that food table. There's more food there than Pao-Lin has seen in her lifetime -- and that's just the dessert table!]

It all looks so good! Which one should I try first?

b: the broken memory.

[The last thing on Pao-Lin's mind during the awards ceremony is the series of strange (some might say paranormal) events that had transpired during her band's recent tour. She's more curious about whether her band or any band she knows might be getting an award tonight. Surely Flowers Over Bones should get at least one, right? They had such good reception at every city they went at...!

The memory almost doesn't register to her at first. A chill trills through her body a moment before it begins, but it could have been due to the air conditioning taking a toll on her bare back and shoulders. And what she sees now is much like what she'd just been seeing seconds before -- an awards ceremony, full of pomp and anticipation.

Except that, instead of being in the audience, she herself stands upon that exalted stage. She feels as though she's revolving in her chair to face everyone else...

"We're about to announce the results of this season's Hero TV!" the announcer blares. One by one the spotlights illuminate Pao-Lin and her costumed compatriots, shining bright and hot, but they don't blind her as much as the excitement bubbling up from within her. This is her first awards ceremony of any kind, ever. Even if she doesn't win, it's just enough to be up here, her accomplishments being celebrated.

"With 12,730 points...the King of Heroes is -- "

Pao-Lin jerks as if zapped...and spills the parfait she'd been working on all over her dress.]

c: the open path.

[DO A THING WITH PAO-LIN.]

[ If Ivan ever needs to find Pao-Lin, he only has to check the food tables. However, during the award ceremony, they are seated at the same table. There's a chance Flowers Over Bones could win an award, but Ivan thinks the judging panel doesn't understand their music and what they're trying to do. It's Pao-Lin's accident that draws his attention away from the ceremony and other bands. He gets up as someone is introducing the next award category and takes a few things from a table over (only bumping into another chair twice). ]

Here, use this.

[ He doesn't care what people think when he carries off half a dozen cloth napkins to help his bandmate clean herself up. Pao-Lin has wasted food. That's not normal for her. ]

Are you feeling okay?

[ Could it be one of her bouts of illness? ]

[Pao-Lin has already started using the actual tablecloth to wipe off her dress (gosh, she super-loved this dress too!). She's grateful for the napkins, though, and takes them when Ivan offers them to her, dabbing frantically yet confusedly at the stain (is this the right way to be wiping off a stain on a dress?).]

I'm fine. I just...had a weird thought, that's all.

[She wants to laugh it off, like she usually does whenever she has one of her "spells," and does manage a faint smile, her eyebrows helplessly raised. But this doesn't feel like something to laugh over.]

[ They can see if the dry cleaners will be able to save the dress, or they can just get a new one. ]

It's not like you to be distracted when food is involved.

[ Distracted by food is one thing, but this is being distracted away from food by a random thought? Still, Ivan returns the smile, even if it's hidden by his mask, and he dips a napkin into a glass of water for her to use to clean up any stickiness. ]

[That manages to get a laugh from her, if a tiny one.]

Really?

[She hadn't thought about it.]

[ Hopefully they are able to salvage the dress for the rest of the night. Ivan doesn't want Pao-Lin to worry about how she appears on camera after the food accident. ]

I think the only time when you wouldn't be distracted is when you're performing.

[ It's part of her charm and why people like her. Ivan can't imagine Pao-Lin not liking food as much as she does. ]

So, what was your random thought? It must have been something important.

Pao-Lin Huang | Virgo Entertainment | Flowers Over Bones

B

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B since we already did a food thread!

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A! btw do you want them to know each other already or is this their meeting?

yeah sure they know each other already. :D

sounds good!

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A

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A

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a.

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