interstellar5555 | When looking at the sky tonight

Entry tags:

When looking at the sky tonight

Who: Garnet, accompanied by Cosmic Indulgence, OPEN
What: Garnet's gone solo. Things are changing, including Garnet herself.
When: Second week of April
Where: Various places in Vista City
Warnings: None for the moment

A. Never Alone (OPEN)

Anyone who knows Garnet's routines might notice that they've started to change in the past few weeks. Its been subtle, or was at first. Koumei's "release" from the label made the changes become a little more obvious.

Namely, people might have become aware that Garnet's schedule included less and less time with her band, particularly in public. This isn't an oversight. People who know how the industry works will tell you, this is a sign. Garnet's gotten too big for the band. Its only a matter of time before it becomes official. She won't be with her band indefinitely.

What she is with, now, is her agent. A very chipper, almost annoying little slip of a lady who will talk anyone's ear off if they come near Garnet. Her accent is Southern and her make up perfect. She'll give suggestions as to things Garnet can do if she's not doing them, fields questions from nosy people with clever deflections, and gently pushes away anyone she doesn't like near her client. But that's not the worst thing.

The worst thing is that as time goes by, Garnet seems less and less worried about stopping her from doing her job. Its part of what needs to be done, right? This is not for her. This is for those she cares about. Now that the attention is on her, as long as she does this, no one else will need to be hurt.

Right?

B. Alone on the Stage, OPEN

Garnet's been playing everywhere. Alone. Quite a lot. And the crowd loves it. Adores it. Will take offense if anyone tries to get on stage with her, even. Not that it should stop other musicians from trying to do a duet with her, right? Garnet's been known to do impromptu duets and they were always good!

Its just that those nobodies just have to accept they're not the ones the crowd came to see. And if they try to upstage Garnet during the duet, or really anytime during the performance, well, the crowd will let them know how they feel. Violently if need be.

Not Garnet. At least, not in front of the public. But the stormclouds are brewing in her eyes, oh annoying interloper. And once she drags you backstage, you're going to regret it.

C. Alone in the Cosmos, CLOSED to Cosmic Indulgence

They were only in one picture for the magazine photoshoot. They had to wait in the normal line to enter the clubs and gigs they were supposed to be playing at. They were shoved aside whenever Garnet entered the room - that is, if they were even playing in the same room. Their official status was "on-call, as needed by Garnet"; they otherwise stewed in the penthouse while Garnet made the rounds with live appearances on TV. Commercials. There were rumors of a movie called "Doctor of Keytarnomics" that she'd star in.

Oh, and the World Tour announcement band line-up name? Garnet, accompanied by Cosmic Indulgence. She had veto power over songs and costumes for the tour. And she was getting ready to move all of her stuff to her seaside home - if the band wanted to make official recordings, they would have to do it at her studio, according to Garnet's new agent, as relayed to their agent.

What the hell was happening to the band's mother figure?

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Guess who has too many piercings and is arguing with Page about the band's 'new direction.' Well, 'too many' is debatable but Terry is still in hot debate with Page while they wait for Garnet to arrive or... whatever it is she does now.

"You should be happy," is Page's opinion, "this is a huge step for the band."

"What band?" Terry huffs and throws himself down on the nearest seat, "you mean me and Sabo playing backup?"

"Garnet--"

"I'm happy for Garnet, but I didn't sign for this."

And they go on and on in circles. It's all becoming more and more fragmented and Terry never wanted this. He's frustrated and coming apart at the seams, so Page is bearing the brunt of it while they wait.

A fan meet and greet. She was alone. The others hadn't even been asked to come. Garnet had reasoned it to be an oversight, one her agent promised to look into once they got back. But, she does finally return, her face seemingly inreadable, her agent right behind her.

"Ok~!" That irritating, syrupy Southern accent rings through the room as the two sit down. "Now, I've just called in Ingrid Stockinger to do a quick touch up for your face before we leave the penthouse again. Unfortunately, we'll have to tone down the make up and clothing for the interview, since his biggest demographic is seniors..."

Garnet is just nodding, looking down at the papers the agent slides to her, looking them over. Its clear that her new agent has got her in a way that she barely even realizes Terry is in the room with her. He might be forgiven in thinking she looks a tad dazed.

God he hates Garnet's agent. She hasn't actually done anything in particular, but in the short time she's been around Terry has found her nothing short of annoying.

"Garnet-- we were just talking about you!"

Page is excited to see the band's breakout star, but Terry has nothing to say on the topic anymore. He has his feet up on the table and has suddenly become extremely engrossed in his phone. Not that he's brattily ignoring Garnet, but that's exactly what he's doing.

"Hm?" Looking up, Garnet spotted Page - and then, finally, spotted Terry. "Oh, hey there, Terry. How's it been going with you and Sabo?"

"Fine." Terry shrugs and refuses to look up from his phone, "he's good, I'm good. It's whatever."

He sounds sullen. Almost annoyed. Surely, she can figure it out. He's in her band, after all.

"...Are you sure about that?"

That gets him to look up from his phone and-- maybe he's being unreasonable. God does he hope he is, you don't get to choose the kind of success you get, but he feels like Garnet may as well be gone too. Like she's totally buying into this shit without a care for what it means. For who it's coming from. It's like everyone who matters is being taken away and he's watching Garnet leave by choice.

"I don't know," Terry sighs and looks back at his phone, "do you care?"

"...What?"

That...that hurt. That question hurt, and Garnet's mouth opens a little, as a result. Didn't Terry know why she was doing this? She was protecting them. And look - nothing bad had happened since she'd put herself into it. Not to Terry, or to Steven...though...Koumei..

"Of course I c-"

"Terry!" There's a gasp from the agent, cutting Garnet off. "What kind of a question is that? She's the Keytar Mom, and moms always care! Why, would you have this success and stability without her? Of course not!"

Garnet's hand had come up to try and...who knows what she could be doing to stop her agent. What can she do? Her hand went down, almost defeated. She knows her agent won't shut up.

"Oh, speaking of, Mr. Page, dear, I've helped to arrange a little gig for the boys. Something intimate, let them get ready for the World Tour. I'm sure we can coordinate..."

Terry laughs, and it's a tired, defeated laugh down at his hands. 'Moms always care,' huh. His doesn't, and apparently neither does Garnet. He honestly feels like he could choke on how bitter he's feeling right now, and he just needs to not be here for a while. Somewhere that isn't a reminder of how terrible everything is.

"Sorry, mom." Terry swings his feet off the table and gets up abruptly, offering a thin smile to everyone in the room before he turns to leave, "I'm going to my room."

"Terry, wait." Garnet began to stand, making her way towards her bandmate. Her friend. He...he knows that still, right? "Please. What's wrong?"

"Isn't it obvious? Looks like someone's just being petulant." Her agent pursed her lips. "You know, if he worked as hard as you, maybe he'd know how it felt to keep the band afloat, hm? We all know he's been a problem in the past, after all."

"Wait..." Garnet turned to look at her agent, then at Terry. "He's...he's not a problem..."

Edited 2016-04-11 23:40 (UTC)

If he worked half as hard? Terry stops in his tracks, and for a moment one could be mistaken for thinking there's some sort of creeping shadows up his arms - he works his ass off. They all do-- did - but he decides it's not worth the fight. This is just how it is now.

"It's fine, Garnet. Go do your photoshoot or whatever."

"Please, Terry." Garnet turned to her agent. "Please, give me several minutes."

She started to walk towards Terry.

"You're my bandmate. Your problem is my problem. You know that, right?"

He pauses again at his door, chewing his lip as he looks at Garnet.

"Sure doesn't feel that way."

Terry shakes his head, almost as though he's disappointed, and opens the door to go into his room. He won't stop Garnet from coming in, but he doesn't really want to talk to her either.

Well, when he said it like that, there was no way that Garnet couldn't follow. She walks in in tall strides, her eyes wide as she closed the door behind her.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm doing this to protect you...to protect everyone I care for!"

Ah, so that's the reason. Terry turns to face Garnet, expression questioning as much as it is angry.

"How does buying into Santiago's shit protect anyone?"

It stung. It was clear it did, but something made it...sting as much as it should. Slowly, Garnet took off her glasses to look at Terry; there was a dullness in her eyes that before, had not been there. What was worse was that Garnet herself, seemed not to realize it.

"What choice do I have?"

Outside, Page and her agent could be heard speaking in low tones.

Edited 2016-04-12 00:42 (UTC)

"Maybe don't leap feet first into this MVP thing and then tell me you're doing it for me?"

He keeps looking at her, searching her face for some hint of the Garnet he loves and respects. For some of that passion and fight he's always looked up to, but it's not there.

"Have you even noticed Koumei's gone, or are you too busy with your solo shows and interviews?"

It's a low blow, and Terry regrets it as soon as he's said it. But the words are out there now, he can't take it back.

"You--"

There it was. A small flame suddenly flared up in her eyes at this, and her eyebrows furrowed. It was still there. But confused. Something covered it, clouded it.

"Its because Koumei left. Its proof I have to keep going. She can't hurt anyone else, once she's seen what we can do. What I can do. She not strong enough, that she will just be able to get rid of me or anyone I care for without questions. Don't you see? I don't want anyone else to be hurt, and I know what I need to do to ensure that. She wants me to be at my best. And as long as no one else is hurt, she knows, I will do my best and perform! We all have to and will!"

There was Garnet, but there was also those honeyed words of Pride. Do your best. Sell records. Lesedi was strong, she was weak. Garnet knew what she had to do. The band would surely understand they had to follow Lesedi.

Maybe Garnet didn't even realize that what she was saying, was what was slowly seeping into her from her rise, her reaction to the losses. That she was playing right into Lesedi's hands.

Edited 2016-04-12 00:55 (UTC)

Terry listens, nods along, but it feels like he's just listening to management's words come out of her mouth. The same fucking fear tactics Santiago used to keep them in line even though everyone knows she could pick them off whenever she wanted.

He's done being afraid.

"You know, I never thought you'd let me down, Garnet." He sighs, looking down because he can't look at Garnet anymore. Whoever she is now, she's not the same person he always knew he could rely on. "I guess it's really inviting in Santiago's pockets."

"Let you down!?" Garnet stared at him, the anger - the frustration - rising. "What else am I supposed to do? Let you all just...get killed for fighting back?! You...you were right, I can't do that! And now you're telling me I let you down!?"

Edited 2016-04-12 01:20 (UTC)

"I'd rather die fighting then fucking line up like lambs for the slaughter!" Terry balls his hands into fists at his sides, almost shaking with all the tension and anger in him. "Do you really think we're safe just because you're playing her game? It's just delaying the inevitable."

"Stop..." Garnet grabbed her head, hearng the simultaneous he's right now and he was right before and futures of death and songs and death and songs and-- "You said it...stop it...what do you want from me!?"

There was a knock on the door.

Edited 2016-04-12 01:30 (UTC)

That's... Not the reaction he expected. Terry freezes for a moment, but the knock on the door jolts him out of it. Enough for him to ignore whoever's at the door and reach out hesitantly to Garnet.

"I was scared, and you showed me we had to keep fighting." He clenches his jaw, hoping so much that this is getting through to her, "you were right."

You were right.

Garnet's head bolted up, turning towards Terry, her eyes wide. The words are like a punch to the guy, and she even looked like the wind was knocked out of her.

"I...was?"

No. You were wrong. You know Stevn will die if--

He puts a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze in the hope that at least some of this will stick with her. Terry knows what it's like when Lesedi gets her claws in you, how hard it is to think you can fight back against that. Honestly, losing Koumei is what made him think that just playing along isn't gonna keep them safe. Just out of Lesedi's ire until she gets bored.

"Don't let them trick you, Garnet. You're only safe until they want something new."

C

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