003 ✽ I'll be with you again

[giglio_madonna]

Who: Various Virgos and Priders
What: What's that? Mall trip? MALL TRIP. A mingle log for party clothes and holiday gifts of all sorts.
When: Before the inter-label party
Where: The Wave Boulevard Mega Mall
Warnings:

Luce hits her fellow Virgo musicians like a hurricane. A loving, maternal hurricane.

For the lucky ones whose numbers she has, it's simply a ring up that morning inquiring if they'd like to go to the WBMM that day for some holiday shopping, or to pick out any clothes for the inter-label party if nothing in their closet is satisfying them. "Or if you just want some fresh air while we still have it," she jokes, even if the more empathetic can taste a hint of sharpness in that line. My, whatever could she be referring to?

For the unlucky ones... She makes a personal visit, practically sweeping some people off their feet. It's a rush of friendly chatter that's almost overwhelming, and some people might find themselves agreeing without realizing what they've done until Luce simply beams as she says she'll pick them up in an hour. "Oh, and you might want to wear a hoodie or something like that. Don't want the paparazzi bothering you too much!"

Congratulations, all of you: You've just agreed to the great mall trip whether you meant to or not.

The Wave Boulevard Mega Mall, or the Double M as it's known to locals, is the largest mall both in Vista City and this side of Americana. Considering things, that's an impressive feat. It's an enormous multi-level building filled to the brim with practically anything your little capitalist heart could desire. Various department stores, a movie theater dominating an entire two floors, an arcade somewhere, proper restaurants and food courts both.... It's called a "mega mall" for a damn good reason.

Once everyone gets there, they're let loose to their own devices.

As for Pride Records? Well. Maybe some of you are just at the mall for your own reasons. Maybe you got a call from Luce or another Virgo friend talking about the place. You don't need much of a reason to be there. Double M is that kind of place.

Comments

[sponsorigami]

I know. I'm not sure if it's the whole town or just the two labels' HQs. And... someone told me that it was ghosts.

[ Ivan would buy that the whole city could be haunted. He's already superstitious. ]

[dishevelment]

It's the first time I've heard it described as ghosts...

[He trailed, brows furrowed as he mulled over what the young man was saying.]

[sponsorigami]

When it first started, I thought that maybe someone had tried to curse our band, but it kept growing bigger with more people. I don't think it's one ghost but many of them attracted to us for some reason.

[ And that's where the books came it. ]

I'm working finding ways to protecting others.

[dishevelment]

...You can protect Luce, Rei and the Doctor by not making a big fuss out of it like this, [Koumei said gently, reaching out to place a hand on one of the books in question.] Whether it's ghosts or not, I know some people over at Pride vanished for a few days-- probably because of something like this.

We need to be careful about this, for everyone's sake.

[sponsorigami]

[ And Pao-Lin! Don't forget the ravenous baby of the family. ]

... I already did that, and that's where I learned it was ghosts.

[ He really doesn't mean to make his disappearance during his exam to sound so hipster-ish, but there it is. Going the ghost angle is actually what Virgo expects of him and easier for him to believe and get on board with (for now). ]

[dishevelment]

[True, but he hasn't met Pao-Lin yet....]

And you accepted their words at face value?

[Koumei sighed and rubbed his head, growing a little frustrated now.]

You do realize that others on your side were brought in, right? At least one of them underwent a medical procedure that even they don't understand because of these 'ghosts' or whatever they are.

[sponsorigami]

Yes, I do. You can call me naive or whatever you want, but I know what I felt.

[ Ivan doesn't have that extreme drive for duty that overrides some of his caution, so he's not as eager to tell Mei about his possession and what Juno told him as he did with Yan. He doesn't understand why Yan would get a surgery and not told about ghosts, but Ivan's positive something spiritual is going on. ]

... Did you know Virgo HQ has a basement?

[ It sounds like a very random question, but he doesn't know what information about the happenings of Virgo musicians he already has. And it certainly sounds like he has some. If he already knows about what happened down there, then the gap of saying more is not so hard to bridge. ]

[dishevelment]

...It has a basement?

[That was curious. Koumei's particular drive for duty included both the need to follow up on strange information, and to keep younger parties safe. It was almost instinctive, although he didn't understand why. Growing up as an only child, he never really had anyone to look out for in his early life.

This? Was strange--- but he didn't see it as a reason to stop.]

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan bites his lip at the question reply. So, Mei doesn't already know. The silence is long and taut as Ivan mulls over his choices.

And he does come to one. ]

... I'm sorry. I don't know you well enough to tell you more.

[ About the lights, his possession, the breaking of their character, and the things they saw upon touching the lights... That information can be dangerous in the wrong hands. If just himself was at risk, he'd be more lenient, but this involves more than just him, even more than his precious band. He won't cause any potential fall for them. ]

[dishevelment]

[Koumei's lips presssed themselves into a firm line....but, frankly, he couldn't blame the young man.

Instead, he reached into his pocket for an oddly neat little business card and pressed it into Ivan's hand.]

Then talk to Rei or Luce about it-- they're good people. And, if you want to talk more, there's my direct line.

...Those of us in Pride are seeing these 'ghosts' too, myself included. Trying to understand all of this is hard, but I think we can figure it out if we work together.

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan takes a look at the business card, front and back, before pocketing it and getting out a sheet of origami paper out. He quickly scribbles down a number of his own and hands it to him. ]

And here is mine. I have talked to them both, and they were both in the basement as well.

[ Truthfully, Ivan's a little hurt that Mei thinks he wouldn't talk to his own band family about what happened. However he doesn't mention it. He gets up to leave, feeling like things will only continue to more toward an uncomfortable direction if he stays. ]

... I don't have anything against Pride Records. I have friends there, and I want to protect them too. I... just want you to know that.

[dishevelment]

[No insult was intended by the suggestion-- Koumei himself hadn't spoken much to his band family about these problems... but, when Keytar Mom Garnet is quietly falling apart in her own way and the other three are caught up in their own affairs, he didn't want to burden any of them with worry.

He didn't fight Ivan's move to leave. There was no use in pressing someone who was uneasy.]

And I want you to know that I feel the same about you. Since our goals overlap, there's a possibility we might work together in the future....whether this problem is indeed ghosts or something more.

[sponsorigami]

[ And soon, even more will be falling apart. Working together and supporting each other will be more important than ever. ]

Right now, we just don't have enough to go on, but I'll be in contact if I find something out major.

[ Or maybe Luce will end up telling him first. Either way, the next time they meet, Ivan will probably apologize for his behavior and say that he no longer believes it's ghosts... save for his random possession in the Virgo HQ basement. ]