☆TRACK V: I WILL TWIST THE KNIFE PT. 1

[interdimanagers]

Who: Everyone that isn't an opt out!
What: Naomi Rivers throws a terrible holiday party.
When: December 7th, 2054
Where: Naomi's ocean side mansion.
Warnings: Violence, poisoning, various murder attempts, mind control, general uncomfortable lack of consent. Also, probably drug use. Maybe sex? Who knows what you'll get up to.

“I will burn for you; Feel pain for you. I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart, And tear it apart.” ☆I WILL TWIST THE KNIFE The first two hours of the solstice party are surprisingly normal. Members of both labels arrive by private sky shuttle, and are invited into the ballroom for food and drink. It’s even more surprising when both Lesedi Santiago and Edward Blanche arrive as well, and spent most of that first period speaking quietly in a nearby lounge area. Lesedi’s body guards and Juno watch the space around them, keeping anyone of lesser important from interrupting what looks to be quite the serious discussion. After food, the ballroom stage is taken over by a number of increasingly impressive entertainment pieces. It seems to be obligatory for everyone to stay and watch (not that it’s a struggle – the talent involved is unmistakeable), but not long into it Lesedi and Edward can be seen disappearing outside together, and show no immediate signs of returning. And that’s when Naomi Rivers takes the stage. To the Virgo that have heard it before, the song is more viscerally familiar than anything you’ve only heard once should be, and it awakens the ideas that were implanted there the night before. You have a job to do here, tonight. One that is only fair – almost righteous. Lesedi Santiago and her ilk will suffer for her transgressions. The performances end, and everyone is released out to the rest of the grounds, to mingle and celebrate at their leisure. While things may seem civil on the surface, beneath that something dark is brewing. You gradually begin to notice that almost none of the more veteran members of either label are present. ► BALLROOM: The central nexus of the party, the ballroom is the location of the buffet table, the stage, and the dance floor. There will be music available all night, even after the official “performances” have ended. There are tables set up around the edges of the room for eating and relaxing. ► LOUNGE: Where Lesedi and Edward were having their meeting earlier, the lounge is filled with comfortable chairs, classic art, and a large, ornate fireplace. If you figure out who to ask, there are a number of chemical vices available to all guests. ► BALCONIES: There is a generous series of balconies that line the exterior of the upper floor. The ocean can be seen from one side and the gardens can be seen from the other. ► GUEST ROOMS: Down the halls from the ballroom there are a few generous guest bedrooms that have been left open for use. ► GARDENS: Out towards the back there are a wide variety of plants, and a well kept stone path and manmade waterfall. The plant life is on the sedate side due to the winter, but it’s still green. ► OUTDOOR POOL: There’s a pool out front with a shallow and a deep end. The water is clear and artificially warmed. ☆OOC CONSIDERATIONS Please remember that any attempted assassinations are meant to remain covert, and if your character is incapable of being stealthy then you must assume that any attempts you make are happening towards the end of the evening – let’s say around 11PM. The spell compelling people to do this does not want a riot or a bloodbath – what it wants is for people to die before the rest of the group can realize that anything is even going on. Of course, this isn’t exactly going to work out, but if you are finding yourself getting into the realm of intense physical violence you might want to stop and slow down a little. Virgo members that didn’t hear the song the night before are free from any compulsions, and so are all members of Pride. If non-mind controlled characters start clueing in to what’s going on and start trying to evacuate in large numbers, that is where you’ll want to wrap up threads and wait for Part 2 of the log, which will contain the end results and will be triggered by any large amount of chaos. If any characters attempt to escape earlier in the evening, they’ll find that the shuttles have all been grounded, and wandering in the woodland nearby just seems to result in them getting lost and ending up back at the mansion. It’s a real pickle. If you’ve got any question about what’s going on please leave them on the original plot post and they’ll get answered! The opt out event will be posted ASAP. “I will lie for you; Beg and steal for you. I will crawl on hands and knees until you see: You're just like me.”

Comments

A!

[dishevelment]

['Hurricane Luce' indeed. Koumei can't take his eyes off of her as she moves across the ballroom, the sharp lines of her suit hugging her curves with a timeless elegance that many other women in the room would envy. Koumei's own tastes were questionable at best, but that didn't deter him from approaching.]

I don't think there's a more lovely flower here, [he said in greeting, smiling as he offered a hand.]

[giglio_madonna]

[She turns as he approaches her, and fighting against the coy smile that spreads across her lips is impossible. Giggling, she lays her hand in his.]

I don't know, I think the ones you're wearing are rather charming.

[dishevelment]

If you really say so-- this was mostly to make a few people stop worrying about whether I was going to make it or not.

[The questionable fashion taste was in some ways an intentional jab at Pride's execs, and partly because he was actually fond of it. Savvy as he was about what went on around him, it was easy to figure out what he could get away with that would still annoy people and keep them quiet.

Besides, red was a color that suited him.]

[giglio_madonna]

Oh? So you had some trouble, hm?

[Casually but discretely, she starts to walk while trusting him to come with. This can be dismissed as usual small talk, but while Blanche and Santiago are around, well, she wants to have a real conversation with him without getting scolded. A little bit of privacy will do them good.]

[dishevelment]

Sleep isn't always kind to me,

[he confided in a wry tone, punctuating the comment with an almost flippant shrug. Following her lead, they left the prying eyes of management and into one of the many lounges that were hidden inside the opulent mansion.

A little bit of privacy would go a long way.]

[giglio_madonna]

Chamomile tea helps with that sort of thing sometimes, you know. Or others. I know a few if you'd like some recommondations.

[It's only when they're in another lounge and Luce does a quick glance around to make sure they're really empty before she stands on her toes to kiss his cheek.]

I'm glad to see you again.

[dishevelment]

I missed you too, [Koumei replied, bending down to press a kiss against her forehead in return.] I tried chamomile tea-- and it's got nothing on your singing.

Perhaps we should talk to the doctor about getting a prescription?

[giglio_madonna]

A prescription we'd have to smuggle past the borders, but I'm sure we could figure something out.

[Holding back her giggles, she sits down and tugs him with her.]

Sleeping aside, I hope Solstice hasn't been wearing you down too much. It's such a busy month.

[dishevelment]

[Koumei followed her lead, and easily slipped an arm around her slender shoulders while he made himself comfortable on the seat.]

It is, but it's all worth it. For a bunch of rowdy weirdos, Pride certainly likes to have fun together for Solstice. I'm not sure if Virgo is the same...

[A hand slipped upward, idly toying with some loose strands of her hair.]

Pity border control is so tight. I'd like to bring you along as my Plus One.

[giglio_madonna]

Hey now!

[She reaches up to tap his lips with a light laugh.]

Virgo put this together, didn't it? Give us a little credit, now.

[dishevelment]

Hah. You'll get plenty of credit if no one dies of alcohol poisoning tonight.

[He chuckled. Pride may have been his home label, but they partied a little too hard for his tastes at times.]

[giglio_madonna]

Oh, come on, now. [She swats his arm lightly, laughing softly.] Having lived in the Virgo penthouses for a good few months now, I can promise you that we aren't the type to go wild.

[Although... That does remind her of something, and Luce pauses.]

Hm, but you know, I talked to a Virgo vet a little before this... Anasi, have you heard of her? She seemed to think this whole get together was a bad idea.

[dishevelment]

[Games and pretenses were momentarily dropped at those words.]

...did she, now? [Koumei stilled, regarding Luce with concerned eyes under furrowed brows.] Miss Anasi. Did she say anything else?

[giglio_madonna]

Yes. [Luce sobers up as well.] She mentioned Virgo politics being, well... Virgo politics.

[AKA nasty as hell. But Luce knew that.]

Apparently there was some complicated things going on behind the scenes, that newbies tend to be used as canon fodder, normal things... She said that inviting Pride is a recipe for disaster, too. I got the impression she thought something would happen.

[Her shoulders roll in a shrug.]

Of course, that could all just be the usual things.

[dishevelment]

It sounds like Virgo isn't much different from Pride after all, [Koumei intoned torn between bitter amusement and disgust over everything.] Virgo just likes to put a pretty face on it; Pride simply has no shame.

....Whatever happens, Luce, please be careful. I'd be terribly upset if something happened to you.

[giglio_madonna]

Oh, come on now.

[Reaching up, she sweeps some of his messy hair out of the way with a grin.]

I know how to keep myself safe, you know! You don't live in Vista City for a few years without learning some cleverness. I think you need more protection than I do.

[dishevelment]

[Koumei grinned back, looping an arm around her waist to pull her closer.]

I'm more than just a pretty face, you know. There's no degree on my wall, but I still have a brain.

[giglio_madonna]

Oh, do you, dear?

[Her lips grin against his skin when she kisses his jaw.]

It's hard to see past all that messy hair. One of these days I'm going to sit on you and battle all those tangles.

[dishevelment]

Are you sure you want to? It's very thick.

[A sane man would have cut that mane long ago, but Koumei was used to it. That didn't mean he enjoyed maintaining it, however.]

[giglio_madonna]

That just means it'll give me something to do.

Besides. [She flicks some of his bangs with a grin.] Someone has to eventually.

[dishevelment]

[Koumei just chuckled at that, and dipped down to brush his heavy bangs on her face as well.]

It's also an excuse to be with you-- I guess I'll deal with it!

[giglio_madonna]

[An eskimo kiss is given to his nose for his trouble, and Luce can't stop smiling.]

I've won you over with my feminine wiles once again~.

[dishevelment]

[D'aw. That smile is so adorable-- the eskimo kiss is returned with one in kind.]

I don't know, Luce. You had me at 'hello.'

[giglio_madonna]

Now isn't that a fairy tale? [Curling up against him, she hums.] Meeting each other at a masked ball and being won over like that.

[dishevelment]

[Koumei chuckled.]

What can I say? You're my kind of girl-- if that makes it a fairy tale, then it's about as complicated as a dollar store romance.

Not that they're all that bad.