☆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

Johanna Mason | OTA

[wickedlyable]

{ o1 - the party }

Johanna’s actually enjoying herself tonight, despite not having any hand in the planning process. Organizing shit like this was boring, she knew that - and she definitely wasn’t the type to try to suck up to the label in this way. But now that the night of the event has come, she’s having fun. Not only does she get great food all night long, but she also gets to dress up in something avant-garde, simultaneously elaborate and revealing. She’s not one for much conversation, but if anyone wants to drink or dance with her, she’ll be totally up for the task. After all, where better to let loose than a party on her own turf?

{ o2 - the song }

But when all is said and done, Johanna isn’t a fun person. She’s not much of a person besides her anger, really. And now, after that song by Naomi, something has changed. Something within her has clicked for the first time in a while, and all that blood rushing under her skin finally has direction.

Of course, Pride is the fucking worst. Of course, Pride deserves to wiped off the face of the planet. Johanna is a loaded gun, and it’s thrilling, really, for someone to have finally popped that safety for the first time in a while. At first, though, she’s content to be subtle about it, seeking out people to poison with a cruel twist to her lips and a knife tucked away in the bodice of her dress.

{ o3 - the dance }

It’s getting late, and too many damn people are alive. Johanna grits her teeth, storming through the ballroom at this point, totally ignoring the disasters that have already wiped through the place, the brawls that are currently taking place around her. How many botched murders can there be in one night? Why is she doomed to constantly be surrounded by imbeciles, by people who have no idea what they’re doing?

She doesn’t waste time inspecting that thought, wondering where it came from when she’s obviously never done anything like this before. Instead, she openly twirls the knife in her hand, looking for someone who seems like an easy target at this point.

{ o4 - wildcard }

[ Note: all of these options are open to everyone, but know that these threads will be before her threads with Aramat and Squalo, and that Johanna isn't going to be reaching her peak levels of violence until then! ]

02/03?

[scalpedsociety]

She remembers taking a drink from Luce a couple of minutes ago... it was supposed to calm her nerves after that performance. But she just wants to sleep every part of her body feels like it's covered in lead... even worse is that the party... seems to have gotten more tense. Virgo signees seem to sneak about, all of them look like ready for something, something not good. Why do I know this?

A vision pours into her head, a rake having tea with herself and 10 to 11 other ladies. Soon the tea turns into a mauling, quick and brutal, the rake's blood pooling under their feet... It feels just like that, the anticipation before the attack. Why do I know this?!

Tamara may struggle to try to go the nearest guest room, splash some water on her face or even find something illegal to keep her up.

She just doesn't want to close her eyes. Don't let me fall asleep... awful things will happen...

Tamara knows this isn't the first time she's thought this or even said it, it doesn't put her at ease. At all.

3 would be best!

[wickedlyable]

Johanna runs into Tamara as the woman is returning to her seat, and there's a grim sort of humor in the smile that breaks out on her face. The woman already seems to be poisoned to her - but here's an execution she'll see through to the end, just to make sure. "Need some help there?" she asks sweetly, reaching out to steady the woman with one hand as if there isn't a knife clenched in her other.

[scalpedsociety]

Tamara knows just by looking at the woman that she isn't to be trusted. Everyone is Virgo is not to be trusted.

"No, I'm fine." She'll try to quickly pull away from Johanna, but all Tamara accomplishes is stumbling. This is bad.

[wickedlyable]

“Aw, you’re practically falling over,” Johanna coos, her grip on the other woman’s arm tightening. “Come on, let me help you out. Let’s sit down, alright?” Guiding her to a seat will look less suspicious to any other Pride members watching, she hopes. “Are you feeling okay?”

[scalpedsociety]

This only sends Tamara in even MORE of a panic, desperately trying to pull away from Johanna and the chair.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" But everything just feels so slow...

2

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Where the fuck was the rest of her band? She'd walk out of this place if she had to, that's how desperate Luci is to leave this party. Eventually one of Haru's bandmates would find her handcuffed upstairs, and then she'd have to go on and on about the whole damn thing again. Screw the party, this is personal.

But of course, none of them are responding to her texts (are they even sending...?), and she can't spot any of them in the crowd. She looks around, annoyed, and locks eyes with Johanna.

Well well, if it isn't Queen of the Liquid Liner. Luci can't help herself, she's stressed, she's pissed, somebody is about to hear from her. She smirks at Johanna and flicks her finger from the corner of her eye out, as though she were winging her eyeliner. The motion turns into a condescending little wave and then Luci's looking at her phone again. She didn't go after Luci backstage at the festival, why would she now?

[wickedlyable]

Oh, if only she wasn't just looking for someone to fight with right now. Johanna makes her way across the room to her slowly, a smile breaking out over her face. That label really does deserve to die after all. Kind of them, to make it so obvious.

"Hey, Pride bitch," she says by way of greeting once she's close enough to Lucifer. "Do you have something you want to say to me?"

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Woah.

This is obviously not what Luci expected, and the raised eyebrow and thumb poised mid-text says as much. The name isn't new (she prefers 'Queen Bitch', but what can you do at a Virgo party?), and the aggression isn't unfamiliar either. But from someone who seemed to be all talk and adamant about not caring just a few days ago? Bizarre. Luci had seen that tabloid about their argument, but surely some dumb thing like that hadn't prompted cross-label pejoratives?

...but far be it from Luci to walk away when prompted.

"Happy Solstice."

[wickedlyable]

"Yeah, sure," Johanna scoffs, raising her eyebrows. She's not an idiot. "Come on, Lucifer. Let's not lie to each other." Johanna's definitely getting right up into Lucifer's personal space as she asks, "are you certain that's all you want to say?"

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Oh this is great. She's losing her mind because Luci won't bitch her out like a normal diva. This is the best part of this party-- even better than doing coke with Squalo (and that had been pretty good).

Luci seems very comfortable with Johanna right in her personal space-- she even puts her hands into her pockets despite their being inches apart from each other. Grinning, Luci adds:

"And a successful New Year too, darling." And there's a little squeaking air-kiss that follows.

03+04

[sharktrash]

(( after this thread reaches conclusion!.. ))


At first, Squalo isn't particularly concerned by the... well, increasingly suspicious atmosphere. Some people sauntered off to more private areas - normal. Some looked completely baked or drunk - also normal. Some were actually falling over by now, maybe not entirely normal, but also not unheard of. Greenhorns who didn't know how much they could handle, most likely.

Except, oh, there's Johanna marching across the hall with a butcher knife.

He's probably talked to her earlier. Maybe even offered a dance before slipping away to socialize with others, who knows. He generally likes her, really. So at first he watches with some curiosity, but then something else gets his attention --

And when he finally looks back, Aramat's on the floor, bleeding, and Johanna's standing over her looking all ready to finish his old teacher off. For fuck's sake, is the whole party going mad?

He'll be there in an instant, and do what seems reasonable at the moment: grab the young woman by the arm to keep that knife at bay and pull at her, making her face him instead.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

[wickedlyable]

She isn't expecting to be interrupted. She should've been - but her attention is fully focused on the woman, and it shocks her, to be pulled away from finishing the job by someone. Her eyes jump up to Squalo's as she staggers a step or two in his direction, away from Tamara's body. Fuck, this is not how this was supposed to go.

Her instincts jump in at this point. Without hesitation, she lets the knife drop from her hand, and adopts a frightened expression. "This isn't what it looks like. Look, I'm not crazy, okay? Why would I hurt this lady? I don't even know her." She tries to look as small as possible, waiting for his grip on her arm to loosen in the slightest.

[sharktrash]

He makes sure to place himself between them, and narrows his eyes slightly. It's true - there's no reason she would've done this, right? At the same time, that's exactly what someone who has would say. It's not like Virgo is actually out to get them though, right? But the security should've been too tight for any random thugs to get in.

...he should really finish this conversation quick and check on Tamara, though.

"You were holding a knife," he points out, not letting go yet.

[wickedlyable]

"Yeah. Cause if I see someone who looks knocked out, I'm not going to check out what's up without something to defend myself with," she responds easily, glancing at her arm and wincing a little. "Could you let go now? You're kind of hurting me."
He's not really, but how else is she supposed to get rid of him if he doesn't loosen his grasp?

[sharktrash]

He looks her in the eyes for a few long moments.

What she says not unreasonable, and it really does look like he's hurting her. No, seriously, that wouldn't be the case for someone capable of stabbing someone, right? Looks like brainwashing comes with buying excuses more easily for him.

"Right," he says. Not quite an apology... but he's letting go of her wrist and starting to turn away. The other woman is still on the floor, after all. "...Tamara?"

01

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick meets Johanna at the drink table by chance, hoping that a little more liquor will help with all the socializing he has to be doing right now. He barely recognizes her at first, but after a glance up and down he smirks and takes a sip of his drink.

"Nice dress," he says, in a way that is only slightly leery. That's on purpose.

[wickedlyable]

"Yeah." Because it is nice, okay? Johanna is more amused than anything as she finishes topping off her drink before looking at Finnick. When she sees how he's looking at her, though, the smile drops off her face. "Ew, Odair. I'm not one of your groupies. Don't look at me like that."

[thelittlemerman]

He does as he's told, but he laughs as he looks out at the rest of the party. "You certainly aren't," he says. It's a bit of a relief, actually not to be surrounded by fans. It's an entirely different environment, which means it's slightly more relaxing. He can give Johanna a hard time without a fan overhearing and losing their mind over this or that.

"It really is a nice dress, though," he continues. "Are you having fun?"

[wickedlyable]

Oh, that's weird. A little. Johanna frowns, surprised that he's not clinging to his politeness as much as he was last time they spoke. She eyes him more curiously than before as she speaks. "Um. Yeah? There are free drinks. Who the hell wouldn't be having fun?"

[thelittlemerman]

Well, Finnick, for one. It's not that he's having a bad time, there's just nothing particularly fun about it. He makes a noncommittal sound to communicate the precise level of his apathy.

"It's still kind of work, isn't it? Showing off for and rubbing elbows with the competition. We can't really let loose," he says, with a touch of remorse. It might be hard to picture Finnick really letting loose, but he does theoretically know how to have fun. Theoretically.

3

[neonmonstrosity]

Chris isn't exactly worried per se, but since they lost Kanami recently and now Parker doesn't seem to have made it tonight. He just wants to know what the deal is, make sure Johanna and Shotaro are about.

It is, however, a little worrying to come across Johanna casually twirling a knife like it's no big deal. He comes up to her, moving to put a hand on her wrist to push her hand out of immediate view of anyone else - he's not gonna try and take it off her, there's a dumb idea if ever he heard one - and gives her a look.

"The fuck are you doing?" If anything, he sounds more confused rather than anything else.

[wickedlyable]

Johanna scowls instinctively and pulls her hand away from him when he touches her wrist. “Don’t,” she says sharply, eying him as if he’s the one who’s not in his right mind. “I’m taking care of Pride. Why aren’t you?”

[neonmonstrosity]

He looks at the knife, and then back at Johanna, still confused. Chris catches the meaning of 'taking care of' but what he doesn't get why. Why... Would they want to do that to Pride? They throw such good parties.

"Uh," Chris frowns, "because I'm not a fuckin' murderer?"

[wickedlyable]

Oh, but that's kind of funny. "That's what they all say the first time," Johanna says, raising her eyebrows a little. "If that's all that's bothering you about it, I can give you some pointers. It's really not that hard."