☆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

[panspermia]

[ Well, the issue isn't the band, so much as... you know. Pride. ]

Yeah. We gotta look out for who's left on the team, huh?

[ Greg hesitates. ]

Your, uh. Your manager. She look after you guys at all?

[blindfoldcode]

[For a split second, her expression turns into a frown.]

She does her job. I... try not to see her too much. [They've had... disagreements.

In fact they have rarely had agreements.]

[panspermia]

Yeah. I think that's probably smart. I wouldn't want to be around her again, either.

[ It's said idly, frowning at the understatement. ]

[blindfoldcode]

[Again?]

What'd she do to you?

[panspermia]

Ehh.

[ How to say this without getting anyone in trouble. ]

We got into a... well, calling it a fight is kinda generous. One hit per person, ha, she took me out with hers.

[blindfoldcode]

Christ. [Kido shakes her head, eyes wide.]

I'm... Sorry about that. What did you even do to piss her off like that?

[panspermia]

[ Again, he pauses. ]

I'm don't like how she does business. She didn't like me butting in.

[blindfoldcode]

Yeah I can... imagine that. [She shakes her head.] What'd you butt into?

[panspermia]

[ ... ]

...Has she ever hurt you, Kido?

[blindfoldcode]

[She stares at him, dumbly for a long moment.]

I argue with her a lot.

[panspermia]

[ He hisses an angry breath through his teeth. ]

She shouldn't be touching you. She shouldn't be near any of you.

[blindfoldcode]

What do you mean, any? [Guess who would not stand for this if she knew about it?

Did you guest Danchou? Wow you're good at this game!]

Nobody else causes trouble like I do.

[panspermia]

[So they really didn't know. Not that Tiger would blame them, god they really are all children.]

The other kids really haven't been acting weird?

[when he thinks of Tiger's attitude from when they first met to now, it's like night and day.

...Well, maybe night and early evening.]

[blindfoldcode]

[Tigers, like, four. Kido can't even imagine somebody getting mad enough to hit him because he's a brat. He's like. Four.

But weird. He's been acting weird. Has Jin really...? Kido's sixteen and has a problem with doing life wrong. Tiger's thirteen and is fussy. It's different. Her eyes widen and then narrow.]

... I didn't know.

[panspermia]

I know.

[ Tiger does everything he can not to tell people things. ]

I'm sorry, I... if there was a way I could help, I would.

[blindfoldcode]

Not getting knocked out might be a good start. [Because shit, she can't imagine Jin's gonna be TOO THRILLED that anyone from the band is even talking to him.]

[panspermia]

Mmm, yeah, I guess.

I'm not that bright a guy, I don't learn my lesson.

[ Nothing Jin can do will convince him to leave Tiger alone at this point. ]

[blindfoldcode]

I'll try to keep a closer eye on him. I can take that shit... he's just a kid. [KIDO YOU'RE JUST A FUCKING KID.]

... Luce texted me a while back. Asking for a friend to look out for him. Are you the friend?

[panspermia]

You shouldn't have to take it either. [ Why so many kids this is awful. ]

Yeah, guess I am. ...Thanks. I, uh, don't have a lot of connections at Pride myself.

[blindfoldcode]

It's better than where I was before this. [A shrug???

And then a kind of smile.] Now you have another one. Give me your number.

[panspermia]

[ Boy, that's not something you say to someone if you want them to worry less. His expression says as much. ]

Yeah, all right. [ He pulls out his phone. ] You too. Give me a ring if you need anything, yeah?

[blindfoldcode]

[She'll bring up her contact screen and trade phones with him? She catches his expression and raises an eyebrow.]

You didn't know? I was a runaway. [Well... she is a background player. Still she expected at least one or two tabloids about her tragic past...] System Crash is my family. Jin or no Jin, Pride's the only home I have.

[panspermia]

[ Ouch. That explains a little bit. It's still harsh. Greg might like the individual band members, but he sure wouldn't want the label in his family. He hands back her phone after punching himself in. ]

I guess every family has to have the terrible aunt that nobody likes.

[blindfoldcode]

[Oh no, the label's not a part of it. Just the kids. But if she has to deal with Jin to stay with them... she will.

But that's not what she was expecting him to say--she snorts at first, surprising herself, and then laugh.]

That's one way to put it, yeah. What's your manager like?

[panspermia]

[ Hoo boy. ]

Kimiko is, uh. She doesn't play around, I can say that much.

[ Despite the nature of their conversation already, he's somehow still hesitant to elaborate. ]