☆INTERLUDE: YOU WILL BELIEVE IN ME

[interdimanagers]

Who: All the opt outs, and DAFT PUNK.
What: Gold and Silver waste everybody's time.
When: December 7th, 2054
Where: A warehouse in outer Vista City.
Warnings: NPCs being cryptic.

“I will cry for you, I will cry for you. I will wash away your pain with all my tears, And drown your fear.” ☆YOU WILL BELIEVE IN ME You were late, for some reason. It doesn't matter whether it was because of an important photo shoot, a performance that ran late, or just being generally slothful and slow: you're all getting shuffled onto the last shuttle out. Maybe you didn't want to go to he party and were trying to avoid it. There's a weird tension that been leading up to it, especially on Virgo's side, and as you stare out at the cityscape beneath you may find those same misgivings rising up again. No matter your feelings, attendance has been made mandatory. The punishment for not showing is likely not worth the relief of avoiding it, at least if its your fault. So maybe it's a blessing when your shuttle driver suddenly seems to cease, and then takes your shuttle abruptly off course. It's less obvious at first, but it becomes more and more so as you fly - you're supposed to be heading to the coast, but your flight path is heading down to the south, out to a comparatively barren industrial sector of Vista that you've never actually seen. They are unresponsive to speaking and shouting, and the layer of glass that separates you make it impossible to actually disrupt them. You're more or less the prisoner of this little detour until it finally begins to land, sailing gracefully through the doors of an otherwise unremarkable warehouse. There are two shuttles arriving within the same few minutes - one marked with Pride colours, and the other with Virgo. The entry gate closes, and seals itself. A few minutes after that, your pilot moves for the first time in a while and opens the doors for you, leaving themselves sealed within the cab and apparently not being very fussed about it at all. You're released out into the warehouse, and you can see there are...bean bag chairs littered about? And some coolers filled with beer and vodka? What the hell? One of the walls even has a projector connected to a computer, apparently set up to watch movies. Ultimately, it's not really what you expect out of a sudden hijacking. A few moments later, a pair of masked people who may or may not be familiar come riding out of one of the upper levels on a shared, flying motorcycle, landing and dismounting at a bit of a hectic pace. Gold helmet is at the wheel. "You made it!" they declare, somewhat awkwardly. They sound a bit rushed. Silver pushes themselves off of the back, tucking some kind of device into their leather jacket. "Look, guys, let's make this simple. So far as you're concerned, this is a stick up. You're ours for...the next five hours, let's say. Behave yourself and everyone goes home, no problem." Gold looks over at Silver for a moment, and then addresses you in a bit more friendly manner: "So...point is, you may as well have some fun and just deal with it! Nobody here wants to fight, right? Let's be chill." There's a pause. "We brought booze?" ☆YOU WILL BELIEVE IN ME So, you're stuck here for the foreseeable future, it seems. Your captors don't seem to mean any harm - if you stay non-violent, they will too. There could even be an opportunity to gather some information, if you can keep your cool. The pair of them will be cycling in and out over the night, and despite an apparent tension in the air, they also seem...bored? Maybe just restless. There is something going on that they're not telling you, and it's up to you whether you want answers or not. As it is, they seem happy enough to sit back and watch the movies they have set up on that computer and knock a few back. No ones phones will be able to get signals, in the meantime. You can only wonder what this means for your friends stuck on the other side. “See your face every place that I walk in; Hear your voice every time I am talking. You will believe in me, And I will never be ignored.”

Comments

THE START

[interstellarebels]

For bothering the NPCs when things are just starting off and everybody is agitated. You wanna start a fight? Probably a bad idea, but follow your dreams, kid.

[twoscompany]

[What...the...

Deep breaths, Garnet, deep breaths. These guys do look familiar. And they aren't Predator, at least. So, she counts to ten, takes one more deep breath, and speaks.]

You mind telling us why you're taking us hostage?

[interstellarebels]

[Ah, this one seems mad. But familiar! So that's good, anyway. Gold raises their hands, letting Silver step back to take care of some nebulous business with something like a phone.]

It's kind of complicated, but...hey. You know me. We've talked. Done some business. Garnet, right?

[twoscompany]

...Yes.

[Blink. Huh. That's right. Why she didn't connect it before, when...it doesn't matter. Yet, at least.]

I remember, yes. Even so, I'm curious why we're here.

[interstellarebels]

That's fair.

[They tuck their hands in their pockets, thinking that over - apparently the right answer takes some consideration.]

...Let's just say it was in your best interests that your plans get disrupted tonight. And, this way, not showing up isn't your fault.

1/2

[twoscompany]

My best interests?

Surely you don't think any--

2/2

[twoscompany]

--!?

[Wait.

"It's complicated...Call it my gut instinct."

Genos. Kido. Shen. Those flashes of vision. Her warnings that made no sense.

"Be careful this weekend!"

Her hand goes up almost subconsciously to her mouth, to stifle the gasp.

"Especially if there's anyone from Virgo with you!"]

..........

[He can't mean that. No. No, Gold, please, please re-word that. "Best interests". Those crazy things she somehow saw and got weird looks about (and pretty much worried she was going nuts with until she talked to Genos) were the worst-case--and yet--now flashes of THINGS and NO--

Sorry, Gold, there's now a horrified expression on her face as she comes to her realization. She might also be glancing over at Virgos in the group, worriedly.]

...Please tell me we'll be all right.

[interstellarebels]

[Gold's expression is, of course, unreadable. There's a moment of silence which only the black void of that helmet stares back.]

Nobody in the world can make that promise. You know that. But I can tell you we've done and are doing everything we can to make that a reality.

[twoscompany]

[She closes her eyes. Takes deep breaths again, to calm herself down. This time, not out of anger. People are going to be hurt. She saw it as a possibility. And now, here, there's nothing she can do, is there? Could they have saved everyone?

She can't know. She couldn't possibly know, now. She certainly didn't see Gold and Silver coming.

Looking at the Virgos - then at the Pride - once her eyes opened again, she finally looks back at Gold. Even with everything she just realized, she knows, she can't crumble. She would have to be strong.

She can crumble later, alone, when this is over.]

I can see that...thank you. Hopefully it won't be in vain.

[interstellarebels]

[Gold seems to watch her for a few moments longer, and then moves closer, so that they can speak more privately.]

Did it work?

[gunslingerqueen]

[Nariko doesn't want to start trouble or fights, she's taking the whole thing in stride, really, because let's face it - their lives have been a mess of weird lately. And while that should absolutely bother her it also ... Just doesn't. What really gets under skin, though, is Gold.

Dude's just fucking with her head, man.]

Are you okay in there? [She's genuinely concerned, but for some reason that total blackness around what should be a human head is just so alarming. At least Silver Dude had a little mouth and everything.] Like, how does this work, is this part of your gimmick? I mean, it's definitely cool, though.

[It's just amazing, okay.]

[interstellarebels]

One part gimmick, one part practicality, you could say.

[Gold sounds more amused by the question than anything.]

If you like that, just check this out.

[Apparently triggered by nothing in particular, an LED heart pattern flashes across the dome of the mask.

[gunslingerqueen]

Cool!

[She is so genuinely amazed by it, it's such a fun concept. One finger raises to touch the middle of that heart before she has the sense to realize she'd be poking the guy (???) in the face.] Sorry! That probably makes you the star at parties, huh?

[And speaking of parties she does pause to look around and then regard the both of them a bit more seriously.] Not that I'm complaining, here, but we really just get to hang out and you're not going to do any weird crap to us? You're cool and all and I personally think robots are hot [...] but that might not be everyone's thing.

[Somewhere along the way she drifted into weird territory there, but she's playing it straight when she adds,] All I'm saying is that everyone here has been put through some shit, so I'm really hoping this is as cool as it seems.

[interstellarebels]

Don't really get to attend many parties when you do the things we do.

[But they leave it at that, and listens to what she's saying. If they are grinning when she makes the comment about the robots, it's impossible to tell, though they do raise their hands in a gesture of acceptance as if to say "of course."]

We're not big on the doing weird crap to people thing...unless you ask us to, of course.

[gunslingerqueen]

Hm.

[She seems rather content to leave that statement alone too, especially since it threatens to send her alarm bells ringing. And while their response should tempt her flirty nerve some more instead she just watches them both, as if staring at their masks might give away some tell, or anything that might give her a definitive answer without prying.

It doesn't, of course, so she just has to go with her instincts here.] Even I prefer to save the weird stuff for a second or third date, and since I imagine those things make it hard to kiss [Okay so apparently Silver was always included in this, even though she mainly speaks to Gold?? Look, don't ask her to play favorites, it's just mean.] we might have to settle for cuddling.

[She's really thinking this out.] Are you guys real people under those things? I get that you're being clandestine and all that, but I just want to know if you have real skin or not.

[interstellarebels]

[Gold seems to stare at her for a moment, and then glances back at Silver (who isn't paying much attention) and then back to her again. They lean in a bit closer, and speak quietly.]

Just word to the wise, but I wouldn't be so quick to get that friendly with my accomplice tonight. I respect your cavalier attitude towards adversity and all, but...

[They glance at Silver again. Nothing.]

It's a bad time.

[gunslingerqueen]

[When Gold leans in she can't help looking at his counterpart and while she hadn't really noticed any tension from the other individual, she kind of gets it now. In part because, well, perception is important and Gold is influencing hers. That, and Silver's unbearable quiet and lack of moment is a little eerie.]

Ah, okay, I get it. Sorry, Mr. Silver! [He might not respond to her and she's fine with that, but it had never been her intention to make his night worse. Hopefully he's okay. But she focuses back on Gold pretty quickly.]

You're really chill, though! [... But she can kind of see where that's going.] But you're going to want to hang out with your buddy all night, aren't you?

[For however much good it could do she does pout at him! Come on, Gold, she's a great cuddler! You'll even get no-strings massages and a great movie watcher, and she'll get beer for you! Not that it's a very useful benefit with that mask but, y'know, it's the thought.

Somehow she went from idly messing around, to really thinking about it, and then just outright suggesting this. What a wild time.]

[sponsorigami]

[ He wishes that he had his shamisen. He would have liked to play with them again like he has in the past. However, that doesn't explain what's going on here and now. (Though their entrance was very cool.) ]

I'm not worried about you hurting us, but may I ask what's going on? The rest of my band is going to worry about us not meeting up with them at the party.

[ They aren't going to think he's being his usual unnoticeable self for that long. ]

[interstellarebels]

The situation called for a detour. Sometimes avoiding a conflict is easier than dealing with the aftermath.

[Silver speaks up from over at the motorcycle, now tapping away at some kind of...holo computer screen?]

There's only so much we can do at once.

[sponsorigami]

[ Silver was the one Ivan jammed with before, so between the two, Ivan is more at ease with him. He tries to peer over his shoulder to see more of the holo screen. That kind of technology seems familiar. Is he used to it? ]

... Are you talking about the ghosts that seem to come whenever large groups of us gather?

[ He can't deny that his ninja spirit seems more... active whenever he's with a lot off people, attending some music event. They've been coming more frequently too, whenever someone gets that distant look in their eyes like they're looking somewhere else.

And now Ivan believes that the ninja spirit that's been haunting him is passively possessing him, and he can't force it away. What if it decides to be violent like the other ghost that one time in the basement? ]

[interstellarebels]

[Silver pauses, their hands going still. A long moment passes, and then they turn to face Ivan directly.]

It was you, wasn't it? The one they took control of.

[sponsorigami]

I... yes. I was possessed.

[ It's a time Ivan's not sure how much he should talk about it. Juno didn't want him to worry others with it, but he also felt like he had a duty to warn everyone else about the spirits. He's been going back and forth with how much he dares to say with only those closest to him (or just plain stubborn and aggravating like Yan) got a fuller story. Not the whole one though. ]

How did you...?

[interstellarebels]

I have my ways.

[Silver falls silent for another moment, leaning back against the bike.]

Did they speak to you? What did they say?

[sponsorigami]

Wh-who spoke to me? The spirit?

[ Or Juno? ]

[agains]

A stick-up? Are we being held for ransom?

[ That can't be right. Virgo and Pride being held together -- what third party could possibly have a grudge, except for everyone who isn't making it big in the industry?

Keith's had his phone out to check for a signal, and now his fingers wander towards the camera app. He isn't exactly a master of stealth, though. ]

If you mean us no harm, then there is no harm in introducing yourselves.

[ He'll try to take a picture or video if they don't notice, but won't react violently if the phone is taken away. ]