3, 2, 1

[blindfoldcode]

Who: Kido, Genos and You!
What: A performance
When: Jan 13, evening
Where: Club Medusa
Warnings: feeling manipulation from people who don't know they have it

MANTICORE's frontman guitarist and System Crash's "please stick me as far in the back as possible" bassist are accidentally putting on one hell of a show.

Visit headers for more.

Comments

BACKSTAGE, PRE-PERFORMANCE open to CR

[blindfoldcode]

Kido never thought of herself as laid back. Honestly, in comparison to the rest of the kids of System Crash, Kido's always felt a little high strung, prone to panic and anger, and it was worse before a show, lately. Crowds have been getting to her. Her spine wound, practically bristling with tension, she still somehow feels calmer than Genos.

He keeps fiddling, checking to make sure everything is perfect. Kido, on the other hand, is all about checking to make sure no one is coming to apprehend them. No guards, none of Lesedi's thugs, like she's preparing to be caught doing something wrong. And, she won't admit it, but even on neutral ground, she's double checking for Virgos she doesn't know.

She just kind of sags on a stool while he's tuning his guitar. Her bass is ready as it's ever been, and if she fiddles more, she'll just mess things up. "You can still back out of this, you know." She doesn't know that Pride won't interpret it as a threat. It could be seen as one, she's sure. It could be dangerous...

Friends are permitted backstage before the performance, at least for a little while. It's such a small one that Kido's freaking out about how stupid it seems. In retrospect, she's terrified to be performing like this, just one song, especially just one song out front where people can see her. Genos, on the other hand, is just making sure everything runs right. Checking mics, tuning his guitar, surveying the stage... the guy's got it together.

open to CR

[wounds]

Genos is the picture of calm as he fusses over every little thing that could possibly go wrong. He's not worried about somebody coming to stop them, they're performing. That's what they were 'signed' on to do, so he'll do it. Especially when it's a song his friend wrote and shared with him. He's sure it's going to go well and in part it's due to him double, triple, quadruple checking everything. The mics don't give any feedback, and his guitar is finally in perfect tune.

"I'm not backing out of it after getting ready all day," because he's been here all day. Obsessive is one word for how he gets over performing. While he sure of himself, there's no harm in making sure that everything goes according to plan.

Both!

[twoscompany]

"I wouldn't think you would."

Hey, Genos. Guess who's come to the party, wearing her hat and - weirdly - large sunglasses. Nevertheless, she gives him a smile.

"Hey. Hope I'm not late."

[wounds]

"Nope, right on time," he'll give her a wink-- from behind his own sunglasses. "We don't go on for about half an hour."

PERFORMANCE

[blindfoldcode]

The song varies from both their bands' styles. Quite a bit actually. But it's catchy. And a little dark. Anyone who was at the bassoff might recognize the bass if they listen closely...

[wounds]

It's very, very far away from his supposed preferred style of heavy metal and hard rock. But he's clearly getting into it as he strums the first guitar notes of the performance. The feelings he's imbued it with is a sense of determination and stubborn fighting spirit, and then he starts to sing, not quite as rough as he would be if he were singing for MANTICORE, but still distinctively himself.

"Got my headphones on its time to call it in
And as I signal I start to grin
The dance with fate is hot and slow
I'm knocking on her door and it's all bout to blow!"

[blindfoldcode]

When the bass picks up, Kido plays like it's warm and familiar. Close as her own heartbeat. Her heart is pounding in her ears when her vocals come up, though, and there's a kind of desperation tangled with her voice and playing--a feeling of needing to draw back and protect. The way her voice joins his is almost just barely dissonant, barely enough to catch if you're listening closely.

"Look now can you see open wide
It's a stare-down in the street with bloodshot eyes
Take it back
Three words ringing out like a chime
They remind me of my first hesitation my first time."

[wounds]

Once the song's back to him, his voice has the very edge of frustration in it. A feeling of being trapped hits too close to home for him to just sound determined. This is it, their actual situation and he's absolutely willing to fight it, he's been put into a corner and the feeling of fight is what comes across at odds with Kido's message.

"We all lose a turn
Cause in this world, some men just want to watch it burn
They've set up the system, the game is fixed
And if they win the future very well may not exist."

AFTER, open to CR

[blindfoldcode]

There's something hanging in the air after the performance. It was emotionally charged, but... confused.

Desperation and determination both charge the atmosphere. Completely contrasting fight and flight are mingling over the audience. That... was not normal. Leaving the stage, even the players can't ignore that something's changed.

open to CR

[wounds]

The two completely clashing ideals of the performers leaves a general sense of confusion, and Genos is just as affected. He knows what he meant. What he brought was a sense of grim determination, this was their fight and he's willing to fight it. Something's changed... not wrong, exactly- but he stands bewildered once it ends.

There's the enthusiastic applause, and he takes a bow before retreating backstage. This time he's slumping into a chair.

"What was that?"

[blindfoldcode]

She leans against a wall, pressing her face into her hands. She looks... drained.

"You talk to any masked guys lately?"

[wounds]

He shakes his head slowly.

"I haven't. I can't." Afford anymore changes that is to say.

either or both w/e o/

[sharktrash]

Well, that was definitely... something. He feels it too, though maybe not as intense as the other listeners - something tugging at him from within, as if wanting to both run and make his way forward at the same time. He shakes his head, claps along with the rest, and goes back backstage, arching a brow at Genos' slumped form as if asking 'Well?'

"Good fucking question. What was that?"

it's a party and everyone's invited

[agains]

Keith had been expecting some kind of exhibitionist display, with Manticore's prince living up to his name as a flirt and putting on a show. He certainly hadn't expected a duet, nor one with such force.

(Boys and girls, it's time to wake up.)

With his own band so focused on keeping their lyrics and meaning as pretentious as possible, it's impossible not to listen. Deeply. Even someone with their head in the air shouldn't be in this much of a daze. The energy of their performance is hard to describe.

(You gotta find that hope when the heat gets tough so put it into words)

"Mesmerizing, Genos," he compliments humbly, in a voice that his friend may not have heard before. "And truly breathtaking. I hadn't known you to have team spirit with anyone other than your own band."

Keith tries not to think about the afterimage left by the song: Genos and Kido, back to back, rocking out on their instruments, but also... fighting on a team, a city sprawling below them as they looked on from above -- no, that was his own point of view, but there was still a team, standing together --

Fame is a powerful drug; his attempt to remember Sternbild and his own team-ups with his Hero comrades is shattered beneath the weight of their performance. His imagination runs wild with whatever music video images each singer had in their mind. They're amazing at expressing emotion through music; it would look good and sell even better. That's all it is.

"You were positively shining, both of you!"

Open to both

[panspermia]

Greg had gotten here just in time for the performance, eager to see Kido perform and glad for the chance to see Genos as well. Opportunities to be around Pride friends get slimmer all the time, and Greg enjoys seeing them casually as much as in their work.

But then their work starts, well, working. Greg's been feeling stranger and stranger when he plays music lately, but this is the first time he's actively felt it from someone else. Their conflicting intent practically buzzes against his skin, resulting in a sense of being both charged and drained at once.

After the whole affair is said and done, Greg heads backstage, and clears his throat. "That uh. That was some show!"

Re: Open to both

[blindfoldcode]

Her hood now down, at least Kido's static is somewhat distracting from how freaking weird that was. When she sees Greg, she gives him a relieved smile. They haven't talked a lot, but... she likes him.

AND GREG YOU SHOULD ALSO TELL GENOS NOT TO FIGHT HER MANAGER. "You came." She only sounds a little surprised.

[wounds]

Genos is still in a bit of a daze from how strange that entire thing felt. He doesn't know what that was or how either of them could do it. But the energy is still buzzing across him, conflicting and confusing.

"Thanks," he'll offer a small smile. He's met Greg at least once- and he's been in the business for longer. Genos can manage to at least be civil even if he's feeling more than a little off kilter.

open to both

[losingherhead]

Well that was interesting. She can see why they might do this on their own. Even taking the inter-band thing out of account, that was some experimental stuff if she's ever seen it.

Nice show.

[wounds]

Interesting is... one word for it. He's still clearly off kilter, but he'll nod to her.

"Glad you enjoyed it," he liked performing, but the strange after effect- well, he's not so sure he likes that.

[blindfoldcode]

Man at least the mask helps not to show that she seems to feel as off as everyone else involved.

"Thanks. It means a lot."

[sailorlaughter]

"Whoa..."

Pinkie looks a little uneasy as she approaches, holding her arms absently across her body. That was weird. That was, like, super weird. She plays with Kido all the time, but it doesn't usually get like that. Maybe it's Genos? She could go to another concert of theirs to see...but maybe not.

As she gets closer, she plasters on a smile. "That was really great!"

[blindfoldcode]

It's a fun new thing. Sorry, Pinkie, you'll probably be getting it a lot from now on while she freaks out silently in the background.

"I'm surprised you guys keep putting up with me teaming up with other people." If she smiles and pretends something's wrong, nothing bad will happen, right?

[wounds]

Genos isn't too sure what exactly went down. But he'll put on his public face. Collected and confident, as always.

"Sorry to steal your bassist," he doesn't sound the slightest bit sorry. "She's amazing to play with, you're lucky." Even if that was high on his list of strange experiences.

For Kido

[eyettentionplease]

[Momo approaches Kido after the performance, looking... dazed? Dazed. She was focused very intently on the song. And what a song it was.]

Hey.

[blindfoldcode]

[She smiles but... dazed? That's concerning.]

You okay?