interstellar5555 | ☆TRACK VII: IN REACHING OUT PT. 1

Who: Everyone in Pride and Virgo HQ.
What: Ghosts need your help.
When: The evening of January 30th, 2055
Where: Pride and Virgo HQ.
Warnings: Phantasmal violence, possibly some real violence.

“Hold your colours against the wall,
When they take everything away,
Hold your colours against the wall,
With me (soaking through)”

☆IN REACHING OUT

Starting around the 20th of January, the heavy lockdown and supervision of the musicians of both labels will begin to fade. While they still require escorts to be out and about, the guards that have been routinely stalking them around their own homes and HQs will be gradually phased out, until it is just the regular managers and security remaining. Sweet deal, right? Over a month after the hysteria of the ill-fated solstice party, things seem to be finally letting up a little. Whether because you've played nice for long enough, or whether their attentions are being directed elsewhere, it isn't clear.

Either way, this is the also the start of some increasingly familiar paranormal activity. All the way back to the first tour of this generation of musicians, members of both Pride and Virgo have found themselves haunted by strange and inexplicable happenings. Starting on the 23rd, these happenings begin to flare up again - lights switching on and off, TVs starting on their own, and even things falling off of shelves unprovoked. (These minor happenings can be made up by you and don't need to be mod designated - however, they should not be anything that would be threatening or dangerous to the characters.) For some people this will be completely new, and for others it may even be faintly nostalgic.

This will continue until the night of the 30th, when things finally seem to come into swing. The hauntings will become more pointed and explicit. The details are specific to each HQ, and there and you can make yourself open to an NPC haunting down below.

☆PRIDE RECORDS

About halfway through the evening on the 30th, Predator will begin prowling the halls of Pride HQ. At first it won't be clear for what, but after catching a few snippets of conversation (this can be handwaved) characters will have a change to realize that they are looking for the ghosts that have been causing a fuss recently. How crazy this will sound to you will probably depend on how new you are. They will actively shake down random musicians they meet for information about what they've seen the last couple days. As usual, Jenny is leading the pack, with Cass and Donny (nsfw) providing back up muscle.

Provided you lie well or tell them the truth, they will move along fairly quickly. If you start shit with them, they will probably rough you up a little. Any major confrontations with them will be handled on the companion OOC post, and a few top levels may appear over here that can be tagged into in limited amounts.

Beyond those activities, Pride members will feel various effects based on their EMOTIONAL ALIGNMENTS:

► ALL: Their connection and desire to create music will be especially heightened. They will find themselves subconsciously beginning to tap out rhythms, hum, peck at instruments, or straight up sing things even when it would otherwise be totally inappropriate. Strong emotions will cause them to want to sing and play to each other. They may also feel very strongly that they want to dance, to a particularly addictive beat that seems to emanate from the air. It may shift and change as the night goes on, but at any given moment everyone will hear the same rhythm. It sounds like particularly great percussion.

► LOVE & DUTY: They will have no extra special effects, but they will feel this urge to create music even more strongly than the rest, as it seems to be focused on them as they are not being directly targeted by any other sensations. When Hope and Passion musicians hear music made by these characters, they will feel stronger, like energy is being gifted to them.

► HOPE: Characters of this alignment will feel increasingly like they are being drawn somewhere, or like someone is calling for them, but they can't quite make out the direction it's coming from. The aspect of hope will be empowered within them, and they will find themselves unusually trusting towards the other characters, as if they only have the most optimistic outcomes in mind. Beyond this, they may feel dazed or confused by the sensations they are feeling. They may also experience strange visions, or the sensation of being another person they are not (and not just their true self this time, someone else completely).

► PASSION: Characters of passion will be targeted by the 'hauntings' much more directly than the others. More than random acts, the hauntings around them seem like someone is actively trying to communicate with them. Sometimes it will even feel like someone is trying to speak in their heads, though they won't quite be able to make it out. Passion characters who request haunting instances will get the most major effects.

☆VIRGO ENTERTAINMENT

Soon after things start to get extra weird on the 30th, Juno and a couple Virgo veterans (Anansi and a man you recognize as a popular folk artist named Brett Hogan) will start wandering the halls. They will pull individuals aside for questioning in private rooms, asking about the strange occurrences. They will not attempt to rough anyone up, but excessively resistance or attempts at violence towards them may result in characters being locked in their rooms for the rest of the night.

All three of them seem particularly hard to lie to for some reason, tonight. It's possible, but while you make the effort to do so, the words seem to be on the verge of falling out of your mouth. Juno seems to have something very particular in mind as she searches the HQ, like she can see something you can't. There will also be top levels for these guys appearing.

Beyond those activities, Pride members will feel various effects based on their EMOTIONAL ALIGNMENTS:

► ALL: Their connection and desire to create music will be especially heightened. They will find themselves subconsciously beginning to tap out rhythms, hum, peck at instruments, or straight up sing things even when it would otherwise be totally inappropriate. Strong emotions will cause them to want to sing and play to each other. They may also feel very strongly that they want to dance, to a particularly addictive tune that seems to emanate from the air. It may shift and change as the night goes on, but at any given moment everyone will hear the same song. It sounds like someone riffing expertly on a guitar.

► HOPE & PASSION: They will have no extra special effects, but they will feel this urge to create music even more strongly than the rest, as it seems to be focused on them as they are not being directly targeted by any other sensations. When Love and Duty musicians hear music made by these characters, they will feel stronger, like energy is being gifted to them.

► LOVE: Characters of this alignment will feel increasingly like they are being drawn somewhere, or like someone is calling for them, but they can't quite make out the direction it's coming from. The aspect of love will be empowered within them, and they will find themselves unusually loving, connected, and emotionally open to others, even if this would usually be out of character. (This can also mean they are more inclined to get physically intimate, if you want to.) Beyond this, they may feel dazed or confused by the sensations they are feeling. They may also experience strange visions, or the sensation of being another person they are not (and not just their true self this time, someone else completely).

► DUTY: Characters of duty will be targeted by the 'hauntings' much more directly than the others. More than random acts, the hauntings around them seem like someone is actively trying to communicate with them. Sometimes it will even feel like someone is trying to speak in their heads, though they won't quite be able to make it out. Duty characters who request haunting instances will get the most major effects.

☆PLOT NOTE

This will be a two part event, and the second part will be posted in a few days and will only include those that choose to help the spirits. This can be discussed OOC. Any alignment can assist, though the Passions from Pride and the Duties from Virgo will be the most directly pursued because they will be the easiest for the spirits to communicate with. Realize that participating is serious business, though: there are good odds the characters will be caught eventually, and there will be consequences. Do not volunteer your characters for this plot if you don't want them to suffer potential physical or mental trauma.

“Fading gently, soaking through,
And starting not to show at all.
In reaching out and into you, 
nothing else could touch me.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Squalo looks at the cello between his legs and back at the new guy, then grins. ]

Son, I am metal.

[ In case his hair and leather longcoat weren't a hint enough. And yes, even acoustic cellos have the ability to sound like a distorted guitar... and then we have electric ones. ]

Name the song.

What about Through Fire and Flames?

[he taps the drumstick case]

I'll give you the beat if you wanna show me what you've got.

[ He squints for a moment, as if trying to recall that particular song. It's by Some Other Band, most likely. ]

Sure. Their arrangement's a bit lacking so I'll just imagine my band's covering it.

[ that ego ]

Ready when you are.

[Sabo just chuckles. This guy wouldn't be Metal if he didn't have an ego the size of Tera. Sabo can appreciate that.

He sets himself at the drum set, takes out his sticks, and taps them together, recalling the beat in his head before finally nodding]

I'll give you a lead in.

[and he does so]

Heh.

[ He lets him complete a couple of bars before joining in, the sound of his cello low, slightly distorted, almost sludgy, and he'll cover the main riff for the intro before seamlessly hopping up into the fast, high-pitched guitar part. Fingers flying over the board, he'll even headbang a little for the hell of it -- and it's almost like pure energy is being pulsed out of him with every note. ]

[he can't help but be impressed. This guys ego pretty much matches his talent. Of course Sabo doesn't have much of a basis for comparison. Still if he's in Pride he has to be good.

But Sabo wonders just how far he can take him. He ups the ante just a bit, increasing the already frenetic beat. It'll sound a little distorted probably, but that's only if this guy can keep up]

[ Well, he might not have much to compare it to, but that impression is about right. Squalo's considered a genius of his particular craft, after all. Granted, he'd gotten a bit... jostled when a couple weeks back he suddenly woke up with a metal hand, but he's managed to overcome it by now. ]

[ And he'll follow just as seemingly effortlessly as before. It's clear he's enjoying himself, having fun as he plays, even as the tempo rises into the impossible. This calls for a high-paced "guitar" solo, right? ]

[it's amazing. Sabo can barely keep up with his own speed but he doesn't let the tempo falter for an instant. He lets the guy have a stunning solo before bringing the tempo back down and heading for the end of the end of the song; though he almost doesn't want it to end]

[ Almost. There's something in that beat that helps him push himself further than usual, make him feel like he can accomplish anything -- not that he doesn't always feel like that, being pride incarnate and all, but it's even more intense than normal. ]

[ He'll slow down to extended, melodic, almost melancholic notes for the end, definitely an improvisation, gradually fading until there's silence. ]

[Sabo waits, letting that moment hang like a breath, like the quiet between heartbeats. Then he laughs and applauds]

That's fantastic, man! You really deserve that ego.

[ Good call. That's a good point for you, Sabo. Not everyone realizes that silence too can be part of music. The oldest kind, actually. ]

I know. [ He grins, leaning back a bit. ] You're not the worst I've played with, either.

Thanks. I'm proficient. [that's all he can really say about it, honestly. He's good enough at what he does to be proud about it and better at what he intends to ever let on]

If you put this much energy into all your performances I bet you fill the house.

[ Eh? What's the point of holding back? A true artist gives his all, etc etc. ]

Every time. [ He grins. ] You should come see it if you haven't.

Yeah I plan to. I want to see everyone preform eventually. Yours must be a hell of a riot.

[and to be honest, he's kind of looking forward to it. The lights flicker and something buzzes by, making him shudder a little]

It's gotta be more exciting than what's going on here. [and by that he means less creepy as hell]

Hell yeah. Most of a riot you're gonna see in this label, to be exact.

[ Once again, that's not necessarily true but he obviously believes it. MANTICORE more like HARDCORE. ]

[ He does notice the something too, though, and looks around suspiciously. ]

Aw shit, did it follow me here?!

☆TRACK VII: IN REACHING OUT PT. 1

tmw i forgot to mention his instrument fff

It's okay XD I remembered

/o/

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