☆TRACK VII: IN REACHING OUT PT. 1

[interdimanagers]

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.”

Comments

[gunslingerqueen]

She laughs at that - a better ending? Probably only because of the two Nariko isn't nearly or wily or saucy as Xanxus.

"Are you kidding? Punk Opera should absolutely be a thing, and they missed the opportunity." Not that Nariko could really judge the label executives too much. She'd wanted to be placed in something more Blues, Jazz, or Pop oriented and ended up as the lead for Cosmic Indulgence, which existed without much definition. Even the 'Indie' tag was a desperate attempt to box them, one that generally failed.

The food is tempting enough that she lets go of her instrument for just a second to get a hold of a fork and shove a whole, huge bite into her mouth without syrup. He's ... Asking her to sing with him. When had she last performed an aria by herself, let alone for someone else? She pokes her fork against a pancake. She's probably out of practice, she'll probably sound like crap. But it's difficult to not sing when the offer is there.

"... Is anyone else here?"

[variaboss]

He grins at that. "I agree. They totally missed out. Maybe I'll do something with that. When I'm not courting the metal scene." He flips those pancakes like an old pro, using a flick of the wrist instead of a spatula.

He grins at the way she shoves the food in her mouth. She eats like him. He hopes that it tastes good to her. He does try hard to make food good but he's so much better with Italian foods.

"We can do it together if you're shy. But far as I can tell, it's me." He points to himself. "You." He turns to point at her. "And the pancakes." He plops another huge pile of them down. "Don't let the pancakes intimidate you. If they get judgemental, just eat them and they'll shut up."

[gunslingerqueen]

It definitely tastes good, though she might get up and find the syrup soon enough. You could only eat dry pancakes for so long! That was just a fact of life and not a commentary on his skills.

His prodding, while well meaning, only makes her a little more nervous but, let's face it, singers are going to sing. Xanxus had already proved that in his own way, and it's what she keeps in mind as she parts from her guitar. "So," She draws the word out a little bit, "A duet or a solo performance? Although you're going to outshine me in the former."

That she isn't brimming with as much confidence just goes to show how long it's been. It wasn't that she didn't love her job, didn't love her band and her family, but singing in Cosmic Indulgence wasn't as technically demanding as a well executed aria, the kind that could wrench emotion from the heart whether the audience liked it or not.

"We could go for the Seguidilla, though I won't do the dance. That or Carmen's habanera." Anything else would just be an insult to the culture itself.

[variaboss]

He's not insulted at all by this. He understands the joys of syrup even if he's not a fan of sweet things. Besides, he's already more focused on getting her to sing with him. He wonders if he could do that he did to Tamara. He had done something when he sung Tosca with her, using something in his voice to instill confidence in her so she would sing with him. He doesn't honestly know if he could do it again or even if he wanted to.

"A duet would be lovely. I honestly don't think I would outdo you at all. So please, sing with me. Seguidilla. I won't make you dance. Just the song is fine." He even starts humming the tune for it.

[gunslingerqueen]

"I think I might be better at the dancing part."

But he's - Tempting. Which is nothing quite new for Xanxus, but now she feels especially vulnerable to it. She clears her throat, which is mostly for show, and just ... Relaxes. There's nothing else she can do about it but work from the heart, let it happen the way it's going to happen. Which, despite her fears, is incredibly well. Her voice is as sweet and talented as ever, and she fills it with the sort of playful longing that's fitting for Carmen.

Really, she'd been worried for nothing. Right now singing feels like the best possible emotional release, it might even defy sex for the time being.

[variaboss]

He wouldn't mind dancing with her too. She might be a great partner for a sultry salsa. But for now, he's enjoying singing with her. Her voice is wonderful. He doesn't know why she had been so worried about it. She's very talented. He could easily see her on the opera stage, weaving a spell of music and art over the audience. Any man would be glad to have her as a leading lady.

He comes in, careful not to oversing her. He wants to match her. Harmonize with her not sing over top of her. He can't help but move around her, as if taking over the part. It's difficult in such a kitchen. It's even more difficult because this part gets a little too high for his rage. He's never struggled before. He presses through but when he finally ends near her, with the syrup, he gives her an apologetic look. He is sorry he's not good enough for her. She deserves a better tenor than him.