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

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☆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

Papers, books, the piano playing by itself. I had to get out of there before more happened to me.

[He looks up, taking the papers, flipping through them and sorting them into some semblance of order.]

My thanks...

Don't worry about it. I hadn't really gotten a chance to say hey yet anyhow.

Nor had I the chance to say hello. [Glancing at the papers and glancing into his room before looking back to her.] What a way to meet each other fully, though sometimes the strangest things can bring people together, if I might risk a cliche. [A small smirk, but his good eye still wary.]

Considering what's been going on lately, it could have been a whole lot stranger. At least this is a pretty tame way to meet.

Mmmm, I'd heard something about... trouble at a winter holiday party? I was neck deep in contract negotiations and packing to move when the news was breaking, so I'm afraid I didn't get everything that happened. [Somewhat more at ease now, but he might glance back into his room with a note of caution.]

It was a bunch of bullshit, that's what happened.

Drama for the sake of drama? Some kind of publicity stunt gone horribly wrong? [Concerned, but keeping it fairly light, might be starting to pull his wits together, but he keeps darting a look into his room.]

Edited 2016-02-04 04:46 (UTC)

A fight between heads of each label. Beats me what they were fighting about exactly but it was pretty bad.

[A frown crosses his pale face and his good eye narrows slightly.]

I was afraid it had been set up. Admittedly, this was one of the reasons I had some misgivings when Pride's management approached me. The whole matter of competition turning aggressive: competition is amusing when it's good-natured, but not when it turns darker.

Tell me about it. Personally I think the whole competition bullshit between labels is dumb but hey if it makes people work better, why not. Consider it a game and that's that. This though...

[She shakes a hand in a shooing motion.]

It's so childish.

Indeed: we're all artists, our creations appeal to a different aspect of the hearts and minds of our audience, and so there's a place there for each of us. There's no need to waste energy on needless quarreling -

[At that moment, a book comes flying out of the room and crashes to the floor.]

I don't think someone liked what I said... [Looks to her with a nervous smirk.]

[Without missing a beat Mai picks up the book, heaves it back into the man's room with a pretty heavily solid throw and then shuts the door behind it.]

Well they shouldn't because you've got a point.

[Endless rounds of thumping against the door begin. Mai pointedly glares at the wood.]

Knock it off.

I'm beginning to believe these poltergeists are somehow linked to the needless and explosive rivalry.

[A tiny smile, appreciative and impressed at that throw.] You have an excellent aim there: I hope it tells them you're not to be -

[What sounds like the rest of his library starts thumping against the door.]

And now I think they don't like what I had on my shelves. [Glaring at the door, but he'll still look freaked.]

You may want to leave that alone for a while. I was heading downstairs if you want to come with me.

No argument there. I was contemplating going downstairs myself: I need a goddamn drink after all this. [A shudder of apprehension and a face clench of irritation.]

Hey, I may grow to like you if you keep thinking like that. Come on.

[She'll lead the way.]

You in the mood for crowds or something smaller?

[He'll allow himself to be lead, though he might dart a glance back over his shoulder toward his door.]

I think I'd prefer something smaller: my nerves are shot after all that and while I welcome, even embrace crowds on my better days, this not one of them.

I guess that's why we have out own full service bar around here. There's some clubs and stuff too but most of Pride goes to those so it's not exactly quiet.

That would certainly hit the spot: fine drink and solitude, though I suspect other people might be making use of it as well. Did they start stocking the absinthe that I requested?

I wonder. I haven't looked in a while so who knows, maybe.

[She ends up taking him down to one of the littler personal bars on the first floor. It's like what you would find in any of the penthouses honestly - self service and all.]

You one of those types? You know, absinthe and wormwood and Victorian wear?

[He'll fetch a couple of glasses and rummage amongst the bottles for a long moment.]

Ahh, a Victorian decadent? Sometimes, yes, though I veer toward Post-Modern Romantic, depending on my frame of mind: some days, I'm keener on Byron and M.R. James and open-collared shirts with billowy sleeves, while other days, I'm more into Anne Rice and H.P. Lovecraft and black leather.

[Clinking around some more...]

Yeah, I sort of pegged you are more of the Anne Rice type.

[The whole fallen angel schtick seemed more like her modus operandi. Mai makes an amused sound and leans against the bar.]

An must love you then. You've got the looks to pull all of that off.

As a style, a bit more practical, less fussy: those frilled shirt cuffs are hell for whoever's doing your laundry.

[More clanking around yet, then -] Aha! Someone thought ahead. [He'll come up from behind the bar with a bottle of greenish liqueur, lighter in color than most absinthe would be.] Someone stocked Pernod: it might lack the wormwood, but it's still close enough. A more legal version of the green faery.

[Opens the bottle, fills one glass, makes a move to fill another.] Care for a glass?

I don't think I've had the honour to meet the personage in question, but I hope I'd made an impression, favourable or otherwise. [A smirk, as if to say 'any reaction is a favourable reaction.]

Sure, may as well. [Not that she's ever had anything like it but there's a first time for everything. Her brows raised up a little.]

Trust me, before the next show you'll meet An. You'll either love her or absolutely hate her. It depends how much she abuses you for a photo shoot session.

[He'll fill a second glass, then goes in search of water and sugar cubes, and finds the former in bottled form, but only finds sugar packets, which he'll sadfais at, but makes do.]

Hmmmm! I can take a certain amount of abuse, depending on how she handles me. Though now I have a feeling that strapped-on costume wings will be in my future.

I take it you've been through a similar gauntlet?

[He'll set to work sprinkling the sugar into the glasses before pouring the water in, about half again as much, before stirring the two together...]

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