LOOKING FOR SOMEONE

[twoscompany]

Who: Garnet, Koumei, Molly, Pinkie, Greg, and Jamie
What: Where Are They Now? The Scoobies Come Together!
When: February 19th
Where: A club booth/Lesedi and Edward's offices later
Warnings: The characters in this log will be getting in trouble with the labels, so brainwashing, injuries and torture, implied or otherwise, is very likely.

It started with a simple text that evening. Well, no, that was wrong. It started with a knock on the door that morning.

Garnet had wanted to check on Nariko, on all of her bandmates. All that responded to her was silence. She kicked open the door, and was met with nothing. As if the bedsheets had never been used, or the bed even slept in at all.

Nariko - the girl she saw as a daughter, their lead singer - gone. For hours she sat on that bed, her hands over her face. Once the tears dried, however, she balled her fists and stormed out of the penthouse. She wound up here, at this club, typing on her cell phone, a grim expression set on her face.

Pinkie, Koumei and Greg. If others were at the club, and wanted to join in, fine. She didn't think there would be others, though.

P3nn Station. 8pm. I'll pay.

Its a sophisticated little place, a jazz club with a good clientele, a good waitstaff - and a good chance they will be left alone for the most part. She might be asked to perform. Otherwise, though, the guards could have their own drinks, and she would be able to talk freely with those who came.

If they came. As time ticked away, she knew her idea was contingent upon people arriving, much less be amenable to it. If this didn't work out, well - this was a nice club. She could come here again in the future.

Comments

[nandemonai]

You know that feeling you get when you think someone is trying to get your attention? That was what Molly felt when she heard the words, "Hey. You." Those words could have been meant for anybody, but she was the only one that turned around. It was then she saw a familiar face. That was Garnet from Cosmic Indulgence!

She looked around first, to see if there could be anyone else nearby that Garnet was trying to talk to. And when she didn't see anyone, Molly looked at Garnet again and pointed to herself. "Me?"

[twoscompany]

"Mm." Nodding, Garnet motioned over. "Come here. Let's talk."

[nandemonai]

Wow. Garnet wanted to talk to her! Molly was a little star-struck! She nodded and grabbed her drink, then she walked over and slid into the booth. Man, this was kind of exciting! She had to stay cool, like Garnet. Right, okay, deep breaths, Mol.

[twoscompany]

Ok, ok. Good. Garnet takes her own deep breath.

"So, how're you enjoying being part of the Pride?"

[nandemonai]

The Pride... Molly smiled a bit nervously. "To be honest, i have mixed feelings," she replied honestly, stirring her drink again, even though it didn't need to be stirred. "It's been... a little weird."

She lifted her gaze, cautious, wondering if Garnet would understand. Surely, she'd seen some of the scary things that had happened, had witnessed band members suddenly being fired. Perhaps she'd even had bizarre recurring dreams.

[twoscompany]

Garnet's eyes met Molly's even under her sunglasses. She nodded.

"I think I can understand exactly what you mean. Its been overwhelming recently, hasn't it?"

[nandemonai]

Molly seemed to relax under Garnet's gaze. She felt validated in that instant, purple eyes hardening with determination. Her head was telling her that talking negatively about the label was a bad idea, but her heart was conflicted. She needed to get her feelings out.

"Very overwhelming! I heard a little about the ghosts."

[twoscompany]

"I'm sure you did." Garnet's voice darkened, just a little. "Did you hear about what happened afterwards?"

[nandemonai]

This time, Molly shook her head. "Only that they supposedly are what's causing us to have recurring dreams."

[twoscompany]

Garnet again looked around her - just to make sure - before she went to grasp Molly's hands.

"I probably sound like a mad woman right now. But those dreams...have you ever wondered, if they were more than that? If...they were something else entirely, not dreams?"

[nandemonai]

Whoa! Molly jumped a bit, but otherwise didn't pull her hands away. Garnet's words... they sounded almost exactly like Rei's. She gulped and then nodded again. "Someone... someone else said they were memories. I didn't know if they were or not."

But Rei was the one that had told her, and Molly respected Rei. And she respected Garnet, too.

[twoscompany]

"...Honestly?" Garnet still spoke conspiratorially, but earnestly. And quietly, the labels and tabloids had ears everywhere. "Most of us believe it to be true. Think about it - when's your birthday, what are your parents' names, what year did you graduate? Those things...when we think about our lives here, before we signed on, we only get blanks. But the visions we get - they're too specific on many things to be ignored."

[nandemonai]

Molly looked down at their hands in thought, her eyes narrowing a bit. Questions like that should have prompted immediate answers. But when she thought about them, really thought, her mind was a blank, just as Garnet had said. Why couldn't she remember her birthday? And what about her parents? She used to be so close to her rather.

Or had she been at all?

This was all getting a bit weird. But, at the same time, Molly wanted to know more, to learn about the dreams she'd been having, and the specific girls in them. Those eight other girls, and her being the ninth... To her, finding out about them was very important.

"I think you're right," she finally replied after a lengthy pause. Then she looked up again, eyes searching Garnet's face. "So then, if these are memories... what does that mean?"

[twoscompany]

"It means the memories we have from Vista City aren't real." To put it bluntly. "That someone's messed with our heads. More specifically, its probably the labels doing it."

Seditious things, she was saying. But, Molly wants answers, and she knows she needs to provide what she knows.

"Who knows why, other than to make us play music for them..."

[nandemonai]

The labels were messing with their heads. It sounded so... dumb, like the plot of some B-movie. But if Rei and Garnet both believed in the thing with the ghosts, then was it really so dumb? Maybe there was some truth to it, maybe not.

So, what now? It wasn't like they could just ask the labels if they were brainwashing them, right? That would be bad, might result in them getting fired. And Molly doesn't want to be fired. She likes her band, likes singing, likes the music. She has a feeling, though, that Garnet isn't done.

"How do we find out if they're really doing that? What are you gonna do?"

[twoscompany]

"...We're going to find answers." Her voice is practically silent as she responds. "Tonight we break into Lesedi's office. No one will tell us where former band mates go when they're fired; I want to know what happens."

A pause.

"I...know I'm asking a lot of you. You're new, and this is probably...insane! But if you want in, I'm not going to say no."

[nandemonai]

Break into Lesedi's office. Garnet was right. It did sound insane. Not only was it a bad idea, but Garnet was placing her trust in Molly without even knowing her. It was kind of stupid, to be honest.

At the same time, Molly wanted answers just as much as Garnet did. And if the record labels were behind this whole thing, then what better way was there to get answers? She inhaled deeply, looking around to see if anyone could hear their ridiculous plan. But they were still very much alone.

"...Would it only be us?" She wanted to know the risks involved. Right now, it sounded like Garnet was desperate for other people to help her out. Molly might not want to stick her neck out if it was just the two of them. But if there were more people, people whom she could rely on participating... that was a different story.

[twoscompany]

"No." Garnet shook her head. "There's two others, so far. Pinkie and Koumei. Of course, if you decide not to help out, just remember, you didn't hear this from me and you know nothing of what's happened."

[nandemonai]

Pinkie and Koumei? That answer gets Molly's eyes to widen. Someone from her own band was a part of this. It still sounded ridiculous, but maybe it was less so now.

God, what was she even doing?

With another sigh, Molly's grip tightened around Garnet's hands. "I'll do it. I'll help you." She didn't even know how she could help, but she would do something. She was determined to at this point, especially now knowing that Pinkie was going to be there.

[twoscompany]

"All right...all right." Sorry, Molly, she can't help but smile about the acceptance. "I'm going to leave the club in an hour. So, if you can meet me in two hours on Floor XX, and bring some matches and whatever can help get a door open, we'll get to work."

[nandemonai]

It was refreshing to see a grin on Garnet's face. She didn't think she'd ever seen her smile like that before. Molly can't help but smile as well, though her smile might be because of nerves. She's... a little worried, honestly.

"All right," she nodded again, downing the rest of her drink in one go. Yeah! This was kind of exciting! And scary! Then she got up out of the booth. "I'll see you soon."