001 ┼ AND TURNING ALL AGAINST THE ONE

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Who: The Hazed Pride Bands
What: Don't get even, get ahead.
When: October 26th
Where: Pink (inside Pride headquarters)
Warnings: Carnies.

For the rest of the week, Luci was uncharacteristically silent on her social media and in the suite. She smoked a lot, thought a lot, ground her teeth a lot, and eventually decided that thinking about shit like this wouldn't answer any goddamn question. She'd have to go straight to the source.

In the morning, there's a mildly crazy-looking note shoved under the door of each of the bands caught up in Predator's spree. It looks a lot like this:



Nothing to worry about, obviously. She signed it-- that's practically courteous.



Luci is in a back room of Pink well before seven, but refuses to say anything or even stop smoking until seven sharp. At which point she gently pinches her cigarette out and stands up. "Anybody who's late will just have to get filled in later or figure it out as we go-- we start talking about this now.

"The only reason Predator was able to pull the shit they did last week was because one, we weren't ready, and two, they have seniority. I'm sure all of us would gladly stand up and shove their fancy award ceremony trophy right up the arses for all we care about seniority dictating talent. My suggestion is we remind them of that fact.

"But even I'm not arrogant enough to ignore when our numbers don't match theirs. We can talk all we like about surpassing them, growing to be better eventually, but unless we do something significant, something unprecedented, they will always be chuckling smugly behind their stun batons.

"What I'm talking about is a joint EP. Each group produces one song about last Sunday, we compile them, create an album that sells five times as many copies as when we release individually. Everyone's listening base grows instantly, Pride is making money, maybe one of us calls in their favor from Predator and asks them to plug their band's new song. Not a lot to ask, they probably won't even realize the entire damn album is a collective middle finger until it's sold out everywhere.

"If we're going to do this, it depends on two things. First-- we are a collective front. If you're going to be a wuss or whine about being on the same collection of data as someone else in this room, you can put your tail right back between your legs and piss off. This is bigger than band lines, this is three assholes thinking they're safe at the top and we're going to pull them down together or not at all. If anybody needs a reality check on how feasible it is to take down a veteran group when you're the new kid on the block, see me after class. Second-- if any of you motherfuckers breathe a word of this to Predator, or anyone who would pass it up the line before we're ready... Well if I don't find you, at least four other people know where you sleep."

Luci lets that hang for a moment-- that's really the key flaw in all of this. She trusts the Carnies well enough, it's everybody else in the room who's a wildcard to her. "Questions? Lay them on me. Otherwise, discuss with your mates if you're in and let me know. We want this out quick, a week turnaround max so the rumor mill doesn't catch up with us." She leans down onto the table in front of her, arms wide, a smirk that embodied mischief and rebellion on her lips. "Come on you bastards-- you really going to turn down the chance to make them sweat instead of us?"


((OOC: Create individual/band toplevels to discuss! Badger Luci! Or, idk, just have a drink and watch. 8]b S'all good~ If a band decides they're in on the plan, either get Luci's attention on her toplevel or shoot me a PM to get added to the list! Depending on how this goes, more logistical-shakedown later.))

Comments

[notahobby]

Maxxie does his best to pin Jamie's arms down to his chest, which he's only moderately successful at because he's just not good at any of this. He struggles for a few minutes, trying to get better leverage.

"Just fuck off alright!"

[killerbeep]

B had been, to say the least, a little worried when Maxxie suddenly walked out on them - and then even more so when Jamie followed him.

He wasn't really expecting this, though.

"What-- hey, guys, what the hell!"

He runs over, reaching down to grab Maxxie around the waist and pull him off Jamie. At least it doesn't look like they've hurt each other too much (partly because this might be one of the saddest 'fights' he's ever seen).

[notahobby]

Maxxie lets B pull him off, but he jerks out of B's grip as soon as he's upright again, only to storm back to the elevator and hit the button again. It came and went while Jamie was being an idiot, but once it's on its way back he whirls around on Jamie again.

"Just stay the fuck away from me!"

[mildwildchild]

Jamie scrambles back to his feet once Maxxie's weight is off him, and though he doesn't make any immediate moves to lunge again he's tense and ready, a coilspring of anger.

"Stop being such a fucking prick!" he spits. "Get your shit together and quit pouting about everything!"

[killerbeep]

B steps hurriedly between them, holding up his hands carefully in case either of them (mostly Jamie) decides to try to get into it again.

"Okay, seriously guys, calm down! What even happened here? We're supposed to be on the same side, right?"

[notahobby]

"He just came up to me and started shouting! And then he fucking pushed me!"

Maxxie gestures wildly as he shouts, glaring at Jamie but making no movement to get back to him and start the shoving again.

[mildwildchild]

"I didn't start shouting until you started ignoring me, jerk!" Jamie's not making any moves, either, though given his visible tension he's a hair's breadth away from going after Maxxie again.

[punchesyu]

Being left with Sora was making him nervous, so he gets up from where they'd been sitting with a look to Sora. Shortly after B arrives, Yosuke does as well. He'd heard the yelling from the entrance of Pink, quickening his step until he's reached the scene. All he'd heard was Jamie and Maxxie yelling, maybe a hint of B's voice in there as well.

He comes up behind Jamie, putting only a very small distance between them as his face contorts into complete irritation. He heard their yells, he knew they'd gotten a little physical just from that. But still-

"What the hell are you guys screaming about? You look like you're about to jump at each other's throats! Cut it the hell out!"

[notahobby]

With a ding, the elevator arrives and the doors slide open. Maxxie steps inside like it can't happen quick enough, shouting behind him, "Just tell him to leave me the fuck alone, or I'm not helping with your stupid fucking revenge song!"

He slams the button for their floor and leans against the back wall, crossing his arms and seething.

[mildwildchild]

Jamie's distracted - startled, in fact - by Yosuke's sudden appearance and proximity, and he whirls looking half-ready to take a swing at him. Then Maxxie's elevator comes and Maxxie's yelling again, and Jamie really wants to say something pithy and cutting but he's so angry that he can't think of anything coherent, so he just gives Maxxie a death glare as the doors close.

Once he's gone, Jamie bursts out, "What the fuck is his problem?", as though this little incident had been entirely one-sided.

[consocius]

Sora had been busy immediately going to his phone to text Maxxie after he'd left, so it's not until everyone else has left too that he... Notices that he's by himself. Wait, what?

He gets up hurriedly to find them, and it doesn't take him long what with the yelling. His mood instantly drops, though his worry spikes about ten fold.

Maxxie needs to be alone, that much is clear, and Sora already sent the text on the off-chance he actually wanted to talk. So this meant he could direct his attention to Jamie as he walks up to the group, giving a bewildered glance to B and Yosuke as well. However, Jamie's the one practically with steam coming off of him, so this seems like something that needs to be addressed and quickly. So while Jamie's still sending death-glares at the elevator, Sora sort of mimes to B and Yosuke by pointing to Jamie, then fanning himself, then pointing behind him with a thumb, mouthing Gotta get him to cool off.

"Uhh.. You know, I'm hungry. Jamie, why don't we head out and get some pizza or somethin'? We could bring some back for everyone."

[punchesyu]

Yosuke looks between all of the other boys, face still stern but glad that Maxxie's been able to remove himself from the situation. It pisses him off to see Jamie so pissed off over what was probably nothing worth getting that mad over, but it was what it was and he tries to add to Sora's suggestion. Jamie did need to cool off, or else they'd have a screaming match if not more when they got back to the penthouse later.

"There's a pizza joint not too far from here. We could walk there. I think we all need a little fresh air."

[killerbeep]

B is pretty quick to latch onto that suggestion; he's still pretty annoyed over all this crud, but that's all the more reason to try to put it behind them.

"Sounds good." He casts a glance at Jamie. "You coming?"

His voice pretty clearly implies which of them he thinks needs it the most.

[mildwildchild]

Jamie's eyes travel from Sora to Yosuke to B and back toward the elevator, at a Maxxie who's no longer there, and he looks a little incredulous that they'd even suggest something like pizza right now. It's gotta be some serious shit if Jamie's not even interested in food.

But while he's still furious, he's not incapable of reading between the lines, and while part of him bridles at the attempt to get him outside and calmed down, he's not entirely sure that they won't all gang up on him if he refuses. He utters a little snarling noise and runs his hands through his hair.

"Fine. Sure. Whatever."

Lead on, guys.

[punchesyu]

Yosuke presses a button on the elevator so they could head out and get some fresh air- he could use it too at this point, because just being around Jamie, seeing him this angry over something is making him a little angry. His face, if one looked closely enough could see the irritation there- but the door finally swings open to give entry to the remaining four of Flashstep, walking inside.

He kind of wants to ask why exactly Jamie flipped his lid, but at the same time he's got a feeling he knows why. So he keeps quiet on that subject, arms folding over his chest as he leans against the back wall of the elevator.

"Well, come on, time's a wasting. It'll close soon if we don't hurry."

[consocius]

"Yeah! It's not too far though, just around the corner."

Sora's grateful to have the other guys' help, though none of them seem particularly in a good mood. Not that he blames them. He slides into the elevator after Yosuke, shoving his hands into his pockets as he waits, pretty quiet but with a reassuring smile to anyone who gives him a glance.

[killerbeep]

B lets out a quiet breath of relief as he follows the others in. That could have been... well, it was already bad. It could have been worse. He gives Sora a slight, tense smile in return, trying to avoid staring at Jamie too much, but still undeniably glancing in his direction every so often.

[mildwildchild]

Jamie slouches in after everyone else, muttering a little at Yosuke's verbal prodding, and leans up against the wall with his hands jammed into his pockets. He's not unaware of B shooting him looks every so often, which he finds unusually irritating right now. Finally he heaves one of those melodramatic, put-upon Teenager Sighs(TM), throwing his hands up in disgust.

"What?" he demands, not quite in a snap. "I just want him to be on board with this instead of slinking around feeling sorry for himself. You heard what she said, we can't have people fucking off and letting this get out." He glares at his bandmates as though this is a perfectly reasonable explanation for berating and assaulting Maxxie.