002 ✽ Come back! Even as a shadow, even as a dream

[giglio_madonna]

Who: Everyone stuck in Virgo HQ
What: This happened, and now we're all stuck here.
When: Nov. 1 - 5
Where: Virgo HQ
Warnings: Honor system, I'm trusting everyone to put warning in the subject lines if it comes up in their threads!

So.

Press events? Not happening. Concerts? Cancelled. Going out at all? N o p e.

Everyone- well every newbie- is ball and chained to Virgo Entertainment's headquarters for the time being. What's the emergency? No one knows, but you're all stuck here regardless.

> What will you do?

Comments

[panspermia]

[ His smile simmers down to something a little more weary, but no less genuine. ] Yeah, no kidding. Seriously, shirt-tucking or whatever aside, I'm glad to have you on my side.

[panspermia]

[ Greg grins back, even if he's not fully feeling it. ]

You got it. I'm no Watson, but someone's gotta crack this case one way or another, huh?

[ He appreciates Doctor trying to include him in whatever this mess is, but Greg's got the sinking feeling that this is more than he can even begin to understand, let along help with. ]

[giglio_madonna]

[Leaning over, she presses a kiss into his mess of hair.]

And I'm glad to have you as a friend, Greg. There's no one sweeter or more understanding.

[connivingbird]

[He has a bad habit of making light on things he shouldn't and it shows when he makes a face and rubbed his forehead.]

Sorry. It's not been a good time at all lately.

[But... his tattooed hand twitched, fingers curling in and somehow he was thinking of something else, some other memory Do you want him to die? He can't live much longer without me. and then it was gone.]

I don't trust these treatments people have been getting.

[yellowcopycat]

It's very hard to find anyone who doesn't know me. Anyone my age, that is. I, uh, I've kinda been in the spot light since I was seven. Well, not spot light, but in fashion mags and and blogs.

[goateeocracy]

And I can guarantee you there are plenty of kids who don't give a shit about any of that. You really think most guys read fashion shit?

[Considering how Yan usually dresses, it's pretty clear he doesn't. Never has and has no intention of ever starting.]

[yellowcopycat]

[Clearly. Ryouta is judging his outfit as we speak]

Well, no. But it'll come up.

[he gives a sigh and looks dejected. Romance is complicated without being famous]

That sort of thing would always come up. And it would only put strain on them.

I'm so sorry! I must have accidentally marked this as read in my inbox. ><

[trustme]

[ Doctor looks through the quickly growing mass of replies to his tweet. ]

Au contraire! I have all ready received multiple replies talking about music therapy and love songs that connect couples when they're away from each other. Our fellow professionals are saying the life has given them family and new homes. So you see that's the first thing that comes to their minds- not gold plated toilet seats.

You should slow down before you say anything more. You've all ready contradicted yourself, Yan.

First you accuse me of being in music for nothing more than the paycheck- that I'm in it for the wrong reasons and I should have a higher aspiration. Then the moment I start to talk about higher aspirations and asking you about yours, you say it's all about the money! The very thing you scoffed at a moment before.

I'm starting to think you just want to look down on me regardless of what I say. So much so that you'll change your opinion right on the spot.

[trustme]

You know, if you're fond of performing music from family movies, there are a lot of children who would appreciate a live performance sometime. Maybe a visit to the pediatrics wing of the local hospital?

[ Doctor accepts the bottle of water graciously and unscrews the cap. ]

[trustme]

[ Doctor sighs long and loud. ]

You're brilliant Luce. Able to get on with a man like that. I'd rather not see him for at least a week and a half.

[giglio_madonna]

It's been... a bit uneasy, I agree. I can't get any word on what he's going through...

[Rubbing her hands over one another, Luce shakes her head. Positive. She has to think positive.]

But I'm sure the label wouldn't do anything to hurt any of its stars, not on purpose.

[giglio_madonna]

That's because I'm the diplomatic one. When I visibly can't get on with someone, that's when you know something's wrong.

[At least a little sympathetic, she pats his arm.]

I'll deal with him so you don't have to.

[connivingbird]

On purpose or not, I just don't trust it.

[He didn't like doctors. He wasn't fond of medicines either. To him, the whole mess seemed more like a scam then actually helping a person.]

It seemed to happen at a weird time.

[trustme]

Thank you Luce, you're a saint.

And if he asks what I'm doing tell him I'm writing the next big hit. -Because I bloody well am! [ One last hmph! seems to satisfy him and put him in a better mood. ]

[giglio_madonna]

A lot of weird things have been happening lately...

[There's a pause before she forges ahead.]

Have you noticed? Even before the job downstairs.

[giglio_madonna]

Of course dear. Don't get too competitive now. Once you get a rival, after all, that sort of defeats the purpose of trying to avoid him.

[connivingbird]

Like what? The way some people were acting during the awards ceremony?

[Ankh wasn't going to actually come out and say it. Not only was he getting more and more certain that there was something wrong going on, but he was just not sure if anyone would believe him. He saw something out of a horror movie or so he thought. He didn't need someone to get the wrong idea and try to scoop out his brains.]

I thought that was some party favors circulating or something.

[giglio_madonna]

[Another person who experienced something at the awards ceremony...]

I don't think there were any kind of party favors down in the basement.

[connivingbird]

No, there wasn't.

[He could tell her a few things, but that may not be a good idea. The dreams were the hardest thing to talk about and he just shifted slightly pouting at the floor.]

I don't think there was at the awards ceremony either.

[giglio_madonna]

[And that's the problem.]

What do an awards ceremony and an eerie basement have in common?

[connivingbird]

Us.

[No hesitation, though he does look at her out of the corners of his eyes. It might come out that something wasn't right but he couldn't say, not really.]

There is something about us that might be triggering this stuff.

[giglio_madonna]

Really? Well... I suppose you're not wrong.

[Maybe that's something to keep in mind...]

Musicians in general, do you think, or just those who joined around the same time?

[Because... That was a large surge of musicians during the summer, wasn't there?]

[connivingbird]

They do say artists are a bit high-strung and we're the newest bunch for the labels. I wouldn't be surprised if we're all creating a kinda negative energy from getting this famous this fast.

[And if Luce believed that, Ankh would eat his shirt.]

[giglio_madonna]

The only time I've been getting nervous has been this whole lockdown business.

[Although, for some of the younger artists, she doesn't doubt they are nervous... But there's obviously more to it than that.]

Nerves don't start off a chain reaction of unnatural experiences.

[connivingbird]

I never said that it does, only that we could explain it that way.

[He just shrugs at the suggestion; he didn't believe it himself only that he was looking at some reasons in case someone from higher up asked him stuff.]