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]

[The grin strains to the point of looking more like bared teeth.]

It wasn't much of a fight.

[He looks away. He knew someone would ask about it eventually, but he still hadn't figured out how to say what had happened.]

It didn't have anything to do with Pride or Virgo, really. I saw something happening, I tried to get in the middle of it. It didn't work out.

[giglio_madonna]

[Sounds like it's time for a Mom session. She leans over, carefully setting one hand on top of his.]

Do you want to talk about it...?

[panspermia]

[There's a nagging feeling, for just a moment, that he ought to keep it to himself. It's weak, however, and this is too important.]

Tiger... I ran into him on the street, the other night. He was trying to get away from his manager.

[giglio_madonna]

Tiger, really? What was his manager doing?

[If it involves Greg Universe of all people getting a black eye, she can only figure it was something horrible.]

[panspermia]

She hit him.

[Greg is tempted to simply leave it at that. It's the part that keeps replaying in his mind, details and reasoning lost to anger and regret. But Luce deserves the rest. ]

I guess he ran out on some press thing. When she found him with me, she was ready to drag him back, but. He... he was scared, and he tried to get away. And... she didn't like that.

[ His voice beaks at the end. He should have done something. Why couldn't he have done anything? ]

[giglio_madonna]

What-

[For a moment, Luce can't believe her ears. A manager should never handle the musician they're handling. And for this-]

He's only thirteen, that's child abuse!

[panspermia]

[ Greg's eyes squeeze shut.]

I dunno what's going on over there, but Tiger--he was terrified, and broken, and... I couldn't... We have to do something.

[giglio_madonna]

[They do, and Luce doesn't say otherwise. Instead, she just loses herself in thought as she quickly thinks over everything.]

Pride is a beast in the industry... If you went the simply legal route, they could probably watch that manager's back alarmingly well. Pressure via social media and journalists would be more effective...

[Yet she shakes her head, frowning.]

But throwing Tiger into that kind of storm would be horrible, especially with no warning and without his consent. This is difficult...

[Deciding something, she points over to her dresser.]

Will you get me my phone there, Greg?

[panspermia]

[ Greg has been going over much the same issues himself, the last couple of days. Pride's untouchable legally, without serious backing on their side as well.

He gets up to take Luce's phone, holding it out to her. ]

It took a lot to get him to tell me anything at all. It feels a little like I'm letting him down, talking to people about it, but. I know this isn't something either of us can do alone.

[giglio_madonna]

There's no shame in asking for help. Humans are a social race for a reason.

[She takes her phone with a smile, and quickly gets to work. She has contacts to hit up.]

[Quite a lot of them.]

I know some people over in Pride. We don't have to tell them the gritty details, but we can ask them to help watch over him since neither you or I can. Plus, in the event that anything else happens, it'll have more weight to it if someone from inside Pride says something happened instead of any of us from Virgo.

[The media would just chalk it up to that asinine rivalry, she's sure of it.]

[panspermia]

[He really hopes, just for Tiger's sake, that this can be kept low profile. In the end, though, all he cares about is the kid's being looked after.]

Yeah. I asked a friend over there to keep an eye out.

[ He hisses a sigh through his teeth. ] This whole rivalry thing issuch bull. It's bad enough we've got to be careful just making friends with each other, and now we can't even look after one another right. What's the point of all the drama?

[giglio_madonna]

Who knows. I imagine you'd have to ask Santiago or Blanche, but good luck getting anything out of them... especially with the confrontation that happened at the Gala.

[There's a flicker of a dry grin on her face.]

Maybe if I ever get Blanche to reply to my emails, I'll be able to wrangle it out of him, but unfortunately he's a stick in the mud.

[panspermia]

Gotta wonder if this whole thing is just leftovers from their spats.

[He raises an eyebrow, then gives a practiced toss of his hair.]

Luce honey, you have got to move on. You deserve better.

[giglio_madonna]

Oh, don't worry. At this point, I'm just harassing him for connections.

[There's a pause as she looks over to the door as if to make sure Angel isn't poking her head in and she leans in a little closer.]

I'm actually dating someone else already.

[panspermia]

[The second eyebrow went up as well.]

O-ho. Anyone I know?

[Greg's no gossip or anything, but he does like hearing about his friends being happy.]

[giglio_madonna]

Well...

[Luce tilts her head coyly.]

It depends on if you know anyone from Cosmic Indulgence.

[panspermia]

[ He doesn't, personally, but he grins widely all the same. ]

Oh ho. Star crossed lovers, huh?

[giglio_madonna]

Well, I'd like to think he's a bit more sensible than Romeo... [Luce giggles. She's imagining Koumei in tights.] He's quite sweet. We met at the Gala and got to talking.

[With a side glance to Greg, she raises her eyebrows up knowingly.]

He's giving me piano lessons.

[panspermia]

[ Greg's smile has gone a bit sly. He leans back in his chair. ]

What a good guy. No one can get upset about expanding your repertoire. I'm betting it's all very informative.

[giglio_madonna]

Oh, absolutely. The compliments and stargazing with me over coffee are just lovely bonuses.

[Extremely lovely bonuses.]

When things aren't so hectic, I'd love to introduce you to him sometime.

[panspermia]

Yeah! I wanna meet whatever guy can keep up with you.

[He then pauses.]

Or, wait. Should I be playing the protective brother type? [He waves an accusing finger, trying very hard to look stern.] Don't you go hurting Luce, you Pride scum you, grrr.

[giglio_madonna]

[Seeing Greg try to be mean and intimidating makes Luce giggle again.]

There won't be any need. Now, if I was dating someone like- I don't know, Xanxus, then you'd have cause to be concerned.

...Although, I apologize Greg, but I don't think you could intimidate someone like that. You're like a fantastic warm muffin- very good for comforting and making people feel cozy, but I wouldn't take you to a fight.

[panspermia]

[ He can't help but chuckle at that, even though it's a bit awkward. ]

Yeah, guess I've proven myself not too useful there. I'll take it as a compliment. Rather be a warm muffin than a rotted grapefruit, or something.

[ As much as he wished he'd held up better against Jin, he'd still rather be liked than powerful. ]

[giglio_madonna]

Everyone has their place in the world. [She laughs a little and shrugs, gesturing to all of her.] I mean, I'm no better, right?

[panspermia]

To be fair, I'd hate to find out what it's like to be on your bad side.

[ Even if he can't imagine what it'd be like, he's sure it would be a bad time. ]