interstellar5555 | ☆TRACK X: PLAY ALONG

Who: Everyone!
What: Vista City amps up for Pride and Virgo's WORLD TOUR with HYPE WEEK.
When: May 1st - May 5th 2055
Where: Various places in Vista City
Warnings: Could be anything.

“Try to make it look like it's all somehow getting better,
'Cause I know how to play it pretty good against the measure.
Everyone started out a little insane,
But we learn pretty quick how to fake it for the game.”

☆PLAY ALONG

Hype Week is less an official label event, and more something that the media has created in response to a particularly odd situation. Pride and Virgo appear to be functioning in unison - launching separate world tours on practically the same date, launching vast quantities of new material and media events, and making a point of never mentioning or acknowledging the actions of the other. Could this be some kind of collaborative event? A viral marketing campaign? No one is really sure, but the local economy is happy to capitalize on it in order to make it as big of a city-wide ordeal as possible.

For musicians, this means all kinds of event that they have to attend and cooperate with - everything from photo shoots, to signing, to music video premiers. For rescuers, this means one last opportunity to track down those still trapped before they are whisked away on a world spanning journey. Events that will be happening:

► NEW SINGLES: Hot new singles are getting released by bands all over the place. While actual concerts and performances are not actually happening much during the hype period, each band is probably releasing at least one new single and hyping it all to hell with one song performances here and there on TV and the like. You can have fun defining that single for your band, or leave it ambiguous! Up to you.

► PANELS AND INTERVIEWS: Musicians will get carted all over to various talk shows and public question panel events - a lot of questions will be asked about the World Tour and its specifics, of which the musicians themselves seem to know very little. This goes for the veterans as much as it does the fledglings.

► MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERS: In which a bunch of fancy music people go to fancy theaters and watch all the new music videos for the new singles, and then write articles about this. This is also something you are welcome to create specifics for.

► SIGNINGS AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES: While many of the veterans and doing things like autobiographical books signings and what not, the newer musicians are more likely to just be signing millions of World Tour specific posters and CD releases. Its quite likely that they are going to be totally run down after all these appearances and preparations - try to stay awake at the table!

► WORLD TOUR PREMIER: This will be covered in a second log a few days from now. For now, the musicians are just being prepped for a music festival to end all music festivals, that will start May 5th and cover the entire weekend. They've been practicing rigorously all month - they'll have to hope they have the stamina to make it to the actual performance.

All the while, Gold and Silver have been mysteriously absent. Silver has been here and there, handing out supplies and necessary tech, but guidance for rescuers has been minimal. Gold hasn't been seen at all.

Part way into the week, at least, Shep will return with a new batch of rescuers, just in time for the premier! New musicians and band combinations will slowly be announced over this week as well, with some of them being saved for the premier festival itself. That is, any OOC changes made to bands and last minute new members are going to get announced like they are big exciting unveilings, because spin doctoring is what the labels do!

☆SINGULARITY

Everyone hearing the new singles will be able to tell that they seem especially ear wormy - extra hip, extra catchy, like the best examples of each bands radio popularity. Rescuers in particular, though, will notice something sort of strange about them. It's more than just song being catchy. People who are not musicians themselves will find themselves being unnaturally charmed by them, as if each time they hear these singles they are being slowly brainwashed into becoming more and more fixated on the artists performing.

Of course, this can be stopped by just not listening to them for a few days, but it's hard to avoid when pretty much every public location has been playing these singles non stop. Along with this effect, there are some particulars:

► PREDATOR DREAMS: The Pride band Predator is the same as the others, in that it has a particularly intrusive single that's just been introduced. There is one difference. It may take a while to notice, but it can be noted that one starts to feel somewhat tired and dazed after listening to it repeatedly, like they are somehow drained. The single is called The Spaces In Between and it is somewhat unusual that Cass, the member who usually primarily focuses on instrumentals and back up singing, is now performing lead.

If your character hears this song several times, they may suffer some weird DREAMS - especially if they received a dose of Gold's magic powder in the Better To Pretend event. If you'd like to receive a dream, please write "DREAM PLEASE" in your subject line, along with a written section describing an instance of your character having regular dreams that I can manipulate. Anywhere else and I might miss it.

► ESCAPED MUSICIANS: Musicians that have escaped and are now in hiding will find themselves particularly mentally manipulated by the singles released by their home label. They will find their minds unusually filled with thoughts of returning to their labels, as well as increased paranoia about being caught. Any remaining programming will be particularly triggered and brought to the surface. They'll be able to push it down with self control and assistance from other characters, but the thoughts will become more invasive the more they listen to it.

“'Cause everybody's so scared,
We don't wanna go there. 
We don't wanna make a move,
We got all our lives to lose.
Screaming in the dark while we just play our part out.

I play along, 
Like I don't know what's going on.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Rei looks up, snuggling closer to the edge of the couch. She'd crawl over into the chair if there was room, but alas.]

I'm not sure. It's like when I first got to Virgo's penthouse. Migraines, bad dreams, lots of things like that. I'm so scared of getting caught, and I get so stressed that I don't know what to do. I can't go outside, and I keep half expecting every knock to be Blanche...

[Minako leans toward her...at this point, she might soon end up on the floor in front of Rei's couch. She doesn't care. She'll curl up in front of her, holding her hand.]

You're not alone, Rei. I know Usagi and I don't feel what you do, but...we're with you now, and we're not letting you go. Ever.

I know that. But I'm just...I'm so scared. Like, I keep feeling I should go back. That it'll stop hurting if...if I go back...

[Except that it won't. she knows that. That's why she's practically clutching Minako's hand there.]

It's like this awful beat, driving down at me...and I'm so tired of fighting it.

[Minako plopped in front of her, holding that hand tight with a pleading look.]

It won't stop...not like that. I know you know that, but...we're here, Rei, I swear, and this is your rhythm.

...heh, actually. There's a music inside you. Do you believe that?

[She's suddenly recalling something she once heard a friend mention...]

[Rei blinked a little at that look, a little mortified to have brought it out. She slid along the couch and tugged Minako up, and then promptly flopped her head into her partner's lap.]

I won't go back. Not now, not ever.

[She can't.]

But...I guess I could believe it. I mean, the music of life has it's own melody.

[Minako starts to stroke Rei's hair, frowning down at her thoughtfully.]

Well it's true! One of us on this mission has the power to hear the songs of each of our souls. He can hear distress or the damage that the labels have caused, and he can fix it too. I'm not sure entirely how it works, though...

[It's an appreciated gesture of intimacy, one that makes her feel a little less uncomfortable, the pressure on her head lessening.]

He can hear hearts? And fix this? Would that work...do you think?

I think so! I've heard it's worked for a few of the other musicians.

[She curls her hand on Rei's forehead.]

I can call him whenever you need.

How does he do it? I really don't want anyone tampering with my head, Minako-...chan.

[The honorific comes out strained, a little unsteady. She doesn't think it's necessary, and she's curious to see how the blonde takes it.]

[Minako just smiles. It's cute, but surprising. Rei's always been so direct with her. Is this just a new girlfriend thing?]

Well...I haven't seen him do it myself, but I'm sure he'll explain it to you! I think he...sort of listens to the music and plays a song himself to help guide your song back to how it should be.

I know it's beautiful, Rei-chan. [Wink. Did that work?]

[Something like that, more straining against programming. Rei lets out a hoarse laugh.]

So...he's a musical musician.

[She can tell Minako really wants him to try, so...she nods.]

Call him then. See if he's free. I just want the migraines to stop.

I will. We'll find a way, I promise.

[Her hair sweeps down as she leans over, pressing a warm kiss to Rei's forehead.]

[Rei sighs and lays there, trying to smile.]

What about you? You don't seem yourself...

[Minako tucks her hair back behind her ear.]

Ah, so you noticed...

Whatever's in the music...it's affecting me too, I think. But don't worry! I'm working out a way to fight it.

[Rei blinks, and she'd sit bolt upright if Minako wasn't holding her a little.]

Wait, you think the music...you think it's laced with something? Magic?

[Minako's expression is quite serious.]

Exactly. Our enemies have done things like this before, using the power of music to hypnotize the town. I could counter it with my own song then, but now...

This sounds familiar.

[She remembers enough to hum the first few bars of The Rain Tree...]

Something like that?

[Minako nods grimly.]

Yeah. And when that happened, the enemy was always collecting that energy from people to power a hostile takeover, inevitably taking the Silver Crystal when that wasn't enough...

But that power can't fall into their hands.

Silver Crystal?

[That she doesn't remember. Not one bit...]

It's the power of the royal moon family. Usagi holds it now...its light protects us all, and it has incredible power. Most of Earth's enemies have come to steal it for themselves.

Well...that's good. Blanche and Lesedi certainly can't have it. We can't allow that, but they have no idea about it, probably.

I don't know, I'm afraid they might...

[She seems to curl over Rei as if shielding her.]

If they have access to your original memories, they'll know. That might even have been part of their motivation, to lure that power closer.

☆TRACK X: PLAY ALONG

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