interstellar5555 | ☆TRACK X: PLAY ALONG

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☆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.”

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Their groupies managed to keep security off of them long enough for them to finish their song and zip off on Shin's motorcycle. He sent a text out to everyone telling them which club they're going to, tipping the bouncer enough to get him to let in the people that have the text from him.

They're back in the VIP area like the rockstars they are. Shin at least is high on adrenaline (and probably a number of other things) after giving Pride Records a musical middle finger. Even knowing what the labels are doing.

Long live the groupies. Literally, because quite a few of them were hauled off instead of Shin or Roxas, the 'brains' behind the plan. Hopefully that doesn't come back in a bad way towards them in the future.

Though he didn't get a chance to tell his buddy from Pride- more like warn- he's assuming Demyx knew better enough to jump off and get the heck out of there when his Virgo counterparts did similar. Taking a chance here, Roxas gambles on the event that Demyx did just that, and shoots him a text of their next destination. Because, why not, it would be nice to catch up after the fact.

When they arrive, after appropriately freaking out and giving grief to Shin for once again riding a motorcycle while high with Roxas in the backseat holding on for dear life, ~~because not like he could have just refused the ride,~~ when they're in Roxas plops down onto the most comfortable section of plush seating he can find and sits there.

If there are drinks nearby, he's going to drink them. If there is something to smoke nearby, he's going to smoke it. Groupies show up? ...why not, let those conversations be had. Hopefully his former comrade will be one of those faces he sees among the others.

..and hopefully his partner in crime will not get too crazy with the availability of all things sinful, because getting him back to the Virgo building safely isn't something he'd prefer to be any more difficult if he can help it. Considering the big event ahead of them, and big consequences of what they've just done, they definitely need to be home at some point of time tonight. Or early tomorrow.

Of fucking course Shin is taking part of everything he can get his hands on. How he's alive is a mystery of the ages. He immediately starts puffing on a blunt and letting one of the groupies, a woman in her late 20's, slide in next to him. He even puts his arm around her as the party starts.

Shin is pretty obviously a player with how he's flirting with the girls, working them with expert charm. It almost seems like he's gotten a big head over his success, but there's little moments that give away that he's putting on the act of a rockstar. The moments where he looks a little distant, that moment where he makes a joke at his own expense and it feels just a little too meaningful.

Of fucking course Shin is taking part of everything he can get his hands on. Damnit, this is going to set the course for an awful time later when Roxas tries to get him home safely. Or maybe not; with the way he's acting, he may not want to come home. Fine by him, if that's the case Roxas will get drunk just enough to not care.

If that's even possible.

If he can catch Shin's attention he's going to, saying "That was pretty good what we did back there, huh?"

It won't be hard for Roxas to get Shin's attention. Roxas is his best friend, and even if he is flirting and drinking he's quick to lean in to hear Roxas better. He smiles, still feeling the rush of adrenaline, "it was! You were awesome! I didn't know you'd gotten that good with the bass. How did you find the time to practice? "

Good question~ "When you don't sleep it's easy to find the time to do lots of things." True story.

Whether it's an unchecked manic episode or the stuff he's been putting in his body on the regular now, the more he goes without any shut-eye, the more time he has to get better at his music and different instruments! Also, the more he doesn't remember passing out in public places.

"I can't believe we got away like we did.. and look how many people showed up. I don't remember us having this many fans?" It's like he's in disbelief.

Shin knows all too well about how much can get done without sleeping. He's been barely getting any - at least not without dosing himself with a ton of Mary Jane.

Shin raises his glass to Roxas, "Maybe our work's paying off." He looks to the girl on his arm, "What do you think Kitty?"

She leans on Shin to look at Roxas too, "You guys have been so amazing. It gives me chills!" She shivers for extra effect.

Another invitation after a wild escape, at least, it was temporary. There was no doubt that Patil was going to have his hide when he trudged back to his group. That was a problem to be worried about in the future.

He hadn't been nearly as social as one would have expected. Demyx was odd that way, he was friendly but people weren't likely to get close to him. He didn't have best friends, hell, he barely had acquaintances in his bandmates.

He knew Roxas however, and an invitation was an invitation. He arrived and offered a two fingered wave.

"Hey." Demyx put on a bright grin. He wasn't high on anything yet, just the exhilaration of having finally gotten to play his sitar.

Is that girl's name really Kitty? Maybe Roxas doesn't want to know. The raised glass is met with whatever Roxas picked up to drink - he doesn't remember, it was there so he took it - as they toast and sip.

"Thanks.. we did a great job. I didn't know if we could pull it off. Kind of feel bad about those that got left behind. Oh, hey."

There's a face he recognizes again. So Demyx did make it out.. good. Though, if he had been caught it would only have been a matter of time before a manager would be letting him out so he can continue the tour. That probably would've come with a nasty consequence, but still.

"You made it!" Patting Shin on the shoulder to grab his attention further ~~because, excitement here~~, Roxas stands to greet Demyx and give formal introductions. "Shin, this is Demyx. I've known him for a while, he got up on stage and played with us."

Turning to his Nobody comrade, "Demyx, this is Shin! We've been in the band together for a while.. and kind of the only ones to stick it out for a bit so far. But I think it's working?" Ohh, the drink and the smoke and the friends present is getting to him.

Roxas, perhaps unfortunately, is the best friend Shin has, so he's happy to meet a friend of Roxas'. He stands too and shakes Demyx's hand, "You sounded great, thanks."

The lady that had been clinging to Shin looks star-struck. She may or may not know who Demyx is, but he had to be some kind of star to be playing with NP.

Shin points to a plush chair across the low table, "You're gonna party, yeah?" In the last moment he remembers the girl, "And this is Kitty. She's one of the people heading NP's fan club."

She waves, smiling and dazed. She goes back to hanging on Shin's arm almost like she's using him like a security blanket. Shin doesn't seem to mind at all, busy getting a bouncer to come by so he could use him like a waiter for Demyx.

Demyx grinned at Shin and shook his hand firmly. "Hey, thanks! I was worried I'd been out of practice for too long. Glad it sounded good."

He was well known, now that he was a member of Flashstep, so she may have recognized him. The power of boyband fame really.

"That's the plan." He smiled and dropped into the seat. "Sure, nice to meet you Kitty." That was quite the name really and he relaxed into the chair.

"What'd you think Rox? How'd I sound?" He nudged Roxas with another pleased smile. He will order a drink, something fruity and full of sugar.

With the kind of world they live in, and level of fame they've risen to thus far, Roxas should be used to people with names like Kitty or Diamond hanging off the arm of a known working band member with musical talent, but even now it feels strange. Maybe it's that this is happening to a band mate of his, a friend at that, but Shin is.. grown enough. He makes his own decisions. Good and bad. ~~Bad, mostly.~~

"Demyx, it's like you never went without that thing." There's no padding here, this is all genuine: "That sounded great!! That was a perfect performance! I hope you don't get in too much trouble.." If that came to be, Roxas would feel pretty bad for it.

When time does come for the bouncer, waiter, whoever that takes their drink order to arrive Roxas is going to be a good little party starter and get rum with a splash of soda. Not soda with a splash of rum, which he insists upon when placing his order, but at least 80% rum and 20% whatever.

Shin goes hard, again, "Jack, straight." Someone should check his liver, it's probably screaming in pain and terror. He asks Kitty what she wants, and she orders the same, a little painfully trying to play it cool. It seems like she might actually recognize him and be trying even harder to act smooth.

Shin leans back, smiling. "You wouldn't do half bad in a punk band. I hear Luci likes to kidnap her fresh mea- I mean- new members."

He laughed lightly at Roxas and reached out, nudging his arm gently. "Come on, getting in trouble is what I do, hm?" A veiled reference to his past as it was, the entire relationship he had built with Saix was based on him screwing up.

Somehow, that felt a little jarring now that he could feel. He had a rush of emotions suddenly and looked a little more anxious for his drink. It was how he'd been coping, how he'd been managing to keep his head barely above water now that his feelings were an overwhelming mess.

"Considering what I've learned, I'd rather be in a punk band." He laughed. Demyx could hardly believe he'd wound up in a boy band of all things. His musical talents, being what they were, completely wasted.

"It was just nice to have Arpeggio in my hands once again. She and I should never be apart."

Shin grins, "If you weren't in Pride I'd suggest a transfer. Too bad the CEOs hate each other so much."

He can't blame Demyx for not wanting to be in a boy band. Shin knows he would hate it with every fibre of his being.

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☆TRACK X: PLAY ALONG

Afterparty

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