☆TRACK XII: LOVE AND TRUST

[interdimanagers]

Who: Everyone!
What: The tour hits Europa, and Edward Blanche plans a trap.
When: May 25th - June 17th, 2055
Where: Any of the potential tour stops, but mostly MOSCOW.
Warnings: Probably violence.

“Oh, will you break my fall When I climb too high? I always lose my nerve, It happens every time.” ☆LOVE AND TRUST After the disaster that was the beginning of the World Tour, things from there have proceeded innocently enough in comparison. Virgo ended up being able to pull its act into some semblance of order before the festival finished, and so the magic on their side was not entirely lost. Things are tense, however, for anybody who has an idea of the stuff going on upstairs. Whatever is going on, Pride is in the lead by a landslide, and the desperation is present in the managers and the execs alike. Lesedi, however, couldn’t be happier. In fact, she is getting cockier by the day. Her plans with Lapis went wonderfully, and wherever the gem is now is irrelevant. Barring any major disasters, she is increasingly certain of her defeat of Virgo, and is encouraging her elite members of take potshots at them any chance they get. (This includes her beginner music mages.) The beginning of the month is spent with both labels visiting a lot of very familiar locations across Americana - most of which are places they will have visited in the past. The routes are very similar to the ones the first bands took during their opening tours last summer. As for the rescuers, now is the time to regroup. It’s not practical to follow the musicians to ever stop they make, but Shep has apparently enabled his spaceship with a cloaking device, and will be taking all the rescuers and free musicians to the major tour centers of each continental tour - the headline festivals, each lasting for days, and each carrying an important role in the ongoing ritual. That’s what Silver thinks, at least. As some of the rescuers may now know, Gold has apparently gone solo. ☆EUROPA TOUR As the Americana portion of the tour comes to a close around the 25th of May, both labels will be finishing up in Britain and heading on into the conglomerate of Europa. All of these cities are basically what they are like IRL except about 50 years more future-like, and you have full creative liberty to make up some developments to the local culture and worldbuild because this is the last time these places will ever be mentioned meaningfully! THE OFFICIAL STOPS: Paris (May 30th - 31st), Berlin (June 1st - 2nd), Madrid (June 3rd - 6th), Istanbul (June 7th - 8th), Rome (June 9th - 10th), Vienna (June 11th - 12th) THE HEADLINER: Moscow (June 12th - 17th) The festival in Moscow is much like the festival in Vista City - a musical blowout to end all blow outs. The two labels festival grounds are practically blending together at this point, almost as if fighting for physical territory along with fighting for the attention of the crowds. The thick energy of magic follows the tour like a comet’s tail. ► RESCUER PROMPT: Instead of cutting through all of the earlier stops, Shep loads all the rescuers up into the now-cloaked spaceship and will bring them to Moscow, the last step in the Europa tour path and the place they’ll be stopping the longest. Silver has been saying that the lot of them should start working on freeing captives at all costs, especially now that the labels are on the road and increasingly disorganized. Shep has gotten together a bunch of new material for disguises as well as more holo projectors - a lot of them have been spotted at this point, but if they can get close to the musicians and catch the labels off guard it could be their best hope of bunging up the rituals for both of them. Meanwhile, Gold is obviously absent from the team, and some may have seen their former leader essentially announce their intent to leave during their fight with Lapis. Silver and Shep seem to have been avoiding talking about it, but occasionally it will be referenced in public places and the conversation will turn rapidly tense. ► MUSICIAN PROMPT: Everything is more or less business as normal, except for the pressure of the tour seems to be causing all the authority figures to lose their minds, especially in Virgo. Beyond that, though, it’s all deceptively the same. Both labels stop in the various cities and put on their best show, only stopping briefly to enjoy the local culture. Everyone is under very careful watch, however, no matter where they are. No one leaves the performance areas without an escort - it’s clear that both labels are desperate to hang on to musicians at this point. The gravity of the situation is increasingly obvious. Both labels have been booked into the same hotel this time, which is essentially a castle in Moscow. It’s every bit as lavish as you would expect, and it’s easy to get distracted from the stress with the luxuries that are offered at every turn. The consistent sense of desperation that Virgo has running through it at the moment is totally absent in Pride - Lesedi seems like she’s in an absolutely fantastic mood. ► FESTIVAL PROMPT: The festivals crowds are bigger than anything you’ve ever seen. Rescuers will easily be lost in a crowd, and musicians will be followed by a detour of body guards that honestly feel needed for reasons besides imprisonment. The stages are colourful and elaborate in set up. The musical event goes on for three full days, and most of everyone’s time will be spent backstage or in their hotels. Rescuers will have to do their best to keep up. ☆BLANCHE MAKES A MOVE In the wake of Virgo falling behind, Edward Blanche has come up with a magical scheme of his own. Using the soul crystal of pure love from Greg Universe and pure duty from Meril, he has been devising a ritual - and with any luck, it take out two birds with one stone. Greg and Meril, having mostly lost their real personalities after having parts of their souls torn out and crystalized, will be set up in a central location in the hotel, after the performances on the last night in Moscow. They’ll be set up to play music, and while that music is playing it will be reaching out to all of the rescuers, whether they can hear it or not. This music is going to trigger the love and duty within their own souls, and direct it to a particular cause - a sudden and desperate need to save their friends, family, or other sympathetic souls from the labels. And the need to do it tonight. This will hit them particularly hard if they are naturally of a love or duty alignment, but it will have an effect regardless. How much it gets them exactly is up to you. Virgo’s musicians will be protected very heavily during the ritual, as Blanche is expecting the attack. His hope is to lure rescuers in and kill or capture them, having the advantage of foresight. He’s also hoping that the rescuers will go after the less protected musicians of Pride and steal them away from Lesedi, who isn’t aware that this is happening. If things go well for Blanche, both the rescuers and Pride will take a major hit, all in one go. Why not let your enemies destroy each other? Player participation in this can go two ways: one is that your character can simply go after any of the musicians you choose, and you can work out between the players and the mod how well it goes. Alternatively, you can have your character go to the heart of the matter and try to take on Greg and Meril. The tricky part? Blanche is going to be overseeing the ritual as well. However, without the focuses of Greg and Meril’s soul crystals, the ritual will fail. Also, there will absolutely be a few opportunistic ghosts looking for the opportunity to give everyone a hand. Communication with the mod is key for this event! Please run by plans to have any musicians successfully escape by me before going through with it, and also do let me know if you’d like the ghosts to help out! This can absolutely be combined with other player plots, such as the Pride break out initiative that’s been floating around. The night of the ritual is June 17th, so take some time to plan things out, and then get threading. Let me know if you need help setting any scenes! “Oh will you bring me home When I'm barely alive? It's the state of love and trust, And this is for you, And this is for us.”

Comments

☆QUESTIONS

[interdimanagers]

The usual.

[eba02]

Guess what I'm going to ask 8D

Re: ☆QUESTIONS

[faithfulflame]

For potential rescues, is there a place to take characters to remove the tracking chips?

☆GREG AND MERIL

[interdimanagers]

Please reply to this if you have a character you want to face the main ritual with Blanche, Greg, and Meril.

SANS

[exhumerus]

Sans is so there even if Blanche will make him poop his skeleton pants.

Greg Universe - June 1-16

[panspermia]

A - This is my duty (Virgo)

Everything's counting on me. Only I can fix this. Without me, it's all going to fall apart. Mr. Universe's head fills with words like these, on a constant loop, filling up every dip and fold of his brain. Ego and inadequacy both gorge themselves on the thought, pulling him in both directions. I have to do this. I'm not going to be able to. No one else can.

He practices. With the band or on his own, he starts putting threads of magic into his music, getting used to the feel of the ritual to come. People listening nearby will be drawn in, getting a good look at his vacant and distracted expression. He hasn't slept in days--he just keeps practicing. He has to get this right.

B - There's still hope (Rescuers and NPCs)

There's literally no moment outside earshot of a bodyguard. There's also literally no moment where he's not tailed by fans. Even as he walks between venues Mr. Universe makes sure to stop to pose for selfies, leave words of wisdom in fans' ears and indulge in their praise and stories of how he's touched them. All is not lost for Virgo: he's still got fans. He's still got people who trust him, who believe in his success. He can still relish and appreciate these reminders, assuring him that he still has a chance to pull out of this setback.

C - My passion will scorch them (Musicians)

For all of the stress and pressure Virgo has him under, Mr. Universe makes every effort to keep as smug and confident an appearance as possible when around members of Pride. They're hurting after that last blow, but you can't show the enemy weakness.

Since moments to relax are sparse, what little time he gets to appreciate their castle hotel are enjoyed fully--really, he exaggerates how completely at ease and comfortable he is, so everyone is sure to know. Were you in line for the four-star buffet? He's going to cut you to grab the last serving. Wanted the hot tub? He's stretched out to take as much space as possible. Boy, what a GREAT place this is, huh?

D - Love (Bandmates)

The bouts of sudden overwhelming illness have decreased in frequency, if not intensity. He'll feel the shakiness come on, the overwhelming queasiness, and he'll squeeze his eyes tight and make a concerted effort to keep his breathing even. Now it only happens two or three times a week, instead of a couple times a day. That means he's getting better. That means they'll stop soon. He's going to be fine. There's nothing wrong with him.

He's stopped going outside when the episodes come, even if the open air helps. Too many people saw him like this before. He can't look weak again, not now. They'll make it worse. They'll remind him of what's missing.

Instead, Mr. Universe keeps close to his band in these times. They're a part of his team, his support, his f... w-well, he can't go solo as a musician, and that means he can't go solo on this problem. Yeah. So it's all right for him to count on them for this.

C

[tigermillionaire]

Steven was about to go down to the pool, before suddenly realizing that, with his trunks on, his gem is in plain sight. There was a moment there where things almost seemed normal, and the reminder that it's not feels like stepping into cold water. He throws on a t-shirt. The change in setting hasn't fixed anything. Even as he heads out of his room, there are Pride guards stationed regularly, ostensibly to keep hooligans out, when in reality it's for keeping the musician in.

He's been in the pool for a while already when he notices that Greg is there too. He pauses at the side of the pool, his hand in the ridge and keeping him afloat. He's been trying to remember how to swim again. Nobody taught him how, here.

The people in this hotel are rich and famous enough that the musicians don't get as much casual gawking as other places, which is kind of nice. Which means its a little more casual when he slips out of the pool and creeps over towards where Greg is hanging out, cautious and uncertain. Steven spends a little while staring at him from a distance before he can bring himself to actually go over.

Garnet | May ??-June 16

[twoscompany]

London | OTA

[London's...a bit more problematic. She's supposed to have lived here, grown up here. Been a native child. She knows she's not, and has done her best to rectify that when she takes her friends sightseeing.

She...has moments where her attempt to memorize places beforehand...didn't work out as well as she'd hoped.]

And see, that building is...er...

...

Um. Its just a building with a clock and lots of people in it. We don't need to go check it out.

[DON'T QUESTION HER THIS IS TOTALLY THE TRUTH.]


Paris | OTA

[Ah, yes. Paris. City of Love! Garnet feels like this is a place she can relax in. Indeed, she has plenty of bodyguards now which at least help her when she's out and about, looking at the sights, marveling at the culture, and of course, shopping. She's getting presents for everyone who she considers an ally or friend. Or family.

And, because of her standing and money, she can actually get entire stores to herself and whoever she wants, after hours, to shop for anything. You guys want in? You know you do. Expense is not a problem for Garnet, anymore. Her agent will still complain about anything he deems pointless to buy, though.

Actually, full stores to herself and her friends seem to be a pattern in nearly every city she's in. Save Vienna. Sadly.]


Berlin & Madrid | OTA

[The G-Train continues. That's what they're calling her. The G-Train. Its an ok nickname. She's taking time off to go to a museum in the afternoon in both cities, covered in a dome to protect it and the antiquities from decay. In Berlin, she's standing in front of a giant blue wall - a complete reconstruction of some ancient gate or something. In Madrid, its the Mona Lisa.

Its amazing. And the curators are even letting her go up and touch it. Its...cold.]

Wow...

[Its like this for the other exhibits. Anyone who comes up to her - who she can vouch for, and if her agent lets them - will be invited to also get hands on with the antiquities.]

Istanbul & Rome | OTA

[The Hagia Sophia. The Colosseum. What do they have in common? Garnet's playing her headlining concerts in both. All-out, to a packed and screaming crowd, Garnet and Cosmic Indulgence meets history and culture, and tears it all down.]

Hey man, oh leave me alone you know-
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta-
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face-
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place!

[Istanbul and Rome are also places for history and culture, sightseeing and shopping. Its getting hard to do it, though. Fans swarm wherever she is, and even the state police are having a hard time keeping them all away. Only her agent seems to know where to take her when things get too rough.]

Vienna | OTA

[A taste of what's to come - Garnet's practically trapped in the hotel both days of her time here, unless she needs to perform, which she does with a police escort to and from the hotel. No shopping, no museums. It was just too crazy.

Oh, and the crowd around the hotel? Insane, with screaming and chanting for Garnet all night long. Good luck sleeping, everyone!]

Moscow | OTA

[Garnet knows nothing of any ritual. Garnet, if anything, is one of the most, if not the most, protected star in the world. Which does give her some peace of mind, when they come to Moscow. Even with the screaming crowds surrounding her, Garnet knows she'll be all right.

She looks over the things she got from the tour, thus far, each night. Anyone who knocks on the door will be let in, whether or not her protective agent vets them. Though, as always, if her agent doesn't like you, consider your time in the room...limited.]

Paris

[possessedbygreeed]

[Oh, Garnet's paying? Don't mind if he does! It's a welcome distraction from all the internal juxaposition he's been facing. Dreams of saving people and fighting people, and one particularly alarming moment of getting choked by himself.

He's hoping that one is just dreams being dreams.

And he's buying what he wants, lots of red and black and metal. A mannequin at the border to a women's clothing section makes him do a double-take, though. It's wearing a light blue and white tiered dress, a white shirt underneath, and a wide-brimmed hat, appropriate for the hot summer sun. In the back of his mind he can hear a girl calling his name, and almost see her smiling. She has long dark hair, and bangs. She's far from a high-maintenance kind of girl, he can tell. The kind that would cook you dinner with a smile, probably.

He suddenly had a craving for fried shrimp.

In the end, he stopped staring and went back to shopping.

He starts laughing at a particularly awful pattern on a shirt. It's green, teal, and blue paisley patchworked with denim. Oh it's expensive as hell, but that doesn't stop it from being ugly as sin.]

Hey Garnet! [He holds it up to share this terrible with her, caring not one whit about the hurt feelings of the staff.]

Ivan Karelin | Rescuer | Shep's Ship & Moscow

[sponsorigami]

Ship: Transporter of another kind

"Scarlet Romanoff" is now a scarf wearing Pride fangirl who traveled to see the headline show. "Isami Hijikata" is still a random black haired boy in a hoodie that he can ditch if the identity is compromised when doing more risky ventures. "Velia Nicomedo" is a Pride backstage hand who is helping prepare the stage for the headline show.

And Ivan? Ivan spends his evenings mostly in the ship, pouring over a map of Moscow he purchased using some of his saved funds from his bookstore job. (Luckily, he saved some each paycheck because job security is nil now.) He refuses to stay idle until he passes out from exhaustion in some corner of the ship.

They need to get the musicians out already. They need to act. He's going to be very familiar with the city by the time the musicians arrive. Ivan traces various routes on his map with a finger and tries to guess which roads might be blocked off when the festival arrives.

Moscow: Pride Side

"Velia Nicomedo" is the Pride employee whose identity Ivan has assumed. He appears as a middle aged woman, with hair pulled tight into a bun. It's currently his job to post signs and banners advertising the headliner event throughout the venue and surrounding areas. He even helps to hang the huge decorative banners in the back of the stage. He's kept busy, and he can't set up traps or the like. But he's learning the venue and "bumping" into people whose forms might come in handy later.

It's best to catch him when he's hanging posters outside of the stage areas.

Something else?

[[ Anything else you want to thread. Since he's a rescuer, ship or Moscow related prompts are the only ones he can do. He's not in the other locations. ]]

Ship

[eba02]

There's a saying about curiosity and cats, but J doesn't really hold to that; after all, if you're not curious, how are you going to ever learn anything? To that end, he can hear Ivan focused on something, and he's interested to see what it is.

He saunters in and raises an eyebrow. Learning the lay of the land is probably the best thing to do here in terms of mission prep. "You know, that ain't a bad idea. Find anything interesting in there so far?"

Moscow

[possessedbygreeed]

A - Private to Ankh

Pride, Virgo, who gives a shit, really? "Ankh" had his own issues to worry about. Especially with all the contradictory shit going on in his head. And most of it was revolving around a dark-haired woman. Sometimes she smiled fondly, sometimes she was angry and full of righteous indignation. In one memory he had her wrapped in chains and held over a river, and in another he was hugging her tight, his heart aching from missing her.

More disturbingly, sometimes he was hurting her too. And sometimes other people. A guy in colorful clothes was in these scenes a lot. And why was he falling from the sky?

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he got. Maybe Kise was on to something. There was something weird going on with him. Maybe he was just losing it. Maybe the effort of all this was finally making him lose his marbles.

If his manager had anything to say about him climbing the tallest statue at the grounds that he could find, he wasn't paying any attention. He considered this his off-time, so he didn't have to listen to anyone. This abstract creation had a bowl-shaped bit at the top, which he dropped into happily. It's the closest he's come to privacy in a long-ass time.

Once he'd made himself comfortable, he pulled an ice cream bar out of his jacket and started eating it.

B - OTA

Basically, it was pig-out time. And furthermore, he was a lot more friendly about it. "Here, try this!" he insisted, pushing a scoop of ice-cream onto the plate of a passer-by. "Best orange cream I've ever had." He grinned. In a bowl that had once contained a centerpiece (the remains of which had been dumped in the trash) he had built himself quite the impressive sundae with all kinds of different syrups and toppings and several cherries. And a few extra spoons.

B

[yellowcopycat]

Ryouta wrinkles his nose.

"Dude, you need to eat more than ice cream."

He still takes the offered ice cream, giving it a once over, trying to decide if he wants it for dessert or not. He sets it down next to his soup. Onion Gratin of course. Not a traditional Russian dish and they called it "French Onion Soup" but it was more or less the same thing.

Maxxie Oliver / Flashstep

[notahobby]

PARIS/BERLIN/MADRID : VIRGO/PRIDE

For the first few stops on the tour, security and management completely drop the ball and neglect to take away his skateboard. He's been feeling the need to get away, to chase some freedom that he can only remember having in his other life, so he winds his way down the streets away from the suits and the black cars and takes his time exploring where he can before he gets spotted or swarmed by tourists. The cities may be highly updated versions of what he pictured, but there are still alleyways to slip into to get away from prying eyes and dodge his handlers for an hour or two while he actually takes in the sights.

He's more grateful for this opportunity than he would have been just a few months ago. It feels like something he might not have been able to do in a million years - to see every level of these cities and to have the money to stop and enjoy it for all it's worth. Even when he's being supervised he's thrilled just to be alive to see it all.

ISTANBUL/ROME/VIENNA : PRIDE

For the second half of the trip, he's significantly better kept under the watchful eye of Pride security. They take away his skateboard and threaten him with disciplinary action if he keeps disappearing alone, so he relents and spends his time wherever Manny tells him to or with the permission and supervision of the security team. He's still happy to be able to see the cities, but without that freedom it's a little bit tempered.

He's also getting more nervous for the show in Moscow as it draws ever closer. He's often up in the middle of the night, biting his nails or having a calming alcoholic drink on the balcony of his hotel room. It's all happening so quickly, and even though he manages to pull off the solo shows on top of his shows with Flashstep, he can't help but feel like it's going to go wrong somehow. He tries to put on a brave face, but it all seems so much bigger than him now.

MOSCOW : PRIDE/VIRGO/RESCUERS

They keep telling him he's going to be great, and he knows he can be. He's done solo shows before but one of his shows in Moscow is the biggest he's going to do, and Manny made it sound like it was just a warm for what was to come on the rest of the tour. What that means for Flashstep, he doesn't know, but he knows he can't exactly ask questions at this point. Not with everything feeling like it's teetering on the edge of something big.

He gets involved as much as he can, enjoying the hotel amenities just as much as any other Pride musician there. The hot tubs and the bars and the fancy restaurants put a huge grin on his face, but whenever it's quiet for a little while he gets anxious again. He knows he doesn't belong here, and that whatever brought him here was wrong. He's remembered enough by now to know. But another part of him keeps saying he's earned this and that it's time to enjoy it. So he does.

Backstage at the festival he's buzzing with energy. He's talkative and bouncy and it's almost irritating how bubbly he is, but he's just so excited to be here. That nervous energy has turned into something else entirely, and it's almost like Maxxie is in his element. The closer he gets to the music, the more sure he feels.

alright let's do this

[traumatizing]

Terry's been doing his duty to help Maxxie relax wherever he can during the tour. Mostly there with hugs and kind words to reassure him. Maxxie's hotel room also serves as a nice place to hide from Page when they're being just... Too much. Either going too heavy on the whole 'make the label proud' or 'so the thing about art is...' talks.

He's taking a nap in the hotel room while there's some Flashstep business going on, and peeks out from under the covers when he hears the door. Half worried it's gonna be Manny telling him not to make trouble or whatever, but he smiles when he sees Maxxie instead and sticks an arm out to get him to come over.

Agent 3 | Rescuer | Ship & Moscow

[woomy]

Ship: Still better than a UFO

Agent 3 is running around the ship, looking through all the windows as they pass over Europa. She presses herself against the window as if she could see more by doing that. (Sorry, for the squid prints everywhere, Shep.)

"How is there so much land?!" she says with incredible awe. "How'd you mess up so badly to cover it all up?"

Moscow: All around

The first thing 3 does upon touching down is look for a local library she can get the deets from. She's upset to discover that her library card isn't going to work over here, and she can't get a new one since she doesn't have a residence in Moscow. However, as long as she's in the library, she can use all their resources. She's already found a map, a few power plants (even if they can't disable them), and some schedules for the headliner festival.

She also leafs through a few fashion magazines when she needs a break.

Choose your own adventure

[[ Come up with your own prompt. She has to stick with the ship and Moscow because she's a rescuer. ]]

Library

[hearted]

Minako finds herself joining Agent 3 here for a bit of light reading. She's got to gather her intel again, keep up the guise of another again...it's all a little exhausting, but they have work to do.

"Found anything good?" she asks, lowering her shades enough to be identifiable.

Usagi Tsukino || Rescuer || Ship and Moscow || OTA

[lightthedarkness]

Ship A:

There were some new faces among all those on the ship. But there were far more missing. She had quit from "Thistle" and Mrs. Ophelia wished her the best. They had given up the apartments and Usagi donated whatever she wouldn't need (or that hadn't been a gift) to charity so that it wouldn't just collect moth holes and dust in an abandoned closet. She had everything that any musician ever gave her (that hadn't been food), and was currently in one of the rooms on the ship. But she was getting cabin fever, unable to do anything as she knew the musicians were traveling from city to city and who knew what was happening to them.

She had to get out and about, get her space cleared. She was pacing around the ship, not feeling hungry as she watched the world pass them by.

"It looks so much like home... what is going to happen to this place when we leave?" when all the musicians were gone, when Santiago and Blanche's control was wrenched out of their hands and destroyed?

She swallowed.

She asked herself that everyday.

"What is going to happen?" she wouldn't dare think about not winning, not freeing everyone. She needed to believe with her entire being they would win. She pressed her hands to the glass of the ship.

Ship B:

Haruka was gone, Michiru was gone. It seemed fitting they were back together and she prayed that they were back home. What if Santiago or Blanche had heard their incredible musical skills? She missed them though.

She missed Ami and Makoto, she missed Luna and Artemis...

She missed Mamoru.

Oh stars in heaven, how she missed Mamoru.

So it was perhaps, unsurprising to find Usagi crying with her left hand held tight to her chest over her heart. Or it would be unsurprising to those who knew her best. She had tried to find a private area to break down, but it was a small enough ship that there weren't many places to be alone.

But it would be over soon, one way or another. She just needed this moment of breakdown.

Ship C:

"If you're not going to eat the food, can I have it?" she asked as she saw her fellow rescuer poke the food in the ship's "galley" (or was it gallery? She could never remember. She'd ask Ami when she got home). She offered a smile in understanding, not everyone had an iron stomach like she did.

"Is it a lot different than you're used to?"

Moscow A:

She was getting ready for what she was sure would be the final showdown. She was doing some recognizance around the hotel, seeing what roads tended to be the least busy and when, what security she could see. Under the hologram, she was just a brunette with shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. She tried to make the hologram's appearance as unnoticeable and unmemorable as possible.

Everything was going well and several of the musicians she saw heading into the hotel didn't even recognize her even as she recognized them. She didn't nod or greet them, walking ahead of them and turning the corner.

Only to run straight into someone's chest AND hear the hologram short out.

She was now standing, twin blonde-tails bright blue eyes and all in the middle of the sidewalk.

Her eyes widened and she was trying not to panic as she frantically looked for an alley to get the hologram back in place. Maybe no one saw her!

Care to rid her of that notion?

Moscow B:

It was night time and it was time to do further patrolling of the area. At least as Sailor Moon, she'd have an easier time of it, right? Usagi looked around to see anyone was around her and, reasonably assured, ducked into an alley.

She held her hand up high in the air.

'Silver Moon Crystal Power, Make up!' her light and magic wrapped around her and she could feel her power in every inch of her body. She opened her eyes and allowed her wings shift from the ones on her fuku to her actual wings so she could fly around the building. Whatever information she could get, could be used for the other rescuers and Shep and Silver.

She turned around and stopped dead in her tracks.

Ship A

[hearted]

"What will happen is that we'll save them...just like you always do," Minako whispered encouragingly. "I know it looks bleak now, but if we can unite their hearts...and if anyone can..."

She'll never not believe in her princess. Minako curled up to her side with a smile.

Agent J | Rescuer

[eba02]

1. That lonesome feeling comes to my door

On a ship as loud and crowded as Shep's, it's easy to stay quiet and in the background, and that's what J has been doing for a good amount of the trip. There's a part of him that's deeply exhausted, and he's trying to repair it as much as he can before the Moscow show. He needs to be at his best if he's going to help; given that 'his best' was something that got worn out a fair few months back, right now he'll settle for 'as good as it gets.' You might be able to find him somewhere, sitting in a chair or leaning against a wall, wearing his headphones and listening to music. He'll take them off to smile and talk and try to help, but if you know him well, you'll be able to see that his excuses - that he's still tired from the start of the festival and boy that Predator song really took it out of him - are running a little thin.

2. Standing on the corner at midnight, trying to get my courage up

As far as J is concerned, one of the most important parts of mission prep is knowing the land. You're not going to get anywhere if you don't know where you're going or, just as importantly, how to beat a discreet but hasty retreat. To that end, J is walking the streets of Moscow, getting a feel for things. From the outside, it looks like he's taking in the sights of the city, including the arena preparation for the big concert; in reality, he's paying a lot more attention to traffic patterns and side streets. It pays to be prepared, and he has the feeling he's going to need every advantage he can get.

2!

[4thdimensional]

Doc is doing much the same with the streets: idly browsing, holding up a piece of newspaper. He looks a little like a lost tourist, or at least he hopes he does, but behind the shield his eyes stay sharp. On one of his turns of the corner, he passes a face he's seen once before.

"My God, it's like a labyrinth," he murmurs quietly. "All this road...doesn't it make your head spin?"

Finnick Odair / Hue & Cry

[thelittlemerman]

30th - 12th : MUSICIANS

The Finnick at the beginning of the Europa tour is a much different Finnick than the one who made his debut as a co-lead of Hue & Cry so many months ago. He's somber now, all the time, and his smug confidence has been replaced by a general coldness. He hardly trusts the members of his own band, let alone the rest of the musicians of Virgo, and he can be heard having arguments with Alex over the smallest things. He was a darling of the label and now he's just a problem to be dealt with.

Even on stage he's far less enthusiastic. He seems distracted all the time and any effort he puts in is for the innocent faces in the crowd and so his band mates don't see any unnecessary wrath from management on his behalf. He spends his free time sitting around in private ares that are blocked off from the fans, drinking or just staring off into the distance bitterly. At least in Vista City he had an ocean view.

If anyone does manage to drag him somewhere for a so-called "good time," he at least tries to be a little less of a downer. His smiles are tight and forced but he refrains from sharing his real thoughts on any of this or the horrific details of the life he wants to go back to.

MOSCOW : MUSICIANS/RESCUERS

By the time they get to the headlining festival in Moscow, Finnick's arguments with his manager are almost hourly. He can't help himself, and even though he knows it's unreasonable he sort of blames Alex for this whole situation. He knows by now that it wasn't him who personally came and took him away, but he's the closest thing he has to whoever did, and Finnick can barely stand his presence anymore. It's driven him to a kind of manic state, and Hue & Cry's first show at the festival is one of Finnnick's most high-energy shows in months.

He turns into a walking bundle of nerves throughout the week of the festival, completely unpredictable and almost paranoid. He just wants out, and it's almost like every free moment he's scanning the crowd for someone who can take him out of here, even though he knows it would be crazy for the band of rescuers to have followed them halfway around the world. Right?

Moscow

[woomy]

Would Finnick be able to recognize his little hero from Fairy Trials without the armor that made her round and roly-poly?

Agent 3 (Emma Skidd) is going on a walk to get a better chance of streets and buildings. If she needs to use her ink to escape or jump away, she wants to know where she can go safely. She's brightly colored, and her headgear and hat remain on even if the weather warms. She has to hide her tentacle hair and pointed ears.

She doesn't expect to run into Finnick, but when she sees him, she stands and stares. Should she do something? He's a musician, but she's on her own right now. And she doesn't want to use her ghost gift quite this early in a fight that won't progress anything.

So, instead she offers a little wave.

Minako Aino | Rescuer | Ship and Moscow

[hearted]

The Ship

Here they were, once again, hurtling along a path to what could mean destruction. She prayed each night that it would be all right...but with their dwindling numbers, and a painful thought in Haruka and Michiru's direction...she knew they had to stay strong. Staying positive was the only way.

She can be found throughout the ship bopping along to a beat, perhaps singing a few words.

Say it's all right...

"No, really! It's gonna be okay!"

She smiles as brightly as she can, though it might also be an effort to convince herself.

Moscow
In Moscow, she takes a different approach. She's disguised as a very studious woman with hair in a bun and glasses, always reading...but at night she feels that tremor in the air. At night, she knows it's time to rise up. She finds herself a dark alley and shouts:

Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!

Soon enough, there's a blonde warrior in a mini skirt stalking the shadows. She can't fly, but she can sure hop over a few rooftops for practicing aerial escapes. That might be her now, backlit by the moon...

Ship

[eba02]

Boy, does this look familiar. Minako is smiling, trying to encourage everyone around her, and carrying around a whole lot of pain that she's trying not to show. It's exactly what J's been doing for the past month or so, and it's not exactly easier to watch - or listen to - from the outside.

Well, he's no great shakes at helping himself, but he can probably help her. He falls into step beside her and gives her a smile. "Hey, would you mind doin' me a favor?"

Doc Brown | rescuer | ship/moscow

[4thdimensional]

The ship

It's a bit more of a tight fit this trip, that's for sure. He already studied all the systems he could the first time around, so that leaves him room to watch the window forlornly. He manages a wave for anyone he doesn't know, largely the newly rescued...and then feels a pang of guilt. A certain boy should be at his side now, but isn't, because he failed to launch a plan in time...

And now they're separated for weeks at the minimum while Marty's energy is used for a dark purpose. He's almost out of his mind with worry at this point, and he often stays up all hours of the night drafting plans.

"When I had access to cars, that was one thing...but I'll need to brush up on my hot-wiring skills if I'm to pull this off now---or perhaps I could---but would that introduce too much risk----"

He tends to scribble out and re-start his plans many times. There's never a quiet moment over in Doc's corner.

Moscow:

When it hits, the pull is almost impossible to resist. Every nerve in his body is screaming at him to charge after Marty right away, but he has enough sense to know that he absolutely needs a plan. And that needs knowledge. He spends his days wearing quite the floppy hat, perhaps spending a little too much time admiring the nearby cars.

"What a beauty...pity on the paint job, though."

ship

[sponsorigami]

It had been a crazy time before leaving Vista City, and keeping up his multiple personalities left Ivan with little "free" time. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk to the garage mechanic after talking with Tooru. However, now he has the time to.

Ivan sees Doc. Brow writing down something when he quietly approaches. "Um... Did Tooru get a chance to talk to you?"

The Doctor | Rescuer | all over the place :P

[trustme]

ON THE SHIP -Rescuers

Blanche has Greg and Santiago has who knows how many music wizards at her disposal. With all the murmurs among the rescuers about Gold missing it sounds like Silver might appreciate another music wizard on their side.

Practice makes perfect. Doctor spends the majority of his time on the ship playing his cello and attempting to cast spells. If someone passes by at the right moment they might see an illusion or a plastic cup getting abused by target practice.

WHILE IN LONDON -Rescuers

If he still believed the backstory Virgo gave him then he would be back in his homeland. Knowing it was all a rouse has him curious and at the music festival he keeps his face buried in a Brittania tourist book. He disappears from the rescuer group and the site of the music festival without warning and several hours pass without a word. Other rescuers might want to send him a message if they're worried.

ALSO IN LONDON -OTA

Guess who is going to stop and appreciate every single police box he sees in the city? The way he circles them and laughs raises some eyebrows and earns the attention of any police present at the time. Take his picture with the box, pleeeeease!

THE FESTIVALS ALONG THE EUROPEAN TOUR -Musicians

Doctor tries to make up for his distraction in Brittania during the rest of the tour. (In disguise of course) He waits in multiple autograph lines, passing the time chatting with others waiting with him until he gets that short moment with one of the stars. Being nearby will make it easier to either sense their music magic and state, or even make a telepathic connection. So who is at the end of this line?

OR WILDCARD

On The Ship

[determinate]

On one hand, Frisk thinks it would be good to get some practice dealing with music magic. It's likely different from monster magic, and they've only got so many tries before it just kills them. On the other, they sort of don't think the Doctor would want to shoot at them, and anyway he's probably not as good at it as any of the executives might be. Are they going to fight the executives themself? Frisk doubts they'll be entirely alone, but it seems likely they'll be there at some point.

There's a small child leaning in the doorway watching the practice with a somewhat inscrutable expression. They're quiet enough that they could have been here a while.

Connie - Ship / Moscow

[missknight]

Ship

[There's not a lot of room on Shep's ship, at least not with it packed as it is, and a girl plus a giant pink lion only have so much space. At least Lion, for the most part, seems content to stay in one place although there's an aggravation to the whip of his tail and in his narrowed eyes.]

[Connie wants to pace. It takes a lot of effort not to, and she spends a lot of time staring thoughtfully out one of the windows.]

Do you think that Juno woman will be there too...?

[It's hard to tell if she's talking to Lion or whoever is nearby.]

Moscow (open)

[Once the ship has touched down in Moscow, you might find yourself being approached by a small girl with her hair tucked into a baseball cap and a large "dog". Totally a dog, and not a lion being disguised by highly advanced technology.]

Um, would you mind walking around with me through the city? I'm a little worried about getting caught by Virgo security....

Moscow (closed to Steven Universe)

[This is it. She's not going to wait anymore. Connie's had enough of it. Things are coming to a head, and leaving Mr. Universe behind still leaves a guilt churning in her stomach. She wanted to help him, she wanted to help Lapis, but she couldn't do either.]

[But she's determined to help Steven somehow.]

[It takes a lot of research and luck to find the hotel that Pride as booked, and ingenuity plus more luck to find out where Steven is staying. Eavesdropping, as it turns out, is a good solution to things like that.]

[So. Here she is. Besides her, Lion is staring at narrowed eyes at the hotel. The pair of them are on the rooftop of an apartment building of some sort- secluded and perfectly within view of where they want to go. You can never be too careful when you're ripping holes through space. Taking a breath, she crouches down besides Lion and points.]

His room should be right there, okay? [With Rose's sword on her back, Connie swing herself up onto Lion's.] On the count of three. One... Two... Three!

[Lion's roar, tearing open pink holes in the air before them, rattles something in her bones, but Connie merely digs her hands further into his pink mane. The space is dizzying, wild, colorful, but she focuses straight ahead as a hole tears through a hotel room. As Lion lands heavily onto the floor, she looks around wildly.]

[She really hopes she got the right hotel room.]

Ship

[rainandswallows]

Who's Juno?

[Yamamoto walks over and looks curiously at Lion, obviously not bothered by the fact it's pink]

This your friend?

[His hand goes to his necklace, where Jirou and Koujirou are. He can summon Koujirou, but still can't get Jirou out yet. He misses playing with him]

Yamamoto Takeshi

[rainandswallows]

Ship

In between stops Yamamoto can be seen practicing with his sword. He's limited in how much he can do because Jirou is still sealed in his Vongola Necklace of the Rain, meaning he can't enter Combio Forma, but he can still do plenty with just Jirou and his sword.

And of course his sword style, taught to him by his father, the strongest man he knew, and perfected under the tutelage of Squalo, who he was here to save.

He sighed and wiped his face with the hem of his shirt. Being optimistic about this was tiring, but he had to stay hopeful.

Otherwise he might go insane.

Rome

Yamamoto knew that one day he would see Rome. This Rome was different from the Rome on his world, but it was still the Rome that he saw in pictures.

He wondered vaguely if Terra was simply an alternate universe version of Earth, like the ones Byakuran could visit. He spared the notion only a few seconds of wondering before focusing on more important matters.

Like finding out where Surviving Friday was preforming. Good thing he had a few hours to waste. If he was lucky to find Squalo, Dino, or Tsuna.

ROME?

[sharktrash]

And it turns out he's lucky.

After all, both Virgo and Pride are performing, if not quite at the same spot, and musicians mostly stay in the same area. So if Yamamoto ends up wandering toward the Pride's part of the city, he just might spot a familiar head of long white hair heading along the square that the stage is being set at.

Jamie Hemeros | Pride Records | Flashstep

[mildwildchild]

A - JAMIE TAKES IN SOME CULTURE: (Madrid, June 3-6 - OTA)
Torn between trying to take advantage of his increasingly limited down time and keeping an eye on his friends and bandmates, Jamie opts to wander around an art museum during a free afternoon - it's close to the hotel where they're all staying, and he's too disoriented from the instantaneous magical travel version of jet lag to muster up the energy for anything else. Once he's there, though - flanked, as always, by some Pride escorts - his mood becomes melancholy.

There are so many lovingly rendered butts here, and neither Yosuke nor Sora are around to enjoy them.

The casual passerby may therefore observe him staring almost mournfully at Picasso's Plaster of a Male Torso, among other bootylicious masterpieces.

B - JAMIE HAS A NEED, A NEED FOR SPEED: (Istanbul, June 7-8 - OTA)
During a trip to the Istanbul Aviation Museum, however, his demeanor undergoes a marked improvement. He actually seems excited as he is about so few things anymore, flitting from one displayed aircraft to another, rattling off questions more quickly than the museum director can comprehend them and respond. He drags anyone nearby into his geeking-out, too, whether they want to be there or not.

"Oh my god look at how cool this one is," he enthuses, all but teleporting his ass over to an impeccably maintained relic of an F-16 Fighting Falcon. "How old is it? How fast can it go? Something this old I'm guessing Mach 2, maybe 2.5? What's the thrust-to-weight ratio? Man, I bet this thing can really move. I don't even care if it's old, it'd be so cool to see one of these in action. Am I right? Hey, do you think they'd let us sit in it?" he asks the unfortunate bystander who's gotten sucked into his nerdgasm.

C - JAMIE SUFFERS FOR THE SAKE OF GLASNOST: (Moscow, June 12-17 - OTA)
The joint Pride/Virgo tour is being touted as the biggest thing to hit Moscow since the great bear wrestler Vladmir Putin took the animal-grappling world by storm, culminating in a face-off with professional reptile taunter Steve "The Howlin' Australian" Irwin for the world championship title in a match that drew peak audiences and shattered all previous records for worldwide pay-per-view TV ratings. Or at least that's the gist Jamie gets, his Russian is more than a little spotty and he's too fatigued and nauseated to try and make any real sense of what he's hearing.

He's not quite the household name that Maxxie is, but he still attracts a fair amount of attention, so parading him around - with or without the rest of the band, though always accompanied by a phalanx of bodyguards - is a logical way to make sure the public is sufficiently hyped for the upcoming show. Fielding questions, signing autographs, in general trying to charm the bejesus out of the Russian people - he's out there whether he likes it or not, and judging by how generally wretched he looks, he's not totally feeling up to this.

D - JAMIE DEFILES THE FINEST TRASH CANS IN ALL OF RUSSIA: (Moscow, June 12-17 - open to musicians)
The energy has been building throughout the tour, steadily growing into something that feels like it's going to devour them all whole. Jamie, in turn, has been increasingly on edge, and by the time they hit Moscow he's all but climbing the walls. He tries to pass off his restlessness, insomnia, and overall shitty appearance as more jet lag - and to be fair, he's still feeling the effects of that, too - but jet lag doesn't generally make people jump out of their skins at the slightest provocation.

Just before the show, he's backstage, dressed to the nines, coiffed within an inch of his life, and pacing like a caged animal. He runs through lyrics and choreography in his head, staring at nothing, musical energy thrumming through him like electrical current. It fills him, overwhelms him, threatens to swallow him completely even as it tries to claw its way into him and back out again. It's so vast, so all-consuming, pressing in on him and around him and through him, something that he can't see or touch but that he can feel nonetheless, something so thick and strong he can almost smell it, almost taste it -

- surging down and through him and up and out through every pore in his body, writhing beneath his skin, burrowing into his brain, roiling in his gut -

He lurches to a stop mid-stride, drags in a shaky breath, and bolts for the nearest trash can, where he proceeds to vomit. Very noisily.

WILDCARD - hit me up dawgs

B

[yellowcopycat]

Surprisingly, Ryouta is right up there with Jamie in the geeking out over the planes.

He's vaguely recalling having gone through an airplane phase as a kid and considered being a pilot as a plan C, after basketball and modeling.

(or was it after music, basketball, modeling, and then pilot? it was getting confusing)

So anyone watching is given a show of a rather short teenager and a very tall teenager racing around the museum.

"Says it was developed in the Seventies, so it's way old," he said and looked around. The military aspects of the aerodynamics are interesting and all, but Ryouta's more inclined to appreciate the luxury private planes. That's way more his speed. But they probably don't have those here.

marty mcfly | back to the future

[heymcfly]

did somebody order a bodyguard?

Finally, finally, Marty is allowed to roam around.

The reason why he wasn't allowed to move around or be somewhere else other than a comfortable room wasn't because he was in any kind of trouble at all. The last tour with Lapis had left him devastated. Broken ribs, a busted arm. A little concussion, more cuts than the eye could see. His chest had been so heavily bruised, breathing anymore was an absolute chore without the aid of drugs. In what seemed like a few seconds, Marty's life had been put on standstill.

It feels like he's out of touch with everything. Things were happening right in front of him, but he couldn't see. Marty didn't even know how long he was unconscious for after the thing with Lapis went down. He remembers being in the air, and then nothing. Waking up covered in bandages, with this annoying plastic thing wrapped around his chest.

Marty will be walking around, but there's no way he can perform. If the bodyguards surrounding him don't raise an eyebrow, it might be the bruises and cuts he's collected. Or the rib brace that is impossible for him to hide under clothing.

[panspermia]

The fight with Lapis had nearly killed Mr. Universe before help had stepped in, but Marty had clearly come out of it with the worse damage.

Something about it makes him angry... at least, he thinks it's anger. Logically, he should be mad that his bandmate can't play. His power will be reduced, his network weakened. This is a direct assault on his system. That doesn't really feel like the reason, though. There was no way he could have known what sort of damage Lapis would have done to Marty, but Mr. Universe finds himself more upset that he hadn't done more to stop it. There's something sort of... melancholy to the feeling, as well. Seeing Marty all beat up, Mr. Universe is overcome with this... sadness-anger.

Mr. Universe holds out a paper plate of pizza to the battered guitarist by way of greeting. "Keeping upright. Step in the right direction."

Luce - Ship

[giglio_madonna]

A

[They might be cutting things close to the wire, some big weird music ritual is going to happen soon, their foes have unbelievable amounts of power... But Luce seems to be taking it all in stride as she preps some things in the kitchen area of Shep's ship, calm as a winter's day.]

[In times like these, it helps to remember that the basics are important, and by 'basics' she means 'basic needs of living'. She can't do much while they're all stuck in a ship, but she can make sure no one skips meals over being too nervous or getting lost in preparing with training or research.]

B

[...Which isn't to say she's not practicing at all herself. The only thing she has are her flames and a ring, but Luce has been remembering more and more over the past couple of months. Maybe it's because she's free for Virgo- no having to occupy her mind with rehearsal or interviews or the feeling of Blanche's presence looming over her.]

[As it turns out, remembering things makes her ring much more handy, so now and then, people can find her in what little free space there is. The ring around one finger is glimmering a brilliant orange, matching the flames which come to life around her arm and hand. Tongue poking out between her lips in concentration, she raises her arm and concentrates... Is she shooting off a burst of flame that seems vaguely squirrel shaped?]

[Other times, she's sighing down fondly at the ring.]

This must not be very interesting for you at all...

B

[rainandswallows]

[To one person it is very interesting.

Yamamoto had been wondering the ship, and had seen her from a distance, but with so many people he hadn't had a chance to check her out.

Until now.

The outfit, the hair cut, the beauty mark. It was almost the same as...]

Yuni?

[Except she was older... this was very confusing]

Artolo Apemis - touring all over the goddamn place

[iitrebel]

General

[For the most part, Artolo's schedule is mundane. He goes along with the tour, does his performances both with solo rap and still drumming for Crown of Thorns, parties a little with the loud persona he's built up to this point, and then goes back to his room to lay face down on the floor for a while.]

[It's fiiiiine.]

[Whether coming off of a set, partying with a drink in his hand, or trying to get stoned out of his mind in a lobby while singing nonsense under his breath, feel free to bother Artolo whenever.]

Paris; locked to B

[Considering the memories that are flickering through his mind, Artolo figures there's something he really needs to say to someone.... So that's why, one day, B will find someone knocking out a rhythm on his hotel door.]

Madrid; locked to Tooru

[He's been thinking on this long and hard... But finally, Artolo approaches Tooru in their rooms.]

Hey. I wanna talk to you about something.

[killerbeep]

[B takes just a moment to check out the peephole before opening the door, so it's with some enthusiasm that he does let Art in. Weird goings-on or not, it's still always welcome to hear from him.]

Hey, man, good to see you! Something up, or just stopping by?

Aramat Drawdes | May 30th - June 13th

[scalpedsociety]

LONDON | in the tireless slumber, suffering from withdrawal | OPEN

The Europa tour starts off... rocky to say the least. Aramat isn't speaking to her bandmates and and is overall being antisocial and surly in general, mostly staying in her hotel room. Maybe you can encourage her to come out and see the sights?


PARIS | i wanna make you mine, but that's hard to say/is this coming off in a cheesy way? | FOR JECHT

They say Paris is a romantic city, and Aramat thinks that perhaps there's some truth to it. After performances, Aramat texts Jecht.

This may sound corny and overdone, but I want to share a lot of time with you. Starting in the world's most romantic city. I promise we won't go to the catacombs if you don't swim in the Seine.

It's been a hard couple of weeks lately what with the impulsive stabbing and recent revelations on her own bandmate. She needs the comforting presence of Jecht more than ever.

BERLIN | the fuel in my fire won't run dry | OPEN

Crown of Thorns has a rather huge following in Germany. (Then again the goth subculture is very popular in that area.) Because of this fact, extra exclusive performances are given to several clubs in the city for the hardcore fans. After her tear of club performances in Vista City, the fans begged for a solo concert in Germany. The fans are never left wanting.

Aramat may have some disillusionment with fame and her fans, she still considers her musical abilities a gift and is curious about what she can do. She can still pour her heart out on the stage.

She strides to the stage, holding a candelabra and in an stunning dress singing a classic:

White on white translucent black capes
Back on the rack
Bela Lugosi's dead
The bats have left the bell tower
The victims have been bled
Red velvet lines the black box

Bela Lugosi's dead

ROME | i could've wished a thousand wishes/'cause I like to be with you | FOR SQUALO

Soon as they arrive in Rome, Aramat sends out a text to her favorite cellist.

We're in Italy! Would you like to show me the sights? :D

MOSCOW | there's a ghost in the mirror/i'm afraid more than ever

The festival puts Aramat in a somber mood. Sure it was nice for both the labels to share a castle, but she knows what might happen in the festival.

She has to say goodbye to a lot of people possibly, but she refuses to leave.

[OOC: Want to go another city? Want to do something else? Hit me up at pashchan at plurk.]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

catacombs ain't too romantic, that's true. Im in though. Tell me where to meet you and I'll be there.

Koushi Sugawara | Rescuer | Ship & Moscow

[warmsetter]

Ship

Suga tried to calm down while he was on the ship, but he was nervous. Normally, whenever he had an idea he could run it by Daichi, Ennoshita, or someone from their team. Now he didn't have that option which left his mind to start second guessing everything he came up with. There was a chance that his plans could fall through or someone could get hurt. He wouldn't know what to do if someone got hurt.

Suga excused himself with one of his smiles before he walked over to a quiet part of the ship to think.

He may be good about calming others down. He wasn't as good when it came to himself.

Moscow

Suga checked many times to make sure that his disguise would work. When he walked around during the day he was Kyouma Matoi, a quiet guy who was a big fan of the musicians, while he kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary that he could use at night. At night he could feel the tension in the air. It made him very nervous, but he wouldn't doubt or second guess himself. He couldn't let anyone down. He wouldn't let anyone down.

Suga stood by the edge of the alley and kept a look out for an opening or a fellow rescuer.

Wildcard

[Any other ideas? Let me know!]

Ship

[rainandswallows]

Yamamoto was walking around the ship trying to find a place to practice when he saw Suga looking rather down.

He had seen this guy around but hadn't had a chance to talk to him as he was focused on finding Tsuna and Squalo.

"Hey," he said heading over to him. "You okay?"

☆THE RITUAL

[interstellarnpcs]

They are set up in a ballroom in the very center of the hotel's structure - reserved to Virgo personnel only, of course. It seems strange, having such globe-spanning stars playing to an empty room. A waste of good music, perhaps.

Of course, Blanche has always been one to ensure that everything has a purpose.

Music magic lacks a lot of the visual trappings of other forms of the occult. There are no chalk lines on the floor, no circles of salt. Almost everything that happens here is in the realm of the spiritual, the realm of waves and sound. It is a careful feng shui of resonance and acoustics, at least in how Virgo does it. Defying Atmosphere's leads have been carefully placed on a stage in the center of the room, and two glowing crystals, in teal and in gold, hang in the air high above them, surrounded in a sparkling miasma of Blanche's spacial hold.

The crystals are a part of their souls, even as they are separate, and they resonate to their music more purely than anything Blanche could demand of them. Soul crystals formed in this manner are without distraction and without pollution - they are nothing but pure focus on the spiritual elements they've been segregated to contain.

Blanche himself sits leisurely towards the back of the room for the moment, waiting for the moment that things will get complicated. After all, he's making a pointed effort to summon his enemies, perhaps from multiple sides. It's a calculated risk, but it's one he expects will pay off.

It has to. If he doesn't want Lesedi Santiago to end up consuming his essence in the end, at least.

[panspermia]

The golden gem hovering above thrums against his senses as if it were the beating of his heart. It may well be, with how much life it seems to be channeling through their invisible bond. The gem otself could be the one playing the guitar, Mr. Universe only here to provide the fingers to pluck at the strings.

Stress is normal. Exhaustion is standard. This is normal. He's fine. This is how it's meant to be. The life he wants, the life he's going to lead from here on out. As a musician, as a performer, as a wizard. This is only the beginning, it's going to get bigger and more intense from here. He has to be working and striving for more at every second. Being tired is normal. It means he's not letting up. It means he's done everything to ensure their success.

So drained and worked, there's little extra energy to spend on anything but the ritual at hand. There's no space left to question motives or worry. All that matters is the music, the magic, and their oncoming victory.

They start their concert, private and secluded, without an audience. For now.

Soon, everyone will hear them.