☆TRACK XIII: HIT THE BOTTOM PT 2

[interdimanagers]

It’s almost the very end of the Tokyo tour when it happens. There was no way for anyone to be sure when exactly Gold would strike, but at least with the information gained from Silver and their dreams, the rebels have been able to prepare and lay in wait. Despite some effort, contact with Gold has been impossible. It isn’t until Lesedi has presented herself on stage that Gold comes out of hiding. It’s a special occasion, presumably. Maybe our of arrogance, or maybe as some key feature of her plan, one of the final performances is Lesedi Santiago herself singing. The crowd loves it, irrationally so – it’s clear to anyone that knows what’s going on that by this point Lesedi could be making fart sounds into a microphone and the audience would swoon. The magic is thick, and the civilians are all but zombies in its wake. So much, so, that they don’t even seem to notice when Gold drops the entire metal lighting structure right onto the stage, on top of Santiago, mid performance. Gold rides the structure down, and metal bends and grinds, screeching as lights explode and sparks fly. It’s so brazen that even Lesedi doesn’t seem to be expecting it. That becomes all too obvious when the nebulae emerges from the wreckage, furious and literally glowing with astral energy. Her song and its momentum has been cut like a rope, and the stage has fallen down like the figurative piano. “What is this?!” she screeches, indignant beyond words but ostensibly not actually hurt. Metal shrapnel bursts into the air as Gold emerges as well, a powerful aura surging around their masked form as well. The remaining musicians that were dosed with Gold’s powder some months ago will feel a strange pull against their spirits. “You.” The word is cold, in contrast to Lesedi’s fury only a moment before. Gold only offers a theatrical shrug as they tight rope walk across twisted metal scaffolding. The crowd roars in appreciate for a performance that only they seem to understand. “This is where you swear you’re going to destroy me, right?” Gold says, with antagonizing ambivalence. “Well, here’s your chance, princess.” Yet, in this moment, Silver is nowhere to be seen. [This is mostly going to be one, big free for all log, though you can make separate top levels if they aren’t going to be related to the main fight. Remember, your actions here matter! What players characters do or don’t do will heavily affect the outcome.]

Comments

[twoscompany]

It...made sense. Yet, at the same time, the brainwashing that Lesedi planted in them both - her own place in the company - made her reluctant.

"I...don't know how!"

[panspermia]

"How" was about to come crashing through the backstage.

They'd hear--or even feel--the strum of guitar strings pushing back against the clashing energies onstage. It's not flashy, dramatic power chords to compete with the main event, but a simple time playing the offbeat to theirs. It's a little song, attempting to disrupt the magic hold on those nearby.

"Steven! Garnet!" Breathless and dissheveled, Greg appears. "Are you all right?!"

He ought to be keeping his voice quieter, or else the spell letting him sneak past security will snap, but... god, just looking at the two of them has him near tears.

[tigermillionaire]

Steven understands that feeling of uncertainty and helpless, and were it not for Greg's arrival he might have been tempted to give into it. His dad showing up now completely catches him off guard, for a moment he doesn't feel like he can breathe through it.

He clutches Garnet's arms with both his hands before bolting a few steps towards Greg, his own eyes prickling with tears. He wants to hug him, but he feels like they can't afford the distraction.

"D-Dad," he manages. "Is this... is this you guys?"

[twoscompany]

...It can't be.

"......Greg?"

Oh god. It has happened. She's lost her mind. Lesedi's making her see things--

[panspermia]

It's so hard not to drop his guitar and embrace Steven right there. They can do it after.

"Hey, Garnet." Greg turns his blinking away tears into a wink. "What's wrong, you look like you saw a ghost."

He nods to Steven. "Kinda. It's mostly our pal out there." He jerks his head towards Gold on stage. "Point is, we're stopping her. Like I promised."

[tigermillionaire]

Steven takes a moment to look in Gold's direction, and then looks back to Greg, just as confused. Now, that part sounds totally unbelievable. They can't just beat her, like that - not by just slugging it out with her on stage. It doesn't make sense, he can't believe it, he-

"I-I... can I help?" he asks in a very small voice, like he's almost too afraid of voicing the idea to speak.

[twoscompany]

"You...you are a...." Genet covers her eyes, the influence of her master, and the reminder of Greg's passing, bearing down on her at Greg's declaration.. "How. How can we defeat her? She's too powerful. She's barely even hurt...a ghost can't harm her. None of us..."

She could barely see a future, much less a positive one, through the muck of energy crashing down.

[panspermia]

"I'm alive, Garnet. All of Atmosphere. We got out." He sucks in a breath. He'd been hoping she wouldn't have believed the lies, but he can't blame her. He believed far too many of them himself under Blanche's thumb.

"You're right. None of us can take her on alone. But we're not alone. She's been using your power, everyone's, to fuel her own. The more we use for ourselves, the less she power she'll have over us. Over everyone."

Greg's smile is small, anxious, and wistful. He has no idea what he's doing, if it's possible, if he'll get himself killed or captured trying. But he knows for sure he can't do it alone.

"Will you guys sing with me?"

[tigermillionaire]

It's a more difficult question than it should be, really. Immediately, part of him is worrying about what will happen if he does. Yet, a louder part trusts Greg more than he trusts himself.

"Okay," he says softly, staring up at his dad with just a little bit of hope in his eyes.

[twoscompany]

"Greg..."

Singing. That's what she can do, right? Even if she can't do the things that Greg can apparently do. Though, he looks older. Is he supposed to look like that?

Its so strange. But somehow it felt right that he looks like this. That she should accept his help. Even if part of her still tells her this isn't real, what do you think you'll accomplish going up against your master?

"What...what song were you thinking?"

[panspermia]

A few of the tears he's been holding back get past, and Greg smiles wider. Whatever Lesedi's made them believe about their lives, their homes, their loyalties... she can't ever get them to shake off who they really are. All that fear and cruelty and manipulation can't trump love.

Greg begins to play a little louder, putting more of his will into the disruption spell it fueled. He has power, Steven has magic, Garnet has influence. More than that, they all have each other. That has to be enough to scatter some of Lesedi's hold.

For such a big task, it was given to a very simple little song, though. "I think you ought to know it. Written by my favorite artist." Greg draws himself up, taking a deep breath. "And meant to tell people, just like Lesedi...

If you're evil and you're on the rise,
You can count on the lot of us takin' you down"

[tigermillionaire]

At first Steven isn't expecting for the song to sound familiar. There's so much that's still fuzzy when he tries to remember, and so much of his real life still feels so far away. Yet, when Greg starts singing, remembering the words is like an involuntary twitch. He feels like he should be playing something, and not the keyboard that has become customary here.

"Because we're good and evil never beats us," he manages, as ridiculous as it sounds to him now. The words carry a sense of optimism that everything about his life here has been trying very hard to make him forget.

"We'll win the fight and then go out for pizzas..."

He almost laughs quietly while singing that part, like the humour in it is something he is remembering anew. Never has singing about theoretical pizza felt more inspiring, nor made him want to cry more.

[lateforkindergarten]

"WE are the Crystal Gems!"

From behind them Amethyst loudly joins the chorus. She had just forced her way onstage and crawled under the curtains after shoving through the crowds. She might have lost track of Greg for a moment thanks to a fist fight on the way. No big.

[twoscompany]

........We'll...always save the day...

Oh god. How....how did this...she remembers this song. Steven wrote it. And they sang it together...because...

is it true? It must be. She's a Crystal Gem, and thus...its true. Before she even realizes it, she's singing along.

And if you....think we can't...!

[panspermia]

"We'll always find a way."

He nudges at Amethyst with an elbow, grin growing. It's working, isn't it? Magic or no, it's getting through to Steven and Garnet.

"That's why the people of this world
Believe in,"

[tigermillionaire]

Amethyst appears, and it catches Steven fully off guard. He has no new memories of her, and the old ones are confused and faded. Yet, somehow, it feels natural for her to be here. Especially with this song.

Particularly as the last few lines come to mind, and he feels scared and happy all at once. Because he remembers the names, and for a moment he remembers why he sang them the first time, what feels like forever ago.

"Garnet...Amethyst, and Pearl," he sings, clasping his hand over the gem on his belly.

"...and Steven."

Because that was his name. Steven Universe. It had never been anything else.

[lateforkindergarten]

She doesn't say it but singing with Steven and Garnet and watching them remember the lyrics to that song is the biggest relief. Amethyst bursts out laughing and hurries to Steven and Garnet's sides, squeezing each one in turn and cheering.

"I knew you'd remember!"