002 ┼ THEY LEFT US ALONE / KIDS IN THE DARK / TO BURN OUT FOREVER / OR LIGHT UP A SPARK

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Who: Cosmic Indulgence, Flashstep, Junkyard Carnival, & System Shock + Any Virgo Onlookers
What: The Revenge EP is debuting in a flashmob-style performance. Four bands, four never before heard songs, one massive social media frenzy.
When: November 7th
Where: Sinammon
Warnings: ......sigh. Carnies.

The second the lockdown is lifted, Luci springs into action. She's mass texting everyone involved:

It's time. Tomorrow night, we ride at 7PM for an 8PM start. Get your best shit dry cleaned.

There's already an exodus happening out of Pride HQ given they weren't the only ones on lockdown either, so slipping out is easy enough. They converge on the location, Luci makes good on her suggestion and hands the techbooth a wad of money to stop playing recorded dance mixes and let them take over the stage. She can already see one guy frantically texting into his lap as she explains what's about to happen. Perfect.

"You should tell your manager to call in more bouncers and remove some of the tables, this place is about to be packed."


((OOC: Welcome to the culmination of the EP plot! Not much else to say but here's a description of the stage setup courtesy of Garnet for anyone curious, and LET'S ROCK!))

Comments

[magic_to_do]

[That is a good call, Kido, because Trucy was over here actually wondering about the possible applications of throwing knives. If they had the element of surprise, they miight be able to...

Wait, it was a joke?]

Oh, okay. I kind of think a knife wouldn't be enough against that guy anyway.

But... actually, I also don't think we need to do anything to him. Doesn't he seem like the type to mess things up for himself all on his own?

[blindfoldcode]

[She doesn't actually want to kill anyone, Trucy. Jesus.]

Yeah, well. Karma wasn't taking long enough. [And Kido's too pissed to be patient enough to let him mess things up.]

[magic_to_do]

[She was thinking more pin him to the wall with his clothes 'cause that would be really funny.]

That's the thing about Karma, it always pops up when you least expect it to. You have to be patient with that sort of thing.

[Not that she wants bad things to happen to anyone exactly, but she also figures it's only a matter of time before Xanxus pisses off the wrong person.]

[blindfoldcode]

[He could probably just tear himself out of it, to be honest.]

He would've left Tiger to die.

[magic_to_do]

I know. He's a bad person.

[Her voice gets quiet, but there's a firmness in her tone.]

But you.... you're not. You're better than him. So don't let anger drag you down to his level.

[blindfoldcode]

I'm not that much better that I won't fight back when my friends get hurt. [She tips her head back against he headrest again.] We already lost somebody. I don't want that number to grow, especially not because of a jackass like that.

[magic_to_do]

I don't want to lose you either.

[She shakes her head.]

We can't lose you. You hold our whole band together, Kido.

[blindfoldcode]

If I'm what's keeping System Crash together, we're fucked.

[That was very blunt. She just hit a guy with a bass, Trucy. You sure you want that to help hold anything together?]

[magic_to_do]

That's not true. We need you. I mean, I think we're all pretty essential. Our band is kind of....

[She pauses, trying to think of how she wants to put this. Brace yourself, a truckload of Trucy weirdness is on it's way.]

... like a tree.

[blindfoldcode]

[Trucy she is in so much pain do you really wanna do this?]

We're a tree.

[magic_to_do]

Exactly!

[Sorry. Trucy's brain works in really weird ways.]

See, Pinkie is the lead, so she's like the tree trunk. Because that's where the tree starts, right?

[In a wrong kind of way, sure.]

And Tiger is like the branches, because he's always trying his hardest to reach higher and kind goes in a lot of different directions. You're the bark. Because you protect us.

[blindfoldcode]

Yeah? And what was Sayaka?

[Kido that's mean. Being in pain does not grant you a free pass to be a dick.

She is kinda trying to prove a point, though. They're not a tree--when one of them disappears the rest can move on.]

[magic_to_do]

[Her voice gets quieter.]

The leaves. Really bright and pretty and trees always look lonely when their leaves fall off...

[blindfoldcode]

[Kido... makes a noise of acknowledgement at that.]

You're the roots, then, huh?

[magic_to_do]

The roots...?

[Actually she just forgot to add herself into the tree analogy. But they are sort of running out of tree parts.]

Maybe. I kind of think I'm more like a little hole in the tree. And it's mysterious because you don't know what's in there. It could be a squirrel or a bird, but either way it gives the tree some character.

[Trucy brand nonsense is a special kind of nonsense.]

[blindfoldcode]

[Trucy. Kido is in agonizing pain she really can't handle this. Like she gives Trucy the most incredulous look and it's bad because like her nose is still bleeding all over everything but--]

I'm worried about you.

[magic_to_do]

I'm worried about you!!

[The blood from Kido's nose has her fretting again, and she pulls out a handkerchief and hands it over. At least it might help stem the tide.]

Are you sure you don't want to go to... a clinic or something? We don't have to tell anyone at Pride. There's gotta be some emergency clinics somewhere.

[blindfoldcode]

[She shakes her head.] If it was gonna kill me, I would've felt it.

Just get me into the penthouse.

[magic_to_do]

[Trucy sighs, but nods.]

Okay. We should be there soon.

[And when the cab pulls up to the Pride building, Trucy will help Kido out of the car and try to subtly support her so no one notices the extent of her injuries.]

[blindfoldcode]

[Trucy is a hell of a good friend, and Kido can't even put into words how grateful she is for her right now. How many people would literally jump Xanxus to try to help her?]

... Thanks for all this, Trucy.

[But please help her get in bed so she can pass the hell out.]

[magic_to_do]

You'd do the same for me.

[Her tone is affectionate, and Trucy will help Kido all the way up to the penthouse and into her room.]

[blindfoldcode]

In a heartbeat. But I don't see you getting into something like this.

[She is very grateful for the help.]

[magic_to_do]

Probably not. Either way, we'll always be there for each other no matter what happens.

[Pause. Apologetic smile.]

Buuut I'm kinda hoping we don't make a habit of this.

[blindfoldcode]

I... [She runs a hand down her face--

And immediately regrets it. Fuck that hurt.]

... Yeah.

[magic_to_do]

[Trucy winces sympathetically.]

Need another handkerchief?

[The first one has probably already cleaned up as much blood as it can.]