CHAPTER FINALE ♔ darling can't you see it's now or never

[romanticidal]

♬ Astronaut (A Short History of Nearly Nothing) - Amanda Palmer ft. Zoe Keating

WHO || Rafael Giovanni, Eterna Jade, Burt Becksworth, Isabella Alessandro, Finnick Odair, Myrilandel de Tanos, Buffy Summers, Spike, Elena Gilbert, Dawn Summers, Desmond Descant, Jeanne Gar, Kat Samcelot, Mark Sandazhard, Violet Fiore, Sterling Archer
WHAT || CHAPTER ONE FINALE: Rafael Giovanni & Finnick's televised international concert debut
WHERE || A music hall in Chicago, IL
WHEN || July 3rd, 2013 [ forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

The hour is finally upon our heroes, to learn whether their crazy plan to invest in making Finnick and Rafael international superstars under Burt Becksworth's management will pay off, and keep control of NOVA Records out of the hands of Chad Becksworth and his sinister compatriots. Now, as the Knights finish taking their seats in the balconies directly overlooking the stage, the concert goes live, broadcasting around the world, to where even other members of the Knighthood in London can gather to watch.

The camera pans across the endless sea of gathered, curious fans, who shake their arms wildly for their two seconds of fame, and then zooms in on a blonde figure on one corner of the stage, where she stands ready with a microphone: Buffy Summers.

[ the action of this post will be continually propelled by the interspersed musical numbers performed by finnick and rafael. each musical number will be up for a short amount of ooc time, in which players are free to create mini-thread responses directly to that song comment. these can be for internal reflection, to make commentary to the neighbors seated in their rows, for backstage convos for those involved in the program, or for 'host' commentary between some songs by archer and kat. threads that result from these responses should be kept short and sweet, as each song is only 3 to 5 minutes long, which doesn't leave a lot of time for in depth conversations. ideally, by the time the next 'number' is posted (as a direct response to the last musical number comment), your response threads from the previous number should be considered over and done with, and you can continue anything going on in them as a new mini-thread under the most recently posted song. in order to keep track of when things are rolling on to the next song, I highly encourage everyone to please track this entire post. ]

Comments

[hiredgun]

[ those close to the stage with a listen check of 17 or higher can hear the man's words even as he lowers his voice and addresses them only to the woman he's holding hostage, pressing his gun hard against her, words dripping derision: ]

Alright, you mutt bitch, here's what it's come down to. You had all the chances in the world to say yes, and you just had to keep up the stubborn act. So here's your last shot. [ he hisses the words as he bends her wrist to an awkward, painful angle, looking her over as if frustrated by something. ]

Where is it?

[witchwoman]

[Myri is scared... very scared, but as the man's words reach her, she knows that she has to do something. Jade only just got her memories back. What sort of healer would she be to stand by to watch someone reborn only to die at the hands of this maniac?]

She doesn't have it! [She cries out from her spot in the front row. She holds one hand behind her back, as if whatever he's looking for might be hidden back there.] I do. [Here's hoping that he attributes most of her jitters to the fear (bluff 14)] Let her go.

[rationalizes]

[ meanwhile gar very slowly bends to pick up the potion inside the purse, and then moves to elena's side again to uncork the blue liquid and hold it to her lips. she hears myri's shout and looks back over the railing... and then looks back to elena, her eyes falling and lingering on the necklace still wrapped around elena's knuckles. ] ... Oh dear.

[bigbad]

[NO MYRI THAT IS NOT AN OKAY SUGGESTION. Spike decides this is a good time to move. At the very least, it could distract from Myri and make the scary guy with the gun shoot Spike instead. He hurls himself at the fire breathing lizard man and grabs him hard, wrapping his arms around the monster's neck (atk 32, grapple 32, dmg 21).]

[graveflowers]

[It is good that Vi can't hear or see what is going on. As the other half-goddess in the room she would have gotten really, just thoroughly, insulted by that mutt comment. She does hear Myri though (listen 18) which pulls all her attention away from the flippant answer she was about to give Mark. Although, really, it is the same answer, though muttered under her breathe in nervousness instead of glibness.]

Shit.

[She turns to the stage even though she can't see anything and just sort of lurches forward before she realizes she is moving and edges against the wall, skittering silently forward toward where Burt and Archer are hovering. (Move silently nat 20, hide 23, although considering Spike... she probably doesn't need to try that hard.)]

[slay]

[ with a sense motive of 29, buffy isn't fooled. she sees just how much of a toll it's taken on him as she ducks the attack of the 'stagehand.' she delivers another quick blow via her fist to his face as something occurs to her (nat 20 attack (37 total), 24 dmg - wis 12).

she doesn't get the chance to open her mouth, though, because then comes the booming voice of ben affleck, which intimidates her into shrinking back a little (will save 16). when spike starts moving, her eyes widen. ]

Spike, stop!

[ because what part of don't move or he'll shoot her is hard to process omfg. ]

[borrowedheaven]

[ jade looks out towards myri's voice, most of her fear very effectively contained as she stills in the man's grip. her eyes slide to rafael's and lock there and they seem to be having an unspoken conversation - which prompts her to say nothing to contradict myri.

the guy, meanwhile, casts a suspicious gaze out towards her.

"Show me," he demands, not budging. ]

[savemyself]

[ isabella just stares on from above as gar tends to elena, shaking her head at myri's display ] Foolish girl...

[starfucker]

[ meanwhile, behind archer and burt, the camera crew people whisper out: "We're back up and live. Do you want us to go to standby?" and burt turns around and looks at them like they're insane. ] Standby? Are you fucking kidding me? Keep those cameras rolling, I don't want to miss a goddamn beat. This all needs to be live.

[ it'd... be possible to see the dollar signs rolling in his eyes if he were a cartoon character rn ]

[65]

[finnick's hearing came back, but that didn't lessen the sting of myri ignoring him completely in his ~time of need.~

he sort of sees what's happening to jade, and sees lips moving (will save 8; listen 10). he can't really hear it, but this time it's because his perspective is submerged again. he's paralyzed, and myri playing big damn hero makes it even worse. he was supposed to protect her. he promised. he was supposed to save her, but now all can do is stand stock still and fight the bile rising in the back of his throat. the only reason he hasn't tried to dash back toward the exit is because of her.]

[isisagent]

[Burt - you're so fucking lucky that a)there's bigger fish to fry, and b)you didn't get any blood on Archer's $5,000 suit - or you'd have a hole in your kneecap]

Stay here, Hollywood.

[Archer walks out on stage toward the douchebag with the gun - his hands are in the air, guns dangling from his fingers]

Hey... Buddy. Let's talk this out, ok? If it's the girl you want, I know plenty of great hookers - I'll call them all up. My treat.

[notaroundme]

[Elena is learning about the fact that potions are awesome, because she feels much better. Not great, but the screaming in her head turns to a dull roar, but she still can't actually...hear anything.

That worrisome, but not so much so as the looks on Gar's and Kat's faces.]

What happened? What's going on?

[She feels herself speak, but doesn't hear that either, so she has no idea how loud she spoke at all. It's easy to follow where they glance to, though, and one look at the stage tells her enough.]

Oh my god...

[nothingsodivine]

[mercifully des didn't hear what's going on out there or else he'd do something really stupid. as it stands, when the lizard man snaps his lasso and he's left with a slack wire and all of the confidence drains out of his expression. He doesn't drop the wire though. Instead, he snaps it like a whip and starts making wild man sounds in a blind attempt to confuse it and keep it from going for Spike since he's weak and injured. (Intimidate 19) No one ever said his plans were good.]

[watcherjunior]

[ The ringing finally subsides. In its wake, everything sounds too loud. Her head is still fuzzy, but she can think again. Dawn can see trails of blood from Elena's ears. She should probably be paying more attention to the stage. She should probably be doing a lot of things differently right now. Moving closer, she looks from Elena to Gar. ] What happened?

[shootfirst]

[ Kat grimaces, seeming to suddenly grasp what might be wrong with Elena. She looks to dawn, one eye always on the stage. ] If I had to guess? Chad sent one of his cronies to crash the party. And this time, they're playing hardball.

[nosdacariad]

[ Mark looks as if his heart is in his throat, and he puts a hand on vi's shoulder, as if to keep her from pulling an archer and marching out there. He whispers fiercely: ] Is he nuts?

[ meanwhile, Buffy socks the monster spike has grasped, and he goes limp in the vampires grip. Des' display, miraculously, seems to actually surprise the now free second guy so much that he hesitates for the entire round, as if he can see some true level of crazy in des' eyes. The final beast, deafened and useless until now, roars forward finally, throwing another swipe at Buffy that...also misses. ]

[bigbad]

[Spike gives Buffy an adoring grin as he lets go of the monster, then steps up behind the one that Des is scaring with his.... microphone cord to flank him. He hopes Des isn't dumb enough to actually try to use that thing as a whip, but he did just deafen an entire audience, so who knows. He throws a punch at the back of the monster's head (atk 17, dmg 12 if it hits).]

[hiredgun]

[ he raises his gun instantly to aim at archer's head in warning, never loosening his grip on jade. ] I SAID NOBODY MOVE. [ and then he looks back out at myri, all impatient ] Show me.

[witchwoman]

[Myri's expression flashes with worry as her teammates attempt their own individual distractions. She swallows thickly, glad that his attention is at least divided amongst them, though it might make him all the more dangerous. Using her new found skills in taking on a new persona, she speaks calmly and firmly. (Diplomacy 17)]

We can all get what we want tonight. I hid it back stage. For safe keeping. Let the girl go and I'll show you where. [Unfortunately her nerves are frayed and the lie isn't as convincing. (bluff 9)]

[rationalizes]

[ gar is just staring too, and she reaches out to take elena's hand and give it a squeeze, as her eyes fix on myri, as she whispers: ] ... I hope she knows what she's doing. [ even though it's 100% clear she doesn't, w/e gar gives her credit ok ]

[graveflowers]

[Sorry Mark, but since Archer's interruption didn't distract whomever the hell is making Myri lie, Violet just surges forward without warning or general coherent thought. She stumbles to a stop, still very near the edge of the stage, once she finally sees the full breadth of the situation at hand. The man with the gun, Myri and Finnick, Rafael. And Jade. Jade who didn't get a choice in this. At least the rest of them volunteered. And Rafael, asshole, caused it. There is a point where respecting what he would do for love and being disgusted by it collided and Vi has sailed right past that. He knowingly put her friends, her adopted family, in danger. He caused Finnick and Myri pain -- there is nothing she won't do now to fix that. While the half-elf stands there and does nothing.]

I have it, sis. [Her voice isn't very loud, considering, but it is very firm and very serious. She is her mother's daughter, after all. As if instinctively, her hand reaches up to brush fingers across her necklace the same way Jade was wont to do. (Bluff 17) She glances to Rafael for a tic before her eyes slide back to the man holding the gun and her shoulders straighten. She adds, wryly: ] I was backstage. You can let her go now.

[slay]

[ buffy's head snaps back towards ben affleck and the stage when she hears his voice, but it appears he's more worried about archer than them at the moment.

so ... might as well keep getting rid of the lackeys, for the time being. then maybe they can attack the guy holding jade hostage.

she moves around and crescent kicks the remaining oaf in the face (atk 25, dmg 14). ]

[borrowedheaven]

[ ♬ half jack - the dresden dolls

the man's gaze bounces quickly from myri

to violet

to archer

to the side of the stage where there are definite sounds of combat as buffy and spike and des clean house in the far wing.

it's clear that he realizes the situation is getting too out of control too fast, and his gun wavers from archer to myri to finally come to rest on violet.

it's impossible to see his eyes behind those shades, so it's unclear whether he looks suspicious or not of one or either of the girls. but it doesn't seem to matter, because he shakes his head, laughing slightly with deranged nerves.

"Let her go? Let her go?" his voice rises angrily. "You don't get it. I'm taking the girl and the necklace. So put it down nice and easy, and maybe I won't take you too."

he's so distracted, his focus split in so many directions, that he doesn't see the wordless exchange happening between rafael and jade. she seems to be trying to convey a message, that isn't meeting with a pleased reception on his end, his face hardening as he shakes his head almost imperceptibly. but she looks at him with wide, trusting eyes, full of faith and he seems to be unable to resist her silent plea, despite the grim hesitance in his features. and she smiles, ever so slightly, and nods to him.

now.

just as the giant tv screens above have zapped back to life thanks to burt and crew's restoration of the feed, showing a close up view of jade's expression reflected over their heads several times over.

things happen very quickly.

jade's hands suddenly surge against the man's arm, trying to take advantage of his slack and distraction, and it almost looks as if they're dancing for a moment, as their arms come up and they whirl around, while she tries to break away. rafael reacts immediately, and it's clear somehow that this wasn't the first time they'd done this - that they'd lived a life where this was normal enough for them to have it down to a science. but the man caught jade's nod in the screen above, just in the nick of time.

he sees it coming.

and as they spin, he slams her closer to him, with sudden suffocating strength, and twists their bodies around in a jack-knife, and it's jade's body that comes between him and the bullets intended to end this once and for all.

they strike unerringly, and red blossoms against the white of jade's dress as her eyes widen with the too-late realization of what's occurred. ]

[65]

[ ♬ (no really tho)

THIS
IS
WHY
HE WANTED
TO LEAVE

he just ~knew~ jade was dead. it wasn't one of those gunshots you stood a chance at recovering from.

finnick hadn't even been particularly close to jade, not like some of the other team members. but he'd tried to get to know her before this, tried to be a friend. even if he hadn't, it still would have been hurt. this was what happened when you cared and tried to let people in. he should have known better. he had the same sinking feeling in his stomach when francesca died, but at least he hadn't stood there and witnessed the whole thing.

there had been some kind of security in living here. no matter what happened, it couldn't be as bad as the games. it was (relatively) safe. even with all the mutts and mind control and all this bizarre shit, it would never be that bad. he could even recognize his behavior right now as irrational — it wasn't like this was the worst thing that had ever happened to him, but it's not like that recognition could actually help anything. there were a lot of different elements in play here — he'd been blindsided (or deafsided aHahah HA ha...), he was weaponless, and the person he loved most in the world basically flung herself into danger and didn't seem to give a single fuck about it.

something instinctual that felt almost beyond his own volition propelled him toward myri. it was unlikely that anything would happen to her at this point, but he still wanted to protect her. not for her own sake like she was some kind of precious damsel, but because he needed to know that she was okay before he could be okay. he knew (in his perspective) that she was disgusted with him, probably didn't want him around anymore, but he happened to not give a single fuck about that. ]

[notaroundme]

[Elena can barely stand to watch, because she can see that there's people speaking, but she can't hear a word of it. Instead, her hand squeezes Gar's as she's transfixed by it all, terrified of what might happen, her only indication of the state of things being communicated in people's movements.

So when Rafael's gun goes off, she doesn't hear it. She simply sees the reactions, the struggle, and then Jade's body (because it's a body now oh god it has to be) blooming with bright red wounds.

Elena's on her feet, eyes wide and terrified, releasing Gar's hand as she moves to the edge of the balcony, her fingers desperately clutching Jade's necklace even as she leans forward with both hands on the railing. As if she'd be able to get there to stop what's already happened.]

No!

[She doesn't need to hear to know how loud she's screamed, but it comes out before she can stop it. Someone had to help her. Someone had to be able to save her.

Right? RIGHT!?]