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

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

♬ 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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There was a stand-off. Myri and Violet seem to be distracting the guy holding Jade, and there's a moment where it looks like she'll be able to get away. Then someone's gun is firing and the front of Jade's dress is turning bright red.

Dawn has no idea what to do. No idea what she can do. She's nowhere near them and unarmed. But she feels like she should do something rather than stand there. At least she's not flinching at the gunshots. ]

[ isabella finally manages to react when the gunshot shakes her out of her staring... and she throws herself forward beside elena at the balcony rail, yelling desperately: ] Rafael!

[ kat gapes and manages a: ] Jesus Christ. [ and then raises her gun, and mumbles: ] Intentum Intuitum. [ the barrel glows for a moment, as does the small bullseye charm hanging from her bracelet ]

[ the two monsters are apparently distracted by all the gunshots and shotgun blasts, because their half hearted attempts to smack spike and buffy just... fail.

mark pushes out onto the stage beside violet, taking a step in front of her, and shooting as well: a surprisingly crack shot at affleck. (atk 25, 6 dmg) ]

[Spike stares in horror at the screen as Jade dies. All those times he made fun of Rafael for shooting his allies don't seem as funny as they did when it was just Spike and Des getting shot. He swallows, then turns back to the monster he was fighting to distract it from Des, who is currently in no shape to fight back, kicking it in the shin area, if lizard monsters have shins (atk 20, dmg 8). Spike liked Jade, but Des and Jade... were a hell of a lot closer.]

[ ben affleck is in a really bad way.

his fancy swag shades fall to the ground, as he staggers against the back wall of the stage and raises his arm to take aim at archer and his fucking shotgun (atk 25, dmg 6). it's a surprisingly good shot for a dude who's taken so much damage over there. ]

[This isn't how it was supposed to go. The moment that Violet steps out and redirects attention to her, Myri can feel fear tighten her throat. But she can't say anything because all it would do it tip him off that they were all lying to him. Her hands clench, nails digging into her palms as her eyes stay riveted to the stage. They have to stay safe. They have to make it through. They have to-

She feels the gunshot before she hears it.

As the bullets sink into Jade's flesh, Myri cries out, an arm encircling her torso. Her mouth hangs open, not able to make a sound as her whole being echoes the pain of the wounds. It's only when Finnick approaches that she moves, turning to face him. There's tears in her eyes when she turns to look at him. Her expression flickers between fear and confusion and, yes... still love.]

I have to... [She can't finish, but instead just grits her teeth against a strangled cry as Jade's body falls to the stage floor. Her ability tugs her towards the girl, pulling her away from the man she loves. Isn't this how it always went? Her duty tearing her from a normal life. She didn't want to leave his side, but she could feel the woman slipping into the void and she couldn't allow it.

She moves as fast as she can, grabbing the edge of the stage and scrambling up (climb 15), barely making it without falling back in pain. She nearly falls as she hurries to standing and runs for Jade, throwing herself to the ground and holding her hands out over the bloodied dress.]

Please! [She pleads as her hands begin to glow a light blue. Her consciousness slips, one foot stepping into the void between existences to seek out Jade's lifeline.] Don't go. You've only just returned. [Her magic seeks the worst of it, tries to heal the damage as best it can. She can only pray it's enough (cure serious wounds - +24 HP)]

[ buffy and spike are the only ones who see something strange occur as myri runs forward. she seems to struggle for a moment in climbing, but to myri, it would seem that she got an extra boost of adrenaline from her resolve to save jade, although she gets a strange sense of warmth, a feeling of someone being on her side. the other two, however, would actually see that orlando bloom stands below the apron of the stage - and that he gives her an extra, gentle boost up.

as she approaches jade, he hops up effortlessly behind her, his expression much more pained than before, and he pauses by rafael, and places a hand on his shoulder, closing his eyes. it almost seems as if he's fighting tears.

as myri pours her magic into the dying woman, she can feel jade's body repairing itself - but also feel something else, just as actively tearing it down. with her 24 wisdom check, it's easy enough for her to tell what it is: other, powerful dark magic, that seems to have almost settled into jade's soul itself, with how deeply rooted it feels. it's a terrifying sensation, and fills myri with an icy coldness, even as she presses on to try to heal her.

orlando bloom, still unseen by anyone but buffy and rafael, steps beside her and crouches over jade, watching her with tortured eyes.

up top, gar turns to dawn, and begins to motion towards the exit of the balcony. ] I... I think it's best we go below.

[All of Violet's memories are of fighting and death, a gun pointed at her is familiar and she doesn't waver. Better her than someone else.

But it isn't her.

She has seen more people, friends, die in her short life than she can give thought to. She sees it coming in the widening of Jade's eyes and she can feel herself go cold, feel the color draining from her skin, even as she moves forward, past Mark, muscle memory taking over.

She and Jade were the same, lost daughters of some elsewhere goddess, memories messy and painful in the parts missing. Then Rafael took that away by giving Jade her memories back and Violet felt like she had lost something, but now she knows she has, sees it slipping away from her as the blood blossoms against the white of Jade's dress. A lamb to the slaughter.

Her eyes close and her words aren't more than a whisper as she rushes forward, following Myri like she's tied to a string.] Dad. Find her. [Maybe she does pray after all.

When her eyes open a breath later she is aware, absently, that she is shaking and that there are tears and mascara dripping down her cheeks. They are done. Jade is dead. She drops gracelessly to her knees next to Myri and puts a shaking hand on top of the cleric's bloody ones.]

It's too late. She's gone.

[Violet can't do anything, she knows that -- her gift of life is useless. But her mother is the queen of the Underworld, even if it is not the same one as in this world. She can still give Jade something; safe passage, a blessing, comfort, a goodbye. She deserves that.]

Edited 2013-06-28 06:18 (UTC)

[ the gun makes a cracking noise that snaps straight through buffy's spine as her foot comes solidly back to the ground. a sick feeling begins to crawl into her gut as she turns around. there's haste in her actions, but for some reason it feels like she's moving through quicksand and everything's going at half time - because she knows what she'll see, because she's seen des' face, and she's already sick at the thought.

and then she sees it. she sees jade hit the ground, sees myri rushing for her and the mournful look on the man from earlier - the man who, she realizes now, must be the one spike coded as demon. but that isn't demon behavior. it pierces the fog of her mind, registering somewhere but not with perfect clarity.

and then her eyes fall on the men responsible for this. on rafael first, but she finds it too painful to look at him, both because it means sharing in his anguish and because it's a fresh wound for her, and there's too much she's holding against him right in this moment. then, onto ben affleck.

she does the only thing she can do. the only thing buffy summers can contribute, because she's not myri, she can't save jade, but she can make sure that the thing that did this to her in order to save his own skin doesn't make it out of this concert hall alive.

so, she runs for him, and she doesn't stop. she jumps on the approach and delivers a powerful snap kick to the side of his head in a bid to knock him off his feet (atk 26, dmg 13 - lethal bc i took a -4 on the attack roll and buffy be pissed). ]

[ isabella fucking ignores gar, because she's just staring over the railing, not moving as she watches rafael, and myri and violet and jade. it's clear that she doesn't want to wrench her sight away for the time it would take to head down the steps. ]

[ i guess really only archer could possibly hear burt over here, but his important commentary as he watches the debacle from the sidelines is: ] Where the fuck did all these guns come from.

[ukw burt finnick would really like a gun rn. or like 20. after this little adventure he's going to turn republican ~~or archer.~~

anyway his great contribution to this magic moment is to keep staring with his catatonic deadeyes as shit goes bananas. WHY COULDN'T HE HAVE JUST LEFT WHEN HE WANTED TO he could be home sipping hot cocoa by now (even tho he'd feel a little guilty about it.)]

[Her inner ear is still all sorts of messed up, and combined with the over emotional and violent scene before her and having moved from the ground far too quickly, Elena loses it.

In the form of her hand coming up to pull her hair out of the way before she turns and throws up on the ground beside her. Hopefully away from Isabella instead of towards her. (fort save 3)]

[Spot check of 12 says Archer is too focused on this douchebag who shot him, to be terrified by the Reptile-men.]
[NOBODY MAKES ME BLEED MY OWN BLOOD - (down to 4 of 10 HP. womp womp.)]

[Archer runs over to the falling Ben Affleck, and puts his boot on Affleck's chest, and his gun against his face.]
You got blood on my $5,000 Suit, you son of a bitch!

[CLICK ATK 19, DMG 12 to this assface's face.]
[Sorry bro. You were the bomb in Phantoms, though.]

[The gunshots break Des out of his ptsd and with Spike handling (for a certain degree of handle) the lizard-man situation, he darts onto the stage and stops at the edge, pulling out his revolver and leveling it at Rafael (because unlike Archer he does have quick draw).] Now see? That's what being a hero gets you.

[His tone is eerily even, even if the smirk he's baring his teeth into looks utterly unpleasant. He has no intention of shooting him, but that 21 bluff check sure makes you believe he might.]

[ as archer's shotgun blast eradicates affleck's face, spraying buffy and archer with blood, rafael's head finally, slowly, drags away from staring at jade's body. his eyes lock straight down the barrel of des' gun, and for a moment, he says nothing at all, does nothing at all.

then his guns drop to the floor as rafael opens his hands to let them fall, and he turns fully to face des.

there's something beyond despair in the dullness behind his eyes as he lifts his gaze to the other man's, and spreads his hands slightly. ]

Do it. [ there's no hint of taunting challenge there, only a flat, strained, but completely honest supplication. ] Please.

[ Staring, Dawn's mind spins with thoughts. How did this all happen? Why--why did this happen? It's a concert, a good concert, and it felt so normal. Now there's people hurt and Jade's dead and the man who had a gun to her head and what the hell. Gar's voice breaks through her thoughts and she nods, turning to go.

Half a heartbeat later, Elena is throwing up, and she turns back to move closer to the girl, to hold her hair. One hand settles on her back, trying to be comforting by rubbing slow circles there. ] Should we bring Elena? [ Quick glances are thrown to Kat and Isabella. It doesn't seem right to leave Elena up here. ]

[ but kat isn't paying attention. because her eyes on fixed on des pulling a gun on rafael, who she FULLY BELIEVES IS ABOUT TO SHOOT HIM TOO (crit fail...). ] Jesus CHRIST. [ no time for new vocabulary. she lets off her shot and it flies, perfectly, and shoots des' gun... right out of his hand (atk 29). without hitting him at all. :') ] What the fuck is wrong with people?!

[ the two dudes gang up on spike now, although they're both staggering. still get a flanking bonus. too bad one still can't hit spike, too slow. the other, however, claws him across the back (8 dmg).

mark is really just too horrified for life right now, watching all this shit go on. he doesn't know where to fire, or what to do, and he looks lost.

there are the sounds of sirens in the distance, approaching quickly. ]

[gdi if he didn't have a shitton of damage reduction that would hurt. As it is, he just glowers at the monsters and ducks away, hurrying to the stage. Look, he doesn't have time for fun rn, the drama's on the STAGE.]

What are you doing?

[He growls, staring at Orlando Bloom. But he doesn't seem to be trying to hurt Myri, so instead he moves to where he's needed most, though his eyes are most certainly on the possibly-a-demon. He steps over to Buffy, reaching for her shoulder.]

No! [Myri's cry is weak, distant, but all the more determined to deny that Jade is too far gone.] I can find her. I can save her. [She closes her eyes and pushes herself further, falling deeper into the void. A faint cord of life grows dimmer with each passing second. It's silver and blue and white all at once- like moonlight shining on the water. As she reaches for it, the cold snakes over her once more, but she can't think about that now. All that's left for her is this task. She cannot fail.

But the wound is so serious, so much more deadly than the others she's healed before. She hasn't realized just how much of herself she's already pushed into her spellworking, and her second attempt is less effective than the first (cure moderate wounds +14 HP).

She can't move from this spot. She won't. And without the voices in her head to tear her away from a dying patient, Myri finds herself lost in the need to mend a mortal wound that she never stood a chance against. The instinctive pull in her to heal the wounded will not let her stop, even as the healing itself is draining her of her own life (will save 7). She's too far gone to hear the fighting, the gunshots, Spike, any of it. There's only a witchwoman and a patient she cannot save.]

[ OH GOD kat's shooting things, elena's puking... gar moves along with dawn and places a hand on elena's back ] Do... do you think you can make it outside, Elena?

[Violet doesn't know what Myri is struggling with, can't think much past what is directly in front of her, the chaos is muted and dull. She has no idea the toll that trying to heal is taking on Myri. (Wisdom 5) Still, she contradicts.] You have to let her go.

[Her fingers squeeze Myri's softly before she lets go, reaching up with fingers slick with blood to struggle to unclasp her necklace. She notices, in a detached sort of way that the warmth against her knees is blood. Leaning over, she brushes a kiss to Jade's cheek, soft Latin murmured in prayer as their foreheads touch and Violet's tears fall against the dead woman's skin.] Vale, soror dulcis mea. Esse in pace.

[She doesn't get the reprieve of denial or anger or bargaining. Violet knows with certainty that there is nothing that can bring her friend back and she is forced to accept it. Because it is who she is, she knows death just as well as life. The flowers she can grow most easily are the flowers on graves.

As she fastens her own necklace around Jade's neck, a sob rips its way past her lips and she doubles over at the weight and pain of trying and failing to keep it back. Grief and loss rush over her. But her arms stay curled around Jade's shoulders, using her lost sister as an buoy against the sorrow pulling her under.]

[ buffy's eyes snap wide as the bullet slams through ben affleck's skull. the blood sprays out onto her face, and she doesn't budge even as spike touches her shoulder. she can only stare, because if it hadn't been for archer, that might have been her handiwork, that might have been a body laid low by her, because she wouldn't have stopped. she knows she wouldn't have stop. ]

Myri.

[ it's her immediate concern as she grabs spike's arm and gets to her feet. she'd seen her nearby, and buffy's eyes blankly dart in that direction, still markedly detached. ]

Is Myri - [ okay? she can't finish the sentence because her speech is jilted and she's disconnected from it all to try and numb herself. ]

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