nyc ♔ took what i hated | and made it a part of me

[narcosynthesis]

♬ right now - korn

WHO || Keijen Blade, Nadia Reichenov, Tia Ellison, Rose Hathaway, Sterling Archer, Spike, Klaus Mikaelson
WHAT || The Knights attend a Keijen Blade concert to try to learn more about the villain's plan
WHERE || NYC, New York
WHEN || June 7th, 2014, evening.
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread.

Whatever purpose the Church of the Lord's Humanity has in turning out a string of divinely Shadowkind musical artists, one thing can be said for certain: it's been an effective plan. Nothing proves this more than the gigantic crowd funneling into the outdoor arena where Heatless Passion is performing in NYC tonight. Goths and metalheads of both the human and non-human variety stream in, and it's difficult to tell whose strange red eyes or horns are costume and whose are natural.

The Knights' tickets are provided for, and tia leads the way inside, in a black leather dress and tall boots with numerous buckles on. it's a little clear that this is far from her element (maybe because she used to teach kindergarten), but she does her best to look confident as they're shoved through the crowd. She's established a rudimentary mindlink between them, that allows to communicate telepathically with one another, and as they move she reminds them:

Keep close. Stay sharp.

Comments

[bigbad]

[Man, there is so much about this mission Spike doesn't like, and most of it comes down to Archer being the only person on the team he's worked with before. He's gotten used to having people he knows and counts on around, and this group just has... passing acquaintances. And Archer, who Spike really wishes could still be considered a passing acquaintance. Buffy and Des should be here. Rafael... actually, Spike's ok with him being far away.

At least he looks damn fine (disguise 23). Yes, I'm just stealing outfits from his past. Sue me.]

[coldheritage]

[ the opening act is already starting as they arrive, so their entrance is heralded by a puff of smoke rising on stage as a band is raised up onto the stage from below, fronted by a beautiful woman with raven black hair, olive skin, and strong but feminine features dressed in white.

spike recognizes her instantly. the rest of her band wears almost all black, including the male singer who performs with her. the music is goth, driving, and hypnotic, her voice powerful and other-worldly.

♬ a current obsession - lacuna coil (perform 29) ]

Come to me
To feel my protection
A countdown to my revelation
No more respect
For your regrets

And your time has come

The naked truth is in disguise
It's your secret complication
Exhausted of this sacrifice
Just like a lying preacher

Hiding to survive

So strong living in torture
I know that you will never see
The light again
the light again

So hard living in torture
Erase the burning fear into
Your eyes again
your eyes again

This silent scream is stronger now
You cannot keep it too long
This cloud evolving into rain
Your desert seems so far now

Come into my arms
fall into my arms

Following your line
I'm losing mine ]

[littledhampir]

[Of course Rose Nat 20s on the most ridiculous things (Disguise Nat 20) so she's very much looking the part of the 'I have their Lyrics tattooed on my body' level groupie. And not only does she recognize the song playing but she knows it by heart. (Pop Culture ... Nat friggen 20). You decide whether she power listened to music on the flight over or if she's been harboring a secret goth rock fetish. The die think it's the latter.]

[coldheritage]

[ speaking of the music, a will save under 14 means the listener really does feel a bizarre other-worldly draw to her, as if she's abruptly the only thing within sight and sound that matters at all. JUST THAT GOOD. ]

[littledhampir]

[The jury is back. Rose is not a closet goth rocker, she's just been doing her research because what other-worldly draw people?! (Nat 20. Seriously Rose WTF.)]

[bigbad]

[W E L P apparently Spike really dug that thing she did when she threw him off a balcony because he sure has stalled out and is staring at her.]

Now that's music.

1/2

[telekinect]

[ tia doesn't notice spike's stupor yet, but she does cast an interested gaze on the woman. ] Do we know who she is? Another one of Chad's?

[coldheritage]

[ the driving rock drops into a simpler melody, as she closes her eyes, grasping the mic in both hands and swaying slightly as she sings a simple bridge of a song.

♬ aeon - lacuna coil (perform 26) ]

There is something
in your eyes
flowing them over
stealing all the harmony
which lives in me
your hands are covering my tears

oh, why

There's a sort
of inner dance
trying to seduce me
feeling this anomaly
which takes me

Your touch

You're here

Your heart

[asuma]

[Klaus is there too dlkdgf. He didn't really put much effort into his "disguise" but he's half vampire so he sort of naturally fits into this type of shit rite (disguise 16). And while the performer is very good at working the crowd without even having to try, he isn't exactly swayed by the hypnotic music (will nat 20).]

No idea, love. [He bombed that pop culture check so apparently he didn't do his homework. He's just here to play backup bitch ok.]

[isisagent]

[Between the din of the concert, and a telepath talking in his head, Archer is continually fiddling with his ears and bitching about his tinnitus. He's attempted to dress the part, by eschewing a suit for damn near the first time since he fell through the veil. Disguise 17 though, so I guess he's pulling it off. And, also Will 18. Archer doesn't listen to this 'new-age' shit.]

This shit music sounds like you look, Dracula [Archer scowls at Spike.]

1/2

[telekinect]

[ tia shifts her gaze to spike, since archer ignored the question and spike was the only other one actually on this mission beforehand. it's then that she finally notices the look on his face and frowns, zoning in on his mind. his brain automatically tries to kick her out, which a will save of 17+ will do. she speaks up cautiously, side-eying him. ] ... Spike?

[coldheritage]

[ the short number segues into a more brazen number, her voice growing only stronger as she belts the lyrics over a driving beat (perform 31)

♬ heir of a dying day - lacuna coil ]

He's the one
When you feel the heat
That it makes you feel
As a wonder

He promises to you
No more tears to cry
All the colours
Into the rainbow

Comes after the rain to please
Your eyes with all the colours that you
Cannot see
He came to save us
You will see

Standing aside here's the saviour
Of your only human part you
Cannot see he came to save us
You will see

Breathing
As a child is born
As a cancer is
Killing my past

I'm wondering
How long I'll resist
Virus into my mind
As a rainbow

Shines on me
This little light on me
Goes on
Feed it

[ the crowd works itself into a near frenzy, roiling up and down as people jump up and down, shove into each other, and try to move closer, get a better look, make useless attempts at getting near the stage as bouncers have to pull people off the railings. it isn't that the band isn't fantastic for those who are into this kind of thing, but the reaction of the crowd seems incredibly extreme for a group that was completely unknown a year ago. ]

[bigbad]

[Will save 14 so Tia can see him drawing hearts around Nadia in his head.] That's Nadia. Isn't she bloody brilliant? She threw me off a balcony once. [It was awesome.] I'll try and get a closer look...

[He starts to move, pushing through the crowd and any allies that try to stop him (str 17),]

[littledhampir]

[Rose fixes Spike with a blank stare, quietly wondering how much crack he's been smoking when quick thinking and her Dhampir strength (str 18) has her grabbing the back of his shirt to halt his progress long enough to secure his arm.]

How about you drool from a distance, huh? [Shooting Tia a questioning look.]

[telekinect]

[ tia is busy staring at spike with wide horrified eyes. ] What-- [ she tries valiantly to help spike break away from the suggestive influence, but man, even she... can't do anything. ] I've never seen anything like this.

[bigbad]

I know. She's a thousand times better than Señor Olive Garden. [Cause clearly Tia's never seen anything like Nadia's amazing singing. He glares at Rose.] Let go.

[littledhampir]

Yeah, like that's going to happen.

[Lets try something new. (Bluff 17).]

Trust me, if you want to get her attention, you don't want to be one of those people running to the front of the crowd.

[Rose switches focus from Spike to Tia again]

In my experience, punching or kissing works pretty well but I'm only volunteering to do one of those things. [She's basically grasping at straws because when Tia doesn't know things? Uh oh.]

1/2

[coldheritage]

[ the crowd is practically breaking down the barrier up front right now, but nadia just smiles down at the crowd, though a great spot check of 20+ might catch on the screens that the smile is empty, a look of hollow sadness behind her eyes as she sings (perform 31).

♬ circle - lacuna coil ]

What is it for ?
What is sacred?
In my circle of regrets...
Circle of regrets

Today I'm drawing circles -
In my memory, in the pages of my life...

That's me for a long time
I can't run away... (long time)

These stone tears are falling down on me, all my regrets!
There stone tears are falling down on me, all my regrets! (I don't want this feeling...)


I need more
All I want is to break
My circle of regrets
Circle of regrets

Is there any solution ?
I want to find the way to escape... to go away.

[telekinect]

I'm not certain either is going to do the trick, honestly. [ she's just staring at spike like omfgwutisgoingoninyourhead ] Whatever she's doing has thrown iron walls up. I can't even get in there to get a glimpse of what's going on in his head.

[bigbad]

She looks so sad... [spot 28. He yanks away harder (str 23).] Let me through. It's all right, she knows me. We've got this sort of... connection. She threw me off a balcony once with her mind.

[littledhampir]

[In response to Spike's words, Rose looks towards the singer, squinting and failing to see what he does. (Spot 11). The distraction however, is unfortunately enough that she's unable to keep hold of Spike (Str 18) and he's moving away from her before she can even respond.]

Want me to stick with him? No guarantees I can control him but I can at least keep an eye on things... [Rose reluctant to leave their group but at the same time. Captain of the Lovesick brigade probably shouldn't be wandering off on his own.]

[asuma]

[Klaus is s-so amused by all of this, but has kept himself quiet up until now. When Spike wanders off and no one has any idea how they should go about stopping them, he just kind of throws out the obvious.]

Or we could always snap his neck. [This is said s-so off-handed and casual like it ain't not thang.] Somehow I doubt he would pose much of a problem without the proper use of his arms and legs. [Look it's pretty much common knowledge that Spike is a vampire by now and, at least in Klaus' experience, that is the equivalent of forcing someone like Spike to take a short nap.]

Though that fails to address the obvious problem here. [Which is Miss Thang on stage. Who they are apparently not allowed to confront directly as it might throw this entire operation off course.]

[telekinection]

[ tia hesitates a moment, experience reminding her what a great idea it always is to split the party. but she knows that she's not strong enough to push through that crowd and keep up. she nods at rose. ] Go. But call if you need back-up. [ she taps her temple, implying she doesn't mean on her phone.

then she turns to give klaus a Look. as if he's one of her kindergarten students who just knocked over someone's block castle. ] Let's keep violence against our own as a last resort. For now.

[ she follows his gaze back up to nadia. ] If I can get closer, maybe I can read her mind. She might be so occupied with performing and maintaining the spell that she won't notice. [ she frowns, clearly uncertain just how much of a 'might' that is ]

[littledhampir]

[ Got it.

Rose nods at Tia before turning on her heels and starts to elbow her way through the masses, trying to keep an eye on the back of Spike's peroxide blonde head (Spot 24... sure NOW she gets a good roll) so she doesn't lose him in the chaos.]

Hey - Sir Pines-A-Lot. Wait up!

[asuma]

[And off they go. Good luck, Rose. Klaus turns back toward Tia once Spike and his new chaperone disappear into the crowd.]

Not to call your skill into question, but would that really be wise given that you can't even get into his head at the moment? [Nodding in the direction that Spike took off in. Because whatever was happening to him, was happening because of that woman on stage. Look he is naturally cautious. He's trying to be a team player and give two shits if these people die.]