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

[asuma]

[It's your migraine, boo. But who knows, maybe she'll be able to do it. Despite having had mind effecting powers of his own, Klaus wasn't exactly well-versed on the finer details of being able to bend another's will to his whims outside of repeatedly doing so.] Let's get a bit closer then, shall we?

[coldheritage]

[ rose manages to keep up more or less several yards behind spike in the crowd, as he strong arms his way up front. luckily, nadia is occupied entirely and doesn't notice his familiar bleached head even as it gets much closer to the stage. (spot 6)

♬ when a dead man walks - lacuna coil (perform 28) ]

Paranoia
In which I think that I'm not confident
Blood into my hands, blood into my hands,
Blood into my hands I can't deny
A buzz into my ears that makes me mad

But I don't look back
While I'm waiting to die
I don't look back
In a weird lullaby
I'll carry on

And the hope in my heart is dry

But I don't look back
And I cannot reply
I don't look back
While I'm waiting to lie
I'll carry on
While they want to decide for me
Once again, once again

Living in their cage, living in their cage,
They are killing me
Once again

Paranoia
In which I think I'm not that confident
A tiny hope that burns into my breath
A bitter smile delights me at the end

But I don't look back
While I'm waiting to die
I don't look back
In a weird lullaby
I'll carry on
And the hope in my heart is dry

I'll carry on
While they want to decide for me

[bigbad]

[Spike starts screaming her name and waving to get her attention as he gets closer but it... is pretty much what everyone else is doing so it's not THAT terrible a move.]

[littledhampir]

[With Spike at least in grabbing distance, Rose allows the movement of the crowd to help her blend in, dragging her eyes away from him to observe the fanatical crowd around them (Spot 27)]

[isisagent]

[Archer just stomps back and forth, watching everything happen. He's torn between writing Spike off completely, and sticking to the mission - or helping his stupid ass... despite not liking Spike all too much.]

God fucking Dammit... VLAD! Wait up! You stupid fuck.

[Archer surges through the crowd, with a Strength check of 21! He's less subtle than Rose, though, so he might just start an angry mosh pit when he catches up, because he slugs Spike in the back of the head with an Atk of 22, Damage 10.]

[telekinect]

[ rose gets a solid look into the eyes of some of the other patrons - enough to note the strange glassy-eyed gaze they all have, even as they feverishly reach towards the singer and push forward as close as they can get. it's very clear to her that it's the same look spike was just sporting, too.

tia actually manages a nat 20 escape artist check to slip through the crowd, subtly nudging people aside with TK where necessary until she's also near the stage, but on the opposite side from where spike is causing a scene. her fingers subtly slip to her temple and she stares up at nadia, concentrating fully. she also manages a nat 20 concentration check???? despite being jostled around, damn gurl. she is in the zone.

her eyes slip closed, lids fluttering a bit, before she relays to klaus: ] She doesn't feel me trying. I was right - her own walls are down. I can just barely slip through...

[asuma]

[Color Klaus impressed. In the meantime, he'll keep watch and make sure that no one in the crowd veers close enough to bump into Tia or compromise her concentration in any way.]

Find anything interesting?

[telekinect]

[ she hovers there for a moment, eyes still closed, protected from the crowd by klaus' hovering, before suddenly her eyes snap open and she stares in horror up at the stage. ] My God.

[asuma]

[Her reaction, while severe, is not entirely unexpected. Let's be real, it's not like they were expecting that she'd find a glimpse of birthdays rainbows and kittens in there.]

I don't suppose you'd care to elaborate.

[bigbad]

[Archer's attack hits Spike, though thanks to dmg reduction it... doesn't do much. He turns around and slugs Archer (atk nat 20, dmg 26).] Bugger off, I'm trying to listen!

[And he turns back to listen to the beautiful music.]

[coldheritage]

[ wow nadia STILL FAILED HER SPOT CHECK she is in the zone here, i guess.

better enjoy that close up view, spike, because she yells a thank you to the audience before launching into what must be the closing number for her band.

♬ dark adrenaline - lacuna coil (perform 27) ]

You can run, I will reach you

Oh, when the darkness calls I escape
This dream has taken me so far away
I feel my pulse race as I come
Into you

You can run, I will reach you
You can run...

[ spike and archer's slug fest, however, starts a wave of angry shoving and fists flying around them. yay... ]

[isisagent]

[Ow, my most of me. Archer stumbles around... seeing stars for a bit. Jesus, Spike really like's Nadia's music.]

Alright, fuck this!

[Archer grabs Spike's shoulder, and winds back for a Heroic Surge DoublePunch™... but a Will of 18 will help him swallow down the assuredly broken nose, and just try to tackle Spike with a grapple instead...]

NAGASAKI!

[Archer yells, and dives onto Spike. If Spike is paying attention, it provokes an Atk of Opportunity. Otherwise a 26 Touch attack to start the grapple, and a 25 Grapple check to try to hold him.]

[bigbad]

[Yeah, Spike's not paying attention. As soon as he was done punching Archer he went back to staring wistfully up at Nadia. But when Archer tries to grapple him, he twists out and away (grapple 25 but with a +18 mod).]

You're ruining the concert! If you make me miss this song, I'll bloody kill you.

[It's... hard to say if he's exaggerating or not.]

[telekinect]

[ tia has gone wholly pale, and her voice goes somewhat frantic as she says in a panicked rush: ] She's terrified. I've never felt anyone so gripped with fear... I--

[ she suddenly lets out a pained, horrified shriek, clutching her head and all but clawing at her temples with her fingers as if she's trying to scratch something out of her skull. in the frantic screaming crowd, no one even really looks twice as she shouts: ] He sees me! He can see me!

[ nadia finishes her number above and waves to the screaming, adoring crowd as the band starts to sink into the stage. tia doubles over, still gripping her head as nadia vanishes from sight. ]

Now with less derp

[littledhampir]

[Yeah. There just... When Rose Hathaway thinks that maybe you need to chill the hell out?! You have to seriously look at your life choices and though she has half a mind to let them punch each other until one of them is unconscious? Dragging the body away was going to be kind of difficult in this crowd.

So much for laying low.

In a frighteningly familiar scene, it's now Rose who will provoke an attack of opportunity if Archer is paying attention. If not, she tries a 25 Touch attack to start the grapple, and a 24 Grapple check to try and hold him.

(... Mun is pretty sure that's right but mun is so noob at this it hurts sometimes.)]

Give it a rest before you get us crushed by an angry mob!

[isisagent]

[He's not fighting back, but I did get a Nat 20 on the opposed grapple check, so he twists loose pretty easily... Archer backs away and looks at Rose;]

What's the plan then? Let the drooling fanboy get us all spotted?

[As if causing a huge scene... wouldn't do that anyway... Archer.....]

[littledhampir]

[Does she really need to state the obvious?]

And beating the crap out of each other will get us what exactly? Backstage passes?

[narcosynthesis]

[ ♬ freak on a leash (dante ross remix) - korn

the cheering and screeching of the crowd for nadia is abruptly overshadowed by a slowly building instrumental that brings with it a feeling of anticipation... crested with the sudden vocals of keijen blade himself echoing all around them as smoke billows up on the stage. ]


Something takes a part of me.
Something lost and never seen.
Everytime I start to believe,
Something's raped and taken from me... from me.

[ an explosion of fireworks erupts off the edge of the stage, almost blinding, showering sparks down over the cheering crowd as suddenly heatless passion appears on the stage through the smoke, blade at the forefront leaning provocatively into his mic as he sings (perform 54). and hey, remember how you had to make a will save when listening to nadia sing? you need a new one for keijen, who is all but impossible to look away from.

the dc, however, kicks up to a 20. ]

Life's gotta always be messing with me. (You wanna see the light)
Can't they chill and let me be free? (So do I)
Can't I take away all this pain? (You wanna see the light)
I try to every night, all in vain... in vain.

[ he props one foot up on a speaker, leaning his head back and holding the mic aloft as he growls to the cheering crowd: ]

Sometimes I cannot take this place.
Sometimes it's my life I can't taste.
Sometimes I cannot feel my face.
You'll never see me fall from grace
Something takes a part of me.
You and I were meant to be.
A cheap fuck for me to lay
Something takes a part of me.
Feeling like a freak on a leash. (You wanna see the light)
Feeling like I have no release. (So do I)
How many times have I felt diseased? (You wanna see the light)
Nothing in my life is free... is free...

[littledhampir]

[Remember how it wasn't that long ago that Rose was the Queen of Nat 20s? Yeah not so much now, she's too busy ignoring Archer because Oh my god Keijen Blade! (Will Save 14...)

Fight all you want boys, Rose is now screaming loudly and excitedly as the lyrical stylings of Keijen practically melts her underwear off.]

[isisagent]

[Also joining the Will save of 14 club. :l Archer is suddenly more more mellowed out, than when he was ready to kick Spike's face in... He nods dumbly at whatever Rose was just saying. When did this new-agey music get good? He starts to sing along, though he's still Archer, so it's probably 95% wrong words.]

[asuma]

[Klaus isn't generally one to worry about other people, so the fact that Nadia is frightened hardly registers as something he gives a shit about. It isn't until Tia begins contending for the best actress in the throes of death award and doubles over in pain that he actually shows any signs of worry, and by then it's all he can do to try and help her back to her feet so that she isn't trampled beneath the increasingly aggressive crowd.

But then the set changes and he glances up as the newest song begins, though unlike most of his companions he isn't any more swayed by the male singer (will save 23). You basic-ass bitches. At least one person here was competent.

Whereas he might normally attempt to murder the root problem and hope for the best (in this case, hope that it helps to ease Tia's migraine headache), doing so might prove rather difficult given the crowd of who knows how many currently focused entirely on getting closer to Keijen Blade--and creating an effective barrier in the process. Not to mentions the bouncers lying in wait just beyond said great wall of fans.]

I believe that's our cue to exit. [They were dumb enough to split the party, and their telepath was in no shape to be of any use at the moment. Shit was looking like a no-brainer right now. Time to get the hell out of Dodge basically.]

Are you able to walk? [Not that it mattered because he was legit already prepared to carry her if he needed to (strength 28).]

1/2

[narcosynthesis]

[ the crowd roars after his first number, and he shoots them a wicked grin, as if reveling in something they don't know. He launches right into the second song with no preamble, sounding every bit the tortured, angry soul as he sings.

figure 09 - linkin park ]

Nothing ever stops all these thoughts and the pain attached to them
Sometimes I wonder why this is happening
It's like nothing I can do would distract me when
I think of how I shot myself in the back again
'Cause from the infinite words I could say I
Put all pain you gave to me on display
But didn't realize instead of setting it free I
Took what I hated and made it a part of me

Never goes away
Never goes away

(And now)
You've become a part of me
You'll always be right here
You've become a part of me
You'll always be my fear
I can't separate
Myself from what I've done
Giving up a part of me
I've let myself become you

Hearing your name the memories come back again
I remember when it started happening
I see you in every thought I had and then
The thoughts slowly found words attached to them
And I knew as they escaped away
I was committing myself to them and everyday
I regret saying those things cuz now I see that I
Took what I hated and made it a part of me

(Get away from me)
Give me my space back you gotta just
(Go)
Everything comes down the memories of
(You)
I've kept it in but now I'm letting you
(Know)
I let you go so get away from
(Me)
Give me my space back you gotta just
(Go)
Everything comes down the memories of
(You)
I've kept it but now I'm letting you
(Know)
I let you go

I've let myself become you
I've let myself become lost inside these thoughts of you
Giving up a part of me, I've let myself become you

[telekinect]

[ in optimist theater, at least tias psychic agony keeps her from failing her will save? Still, she can barely lift her head to respond to klaus,a haunted look in her eyes as if she's not even seeing anything around her at all, but rather looking upon a nightmarish vision of some kind. ]

There's no escape. I can't get away from him. He can see everything. He's inside!

[bigbad]

[Meh. Blade's ok, but Nadia was a million times better. At least, Spike doesn't think so (will save 27 I shit you not), so he's gonna look for the backstage exit (spot 22) and shove his way through the screaming crowd to try and get there (str 19). Sorry, everyone else, he's a man in magically-induced obsession.]

[asuma]

[omg, gurl. this right here would mark that point where klaus might usually say this is why i told your dumb ass. instead, he regards her for another lingering moment, jaw set like you brought this upon yourself, gurl.]

Well then, allow me.

[leaving her behind to be trampled by the crowd while he pursues an alternate course of action probably wouldn't benefit him at all, so she's getting escorted in the opposite direction of the stage whether she's able to walk or not.

she had needed to move closer to do her thing, after all. it only made sense that the same would apply in reverse (wisdom nat 20). get her far enough away, and hopefully whatever mind-fuckery keijen was doing in her head would subside so that they could regroup and find the others. who were hopefully having better luck than they were.

w e l p.]