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]

[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.]

[telekinection]

[ tia does her best to hold onto him as he pulls her out, shoving past the violently seething crowd. only his supernatural strength gets him through the tide, because these fuckers have lost their minds. tia at least stops muttering and just holds one hand to her forehead, trying to get herself together. but it's gonna take them a little while to get past the crowd.

meanwhile, spike notices where the backstage entrance is, although it's blocked by two beefy bouncers. he breaks through the crowd in front of them. ]

[bigbad]

[Spike smiles at the bouncers, looking a little creepy as usual, but not... overtly attempting to intimidate them for the moment.] Pardon me, mates. Got business on the other side of those doors.

[isisagent]

[Archer's... Still just standing gawking at Keijen.]

Huh... When did this guy get so awesome anyway? Wasn't he like... Some kind of an asshole? Or something? [He says to Rose, and anyone who happens to be listening in the vicinity.] And like... vaguely extremely attractive. I mean, in a totally heterosexual kind of way. Like, I'd probably bang him. The way two straight dudes bang. In a sort of pseudo-homosexual, but entirely non-gay fashion. Like, "no clothes on, making the penises kiss" male bonding time - like football players, or... whatever. I'm not sure, I played lacrosse.

[Archer just kind of rattles on droningly, unaware of whether anyone is even paying attention to his... whatever the fuck that thought-vomit was.]


...I mean, he's just got such white teeth, right?

[narcosynthesis]

[ a steady marching beat trills over archer's gushing, interrupted by a twisted instrumental that segues into a hard metal beat as keijen climbs the steps on the stage to stand atop a higher pedestal while he sings the next number. the crowd pulses up and down in time to the song, a teeming ocean of bodies, whose response is practically worshipful.

♬ beg for me - korn ]

Everyone is looking at me.
I can't get out of bed.
There is evil in my head.
Everyone just let me be.
Because when I hit the stage.
It is gone and I am free.
Goddamn you say you'll get up for me.
You're the crowd, come on give it back to me.
You won't beg for me, beg for me, beg for me.

Goddamn you say you'll get up with me.
You're the crowd, come on give it back to me.
You won't beg for me, be there for me, beg for me.

Tell me, how could this fade?
I am going in shame.
And I could not have my pain.
Everyone please let me be.
Because when I hit the stage
It is gone and I am free.

I feel the shame.
I'm not insane.
The things I feel now.
Arent the same.
Who gives a fuck
If my life sucks?
I just know one day.
I won't give up.

Everyone just let me be.

[ the bouncers look at each other, then at spike, folding their arms in time. the bigger, balder one with a black goatee just shakes his head. the other one points back at the crowd. scram. ]

[asuma]

[Is it screwed up that Klaus is excited about getting to manhandle some mindless fans as he drags Tia to safety like her knight in shining lack of fucks? Because he totally is. This has been my contribution to plot progression--ya welcome.]

[bigbad]

[Well, Spike tried asking nicely. He shrugs, and promptly throws two quick punches, first at the right bouncer, than the left. (atk 34 dmg 9 atk 16 dmg 11 if it hits.)] Or we could do it the hard way.

[narcosynthesis]

[ spike's fist connects with the side of one bouncer's head, and then the other guy. both of them stagger a bit but neither are taken down by that. they each try to slug him back (atk 10, atk 18), but spike's too fast for both of them. ]

[bigbad]

[Spike smirks. This is almost as fun as listening to Nadia sing. Almost.] Come on, then. [He throws another two punches, this time starting with the guy on the right to keep things interesting, (atk 31 dmg 13, atk 29 dmg 14).] Surely this isn't the best you can do...

[narcosynthesis]

[ yeah that will

take them both down. .____. shit. no one else seems to notice or care because they're too busy jamming to blade out there. so they both slump wordlessly to the ground, the door open behind them into the backstage hallway.

♬ good god - korn ]

You came into my life without a single thing
I gave into your ways, but you left me with nothing
I've given into smiles, I've dealt with all your games
I wish you're happy now, I had to let you win

Why don't you get the fuck out of my face, now!
Why don't you get the fuck out of my face, now!

In the sea of life, you're just a minnow
You live your life insecure
I feel the pain of your needles
As they shit into my brain

I scream without a sound
How could you take away everything that I was?
Leave me a fuckin slave
Your face that I despise
Your heart inside that's gray
I came today to say, you're fucked in every way

In the sea of life, you're just a minnow
You live your life insecure
I feel the pain of your needles
As they shit into my mind
You stole my life without a sigh
You sucked me dry

[bigbad]

[GONNA COME SAVE U NADIA BB. From... your own people. Whatever, don't question his logic. Spike steps delicately over the bad guys then starts hurrying down the hall to go find Nadia.]

[littledhampir]

[Meanwhile, back at the moshpit...]

Penis what?! [GDI Archer you're distracting her from Keijen!] Uh... yeah but you're so not his type. Unlike me... I' mean I'm, and you're... I'm just sayin. He and I have a connection.

[Back to Keijen.]

He just doesn't know it yet.

[Archer and Rose. Team so not helpful.]

[telekinection]

[ klaus breaks through the back of the crowd with tia, who staggers away to grip at her head for a moment, finally looking back up at him. ] I just... need a moment. [ also editing b/c I FORGOT TO SAY make a search check spike ]

[asuma]

[jfc pull yourself together, gurl. :/] Of course.

[meanwhile, he looks back to the crowd they just pushed through and, more specifically, keijen on stage.]

Here's hoping the others are faring a bit better than we are.

[bigbad]

[Search 14!]

[narcosynthesis]

[ yeah spike it's gonna take you a little time back there too. meanwhile, on stage, keijen is all but taunting the frenzied crowd as the music kicks up for the next song. ]

Do you realize that not one of you pathetic motherfuckers have made it onto the stage yet?

[ ♬ down in it - nine inch nails

his words are in response to the multitude of people trying to get over the barrier before the bouncers smack them back down. one valiant effort seems to be being made a little ways down. ]

I'll bet you this guy can make it.

Kinda like a cloud I was up way up in the sky.
And I was feeling some feelings you wouldn't believe.
Sometimes I don't believe them myself and I decided I was never coming down.

Just then a tiny little dot caught my eye.
It was just about too small to see.
But I watched it way too long.
It was pulling down.

I was up above it.
I was up above it.
I was up above it.
I was up above it.
Now I'm down in it

Shut up.
So what what does it matter now.
I was swimming in the hate now I crawl on the ground.
And everything I never liked about you is kind of seeping into me.
I try to laugh about it now but isn't it funny how everything works out.
I guess the jokes on me, she said.

[ the guy manages to break the barrier and is working on climbing up the stage lip when he's dragged off, and keijen laughs as if it's some kind of twisted game to watch the bouncers have to physically restrain people from making it up there. ]

So fucking close.

I used to be so big and strong.
I used to know my right from wrong.
I used to never be afraid.
I used to be somebody.

I used to have something inside.
Now just this hole it's open wide.
I used to want it all.
I used to be somebody.

I'll cross my heart and hope to die.
But the needle's already in my eye.
And all the world's fucking weight is on my back and I don't even know why.
And what I used to think was me is just a fading memory.
I looked him right in the eye and said "goodbye."

Rain rain go away.
Rain rain go away.
Rain rain go away.
Come again some other day.

[telekinect]

I'm fine now. I'm- Can you see the others? We have to get them out of here. [ she sure can't with that shitty spot check ]

[coldheritage]

[ it's the sound of crying likely to alert spike which way to go through the grimy corridors. It's soft, barely audible, but he has vampire hearing. She sits at an old vanity in her dressing room, face buried in the crook of her arm. ]

[bigbad]

[Man, even if Spike wasn't mind controlled, that sight would move him. He pauses in the door, giving Nadia a soft look. Then he steps in towards her.]

Do you want to get out of here?

[coldheritage]

[ she looks up at his voice, staring over her shoulder at him. Her makeup is smeared around her eyes, raccoon like, and for a moment she just looks overcome with incredulity, quickly replaced with frustration and mild panic at her recognition of the intruder. ] What are you doing here? How many times must I tell you all to stay away, if you know what is good for you?

[bigbad]

I couldn't stay away. [He steps in closer. In his head there's probably a swell of romantic music but I'm on my phone so you just have to imagine it.] I love you.

[coldheritage]

[ the words make her visibly wince, and she looks away, eyes falling on a single black rose sitting in a vase beside her. ] No.

You don't. [ she sounds sad and bitter, but after a moment presses her eyes closed... And lifts the compulsion from his brain, speaking quietly, but firmly. ] Now go.

[asuma]

[Klaus' spot was no better. He can't see shit through the crowd. Who could, though?]

I'm afraid not. [Looks like they're on their own tbh.] What's going on?

[telekinection]

There's someone in her mind. I've never seen anything quite like it, but it's where she's getting all the power from that she needs to compel an entire crowd like that. She's... planting something in them, like a seed, but it's protected. I couldn't see what it was, or concentrate on much at all in all that madness up there.

[asuma]

[Sounds familiar. At least the compelling the masses with little seeds of suggestion. :X]

Someone, something--my, we do deal in certainties, don't we?

[Hey he's been pretty good thus far. The lack of answers she provides is a little frustrating ok.]

So what would you suggest? We find the others, and then? What?