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]

[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?

1/2

[narcosynthesis]

[ as another schlub tries to get up and fails while the crowd makes a collective noise of disappointment, blade's eyes fall on rose and archer with a nat 20 spot check how about that. hi archer. :) but he actually directs his attention at rose as he sings, shooting her a devilish wink from the stage, grinning wickedly at their enraptured expressions.

♬ kinda i want to - nine inch nails ]

I can't shake this feeling from my head.
There's a devil sleeping in my bed.
He's watching you from across the way.
I cannot make this feeling go away

I know it's not the right thing.
And I know it's not the good thing.
But kinda I want to

I'm not sure of what I should do.
When everything I'm thinking of is you.
All of my excuses turn to lies.
Maybe God will cover up his eyes

Kinda I want to.
Maybe just for tonight.
We can pretend it's alright.
What's the price I pay.
I don't care what they say.
I want to.

[telekinect]

[ :| YOU TRY GETTING YOUR BRAIN SCRAMBLED AND COMING UP WITH PROPER NOUNS ]

Considering they're all supposed to be tieflings, I can give you one guess. Whatever dark god it was that's tied up in all this. That's the only thing I can even imagine that would be able to provide this much psychic energy.

[ she looks out over the crowd with a frown ] Wynn was pretty clear about not engaging with Blade, and that'd be the only way to shut this down now. Whatever he's doing, we're likely too late to stop it. Even if I could get past those walls, it would take me awhile with one person, let alone hundreds.

[bigbad]

[Spike looks like he's going to protest, then the mind control snaps off and he shuts his mouth, looking puzzled. Then he shakes his head and looks back up at her.]

Was the mind control really necessary?

[coldheritage]

[ she looks away, into the mirror, where she... can't see him, and she frowns. ] Apparently it is. When you're in your right mind, you tend to make even more foolish decisions.

[asuma]

So we leave them to whatever potentially doomed fate that Blade has in store for them. [He does not have an issue with this, for the record. He just figures that it bears repeating, since it was a pretty fucked up option as a whole.]

But first thing's first. Though I suppose finding our people in this crowd is going to be easier said than done. [Unless Tia wanted to risk having the proverbial dentist drill shove against her brain, which he highly doubted at the moment.]

[isisagent]

[Well - they'd be easier to find if they made a spectacle of themselves. Which, I'm sure will not happen, as Archer contends with Rose for Keijen;]

A connection? With you? HAH! We'll see about that.

[Archer begins to surge forward, with a strength check of 21, towards the stage, yelling;]

Hey! Keijen!

[It should go without saying that, if and when a bouncer tries to stop him, Archer will almost certainly go for lethal...]

[bigbad]

Hey, you'd never have known I was here without your mind whammy. Believe it it not, this wasn't the plan. [He scowls momentarily, then shakes his head. It wasn't the compulsion that made her look sad, and he didn't imagine her cries. This isn't the mission he was assigned, but he doesn't really give a crap about what he's supposed to do. She's clearly miserable, and he's a hero.]

Look. I already knocked out your bouncers. Blade's busy with his concert. You won't get a better chance to get out of this mess than right now.

[littledhampir]

[He winked at her. Clearly it's a sign that you should run you stupid girl.]

Oh no you don't!

[Never to be outdone it seems, Rose makes a strength check of 24, elbows swinging at whoever dares to come between her and her one true rock god.]

No Me! [Elbow to a randoms head.] Keijen!! [Elbow to a randoms ribs.] I LOVE YOU KEIJEN!!!!

1/3

[coldheritage]

[ her hand reaches out to wrap around a tube of lipstick tightly, curling into a fist as she closes her eyes tightly again tensing at his words. ]

I don't. Want. To leave.

2/3

[telekinection]

[ tia rolled a shitty listen check so she still can't hear them over the roaring crowd, not when they're up front and she's in back and the music is still pounding away. ]

Maybe we could take to the high ground. It might afford us a better view down.

3/3

[narcosynthesis]

[ they both hit the front of the barrier, which will require a climb check of 14+ to get over. but they're gonna have to contend with the two approaching bouncers as well, who converge on the barrier from the stage side as they reach it, holding up a hand to caution them back, as blade performs unheeded above.

♬ trash - korn ]

How did it start?
Well I don't know
I just feel the craving
I see the flesh and it smells fresh and it's just there for the taking
These little girls, they make me feel so god damn exhilarated
I feel them up, I can't give it up
The pain that I'm just erasing

I tell my lies, and I despise
Every second I'm with you
So I run away and you still stay
So what the fuck is with you? 　

Your feelings
I can't help but rape them
I'm sorry, I don't feel the same
My heart inside is constantly hating
I'm sorry, I just throw you away 　

I don't know why I'm so fucking cold
I don't know why it hurts me
All I wanna do is get with you and make the pain go away
Why do I have a conscience?
All it does is fuck with me
Why do I have this torment?
All I wanna do is fuck it away 　

[asuma]

[Klaus rolled a nat 20 tho, so he can hear that shrill ass shit like it ain't no thang. Vampire super hearing 4tw I guess.]

That won't be necessary. [He nods back toward the crowd in the direction of the others.] Let's go and collect our friends, shall we?

[Hell even take the lead in case he needs to use force for them to push their way through the crowd again (str 22 idk).]

[littledhampir]

[Somebody is a determined little fangirl today (Climb 20 total), Rose making it up and over the barrier with relative ease.

The approaching bouncers receive the full force of her glare for daring to try and come between her and her man.]

I am getting on that stage so you better get the hell out of my way.

[Intimidation 27... girl means business.]