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

[isisagent]

To be fair, I want to shoot some of my best friends in the face, too...

Also, and for the record, she's got like all the species of crabs. [Archer stares at Rose. I don't know where Archer gets standing to say that, after banging countless hookers, but... ] So, factor that into the equation.

[narcosynthesis]

[ ohhh archer. keijen just grins at rose, pretending to ponder for a moment. ] Just name it, hm?

Very well, then. [ he leans between them both, conspiratorially, even though the mic carries his words for everyone to hear: ] Kill yourself.

[isisagent]

...Sure, I guess [Archer puts his underwear gun to his head.] It's "yourselves," though. There... there's two of us.
[And then he pulls the trigger with a 'click.' ... Oh right. The Chekhov gun is a derringer, so he's only got one shot, which he plugged into a bouncer.]

Huh. That's... actually pretty embarrassing. [Re-Will save attempt of... 17? I think that still fails?] Aren't I usually better at keeping track of that kind of thing? More importantly, how am I supposed to kill myself without bullets? [Archer looks legitimately confused. Maybe he could drink himself to dea... no wait, that won't work...]

[littledhampir]

[It's in her eyes, the acceptance of his words as Keijen's pull has Rose untangling only enough from him to reach into one of her long leather boots and withdraw her stake. The stage lights catch the gleaming silver, blinding several people in the front row as Rose places the point against her arm, the tip pressing into her skin.

Her head is the most peaceful it has been in months, clear of the shadows that cloud her mind and yet the serene smile she had turned on Keijen falters as a thought pops into her mind. Elena. If she died here on this stage, what would happen to Elena after all she'd been through?

That one thought breaks open a floodgate, images of everyone who matters to her flashing through her head; Elena, Davin, Luthir, Dimitri and Rose's hand starts to shake, a trickle of blood winding down her arm when the power of that last face, rips her from her dreamlike state and clears her head completely. (Will Save... Nat 20 bitches.)

Rose's instinct is to take a leaf out of Archer's playbook and stab Keijen Blade in the fucking face but a look at the screaming audience all willing her to kill herself (and a Wisdom Check of 18) is enough to make her rethink her next course of action.

Stepping back into Keijen, Rose's arm moves around his body and the very tip of the stake that had been pressing into her skin, now presses against his spine, Rose's words spoken away from the microphone as she applies enough pressure to make her intention clear.]

I don't think that's going to happen, do you? [Intimidate 28.] Now why don't you stop whatever you're doing to my friend over there and I'll let you walk away from this. [Emphasis on the walk.]

[bigbad]

[Wow leave for five minutes to try and find the pop star you've been brainwashed into loving and everything goes to hell. He looks around (spot 22) and spots Tia and Klaus towards the front and notices that Rose has... clearly broken free of her mind control if she's threatening Keijen with a stake (that'll definitely go over well) and he doesn't really give enough fucks about Archer to worry about his mental state. Spike can always knock him out again if he needs to. The trick is how to get out of here alive. He's seen Keijen in action enough to know that Rose can't take him. Spike's pretty sure he can't take Blade, though he wouldn't let that stop him from trying.

He drops his cigarette and shoves through the crowd (str 19) to make his way over to Tia and Klaus.]

Bloody hell, that escalated quickly.

[NOTHING TO SEE HERE SPIKE IS TOTALLY FINE AND ANYONE WHO MENTIONS HIM CHARGING OFF WITH NADIA MOON EYES CAN GET BENT.]

[asuma]

[Klaus affords Spike a glance when he settles in beside them that conveys his thoughts well enough. Read: No. Fucking. Shit. Sherlock.]

So glad to have you with us again. [Because you were part of the problem. Dismissive as fuck ftr. He's already focused back on the stage.]

1/2

[telekinection]

[ tia glances back at spike like oh thank fuck at least one thing is going right here. but as the crowd lets out a shocked roar at rose's threat to their beloved star, she shakes her head and curses under her breath. ]

She's going to get us all torn apart.

[ now that rose's head is clear, at least, tia puts two fingers to her temple and sends her a mental message:

Let him go, Rose, or he'll kill you and these people won't so much as blink. ]

[narcosynthesis]

[ keijen slowly turns to look at rose, giving her an appreciative once-over rather than looking scared at all, despite the blade to his spine. ]

My, my. Do you really think you'd get out of here in one piece, if you left a mark on me, Rose? These people love me as much as you did a minute ago.

They'd easily kill for me.

[littledhampir]

[Rose hears Tia in her head, lips pressing into a thin line as for the millionth time she curses the fact that people can talk in her head but she can't talk back, the point of the stake easing a little as she struggles with what to do.]

I don't want to fight you. [A Sense Motive of 10 or higher if he'd even care to know would suggest that she's actually telling the truth and it's not because she's scared of him. Rose holds her position for another moment before the weight of Tia's words are enough to influence her next move (Wis. 17) and she drops her hand, no longer playing the aggressor but doesn't step away from him either.]

Just stop what you're doing to him and we'll go. [Because yes Rose. Try to reason with the psychopath.]

[isisagent]

[Archer's gonna use an action point to give this thing another go... and 15 + 2 = Archer's still fucked.]

Hey. You leave him the hell alone, and help me kill myself.

[bigbad]

[Can they just leave Archer behind? Ugh, probably not. He turns towards Tia.]

Anything you can do to help him?

[Does he mean help him kill himself or help him break free? The world may never know.]

[telekinect]

[ SIGH. CHILDREN. ]

Here goes nothing. [ she glances over at klaus and spike. ] Someone just catch him, for God's sake. [ and with that, she sends a telekinetic thrust at archer that knocks him off the stage(with his will save of 8), right down towards klaus and spike's head. reflex saves + str checks time. ]

[bigbad]

[Reflex 12. Spike is just... not that invested in Archer's safety. But if that's enough to catch him, at least he'll be able to hold him up with a str check of 24.]

[asuma]

[Meanwhile, Klaus is putting a little more effort into it than Spike with his reflex save of 20 total, though he wasn't counting on Archer being such a fatass (strength 17). What a bunch of winners.]

[isisagent]

Wha- [Archer doesn't even stand a chance, flying off the stage. He's just such a pawn to all of the telekinetic powers ever.]

Oh, wait - you guys? It's about damn time someone came to help me kill myself.

[narcosynthesis]

[ keijen watches him go flying like it ain't no thang, and then directs his attention back to rose. ]

How could I ever resist such a tempting offer? [ it sounds as if he's mocking her, but he snaps his fingers and... archer stops wanting to kill himself. he doesn't really remember being 'mind controlled' though, just that he was enjoying himself at the concert and now he's in klaus' arms. maybe there was some extreme crowd surfing. ] Now run along, my dear. And tell your friends back at your little club house? That they are in over their heads.

[littledhampir]

[Like an idiot, Rose hesitates, a question in her eyes but given the time, place and the fact that she's gotten what she wants out of this... she's going to chalk this up to a win and be happy she's not leaving here in a body bag. (Wisdom 13)]

I'll be seeing ya. [As she backs away from him then turns back to the audience (don't expose your back to him you idiot) and moves to jump (jump 15) off the stage to join the others.]

[bigbad]

Think I've had my fill of this concert. [Spike raises his voice, because he's an asshole and someone should have really gagged him.] I've heard better music in elevators.

[isisagent]

[Archer tries to struggle free of the dudes and to his feet, with a Str of 22. Where was that roll for your will save, Archer.]

Woah! Guys... No homo, alright? Also were we drinking like... extremely heavily? Because I may or may not have blacked out a little... or a lot.

[asuma]

[Archer doesn't have to try hard because Klaus will legit drop his ass at the first opportunity. And back to Tia, because the rest of you are dead to him.]

I think it's best that we make our exit before our friend up there reconsiders. [Because they were still very much surrounded by a crowd of rabid fans who could turn on them at the slightest suggestion.]

1/2

[narcosynthesis]

[ keijen just offers one last shark-like grin down at them before launching into the next song as if nothing just happened. none of the crowd seems to give a shit that there were just almost suicides and/or murders going on up there either.

♬ did my time - korn ]

Realized I can never win
Sometimes I feel like I have failed
Inside where do I begin
My mind is laughing at me
Tell me why am I to blame
Aren't we suppose to be the same
That's why I will never tame
This thing that's burning in me

I am the one who chose my path
I am the one who couldn't last
I feel the life pulled from me
I feel the anger changing me

Sometimes I can never tell
If I've got something after me
That's why I just beg and plead
For this curse to leave me
Tell me why am I to blame
Aren't we suppose to be the same
That's why I will never tame
This thing that's burning in me

Betrayed
I feel so enslaved
I really tried
I did my time

Oh God, the anger's changing me

[telekinection]

I think you're right. [ she nods to klaus, and upon seeing that archer is recovered... ish, and rose is with them again, she casts a glance back through the crowd and nods at spike and klaus to lead the way in pushing through. ] We definitely got what we came for.

[littledhampir]

No arguments from me. [Rose ready to push through the crowd when the group starts moving (Str 18) but before she does that... she sure does Crit Fail her Will Save on whether to look back at Keijen or not and ya know... stares, pretty openly for longer than is strictly kosher. For reasons.]

[bigbad]

[Spike is a little more delicate in his crowd shoving this time (str 12). I guess he doesn't want to piss off the mob of fans. He does put a hand on Rose's back and raise his eyebrows, urging her to get over the staring.]

You can send him fanmail later if you like him so much. For now, walk.

[littledhampir]

[That earns a scowl from Rose but, it does snap her out of her thoughts and she manages a gruff; Shut Up as she stops staring and starts moving.]