a winter labyrinth

[townmusician]

断ち切るしかないんだろ
注いだ冬は心のラビリンス
後戻りなんて出来ないから
やりきるしかないんだろ
黒い気持ちと手を繋いだって構わない
抱きしめたっていいh

I have to break free
This pouring winter is my heart's labyrinth
I can't go back anymore, so
I have to finish this
I don't care if you took my hand with dark motives
I want you to hold me close

Comments

STAGE 1

[townmusician]

[What happens when you’re already known for being antagonistic? When you’re pushy, snarky, annoying? It means it’s hard to notice when the seeds of conflict have been sown in your heart, perhaps.

This Saturday afternoon, with Sou missing and word that Fray has disappeared as well, you might not be expecting the alert that arrives on your phone. The sender is simply “JIMA”, and the message itself reads:

Congratulations!

Your group has moved on to the next stage, and you have been invited to participate in this year’s Black or White Stage. We’re looking forward to your performance!

The location of a live house in the entertainment district is listed at the end of the message, and attached is an entry ticket for Black Or White 20XX. Might be something worth investigating.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Yeah, when the message appears with an address and ticket, he's thinking... Is this Sou? Or Fray? He sure isn't wondering about Haruka. Only when he gets to the house in the entertainment district he has to wonder aloud, ]

...this can't be Fray. I don't think he cares about performance shit.

[ And he knows nothing about Sou, unfortunately. Sorry, Sou, but at least he's aware you've vanished after stabbing a mans, so, hey. ]

[strawsandals]

No, I don't think so either...

[ Yoon is honestly so unsure of what this is, but uh, hi Eli! ]

I guess we're on duty again, aren't we.

[fullmoonmutt]

Could be the other guy, but I don't think I've really done more than see him in passing? Man... Now I feel kinda bad about that.

[ He'll feel less bad when it turns out to be Haruka. Fuck that guy. Although, hey, yeah, Yoon is here. Again. Short Stack, do you ever rest??? ]

[strawsandals]

The one who stabbed Joshua? It's likely. He seemed like he was going back and forth between regretting what he did and enjoying it.

[ He'll rest when he's dead...or something like that.... ]

I don't know if this is his, though, but I can't say I knew him well...

[townmusician]

[This is definitely the palace of a green-haired twink, that's for sure.

Are either of them going to approach the live house?]

[ledbythewind]

He certainly doesn't seem like the sort...

[I mean, you never know, but.]

[fullmoonmutt]

I mean, could be he secretly desires to be a part of a band... and that's how his Shadow is?

[ledbythewind]

Something he desires in secret?

[Hmm.]

I suppose I can see how that could lead to something like this. Still, haven't the other Shadows we've encountered held the person's hidden emotions about things they've already experienced?

[Like Mafuyu's...]

[fullmoonmutt]

I don't think Shadows all got the same set of rules to follow, so who knows.

[prozaic]

[Who is missing from their little ensemble cast? Sou has run off, Fray is confirmed possessed and gone, and... Well.

Haruka disappeared into the night with Shalem none the wiser. He's actually quite impressed that Haruka managed to slip out of bed despite having an assassin right next to him, rather than ashamed at himself. Perhaps with a bit of training, Haruka could do more than just be an idol.

That's why he's here right now, at this area with a smile on his face, his phone in hand and Haruka's old katana strapped to his back, checking if this stage has been booked for Haruka, or someone else. But he's fairly sure it's Haruka, this sounds like an audition for an idol group, and he knows what that human does for a living. Jacket zipped up to hide his neck and the crystals on it from view, as well as keep out the wind. If he's to bring this one home, he had better stay warm.]

[townmusician]

[There's nothing about the signage out front that sticks out as being strictly for Haruka. There is a sign for Black or White 20XX, but the idol's name can't be found anywhere.

There are indistinct, humanoid shapes hovering outside the live house. They might have some information, or be a part of this whole thing?]

[prozaic]

[Well, his perception roll failed (3)...

But he creeps closer anyway, in case he can note something about them. But they're indistinct figures, he has no idea what he can glean from them at a glance.]

[townmusician]

[The shadows seem to be mimicking people... queuing? They're clustered vaguely in a line, and even with a roll that bad Shalem can pick up on bits of the shadows' conversations.]

It's a shame TRIGGER aren't performing this year, I bet they'd beat IDOLiSH7!

No way, it's going be ŹOOĻ at the finals.

Did you hear about what happened to —

[None of it seems to be a complete conversation, but bits and pieces of... fan hype? The shadows are at least excited and loud like you could assume fans would be.]

[prozaic]

[ŹOOĻ-- this is indeed Haruka's. Now he has no reason to leave! He would have if this wasn't Haruka.

But then the next hurdle will be getting in... He has no interest in being in a crowd of people, of shadowy "fans", so he might as well pretend to be an idol. He's been invited after all. To better look the part of an idol, he ties his hair back into a high pony tail, showing off his face rather than hiding it, for a more youthful appearance. Good thing the shadows under his eyes are well on their way to disappearing, having faded enough that the purple wings are more prominent.

Now, time to look for the back door.]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Oh, another ticket! Sunrise, who doesn't immediately connect this ticket to everything else that's happened lately, is of course going to check out this show.

She'll take a look around once she arrives at the venue.]

[townmusician]

[There's a bunch of ?people?, by which I mean indistinct, blurry figures, hanging around the front of the live house. Most of them seem to be forming a queue, as if waiting to be let in, while a few others are off to the side, close to the front entrance, as if having a private conversation.

There's also the front door, with a shadow standing next to it. She's supposed to be here (she has a ticket!), so she can go just about anywhere she wants.]

[cleansewithfire]

[ ...Hmmmm.

She'll go try and eavesdrop on the figures at the side (16). ]

[townmusician]

[The shadows seem to be having a mostly casual conversation, talking about... set lists. They're in a discussion about the songs that are going to be performed tonight, apparently, though there is a moment where the shadows turn to one another, one speaking with something that seems like concern.]

Is Isumi-san alright? I heard about what happened earlier...

[There's a pause in the conversation.]

Isumi-san is fine. He's more himself now than he ever was, so I know he'll put forward a fantastic performance.

[ledbythewind]

[He's a little wary of free tickets after that last time, but...

At least he's got experience being in front of crowds, so he can definitely pull the aura of a performer off as he looks around for wherever he's supposed to be going with this entry ticket.]

[townmusician]

[The front entrance seems to be where he should head next, as he probably catches a glimpse of Sunrise heading in. There's a security guard there looking over tickets, and the way to the back of the building seems to be guarded...

So, is he going to head in and take a look around?]

[ledbythewind]

[He is indeed, especially since he just spotted Sunrise heading in! Just going to pretend that he's meant to be here as he walks up to the guard with his ticket.]

Excuse me-- I'm here to enter the performance. Where should I go?

[townmusician]

[The guard leans in to look at Richard's phone.]

You can head on in. Sorry about the inconvenience; there was an incident at the back entrance earlier. Nothing to worry about, though.

[Everything is totally fine and normal here! Anyways, Richard can head inside and find himself in the entrance lobby. Feel free to look around and see if you can find anything useful!]

[unweathered]

[ Here's someone else with another ticket!! And since she took a little walk through Haruka's dreamworld, she's cottoning on to who this might be for but who knows really.

She is a cryptid with a ticket, let her in!]

[townmusician]

[It's a mystery! She will get let in to the venue after showing the shadow guard at the door her ticket, finding a lobby where the rest of the Chosen are around.

Now is the time to see if Schneider will actually manage to find anything useful and figure out what it's good for...]