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

[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.]

[townmusician]

[The fans are so excited tho, don't you want to spend more time with them?

Anyways, Shalem can try to head around the building to find the back door, but a hazy figure wearing a shirt that says "SECURITY" appears in front of them.]

The back is sealed for the time being. There was an incident. Idols can enter through the front entrance if they have a valid entry ticket.

[The security guard is being so polite! But, of course, Shalem can do whatever he wants.]

[prozaic]

[Aw. Hindered this time.]

Thank you for letting me know. [He even manages to make his voice sound young, even if it strains him a little. Being a thirty-year-old with growths on your neck is no joke! So he'll just have to make the walk of shame back to the front entrance.

Then sidles up to the front entrance, raising his phone with the invitation clearly on display.]

Hi, I'd like to get in, please.

[townmusician]

[Oh, to be a grandpa in a field of 20 somethings and younger... The guard seems unoffended, perhaps because even a security guard created from Haruka's cognition has faced the universal security guard plight of being bothered by people trying to sneak in...

Shalem can skulk away with his tail between his legs, metaphorically or literally, and the shadow at the front entrance seems identical to the one he just spoke to. It leans in to check his phone, before nodding to himself and opening the door.]

Go on in.

[For now, it seems like Shalem is the only one who's managed to make his way inside, though Yoon is also catching up. He can take a look around the entrance lobby if he'd like!]

[prozaic]

[Victory! He stretches his arms, and then his tail, pleased that his ruse worked. Maybe he's getting back into the swing of acting, or maybe these shades are so rudimentary that they only have a small set of commands they can execute, so to speak.

So he's definitely looking around the lobby. Maybe... there are some instruments he can play...? (4)]

[townmusician]

[It is a mystery.

There are no instruments in the lobby, but there is a bag check counter to the side of the lobby! Maybe there's something in there? Nobody seems to be manning it so what's stopping him from looking—actually, besides the Braphine's Chosen, the lobby is entirely devoid of people.

That means nobody is manning the merch table, either, or guarding the door that must lead back towards the actual venue.]

[strawsandals]

[ Yo, Shalem! What're we doing up here? Also Yoon can't see shit (9) sorry. ]

[townmusician]

[It's okay, Yoon. Everyone is mostly blind. Yoon manages to find a broken pen light, as well as, uh. Whatever we want to call this. It's made for someone much taller than Yoon, at least, so nobody will expect him to wear it...]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Finally past the obstacles of one angry idol manager and then security, Eli arrives! He immediately notices nothing of use (7). ]

Huh. I was sort of expecting more shadows back here.

[townmusician]

[Maybe there are! Maybe they're invisible!

But he really doesn't notice anything that stands out. He can still grab some merch if he wants, though. Gotta rep your fave idol in these trying times.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Ha, if no one's minding the tables, it's time to see what he can get for free. Eli wanders up to the merch table to see what's there. ]

[prozaic]

[Nope still blind (6).]

If there is no one here, then what is the incident that caused them to lock off the back door? There is no one here... but Haruka, surely lurking. [He wants to check right now, but at the same time, the bag check counter is looking mighty interesting, so he's checking over there.]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Before she goes meet up with these chucklefucks, what can she find of note here? (11) ]

[townmusician]

[Sunrise finds a a vest that's just slightly too big for her, but the fur lining the hood is soft and she can even find the matching headphones.

She also finds a paper fan, decorated with green hearts and a fermata symbol. There's something special about this fan, but she can't quite put her finger on it. Still, should probably take it with her.]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Oh, these all seem nice...Sunrise gathers the vest into her arms, and hangs the headphones off one arm (Does she even know what headphones are? Fushigi mystery.) Holds the paper fan with one hand.

Now for her to rejoin the rest of the group. ]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard continues to not have eyes (10) but it's fine, he doesn't need to be useful on this front anyway!!

... gonna check out that merch table, though.]

[townmusician]

[Richard finds this—

Okay, he doesn't, but he does get a free outfit change as well as a paper fan that matches the one Sunrise found. He can't glean what's special about the fan, either, but it's nice to have on hand just in case.]

[idealitas]

[ He feels so out of place... Yi Sang and performances do not mix. But he sucks it up for the sake of the Palace Experience.

Looks at this 2.

Alright if Yi Sang can't see shit he's just hopping over the counter for the bag check, since no one's here but Braphine's chosen to judge him. Consequences be damned our dice are all kind of sad right now.

Are there bags to check or just coats? ]

[townmusician]

[There is absolutely no doubt that Yi Sang will not find anything useful at all.

There are bags that he can rifle through, but all he finds is a broken pen light. Sad.

But at least he'll be so. Stylish? Yeah. Let's go with stylish.]

[unweathered]

[ Despite being a sleepy bitch, she's still got eyes (17). What useful things can she spot...

She's ignoring Eli's yelling and the commotion over there. She's too tired for this shit]

[townmusician]

[Schneider can find an enormous fur coat. It was made for a man that's pretty tall, so it'll dwarf her completely, but it's so fluffy and bedazzled!

She will also find a pen light resting on top of a paper fan with similar to the ones Sunrise and Richard found earlier, but Schneider can tell after picking them up that these are restorative items—the fan will heal a significant amount health lost when used, and the pen light is a full party cleanse.]