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

[townmusician]

[The music is getting louder and louder, leading Shalem and Schneider to another set of doors. Just the one—a set of plain double doors, with nowhere else to go.

They've made it to the end of the maze.

They can either pass through the set of doors, or continuing exploring the maze if they want!]

[prozaic]

[Shalem looks over his shoulder at Schneider, giving her a quick nod, before he puts his hands on the doors to push them open. If there's one thing he appreciates about her, she's all business, and not at all phased by anything.]

[townmusician]

[The doors open, leading them into a backstage area. There's music coming from the stage itself, and hazy, shadowy figures in the area.

Most of them look like they've taken the form of staff, helping to make the concert(?) run smoothly. They haven't noticed Shalem, yet.]

[prozaic]

[Shalem just sidles right on in, straightening his clothes so he doesn't look like he's been running around or lying in the dirt. He's still following the music, his main priority. Ah, music, his first love.

The music Haruka specializes in may be contemporary, but that doesn't change the fact that they're both performers.]

[townmusician]

[None of the shadows try to stop him as he walks around, because he's supposed to be there, after all. He has that ticket, still!

He can manage a glance at the stage, but it's currently... empty, with no sign of any performers, much less Haruka.

Is he going to try to walk out onto the stage?]

[prozaic]

[Look, if you're making music but there's nothing on stage, it's clearly a trap, right?

A trap that Shalem is bold enough to challenge. He's getting on stage. If he can get Haruka's attention this way, yes, he absolutely will do something wild.]

[unweathered]

[ Schneider hangs back. Hmmm. Looking around to see if she can spot any traps (14) if that is even possible]

[townmusician]

[No traps! Not that she can see, at least. It just seems like... your normal backstage area, and by now she's familiar with the level of technology in the city. Nothing seems out of place, not even the shadows milling around.]

[townmusician]

[Shalem approaching the stage gets the shadows to panic!]

Sir! What are you doing?

[One of them steps in front of him, trying to block him from the stage.]

[prozaic]

[He gives a bright, guileless smile, the one of a younger man.]

Don't worry! I'm just checking out the stage-- this is where we'll be performing, right?

[townmusician]

[sir that's sus]

...It is. You've already done your soundcheck, haven't you?

[The shadow is sizing him up...]

[unweathered]

[Well since there are no traps she can see, she'll look around for something else to do. She can sing...because fucking church life...but instruments are a no go for her.

Can she turn on the lights lol]

[townmusician]

[If she can find the light controls she can certainly try!

...If the shadows don't notice her sneaking around, at least.]

[prozaic]

[Well, Shalem notes she's trying something, so he'll try to distract the shadows. Hence, he moves towards the stage again.]

I haven't actually done my soundcheck. I only just arrived, you know.

[townmusician]

[Well... the shadow believes him (2...), and sighs.]

Okay, but... where's the rest of your group?

[But it's acquiescing, even if the shadows will now be on higher alert.]

You'll have five minutes for your soundcheck.

[prozaic]

[IT'S TIME.

Shalem gives the shadow a nod, before he gets up on stage. But he doesn't take a soundcheck-- no, he does something else. He quickly picks a slower, softer song from the playlist on the system, one suited for his preferences, and starts to shed some of his layers. Katana, his regular jacket, the pilfered jacket, shoes, socks, even his shirt, baring scarred skin stretched over large muscles, and a scattering of small black crystals growing out of his chest and the left side of his neck.

Then he stands at a corner of the stage, feet comfortable due to the lights Schneider turned on warming the stage.]

Haruka, I hope you're watching, else I make a fool of myself for nothing.

[Then he begins.

As a stage performer, Shalem doesn't merely dance, but acts. He is a body on stage, a role to be performed, a doll waiting for a script-- and right now, the lyrics are his script. Every move, jete, pirouette, prance and even drop has weight behind it, and his tail doesn't flail around, it curves and curls with him. His expression is anguished, pained, whatever the song requires of him.

When it's over, he's flushed and winded, his feet are sore without any padding and he's sure he's developing new callouses, he hasn't danced this hard in so long, even if ballet is one of his best styles. But he forces himself to finish properly, standing straight and holding his arms up, feet together as if awaiting the clapping of his audience. He holds it for just a few seconds, then slinks off to get dressed again.

The shadow gave him five minutes. He finishes in four.

Hopefully Shadow Haruka likes this offering. (19)]

[townmusician]

[It's when he's pulling his jacket on that he can see a flash of gold at the edge of the stage, but... there's nobody there. If Haruka saw his performance, there's no sign of him around.

Still, there's the feeling of something pressing down on his shoulders, even though he can't see what it is, and there's no marks left on his skin or clothing.

His performance was seen, though. Whether it was appreciated or not... well, he can always ask if he ever gets to see Haruka face to face again.]

[unweathered]

[ She's sneaking around (16) and grabs the first switch she can reach to flick it on . Hopefully this gives Shalem an opening to do whatever he needs to do. Or it'll unleash a trap. whomp whomp]

[townmusician]

[She flips the switch, and immediately she can hear shouting from the shadows. Where she is, she won't be able to see what she's done, but Shalem will find himself absolutely blinded as every light pointed towards the stage turns in.]

Hey, what are you doing?!

[There are shadows approaching, though they don't move to attack her. Yet.]

[unweathered]

I'm on lights.

[ SORRY SHALEM ahahahaha]

I heard there were issues yesterday so I wanted to make sure it was still working.

[strawsandals]

[ Hey guys what's going on- ]

Schneider!

[ Waving over to her! What is she up to over here... ]

[unweathered]

Oh. And here is Yoon who is here to help with sound.

[ Schneider beams and waves Yoon over to handle the other buttons. Smash away dear child]

You're just on time.

[strawsandals]

Sound? But I don't know what these do.

[ ...And yet.

He's going to press one of the buttons. It's presumably a good one?? (14) One that probably idk provides a nice bass boost. Bass boosted snek. ]

[unweathered]

[ Good work Yoon!! Headpatting regardless of whether or not the shadows appreciate it]

[townmusician]

[The shadows absolutely don't appreciate it, and they can tell that neither of these two actually know what they're doing or that they're supposed to be doing this.]

If you don't stop, we'll have to detain you.

[Though it already seems like the shadows are shifting into more monstrous forms, so it's clear how they plan to "detain" them if they don't cooperate...]