savetheearth | [OPEN] Emperor

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[OPEN] Emperor

Who: Anyone in Vegas is welcome
When: June 24th, evening
Where: Las Vegas, outside the Aria.
What: OOC post here. Russel incites a mob outside of the Aria hotel in Vegas. Feel free to start a subthread if you just want mob shenanigans without being directly involved in Emil and Russel's conflict!

[Emil needed to die. That was the only way to fix anything. It was a very extreme position to take, but Russel stood by it. Hamel had killed his parents and slaughtered a whole town, and the power of friendship wasn't going to be nearly enough to stop Emil from doing the same thing if he kept getting Echoes turning him Mazoku. They weren't even really friends, anyway. Russel needed to do something now, before Emil regained whatever parts of him had led to the massacre in his memory.]

[But he didn't know where to start. He spent a few days stewing over it, wondering if he could use Firebird, or maybe that new song he'd regained right before leaving Locke, but he didn't know what it did yet. And then, suddenly, it clicked. He was listening dubiously to some guy with a megaphone outside the Bellagio, and an Echo hit him, and he knew what it was he had to do.]

[He didn't rush out to make it happen immediately, of course. He planned it. He scouted out the perfect venue and waited for the group with the megaphone guy to move their act there, and then he took his golden piano out to the fountain at the Aria and asked Emil to come meet him. And then he waited.]

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[Emil shows up late. For a while he considered ditching altogether - stuck together in a car for three days and then staying at the same hotel was too much Russel for his taste and he didn’t feel like spending even more time with him.

So even though he’s more than half hour late, Emil thinks he’s doing Russel a huge favor by showing up at all. He frowns at the kooks with the megaphone, and goes around the fountain to make himself known. Which means he dips a hand in the fountain and splashes some water at Russel.]

Boo.

[Like Russel, he brought his violin. He saw the pink light three days ago, and ever since he feels like he can’t let the damn thing out of his sight.]

[it's a pretty anxious 30 minutes, but Russel's determination sees him through it. plus it gives him something else to be mad at Emil about. that's definitely a bonus when you're looking for excuses to violently murder someone.]

[speaking of which! he responds to the splash by flashing the splasher a dirty look, and then realizes it's Emil, and jumps up and faces him and vindictively splashes him back]

So you finally came! Good, now we can get started!

[he's talking pretty loudly and obviously doesn't care what attention he attracts. it's also pretty obvious by his tone that 'getting started' is not going to be a good thing--for Emil]

[He jumps a little when the water hits him, grinning. The ominous tone isn't lost on him, but Russel's truei intentions never cross his mind, for obvious reasons. So instead of being property wary, Emil's reaction is to laugh Russel in the face. Always so dramatic!]

Get what started? Ooooh, are you challenging me to a duel?

[is he laughing? seriously? this asshole!]

[dramatic point]

I am!

[pause, reconsider]

S...ort of.

[no wait, doubling down]

No! This is much more serious than a mere duel!

[this is the part where he snatches the megaphone away from the cult spokesman without warning and turns to address the crowd]

Listen up, everyone! This man right here [pointing to Emil] is a dangerous demon who's going to kill everyone here if he's not stopped!

[He's laughing even harder at that reaction, but the amusement disappear when Russel snatches the megaphone. For a moment Emil isn't sure he heard right. Did he really just...?

Then he takes a step toward Russel and swats his pointing hand away.]

What the hell are you doing?

[He's whispering even though Russel is yelling and people are already starting to look. He's still more shocked than anything.]

[he turns away from the megaphone to give Emil a hard look. he responds to Emil's whisper with a shout loud enough to be heard in the crowd even without the megaphone]

I'm neutralizing a dangerous threat!

*One might think that Kari would have decided not to come back after half the team backed out. One might not know that Kari Acosta did what she wanted. If she was going to show up that obnoxious stick-plagued magician, she wasn't going to hang back in Locke.

Spotting a familiar face doing something decidedly out of place, though, was something that had to be dealt with. She approached from the back of the mob.*

Kid?

[Emil doesn't notice another person approaching. He's busy staring at Russel and it's the look that makes him realize that yes, this is actually happening, Russel is serious. He grabs the megaphone to wrangle it out of Russel's hands even though he's loud enough without it - anything to distract him from whatever he's about to do.]

I'm not - cut it out, this isn't funny!

[His voice is louder than a whisper but still low, laced with anger and fear.]

[he doesn't notice Kari either, but there's no mistaking that this is Russel, even from the back of the crowd. there's a murmur going up within it, people starting to get that curious energy that comes with a highly visible commotion.]

[Russel is not giving up that megaphone easily]

How dare you!! I'm perfectly serious! This is my duty as a hero!

[he manages to yank the megaphone back and immediately calls out to the crowd with it again]

Listen up, everyone--

[whoops and that sure was a fleeting moment before Emil snagged it again. but this time he gets an idea.]

[he suddenly stops fighting and lets go.]

*Not good.

She quickly covers her ears before running to the nearest open staircase. She's going to need her own high ground for this.*

Shut up - you're the shittiest hero I've seen in my life -

[And then Russel lets go and Emil stumbles back, falling right on his ass. But the important thing is that he has the megaphone. He throws it into the fountain.

Behind Russel, the head weirdo waves his hands and yells in protest: "Hey that's mine!!"]

[WHATEVER, EMIL. while he's distracted, Russel whips out the piano.]

Now it's time to get serious!

[he starts to play Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto, Emperor. a song about truth and justice.]

[The truth, in this case, is that the Numbered are connected with danger. Whether because they themselves are dangerous, or because their battle with the aliens puts themselves and others in danger, it's the truth that there is danger associated with them.]

[The justice is that there hasn't been any. What about the Numbered who were disappeared by Detective Sherman? All the people who died in the earthquake, or the Wise Snake attack? What will stop that same mayhem from happening in Las Vegas?]

[You, listener. You will. You will take justice into your own hands and stop the threat the Numbered present. The threat Emil represents. And if you're Numbered yourself? Maybe you're upset at your own situation. Maybe he represents all the hardship being Numbered has put you through. Maybe you are angry that you're Numbered at all and you suddenly understand that getting rid of this guy--that's what will bring you justice.]

[but these feelings will only affect you if you can hear what he's playing. earplugs, or especially loud and insulated headphones? you will be completely unaffected. Just...don't get caught in the sudden unruly mob's crossfire. some of them might be willing to attack any Numbered for their justice.]

*Kari stumbles on the steps and cries out, clutching her ears.*

What do you think you're doing, kid? You--

*But it doesn't matter. She keeps them covered and keeps running. It's all she can do now. Just... hope the brat he's trying to get killed holds out.*

[The music snaps Emil's attention back to Russel. He doesn't recognize the song so he doesn't know what it's going to do, but he expects another summon. He scrambles to his feet and backs off while keeping his eyes on Russel, warily, waiting for whatever it is to conjure itself out of thin air - ]

Ow!

[Nothing appears. Instead, something hits his head from behind. Emil whirls around to find one of the cultists, staring with blank eyes, and he realizes the guy just hit him with the sign he's holding.

Emil doesn't even get a chance to wonder what the hell just happened before another woman shoves him, hard.]

[what's that, russel? you're a hero? then why are you cackling like a villain?!]

[he steps up onto the ledge of the fountain]

That's right! This man was a murderer, a Mazoku! And that's what he'll become again if you don't stop him!

[Another shove, and Emil falls on his hands and knees. Two people kick him in the ribs, extremely vicious because one is wearing army boots (who the fuck wears them in this heat?) and the other has high heels (who knew stilettos are such a mean weapon?). He cries in pain and tries to crawl away, to get up, but the people just keep coming. He thought mobs are supposed to be loud, but the crowd is eerily silent. They remain silent even as they shove one past another trying to get to Emil, whose grunts and yelps are drowned by Russel’s deranged laughter and the piano.

Russel. He’s doing this. He’s controlling them with the song, far more efficiently than Emil’s ever managed with the violin.

As he catches a glimpse of Russel on the fountain, yelling accusations, Emil realizes two things. One, his cover is blown. Even if everyone present in effectively a zombie, even if they remember nothing upon waking up, this is going to be documented. Press. Aria security footage. Someone with headphones and a phone camera. Everyone will know he’s a monster.

The second thing he realizes is that Russel planned it in advance, and planned carefully. He promised Emil to keep his secret, told him he’s being understanding, that he’s trying to be friends - and all that time he planned to murder him, waiting patiently for his opprotunity.

Well, fuck Russel and fuck the mob. Emil isn’t going to take it lying down.]

Back off!

[When the next hit comes, he grabs the man’s wrist and twists, throwing him back until he stumbles against the ledge and falls back into the fountain. Emil gets to his feet and shoves one of the cultists against the crowd in front of him, so hard he knocks a few people down like domino tiles. They keep coming, dead eyed and relentless, and he knows that even with his superior strength, he can’t keep warding them off unless he starts doing some serious damage. But all he needs is just this short lull.

He jumps on the ledge and reaches for the violin’s case. Maybe he can counter Russel’s music, depress everyone so much they wouldn’t want to hurt him anymore…]

[The really tragic thing is that it wasn't planned, not that far in advance. Russel's not that duplicitous. He really was trying to befriend Emil, sincerely. It was an Echo that led him to this, that gave him this complete 180 and made him seem like someone who could never be trusted again.]

[He sees Emil going for the violin case and suddenly remembers - if Hamel can use his violin, he'll be more trouble than he's worth. Russel needs to prevent that somehow, and the first thing he thinks of is: Violins don't play if they're wet, right?]

[so he stops playing for just a few seconds, the notes still hanging in the air and the spell's effect still lingering, to turn around and slam his piano against one of the fountain's spouts. he quickly resumes playing, picking up where he left off, taking control of his mob again. only now the spout is shooting water straight up so that it falls back down all around them, drenching anybody in the immediate area]

AHAHAHA, LET'S SEE YOU PLAY THAT THING IN THE RAIN!

[What the FUCK just happened.

Did he just break - he really did - is he a fucking idiot?

It’s a good thing, in a way, because Emil is so shocked he forgets about everything else. The anger, the betrayal, all this inner turmoil makes way for the urge to facepalm. Congratulations Russel, Emil’s just stopped taking you seriously.

He pushes his wet bangs back - only then does he realizes his hat fell off in the commotion - and gives Russel a look that’s both incredulous and judging.]

It’s not RAIN, and you didn’t even GET it, you stupid sack of shit! JOKE'S ON YOU 'CAUSE IT’S STILL IN THE CASE!

Ghk--! [SHIT HE'S RIGHT]

Sh-shut up!! You still can't take it out! DON'T TRY TO TELL ME WHEN I'VE FAILED, ASSHOLE!

[he addresses the mob again] Hey, look at that horn! That's proof, he's a demon and he's dangerous!

[and there's the renewed assault by the mob, have fun w/that Emil]

I’LL TELL YOU AS MUCH AS I WANT ‘CAUSE YOU SUCK, YOU CAN’T EVEN PLAN A MURDER RIGHT - Ack - !

[And that’s when the mob attacks again, and this time they seperate him from the violin.]

Okay I take it back YOU’RE REALLY GOOD AT PLANNING A MURDER you’ve made your point just make them stop -

[But they don’t stop, they keep coming and as much as he tries he can’t shake them off, they’re too many. They shove him from one person to another, hit him with everything they have (someone even throws a cellphone at him, so hard it breaks upon impact) and Emil realizes that he’s going to die. He’s strong, so he can take it for a while, but that only means his death will be more drawn out.

Eventually four of them grab him by the arms and make him stand so that the rest can take turns pummeling him. It’s then that he sees the axe.

It’s a very large axe, carried by a teenage girl in a cosplay. It’s a video game character but he can’t remember for the life of him which character is it or what game it’s from. His face is bleeding and someone must’ve punched him in the kidney because his back hurts so much he can cry, but all Emil can think about is that damn cosplay, why can’t he recognize it.

He stares at the girl, weirdly detached, sees her swinging the axe and -

- nothing. Just a very dull whack on the neck. The fucking axe is made of foam.

The girl keeps hitting him with it, and even though her eyes are dead he can tell she’s mildly surprised it isn’t working. An old lady shoves the cosplayer aside, a tiny woman with a walking cane and an oversized black purse, both of them are now used to hit Emil.

This is the point where he starts laughing, hysterical and desperate. Oh god, he’s going to die a horrible death and the one to land the deadly blow is a fragile looking granny with a cane.

He’s laughing even though it hurts, so much he’s tearing up.]

Edited 2014-06-25 07:34 (UTC)

[oh. this is, um, really awful, actually. Killing Emil is important because that's the only way he can guarantee that his parents won't get murdered the same way Raiel's did, but he didn't think it'd be like...this. he's almost having second thoughts about it.]

[which is a moment of hesitation that provides the perfect opening for anybody who wants to try to stop him.]

*That somebody appears, bright purple hair and white minidress, standing at the top of the light-up canopy over the fountain. She twirls her microphone and points it at Russel.*

And what do you think you're doing, Love? Inciting a mob and trying to turn us against each other is unacceptable! With a melodious heart, your rampage ends here! Cure Symphony!

*Beethoven's Emperor, huh? E-flat major. What's in E-flat major? Baby? No, even these people don't deserve being tortured with Justin Bieber. She settles for the next thing she can think of.*

And with a pichi pichi voice, this concert's mine now!

[Mordin very rarely gets angry. Thus far, it has happened three times since he turned fourteen—once, in high school, in response to a bully, and twice during his FBI career, dealing with particularly disgusting criminals.

So when he starts getting angry again, for no reason, trapped in a loop of thoughts about how unfair his lot in life seems, a part of him detached from his emotional processing becomes suspicious, until he turns a corner and the piano chords become inaudible.

And suddenly it stops, and it takes less than a second for Mordin to make the connection.

Above all else, an omnitool is just a computer, and enough musical dissonance should be able to overpower the piano at least in a small radius. So he sets up three instances of Pandora, each tuned to a different station, and begins to wade his way through the mob, as jazz and rap and pop clash together and clear his way.

Mordin is sure of this much: this is going to be an absolute pain to deal with.]

[The song hits him like a physical blow and he staggers, nearly falling off the ledge of the fountain. his hold on the crowd weakens. the effect is still there, but less guided. Emil will have the chance to break away.]

[the intrusion is a welcome one, to be honest. he doesn't want to be confronted with the reality of what he's doing, so a shift in focus is perfect right now. he faces Kari, matching dramatics for dramatics]

Stand down, Symphony! I'm seeing justice done and I won't let anyone stop me, not even you!

[It all happened before, he remembers now. The zombie like villagers, Raiel playing the same song and laughing like a madman, rain - actual rain, not a freaking fountain - and a girl with an axe. Everything to the last fucking detail. The only difference is that Flute’s axe was real. They traveled together, did Raiel hate Hamel so much that he’d manipulate a friend into killing him?

Then again, at least Raiel had the decency to get it over with instead of waiting for the mob to beat him to death. By the time Kari shows up, Emil is only vaguely aware that someone else interfered; he’s halfway into blacking out because megaphone guy’s hands are around his neck, squeezing.

Then the grip loosens enough for Emil to breathe again. The crowd opens and he sees his chance, shoving past megaphone guy trying make a run for it - or rather, limp for it, considered how messed up he is.

Russel shouts something about justice - what part of it is justice, exactly? Emil didn’t do anything, he doesn’t deserve any of this. He hates them, every single one of them, the dead eyes zombies and that bastard Russel and that bitch busy making a dramatic entrance instead of getting down to help him. He hates them so much he can kill them -

- he can kill them.

Something snaps. He tried to keep the lid on those thoughts, he really tried, but he can’t hold it back anymore. The rage, the craving for destruction, it’s starting to pour out until Emil finds it hard to hold a coherent thought. And to be honest, he isn’t sure he wants to. These people are trying to kill him, they aren’t worthy of his efforts. Maybe it’s better to let the anger drown everything, it’s better than being hurt and afraid…

It all happens in a second. By the time Russel is done talking, Emil starts pushing people off his path, way rougher than necessary. Hobbling turns into running, like he can't feel the pain anymore, and he finds himself on his hands and knees just outside the crowd, barely aware of anything other the than turmoil in his head. His breath comes in short, ragged gasps and his fingers dig in the sidewalk, so hard they plow deep cracks in the concrete.]

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[OPEN] Emperor

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