doku | VISIONS I HAD BURIED UNDERGROUND / RETURNING TO ABUSE US

...won't know until we try.

[He gets what she's trying to get at, but to be fair:]

It can't be any worse than the nonsense I had to put up with in my old band. Gaige and I got along great, but some of the others...I still wonder how we managed to work things out.

[Probably because they had to under duress.]

I'd have never guessed it was that bad.

[But then that's the magic of corporate hounds, AKA managers. It was their job to help make everything appear copasthetic even if they were all falling apart at the seams.] We do what we have to do in the moment, I guess.

[It's not as if she'd always been on the same wavelength as her ex-bandmates, but for the most part she had learned to become more ... Submissive about the whole thing. She hadn't been there to express any part of herself, that right belonged to everyone else - she was the eponymous little sister, a troublemaker with a gorgeous voice.]

If that's our basis for comparison then you're definitely right.

We never had arguments, per se, but everyone had a different idea what sounded best and we couldn't find a compromise. Usually I just stepped back because I don't like fighting with the team.

The fantasy theme was cool for a while, but eventually I wanted something else. A harder punch, more artistic lyric choices, more melody, less static rhythm...I wanted to deviate from the formula. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the band were fine people, but my tastes changed and it was getting frustrating to have to bite my tongue.

So I guess I'm back in an experimental phase.

Edited 2016-03-02 19:15 (UTC)

Bite it enough and it might just fall out.

[It really does seem that the more they delve into it, the more it seems as if there's a bigger reason for ending up together. It's a big, overwhelming feeling that she can barely wrap her head around, it remains somewhat out of reach, but it's also nice.]

I have to get used to being able to say anything at all, so if nothing else we're on the same general page.

[Somehow she doesn't doubt that if nothing else they can find some form of a middle ground. She'd hate it if he kept himself quiet just for the sake of agreeing, after all.]

[It's something like that, isn't it? Cosmic forces or something or other--or maybe just a case of 'you don't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need'.

He turns to watch her instead of the passing atmosphere.]

Why don't you try making something all on your own, from the ground up? Once you get stuck or need a fresh pair of eyes, we can look at it together.

Mostly because it's going to be really stupid, I'd almost bet money on it.

[It's important to remember that she came from a bad that possessed and incredibly talented, well studied musician on top of a very well seasoned one. She's pretty used to her ideas going a little unheard, leading to a significant lack of confidence. Since she's usually brimming with it, the look doesn't really suit her.

And she knows that being scared isn't a reason to not try, too.]

I mean, just don't laugh at it. I'm good with constructive criticism, though.

[He coughs out the word "bullshit" under his breath at her first comment.]

I won't laugh at anything you make, Iko, I promise. Unless you made it to be laughed at.

[...they're not going to make comedy albums, are they?]

[She briefly sticks her tongue out at him for that, but she can't even refrain from grinning through that.]

Alright. It's only right to try, then.

[UH definitely no on the comedy album, she's not actually that funny to begin with.] I forgot to ask, where does your sister live? [Namely how far off was it?]

Las Vegas. She's a choreographer and lead dancer for shows on the main strip.

[Beat.]

Did I mention they believe their second kid was a failure too?

[The irony.]

You didn't, but they're already dead as wrong about their first born, it's only right that they're wrong about the second one, too.

[Being a choreographer sounded like fun! And incredibly difficult work, all things considered!]

I mean, I'm not going to be disrespectful, but let's just say your parents and I won't ever get along. In part because, as your partner, I'm gonna be your biggest cheerleader.

[There's no room for that bitter negativity shit, okay. There's enough of it that's produced natural, dealing with anything extra is just unnecessary.]

Heh. I appreciate the sentiment, but it's not something you need to worry about. I don't know where they live these days; they're dead to me. Hell, they might actually be dead, and I wouldn't know.

I'm sure we would have come out as disappointments if we became anything less than a priest and a nun. Neither of those jobs have anything to do with making music or dancing.

[Strictly speaking, anyway.]

Edited 2016-03-04 04:16 (UTC)

Well, your sister could always come up with a really epic dance number involving habits, and I'm more than sure I can come up with creepy lyrics regarding the hopelessness and blind faith of religion! So we can classify ourselves as a creative success if nothing else!

[And that's her silver lining about the whole thing!]

This it?

[The GPS says so!]

Hah! You're a terrible enabler-type, aren't you?

[Ugh, are they here already?]

Yeah...

[He steps out of the truck when they park, taking a moment to psyche himself up before they go in.]

Hopefully this will be short.

[And up the elevator they go, back up to the penthouse suite that has a view they'll likely not see the likes of for the forseeable future.

And what's there?

Less then a dozen sets of clothing, and they're all for lounging around. A single mask--the one he already had when he signed on--is all thats left for props.]

You've got to be kidding.

A filthy enabler.

[And hopefully it will be short, but while he psyches himself up she ... Tries to be vaguely more realistic. It's probably not going to go that well at all, so she absorbs the sun a little and follows him along. She dances a little in place in the elevator. When they get there ... It's actually worse than she thought it would be.]

Hey, [She rests her hand on his arm gently, squeezes if he doesn't shove her off.] like I said, we can always go shopping.

[That's not the point, it's not the actual clothes so much as how vicious the whole thing is, how sudden and cold - she knows that, but they can't do anything about what's already happened.]

[Yeah, that's pretty much it. That and the only pair of street clothes to his name are the ones he's currently wearing.

He sighs.] I was just hoping we'd be able to get out of town today.

[Krieg picks up the mask and looks it over thoughtfully. It still means a lot to him, but his tastes and identity have developed so much since the first time he put it on...he wants to keep it, even though he doesn't think he'll wear it again.

Oh well.

He gathers up what's left behind and lets out a large exhale.]

I guess I this is it.

Hey, if you're cool with going shopping in some sweatpants and a shirt, we can do the shopping thing outside of the city limits.

[That seems to be it, but dwelling will only make it hurt more.]

After all, the world is literally our oyster, we can do whatever the hell we want, no one gets to say shit about it.

[They get to leave that behind with this place.]

I don't think I do.

[With the whole lot to his name tucked in his arms, he takes one last glance around the deserted place before they head back downstairs.

Come to think of it...]

Actually, Izzy probably knows all the great fashion hot spots in Vegas. Might be more fun to shop in a real tourist trap.

Edited 2016-03-04 15:53 (UTC)

[She doesn't know what he means by that first statement - that he doesn't get to do whatever he wants now? That they aren't living outside it all now? Who could say. But it's also maybe not the aspect to focus on, so!]

Then let's finish up the little things and go tonight!

[Maybe he'll feel better - or begin the process of it, once they've put some distance between themselves and the city.]

[He means he wouldn't be bothered by shopping in his jammies, basically.]

Yeah. [He says it out in a sigh, sounding relieved at the offer.] Grocery shopping next, right?

Yep! Shouldn't take too long, either, we just need enough to make it there. [It can be, like many other aspects of this excursion, a trial run anyway. They'll figure out what they really need, how it's all supposed to fit together.

Needless to say she's a big fan of dealing with things as they arrive. So back to the truck they go, where Nariko takes the driver's seat again. Of to the store they go!!]

[And fitting is the majority of the battle.]

We need cookware too, don't we. [Ah, shit.] I'm glad we're not starting from the ground up on finances.

[One would argue that the two of them could just live off of eating out. To which I argue...

It's Noriko and Krieg.

Making their own is really the most financially reasonable choice.]

And glasses and tupperware. But not cleaning supplies!

[She bought those ahead of time to get the trailer as shiny as possible!] It'll be alright. To be honest they ended up giving me enough to live comfortably for years, but that's only because I got away with using the family lawyer. I don't want to talk with Vergil on a normal day, so I can only imagine how terrifying he is when he's actually doing his job!

[Granted ... Nariko had pretty much forfeited not just her materialistic items like the clothes, makeup, gifts from other artists as well as fans, but most of her contacts as well. If she was so much as caught humming a CI song on youtube she'd be in breach of the agreement she signed and probably end up in court.

But it sure was a hell of a lot of money!]

I should've asked you for his number. Maybe I'd have more than a twentieth of my closet.

[It's not like he's walking away truly empty-handed anyway, so it's hard to complain too much. He's not worried about spending the next few months strictly on getting their new endeavor started, if all they're concerned about is travel, composition, and making ends meet.

You know, after thinking about it...]

Heh. We're kinda on perma-tour once we get started, aren't we? That's pretty awesome.

[He liked the touring, for the most part, especially compared to sitting still.]

Oh, you can bet that I got the ass chewing of a lifetime for asking him to negotiate something. If it wasn't for all my dad used to do for him I think he would have just blocked my phone number.

[Whether he's upset about it or not she'd have absolutely offered the man's services if they were hers to give out. Oh well.]

Pretty much! We're going to get very comfortable with that trailer. [This, of course, sparks off a thought for her.] Do you need pillows? I brought four but people are surprisingly picky about that kind of stuff.

Jesus. Maybe not a price I was willing to pay.

[Especially given his tendency to bite back.]

Need? [he asks, somewhat incredulously.] What if we brought a bunch? They can come in real handy if we need a quick echo-proof recording booth.

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