I've got a song that's halfway there

[imma-frog.livejournal.com]

Adam stood a bit nervously on the stage that the Sensorium provided. He knew the audience was all fake. Well, except for Billy in the corner. But it was still nerve wracking to play in a concert where all eyes, fake or otherwise, were on him.

He gave a tentative smile to Billy and immediately started to strum the guitar in a fast tempo. The bass and drums were provided by the Sensorium quickly after, seemingly knowing how the song will go regardless.

Adam opened his mouth and sang.

[OOC: I'll be posting Youtube links throughout the post as people start tagging and all. Each song are by Eyeshine. For those who don't know, Adam Park's actor is the lead singer of Eyeshine so all these songs will be in Adam's voice regardless :3]

Comments

Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[morphitudinous]

Long before Adam starts to play, Billy is hard at work pulling the pieces of his plan into action. The stage was here, the audience was here---well, most of the audience. The Blue Ranger's cunning plan depends on the assistance of some very real audience members to flesh out the holographic data crowd.

A half hour before Adam is scheduled to arrive, Billy is ushering his friends through the door and helping them blend in with the crowd. Time to bring out the disguises, everybody.

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[psi-flames.livejournal.com]

Jono's really crap at disguises. At least, the physical kind. He can make you think he looks like anybody, after all, or just overlook him, period. But that wasn't the idea today, so...he has a beard. It's not even a very good beard, honestly, but it was the best he could turn up in W&P. Reckon at this rate, 'm better off jus' stayin' in the back.

[morphitudinous]

Billy can't help but smile, just a little. The beard looks good on Jono.

"That's fine. I'll program some similar-looking people around you, or perhaps some tall non-humanoid ones---you'll be able to see through them, but he won't." Billy waves across the room. "Sit anywhere you'd like to, the first choice is yours."

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

Roxie is there too—not that she's particularly the friend of anyone involved, but the mention of music drew her in by itself.

"Where should I sit?" she asks.

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[starlightace]

Nanoha showed up right when she'd been asked - maybe a minute or so before - and smiled, seeing what Billy was planning. "I'm kind of short, so ... put me where you want me," she chuckled.

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[morphitudinous]

"Hey...you're Miss Takamachi from the Magic Department, right? It's nice to meet you." She gets an offered hand from Billy.

On the question of her seat, he glances around. "The right hand side is all AIs right now. You can use the Sensoriums to blend in with them if you'd like. Especially if you'd like to sit in the front row. But the AIs will be transparent on your end, so you can sit anywhere."

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[starlightace]

Nanoha took his hand, shaking it with a grip that was probably stronger than someone would expect from someone her stature. "Yep! Please, call me Nanoha - everyone else does. You're Billy, aren't you?"

She nodded, peering over the crowd. "Okay - I'll blend in wherever. I don't think he's met me yet, so he probably won't be able to pick me out even if he did notice me."

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[hatngartersnake.livejournal.com]

Jeka followed Nanoha in, completely without any sort of costume or disguise. She glanced eagerly around the room and selected a hat (http://styletips101.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/butterfly-hat.jpg) off the head of one of the quietly milling patrons. Moments later, a white-haired young woman stood in her place, wearing something satiny white and form-fitting, decorated with black fishnet and black wire-reinforced loops of gauzy material that orbited right off the bodysuit itself. Her lip gloss, nail varnish, and false eyelashes were all light pink, to go with the butterflies.

"Is this suitable?" she asked, settling the hat on her head at the proper angle and smiling at the assembled crew members.

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[morphitudinous]

Another smile stretched across Billy's face. The disguises were quite creative.

"Hi, Jeka. Yes, that's a perfect choice. Sit anywhere you'd like to and enjoy the show."

[lackofdarkwings.livejournal.com]

"Sorry I'm late," called out Matt as he ran into the way. "I saw the messages on the comm and didn't have time to RSVP. Any place for me? I'm Matt."

[morphitudinous]

"Hi, Matt. Welcome to the show! There's still some places on the left-hand side, and if the crowd becomes bigger than anticipated I can always remove a few AIs. The crowd in leather jackets over there has a few spaces."

Forgive Billy if he's speaking a little too fast. They're inching closer to the time of Adam's arrival, and if this plan blows up in his face...

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[wolf-that-grins.livejournal.com]

As Wags passes through the doorway, his features change to that of a young Michael J. Fox, likely as in reference to something.

"Yo."

[morphitudinous]

That disguise is surprising. Not because Billy understands the significance, but because it's simple and effective.

"Welcome! Take your seat wherever you'd like to. There are patches of normal-looking AIs all over, they'll move to make room for you."

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[playsin-traffic.livejournal.com]

Tony gives a wave as he ducks in, "Yo!"

A concert sounded like a good idea, actually. Keep his mind off of crazy things. Well, Kate did that too. Just in different ways.

[morphitudinous]

"Hey Tony," he waves back. "There's some seating left in the center section. Enjoy the show!"

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[notastaffchick.livejournal.com]

"Hey, um... I didn't reply to your message, but I thought I'd show up, if that's all right?" Hunter says as he enters the Sensoriums, giving Billy a tiny, awkward wave. His Chemistry teacher is scheduling a concert for one of his friends-- and while he understands what Billy's trying to do and definitely understands being too shy to perform for an audience, he still feels like he doesn't quite belong here.

With the Sensoriums' help, he's managed to put together a disguise (http://www.emohaircutstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/emo-kid.jpg) in case Billy lets him stay. He makes a pretty good emo kid, all things considered.

Re: Flashback---Arrivals, Setup, and Staging

[morphitudinous]

"Hi Hunter. Of course it's all right, you can sit anywhere you'd like to." Billy chose not to comment on the disguise choice---it was suitable, if a little unfamiliar. He hoped Hunter was doing well after that lively lesson, and the guy definitely deserved a chance to rest his feet.

[hero-medic.livejournal.com]

Peter hated being late, but he had been cleaning some tools in the medlab and lost track of time. He entered and stood in front of Billy, panting for a moment.

"Did... I miss the opening act?" He said with a small grin as his breathing slowed.

[morphitudinous]

It's five minutes to showtime, Peter, so no worries. Billy sprints up to him, looking concerned.

"No, you're all right. I gave everyone an early arrival time to allow for lateness. He'll be here in five minutes. You can still slip into the back, Peter," and then he remembers to add, "Thank you so much for coming."

Second Song/Post-Everyone's arrival

[imma-frog.livejournal.com]

Adam finished the song and looked for Billy in the crowd, he looked quite happy. Singing and playing like this always brought out the best in him. He was having a lot of fun, the fake audience cheering him on and asking for an encore.

So, he sang another song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmY1cZuliSQ)

[morphitudinous]

There's Billy in the crowd where Adam expects him to be, bobbing his head along with the simulated drum beat. His friend's voice always drew strong emotions in his chest. Who was pushing Adam down, making him feel so cut off from the world? The music certainly wasn't bad either, but Billy mostly concerned himself with the message. And it was a powerful one.

As far as the Blue Ranger knew, the plan was working perfectly. Just one more song and they would spring the surprise. He hoped Adam wouldn't hate him for pulling such a trick.

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie is having a grand old time, although it's clearly the music that's got his attention - he doesn't usually pick up on any lyrics during a first listen, unless it's an exceptionally catchy chorus.

His simulated curly hair bounces with a life of its own as his body moves in time with the song. It's that up and down sort of motion that is just shy of actual dancing and nicely avoids clocking anyone in the head.

Third and Last Song

[imma-frog.livejournal.com]

This time, he chose a slower song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPRLRvwO86w), one he had wrote recently after the events past.

He still had yet to notice the audience slowly dimming to reveal the real crew members. That is, until he finished his song and opened his eyes, noting the different crowd and stood agape for a moment. "I--what?"

Now, he felt quite embarrassed. When did they come in?!

[morphitudinous]

The last song affected Billy the most. He bowed his head at the end, quietly reflecting on the sacrifice that had brought them to that point. Adam had a way of expressing the thoughts that were important that Billy could never hope to match, not even with his expanded vocabulary.

As the notes faded and he joined the vigorous applause, Billy quietly ended the illusion. It was time to face up to the results of his deception. With a quiet wish that the crew will react as he intended, he stood and moved to the area in front of the stage.

"I've told you before that your talent is phenomenal, Adam. I wanted to prove that to you." He briefly turned back to the now mostly-empty seats, signaling that anyone who wanted to was free to speak.

[wolf-that-grins.livejournal.com]

"Dude, you rock."