Tov found herself backstage again.
But she couldn’t remember how she got here or where she’d come from.
Trying to think only made her dizzy.
The faces of the segyein around her blurred together.
Their chatter garbled and warped.
Nothing held still long enough for Tov to recognize anything or anyone.
Who am I competing against?
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She was dressed in all white; baggy cargo pants with hanging chains and a halter top.
Someone unseen hooked a headset around her ears.
Colored lights flashed on stage in a sequence.
Blue. Green. Purple. Pink.
The colors changed in time with the music.
Every beat of the heavy bass pulsed through her feet and up her spine.
Tov recognized the song from the tempo alone.
It had been one of Himei’s favorites when they were younger.
She learned the lyrics from hearing her sing them over and over again.
Himei taught her the choreography too, even though Tov wasn’t one for dancing.
It was quite different from the music Tov usually performed.
Far more upbeat, with sharper vocals and a faster pace.
Himei said she liked hearing Tov sing that way.
And Tov was happy to do so for her.
Through the muffled din, an unfamiliar voice called out, “You’re on, Tov.”
Half a dozen hands pushed her closer to the stage.
A bright neon scrolling sign overhead read:
Tov stepped out on stage and hit her mark at the top of the first staircase.
The crowd was illuminated in a bright purple glow, pet human and segyein alike armed with light wands, cheering as they caught sight of her.
Instinctively, Tov knew that she would sing the opening lines.
Himei always gave them to her.
This time would be no different.
Tov looked over at her opponent and froze as the spotlight hit them.
Dressed in all white, adorned with silver rings, dark hair cut above the shoulder.
Eyes the shade of blue she thought she’d never see again, and a smile that never quite felt genuine.
The clock goes tick tock tick tock
He’s supposed to be dead.
Tov was so caught up in her shock that she almost missed her cue.
The sight of the neon sign’s message flashed in her mind.
She recovered quickly and sang the first half of verse as she descended the staircase, keeping pace with the beat.
The party's getting started
The stage before them was larger than any configuration during Season 39.
A massive figure eight shaped catwalk, illuminated in the same color sequence.
Blue. Green. Purple. Pink.
Each glowing tile flashed in with the music.
Azure’s voice was smooth, his execution just as effortless as it always was.
Tov and Azure turned and walked toward one other, preparing to cross paths in the center of the platform.
She risked a glance up at him as the passed one another and he met her gaze head on, smiling.
Azure never smiled at me.
Tov kept moving, kept singing.
And their paths diverged around the first curve of the loop.
Before this piercing, radiant moment
Forget everything and just enjoy
I’m tellin’ you Blink, gone
Tick tock tick tock tick tock
An electric guitar roared to life behind her and Tov turned to look.
There, at the top of the first staircase where she had just been, was Castor.
His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, his bangs covering his eyes, but Tov knew that shade of red anywhere.
Drenched in an orange spotlight, his fingers flew across neon green strings with a practiced ease.
Then the violin joined in.
A purple spotlight illuminated Khoi’s figure at the top of the other staircase, eyes closed, expression serene.
Azure started singing again before Tov could finish her thought.
Tov timed her steps with the beat of the song, rounding the first loop.
And no, don’t look back now
Himei used to sing this part with Tov, despite it only being intended for one person.
But Azure didn’t join her.
Even though they were sharing the same stage, there was still a distance between them.
In life, and whatever this nightmare was now.
Neither yesterday nor tomorrow
She looked past him this time as they split the second half of the verse and approached the intersection between the loops.
They crossed over, but before Tov could get out of arms reach, Azure grabbed her hand and spun her into a low dip.
All of the stage lights turned red.
He smiled down at her with a fond look in his eyes, his voice sweet… and for a moment…
Tov saw Himei instead of him…
The realization washed over her like a bucket of ice water.
What the fuck is going on?
Her heart pounded hard against her ribcage, faster than the beat of the song thumping in her chest.
I have to get out of here.
As soon as Azure lifted her back up, Tov pushed him away, belting out her next lines with determination.
She didn’t look back as she rounded the second loop.
Pain flared in her temples, the warning sign of a blooming migraine.
There was too much noise.
Her dizziness was getting worse.
Blood dripped down her nose and onto the stage.
There has to be a way out of this.
Forget everything and just enjoy
I'm tellin' you Blink, gone
Tick tock tick tock tick tock
Castor took over on his guitar again, shredding through the cords to give her and Azure another moment to breathe.
Khoi followed after him on the violin and held the last note before the bridge.
Tov stumbled as she neared the apex of the second loop, nearly falling into the gaping maw of the rabid crowd.
Her vision swirled with bright colors and flashing lights.
A stadium screen hanging overhead cut away from the broadcast of the performance to a high resolution image of a dead body.
His eyes pale and lifeless.
Blood oozing from his temple where the bullet entered.
Tov knew from the birthmark on her palm and the ring on her thumb.
It had been a birthday gift years ago.
One bullet to the chest and another in the forehead.
Their purple fringe was blown back by the force of the shot.
Min. Minori. Ellie. Vii. Toon. Castor.
“Stop it.” Tov’s voice shook.
The crowd began to chant.
Forget everything and just enjoy
Lark. Noora. Vermillion. Daiki. Sai.
“Stop it.” She shouted. “Stop it now!”
The chorus of voices only grew louder, drowning her out.
“Don’t do this. Please don’t do this—”
Tov tore her eyes away from the images, turned back toward the stairs.
And Himei was there to greet her.
On the stadium screen behind the stairs, the image of her body crumpled against the stage loomed tall and unyielding.
A dark pool of blood haloed around her head, staining her face and her hair.
Tov’s eyes burned at the sight.
A choked sob wracked her whole body.
I'm tellin' you Blink, gone
The clock goes tick tock tick tock
Tov clutched her chest, black spots dancing across her vision.
Her heart was beating too fast.
Blue. Green. Purple. Pink.
Something clattered at Tov’s feet.
A light wand with a star-shaped bulb.
The world narrowed down to nothing but her and the wand.
It glowed like a beacon in the night.
Like the North Star high in the sky.
She picked it up, looking between the wand and the screen.
The handle felt heavy in her hands.
Tov gripped the wand tighter and the guitar swelled for the last chorus.
With her eyes fixed on Himei, she strode towards the screen.
Forget everything and just enjoy
Her vocals were stronger, angrier.
She overpowered Azure’s vocals on the lines they shared.
She could barely hear him singing his lines over the chaos of her thoughts.
The noise of the crowd faded into the background with him.
I'm tellin' you Blink, gone
Tov reached the base of the platform with fire in her eyes.
Himei stood high above her, like a deity meant for worship.
She allowed herself one last look.
Tick tock tick tock tick tock
As the last chord faded, Tov reared back and threw the wand as hard as she could.
The screen sizzled and crackled on impact, showering the stage in sparks.
The image of Himei shattered into a thousand shards of rose colored glass.
The stage lights cut out.
And the simulation was over.
Alien Stage Season 39 reunion, but at what cost???
No joke tho, I’ve been planning this log for at least six month and I’ve had the idea for this scene since Blink Gone dropped in 2024 (holy shit)
Also, in the last log, when I said things would get better soon, I didn’t mean this soon.
But it all has a purpose! Trust!!
Btw,,, notice anyone missing from the death montage? 👀
Himei and Castor belong to @lookatmysillies
Khoi belongs to @junebluues
Moran belongs to @geospiral
Stas belongs to @billwasnot
Tagging: @imperfectnothing @alien-til-i-stage @apple8ees @chevalperd @crows-suast4r @verdantlights @friedclownshrimp @nottoonedin @yunoftheclouds @rosedeleca @awaggaa @starry-skiez @apriciticreveries @solei-eclipse
