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[trustme]

DISPLAYING SUBJECT: DOCTOR Label: VIRGO ENTERTAINMENT Band: FLOWERS OVER BONES Instrument: CO-LEAD VOCALIST/CELLO Fame Lvl: 6 (Power Lvl 5 + Fortune Lvl 1) Current MP: Short Description: ► Gifted with genius level IQ, "Doctor" has been playing and composing music since childhood. After focusing on the classics in his youth, he branched out to pop, rock, and experimental genres. Today he is a lead vocalist and lead cello player in the band Flowers Over Bones. When he's not writing and experimenting with new song ideas Doctor enjoys the city life and is known for making surprise appearances at local celebrations and events. Doctor is admired by fans for taking his role as an artist and entertainer very seriously and he is a public voice against drug abuse. Regains So Far: ► Basic telepathic communication abilities and a strengthened mind against attacks. ► A girl named Susan and the Mysterious Police Box. ► A flirty blonde, an angry queen, a smiling girl, and other images that stir the heart. ► Robot dog. ► Carved apples and food cravings. ► A baby basket with a mobile of stars. ► Visions of outer space and unknown planets. ► Fishcustard. ► Hats are cool! ► A middle aged strong willed woman with red hair. ► He has seen many deaths. Is this what it's like to be a soldier perhaps? ► "It's bigger on the inside." ► Running from laser-shooting aliens. ► It's called the TARDIS. ► More than one face. ► Daleks are evil and you have fought them. Contact Player: ► thoughtbubble ► PM thoughtbubble IC CONTACT ► PHONE: 1-555-910-1111 ► TEXT: 1-555-910-1111 ► EMAIL: rsmith@virgoentertainment.vgo ► TWITTER: @flowersoverbones OR @doctortuning ► INSTAGRAM: @cellosarecool ► FACEBOOK: Flowers Over Bones Official Fanpage ► TUMBLR: flowersoverbonesofficial ► ANYTHING AT ALL: www.flowersoverbones.com

Comments

[panspermia]

that's reason enough on its own
be there in a minute

[ Sure enough, the knock isn't too long after. Greg's put on his best smile for the visit, though exhaustion still peeks through around the edges. ]

You guys always have the best baked goods, huh?

[trustme]

[ Doctor welcomes him into the penthouse. At the moment the others from the band are out but a large stack of cookies is set out on a plate on the counter and a few smaller used plates are left out from an earlier cookie-eating gathering when Luce had first pulled the cookies out of the oven. ]

We certainly do! Please help yourself. Luce and the others aren't here at the moment but she would want you to have some.

Have you been able to practice our "bagel exercises" at all? I imagine you've been very busy haven't you? Whenever I stopped by your penthouse the last few weeks your bandmates told me you were occupied elsewhere. Intense song writing sessions?

[panspermia]

You're a master host, Doctor.

[ He takes a cookie, looking around the room. It doesn't seem like anything's been rearranged or the like since his last visit, but something feels different. ]

Ahh... Yeah. Actually, I've been practicing a bit. But, uh, I haven't really gotten any better, so.

[ Something's really nagging at him, a feeling he knows, but can't quite place. It's on the tip of his tongue. He eyes Doctor. ]

What about you? You're always keeping busy, I know.

[trustme]

Of course! I've been working on two projects lately. The next Flowers Over Bones album naturally, as well as a new symphony. I felt the need to write for an orchestra. It's such a powerful sound, it's very fitting for stories about space and other planets and species.

...Have you spoken with Luce at all recently?

[panspermia]

You can't breathe without turning it into a symphony, can you?

[ It's a compliment. Doctor's energy makes him miss all that vigor he's lost for songwriting in the last few weeks. All that passion and creativity is a blessing. ]

Ah... yeah, a little. We haven't had a lot of chance to catch up, though.

[trustme]

Not really. You have no idea how many songs I've written that had to be cut down to three minutes. Such a waste! But for the radio it had to be done.

[Doctor pauses before explaining his mention of Luce. Something about Greg seems different. Both of them likely getting the same sort of vibe from the other one, the power of music. Doctor could sense it from other for a week now but he had guessed it was related to his telepathy.]

Right. You've been busy. [ He nods. ]

The rest of the band and I have come to a conclusion about Virgo and who we are. I feel you should know about it too. Then again you've had your own suspicions as we've discussed before. What do you know of the truth already?

[panspermia]

[ Greg's mouth opens, then closes. Something's nagging at him. At first it was an inkling, but the longer he stays at here, the more sure he is that something very important is right in front of him.

It's distracting, and on top of that Doctor's question is no small note. He takes a breath through his nose, the attempt at a pleasant attitude falling to the wayside. There's no way to smile while going over that subject. ]

Plenty. We're not who we thought we were. They did something to us that made us forget.

[trustme]

They brainwash us with machines. Luce took photos of the room where it's done. She and some others went there to free one of the spirits that had been haunting Virgo- yes all that flickering light and drama was a true haunting. It was a nice haunting technically, scary parts aside they had good intentions. Blanche had caught one of them hoping to keep them from trying to remind us who we really are. We've been having visions of our real lives with their help.

[panspermia]

Spirits, huh... They did a similar thing over at Pride at the same time, did you know that?

[ He hadn't gotten exactly what it was they'd freed down there, but it adds up. ]

Do you remember who you are, yet? Like... all the way? [ He's not sure how much of a bomb he's about to drop. ]

[trustme]

I hadn't heard but it makes sense. Blanche and Lesedi are rivals in the brainwashed-abducted-slave-musician business. Pride HQ must have a similar lab and machines in their tower, and their musicians must be remembering as well.

[ How much doe he remember? Well that's where things get even weirder. Doctor pauses, licks his lips as he thinks of a gentle way to put it. ]

Yes. I'm not entirely confident in my theory- I'm far from completely recovered but I have a sense of who I am.

But speaking about we musicians as a group... It might be a bit shocking to even consider this but... I don't believe we're from Terra. I think we were abducted from entirely different worlds.

[panspermia]

[ Greg nods, slowly. That all matches up with what he knows. He watches Doctor very carefully. A low dread is dawning on him, but... one thing at a time. ]

It's not just our heads they messed with, I don't think. [ He swallows, unsure how to say it any more smoothly. ] Some of us here aren't even human.

[trustme]

[ Doctor nods. He's glad Greg said it first. ]

I was thinking the same thing. Who knows how many different planets and dimensions Blance and Santiago have used their powers to cross over and abduct people from. They'd be bound to pick up a non-human or two or twenty soon enough. The ghosts themselves didn't appear human. Ivan told me they had bright blue skin.

[ Now on that note... Is Greg ready for the next revelation? ]

[panspermia]

No kidding...?

[ That depends. Is Doctor? ]

So uh. Hah. Uh. I um. It's funny you should say that, since I... sort of... got to look at... your file? Kind of?

[trustme]

[ It was a long time ago now but they had talked about the likelihood Virgo had secret files on them all. It's clear now why. It's no surprise they really exist. It's Greg's nervous expression that has his heart thumping away "unnaturally" fast in his chest. ]

Ah. What did it say? ...It's alright.

[panspermia]

Nothing super specific between the brainwashing technobabble, but. It uh, mentioned advanced biology.

[ Knowing several of his friends aren't human doesn't bother Greg as much as the unending depths of how little it is they all know about themselves. ]

And... they're keeping an eye on you for learning magic.

[trustme]

Advanced biology. That's what they're calling it huh? No species name.

[ It would have been nice to put a name to it but then he might remember it any moment now any way. He offers Greg a smile, wondering just how surreal the truth is to him. ]

Maybe that will be to my advantage- means they don't know everything someone like me could be capable of. Explains the telepathy. I think I usually look like a human so they didn't have to change my outsides very much to make me blend in. Though I'm not entirely sure what my face is supposed to be like- I've seen more than one, often a lot older looking, in my memories. But don't you mind that Greg- I'll figure it out. [ Right now. He can have that conversation with himself. ]

Does it make you uncomfortable? I hope I don't make you uncomfortable.

[panspermia]

[ Greg can't hold back a tiny, wry laugh at the comment about looking older. But he's a bit relieved that it doesn't come as a complete shock to Doctor.

He gives the question a moment's thought. ]

No... not really. I was surprised, but... it's not like it changes the stuff I do know you for, right?

[ Greg chews on his cheek. ]

I'm more worried that they're looking for magic in you. The... the sort of stuff I've got.

[trustme]

Yes, it wouldn't be a stretch to say I'm one of the oddest friends you've made here is it? When you're weird the other species thing isn't nearly as shocking.

[ He jokes but he's wondering in the back of his mind what the best way will be to tell his band later. ]

Right. Magic potential. What have you learned about your powers and the label's concern with them? -Aside from the obvious potential for cool performances.

[panspermia]

You've always been pretty out there, Doc.

[ He gives another tiny laugh. Doctor's not the absolute oddest, but he's well up there. ]

It's... something they want to cultivate. They use it for power, to do... pretty much anything they want. Our performances are kind of like charging the boss' batteries for their wild magic stuff, and more of us learning that magic helps them get even stronger.

...I can sense it in you, Doc. You've got a lot of power. They're gonna start bothering you to help them out, soon.

[trustme]

So Blanche's power really is that same music magic. The power can be saved up and taken from others? If all of us are generating it at least a little then no wonder they chose the music business! [ Multiple theories are checked off as he puts it together. ] So you're a precious super-battery for Blanche, just like Naomi was before. And I might be one too.

Has he forced you to do anything? What do you mean by being bothered to help them?

[panspermia]

[ His tongue prickles, like the words contain a numbing venom. He's not supposed to talk to people about it, but... Doctor's one of them, practically. If not yet, Blanche will surely be calling on him soon. This is... it's sharing pertinent information. Right? Yes? Greg's shrinking on himself, suddenly fidgety. ]

He hasn't really made me do anything yet, no. But... he will. I'm sure of it. Our friends... a lot of them are still in danger after that ghost thing. If we help him out, he might go easy on them.

[trustme]

He might not kill our loved ones or send them wherever he sent the others that have disappeared. Of course he dangles that over our heads.

Has he hinted at all at what sort of favors he would ask of you? Or why this entire music magic fiasco even exists?

[panspermia]

[ Greg shakes his head. ]

Nothing beyond the usual creepy vague stuff. But he mentioned that usually this sort of thing doesn't happen so fast. It took Naomi and Anansi years to build up this sort of magic. We're... special, for whatever reason. I don't know if even he knows why.

[trustme]

Regardless of the reason that makes us even more appealing as his magic battery musicians. The man and his rival have powers like a fantasy novel already. Other than maintaining that power, you'd think they'd have hit the ceiling of magical handiness. Or maybe I'm not using my imagination enough...

[ Sigh. He might has well as Blanche about his desires when he gets pulled aside at last. ]

Did you learn anything else? About the magic or from the file you mentioned seeing?

[panspermia]

[ Greg just shakes his head to all of Doctor's musing. He can think of plenty of terrible things that Blanche and Santiago could be planning for, and none of it fun. He's already done pretty insane stuff at his beginner level, the sky is the limit for them. ]

Nothing that made a huge amount of sense. It looks like they've put us all in categories, based on... our personalities, or something to do with our souls. I think they need someone from each group to power... something, and that's... that's what they use the people who get fired for.