*melody swings out her hand to block kurapika's, holding back his chains of wrath. there's something odd about the oncoming crowd, something that paradoxically chills her spine and lowers her defenses.*

they don't have heartbeats.

*as the figures spill in, filling the pit beneath the stage, melody looks on in wonder at the non-people, indistinguishable from each other by sight or sound. these must be the crowds kalluto had mentioned -- fake people, created by the airship to fill the space.*