ROCK 15: The Ballad of Michael-Valentine

"'Baby, baby, don't be so shy. ROCK children, hold your heads up high, in the night, while I try and tell the ballad of Valentine.' -The Ballad of Michael Valentine, by The Killers"

The Ballad of Michael-Valentine is the fifteenth episode of Eidolon ROCK and the thirty-second episode of Eidolon Playtest Season 1. It covers Harvey D. Godlove and Chris Masters escaping from the Bass Pro Pyramid, and the Alta Drive Jawbreakers trying to deal with the fact that Virginia Valentine is the Eidolon of Michael-Valentine.

Summary
Chili the Fox is looking into the window of Michael-Valentine's house, watching him discuss something important with Virginia Valentine. She can't hear what they're saying, so heads to the garage to find a way to sneak in. Virginia deals in as the Alchemist, and can turn air into glass.

Inside, Michael-Valentine is telling Virginia that Angels don't have Eidolons, because they're made of the same psychic material. Instead, they have talents that are Eidolon-like. Fifteen years ago, Michael-Valentine's talent was no longer needed and he left for the human world, founding The Dead Pharaoh with Martin Niles. It took him some time, but Michael-Valentine was able to make an Eidolon manifest. Virginia is his Eidolon. He raises his hand, and Virginia raises hers.

Michael-Valentine wants Virginia to get the briefcase of Eidolon drug from Cecilia Citadel's Fortune Teller button. She doesn't have a choice in the matter, he's always been in control. When Lady Luck put a clock in her chest, he stepped in to get her killed again during ROCK #6. As Virginia leaves, there's the sound of rummaging from the garage. Chili has snuck into a trashcan to try and cause a distraction. Michael-Valentine takes a broom to the trashcan, and Chili escapes to catch up with Virginia. Virginia explains what happened over the walk back.

Back in the Bass Pro Pyramid, Chris Masters and Harvey D. Godlove are hanging off a metal beam 100 feet in the air in an elevator shaft. Weird mannequin Humans are flooding into the elevator car they just left, and more are climbing up from the ground floor. Chris reveals he had taken some of the bullets from the gun he stole from Steven Percival and had Ironspy vanish them into the elevator cable. Ironspy launches lightning at the cable, firing the bullets. The bullets kill many of the Humans climbing down, but also snaps the cable which sends the elevator crashing to the ground.

Chili and Virginia reach the parking lot of the Bass Pro Pyramid. The door they entered by earlier is shuttered over. Cecilia waves to them and runs over. As Virginia begins to explain what happened, the Fortune Teller button suddenly shifts to read "DON'T TRUST VIRGINIA". Cecilia spots this and demands to know what's going on. As Virginia explains, Cecilia seems to believe her but is wary of Virginia and skeptical of her intentions. They agree they need to get Chris and Harvey, who are still in the Pyramid. Chili goes ahead alone so Cecilia can keep an eye on Virginia.

Alone in the parking lot, Cecilia challenges Virginia on her intentions. She trusted Virginia in moments of doubt over the last day, but this is too much. While Virginia claims she is not here to take the button, she has still returned to button-grabbing range. Cecilia needs reassurance, and Virginia can offer none.

Chris and Harvey find an access staircase filled with Humans climbing up. The duo rushes upstairs into a luxury suite where Ironspy punches out the glass window. Humans burst in behind them and Harvey drops a chandelier on them with Here It Goes Again, crushing a few and blocking the way for the rest. Ironspy picks up Harvey and slides down the side of the Pyramid with him on her back. Chris attempts to slide down but trips and starts tumbling. He manages to right himself before the end, sliding down on his back.

Chili emerges from a fountain inside the Bass Pro Pyramid, having swum through a water outtake connected to the river. She is immediately surrounded by Humans, so dives back down and heads back to Virginia. Virginia seals up the hole in the Pyramid with stained glass so the Humans don't get out. Lady Luck appears, and Chris and Harvey limp up as she asks Virginia if she'll follow Michael-Valentine's instructions.

Virginia explains the whole deal to them. Chris notes that Steven Percival said they were being tracked via Virginia. Also that he shot Steven Percival in the face. Harvey argues for abandoning Virginia, as she's always mean to him and is a liability with the whole "controlled by Michael" thing. Chris wants to give Virginia a chance. Eidolons have rebelled in past, like Little Lies did in ROCK #11, and Virginia has done so much to help them.

After being asked by Virginia, Lady Luck notes that Eidolons can't 'live independently' from their user as they are their user. Virginia is more independent than most Eidolons, and as an Eidolon of an Angel something may be different, but Lady Luck would not recommend testing this out. Lady Luck directs them all to discuss this further at the Neutral Milk Hotel and goes to leave. Before she does, Harvey invites her to a game of cards later that night.

Chris and Harvey head towards the shore behind the Bass Pro Pyramid, where the Neutral Milk Hotel will arrive. Harvey asks Chris if he's really ok with trading his intelligence to Lady Luck for resurrection. Chris is just happy to be alive and says he'd make the same choice again.

Cecilia asks Chili to go on ahead, and privately asks Virginia again for any form of reassurance. All Virginia can say is that she doesn't want to hurt her. Cecilia takes some solace in this and turns to head towards the shore. A steam-whistle announces the imminent arrival of the Neutral Milk Hotel, and Virginia fails to stop herself from summoning a glass shard and stabbing Cecilia in the back. The whistle covered the noise, so no one notices until Harvey reaches the Hotel and turns around to see Virginia standing over Cecilia's body, holding the button. He immediately throws Here It Goes Again at her head.

Appearances
● Cecilia Citadel // Fortune Teller

● Chili the Fox // Little Lies

● Chris Masters // Ironspy

● Harvey D. Godlove // Here It Goes Again

● Hordes of unnamed Humans.

● Lady Luck // Poker Face

● Michael-Valentine // The Ballad of Michael-Valentine

● Virginia Valentine // Only The Good Die Young

Trivia
● This is the first of several episodes in which Harvey D. Godlove attempts and fails to use Forge of the Heart, a Virtuoso move that can increase the size of his pinball.