meet and greet

[cancrymods]

If you've been paying any attention to the screens around Invidia (and it's honestly harder NOT to pay attention to them than it is to actually do so) then you'll be familiar with Esme, the woman whose face graces every single screen. Some initial poking around has revealed that Esme is a sort of idol to the people of Invidia, whose enviously glamourous life has taken the city by storm but that's more or less all you've learned so far.

But it looks like you might have the opportunity to learn more sometime soon.

Just as the dark sky of Invidia gives way to what passes for daytime, all of the screens in Invidia light up with the same video – it's Esme, perched on what looks to be a fancy throne in the middle of a white void, nothing to distract from the glaringly insincere sincere smile on her face as she addresses the camera.

"Good morning, lovelies! ❤ I've been soooooo busy with work and filming lately, I haven't had even a single second to see any of you in person! And what's the point of all that hard work if I don't even get to see your smiling faces at the end of it? So today we're having a very special event! For this afternoon only, I'll be on the Starlight Stage on the roof of our mall, all ready to shake hands and sign things and see all of you lovelies face to face again! Make sure you hurry on down to see me, okay? Bye-bye-bye! ❤"

With a wave and a sickly sweet smile to the camera, Esme signs off.

Looks like you've been given an opportunity to do a little investigating...

Comments

[cancrymods]

[ Suddenly, cutting through all the chatter and cold-blooded extortion, a chime sounds over the intercom, followed by a polite announcement. ]

Attention to all our valued customers. Please be aware that the Starlight Stage meet and greet will be getting underway in five to ten minutes. Customers wishing to take part in the event should proceed to the roof if they wish to take part.

[twibeast]

[ Before anyone (or.... everyone can anyway) leaves, Beast claps this hands loudly together. ]

Right-- since so many of us are here, shall we plan a little first?

Would everyone want to stay together or go in groups?

[seasharp]

[Ariel - who had already started running - stops in her tracks.]

Don't we just... show up?

[twibeast]

[ Oh thank god she's not entirely gone yet ]

A few of us seem concerned this is a trap. While I am not certain whether it is or not, it couldn't hurt to prepare in case that it is.

[phantasmagorial]

We also need to think about what we'll do if it starts looking like we won't be able to get to her at all. She's popular, after all. If there's enough people, we might not be able to see her before the day's up.

[twibeast]

Precisely.

I personally feel there is safety in numbers, but if we do go as one group then we need to let the others know what we are doing before we go up there.

[seasharp]

If it gets dangerous we can just fight, right?

What else is there to plan?

[twibeast]

And if we fight and are defeated?

[crosscutting]

Pretty generous to put an 'if' in that sentence.

[Nice of you to join us, Pariah.]

[daughterofthemark]

Plan what?

[twibeast]

A way to go about this in the case it may not be all that it seems.

[discutio]

I think it best to stay together, should this somehow take a sharp turn southward.

[twibeast]

[ he nods ] I also feel the same. [ mostly because... there's so few adults, and there's no way he's letting a group go WITHOUT an adult] In that case we should probably let everyone not here know what we're up to before proceeding.

[ ...someone else though. He's so slow with that thign halp. ]

[schardynfreude]

[Meanwhile, in the background, all on his own, a helldad casually sipping on a hot cup of Starstrucks makin' his way to the roof.

sorry were we having a meeting he didn't get the memo]

[cancrymods]

[ And up he goes! He doesn't meet any resistance on the way up (in fact, there's even some helpful signs pointing the way) but once he gets to the top floor before the roof itself, Chiron comes face to face with one of the greatest horrors anyone could imagine contending with in Purgatory.

It's the ass-end of a gigantic line. ]

@everyone

[schardynfreude]

[Chiron sighs and whips out the phone. Gotta let everyone know!]

Anyone in line to see the girl? I'm in the back; it's terribly long. Wonder if it's worth it.

Re: @everyone

[daughterofthemark]

you are in line already

[schardynfreude]

^_^ I am! I might gladly give you my spot if you have more desire to see her. Not sure how long the wait is?

raisondetre

[phantasmagorial]

[ IMMEDIATELY: ]

You're already on the roof??????

[schardynfreude]

Not quite; there's a line. She must be exceedingly popular. Almost there though.

@blauendonau

[seasharp]

WHAT THE HECK YOU BEAT US THERE???

[schardynfreude]

Oh where are you at? I must have missed you in the crowd!

[you'd think he would've seen beast but...y'know...crowds]

[twibeast]

[ I don’t have a facepalm icon so it’ll have to be this ]

[cancrymods]

[ So here we are, stuck in the world's longest line. ... Given that this is Purgatory, that might well be literal. At the very least, it's a pretty steady line, with everyone shuffling a few steps forward every five minutes or so, but you're still going to be waiting here for a while.

Well, you can wait... or you can come up with another way to get there quicker. What'll it be? ]

[emberserker]

[Wolfsbane crosses her arms and looks up the long, long line.]

I've half a mind to cause a disturbance, honestly. Do you suppose this place has fire alarms?