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]

Literally the first thing that airhead says to me is "we just arrived in Invidia". No one 'arrives' here. Not unless you know what 'here' is.

[ Her bodyguard clears his throat again and Esme flaps an hand at him impatiently. He falls silent. ]

Cute cover story, though.

[discutio]

We also aren't much for thinking ahead.

But I might turn the same question upon you: how long have you been aware?

[cancrymods]

Long enough. Not that it really matters. Time's got a funny way about it down here.

It's definitely been a while since anybody woke up, though. In fact, I don't think I even remember it happening at all. And I've got a pretty good memory. More or less.

[ She laughs again. It's a lot less pretty this time. ]

[discutio]

Has it, now? I can't say that surprises me--time certainly is a difficult thing to measure. For my own part, I don't mind admitting it hasn't felt particularly long.

So tell me, if you would be so kind--what is it you seek to accomplish, if anything, past this charming empire you have?

[cancrymods]

Does it really need to be anything else? I'm on top of the world, doing what I love every single day and I have a whole city's worth of braindead fans who'd fistfight each other for the chance to lick my shoes if I told them to do it. Whoops! ❤ Just pretend you didn't hear me acting like such a meanie, okay sweetie?

Now how about you? You must've come here for some reason or another. I don't imagine waiting in lines is just that fun for you. And how did you even get down here to Invidia, anyway?

[discutio]

That's a good question.

[.......]

[it sure is!]

[cancrymods]

Do you have a good answer? Or should I start making guesses?

[discutio]

Well, if you're to insist on being an adversarial child about the matter, I don't see any reason to disclose details.

[cancrymods]

Ohh, touchy touchy. ❤ You should learn how to take a joke, sweetie. Nobody likes guys with no sense of humor.

[ She leans to the side again and calls out to the group still in the line. ]

You might as well all come up now, you know. Your cover's been seriously blown since basically hour zero.

[discutio]

I wasn't aware we had cover, so I wouldn't be too confident about seeing through it if I were you.

['-bitch,']

[schardynfreude]

[A touch to Phoenix's shoulder. And a smile to Esme. It's small, a little flat, but it isn't outright hostile.]

Might as well, then. I believe what we're trying to accomplish here is to see what's going on and why.

And if you're as awake as we are, then you've surely felt how wrong everything is.

[cancrymods]

[ The smug smile on her face doesn't leave, exactly but it at least makes way for a bit of curiosity. This is, evidently, new information. ]

I wouldn't know anything about that. Things have felt pretty fine here for as long as I can remember.

[schardynfreude]

Ah? You don't feel that terrible longing deep inside, that wrenching sideways screw of something in the universe that has gone horribly awry--the need to make something right again?

Have you ever left here?

[crosscutting]

You sure you want me to come up there?

[Genuinely about two seconds from summoning her weapon--]

[cancrymods]

I've dealt with a whole lot crazier than you, honey.

[crosscutting]

...!

[That sound you heard? Was the final straw settling on the back of Pariah's patience. She summons her scissors and darts forward, winding up to swing the closed blades like a baseball bat.]

[cancrymods]

[ With a sound like steel clanging against steel–

Esme catches the scissors by the blade. She doesn't seem any worse for wear as a result.

But her expression? That's something new.

Her smug smile has completely vanished, replaced by a look of muted but wide eyed alarm and... simmering anger? ]

...Executors.

I knew it. I fucking knew it.

[twibeast]

[ DEEP SIGH, okay he's coming. ]

To answer your question of why we came: in all honesty? A bit of curiosity more than anything. At least on my end.

[ Well and also he figured the kids would be all up on this but ]

We all found each other as we awoke, but we have not seen someone like yourself. [ except Rei but like. he's not going to give over that information. ]

[cancrymods]

Really? I'm not all that different from you guys, though. ❤

[ apart from being a weird megaceleb quasi cult leader, but who's counting? ]

[twibeast]

On the surface that appears to be the case, but it's difficult to know for sure.

Are you one of us then?

[cancrymods]

What, an Eidolon? I guess you could call me that.

[ with my modly control i also want to make lynsey aware that Rei is Definitely holding Beast's hand during this exchange because I enjoy making her upset, and that her grip has just gotten a little tighter, like something has alarmed her. ]

[seasharp]

...What's your deal, anyway? So far it seems to be just being awful.

[cancrymods]

Do you have any idea what it's like having to be nice to people all the time?

It's awful.

[ ... that's it. That's her entire justification. ]

[seasharp]

What...?

[That's... it.]

Are you serious? What's wrong with you?!

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna technically hasn't been addressed here, but she reacts anyway.]

We had little cover to begin with.

[:D :D :D]