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

[discutio]

...Astrals damn it, I told you not to.

[COOL]

Back off before I have to pull you two apart, Pariah.

[twibeast]

[ wait the fuck word did you just say-- WAIT NEVER MIND

He's got his harp ready on stand by in case he needs to get everyone out. ]

[crosscutting]

[Pariah grits her teeth and pulls back the--]

[...pulls. Pulls back...]

[...uh-oh.]

[cancrymods]

[ Esme bares her teeth in a smile. ]

Thought I just told you, honey.

[ And with seemingly no effort whatsoever, Esme tears the scissors out of Paraiah's hands. ]

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

[ She swings them back, still holding onto the blade of the scissors and then brings them crashing into Pariah's midsection, hard enough to send her flying back off her feet. ]

[crosscutting]

[She barely has time to react to being disarmed before she's sent flying backwards toward the stairs, slamming hard into the wall beside and collapsing to the ground, coughing up an unfortunate amount of black glitter.]








[ow]

[discutio]

[Okay. So that's how we're gonna do things today.]

[Phoenix stepped between Esme and Autumn, immediately in his own Executor gear and calmly setting the end of his concealed sword cane on the ground.]

That's enough. We didn't actually come here to fight you, so don't make it a necessity.

[cancrymods]

Well, what the hell would you be here for otherwise? I know what you are. I know what you do.

[ It's... startling just how quick her aggro switch has been flipped. But it's getting a little more obvious now that she's doubling down on the aggro to cover up something else.

She's frightened. ]

I'm not going to forget. Do you hear me?! I'm not letting you wipe me clean!

[discutio]

Calm yourself. I don't even know what you mean.

[His outfit changed back at the tone in her voice--it sounded sincere enough for that.]

...We're trying to remember things ourselves, in most cases. We don't want to fight you, and we aren't going to hurt you unless you truly want to start a fight with us here.

[cancrymods]

Don't play coy with me!

[ Her voice shoots up in volume. ]

I should've known it the instant you said you'd just gotten here. You're going down to the Cogs, aren't you?

[daughterofthemark]

We'd hoped you would help us.

[Well, some of us did.]

[discutio]

...What happens if we do, Esme?

[Still very calm, like he was somehow used to defusing high-tension situations. He wasn't sure if he'd done something like this before or not, but it felt natural.]

Take a deep breath and tell us honestly; what is it you want to stop us from?

[cancrymods]

[ Esme doesn't answer right away. The others will see her eyes darting around, taking in the sight of all of them – she looks like a caged animal, trying to work out where it can bolt to for freedom.

And then her shoulders sag. Some of the tension goes out of her. ]

... Not here. I'm not talking about it here. If we're going to talk, I won't be cornered into it. I have a house. We can meet there.

[ It seems to be taking a great deal of effort for her to keep her voice calm. ]

[discutio]

That's fine. I am more than willing to speak wherever you're comfortable without hostilities, and I've no doubt several of us share that sentiment.

...You can call me Phoenix, it's the only name I have right now.

[cancrymods]

... Phoenix. Alright. I'll remember that.

[ She pulls in a shaky breath and then from seemingly nowhere, she produces a fancy looking little business card, all in glittering green tones and presents it to Phoenix. ]

Here. Be at the mansion in the residential district in fifteen minutes and present that at the gate. They'll let you in.

[seasharp]

[Ariel, who just shifted into magical girl Executor mode, is baring her teeth and clearly not happy about Phoenix stepping up like this.]

Didn't she already do that?!

[discutio]

[he's just gonna...calmly hold a hand out to stop her because hold up,]

[twibeast]

Lady Autumn!!

[ Right, he's not a healer but he's going to her side anyway, because at the very least he can protect. ]

[crosscutting]

[She coughs a few more times and tries to force herself back to her feet, but that hit knocked Pariah for a hell of a loop.]

I'm...I'm fine...!

[twibeast]

You are not, young lady!

[ uh oh, that's a dad tone coming out ]

Rest for the moment, until Lady Medic or Sir Chiron can see to you.

[crosscutting]

[but daaaaaaad]

[phantasmagorial]

Autumn, please, you're hurt...!

[ She's not quite at 'about to have a panic attack' just yet, but she's getting there. ]

Please don't strain yourself!

[ She will HOLD YOUR HAND, young lady!!! ]

[crosscutting]

Ugh...

[Fiiiiine. But she's at least going to sit up.]

Wasn't...expecting her to have an arm like that.

[schardynfreude]

I doubt anyone was.

[weewooweewoo here comes a medic. Not Medic but, second best thing, maybe? Chiron kneels down by Autumn and lays a hand upon her shoulder (man he's doing that a lot today). A will of energy passes through him, a warm and light healing magic.]

Just don't strain yourself and rest a bit.

[mementomoritz]

[Medic kneels down on Autumn's other side and takes off her sweater, folding it up and gently sliding it behind her back to make a cushion she can prop herself up against.]

That's right! [Chiron looks like he's got this, but she's backing him up anyway. Healer solidarity.]

[twibeast]

[ swear to god Rei, if he has to scoop up both of you, he fucking will. ]