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

[twibeast]

...Now why can't we do that?

[ Beast... ]

[discutio]

...Do what.

[i'm sorry.]

[twibeast]

Oh. Right. Apologies.

[ oops ]

He disappeared into thin air.

[discutio]

That makes more sense than what I was assuming, which was that she was merely standing there.

[twibeast]

[ Sure that Rei will look after Autumn until she's attended to, Beast gets back up and heads to Veil's side to read the business card as well. He then turns to the rest of the group. ]

I presume we are all planning to go then?

[discutio]

Well, obviously I've committed to it. If anyone's coming with me, I would prefer if we kept things less hostile; she clearly knows things we likely don't, and information is the most useful thing we can have right now.

[twibeast]

I am also committed to it and shall come as well.

[ He is also pulling out his phone and is... trying his best to get to the messenger and type something... slowly.... ]

[phantasmagorial]

[ As he's doing that though

tug, tug

it's the feeling of Rei tugging discreetly on the hem of his sweater. ]

[twibeast]

Hm?

[ He looks away from the phone ]

Yes, my darling?

[phantasmagorial]

Y–yes, of course! I'm not letting everyone go alone!

[ y'all start getting ROWDY and STARTING FIGHTS!! ]

[phantasmagorial]

B–because she–

[ Alright, hold on. Remember what Medic said. Count your breaths. It takes her a moment, but she manages to get herself a bit more under control. ]

She's... the one with Authority over this part of Purgatory. I couldn't be sure until I saw it myself but she's the one who controls Invidia.

[discutio]

About what I was hoping wouldn't be the case, then. I think it would still be beneficial for us to approach this with a calm head and without violence if possible.

[phantasmagorial]

Right. It wouldn't be a good idea to antagonise her while she has so much control.

She seems like she's willing to talk to us, at least...

[discutio]

She sounds frightened more than anything, and I'd like to understand why before we proceed forward.

[phantasmagorial]

Hopefully she'll be a little less riled up if she's in her own home...

[discutio]

Hopefully. We'll use the time she's given us to reorganize our own approach, and hopefully she'll cool off a bit as well.

[alcahest]

[ Mona, who has been quite stunned this whole time with the way things went and kind of just fretting in the background but not having the confidence to intervene, finally speaks up: ]

... She said... she didn't want us to erase her. Isn't that what she's scared of...? [ she seems mildly distressed by this notion. ] ... She... doesn't want to go.

[discutio]

...I wonder. It's possible our goal has consequences of which we're not yet aware, so I would like to hear her perspective.

[daughterofthemark]

I would be frightened as well, if I believed all of us were coming to kill me.

[seasharp]

[ARIEL POUTS]

[phantasmagorial]

I don't really like it either, but we don't have much of a choice...!

[seasharp]

So we're just supposed to play nice with her?

[phantasmagorial]

For now, yes. Even if we did go in there looking for a fight, I really don't think we'd come out on top.

[seasharp]

It feels like giving up before we've even tried.

I don't like it...

[daughterofthemark]

...Dame Rei?

[New friend is great and all but old friend are you okay?]