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

[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.

[alcahest]

[ the stressful situation seems to have made it harder for Mona to verbalise her thoughts than usual, but she persists. ]

... I want... to ask her to come with us.

[discutio]

I would prefer it were we not adversaries, myself. But not knowing what her goals or desires might be, I can't promise that will be a possibility.

[seasharp]

What?!

[excuse]

You can't be serious, can you?

[alcahest]

[ she wavers a little in the face of conflict, but. she's set on this thought. ]

Don't you think that... she's scared because this is everything she has? She doesn't want us to take it away.

[seasharp]

Maybe she doesn't even deserve it in the first place! Not when she's like that... You heard her, didn't you?

[schardynfreude]

...Once we've spoken of the situation, on both of our sides, it will have to be her choice.

[He doesn't sound angry, but he is rather quiet.]

[discutio]

...What are you thinking?

[he would really like input from someone not a hotheaded teenager]

[alcahest]

[ mmmrhgh. she appreciates his calm tone and she's sticking close by him. she kind of wants to hold onto his sleeve but she hesitates to do so. ]

... Mh. I know. It's her choice, but I... I want... [ she's not sure why she's struggling so much with this. something about it is too big for her to contain; something about it hurts. ] ... I don't... want to take everything away from her...

[daughterofthemark]

I agree.

[emberserker]

Did you see how she was acting? She knew we were aware, she knew what an Eidolon was, she said "it's been a while since anybody woke up." She's been awake at least since there were other Executors besides Rei and ourselves. And yet all she wants is power. Why do you want someone like that?

[alcahest]

... What power? [ she has the Authority that Rei mentioned, but— ] All she's doing is... making people pay attention to her.

[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...

[phantasmagorial]

[ Rei just... looks at Ariel for a moment and then she reaches out and gently takes her hand. ]

I'm sorry. I just... I don't want to see anyone else getting hurt. After Kingslayer and now Autumn...

[seasharp]

[It... doesn't entirely get her to back down, but... At least she's a little quieter, at the moment. It's hard to be angry with Rei.

What sort of person would she be if she took out her feelings on her right now?]

...Right. I get it.