cancry | meet and greet

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...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

We're not returning anywhere, though. We just get kicked out into a whole new life with no control over any of it. I'm not giving up all this just to risk that.

But you aren't happy like this.

What makes you think that?

[It's not necessarily intended to be a mocking tone, but he does put on a slightly uhh higher and more feminine tone that's supposed to sound vaguely like Esme!]

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

Goodness, that must be terribly boring. And exhausting. Pretending so hard to be what your adoring fans want you to be.

It's all just part of the job. Sure, I get a little worn down now and then, but doesn't everybody? Doesn't mean I want to quit. I just like letting off a little steam now and then, that's all. And then once I do, I can go back and give it my all again. ❤

Giving it your all pretending to be nice, huh?

[She scoffs.]

What, didn't anybody ever teach you to mind your manners? That's pretty much all I'm doing, right?

[ it's something they've never really talked about as a group — reincarnation, the end goal of what they're doing here. Mona has never thought about it. until just recently, it wouldn't have bothered her at all, and she would have been perfectly content to carry on without so much as a thought towards it, but... ]

... Mh. You'll... lose everything about who you are, right...?

Of course. It's not like I can take any of it with me. It'll get ground down into nothing and then what'll be left? Not me, that's for sure.

... I understand.

[ what else can she possibly say to that? Esme is right. she'll disappear. if that's the way Purgatory is supposed to work, then there's no other way either. there are no solutions nor any comfort that Mona can offer. she doesn't even know how she herself feels about it yet, having only just really considered it for the first time. ]

But, Esme... Aren't you lonely here?

[ Esme's eyebrows shoot up and she gives Mona a look like she's just asked a very stupid question. ]

Why would I be lonely?

Because... you're the only one here who's "awake." Even if you talk to the Specters... they won't really understand.

[ the contempt doesn't seem to bother her at all. she stares back at Esme with her faintly melancholy expression, her voice soft and even. there's no judgement and no pity. ]

... You have a lot of power over this city, and... you used it to make everyone love you. It just... sounds to me like you didn't want to be alone.

[ She huffs out a soft laugh. ]

You're way too nice for your own good. You're getting things a little twisted, but I guess you wouldn't get it.

The only reason I have any power here is because they love me. I didn't have to force them to do it.

[ Mona Will Remember That but she has a more pressing concern at the moment. she shakes her head. ]

If you didn't force them... isn't it still something you had to try to do? Didn't you work for it...?

Why do you even care? I get that you think you're trying to help, but it's really not doing anything for me at all.

... It's not like that.

I just... think that you've spent a long time alone. And I don't think anyone deserves that.

I guess you can keep telling yourself that, if you want. If you want to feel sorry for me, I probably can't stop you, even if I tell you you're wrong a hundred times.

To lose what makes you yourself...

meet and greet

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