confrontation.

[cancrymods]

It's time.

Esme has been doing her level best to make sure everyone in Invidia knows about their little competition, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see that the mall is absolutely overflowing with devoted fans today, all eager to see the outcome of this "friendly" competition between performers. Thankfully, Esme has been unusually sportsmanlike and deigned to release a schedule of the event beforehand, so you're not just going in blind. Esme and Idol-ON will perform two songs each and then hold a question and answer session with the audience, after which a vote will be held – and whoever has the most votes by the end of the show will be declared Invidia's newest top idols.

Sounds simple, right? Right.

You've all been given a private room out of the way of the crowds, with some time to spare before the event itself starts. Time for some last minute rehearsal, some last minute panicking, some last minute... sabotage? Well, Esme's probably not going to play fair, so why should you?

Comments

[emberserker]

Unless she... no, never mind. We've got no evidence for that. Regardless, she'll have something up her sleeve that'll take the lot of us to overcome.

[daughterofthemark]

That does seem nearly inevitable. We'll not be able to progress without some encounter of that nature.

[emberserker]

Keep your eyes out on stage. We'll handle the rest.

[phantasmagorial]

Unless she what...?

[ Don't think she didn't hear that. ]

[emberserker]

Rei. I know it's conjecture, we've got no evidence that anyone can do it on command. But Esme seemed dissatisfied, didn't she? Unstable? Afraid of the natural progression of things. The sort of mindset where you're just on the brink of ruin.

Revenants were all once Spectres, weren't they?

[mementomoritz]

Oh! [Medic looks utterly fascinated by the idea.] We've been working on the theory that it's simply an issue of time, but if mental state is also a factor...

[emberserker]

Like I said, it's only a theory. But a floor's guardian must have a great deal of power.

[phantasmagorial]

[ Rei goes quiet for a moment and mulls that over. What Anna's saying isn't wrong, but she has no way of knowing for sure if she's right about the rest of it. It sounds plausible enough, but...

Eventually, Rei shakes her head. ]

Mm. I see where you're coming from, but I don't think it's something we have to worry about. Esme might not be in her right mind, but she knows who she is. In fact, I'd say she's more sure of her identity than anybody else here – she's had years to put it all together. A Specter becomes a Revenant when they start losing that. The missing pieces hurt them so much they end up consumed by it and they start consuming anything they can find to fill it.

So I don't think Esme's close to becoming a Revenant. Not any more than you or me or anyone else here is.

[ But then she looks troubled. ]

Unless...

[emberserker]

Unless what, Rei? Is there some power she's got?

[phantasmagorial]

N–no, it's not a power, exactly, but... Esme's been Invidia's idol all this time, hasn't she? It's part of her identity now. So...

What's going to happen when we take that away from her?

[emberserker]

...If you're asking me to pity her, I'll remind you that she tried to liquefy us. But if that happens, don't worry. We'll be prepared.

[phantasmagorial]

Of course I'm not. But think about it – if a Revenant is created once they lose some part of themselves, what happens to an Authority holder when it gets forcibly taken from them?

[alcahest]

Oh.

[ don't mind Mona. she didn't actually intend to make that sound; it just slipped out like a little wounded exhale. ]

We did know we'd be taking that away from her, but... will it happen that fast?

[ she's worried, not doubtful. ]

[phantasmagorial]

I don't know for sure, but... I don't think so. And– we don't even have to take it away from her permanently. Just long enough for us to be able to pass through. Maybe if there's a way we can give it back to her when we're done...

[ But in contrast to Mona, Rei definitely looks doubtful. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[Veil suddenly doesn't like this plan very much.]

We shall have to try.

[alcahest]

[ that's the first tiny sliver of hope Mona has been able to grab onto since they started making these plans, so she'll seize the opportunity. she nods, firmly.

and she takes Veil's hand, her grasp tentative and delicate — one slim finger at a time sliding across Veil's palm. ]

She'll be angry, and she definitely won't trust us... But it's better than just leaving her to disappear without trying anything.

[phantasmagorial]

[ Rei eyes Mona for a long, quiet moment and then speaks up. ]

... Mona? I know this isn't easy for you... and I know you didn't want to be part of fighting her like this so, um... what I mean is, it means a lot to me that you're here with us anyway.

[daughterofthemark]

[Veil's fingers slowly fold over Mona's. There's none of her usual strength in this case, only a gentle touch.

She's silent for a moment.]

I should have been honest with her from the beginning.

[emberserker]

What, and let her keep the door shut? And do you think she'd let us go when she wants the cogs kept shut?

[phantasmagorial]

All we have to do is return her Authority to her after we've managed to secure a way down to the next layer. It's not a perfect solution, but what else can we do?

[emberserker]

Unless she chases after us to stop us.

[phantasmagorial]

I'm not sure how she'd manage that. She might be powerful here in Invidia, but she's not an Executor.

[daughterofthemark]

[That is an issue, but...]

Once she knows she cannot stand against us even in an arena of her own choosing, she may become more cooperative rather than risk forcing our hand.

[daughterofthemark]

She what?!

[mementomoritz]

Well, it's not an inaccurate description of the poison's likeliest effects... [Medic just nodding thoughtfully, as though it's a point of purely academic interest.] Near-total internal rupture like that can only manifest so many ways!