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

[heir_to_ruin]

Not the most boring place I've seen but... Damn do I want to know how long it's been since you had a decent conversation?

Don't get me wrong they're sweet kids... But they're kids

[cancrymods]

I get by. I'm busy enough that I don't usually have time to stop and talk with, you know, weirdos who follow me back to my dressing room.

[ MEANINGFUL EYEBROW RAISE. ]

[heir_to_ruin]

Okay okay... I get it. Too much.

[He does look genuinely sheepish.]

Seriously though. Talking to most of these idiots is like talking to a wall. Doesn't it drive you nuts?

I've barely got a clue what is going on and it's enough to give me a headache.

[cancrymods]

They do their jobs well enough. I don't really need to have any deep and serious conversations with anybody to perform, so I'm happy with things as they are.

[ She gives him a thin-lipped smile. ]

Doesn't surprise me that it'd drive you crazy, though. You really come off like the type who just loves the sound of his own voice.

[ The hypocrisy........... ]

[heir_to_ruin]

Really? That's some dedication... all it takes to keep you happy is performing? That's it?

[On one hand he's trying to lean toward that whole "lonely at the top" idea... but also it's Ruin there's a little bit of innuendo there. Like he knows it could be taken that way and is just barely restraining himself from saying it.]

At least I know what I'm about. [Shrug. Yeah he talks a lot, so what. And he might in his dramatic show of shrugging it off... move just a little bit closer to her.]

[cancrymods]

[ Esme very pointedly takes a step back. ]

Mhhmm. You've almost got me convinced that talking is all you're here for, since you're doing so much of it.

Is this supposed to be a distraction or something? Is the big dumb guy setting up some kind of trap while you keep me occupied here?

[heir_to_ruin]

Trap? Uuuh he's really not the trap type, I don't think. But I've only known the guy for like a week? I dunno seems pretty crazy if you ask me. You, at least you've got your shit together.

[Lion is literally going to kill him. Oh no.]

[cancrymods]

[ Then Perish ]

Right, right. And that's why you came snooping around here? That's all?

[heir_to_ruin]

[This is the point where he ruins his chances at anything by doing the most obvious look possible, amber eyes dropping from her face to... other more interesting (to Ruin) areas before coming back to meet her gaze with a sassy grin.]

Maybe not all.

[Yup, he's a creep. Call him on it Esme.]

[cancrymods]

[ Esme doesn't say anything right away – her eyebrows just raise up into her bangs for a moment before settling back down on her face that cements the look of vague disgust she's going for right. ]

Ahh, right, now I get it.

[ And with that, she steps back into her dressing room and just... shuts it right in his face. RIP, Ruin. ]