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

come get y'alls food

[discutio]

[Once they apparently decided on stealing Esme's house, Phoenix made a quick supply run and then took to the kitchen to set himself to work. Carefully running his hands along countertops and corners, learning the layout before starting what he came here to do.]

[Cooking. And a lot of it. One could not dethrone idols or fight on an empty stomach, and before long there was a well crafted and carefully divided cheesecake with a warm and comforting soup in progress on the stove.]

Dinner will be ready shortly in Esme's kitchen, blessedly free of the connotations that sentence might have. If anyone sees Alice, let her know she's welcome to some as well.

[ourtomorrow]

[ More food......

But the only memory Monarch possesses is of a shared meal, and it's a warm, comforting memory - whoever he was, he'd had people who cared about him (he's sorry, people who cared about him; he's going to do his best to move through Purgatory so you don't need to worry). Sitting around won't help him actually resolve anything, either.

So here he is, changed out of his Executor uniform, hesitating about where to sit. Can he just go wherever....? ]

[discutio]

[Phoenix tilted his head at the sound of unfamiliar footsteps, not fully turning away from the stove.]

Hello--I don't know that we've met. I do hope you're hungry.

[ourtomorrow]

Ah....

[ He's not. But he can't say that, can he? ]

You made - all of this?

[discutio]

Well, someone certainly had to. And I don't know if I would fully trust Medic in a kitchen.

[ourtomorrow]

Is she a bad cook?

[ oh the poor baby

the poor tall baby knows nothing ]

[crypddyd]

[He can't taste the food, as he's said. But as soon as everyone else has had their servings Lion goes to town on the soup. various compliments about the scent and texture being mumbled between bites.

When he reaches the cheesecake though he eyes it carefully]

It's... is it cream? Or cheese?

[He's never seen such a thing before!]

[discutio]

A bit of both, actually. Go ahead and try it, you may like it.

[crypddyd]

It certainly can't hurt.

[he takes a bite and... is a bit slack jawed? Wide eyed and silent]

[discutio]

...Lion? Is there something wrong with it?

[crypddyd]

It's... I expected it to be slimy or cold. But it is neither. The texture is so creamy... but still solid.

[he turns to Phoenix, the stary eyed look on his face somehow reaching his voice as well. Awed.]

If I still had my station from life I would hire you at once!

[mementomoritz]

Oh, that smells really good! [Medic has been flitting around looking into everything and getting certain chemicals stored away safely- with a very clear warning label added to the container- but now her pursuit of science has happened to bring her walking past the kitchen, and she's abruptly remembering that she hasn't eaten since before the concert.]

[Please feed your mad scientist.]

[discutio]

It should be just about ready, if you'd like to sit down. You've all been working hard, I thought this might help.

[twibeast]

[ Beast has been waiting for this fucking cheesecake for WEEKS, he is in here immediately ]

Oh, how eager I’ve been to try this...!! This cake is simply beautiful, Sir Phoenix!

[discutio]

I do hope it doesn't disappoint. It's good to have time enough to be in a kitchen again.

[twibeast]

I’m sure it must be. What’s in that soup, by the way?

[discutio]

It's a simple recipe of mostly beans and tomatoes, I wasn't sure whether any of us preferred eating vegetarian or not.

[astrals he hoped so, for reasons he didn't quite understand]

[schardynfreude]

[He's not here for food but he's here! He's also going to hover in the kitchen. A little warily. It's Esme's, after all.]

You're sure?

[discutio]

Unless you presume I would poison you. Or that I'm foolish enough to not have tasted everything I made.

[schardynfreude]

I presume not to trust Esme's choice in food-related items, but I suppose it'd be too much effort to keep everything poisoned if we weren't getting in without invite.

Do you need a hand?

[discutio]

No, I have everything well under control. You could stand to eat something, you know.

[phantasmagorial]

[ HERE COMES A SPECIAL GIRL!!! did you really think she was going to pass up the opportunity to stress eat some sweets after everything today has been. ]

Phoenix, this smells amazing... do you need any help with the food?

[ She uh, can't exactly cook but she's semi-confident in her ability to follow instructions at least. ]

[discutio]

You've done more than enough, and I'm just about finished besides. I do hope you're hungry.

[phantasmagorial]

I'm hungrier than I've ever been before, ever.

[ Given how little of her existence pre-Limbo she remembers this might full well be true. ]

Who knew being an idol could take so much out of you?

[discutio]

You should take pride in all your hard work. [Phoenix set down a bowl of soup, followed by a slice of cheesecake.] More so considering it was ultimately a success.