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

[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.

[schardynfreude]

Yes, sitting around pressing buttons has made me nothing but skin and bones.

[discutio]

Try the damned cake before I throw it at you, Chiron.

[schardynfreude]

Well, if you're going to be like that...

[Then he'll grab a slice, sure. And hang around.]

I wonder if you've always been so pushy about food.

[discutio]

Who knows? At the moment I'd just like to be sure everyone has something to eat and looks after themselves after all the work we've done lately.

[schardynfreude]

And I'm included in that, an adult who can look after himself and insists to the children that they eat and rest?

[discutio]

...Yes?

[duh]

[schardynfreude]

You might be a killjoy at times, but you're an adorable killjoy.

[discutio]

And for a valued ally, you can be terribly obnoxious.

[schardynfreude]

Now what did I do?

[discutio]

You make attempts at even the simplest gestures not dissimilar to pulling teeth.

[schardynfreude]

You threatened to shove it in my face the moment I even remotely suggested I might not need it.

[discutio]

And here I thought we had some odd playful banter established.

[...not that he wouldn't have]

[schardynfreude]

We're doing this again. I feel as though when I'm playful, it's perfectly obvious, but you make it a bit of a mystery.

I don't mean to make things frustrating.

[discutio]

...

[Phoenix sighed, taking off his glasses and pressing a hand to his eyes.]

Neither do I. Perhaps we both simply keep missing the mark somehow.

[schardynfreude]

Perhaps we're not terribly compatible. [He frowns and stares down at his slice of cheesecake.] But I would genuinely dislike for that to be the case. I'll try a bit harder, moving forward.

[discutio]

I would...prefer it, if we were. At least I think that I would. I could stand to try a bit harder myself, regardless.

[schardynfreude]

How are you, if I may be so bold as to ask?

[discutio]

Better, now that the rather long game of things seems to have paid off. The rest should hopefully be straightforward, if a bit more dangerous.

[schardynfreude]

Regular danger seems much better in comparison to some of the recent development. It'll be downright relaxing.

[discutio]

If nothing else, I'll feel a bit more useful on that front.

What about you?

[schardynfreude]

I'm doing spectacularly, my dear. It was a bit lonely, but I daresay I've learned quite a bit. I may never need any of it ever again, but, mm, live and learn.

Or die and learn.