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]

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.

[discutio]

I suppose it's true after all that one never stops learning, isn't it?

[schardynfreude]

And I certainly had a ball doing so.

Perhaps a party is in order! Something to celebrate a job well done?

Or at the very least, I could drag you to the bathhouse and make you relax.

[discutio]

If we've the time for a celebration, that might not be so terrible an idea. I don't know that I'm much for the bathhouse, myself.

[schardynfreude]

You do know what relaxing is, don't you?

[discutio]

I am familiar with the concept.

[schardynfreude]

Perhaps you should get reacquainted with it.

[discutio]

Perhaps. But we've still a fair deal of work to do while we're here.

[schardynfreude]

Oh? [He casts a dramatic look around which is lost on Phoenix but let him have this.] Hm, we've dethroned the ruler of this realm and are in the midst of ransacking her house while potentially plotting a party and at the very least kicking back and regrouping.

So much work.