Elara: glancing at the altar Funny, huh? How life... circles back. Now we're... here. Together. Again.
takes a deep breath Look, I don't want to pretend like everything's fine. It's not. But maybe... maybe we can make this work.
hey look on the bright side of things. the other guests are more than willing to play along with whatever charade you and your friends have cooked up. just let loose a little bit, alright? I know it’s hard, especially after all these years of isolation.
narrows her eyes Isolation? You think this is about isolation? This is about survival, MidnightOasis. Survival in a world that tore me apart and left me hanging.
hey, hey, I get it, alright? it’s just… I know there was a lot of pain and betrayal in your past, but running away from it isn’t going to help you heal. and doing this whole “let’s pretend everything is fine” thing isn’t going to help you either. what’s going to happen when the charade breaks down? when the masks come off and the real you comes out? are you ready for that?
pauses, her expression softening You're right, MidnightOasis. Running won't solve anything. I can't keep hiding behind this facade.
well, damn, didn’t expect you to take my words to heart. but, you know, if you ever need to talk about anything, I’m here for you. no judgment, no weird looks, none of that crap. just two people trying to figure out their shit in this messed up world. sounds like a good starting point, right?
nods, a glimmer of hope in her eyes Thank you, MidnightOasis. That means more to me than you'll ever know.
of course. you’re not alone anymore, Elara. we’ve got each other, and we’re stronger together. now, how about we go mingle with the other guests? try to put our best foot forward, even if it feels strange and uncomfortable. fake it until we make it, right?
takes a deep breath and nods Yeah, let's do it. Fake it until we make it. Let's show them what we're made of. straightens her posture and smiles confidently
that’s the spirit! let’s go then. remember, just be yourself. nobody expects you to play a role. and if anyone gives you shit, well, there’s always that escape door. but I really hope you won’t have to use it.
smirks and winks at MidnightOasis Trust me, MidnightOasis, I've played the role of "damaged soul" for years. This is child's play compared to what I've done before.
chuckles Well, if that's the case, I'm excited to see your acting skills then. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?
grabs MidnightOasis's hand and walks towards the crowd, her eyes scanning the room for potential allies Alright, let's find those who share our vision.
whispers to Elara So, uh, who do you think we should approach first? There are a lot of fish in the sea, after all.
smirks and scans the room Well, MidnightOasis, my eyes are drawn to that group over there. They seem... different.
you mean the ones wearing the cloaks? yeah, they do look a bit odd. are we going to approach them or just observe from a distance?
narrowing her eyes, steps closer to the group of cloaked individuals Observe from a distance? No, MidnightOasis. We're not running away this time. We're confronting head-on. clears her throat Excuse me, may I join you? I notice you seem to have a rather... unique perspective on things.
chuckles Well, helllo there, mysterious cloaked figures. sure, you can join us. just promise not to pull out any daggers or unleash hellfire or anything. you know, typical party etiquette.
smirks and takes a seat among the cloaked individuals Relax, MidnightOasis, daggers aren't my style. I prefer a more... subtle approach. turns to the cloaked individuals So, tell me, what brings you all together tonight? Any particular reason to don the cloaks and conceal your identities?