AUDIENCE FOR: Estelle

[guestservices]

this is what you get until you give me a shitpost

Comments

[guestservices]

Yeah.

[ a beat - she might feel that they wink. ] Maybe wasn't the best student, though.

[mustbepurged]

You weren't a troublemaker, were you?

[guestservices]

[ they put a hand to their heart like "who? me? never" ]

I'm offended!

[mustbepurged]

[There's a pause, like she almost believed that for a moment.]

Come on...

There must have been some subjects you liked, though, right?

[guestservices]

[ they have this very definite air of mischief here, especially when it seems like estelle believed them. don't encourage this behavior.

but, to her question, they get a little more thoughtful. ]

... Poetry. Yeah. Actually, just literature in general. Probably not surprising!

[mustbepurged]

I guess not. -- Oh, right, I told you I'd try to come up with a poem! Don't laugh if it's bad, okay? I'm really rusty.

Here goes...

These hopes that blossom
though frozen in winter's grip
come spring, rise anew

[guestservices]

[ oh...

she can probably hear the smile in their voice as they pause to listen. ]

No - no, it's not bad. 's really pretty, Estelle.

[mustbepurged]

R, really? [she's blushing a little.] I'm glad you liked it. I tried taking some inspiration from the new location...

[guestservices]

[ punches a rock estelle is so cute ]

Yeah, I do. Kinda like that story we talked about last time, yeah? It feels hopeful. Think that's the kind of thing people need.

[mustbepurged]

I think so, too...

Say, I've been wondering... Do you have to wear those veiled hats everywhere? Is that an employee policy, or...

[guestservices]

Haha, you wanna see my face?

[ teasing, playful. but, more seriously: ]

Yeah, it's part of the job. Gotta keep ourselves covered up. Part of the uniform, you know?

[mustbepurged]

Well, yes... Besides, it seems so inconvenient.

[guestservices]

Yeah.

[ they huff. ] I've got a pretty face, y'know. It's a shame.





[ this is

probably a joke? ]

[mustbepurged]

I'm sure you do. [A grin.]

So... how did you get into this job, anyway? Working at the hotel, I mean.

[guestservices]

[ she can't see their face, but estelle might feel the implication of a wink. ]

Eh. Needed to make some cash. You know how it is. [ they wave their hand. ]

[mustbepurged]

They're paying you?

[guestservices]

[


they shrug ]

[mustbepurged]

[????]

...... They're not paying you?

[guestservices]

[ another shrug ]

We're fine, if you're worried.

[mustbepurged]

Oh, good... [Yeah, she is.]

I don't know a lot about the circumstances of those who were in a similar position before, but it sounded like some of them had a really hard time...

[guestservices]

[ they glance at her. ]

Yours was only a couple of weeks, right? No wonder this whole - [ they gesture at themselves. ] - thing must be pretty shocking.

[mustbepurged]

It is a lot to get used to...

... but I'm kind of glad you're here.

[guestservices]

[ ... aw. their voice softens like immediately. ]

... thanks, Estelle. Y'know, if there's anything we can do for you - anything I can do for you - I'd be happy to do it. Seriously.

[mustbepurged]

[Her eyes light up; she's encouraged by those words.]

I'll remember that. Thank you.

[And then a breeze shakes the trees of the orchard, and a shower of stardust falls, bringing with it a tree-related memory.]

[guestservices]

[ oh. what a lovely memory this is - there's a sense of gentleness and warmth that comes from it, like light washing over darkness. as it fades, aquila's silent, for a long moment, and then says, after a moment to compose themselves: ]

...Now that's the sort of thing people write poetry about.


[ Wow. ]