Huh?
“Umm, what did you say?” I stammer out, flustered.
“I said how you looked cute in that dress.” Juliette repeats, and I can feel my face heat up.
“Thank you. You as well.” is all I manage. She nods and turns away and I slump in relief. Somehow her ethereal beauty makes it hard to focus around her, and I'm not great with compliments already.
The rest of the people here - my party members, ostensibly, though it's obvious that they are all shapeshifters - are continuing getting into their roles… except for “Ellie” who was the last to join us. Her behavior almost makes me believe she might be the real one, that shock and confusion not unlike my initial reaction to finding myself in this space.
Sighing, I fix the dress I was just complimented on that clings to my body uncomfortably. I don’t know why I even put this thing on when the tailor handed it to me. Part of me was too pissed at myself for forgetting what we already learned about that entrance room last time around: The crowd is an illusion. That means they could move about the room freely even when the floor underneath them is not solid… like the covers of a pit trap.
I’ll just have to make sure it's a lesson well learned, as I resolved when I landed at the cushioned bottom, the only recourse available to me being a crawl space that deposited me right in the costume shop.
Briefly I wondered if my party members - my real party members not these monsters wearing their faces - were going to come for me, but I imagine they had someone take my spot to ensure the party kept moving forward.
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All I could do was sigh again as the man in the suit meanders onto the stage area and makes ready. Juliette meanwhile wanders over to the most recent arrival, and quietly exchanges words with her.
Thankfully, there is no droning crowd to confuse my senses this time and listening in is a breeze.
“I must apologize for Echo, dear. He is… overzealous in his desire to protect his siblings. I’m sure you have misgivings over his handling of your… recruitment, but I hope you can let it go for now and have a bit of fun anyways.”
Ellie’s face reflects her outrage at the mention of these events, but then it softens and she nods.
“I understand... Okay, no, I can guess why he behaves the way he does, but his smugness is infuriating while his… “sibling” proceeded to impersonate me. That is going to take a while to get over. I do think this place is fantastic though, and I will try to just have fun… Thanks.”
She gives a faint smile and Juliette puts a hand on her shoulder in encouragement.
“That is all I can ask for. Thank you.” the Actress responds and turns back towards the stage.
I’m not sure what to make of this. Is Ellie the real deal or was this hushed conversation a ruse intended to fool me? Does Juliette even know I can hear them? I struggle to recall what happened last time we were in this dungeon, it was all a frenzied blur of activity and panic, but I don't think we shared our skills back then.
Sighing to myself again I resolve to try and talk to this Ellie quickly and see if I can’t figure out if she is the real one or not, before the show starts. I don’t even know what I will do when I find out, but it beats the uncertainty.
Crossing the distance, I open my mouth to begin my inquiry, when a loud bell chimes and interrupts any of my plans as the curtain begins to lift and the man on stage bows towards the audience amidst a blinding light.