Cash Shop: Cheap Fabric Bolts
She'd got herself out of that situation through a lot of hard work but also sheer luck. Unfortunately it had come at the cost of friendships and the genteel personality that people with friends seemed to have. She was called scathing, bossy, sarcastic - something that didn't seem to be an issue with certain other people in the industry, but she had long stopped caring what others thought of her. She cared only for fashion now. Making the world beautiful. Which was why she hated reminders of a time that it wasn't, for her. Especially reminders that were corporeal forms of her very nightmares!
Looming Stage Curtains will retire on June 1st.
Posted by 
SubetaTeam
Isilven
TBH I was kind of hoping it would be something more horror-based, especially when I saw the image of the polyester windbreaker going up in flames. Polyester MELTS, and skin + melted plastic = horrific burns, so I was like "SHE'S BEEN HIDING BURN SCARS UNDER HER MAXI DRESSES?! [popcorn intensifies over Subeta Horror Metaplot]". There kind of needs to be more to her reaction, which is one that smacks me as being a reaction to something that reminds her of trauma she went through, than "ewwww groce it reminds me of My Tragic Poverty Backstory (TM)."
I have been super impressed with the writing on the previous opponents! But this really just falls flat. Plus, as someone who also has MTPB(TM), it seems really slap-dash and inauthentic to the lived experience. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and headcanon that she was seriously traumatized by bullying over her ugly clothes and thus she has a strong reaction to a trigger of those traumatic memories, but I really wish it had been fleshed out a bit more.
As a sidenote, I also find it... sad that this is being considered an attempt to "excuse" or "forgive" her crappy behavior towards literally everyone all the time and her extreme pettiness about everything, forever and ever amen (lol). Let's just let Esme have a crappy attitude without trying to excuse or explain it <3
I have been super impressed with the writing on the previous opponents! But this really just falls flat. Plus, as someone who also has MTPB(TM), it seems really slap-dash and inauthentic to the lived experience. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and headcanon that she was seriously traumatized by bullying over her ugly clothes and thus she has a strong reaction to a trigger of those traumatic memories, but I really wish it had been fleshed out a bit more.
As a sidenote, I also find it... sad that this is being considered an attempt to "excuse" or "forgive" her crappy behavior towards literally everyone all the time and her extreme pettiness about everything, forever and ever amen (lol). Let's just let Esme have a crappy attitude without trying to excuse or explain it <3
0
PiplupMagby34
@Toby
Whoa, I didn't know that was a thing!
I wonder what would happen if there was a site event that explored Esme's past (as mentioned here) and at the end she would be on her way to becoming a better person. Something like what happened with Darkheart last lumi?
Whoa, I didn't know that was a thing!
I wonder what would happen if there was a site event that explored Esme's past (as mentioned here) and at the end she would be on her way to becoming a better person. Something like what happened with Darkheart last lumi?
1
Toby
It actually sounds to me like she has a bad sensory reaction to the fabric that goes beyond elitism, whether or not she's even aware of that herself. I mean:
"Dragging her fingers over it made every hair stand on end. [...] Even the smell made her gag."
I'm autistic and I react this way to certain textures. There are clothes I can't wear or even touch because of how they feel.
"Dragging her fingers over it made every hair stand on end. [...] Even the smell made her gag."
I'm autistic and I react this way to certain textures. There are clothes I can't wear or even touch because of how they feel.
14
PiplupMagby34
@Kinky
You're a real life example of what I mentioned in my post! :)
@Evanesce
I've never seen the Devil Wears Prada, but your point is still interesting.
You're a real life example of what I mentioned in my post! :)
@Evanesce
I've never seen the Devil Wears Prada, but your point is still interesting.
1
Benzin
English comedian Harry Enfield's characters Wayne and Waynetta Slob came to mind when reading that. lol
1
Valiaira
I love the new wearable. As a designer I have worked on tables that have the fabric underneath like that. It's super cute and made me so happy to see it. Not sure any of my pets are strong enough to fight the opponent though ha ha. :)
0
Kinky
I need the item for my wardrobe, 100%. I sew, and this is just beautiful. The backstory reminds me a bit of myself, starting from very, very poor, to not really having to worry much about money, but I didn't do it at the expense of my friends and loved ones. I don't like Esmerelda, I never will, but I love that we can see more of her story, and the reason she is why she is now.
1
Strength
idk, I love Esmerelda's backstory and it makes me appreciate her more. People are making assumptions based on things that aren't even there. We're told she grew up in poverty and sacrificed social relationships so she could pursue something she wanted more than anything else. To me, it never struck me as her looking down on poor people in disdain. It only says that she wants to make the world beautiful, and cheap fabric reminding her of a time when the world wasn't beautiful reminds her of a time when she was treated like garbage. In her Subeta article, it's mentioned that she made clothing for her siblings. That doesn't sound belittling and selfish to me. What's to say she doesn't still make her own clothing and donate it to poor families? It's hard to say when we honestly know so little about these NPCs. Just throwing that out there!
16
Evanesce
Every character can't be goodness, sunshine and rainbows. I agree with the comment about Rarity, who manages to shine THROUGH her generosity in contrast to others around her, but not everyone is a hero. Esmerelda was always extremely referential to The Devil Wears Prada. That story already presents the hard lessons in loss and the lies you have to tell yourself when you live your success this way and the character does a good job pointing you towards that tale. I don't enjoy stories where I'm supposed to like every person. Someone has to stand for the billions of people who aren't as good as they could be. Characters like this existing is not them making excuses for the people in life who use the 'I'm damaged excuse' to hurt others. The characters merely ARE themselves and that self is not as good as society would like. She didn't, you know, drown her sibling in a beer vat or anything, she's just a snob.
Short answer: not everyone is or should be a role model and not every character needs to show positive change.
Short answer: not everyone is or should be a role model and not every character needs to show positive change.
20
PiplupMagby34
@Balloon @Muerte @PopCornea
It probably doesn't help that the news post states She'd got herself out of that situation through a lot of hard work but also sheer luck. Unfortunately it had come at the cost of friendships and the genteel personality that people with friends seemed to have.
You can rise up in the world and not necessarily lose the friendships you had growing up. I hate to mention this but Rarity from Gen 4 MLP is an excellent example. She becomes one of the most famous fashion designers in Equestria, but she is kind and remains friends with others who do not have as much interest in fashion as she does (Applejack being the best example). An episode of Season 2 kind of has what you three stated as a moral.
(I know some don't like MLP, but I just wanted to mention it).
It probably doesn't help that the news post states She'd got herself out of that situation through a lot of hard work but also sheer luck. Unfortunately it had come at the cost of friendships and the genteel personality that people with friends seemed to have.
You can rise up in the world and not necessarily lose the friendships you had growing up. I hate to mention this but Rarity from Gen 4 MLP is an excellent example. She becomes one of the most famous fashion designers in Equestria, but she is kind and remains friends with others who do not have as much interest in fashion as she does (Applejack being the best example). An episode of Season 2 kind of has what you three stated as a moral.
(I know some don't like MLP, but I just wanted to mention it).
6
frederick
Oh Esmeralda, come with me to Staten Island, land of polyester velour jogging suits. It's its own special kind of amazing.
Also, we will be taking the subway and ferry. Because reasons.
Also, we will be taking the subway and ferry. Because reasons.
1
Amanda
i am cackling because literally YESTERDAY i bought a this metallic woven blue fabric and after working with it a couple hours determined it was make of demon hairs and it frays if i even look at it funny. THIS IS FOR THAT BLUE DEMON FABRIC SITTING IN MY GARBAGE
9
PopCornea
You know what it's like so don't do that to people would sum it up. Her hypocrisy is relatable for many forms of rl people who won't admit their hang ups. (There's a group of middle aged bullies on the street making an example of themselves as I write this.)
Side note it's funny to pay to save the elitist from her demons as she's perpetuating the same as her demons
Side note it's funny to pay to save the elitist from her demons as she's perpetuating the same as her demons
4
Balloon
I 100% agree with Muerte. I never liked her (or the other elitist NPCs), and now I like her even less. If she was once looked down upon for being poor, then she knows how it feels and has even less of a reason to do it to others now! (Sorry to get all het up over fictional characters but that's pretty much my life...)
Also sounds like she did DiY/upcycling at one time too. I make accessories and plushies (mostly Drifloon and balloon plushies, ofc!) from upcycled and "cheap" materials, and they are just as darn cute and cuddly as expensive plushies! You haven't seen cute until you've seen a Drifloon with vintage button eyes, I'm tellin' ya. Nothing wrong with helping the environment and making something old new again. No shame in it, or in making something beautiful out of something "cheap" at all.
tl;dr: Balloon is salty this morning and is going to drift off and meditate or something.
Also sounds like she did DiY/upcycling at one time too. I make accessories and plushies (mostly Drifloon and balloon plushies, ofc!) from upcycled and "cheap" materials, and they are just as darn cute and cuddly as expensive plushies! You haven't seen cute until you've seen a Drifloon with vintage button eyes, I'm tellin' ya. Nothing wrong with helping the environment and making something old new again. No shame in it, or in making something beautiful out of something "cheap" at all.
tl;dr: Balloon is salty this morning and is going to drift off and meditate or something.
8
Sketch
I don't see where Esmerelda is belittling others or anything like this, she just can't stand looking at cheap clothes, like a phobia, and also kind of a trauma as it reminds her of her past. She sees it and can't help but shiver. We not always are proud of what bothers us or what we like (don't lie, everyone has one or other guilty pleasure), and she is conscious she's "an asshole" when it comes to fashion.
But regarding being a person liked by others I'm the blackest kettle there is so probably it's just me seeing things with weird eyes, if that makes sense.
On another note, There's nothing wrong with polyester.
But regarding being a person liked by others I'm the blackest kettle there is so probably it's just me seeing things with weird eyes, if that makes sense.
On another note, There's nothing wrong with polyester.
17
Muerte
This... Makes me hate her more honestly.
Not for being poor, but how she now looks down on people for dressing in ways she disproves, including "poor" clothing. Trauma is not an excuse to belittle others.
Not for being poor, but how she now looks down on people for dressing in ways she disproves, including "poor" clothing. Trauma is not an excuse to belittle others.
32
chookie
It's great seeing a little of Esmeralda's background! Kinda leaves her invite drops in another light, like deep down she's returning the favour of those donations of clothes from all those years ago ^^
6
Hetty
The bathhouse provides a very useful amount of CSC each 30 days towards the challenger :) I'm so grateful for that!
11
Holden
My pictures are slow loading and reading the first paragraph I totally thought this was Jogoh. Lol poor Esme.
3
Julia
@StarShadow
You can always buy CSC with sP. I love that Subeta has a Cash Shop but you don't absolutely need to pay real money for things. ^^ I've played other sites where cash shop items were ONLY able to be purchased with real money so most people were locked out of some of the best things.
On another note, YAY NEW CHALLENGER! :D I like the lore too (if these nightmares count as actual lore?) Always like seeing a character that just seems to be a jerk having some backstory to explain why they are the way they are so you're able to empathize with them more.
You can always buy CSC with sP. I love that Subeta has a Cash Shop but you don't absolutely need to pay real money for things. ^^ I've played other sites where cash shop items were ONLY able to be purchased with real money so most people were locked out of some of the best things.
On another note, YAY NEW CHALLENGER! :D I like the lore too (if these nightmares count as actual lore?) Always like seeing a character that just seems to be a jerk having some backstory to explain why they are the way they are so you're able to empathize with them more.
8
Amber
@StarShadow Each month there is a cash shop challenger that's the nightmare of the NPC released earlier in the month that you have to figure out how to unlock. :) There's still like 7 more NPCs/nightmares to go.
10
StarShadow
Sigh, another opponent that costs $. Sorry not interested. Good luck to the rest of you.
4