Unsatisfactory

The Meeting

         I walked into the cafe, expecting no greeting or photography. I was surprised when my order was taken within seconds and I was seated in a booth secluded with slightly transparent curtains. They were tinted magenta, like the rest of the booth. It seemed each booth and table had its own colour scheme. I sat down after closing the curtain. What was the point of the curtains anyway? 

"Excuse me, ma'am, you have a visitor. Was this a planned meeting or unexpected?" The waiter asked timidly like she was afraid of me. Someone was here to meet me?

"It was planned. Bring them in, s'il vous plait." I said while straightening my skirt. Let's see who this unexpected guest is. 

"Oh! Uh... Thank you! Thank you! Aheh..." The stranger blurted out as they were escorted to my table. They sat down, their curls bouncing on their chest as if they were alive. Their hair was a shiny white, with a tint of blue and pink in places. Though, they didn't look old at all. Almost like a rebellious teenager. 

"Ohmigosh! It is so nice to finally meet you miss Phantasia! I've been dying to meet you ever since I heard your first speech! I'm so pleased the amount of money I offered was enough!" They spoke their words so fast it was hard to understand them.

"Yes, yes. Enough of that. Who are you?" I asked, pushing my hair to the side and placing my elbows on the table. My brain had already had enough of this rebel.

"Well, about that, you see, I have a special talent! Today my name is Elilabeth Juliary! I probably look like your average rebellious teen, but that's not it! I'm training to become a Personalitysmith! I come from a different country completely! Almost a different world... And I absolutely love your style and personality! I'm in awe that your world can make up its own personality out of the free will!" Elilabeth was talking nonsense. Personalitysmith? Different world? What was this psychopath talking about?

"Miss Juliary, have you broken out of a mental hospital?" I asked calmly. I was genuinely curious.

"What?! Well... Now that I think about it, I didn't expect you to understand. You see, where I live, people can't just make faces or personalities. Same with choices." Elilabeth spoke quickly, but serious. Now that I took a look at her face, it's almost like she had recorded faces for her emotions.

"Then... How do you make personalities?" I asked, now interested in her senseless logic. 

"You see, I come to places like this! It's complicated; I'm considered a Notepad, or Notebook. You see things in me and remember them! Like... this!" Elilabeth sat still for a few moments. 

I started to notice her features use different emotions. Calm and senseful. Serious and tidy.

"Ahem-" The now completely different girl cleared her throat. "Where was I? Sorry, my name is Romania Juliary. I've been told your name is Phantasia. Such an interesting name. Not to mention it is in resemblance to a phantom. Are you a phantom darling?" Elilabeth- Er, Romania said. She tidied her skirt and looked back at me.

I looked at the woman in awe. Her entire personality was different, and her eyes were like different shapes suddenly. Everything about her was different. Her customizable appearance still had a little bit of a rebellious feel to it, but it was like... Her vibe was different. She gave off a new, studious, serious, and shy vibe. Like all rebellion and angst was gone.

"How did you do that? Ma'am, do you suffer from a multiple personality disorder?" No no... It was something else. She couldn't have just changed that easily... She would have had some kind of... Trigger. Was it something I said?

"Oh darling, you must understand. I can read your face like glass. It's simple, it's like a race. If you're Native American, you might have tanner skin than a Norwegian person, correct? Well, if you're from Tiltania, you're going to have some... Choice issues. We can't choose a facial expression unless we're taught them. We can't choose our dangerous choices unless we're told to follow a specific plan. We can't even choose our own personality- Unless we're taught one, of course. Does it make sense yet, darling?" She looked at me with soft and almost flirtatious eyes. She spoke with such a soothing and calming voice.

"H-How is that even possible? B-But... You were a rebellious and angsty teen just a few moments ago... How did you become so... Confident and studious? So quickly? You didn't even have a trigger... How do you give off so many different vibes? How are you so many different people? What is Tiltania?" I was filled with questions. Like a little kid first finding out about Santa Claus. They have a million questions and an imagination overflowing with colours and sparkles.

Romania let out a heavy sigh. "What do you mean what is Tiltania? What do they teach you in schools nowadays? Have you ever heard of Neverland? Or like... Heaven and Hell? Tiltania is like... A place that kids dream of. It's filled with everything ever. A million microwaves, bottles upon bottles of rainbow glitter that smell like cake pops, wines that can change memories, cakes that can replenish one's health, everything. Haven't you ever heard of Tiltania?" Romania's face was different once again. Was she really taught these faces? They carried so much emotion. How is one even taught something like that?

"Wait... Tiltania... Those words sound familiar... Like, a commercial. Wait! Do you mean the Forbidden Lands of Reporvon? Tiltania was an alternate name that some of the elders around me called it. They even said they used to go there... Like it was the supermarket of the town. You'd go there if you needed something, and everyone there was sweeter and cranberry pie! Their exact words even. Hold on a minute. You're telling me you're a Peter Pan taking Wendy to Neverland?" I asked. I felt like a little, giddy girl getting ready to open presents on Christmas morning. 

"Indeed. Though, please don't call it Reporvon or the Forbidden Lands. And I am definitely not Peter Pan. Nor are you Wendy." She said calmly as she set her elbow on the table and held her head in her palm.