Kiji!

on top of being regarded as a freak just by being conjoined, by virtue of her anatomy - she's too malnourished for her dress to cover her breasts, her vagina is visible near otto's face as well - she definitely has experience with feeling exposed, especially with otto insisting upon the limelight, both in their political life and in the trials themselves where he's much more theatrical: he records the voicelines for the politician, he's talking with his hands even when nobody can hear him, there's a cosmetic of a poster of bob vanier with a note from him on it - how lonely do you have to be to write a note to a fake celebrity you're pretending to be friends with?

otto seems to be much more afraid of being forgotten than being shamed, while arora is so ashamed of her existence that she starves herself. it's two very different but both very painful kinds of loneliness, and ones that sort of self-perpetuate: their corruption, their eagerness to rub elbows with the only people as evil as them, lands them a place in sinyala, where their existence will likely be completely erased when murkoff is through with them. however the shock factor of their actions and the role they're being made to play as prime assets means constant scrutiny and unwanted attention along the way.

i don't think arora realizes, necessarily, that she's inflicting upon erik a fate she fears for herself. i think she thinks she would rather it happen to someone disposable, someone they can convince themselves they have nothing in common with, than her. i think otto and arora view this abuse as their birthright, still trying to separate themselves as much as possible from their fellow disabled people, still trying with all their might to convince themselves they're not "like them" - they have wealth, power, etc

the tv studio, one with their name all over it and constant praise and branding being thrown their way but where their faces are never seen, where they hold all the power backstage, is this imaginary world where they can reap the rewards of being "On TV" with none of the drawbacks. because of his mask, erik doesn't know the trial isn't real, he thinks his torture is being broadcast to the world and people are laughing at him. he doesn't even get his name to himself. the kress' name, meanwhile, is all they have, he even gets sawed in half just like their father tried to do to them. it's easterman trying to give them the power they want while still prodding at their insecurities, be glad it's some disposable idiot in this chair and not you

hylics brainworm got me

we should kill that guy