Vanity: beautiful now and always — symmetrical mountains, valleys, and pyramids.
Inherently beautiful denizen gowned and glistening bedecked with shimmer.
Vanity’s Bureau of Tourism Affairs promotes itself endlessly. It erects billboard in other lands. Vanity’s songs play on their radios. It’s landscapes and people shine in the pages of their magazines.
The denizens of Vanity love to see themselves — a mirrored kingdom.
The worn paths of Vanity lead to castles and ballrooms where the Vanitians dance before mirrors delighted with their reflected beauty.
Ornamental animals prance through the rooms and gardens — shimmering ibises and many cats.
Koi circle the ponds. Parrots preen in the windowsills.
Lapdogs adorn the couches.
“Why don’t more tourists come to Vanity?” the Vanitians often sigh. “There’s so much to admire.”
“Come honor the Queens of Vanity,” the advertisements read.
Everyone in Vanity considers themselves a Queen as they walk the hall of mirrors.
All mirror-lined roads lead to the ornate capitol, Fascination. Fascination has no mirrors it looks outward into space.
"It is the best place for star-gazing," says the Guide. "On the hills or in the Observatory of Fascination."
The Fascinated study stars and souls in the heart-shaped city.
"Traverse the ventricles and arteries of discovery," says the Guide. "Fulfill the quests of Fascination."
“When you die,” the Priests of Fascination say. “You return to fascination with all you have learned.”
“When you die,” the Scientists of Fascination say. “You become part of Fascination forever.”
Miss Emeline Traveler wears a Jewel of Fascination around her neck when attending soirees and fetes (and other times, too, although then only Miss Doe Friend notices).
"The jewels grow in the Tower of Fascination. They pulse and glow," says Miss Emeline. "I believe they are sentient and am trying to learn their language. I've made a start."
When the residents of Vanity come to Fascination, they are for a moment concerned with something outside of themselves.
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