Now he was getting tired of the refusals. Hannibal stopped smiling entirely, and walked closer to the girl in front of him. Enigma, Effie, he didn't care. Whomever he was speaking to needed to get certain things through her head. His posture became more rigid. The tone of his voice filled with more venom.
"Tell me why you think it is that I would speak untruths about what I've seen. I'd really like to know what I would have to gain from wasting my time in this madhouse of fairy farts and unicorn vomit, every moment a risk that I might accidentally touch something glittered and be unable to rid myself of it for days?"
Hannibal was reminded of a rampant sexually transmitted disease when he looked at the glitter. He thought it was much like herpes. Once you got it, it was yours for life. Glitter was much the same way. It was highly unpleasant.
"I've not confused you with anybody, Effie. You are the one who is confused. This protective shell has been generated by your mind due to something that you didn't wish to see. From what I have been told of the situation that took place before ... this..." Hannibal waved a dismissive hand in her general direction. "You were witness to the death of somebody you loved. Or think you love. But we've already established that you're incapable of truly loving anything, even yourself. The way that Edward Nigma has you twisted around his little finger, love is not a thing in your vocabulary. You have lust, desire, and passion, and nothing more. But you saw this act, this death, and thought you lost the one thing in this world that you cared for outside of your father. Despite the fact that he could never love a creature such as you. Something so broken and unworthy."
Hannibal couldn't see Erik ever caring for a person like Enigma. And certainly not for the child that was Effie. There were times that Hannibal even wondered at Christine, but he would never voice such thoughts. Not even outside of Erik's immediate presence. He would never insult his friend's wife. It would be a direct insult to the man himself, and Hannibal respected Erik too much for that.
"Nobody is saying that you cannot continue to be Effie. But you are going to have to learn to accept what your past has been. The things that you have done. Who you have hurt. You can wrap yourself in Effie Nashton and live the rest of your life as a naive stunted teenager to replace the violent and misinformed stunted teenager of Enigma. Divorce Bruce. Stay with Bruce. It doesn't matter. There are only two things that do matter in all of this. Coming to terms with what you have been for many years, and getting yourself out of here and away from Edward Nigma. He means you nothing but grave harm. He will throw you under the proverbial bus, and more than likely, the literal bus afterward."
He looked the irritating teen directly in her eyes. "What will it take for you to listen? To believe?"