[WORLD ONE] SPEED DATING EXTRAVAGANZA

[spellbindmods]

Who: Participating coven members
Where: The Palai marketplace
When: Day 49
Open/Closed: OTA

[ Any and all who are in the marketplace will find that there is suddenly a mysterious barrier around the marketplace (that may be eerily familiar to some) -- specifically one large portion of the marketplace with a large number of tables and chairs, perhaps purposefully set out for nefarious reasons.

A few Palai are ushering coven members to chairs, and everything seems about normal. As normal as the Palai can be when they're putting on a show anyway. It's not until a sizable portion of the coven members are seated (and also supplied with breadsticks and small shrimp), that things get a bit more bizarre.

Thanks to the power of the Eltos, a small band of energy keeps coven members stuck to the chair (magic can interfere, of course), but that's not the end of it. On each table, next to those delicious smelling breadsticks and shrimp, is a bowl of scraps of papers. Every five minutes, a strip of paper will pop out from the bowl.

If you ask the Palai, they'll be inclined to explain speed dating to you. Asking questions, getting to know a person, then being shimmied off to the next potential mate -- this is made possible by Elto magic yet again, through flying chairs that transport their holder to a new table at standard intervals.

The Palai are extremely invested in this exercise? Will you let them down? ]

[ OOC: In the spirit of speed dating, each character will have a top level. All who want to respond to this top level can with questions from this post, but the threads have to end at 10 comments from each character. After this last tag, the characters can be assumed to have been whisked to a different potential match. You're free to have characters make up their own questions, interact with Palai serving food, etc. ]

Comments

[goodlistener]

[jeanne is actually clutching to her chair, especially after it's just moved (sometimes magic resistance is a problem, and she may be participating in this more for the palai), but that's not the reason she looks so horrified.]

P-Potential mate?!

[someone is having trouble with the big "m" word]

[rootbound]

I don't -- I don't think it's obligatory to -- well, you know. We're just supposed to get to know each other?

[rests his head in his hands briefly; he's not really flustered, just annoyed]

You can probably avoid it if you just make like you're eating every time someone asks you an awkward question.

[goodlistener]

[don't even bring the topic of... "relations" up? wow, there are a lot of emotions to read, here—]

... But, for the purposes of... dating, that's what this is for. [she's a little irritated, as well, once she clearly states the purpose like that.] That would be impolite, wouldn't it? I'll just say I can't answer the question.

[rootbound]

I guess so? Does it make it better or worse if it's just the Palai being rude instead of you and the Palai...? ...no, I guess that's an unfair question.

[huffs]

Don't worry, I don't want to -- date or -- whatever. No offense. I was just in the area when they put the shield up.

[thatdamnknight]

[jeanne isn't alone in finding issue with that word. hearing her repeat it only causes flynn's face to go red again.]

The idea of finding... [watch him go redder still] a p-potential mate like isn't something I'm comfortable with, myself. I can't imagine this method of dating has a high success rate, either.

[getting to know someone and getting together with them after just 5 minutes?? that can't really work all that well, can it?]

[goodlistener]

[oh, no! she didn't mean to do that. seeing him blush makes her belatedly place a few fingers over her lips, and her eyes dart away from him.]

It... may, among certain types of people.

[she doesn't really hate on that, either; it's just not her.]

[thatdamnknight]

Perhaps so, but the Palai shouldn't force participation of those who don't fall into that type.

[which is flynn's biggest issue with the whole thing. the palai can speed date all they want but please leave him out of it.]

[sluggard]

So they say, but... [He shrugs.] We probably don't actually have to do that.

[Very cheerfully,] I'm not!

[goodlistener]

[don't even joke about it?! (sorry, she's no fun.)]

It's ludicrous to even suggest we'd have to... engage in such a thing!

[sluggard]

[He snorts.] What? Out here? Nah, no one's doing that.

[He can't help himself!!]

[probablynoteren]

[Her accidental partner of the moment is looking a little disoriented and at least as embarrassed; also, shrinking into his chair a little, which looks really funny given that it's more or less a Palai-sized chair. How are these holding all of them.....

Lenka shakes his head, looks around as though for help, and then seemingly resigns himself to the situation, or at least to reassuring his seatmate.]

They're... always like this. Ever since we got here. [hers is an unfamiliar face] Even if you tell them you're not a Palai.

[Like, honestly, why are they so interested in human mating rituals. He still doesn't actually want to know.]

[goodlistener]

[her chair, with the energy band and all, is barely holding her as it is...

it's a little humiliating that she has to rely on reassurance from someone else, but—fortunately jeanne is so flustered she isn't even thinking too much about that sort of thing. she blinks openly at lenka, listening with concern (for herself, and also him, and anyone else being pushed into "mate" talk).]

I know they are persistent... also, this is something they do out of kindness. I can see that companionship is important to them, but,

[she made a pledge to live without a man in her life.]

[probablynoteren]

[She's probably new, and hasn't yet gotten used to the Palai's intrusiveness or effusiveness -- a little reassurance goes a long way, even if it's disconcerting to think of himself as more used to this sort of nonsense (he's not!!). At least he's fairly sure the Palai won't go too far beyond this in pushing mating on them.

Then again, he hadn't counted on them using their magic for this, either. Things are escalating a little too much?! Considering they still don't know how long they're stuck here.]

We have companions. I don't think they understand humans, uh, mating. [he cringes a little at having to say something like that] I mean, the coven keeps each other company, as comrades.

[This isn't coming out right, is it.]

[talim]

Hey, hey, just relax, alright?

[ jude's keeps his tone as soothing as possible. he can't help but feel a little bad for her; guilty, even, although it's not like he chose to be here. ]

The Palai will do what the Palai will do, but just between us, let's call this a strictly platonic date. No weird mating rituals involved.

[ is it too early to call jeanne a friend? probably. he's only spoken to her very briefly, but maybe they could get there. ]

[goodlistener]

[if he's not her enemy, he's something close to an ally. just the fact that he always concentrates on what she's feeling means a lot. jeanne closes her eyes and sighs, which seems to be more an attempt to let off tension.]

"Platonic" is what I would prefer... However, "date" always gives a specific impression, doesn't it? That's the word modern centuries use to refer to outings shared by lovers or prospective lovers—or courting?

[talim]

... It is, I can't deny that. The Palai have rather interesting priorities. How about, um... a platonic meeting? Gathering? What do you prefer?

[ consider that his first question ??? ]

[yancat]

[Of all the people he's been paired up with today, he didn't expect Jeanne to be here. He didn't know a saint could look so horrified.

Contrary to her demeanor, Jumin is calm as always.]

Even Mary and Joseph were married before they were canonized, so to say a mate would be a hindrance to your duty is rather unfounded.

[He takes the strip of paper among the many before them, examines it, and folds his arms. An interesting question, but still drivel.]

But you're devoted to your work. So am I. You don't need to seriously participate, Jeanne. [Because he doesn't want to be here. He is BORED OUT OF HIS MIND.]

[goodlistener]

[are you suggesting she should immaculately conceive too, jumin

jeanne just... stares at him. well, this is off to a great start already.]

I... I have no need for marriage.

[and she means that, judging by the sternness of her tone. she stumbles over her words, but it isn't because she's too embarrassed; more so, it seems like... she's... scolding him?]

What exactly is it that you do?

[let's start up a conversation you'd have on a date, anyway,]

[yancat]

[Jumin hums in thought, expression unchanging.]

You say you have no need for marriage, yet you engage me in a conversation that implies otherwise.

[He'd say he didn't want to get married and just pretend to be in his phone again, but he's in front of a holy woman. Sinning is probably bad. She's also being a little funny right now. So, okay. He'll humor her.]

Well, I'm an executive director of a multinational conglomerate. I'm also.. ah, no. I shouldn't say.

[mapsio]

I think we should just use this opportunity to get to know each other.

[God why is everything awkward.]

This can be a "friend" date, okay?

[goodlistener]

[god can't answer all our questions, unfortunately, jeanne would say...]

Well, yes.

[she looks a little confused why it would be anything more, but also—embarrassed?]

[secrowtary]

[ Jeanne's reaction reminds him of his own, the Palai can be pretty blunt when they want to. ]

I wouldn't take it too seriously...they just think that being alone is like a curse of sorts. [ He shakes his head. ] I don't understand why is that, though. This is ridiculous, but at least they have breadsticks.

[ What a consolation prize... ]

[goodlistener]

[too blunt, in her opinion.

surprisingly, though, after she listens to hibiki, the flustered color begins to fade out of her face and she sits up straighter. her eyes flit away from him to land on the table.]

But I do believe... being alone is like a curse.

[imsorey]

I'm pretty sure that part is just a suggestion!

[he hopes so, and firmly chooses to believe that's the case. it would be really, really rude to force people together otherwise.]

I've just been thinking of it as a good way to get to know people. Making friends isn't so bad.

[goodlistener]

[even a suggestion is out of line... but, yeah, don't worry, sorey, she just gets easily startled by this type of stuff.]

It's not that I disagree, but...