[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

[mapsio]

[Of all the dating Haru thought she would ever do...speed dating certainly wasn't on her bucket list. To be sat down and not even allowed to opt out.

She definitely was in the wrong place at the wrong time today.

But, no reason to take it out on her "matches".]

So...should I start asking questions...or should you? I'm sorry, I wouldn't normally consider this a date.

[Honestly, this was leaving a bad taste in her mouth.]

[talim]

Don't worry about it. It doesn't have to be a date. How about we just call this a chance to get to know each other on friendly terms?

[ jude's smile is embarrassed and bashful, but kind, sincere. he recognizes haru's voice from when they spoke about the barrier, and what an... unfortunate way to meet in person. regardless, he's determined to just make the most of it. ]

Here, I'll start.

[ a pause as he... thinks it over. what are people supposed to ask on dates? ]

Er, what do you like to do in your spare time?

[mapsio]

That sounds fine. I think I would prefer it that way.

[Especially since she wasn't really about dating. It's a long story that she would prefer not to tell.]

I like to garden in my spare time. Growing my own produce and a variety of different flowers is something I find incredibly pleasing.

May I ask what you like to do in your spare time?

[talim]

That sounds lovely. Are you well versed in flower language? I'm not a gardener, myself, but I know quite a bit.

[ he puts a finger to his lips in thought. ]

Well... I spend most of my free time doing research, buried in textbooks. My friends back home always tease me for being a do-gooder honors student.

[ jude's laugh is fond, as annoyed as he'd get at the time. ]

Never mind that I got my medical degree last year. As of right now, I'm a scientist, lab and everything. So... I guess you could say that my career is my hobby? There's something so stimulating about studying, learning things about the world you'd never even imagine.

[mapsio]

The study of flower language is definitely something I've looked at in my spare time. I believe I am well versed enough not to make a bad impression with flowers at the very least.

[This guy sounds a lot like Makoto, actually, and it's making her smile. HAru was very into her studies as well...but Mako-chan was definitely their do gooder honors student.]

Oh? You got your medical degree? Congratulations. I think if we had more time today I would love to hear about the things you are studying.

[thatdamnknight]

Neither would I, though I think most people would share that sentiment.

[he can't imagine anyone taking this seriously as a date. it places people into a very awkward situation with no means of escape and with only a short span of time to get to know the other: terrible idea for a date.

flynn offers haru a warm, if somewhat awkward smile (he can't not feel awkward in this situation.).]

If you'd like, we can just talk instead of worrying about asking the other questions?

[chatting casually sounds far more fun than attempting to ask the other 'romantic' questions.]

[mapsio]

Just talking sounds a lot better than considering this a...date. I don't really have much of an interesting in dating right now.

[So she relaxes herself, letting her shoulders down.]

We could ask questions that pertain to getting to know each other?

[thatdamnknight]

I'd like that.

[getting to know the other > attempting to speed date any day.]

Since you suggested it, would you like to start?

[mapsio]

Ah, sure.

[She takes a moment to think of a good question to start. Something easy and lighthearted to lift the mood a little.]

Do you own any pets?

[secrowtary]

H-Haru-san?

[ He's genuinely shocked. Who dared to force her to take part in this farce?! He throws a glare at the Palai behind him, looking for a potential suspect. Honestly, it could've been all of them. That's just how they are. ]

Did anyone bother you? If yes, give me names.

[ Does that count as a question. ]

[mapsio]

Hibiki-kun?

[She's only shocked because of the question, actually. Did Hibiki suddenly take upon himself that he needed ot protect her? She could protect herself! But the thought is incredibly appreciated.

So instead of fussing, she will play along.]

The whole thing bothers me, so it really isn't just any one particular person.

[secrowtary]

[ In that case...everyone's on his shit list. That's the only logical conclusion. ]

Unfortunately, we have to go through his trial. [ He makes being magically glued to a chair so dramatic, is this Akira's influence. ] But I'm pretty sure that we'll have it in us to endure it.

[ Before continuing, Hibiki nods a few times. ]

I have seen people eating breadsticks so they don't have to talk, I suppose that's a good strategy. I wonder if pretending to sleep would work, too. Perhaps it would.

[ Speed dating more like strategy meeting. ]

[mapsio]

[Hibiki, no killing anyone. Haru would disapprove. :(]

We are stronger than this ridiculous speed dating trial, yes.

[The consolation prize, breadsticks....]

We could eat and speak freely as friends rather than consider this a date.

[torching]

[ mako is not enthusiastic about this at all but

he's here, and here's haru. he's scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding meeting her eyes, before he settles with crossing his arms. ]

Uh... I don't think it is? [ it's definitely not a date to him!! ] I...guess you can start.

[mapsio]

If we weren't stuck in these chairs, is there any place in the world you want to travel?

[Good ice breaker, Haru. Well... at least she thinks so. She's just as Done with this situation as probably Mako is right now.]

This really doesn't need to be a date.

[torching]

No, it doesn't. So let's just say it isn't.

[ make it easier on the both of them. they can just. talk...like they did before, right. ]

I guess I'd like to travel to someone else's world, see what it's like for a day. I wouldn't wanna stay there for long, though.

You?

[mapsio]

I think I would answer similarly. A few people here have told me about their worlds, and it would be interesting to visit them for a day and then go back home.

Such things are out of our reach though, unfortunately.

[She takes a sip of the tea that was so kindly left for them on the table.]

It's your turn to ask something.

[drizzle]

[Out of all the people she was going to encounter in an impromptu speed dating setup, Nike never once expected to be paired by someone she'd recognize until after hearing her voice.]

Haru...?

[Nike will look both apologetic and relieve to encounter another friend. With the tiniest of smiles, she'll follow Haru's lead.]

...I hope not. I didn't really imagine our future tea party and conversation would turn out like this.

[mapsio]

Nike-chan, I'm so happy to see you.

[She sighs, seemingly able to relax now. Her shoulders are less tense than they were a few moments ago for sure.]

I didn't think so either. How unlucky for us.

[drizzle]

The feeling is mutual! On all accounts.

[Very much so. It was only too bad they had so little time to relax, but Nike was more than thrill at the thought of thinking of the positive of this situation.]

It really is. Unlucky. [Wrapping her arms around herself.] Just for that, they’re disqualified and lost the privilege in being our host planet. [With a sigh.] Looks like we’ll have to wait until our trip is over or whatever way they’ll take us away from here to another world to do it.

[mapsio]

The brighter side is that we get to have tea and all the breadsticks we can muster to eat?

[Haru is truly trying So Hard to not be put off by this. But it's hard. Super hard, it's almost too hard. She hates these kinds of situations. Being forcefully set up with someone.]

We could try asking some of these questions for fun?

[pussywhips]

[ Oh my god, finally. Ann sits across from Haru looking immensely relieved to see her friend. This whole speed dating thing is embarrassing as heck, and she's had some really awkward encounters so far. At least with Haru, she can relax... ]

I'm so glad it's you, Haru. [ She slumps forward, resting her chin on her hand, and picks up a breadstick. ]

This is so embarrassing.

[mapsio]

I'm glad to see you too, Ann-chan.

[Haru might look a little more stressed out than normal. She can imagine Ann doesn't want to be here just as much as she doesn't want to be here.

Everything was awkward and clearly the Palai thought they were doing no wrong here.]

This is incredibly embarrassing and a little inappropriate.

[pussywhips]

[ Haru is probably the sweetest thing since pound cake, so it especially sticks out to Ann when the other girl is a little... upset. She shoots Haru a look of sympathy as she tears her breadstick into pieces and stuffs one in her mouth. ]

Mm, tell me about it. This must be pretty, uh... you've probably gone on enough unwanted dates to last you a lifetime, huh?

[ God, just thinking about Haru's crappy ex-fiance is enough to make Ann grimace and tear into her next breadstick chunk especially hard. She really hated that guy. ]

[mapsio]

I'm sure I have racked up quite a number of them.

[She frowns a little, thinking of her ex-fiancee is really terrible. She didn't hold anything against him anymore but...mm, it brings up a lot of unwanted memories.]

You too, Ann-chan. So why don't we make the best of this and treat this as a ladies date. We can talk until they're satisfied.