[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

[probablynoteren]

[Lenka spends most of his initial time in the chair staring suspiciously at the shrimp and breadsticks; considering the last time he ate at a Palai dinner party, he's understandably a little wary of eating anything else even if the Palai have the best of intentions. In fact, he almost misses their intentions and his current magical bind altogether in his staring match with the baked not-so-goods.

It isn't until he picks one up and looks up, ready to find a Palai to ask about the state of the magical(?) food, that he realizes that the situation has gotten a bit chairy.

He'll throw both the nearby Palai and the person across from him a completely confused look -- presumably they're getting the cliff's notes version of instructions at this point, but...]

... I don't understand their culture. [someone apparently doesn't know speed dating is a universal thing] Is this the price for the food?

[Palai and their favor bartering.....]

[splinten]

I'm pretty sure it's the price for existing.

[Cheery, Dirk.]

[probablynoteren]

[Dirk?? It takes him a moment or two to parse that one in the midst of their situation here.

But no, that's the Palai all over.]

But... why now? We should be focusing on preparing the city. And sending reconnaissance to the Uvi. It's not over.

[Cheery 2x combo!

Someone takes his not-actually-job too seriously here.]

[splinten]

It's their mating season. Setting aside biological imperatives, they clearly have a strong sense of culture organized around social relations and the reproduction of the species.

[Apparently this is just what they're going to talk about now.]

[probablynoteren]

I know how... mating works, but. [his stumble over the words is the only indication of how awkward literally everything is at this point; at least they're going at it from a scientific standpoint, though aside from that it doesn't actually help] We're not part of their species.

[It's less an argument and more of a resigned statement, like he's tried this approximately 800 times since arriving in Aimintas and accepted defeat by amphibian hormones.]

... Is this going to keep getting worse if we keep helping them?

[That's horrifying. It's horrifying, especially because it's not like he's going to stop helping but this kind of thing isn't something he wants to deal with for multiple reasons...?! RIP.]

[splinten]

Congratulations. I also know how it works.

[Deadpan it and ignore that they're speed dating.]

We're becoming part of their social framework, which is apparently enough.

We're fucked if it gets worse than this.

[probablynoteren]

[Dirk gets a put-out look for the deadpan, because not everyone can take sudden alien dating party games(?) in stride, why is he! So calm about this!! Not that the extent of Lenka's internal conflict is showing on his face, he just looks like the breadsticks (and Dirk) offended him at this point.

Also, he shouldn't ask. He really shouldn't, but tempting fate is what he does on a daily basis.]

How would it get worse?

[secrowtary]

Neither do I. I'm glad that this isn't a thing in my world.

[ Or maybe it is, but he's devoted to work and has no private life. ]

If it's the price for the food...it's not worth it. [ HARSH ] It's just too embarrassing...especially with that potential mate talk. Besides, there are more important things that we should be doing instead of...this.

[probablynoteren]

[Workaholics Anonymous table, right here.]

I've never heard of it. [but he doesn't know for sure if there isn't something similar back home; he does think certain parties in his home world would enjoy it a little too much, though] But I didn't eat anything, and I still can't leave. It's not...

[He makes a quiet noise of frustration.]

I don't know how long the, uh, mating season lasts. But it could get worse.

[Fair warning. Thanks, Dirk??]

[secrowtary]

[ CERTAIN PARTIES...Hibiki feels you, Lenka. His boss would enjoy this way too much, but he's not here to embarrass him even further. ]

The breadsticks are alright, but I'd say that prawns are way better.

[ At least one of them took advantage of the situation? Mostly to avoid answering awkward questions. ]

It can't last for too long...right? Their mating season, I mean.

[ Please tell him that this nightmare is going to be over soon. ]

I don't want speed dating to be a thing. I certainly don't want that.

[probablynoteren]

[His BFF being here would at least break the ice, even if they'd both then have to avoid being seen in public ever again. Or at least for a good while. He'd still take it over this.]

Last time I ate something here... I shouldn't have eaten it. [it was vibrating, hunger was no excuse!] It did things to my magic.

[These seem like perfectly ordinary breadsticks. But he's still wary of them for so many reasons. Lenka's still trying to flag down a Palai to make sure they're not inadvertently magically poisoning them again, but apparently they're all too busy explaining the game. Great.]

... I think this is speed dating. The dating gets worse.

[Soon it might not be dating anymore. Can they just escape and work on things from like. The next city??]

[secrowtary]

Oh, the pastries. [ They're unforgettable, especially to a sweet tooth like him. ] Was it that bad?

[ From his own experience, it could be. Hibiki basically became a paper magnet. It's not nice walking around with a sheet of paper stuck to your face, and now he's painfully aware of that. ]

T-They're not going to make us...make us...I refuse!

[ He's blushing so much now, whoa. Not that he has anything to say in this matter anyway. The Palai can be unusually persistent, after all. ]

This is insane! We need to proceed to next world immediately.

[ +100 points to motivation ]

[teratias]

Definitely not.

[Waver's at least figure dout the long and short of it, although he's pretty much with Lenka on the don't trust the food matter. If nothing else, Waver's more likely to throw it up anyway given that this entire experience is new and terrifying to him on about twenty different levels.]

I think it's because they're in mating season.

[probablynoteren]

But... even if they are, we're not.

[Lenka somehow manages to get that out with a straight face, because he's too confused and distracted by all of the various misfortunes raining down on them at once; it takes him about five seconds to realize what he actually said and then he flushes because what did this game just make him say.

And they're just frozen like that for a moment. It's the worst moment. Not even a Palai dropping by with more breadsticks can save it.

They really didn't need more breadsticks.]

N-Never mind.

[In a desperate bid to change the subject, he tries to communicate to their server that they don't need more baked goods. This is taken as a signal to give them more shrimp. Help.]

[teratias]

[Nope. Only food now. Waver's somehow even redder, and the breadsticks can at least hide his temporary shame. A mouth full of food saves the day.

Well, until there's no more breadstick in one's mouth. Waver just shakes his head, wanting to somehow find a way to be free of this magic.]

They're....just way too enthusiastic.

[probablynoteren]

[On the bright side, Lenka at least manages to get a vague reassurance from the Palai that nothing magical has been done to their dishes this time around -- while Waver is communing with the breadsticks, he hesitantly starts in on the shrimp. It won't do to waste food, either way.]

... I guess the food is okay. [in terms of taste, too; he nods at the shrimp, it's got his vote] They put a lot of stock into this sort of thing. I don't know how long we'll be trapped, though.

[Waver gets a questioning look; maybe he has some way out of this mess? Preferably before Lenka puts his foot in his mouth again or they get passed around the entire coven.]

[teratias]

[Waver still doesn't trust that. The breadsticks and shrimp can be for anyone else. Literally anyone else, he's good for now and for a very long time.]

At this rate, probably until we've talked to everyone and they're out of potential rotations. So...multiple hours, probably.

[That is the worst answer ever to give, but at least it is a very, very honest one.]

[pussywhips]

[ God, how did she get roped into this? She's just a high schooler with a Phantom Thief gig on the side—she's not quite desperate enough to to go speed dating yet. Like, she could totally get a boyfriend on her own! If... you know, she tried. She's just very busy with that side gig!

It's somehow even worse that she's never met the guy sitting across from her in her life. He's a total stranger! Who doesn't even appear to know what this is all about. This is so embarrassing... ]

No. Well... I think they're going to make us do this either way... [ She slumps forward, resting her chin in her hand, her elbow propped on the table. ]

[probablynoteren]

[Everything is strange to him here, though he at least has the comfort of recognizing some of the faces in the crowd; Ann's isn't one of them, though, so this is exponentially more awkward. Lenka takes a deep breath and moment to remind himself that regardless of what kind of speed dating game is being forced on them, he can't and won't play, but...

He glances at his companion across the table, who seems to have accepted her fate. It would probably be worse to just sit here in silence the whole time, so he... pushes some breadsticks across the table.]

Then I guess we should prepare ourselves. [at this point in the proceedings, he's at least accepted that the food may be their only savior] Did you just get here?

[pussywhips]

[ However loath she is to do this, her feelings have never affected her appetite before and they certainly don't now. So she reaches for a breadstick, then tears off a chunk and stuffs it unceremoniously into her mouth. ]

Hm? You mean in the coven? Or to this d— [ Date. She grimaces and rips off another chuck of bread, this time a little more forcefully. ]

I mean, I joined the coven a while ago, back on the island. How about you?

[probablynoteren]

[Breaking the ice by breaking the bread: a timeless technique. Lenka snags a breadstick of his own -- he'll alternate it with bites of shrimp since that's all they have right now. It's not a bad spread if they really wanted to spend the whole time just eating, but the girl seems to want to talk now. That's fine too.

He does fumble his breadstick a little when she tries to start talking about dates, but she recovers pretty well. He'll go with it.]

Yeah, the coven. A month ago, too. I guess... we just never met in the crowd. [she's flashy, with nice hair; he'd remember her] Utsugi Lenka.

[A nod completes the greeting. If nothing else, making this a routine meeting should help.]

[pussywhips]

Ann Takamaki. Nice to meet you.

[ She flashes him a friendly smile—as friendly as it can be while her mouth is still mostly full, anyway. Yeah, she supposes they could've passed each other by in the coven without really realizing it—though, how could she ever forget those eyebrows? Ah well.

She stuffs another chunk of breadstick in her mouth. ]

Um, what are we preparing ourselves for, exactly? You don't think they'll make us... play along or anything, do you?

[ You know, doing... date things? Having been a social pariah for most of her adolescence, she's never actually been on a real date. ]

[shadowsthedawn]

[Riku senses something is off the moment he sits down, but by then it's too late, leaving him to attempt (and fail) to shift around in his seat. Whatever kind of magic this is, it's effective. They're stuck. He doesn't offer the breadsticks, shrimp, or his table partner any of his attention before he's calling out to the nearest Palai.]

Why are we stuck like this? [The speed dating explanation doesn't lower his aggravation at all. This is stupid. All he wanted was a quick lunch not...to socialize.]

Hmph. You're telling me. [Finally he looks to his speed dating partner, arms crossed over his chest.]

I think the food was just enticement. They correctly assumed that none of us would want to willingly do something this lame.

[probablynoteren]

I guess we all got baited.

[Lenka's voice is a little wry, where he was waiting patiently for his partner of the hour to finish his indignant and fruitless struggles and slowly munching on a breadstick with shrimp crammed into the middle of it. At some point, he's ended up with a full set of cutlery at the table, and resigned himself to the fate of their only two sources of sustenance.

Speaking of tables, most of the coven seems to be here, so the food bait is clearly working -- it's actually a little embarrassing on top of the speed date variety of embarrassing that all it takes is some shrimp and breadsticks to gather them like this.]

It is lame, but... I think we just have to sit here.

[As far as he can tell, it's not like they're magically compelled to do anything else but be stuck to a chair. Lenka passes some cutlery and food across the table like he's done this at least a handful of times already... what is his life coming to.]

[shadowsthedawn]

[He notices as well exactly how many of the coven members have been lured in and...yeah, it's a bit pathetic. What if this had been an actual trap that meant them harm? Not that he believes the Palai mean then any harm. But...that's how people get lured in isn't it?

Finally, he stops shifting around, reluctantly giving into his fate. As Lenka passes over the silverware and food his stomach decides to pick that moment to growl. Loudly. He quickly snatches a bread stick up and bites off a piece.]

Any idea how long we'll have to sit here before one of us is dragged to another table?