[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

[akumas]

I refuse to participate in this courting charade!

[Eva's famous last words before he gets bound to a chair and at the table he goes. At least they are provided a meal, but his cheeks are red and he doesn't want to be here so he's just... going to stare at whoever is from of him.]

I will grant you one of your deepest desires if you know a unbinding spell to release me from this trap.

[Let him live.]

[talim]

[ jude rakes a hand through his hair, looking rather exasperated. this whole speed dating thing is really starting to take its toll. ]

Even if I did know a spell to get us out of here, I'm a little skeptical about trusting someone to grant a deepest desire. Just how do you plan on going about that?

[akumas]

Where there's a will, there's a way. If a way is deemed impossible due to current situations, granting any little favors would currently have to do.

[Don't test him, Jude. He got the breadsticks.]

If you do have questions for this king of hell, then speak.

[talim]

[ well, this should be entertaining. jude nods, his expression serious. ]

Alright, well. I'll go ahead and take you up on that.

Question one: What makes you the king of hell? I'm curious as to how that particular ritual works.

[akumas]

I was born into demonic royalty in my previous life. Do note that I never said I was the true ruler of Hell. There is never a true ruler of Hell despite some demons might say otherwise or beliefs from various religions speaks of one true ruler. There are several kings who have their own clans of demons and rule different aspects of the scorching abyss.

[You bet he thought about all of this type of things so he is ready for questions like the one Jude asked.]

Rituals could be performed to decide who leads and who follows, but usually whoever holds the most strength in body and mind is the one who rules.

[talim]

... Wow. I never knew so much went into the, uh, process of performing the ritual to crown a king. Of Hell. A king of Hell.

Demonic royalty. Huh.

[ jude looks truly stumped by all of this. he's not quite sure he believes a word of it, but it sure is elaborate. ]

How much of your previous life do you remember?

[akumas]

... Darkness.

[There's a hint of sadness in that response. Some silence before he speaks again.]

I am not one fond of talking about my past to unworthy strangers.

[talim]

Okay, I'll take the stranger part, but what exactly makes me unworthy? Is there some sort of test I need to pass?

[ this is a serious question. ]

[akumas]

There is no test. I don't know anything about who you are or what your past is so why should I waste my time to tell you my past?

[It's a different situation compared when he told his past to Seiya, who is a young man who has a shining heart. A light among darkness, a young man who tries to have a friend in everyone. Eva opened up to the boy easily the more Seiya pushed to get to know him and learn from him.

Eva could feel good intentions coming from Jude, but he does not feel the same radiance like Seiya had...]

I can tell that you have a good heart even if you are just a stranger to me. I can see that light of your heart through your eyes. Even when I feel no ill intention coming from you, I wish not to share what little past I had with you at the time.

[deem]

They roped you into this thing too, huh?

[Well, on the bright side, he can place a face to a name now.

Unfortunately as much as he'd like to oblige-]

If this was based on technology, I could get us out of here easily, but magic's not my forte. I don't even know what power I'm supposed to have.

[akumas]

Some magic takes time to discover and learn, 9S. It's a fickle thing.

[So this is 9S... Good thing he has a face for him now.]

Pardon if you have been asked this several times, but are you able to see through your blindfold? Is it part of your build as an android?

[deem]

I'll have to take your word for it.

[He was neither made to combat nor use magic, and so linger his doubts as to whether he's got any added functionality now.

It's just fine though. He might not know how to wield something he was never intended to use]

As for my goggles, they actually improve my vision.

[akumas]

Do not worry if it takes a long time. Who knows if it could surface and assist you at a proper time.

[Enough of that.]

They're goggles? Interesting. Do you ever take them off or it's more convenient to keep them on at all times?

[deem]

[9S lets the matter of his potential abilities rest. He'll see in time if Eva proves correct, but he needn't expend more time on it for now.

After all, he's ill-equipped to speculate on such matters]

I remove them occasionally, but not often. YoRHa units usually sleep with them on, even.

[akumas]

I see. You must get tired of questions talking about your goggles. [A nod. Learning a little bit about androids is always better than trying to court someone into a relationship.]

The YoRHa seems to be a very advanced and efficient group back in your realm.

[deem]

I don't mind it.

[Because those questions are usually coming from humans, and how could he have a problem with being the object of that attention? The answer's simple: he doesn't]

We're a specialized force, and fairly expensive to produce, so there aren't many of us compared with other units.

[akumas]

I see.

[He has more questions about the YoHRa and all, but it's a bit rude to ask all the questions in one sitting.]

Do you have any questions of your own you would like to ask?

[doublesharp]

Ehhh?! An unbinding spell?! I don't know anything like that!

[Otherwise, he'd have been out of this chair a while ago. This whole "randomly flying around the room" thing? Fun in theory, but much less so in practice.]

But if you can grant someone's deepest desire, couldn't you get out of the chair yourself? [Because that certainly sounds like a pretty intense desire. Kind of.]

[akumas]

If I knew how to release myself, I would have left this establishment already. Escaping a chair enchanted by the Palai is not among my current abilities. Their magic is foreign compared to what I know.

[He taps his painted fingernails onto the table with a sigh.]

If you do not know spells, then what do you know? Your talents.

[doublesharp]

Yeah, you're right.... I guess we're out of luck, huh?

[Why's this guy so chuuni fancy? He talks all fancy and looks all fancy.... It would probably be intimidating if he had a scarier face, but Riku's really just curious more than anything else.]

Talents? I'm pretty confident in my singing voice!

[akumas]

Unfortunately.

[His expression grows a bit softer at Riku's answer at least. Singing could have several meanings, but there is a certain aura about Riku that they could be a bit similar to each other.]

Singing... Pardon if I am wrong, but I feel something radiating from your heart. Either one in training or one officially bloomed, are you an idol?

[doublesharp]

[The change in Eva's demeanor is initially a little startling, but as he speaks, Riku's expression shifts to shock before he breaks out into a broad grin.]

How could you tell?! That's amazing! Yeah, I'm an idol!

[His smile alone is blinding.]

You have to tell me your secret! Can you read minds?!

[akumas]

I am not one of telepathy, but I can see the auras of people. You have a shining one of soft light... [What a radiant smile. It both amuses him and has him in awe.]

I felt something similar between us and you have confirmed it. I am an idol as well.

[doublesharp]

Whoa, auras! It's like something out of a movie!

[Then again, pretty much everything here feels that way.... It's taking him a while to get used to this whole magic thing, but it's positively fascinating.

But soft light and all that aside, he's going to light up almost impossibly further as Eva continues.]

What?! That's-- it's like destiny! We must've met for a reason! Or something like that! [Not that he's super into that kind of stuff, but he's excited, okay! Let him gush.] I really want to hear you sing now! Hey, do you want to perform together sometime?! It'll be fun!

and there goes eva...

[akumas]

[Riku may be blinding his chunni side of heart, but his old man side of heart has him feel humble to the younger man.]

Goodness, I am not even properly dressed for a performance. Since you are such an eager child, I will make an exception to sing a dark melody to you. [That woe feeling when his makeup, contacts, and elaborate wardrobe is all at home with him.

There is no music either, but it's not the first time he sings right on the spot. No dancing due to the restrictions of the chair so he must focus on his movements of the upper body. Hand gestures and expression.

He clears his throat before letting out a mighty laugh.]

I am Bloody Master! Leader of the mystical idols know as RE:BERSERK! Offer me the sight of your scarlet eyes and your shining heart as I sing one of our dark melodies for you!

[He doesn't care if he speaks loud enough for others to hear or have their heads turned. At least the music plays clear as day in his memory. Even while singing, he does hand motions to replace his dances that are still a graceful sight.]

A white flower blossoms as a crimson rose- ♪

[His unit may consist of mostly dark songs, but there is still the magical charm about them. Fear if you are an enemy. Adore if you are a friend or a fan. Songs that draws people to see both the dark and light side of magic. This is part of Eva's roots. His world.

Once he finishes his song, he lets his raised hands fall slowly back to the table and he opens his eyes towards Riku once again with a smile.]

Your wish has been granted.