[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

[sealeted]

[Mysterious!]

Well, I won't say that I'm unhappy being single, but, I've never really had the chance to... connect with somebody like that. I've had a few people express their interest in me in the past, but circumstances made it impossible for me to accept their feelings or reciprocate them. Now that I'm finally free, it...

[She falters, and rubs her cheek as a faint flush spreads.]

It would be nice to fall in love, I think. Or even just have a crush. There's a lot I've never experienced.

[yancat]

[At that moment, Jumin realizes how young Hakuno is. She grew up too fast, and now that she has the time to do more than survive, she doesn't know what to do. Rather, she's taking her first steps into what the rest of her life has to offer.

He raps his fingers against the table. Should it be the same for him?]

I don't have any experience in that area myself.

[that's a fucking lie but hakuno doesn't need to know that]

Perhaps you'll find the right person here.

[Immediately shutting himself out, as usual.]

[sealeted]

[Hakuno fiddles with one of her long, fluffy forelocks, glancing at the table. Her voice is soft and thoughtful.]

Even if I don't find a lover... back in that place, I didn't get to touch many people. For a long time, having people close was like a precursor to an attack, or something scary. I didn't have the luxury to be held, or consoled, or be patted gently. I had... friends of a sort, companions, but I had to deal with outliving them, one way or another.

...I really, really do like it here. If not a lover, I'm certain I'll find people to love. And maybe we'll have to part one day, but I know how to treasure memories and feelings already. ...I'm looking forward to it.

[yancat]

[For someone so disinterested with the entire concept of dating, Jumin stares at Hakuno a little too intently. She knows the risks of letting someone in. So why does she want it? Her courage is irrational. It's beyond the sort of foolishness he can tolerate. Yet she dreams. Jumin doesn't dream a lot. Dreams are too much to handle. He's not weak, only sensible.

Anyway, it's none of his business.

But Hakuno's honesty wears him down, and in a moment of weakness — or perhaps strength — he says: ]

Hakuno.

Turn into a squirrel.

[sealeted]

[It's because being alone—utterly alone, isolated and little more than a microscopic mote drifting across the Eye of God—is a terrible, terrible thing, and any sort of bond is kinder than that—even one that chokes, just before snapping loose.]

Uh... right now? Um, let me see...

[She braces her hands on the table, but her bottom is still stuck snugly on the chair. She focuses, and shifts and—now there's a squirrel on the table. She takes a few experimental steps, and finds that she has to keep at least one limb on the table at all times, but can still move.]

Why am I squirrel right now?

[yancat]

[Because Jumin’s being weird again.

There’s a reason for this. He picks her up like he would a cat, gentle and careful. Jumin must remain in his seat for the rest of the event, so it makes sense that she can travel freely — at least, as freely as she can. He brings her to his shoulder and runs a finger down her fur. From her head to her back, he attempts to hold her in the only way he knows how.

His whispers are like smoke.]

I can’t comfort a woman in a place like this without any implications now, can I?

[sealeted]

[Hey, on Hakuno's scale of weird, this isn't all that bad.

She's never... she's never really been embraced like this—like a pet, obviously, but almost like a child as well, cradled close and pampered. She can't help but go happily, comfortably slack.]

...thanks, Jumin.

[yancat]

[He doesn't know why he's doing this. Making emotional connections is the last thing on his mind. But for some reason he can't remember, giving this to Hakuno is important.]

You're welcome.

...

Now change back into a girl before the next person takes you home for the wrong reason.

[sealeted]

I see how it is. My fluffy charms are pushing you to the limit, huh?

[What a good guy. Still, Hakuno can't resist teasing him a little bit, impishly patting his chest with her little paw before scurrying back to her seat. When she shifts back, idly finger-combing her hair back into some semblance of order, her expression is thoughtful.]

I wonder if I'll actually have to deal with someone wanting me as a pet. Not in this world, maybe, but one of the ones in the future.

[yancat]

[Jumin clears his throat. That is inappropriate. Stop.]

If I had all my money I'd do my best to make sure that doesn't happen. [He idly takes a bite of prawn. Mild.] Though it might not happen if you had an owner to begin with.

Would you mind being a pet?

[sealeted]

...

[...]

...um, my Servant told me that "one of us has to have at least a little dignity" recently.

[She sighs.]

Plus, I'm really interested in traveling and seeing new things, trying out new experiences. Wouldn't being a... pet... get in the way of that?

[yancat]

Not really. Some owners like to travel. Some owners could have anything they wanted.

[Like him. You know, just saying.]

But I see you've found a Servant. Though he doesn't sound like the one you described...

[sealeted]

[Wow, it's almost like he's implying something there.]

Yes, Robin was somebody I faced in the past, multiple times. Very different from Gilgamesh. It's good to see him living well here.

[yancat]

Ah. I see you've met Mr. Hood.

[STEALING FROM THE RICH AGAIN, HE SEES.

But no, he's not sure if he should be surprised. Hakuno does seem like she'd get along with anybody.]

I did see the inconsistencies of their character. Perhaps one could benefit from the other... if they don't end up at each other's throats.

[But speaking of violence —]

Is he protecting you?

[sealeted]

[What exactly is he stealing in this situation, Jumin...]

Yes, he's been looking after me, from time to time. Though...well, I don't think Robin and Gilgamesh could ever be friends, for many reasons.

[Countless reasons. Before she can think too deeply on that, though, her chair gives a warning wobble.

Their time is almost up.]

[yancat]

I don't think he and I could, either.

[His chair whisks him away before Hakuno can get a word in. Although her smile is bright, he leaves with a frown less than satisfied. Of all the heroes in the world, why Robin? It's almost as if the entire universe is up against him.]