perfectmatch | week one

The characters will arrive one by one, in whatever vehicle suits them the best to the front of estate. It's a beautiful estate filled with plants and trees and little ponds and all kinds of little hideaways. But it all cumulates at the main house, where they will be dropped off and greeted by a familiar face who stands outside the house and welcomes them in. They will be able to bring one suitcase with items and clothes as well as their pet(s?).

The main thing to notice when you step into the house though is that cameras are everywhere. Despite the many little hideaways of this house, there's no privacy whatsoever. Oh well!

When everyone is gathered together, the host from earlier will greet everyone with a merry:

"Welcome, my affection seeking friends! This is where you'll be staying the next few weeks. Find a place to settle in and get to know each other! I'll be around, in case you need anything."

He genuinely seems to mean it, at least?! But that seems to be it, he'll slip away in the meantime and leave you all to it.

A few things to note, of course:

There is only one "bedroom" which is a large room, with a closet full of futons to roll out and use in said room. Sleepover time!

There is an extra, extra, extra, extra large futon for Messmer.

In one of the rooms of the estate, there is a lovely piano ready for use. Feel free to ask for more instruments, if you'd like.

The kitchen is filled with food of all kinds and modern appliances so folks can cook whatever they'd like! There is also a bar in the kitchen, stocked with alcohol.

In the living room, there is a screen showing everyone's profiles. It is touch screen, so feel free to swipe through!

There is, of course, a banner in the living room reading 有緣千里來相會 (which, for the keen-eyed, translates to "Fate brings together those that are a thousand miles apart"). This was definitely written by the host.

There is a welcome cake.

Boom Boom Room | Property Damage
Truth Booth Voting | Match Ceremony Voting

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Furina? That's a pretty name for a lovely lady!

[ She finally puts the fork down. Thank god. ]

Then you can call me Maya. Nice to meet you, fellow performer and contestant!

[Oh. She looks a little pleased with the compliment, though...it's probably just to get the ball rolling, right?]

How flattering. Your efforts haven't gone unnoticed, Maya. [She breathes a chuckle.] It's a pleasure. And, uh, your body language is also quite adorable! Do you enjoy the theater, or perhaps cinema?

I do like both, when I get the chance to go!

[ With a bit of a startled laugh, because she's never had her body language described as adorable before. ]

My roommate says I just have a dramatic personality when I really get going [ like she can talk ] so maybe that's it?

You should take that as a compliment from them. People can interpret the projection of a strong personality as dramatics, after all...

[Hadn't she herself wanted to show off a strong and confident side? This personality of hers... There's really no changing it now, but Furina's reputation for being dramatic has stayed.]

I'd love to hear more about your tastes! I enjoy entertaining stories and hearing tales about people, so I'm the same way... Whether it's on page, stage, or screen. Though these days I look forward to hearing those same stories directly from people, too.

I wonder if we can actually have a movie night in this place. It might be fun to do something like a marathon and see what people's tastes are!

[ Some of whom seem like they've never seen a movie in their life. ]

Not that I mind talking about my own, but reactions are a lot more fun to see, in my opinion. I feel like any stories I'd have for you would be...

[ ... ]

... Kind of diverse, now that I think about it.

[Staging a showing somewhere on the property...is that technology even attainable here? Surely if Wei Wuxian was able to get his hands on a piano, a projector wouldn't be that far off. The idea appears like a little distracting sparkle in Furina's mind and lingers there, but she just nods her agreement through it. It would be nice; the logistics will come later.]

Diverse?

[She actually perks up a little bit at that descriptor, even after her hopes had started to fall at Maya's lead-in.]

That's what I'd expect from someone who's traveled all over the world and met countless people with different perspectives. For you to think that could ever be boring... I'm almost a little jealous.

Oh, it's not like I've traveled all over the world. I've stayed in Japan. But I've met my fair share of people with fascinating stories of their own, and gotten to tell their stories, as a journalist. And I've seen bonds that managed to exist across two lines of reality, all because someone cared too much to let himself be alone.

[ A little nostalgic, a little distant. ]

[uh-oh...journalist spotted...Furina makes a mental note to not let Maya talk her into an exclusive. This show will be exposing enough about both of their personal lives...she's not ready to give more. The droplet pupils in her eyes shine a little at Maya's story and the tone of her voice as she tells it.]

Someone whose desire to transcend loneliness also transcended the boundaries of reality?

[It sounds mythologically impossible from a human standpoint, but from the standpoint of a world whose laws dictate the very outcome of its fate and the tenets of its existence, that kind of rebellion sounds all too plausible and all too fascinating.]

It sounds like his story would also make for a smash hit romance, with the right person translating it to script.

[ Don't worry, Furina. She has no writing implements and even Maya wouldn't write something down later that she didn't have some sort of accurate record for, to keep things fair. Tragic for her, freeing for everyone else.

But she smiles, faintly. Not quite the brightness from before, but the sentiment behind it is still sincere. ]

It ended in a bittersweet fashion, you could say. But I think there are a lot of romances that actually end that way, when you think about it. Some of the classics.

[Oh, this must be actual torture for poor Maya.

The expression on her face is familiar. It's close to the one Furina wears when, hearing about the ending, she thinks of The Little Oceanid.]

Yeah... sometimes we're still capable of appreciating the beauty in those things, and in the legacies left behind. [She sits with that for a little bit, pensive still.]

Though perhaps we'll choose a few different genres for our grand marathon.

I think we should. We have to be able to have different opinions on a variety of things!

[ Because that's what being alive is all about! Appreciating the beauty in what was left behind, but also celebrating life and the intricacies in differences. ]

Do you have a favorite genre, Furina?

Honestly, I can't help but be satisfied by a story with a satisfying triumph at the end. An adventure where the peasant boy becomes the city's hero or where justice conquers evil... It never gets old to me. Nobility through - and despite - adversity always carries a satisfying character arc.

[It might be a little surprising for her to sound both so well-read and so analytical about the subject material, but what sort of dramaturge wouldn't want to be familiar with her sources? It's the genuine interest and passion in there that's the real personal giveaway.]

I know what you mean! You end up rooting for them despite everything and if they don't get to triumph at the end, it's just...

I think movies... all performances, actually, have the power to inspire and motivate us. If I want a reflection of reality and how humanity can be unfair, I know where to look.

[ She doesn't seem so surprised by Furina's know-how, honestly. She just gives that vibe. ]

I suppose, as a Fontainian, I'll always have a strong sense of justice regardless.

[You really don't have to look far to see how justice can be poorly distributed, but the people who fight for it are also the ones who keep hope in it alive. Despite everything, she will never not be grateful to Neuvilette for that.]

Hope isn't always enough... It usually isn't. But a really good story allows it to persist, even when it can't be seen.

[ Do the people of Fontaine really love justice--

Huh. Katsuya would be thrilled. ]

Masterfully stated! Then let's make sure to find at least one film with that theme!

Perhaps one day, I'll pen such a script of my own to be put to the screen...though I'll pore over the catalog that already exists before then, of course.

For an impromptu festival, this is certainly off to a good start... what about you, Miss Maya? Your pick for consideration?

[It's likely they can go back and forth about this for some time until they've worked their way through all the different genres they enjoy, well after the cake has finished. Furina's happy for the conversation.]

week one | arrival

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