week one | arrival

[marriagebroker]

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

Comments

[enscene]

a. for arrival;

[Furina's trunk is rather surprisingly plain, but it is large, and it also appears ready to burst open at the seams.

... And she is having to exert considerable effort to pull it all the way into the manor.] ... Maybe I overindulged while packing? But the instructions were so nonspecific. I had no choice but to make my own interpretation of what I might need. [The list apparently included just about everything she owns. She pauses mid-journey to lean across the top of the suitcase. Slump, actually.]

Oh, Surintendante Chevalmarin... I should have listened to your advice. Yes, I'll say my à bientôts shortly...just give me a moment. [Who...is she talking to?]

b. for bedroom and also boy i can really only do this alphabet thing once so i might as well take advantage of it;

... On the floor?

[She managed to get her trunk to the bedroom! Hooray for Furina! But now she's realized that there is in fact only one bedroom and that the futons are intended to be rolled out and set up ... a task that seems a little daunting. She fusses a little with the strap on her trunk.]

Well, this must be the sleeping custom of this land. What if you're used to sleeping by yourself, though? [This sounds so stuck-up bitchless loser of her to say, but she's thinking about comfort and privacy, really!]

c. for cake;

This looks sublime! Almost too pretty to eat, hehe... But even with the fanciest of confections, the taste is equally important as the presentation. Don't mind if I do!

[She'll be taking a slice of that fancy cake and digging off a dainty, perfectly portioned dessert forkful. There's an extended silence for her to savor and evaluate it, then Furina sets her fork down to clap her gloved hands together thrice.]

Delightful! My eyes didn't deceive my stomach after all. [She's thinking about hoarding a second piece for later, but instead... the nearest person is immediately waved over with an enthusiastic hand.] Come try! It'll be better shared.

arrival!

[reverso]

[Verso's own trunk is ample-sized, but surprisingly sparsely packed. It means that he has much less trouble lugging it to the manor itself, and his faster pace has him coming up on someone who is having... a few issues with the overstuffed size of her luggage, clearly.

He stops as she leans against it.]

No need for au revoir just yet. [Who is she talking to, indeed? He doesn't know.] Need a hand?

[enscene]

Not the two of us, obviously! [She gives him a little wave of her wrist, though Furina doesn't fully pry herself off of her trunk.] We have a veritable festival ahead of us these next few weeks, so we're only getting started. [Haha... SHe said a festival, but it's kind of a marathon.]

But I can't part ways with my friends without a single farewell between us.

[At that, the previously invoked Superintendante herself, a teddy bear-sized seahorse that seems to be entirely made out of water, appears on the other side of the suitcase. Her round little head emerges enough to blow a tiny bubble.] Technically, they're only a call away, but they've been making a fuss about my "independence" on this set.

cake!!

[crimsin]

Oh, for me? After such a sparkling review, how can I say no!

[ He heads on over to get himself a slice... a small one, though. ]

I cannot appreciate it as much as the others will be able to, so I shall save the lion's share for them.

french people in my inbox...

[enscene]

[Oh... He had looked a little intimidating on the profiles, and she still feels a cold bead of sweat desiring to roll down her spine, but Furina is surprised to find that this man is not simply polite and well-mannered, but seemingly very outgoing. Still...]

Uh... Of course. Help yourself!

[A tiny step takes her away from the table enough that Nico can get a slice to his liking.]

You don't care for sweets?

b!

[beatmatching]

Then you'll have to learn how to adjust. It's like one giant sleepover, isn't it?

[ quite literally yes, but he says this with a nod to nostalgia of the parties of childhood. ]

[enscene]

Right, exactly! It's just like that.

[She's taking his word for it and definitely pretending to know what a sleepover is like.]

Adjusting won't be a problem, as long as we all get enough sleep. And as long as there's plenty of coffee to go around...

b

[embellwish]

[ The teasing evident in every part of her speech: ]

What's wrong? Feeling shy?

[ Too embarrassed to snuggle up to someone, maybe? She's going to lean closer in for effect, pressing her shoulder with Furina's. This close to Yingying, the smell of flowers is so potent it's almost tangible. ]

holy shit those yy icons turned out SO good

[enscene]

[Oh...she smells nice. Luckily, Furina does not cram her foot into her mouth immediately by remarking on it, but her face gets a little hot all the same.]

I'm not shy! I'm just...thinking about how things are going to work out in the mornings. We'll be competing for all the facilities.

b

[phenomerom]

[ He's just reaching the bedroom himself -- don't mind the suspicious clanking and clattering noises when he lowers his boston bag to the floor. ]

Oh my. Certainly, this might be a little difficult for those accustomed to privacy. [ Pause. ] Maybe we can sleep in shifts, if you're being very cautious?

[enscene]

[She definitely will mind the suspicious clanging. The noise draws Furina's attention to the bag on the floor. Thinking about all the random things she threw into her trunk, she wonders what vacationing accessories he thought were important to bring.]

I doubt there's anything dangerous afoot here that would make that necessary...they've been acting out in the open all this time, after all.

[She glances at him quickly.] Why? What are you worried about?

cake (let them eat it etc)

[gamboler]

[ He doesn't need to be told twice. He definitely has cultivated something of a sweet tooth in recent years, and this is an occasion worth celebrating, isn't it?

Of course. ]

Sure, I'll join in. How's the flavor? Did our hosts go all out for their esteemed guests?

[ He asks just to make conversation, even though he's already cutting himself a slice. ]

[enscene]

[Furina places her hand over her heart.]

It's so light! The fondant is not too thick; it comprises a mostly whipped frosting with light fruit flavor... very sophisticated! Out esteemed host must have found quite the accomplished patisserie.

[She actually holds Wei Wuxian in pretty high regard...for now.]

c

[nrangel]

[ Sweets of all sorts are pretty famous where she's from, her own species having an infamous collected sweet tooth aside from a handful of unusual outliers. She herself has an intensive dental cleaning routine to keep her sugary habits from getting the best of her, but she's definitely not about to turn down an offer like that.

There's a small skip in her step as she makes her way over. ]

Don't mind if I do! They sure know how to give us a proper warm welcome here.

[enscene]

Really? It seems a little low-key and without fanfare; they don't even have us on a tight events schedule, so we're able to mill about as we like. They're counting on us to provide the interesting material.

[It's one of those things that sounds condescending when it comes out of her mouth due to word choice and the slight modulation of her voice, but from her body language and the helpful way she scoots the cake plate over toward Serpilia, she's actually pretty pleased with that.]

I expected there'd be more crew on set, too, but they must have set up Kameras all over the place.

b

[anathemaw]

Then accustom thyself in turn, or else find thy rest elsewhere.

[ he comments in his usual monotone drawl as he steps around Furina, his helmet tucked under the arm wielding his spear. The majority of his life has been spent with soldiers, in war; the idea of having to share a sleeping space doesn't particularly perturb him, though the thought that the others are lightless heretics bereft of Marika's grace does somewhat - the very last people he should be spending any time near if he isn't running them through. Still, he goes ahead and opens the closet door. Yup: there are a bunch of futons, including one giant one obviously intended for him. It somehow feels mildly patronizing.

While he's busy reaching in to pull out his supersized futon, the serpent curled around his leg turns back to keep an eye on Furina, tongue flicking curiously. ]

[enscene]

[Compared to her, Messmer is even more of a towering tree than he might be around some others. So when he sidesteps her and passes over like a shadow, Furina very reasonably and very understandably squeaks. It's like getting flanked unexpectedly by a massive Gardemek...with snakes.

She only just parted with the members of the Salon Solitaire, but the glassy blue gem fashioned to her hip glows a little, subconsciously, in defensive surprise.]

I can adapt to the situation as it's called for! I'm just used to my bed being a little higher off the ground.

[And in its own space... Her eye contact is utterly locked with the snake as it snoops toward her.] Is this your... companion?

c

[scooptimistic]

It does feel more official now that there's a cake, doesn't it? Sort of like a celebratory fanfare of a dessert to kick things off!

[ Maya won't say no to cake, though she most certainly is not going to be very dainty and perfect about serving herself. Ulala would be crying. ]

[enscene]

[Does that mean that Maya is just going completely ham on this cake? Hopefully she's really digging in and having a good time with it.]

Everything else feels like tech week leading up to this, our premiere... Suffice it to say, the curtain lifted as soon as our host took his leave.

[It might not feel like it without direction, input, or cue calls... but they're in the limelight at all times here.]

c

[irreversal]

[ She's listening to all this, but.... Shoko is not exactly a sweets kinda gal, so it's unfortunately all lost on her.

And so, at her offer... she waves a hand dismissively. ]

Eh... No, thanks. I don't like sweets. You sure made it look tasty, though.

[enscene]

Not even in the slightest?

[Despite her investment in fine confections, she won't judge Shoko for her differing tastes.

Maybe a little bit. But judgment is not really Furina's due in any way whatsoever, and she's more curious about an experience she can't imagine than anything else.

She looks at the dessert table.] But then what will you have? You can't celebrate the premiere empty-handed. We have lots of hard work ahead of us.

b

[poans]

[Yi Sang is here in his soft slippers with one (1) extra change of clothes, which he sets down atop a futon he's pulled out without fuss. Furina poses a valid question, and so he answers from close by:]

I've not heard of a rule that prohibits guests from seeking an alternative sleeping arrangement. You could very well move to another room.

[enscene]

[Compared to her overstuffed and only partially necessary luggage, Yi Sang looks positively ascetic. Did he pack anything else, or is this just his overnight necessities?]

Taking advantage of a loophole in a rule is murky territory, but it's also territory that grants advantage not simply to the privileged. [Still... She can't quite bring herself to break the law in spirit if not in letter, not just yet. The Opera Epiclese has stood for far too long in the Nation of Justice.]

You're not going to have any trouble drifting off to slumber tonight, are you?

c.

[ordimame]

Huh?

[Furina catches Edamura mid-stare. what was he staring at? her clothing choices, probably. fancy. . . is this the famous lolita fashion style of Harajuku??]

Oh-- thank you.

[but he does give her a smile when he approaches]

It'd be nice if we could wash it down with a good cup of coffee, too.

c

[researcherstory]

[ The cake is pretty, Odile can give them that, but-- ]

No thank you. I'm not particular fond of sweets, so it would be a waste of a slice. You do seem to be a lady it suits, however.

[ Fancy. ]