week one | match ceremony

[marriagebroker]

Today's Match Ceremony starts the moment the sun goes down. They will be led to a courtyard on the estate, filled to the brim with lanterns of all kinds and plush couches and chairs for them to sit on. The place is lit bright by the lanterns and the vibe is very cozy. There will be a few camera crews lingering around, ready to catch sight of the contestants as they settle in and get comfortable. There is also food and beverages, some alcohol, some non-alcoholic, for everyone to partake in.

In the center of the courtyard is a stage, hanging above it are eight lanterns, none of which are lit up. Wei Wuxian stands in the middle, dressed to impress for tonight's festivities. In one hand, he has his flute, in another, a cup of huangjiu. He lifts it merrily, giving a laugh before knocking back the alcohol and tossing the cup away. (A staff member nearby catches it, thank god.)

"Welcome, everyone! To your first match ceremony! I am your humble host and we're here to see if chemistry can happen, even under duress~!"

A staff member nearby grimaces at that. It might be the same staff member who caught the cup. It's fine, the producers won't punish him. Probably.

But characters will notice that there is a podium next to the stage for them to lock in their answers.

"For those who are new to this, let's talk about how this works. First, I will call up one of the members of Team Suibian and they will go to the podium over here, make a choice of who they think their match is, and together you will press your hands to the podium to lock it in."

He gives a hum, twirling the flute in his hand a few times before grasping it by the end and using it to point at the contestants.

"As a result of your choices, the lanterns above me will light up with however many perfect matches you've chosen. It is your job to figure out which of the choices made tonight are indeed perfect matches. If you aren't able to get any of them right, you will get a black out. Which means, someone will lose their wish. Don't do that!"

He'll let his warning hang for a moment before smiling, tapping his shoulder lazily with the flute and then grinning broadly.

"With that, let's get started."

——

Each character of Team Suibian will be called in random order, under the selections top level. Feel free to react there!

After the matches, the results top level will reveal how many are right!

Otherwise, feel free to use this log for any reactions, catherding, whatever you want for the match ceremony.

Comments

[anathemaw]

Such is my mien.

[ translation: i always look like this ]

There is naught to do but wait.

[enscene]

[That's not true...what about all of those slightly-smiling expressions...?

There is naught to do but wait, so Furina flops down into her seat (a different chair from his) and offers him a cup of water (because that's good manners when approaching someone at a party).]

Didn't the conversation last night perk you up a bit?

[anathemaw]

[ stop im fighting for my life....

he's vaguely annoyed that she stepped right over his "I'm fine" response, but accepts the water regardless, delicately holding the slightly-too-small cup in his bony fingers. ]

I spoke not of mine own discomfort, but all of thine. Had I known my words then would be so misinterpreted, I would have held my tongue.

[enscene]

[Well, she can swallow her own foot sometimes, but as far as Furina's concerned, it's possible to have a dour expression most of the time and to still have spirits that can either be soaring or lowered.]

I think it's sweet that they reached out to you. What do you think about forging the bonds of friendship here, since you asked me when we first met?

[anathemaw]

Thinkest thou that I were opposed to such things?

[ his singular golden eye hovers on her, slightly off-center to her face. ]

Even I hath true companions. [ a beat. ] Yet I believe any such bonds forged here shall fail 'ere long, once mine nature is known. I should spare us all the trouble.

[enscene]

I'm sure you do! Who doesn't? [Though there's a bit of a nervous pitch to that question that raises it even more than her voice normally ticks up. Furina's friendships are largely newly blossoming, so if he has that already in his life, then he's already ahead of her - and she can believe it.]

But what do you mean by "your nature?" If this isn't a good time...

[anathemaw]

[ he doesn't miss this; it elicits something like sympathy from him, even, though it doesn't show on his face. Loneliness is a suffocating thing. He should know. However, her question is too pressing for him to make a comment. Instead, he simply makes note of it in the back of his mind. ]

... As thou sayest. I would not utter it here. Many long weeks draw on before us; I should not sabotage my wish, nor thine.

[ there's important data to be gathered from this first ceremony, after all. ]

Yet concealment is not mine intention. [ if possible, he sounds more tired and monotone than usual. ] If it be thy desire to know, then ask me henceforth.

[enscene]

[Oh, Messmer, let's talk about that later.

But Furina intends to address the actual spoken topic of discussion later instead, which she announces after a single clap of her hands.]

Then...let's table this discussion, and we can talk about it later, when so much isn't riding on one night.