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

[beatmatching]

[ is it?

he closes the book and stands. ]

Are you here for nature, or me?

[scooptimistic]

Both. But if you need to wander off, I'll bond with nature instead.

[beatmatching]

[ he comes over and sits close. ]

You should like me more than nature.

[scooptimistic]

[ ... Why is that such a petulant sentence-- ]

I do think it's sort of hard for anyone to compete against nature, though?

[beatmatching]

[ earnestly: ]

Is it?

[scooptimistic]

I think it is! Nature's ever-shifting and constant at the same time and really fascinating! And the ocean's part of nature!

[ You can't beat the ocean! ]

Then again, I don't know if there's stuff like that for you...

[beatmatching]

The dolphins again.

[ he leans back into the tree with a small huff. ]

I wasn't created to be ever-shifting, so the ocean beats me in that category.

[scooptimistic]

You weren't created to be? I think all humans have that potential, though.

[beatmatching]

[ shaking his head. ]

Literally created, not in the metaphorical sense. I wouldn't have been a very good performer for my father if how much he could count on me varied day by day.

He's always placed a strong emphasis on stability.

[scooptimistic]

Literally created?

[ ????? ]

Like, test tube?

[beatmatching]

Bubble. [ indicating with his hands. ]

[scooptimistic]

... Bubble.

[ Huh. ]

So you're a bit like Aphrodite.

[beatmatching]

Aphro who?

[ so much religion is done and buried aside from the most basic concepts of god in his age... ]

[scooptimistic]

Aphrodite. I imagine it's not the same kind of bubble, but she's known as the goddess of love and beauty, who was born from seafoam. A whole lot of bubbles, in other words.

[ He does look like someone who'd emerge from the ocean like that, now that she thinks about it. ]

[beatmatching]

[ rotating that in his mind palace. ]

Is that how you see me?

[scooptimistic]

I think that might be how the world might perceive you.

But...

I wouldn't ever really compare a human to a god.

[beatmatching]

[ with a small smile. ]

Definitely not.

[scooptimistic]

A bubble, though... did you get to have a childhood still?

[beatmatching]

The Garden raised me with care. Games like hide and seek, I think it's called? Were part or our enrichment.

[ that's an answer of a sort. ]

[scooptimistic]

[ "Enrichment"... sounds like cultivating kids, rather than letting them be kids. ]

What's the Garden?

[beatmatching]

[ with a smile: ]

Is this the second part of my interview?

The Garden, Anakt Garden formally, is where I was raised. It's a school that prepares humans to become idols.

[scooptimistic]

This is just my natural curiosity!

[ For once. ]

So it's entirely an idol-based school? Is being an idol that big a deal for the Segyein?

[beatmatching]

Then you still owe me one.

[ his smile eases into one a little less rigid. ]

That's correct. The Segyein were generous enough to keep a few humans alive after they won the battle for Earth. Music is one of the ways we're able to repay them.

[scooptimistic]

I know, I know. Next week.

[ But wow that seems...

... "Generous"? ]

I see. What if someone doesn't want to become an idol?

[beatmatching]

That's not allowed.

[ the book he was reading before rests on his lap and his fingers thrum the cover in a melodic rhythm. ]

The method Segyein use to discipline their humans vary. My father was particularly strict, but that's why I'm so successful today.