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

[reverso]

That’s no way to live. Do you really enjoy your craft when under the kind of threat?

[beatmatching]

Do you think I could honestly answer the question if that was the case?

[reverso]

I think you can give me an answer here, departed from all of it, yes.

[beatmatching]

[ really, what is with all the echoes he's getting tonight.

a moment passes between them, one where verso might think that luka is considering his response. but truthfully, luka doesn't need to think about this at all. he had thought about it when he had discussed it with hyuna all those years ago and nothing had changed since.

his pause is to check on his heartbeat, to hear its steadiness in his ears. ]

When you lose a battle in ALST, you get eliminated, you die. [ he should say here how it's an honor to do so but he's not feeling it right now. ]

And I don't care. I sing because I was made to sing and I need to sing to live.

[reverso]

[He's not surprised that he might have hit... a spot that churns with emotion that Luka doesn't show. How can it not, given what they're talking about?

But when Luka says those words— I was made to sing—he absolutely looks surprised, and it's telling how Verso focuses on that without hesitation.]

What do you mean you were made to sing?

[beatmatching]

Just what I said. My father created me through biochemical means to win ALST. It's not that uncommon, even if adopting a human from a breeding is more typical.

[reverso]

[For now, he's going to glide over the fact that "adopting a human from a breeding" also sounds utterly deplorable.]

Luka... [Suddenly, a few things make 10 percent more sense.] That's awful.

[beatmatching]

[ he doesn't quite shrug, but the energy is there. ]

It's what's normal to me. It's been far stranger meeting all of you non pet-humans.

[ okay that does feel good, at least. he's been steadfast in saying humans and not pet-humans but it's been far from natural. ]

[reverso]

It might be normal for you, but it doesn't make it right. I know what it's like to be forced into a... role. How it defines you, except when it doesn't — and then you're just left...

[Feeling empty. He can't quite bring himself to say that much, so.]

Confused.

[beatmatching]

[ he shakes his head. ]

There wouldn't be anything left at all.

[ for him, it's a literal sense. that comes first, the fact that he's alive and breathing. everything else is a far second. ]

[reverso]

And are you content with that?

[beatmatching]

I don't think that question's worth answering.

[reverso]

Don't tell me because "it's pointless." It is worth asking, because it's related to your happiness. And it helps me understand better why you're here.

[beatmatching]

I'm here to perform for my father and for my fans. That's the reason I exist and the reason I've been nurtured and cared for.

[ he doesn't mention his happiness, because it is not a consideration.

do those emotions exist? yes.

do those emotions exist within luka?

well- ]

[reverso]

Well. I can't tell you why or why you shouldn't be here, but you should realize that this is a place for you. In the end, you get to decide what to do with it.

[ ... ]

I originally wanted to talk to you about the match ceremony, and some considerations I have. Let's still talk about that later, okay?

[beatmatching]

[ that's such a foreign concept that luka can't quite wrap his head around it right now. sorry verso...

but he does hear it, for what it's worth. ]

Alright.