week two | dates

[marriagebroker]

Kiss the girl~!

Or guy.

Or person.

Or Messmer's snake.

Comments

aventurine and odile

[marriagebroker]

Aventurine and Odile are taken to a petting zoo. There are all kinds of creatures available to pet from goats to horses to dogs to cats to tigers to bears— wait. What?

Highlights

• No, really, there are tigers and bears here for pets. They're docile and friendly.
• It's not illegal.
• They're not drugged either.
• A FOURTH BULLET TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS AN ETHICAL PETTING ZOO THAT HAPPENS TO HAVE PREDATOR ANIMALS.

[researcherstory]

[ Goodness. Tigers, bears, and horses. Terrifying beasts. But goats are first on the docket, apparently, their odd eyes observant of both her and Aventurine's far tastier looking cloth-- ]

Meeeeeh.

[ Yes, she's replying to them. ]

aventurine and shoko

[marriagebroker]

Aventurine and Shoko are actually given a car of their own and a destination, which ends up being a drive-in movie theater. Here's hoping one of them knows how to drive!

Highlights

• There is alcohol, Shoko. And popcorn!
• It's kind of nice isn't it?
• Maybe you two should kiss, idk.

[irreversal]

[ I'm gonna say Shoko was the passenger princess here because she's gotten too used to Ijichi driving her around everywhere...

Anyway, thank goodness there's booze. ]

Heh. I've never been to one of these before. I feel like I'm in one of those old American movies...

aventurine and furina

[marriagebroker]

Aventurine and Furina are taken to a park, in order to ride a tandem bike. It's a nice, sunny day. They've been told to dress for exercise. And there is a promised meal at the end of it from production. So, off you go, on your lovely ride together! Please @ God, let's hope at least one of them knows how to ride a bike.

Highlights

• The park they're brought to is massive, like triple the size of Central Park.
• Which means there's tons of pathways to travel on the bike.
• But try not to get lost! (Do get lost.)

[enscene]

This is a cute idea, but...

[Furina short joke goes here.

She's at least sort of dressed for the part, in a preppy sort of number that would be suitable for a picnic or similar outdoorsy activity.

She leans sideways against the back seat on the bicycle, using it as a temporary shelf to sit.]

Such an idyllic park, though! It could have crawled right off the screen.

edamura and shoko

[marriagebroker]

Edamura and Shoko are taken to a brewery. The beer is made on site and with care and they'll even be able to take a tour of the distillery if they so wish! Or they can just get wasted.

Highlights

• There are warm pretzels and queso on the menu.
• But these two are Japanese so are warm pretzels a thing in Japan?
• Okay, google tells me: kind of but the people asking are expats or tourists so 🤷🏽

[ordimame]

[who gets wasted on a first date, hello???]

[anyway, while Edamura has not cleaned up quite as well as he did for the match ceremony, he is dressed nicely! and by nicely I mean, a casual shirt with a blazer and jeans. he is still not the most fashion-inclined person here]

[and based upon never ONCE seeing a warm pretzel during my two weeks in Japan--]

. . . have you ever had "queso?"

edamura and odile

[marriagebroker]

Edamura and Odile are taken to a tea ceremony. This time, unlike the way so far the game has been steeped in Chinese culture from influence of Wei Wuxian, this tea ceremony is much more Japanese in nature. There's a chance Wei Wuxian might have felt it was a bit more to Edamura's comfort that way.

Highlights

• They'll be able to change into kimonos before the ceremony.
• It'll be held at a tranquil onsen.
• They can have a host perform it or do the ceremony just the two of them.

[ordimame]

[Edamura's kimono is pretty plain (a solid blue with a red obi), but it still looks nice on him! and he wears it with a surprising amount of comfort. perhaps it is just the company??]

[while he has definitely participated in tea ceremonies before, he doesn't know anything about the actual steeping process, so! that shall be left up to a host!! whom he watches while they pour hot water from vessel to vessel to reach the perfect steeping temperature]

So I have to ask. [wry] Did you get your longjing on Sunday, too?

edamura and rom

[marriagebroker]

Edamura and Rom are taken out for hot pot. It's a nice location with a shared pot and many different broths and ingredients to try out. It's a good place to eat and make nice conversation together. Can two con men find love over the sliced lamb?

Highlights

• There is lotus root. There is fatty beef. There is anything you want.
• The dessert menu is also lush.
• There's no time limit so they're good to enjoy themselves!

[ordimame]

[HELLO SOMETHING EDAMURA IS GENUINELY EXCITED FOR??]

[also please praise him Rom, he did try to dress nicely for this outing! casually, but like. nicely. EFFORTS ARE STILL BEING MADE]

[don't mind him as he snatches up his chopsticks and reaches for the fatty beef plate]

Dibs on the beef--

[there is enough to share??]

edamura and nico

[marriagebroker]

Edamura and Nico are taken to an... Olive Garden. It's like the production just knows Nico likes garlic bread and that's it. But to be fair, the garlic bread is good here!

Highlights

• This will be a Night Date for our Night Owls.
• There is a poll when you arrive asking if their breadsticks are better than Red Lobster's biscuits.
• If you answer wrong, you'll be kicked out.

[ordimame]

[. . . . . . . . . executive decision that Edamura has never been to Olive Garden. or Red Lobster]

[he stands frozen in the entrance, gaze darting rapidly between the hostess and Nico, please help him out he has no idea what to say here]

What--?! How am I supposed to know??

edamura and maya

[marriagebroker]

Edamura and Maya are taken to indoor batting cages. They'll be able to get prepped and get ready to hit some balls! Baseballs, that is. Unless...?

Highlights

• This is like Maya's fourth date and it's also activity heavy.
• I'm so sorry, Kia.
• But they can vibe afterwards, maybe?

[ordimame]

[UNLESS. . . . . . . ????]

[anyway. Edamura has never played baseball in his life. he holds the bat completely wrong and all of his test swings are uncoordinated]

On a scale of one to ten, how good at this do you think you'll be?

serpilia and edamura

[marriagebroker]

Serpilia and Edamura are taken to parakeet feeding. A little aviary with tons of parakeets and feed to give to them. It's cute!

Highlights

• Don't get shit on, Edamura.
• The birds really like Serpilia the most.
• It's not as smelly as it could be but not not smelly either.

[ordimame]

[gets this real quick before I go back to work]

OW--!

[that was a really loud yell, given as Edamura yanks his hand back from a fussy looking parakeet]

It just bit me?!

serpilia and yi sang

[marriagebroker]

Serpilia and Yi Sang are taken to an escape room. It's astronomy themed!

Highlights

• They will have two hours to complete the escape room. Generous!
• The camera crew won't be able to help them.
• They will get a special gift from home after as a reward.

[poans]

[The camera crew need not help. Thus far, this date is probably the most intriguing to Yi Sang for the stimulation it promises. While that remains to be seen, he wanders inside and directs his gaze to the likeness of stars captured overhead.

A footage plays on the screen below it, relaying their objective as a starting point. Once it ends, Yi Sang glances slantwise at Serpilia.]

Have you played a game of this nature before, Miss Serpilia?

serpilia and shoko

[marriagebroker]

Serpilia and Shoko are taken to a rooftop pool and bar. It's late at night, the view is great, and they're given bathing suits to change into as well.

Highlights

• It's a hot night, and not just because of the two ladies. Perfect for a swim!
• The bartender is a great one, charismatic but not chatty, pretty but not too pretty, etc.
• There's some food available as well. Tapas!

[irreversal]

[ Yeah, they're definitely the two hottest people at this bar. Shoko can't help but live a little dangerously, leaning against the glass guardrail that surrounds the rooftop. ]

Hoh... Have you ever been to a place like this, Serpilia? It's so ritzy~

serpilia and ringo

[marriagebroker]

Serpilia and Ringo are taken to a popular boardwalk, full of fun and games and exciting attractions.

Highlights

• There is a Ferris Wheel. There is a small rollercoaster.
• Fried Oreos are on offer.
• They could go swimming too if they want! (Can robots swim?)

[hexensabbat]

[Can robots swim? An excellent question! Ringo is certainly not dressed for swimming. She's instead opted for a cute date fit.

And as soon as she sees the venue, she is astonished--in a good way, of course.]

Woooow, did you come up with this place yourself? It looks amazing!

serpilia and rom

[marriagebroker]

Serpila and Rom are taken to a cookie decorating class. The cookies will be tasty and freshly baked. The icing will be homemade. It'll be great.

Highlights

• There are no ghosts!
• But there are ghost shaped cookies.
• They might run into one of Rom's fans.

[phenomerom]

Aah ........

[ He'd taken a seat obediently enough when guided into the venue by the staff, but Rom can't help sounding a little bemused as he stares down at the spread of cookies before him. ]

I'm not bad with my hands, but this is rather new. Do you have much experience with things like this, Miss Serpilia?

serpilia and furina

[marriagebroker]

Serpilia and Furina are taken to an upscale clothing boutique. It's been rented out for the day just for them. They'll be offered spa water or tea when they arrive. It's lush, it's cute, it's super fun.

Highlights

• They can get as many clothes as they want! Production is paying.
• There's all kinds of aesthetics in the shop.
• There are shoes too.

[enscene]

[Production is paying? Oh, no. The seams on her suitcase are going to split even more.

Furina generally tries to avoid situations where her expenses are paid for by someone else. It feels like charity, some kind of pity that she doesn't want or need to take advantage of. This is a film production. She minds a little less.]

We have the run of the place! [She does a full 360 spin in the middle of the open display floor.] Well, my stylist extraordinaire, you may have your pick! I leave myself in your capable hands.

serpilia and poppy

[marriagebroker]

Serpilia and Poppy are taken to a beach in order to try surfing. There will be an instructor there just in case! They can change into swimsuits and be ready to go. It's going to be a fun time!

Highlights

• The beach is lush and super fun.
• They can also just bail and do something else.
• Like kiss, maybe.

[nrangel]

[ Serpilia has procured herself a bodysuit for the occasion. She may not know the first thing about surfing, the ocean in her world being a little... too risky to swim in, let's say, but the concept seems fascinating.

She's gripping her surfboard under her arm, glad that while it's not light, it's still not as heavy as it looks like it could be. ]

Have you ever done anything like this before?

shoko and ringo

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Ringo are taken to a classic style izakaya. There is beer. There is karaage. There is takoyaki. Enjoy!

Highlights

• There might be a drunken salaryman thrown out at one point during the night, idk.
• But the girls will have fun.
• Gosh, I want karaage now.

[hexensabbat]

[The ideal date. Beer, delicious food, great atmosphere, and great company!

Ringo orders their house beer immediately and then settles in at the low table the staff has settled them at.]

What should we order? Some of everything? The show's paying anyway, yeah?

shoko and maya

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Maya are taken to a beer garden. It's nice, it's cute, the crowd isn't too rowdy and the weather is great.

Highlights

• There are IPAs and sours and all types of beer.
• There is some bar food too, like sliders.
• There are hammocks in a little courtyard with fairy lights too.

[scooptimistic]

You think we can nab a hammock without spilling?

[ They're just so cute... ]

shoko and poppy

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Poppy are taken to claw machine arcade. There are so many claw machines. Like, hundreds.

Highlights

• There is going to be a claw machine specific to each character there as well.
• It's your choice what's in that machine!
• Do your best!

[fireball]

[ Her eyes are lighting up. Arcade arcade arcade—

Looking around. Oh. It's... all claw machines?

Well. Poppy puffs herself up. That's not going to be a problem! ]

Ever played one of these before? [ Nudging Shoko with her elbow. ] Between you and me, I bet we're gonna win soooo much stuff.

shoko and odile

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Odile are taken to a spa. How many times can I use the word lush to describe a date? But, for real, this is lush.

Highlights

• It's one of those private member only spas.
• There is food! Spa food. Fancy spa food.
• The entire staff is made of hot people.

[researcherstory]

[ My god finally a date with food




and more importantly-- ]

It's nice to have a little eye candy when being worked on, isn't it?

shoko and rom

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Rom are taken strawberry picking. It's a nice bright, summer day. (Is it summer in AYTO? Don't worry about it.) They'll be given ice cold water and they can pick strawberries and eat them if they want. And at the end of it, they'll be taken back to the farm for strawberry rich food.

Highlights

• Like, strawberry beer for Shoko, at least.
• There are also the staples: strawberry shortcake and strawberry pie.
• They can bring strawberries back to the estate if they want.

[phenomerom]

[ ... five minutes since they've been dropped off, and he's already sweating a little. He's actually relatively dressed down today since the staff had warned him it'd be an outdoor activity in the sun, but -- given he's still fully covered up in dark colors, this isn't going to be easy.

At least the hat's shading his face as he crouches down to look at the closest plant. ]

I didn't realize people did these sorts of things as dates ... Do you have much experience with farmwork, Ieiri-san?

shoko and yingying

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Yingying are taken to a stand up comedy show. It's full of amateurs too. Brace yourself.

Highlights

• There are some real rock stars amongst the line up, I swear.
• But then there's one dude who just jokes about women. :(
• You can leave.

[irreversal]

[ ...Well, if one of Yingying's goals for being here is to learn and experience lots of things, this is... definitely... something to learn from. Shoko's hard to make laugh at the best of times, and she's just been completely straight-faced for the first two acts. As there's a lull in between sets, she looks over to her date— ]

What do you think, Yingying? Oh—

[ Hold on. Something on the top that Shoko had lent Yingying to wear for their excursion is a little... disheveled. She reaches over to straighten it out. ]

shoko and furina

[marriagebroker]

Shoko and Furina are taken to an ice skating rink. It's cute and vibrant and people are enjoying themselves here.

Highlights

• The food is not bad, actually.
• They'll obviously give them skates and they're not bad either.
• All in all this place is pretty nice!

this one probably WON'T end with kabedon and trauma bonding

[enscene]

[Even if she's a little out of her element (literally), Furina kind of looks like she was made to be out on the ice. Her oversized sweater and thick, lined leggings make for a cozy and casual contrast to her usual fancy dress, though all of the matching colors and accessories are still extremely chic and intentional. It beats showing up in a full ice dancing dress.

She blows on her hands - it's so much colder in here than she expected! What an impressive leverage of a Cryo cooling system.]

Have you done this before? Maybe you'll be my teacher yet again.

rom and maya

[marriagebroker]

Rom and Maya are taken to a monster truck rally. Sunday, sunday, sunday! Except it's not on Sunday. It's one of these days. Somehow everyone will fit all these activities into a week. Somehow. Anyway, enjoy!

Highlights

• There is popcorn and soda and candy and all sorts of treats.
• The place is loud, so, uh, good luck?
• But they can also just leave if it gets too rowdy.

[phenomerom]

[ ... not his favorite date venue so far! Even discounting the fact that the density of spirits here is a bit higher than average -- probably some gnarly history to the racetrack here -- the noise is a bit more than he's used to. Rom has to lean in towards Maya and raise his voice a bit to make himself heard over the distant roar of motors. ]

Quite the venue, isn't it?

rom and odile

[marriagebroker]

Rom and Odile are taken to an art mueseum. It's got all kinds of art, spanning the globe. From the west to the east, it's beautiful all over. And quiet!

Highlights

• They go on a weekday so there's barely any kids.
• The gift shop is full of cute stuff.
• They can hire a tour guide if they want!

[phenomerom]

Hmmm ...

[ It's not like he's any sort of art buff, but Rom's accustomed enough to doing all sorts of research that a quiet museum actually feels like a nice change of pace. He'd picked up a pamphlet upon being ushered into the lobby, and glances it over before looking to his partner: ]

Here's the information on that tour guide we can request. Would you be interested?

[ Offering the pamphlet forth for her to take. ]

rom and messmer

[marriagebroker]

Rom and Messmer are taken to a beautiful hiking trail. It spans a large park and has many hills and scenic views. It's peaceful!

Highlights

• There will be few other hikers which means less people to gawk at Messmer.
• There is one hill that they can climb to the peak and get a gorgeous view.
• The camera crew is clearly not that fit so struggle on the hike.

[phenomerom]

Wow! Not that our lovely estate is lacking, but the air really feels different out in a space like this, doesn't it?

[ Rom had wandered a few steps away upon reaching their destination, but soon ambles back with a grin. ]

We'll have to thank the staff for the smart choice later.

[ Did Messmer hear him earlier, when he talking to the staff requesting somewhere outdoors, if possible? Maybe, maybe not. Rom sure isn't going to mention it himself, though. ]