week three | mingle

[marriagebroker]

No outright changes this week either. Week three rolls around, braced for impact as ever. The estate is still intact, the contestants are still motivated, things are looking good.

Well, aside from the fact you all had a blackout this weekend. That wasn't so good.

Either way, when Monday rolls around, Wei Wuxian seems to be in a cheery mood as he greets everyone Monday morning.

"Everyone, come here, come here. I have an announcement!"

Better go see what that's about, huh?

Boom Boom Room | Dates | Property Damage
Truth Booth Voting | Match Ceremony Voting

Comments

[anathemaw]

[ Messmer is not terribly enthused about the prospect of public bathing. A few days ago, he probably wouldn't have given it a second thought - he'd gotten used to people simply accepting his serpents, and spending time so long with soldiers means he's used to being in groups in various states of undress - but the "date" with Shoko was a bit of a painful reminder that he is, in fact, an abnormality. He's sure that he's about to be on the receiving end of more staring, and not because of his height.

But he's suffered a hundred times through situations a hundred times worse; ultimately, he decides the warm water looks too inviting, and that there's little to be gained by avoiding interactions with the others. So he braces himself and appears. He's long and gangly, with somewhat distorted proportions in accordance with his unusual height - but more alarming are the two snakes, which can now be clearly seen erupting straight out of his body from the front of his chest, with one even reentering his flesh through his shoulder at one point. The skin around the openings is reddish and scarred and undeniably painful-looking. Maybe that's why he's intent on getting a nice, healing soak... ]

... What is the "Hollywood?"

[ he's imagining a giant tree while he peers at the envelope like an old person with a phone. The two serpents are floating on the top of the water beside him peacefully, looking like unspooled yarn. (Messmer also doesn't have any swimwear on, on account of not knowing what it is, but he's already sitting in the water. No 18 inches for you.) ]

[hexensabbat]

[Ringo, at least, is not about to look at him weirdly. Look at some of the demons she deals with. Messmer ain't special.

So she just sinks into the water, cute swimsuit on so everyone has to continue to wonder about robot bodies, and hums, scooting closer to peer at the envelop full of cards as well.]

It's a famous landmark. Human one, has something to do with show business.

[Another glance at the card.]

Huh. Had no idea you can just go right up to it like that.

[anathemaw]

[ it goes both ways: Messmer has no idea what a robot is, and just assumes she's some kind of animated doll, so her being able to go into the water is nothing particularly noteworthy. Her total lack of reaction is noted, and, secretly, he's thankful that she's not making him submit to an explanation. ]

An elder tree, I presume.

[ he holds the card up in front of one of his snakes. So that he can read it better?? ]

One thou hast not visited.

[ so this card is NOT Ringo, but someone from her world. Hmm. ]

[hexensabbat]

[Not a tree, no. But. Well. It really doesn't matter that much, so she just flaps a hand a bit.]

Not me. I live on the other side of the world from that. Maybe someday, though, if I take a vacation.

Trying to match up confessions to people?

[anathemaw]

That is our task.

[ he's just trying to be productive here!! Messmer sighs, then offers the card to Ringo blandly. ]

Yet this information be too vague and exacting both. I know not these landmarks, nor how they might be applied to our companions.

[hexensabbat]

[She doesn't really think it's that serious of a task, but Messmer is Engaging and so she doesn't want to discourage that...

So with a shrug, she scoots a bit closer to look.]

Well, let's put our heads together, then! Which ones are giving you trouble?

[ordimame]

[GCK—]

[panic sets in his expression for point five seconds, before he smooths it out again quickly for one of his usual!! easy smiles!!]

— i-it's a landmark! In America! It's nothing special, trust me. Haha. . .

[anathemaw]

[ wow...... that was easy. ]

I see not the shame in it.

[ maybe it's super blasphemous to dangle off the Hollywood. He doesn't know. In any case, he stretches his arm back to set the envelope down and grab another one. ]

[ordimame]

[stop. . . don't call him out. . .]

W-- why are you telling me that? You should say that to whomever owns the secret.

[which is definitely not him]

[anathemaw]

[ He's so obvious that it's actually somewhat funny, even to Messmer. The barest hint of amusement curls his lips. ]

I pray thee gamble not, O lightless one. Thy face will make a beggar of thee.

[ he shuffles the next card out of its envelope; one of his snakes swims back over to him, and Messmer holds the card in front of it. ]

"One of you has your dad's old shirt." [ the only time anyone will hear Messmer speak in regular English... ] ... This secret, too, hath no guilt to it.

[ordimame]

[ssssssighs]

[. . .]

[mouths the words 'o lightless one']

[and then does a double-take when Messmer speaks in normal words??]

Maybe their dad passed away, and it's embarrassing for them to admit they kept a memento. . .?

i failed to get our date i'll ratgrab messmer here instead

[embellwish]

It sounds like a sacred tree of some kind.

[ It probably has a fairy, too! And people pray to it, and everything. Anyway, Yingying is about the same as Messmer when it comes to undressing and showing the burden of your curse, as with all of her skin exposed, dark purple tendrils snaking around her leg, and white, dead looking petals clinging to some parts of her skin are more evident than they would be when covered with clothing. Though she's not fully nude like he is, having conjured a stylish just enough mystic petals to be decent, some of the petals, especially the ones near her neck, look a bit like dried scales. ]

What does the rest of it say?

is ratgrabbed

[anathemaw]

[ She cuts as alluring a figure as ever, even with the strange taint working its way across her body. It calls to mind his sister, though Yingying's affliction is much more palatable to look at than the scarlet rot. Maybe she, too, is affected by a curse. Luckily, Messmer has the libido of a Ritz cracker, so Yingying's practically-naked appearance warrants nothing more than respectfully casting his gaze elsewhere. ]

Such was my suspicion, as well. [ it's DEFINITELY a sacred tree. ] One among us hath hanged upside down from it in "Los Angeles."

[ a city, probably...? ]

... What shame lieth in this confession?

[embellwish]

Messing with a place of worship might be something they could get in trouble for.

[ Such places are not to be played around in. Do people hang off the Erdtree? ]

Or maybe they're embarrassed to do something so childish?

[anathemaw]

[ they built a got dang castle on top of the erdtree. let the people go monkey style on it!! ]

... Perhaps. This group hath pride to spare.

[ Messmer is included in that... ]

[fireball]

[ yeeeeesshhh get a load of this guy.

Poppy wants to say something lurid, but also Messmer could probably drown her here and now, so she's going to avoid the low-hanging fruit. ... Many such low-hanging fruits. Anyway, ]

It's where they make movies and stuff.

[anathemaw]

[ his low-hanging fruit is modestly hidden beneath the healing waters of the onsen thank you... just don't make him get up

The fact that Poppy is deciding to approach him here leaves him with preemptive consternation, but he says nothing, the two snakes merely tilting their heads in her direction. ]

"Movies."

[ What ]

[fireball]

[ He isn't doing anything. That's good. It emboldens her. She looks Messmer in the eye, then his snakes' eyes, then Messmer's again. ]

Yeah, movies.

[ She's helping. ]

[anathemaw]

Explain.

[ he's not too proud to ask, at least. ]

[reverso]

[Verso settles into the water next to him, as long as Messmer and his snakes don’t mind it. He has a few cards of his own he’s fanning out, looking through them like a gremlin - mostly because they seem innocuous (?) enough.]

Sounds like some sort of tree.

[Poor ye oldes thinking the same thing.

He lifts his gaze to Messmer, eying briefly the places where the snakes seem to protrude from his skin, but Verso—maybe unsurprisingly as this point—doesn’t experience disgust or morbid fascination, but rather only the realization that those entry-exit points look like they could hurt. He hopes this onsen eases that pain, if so.]

Here. [He waggles a card at him.] I haven’t borne my entire soul to you until you read this.

[Verso says it lightly, a joke. Clearly it is not as heavy of a secret as some he’s already shared.]

[anathemaw]

[ They don't mind. In fact, when Verso approaches, the two snakes both glance towards him and then immediately begin swimming in his direction with determination, their lopsided wings paddling the water clumsily in direct conflict to their natural serpentine swimming. Wordlessly, Messmer grabs the one closest to Verso to rein it in. ]

Have thee truly more to bare? [ so he says, but he adds: ] ... Yet already I have a suspicion.

[ reaching over to pinch that card between his nails and flip it to read it. ]

[reverso]

[Oh. That’s adorable? His snakes look happy to see him, and Verso can’t help but laugh as he watches Messmer pull one back to give him enough clearance to soak in the spring next to him. Poor little guys. They can hang out nearby if they want!!

Verso chuckles as Messmer takes the card in question.]

What, is it that obvious? I sure hope not. Rather defeats the point.

[The card reads, maybe unsurprisingly: One of you has a full head of grey hair but dyes it black.]

[anathemaw]

[ the one that Messmer didn't grab bumps Verso's arm with its snout before beginning to circle around it, but he's preoccupied with looking at the card - which is, unfortunately for Verso, exactly the one he thought it would be. He huffs a single wry laugh through his nose. ]

The evidence lay plain atop thy head.

[ he still has a big white streak!! Although, frankly, Messmer's suspicions were based more on the conversation they had last week - he knows Verso's not exactly the young man he appears to be. ]

[researcherstory]

... Perhaps alike to the Favor Trees which grow across Vaugarde.

[ Though like, Everyone Has The Same Idea it seems,

his openings certainly do look painful though, and she thinks of his words from before. Impurities... ]

They can grant wishes, or so it's said. Maybe this "Hollywood" does something similar.

[anathemaw]

[ nodding. This makes perfect sense to him. ]

Similar was mine own thought. In my home the great Erdtree doth grow and oversee all life.

[ a pause. ]

Thou must believe not the rumors of thy homeland, if thou wouldst now travel so far afield for a wish.