( open; ) summer episode part 2?

[uncourteous]

WHO: Any Outsider is more than welcome!
WHAT: Dating shows... I was bullied.
WHERE: Between Okinawa & Neo Tokyo.
WHEN: Throughout the remainder of July (listen, it's a production)!
WARNINGS: Partial nudity, alcohol, potential suggestive topics, and will update 'em as I see 'em!

Throughout the city of Neo Tokyo and even Okinawa, there will be advertisements posted by the hundreds (and spam mail to your oculars by an equal number), desiring candidates for a show. While the aftermath of vegas and other bleak instances might have led way for people practicing some semblance of moderation— opposite to that, the people also need their entertainment, don't they?

Fortunately, there will be an influx of dating shows looking for people to appear. They are offering a fairly decent amount of money and are even offering luxury experiences for free for participants. In this economy and food shortage??? Okay, the food may be lacking, but they do make up for it in various activities they have planned, where people can kick back, relax, and romance?

While there will be any number of shows looking for interested parties, these are the main shows/premises:

  SPEED DATING  

As the label suggests. People will be expected to sit down and switch through several partners. In their hands will be a card labeling who they encounter and a place to leave a check mark. They will also be given a list of questions that can be answered.

  PARTNER SWAP  

People can be on a show and swap partners. This doesn't necessarily need to be romantic, either. Have a friend you want to show up with, cool. The only rules are that the pairs who enter together cannot stay together during the duration of the show.

  SINGLES INFERNO  

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped on a deserted island with other hot singles? Well, now you no longer have to wonder. They will need to cook and fend for themselves here with minimal activities or distraction— but, isn't that the point? All you need to focus on is each other! (* They will be ferried to an outer island by Okinawa). While on the island, which they label as inferno, it's also a rule that one cannot speak about their age, occupation, or any such personal details. All of this will be reserved for "paradise." To go to paradise, two individuals will need to pick one another, and if they do — they are able to go on to completed various luxury experiences together.

For those who would rather find paradise in inferno together, you can presume there are tents that act as shared dormitory quarters where contestants will stay together.

  DATE ME  

People are free to use this for just general dates. Maybe, you just want to finesse the system and enjoy a fun all-expense-paid for date in which you get to eat like relative kings and enjoy various experiences. Feel free to use anything in the setting to your desire.

  SKINSHIP STARTER  

... a show where you get paid the more skinship you do. Don't do anything you wouldn't do in a Wendy's though. (That's not how the saying actually goes).

  COMMENTARY PANEL  

Every good dating show needs those who simply sit and commentate, right?

* It can be assumed any of this is just open to general CR you want to spend time with, too. This is just supposed to be a silly log for chances for characters to get to know one another! Characters are more than welcome to assume they stumble upon this by accident, think it's just a basic job and can't leave, film or unfilmed (minus the commentary prompt), and whatever else! Feel free to tag freely, threadjack, etc!

Comments

[bemist]

[ Maybe unnecessarily attentive, given she doesn't mind working for it, but she accepts it with a nod (because let's be real, saying "thanks" instead of "okay but what do you want" doesn't come easy to her). ]

Watermelons are okay. [ Satisfying to break open, for sure. ]

And so are apples. But I'm not that picky. [ Because District 23 might have been the district best known for food, but that didn't mean fruit came easily to a kid with no actual family. ]

[siffriend]

[ It's just a small convenience, no big deal. Watermelons and apples...

... Apples are sort of the shade of her hair, too. But in the sun. That lighter, brighter hue. ]

I'm not either. Except about bananas. I don't really like those anymore.

[ (The thought of them churns your stomach.) ]

Had too many.

[bemist]

[ ... Had too many? He's so little, how much could his stomach actually hold?

Gebura looks them over, a bit dubiously, as she pops a chunk of mango free to chew on. ]

I'm guessing you've learned to pace yourself, since then?

[siffriend]

[ "Not when it's so convenient." ]

Yeah. There's nothing else I don't like that way. Even pineapples are good, I just can't have them.

[bemist]

[ "Can't have them"... well, that's enough of a clue, isn't it? Either he can't afford them or, more likely, he can't eat them without ramifications. ]

Looks like you'll be fine eating most of the things around here, then. At the very least, you won't be starving until they let us off this island.

[ or he could skip off to Paradise maybe, or something like that. She wasn't paying that much attention to how this is supposed to work. ]

[siffriend]

[ ...

Nah. She wouldn't say yes. Just "why" or that she doesn't need the benefits, especially if it came at the price of cameras being more in her face. Not that Siffrin doesn't understand, but it is pretty hot here. ]

You won't either. Even if you couldn't eat them. You seem like you could figure out fishing and stuff.

[ Fashioning a spear and coming back with ten on the straight.

(Well. You can think of one reason she might say yes to





whatever it was called you don't remember actually you weren't paying attention to the name.) ]

... But if you ever want a break from other people... I can help with it. Leaving the island for a bit. That thing they mentioned.

[bemist]

[ Yeah, she has definitely already thought about heading into the ocean to murder fish. When there's a will, there's a way.

But she glances at them now, idly popping another cube free. ]

That th--oh. What, you mean picking each other?

[ The thing that everyone on this island was supposed to aim for? She vaguely remembers hearing that and thinking that was kind of stupid, so definitely tuning it out. Truly, she is the worst contestant. ]

What do you want?

[siffriend]

A nap spot where I won't be bothered.

[ Siffrin loves a good nap. There was no way he was going to get a good one in here, not when there were people milling about that were far more into the concept of this... show... than them. ]

[bemist]

[ Well. She can see how impossible it would be for them to snag a nap here. Even if Gebura volunteered to stand guard, she can't block out the chatter and merry laughter of the other contestants.

Ah, what a pain. ]

Then you don't have to phrase it for my sake. If you want to leave, sure.

[siffriend]

... You're really not used to people doing things because they want to?

[ They'd only worked out some sort of reason because they'd thought that was the case. Truly different than Vaugarde, and adapting accordingly. ]

[bemist]

It depends on the want, I guess.

[ Simply that. People will do what they want when they have the ability to, but the want is usually self-centered and selfish. She's used to that. Carmen attempting to call her out for paying for an old woman's funeral wasn't usual, and so Kali had balked at it. Shrugged it off with an explanation about disease and rats.

Not wrong, an acceptable answer. ]

[siffriend]

I didn't think you'd accept "nothing" as an answer.

[ The nap is a nice thing, yes. But they've made due elsewhere, with other ways. It's easy to find a small spot to stuck oneself away to not be bothered, away from the eyes and sounds of people. Not ideal, of course, he'd far prefer laying out in the sun -- but it wasn't a dealbreaker. ]

It was just an offer otherwise.

[bemist]

You're not wrong.

[ But a nap spot makes sense. And she can accept that. If it's "I'm offering because I just want to help you out", that's still very strange to her. Sorry, Siffrin. ]

... Then if that's the case, let's go.

[siffriend]

[ See, this is why they had a reason ready. Picking out another mango cube to eat. ]

Then it's a deal.

[ Tent night will be fun when they talk about who they're gonna call out and of the people who decide on Gebura it's the obviously the only person who hasn't annoyed the hell out of her. ]

... Let me know if you end up wanting to go with someone else, though. I can find a place to hide.

[bemist]

[ It's fine, let's be real, the ones who already have a track record for ticking her off have much kinder options. They just discussed how she's not popular! ]

I get that you're new, but you don't have anyone else you could use as an alternative option?

[ At least Siffrin talks to people?? Willingly?? ]

[siffriend]

No one that I think wouldn't prefer someone more talkative.

[ Even if. They've actually been rather talkative to her. ]

[bemist]

...

You're not that quiet.

[ Hello?? ]

[siffriend]

[ ...?

They stare at her. ]

[bemist]

I'll give you that you're not the most extroverted [ thank the Wings for that ] person, and you're far from the loudest, but you've been talking more or less this whole time.

[siffriend]

[ (Stars.

Maybe it's just because you've been talking to someone new, and the days actually pass, that it's the case. You love your family members. But you know exactly what they'll say, how they'll say it, and what causes them to say it now.

It makes you feel guilty. Enjoying fresh conversation. You don't love them any less; you could never hate them. You could never hate them.

You think of Loop. You've been talking to them a lot lately, too. They've even pointed it out. Just like now.)

Siffrin remains quiet as they pour over their guilt, slowly, idly eating the mango. ]

... It's easy.

[ Like they said before. It's a safe answer, one that doesn't require him to say "Well there's only one person who's words actually change from conversation to conversation so I'm a little socially starved". ]

You aren't overbearing. Or expectant. And you don't seem annoyed when I don't have something to say.

[bemist]

[ She can't really deny... any of that. She only demands answers when the situation calls for them, and most of the time, she can intuit the answers herself. She's not the overbearing type, not like some of the other Sephirah had been. And she doesn't like trying to force a conversation when it isn't necessary. She's just that straightforward, apparently.

Gebura's gaze lifts back to the ocean, focusing on the horizon. ]

There are other ways to express yourself beyond words. If you needed me to know something, you'd probably say it.

I get annoyed when people take my words in a different direction or talk more than they need to. When they want more from me than I want to give them. That's all.

[siffriend]

[ ... Maybe. Maybe not. Good thing most are on a need to know basis, and none of that matters here. Not here, not here.

(But one of the most important things you learned through your loops is that you never know how much someone might be willing to try, want, and give unless you ask, or you test it.

Even if it's scary. Less so when there's the assurance of stepping backwards through time at your heel, but the nerves had still rattled your stomach and turned it inside out the first time. Less the second, less the third, fourth, fifth, si

But it's different when it's beyond the first, when they keep poking at it, you think. The lines are different. And not always in a good way.) ]

When they assume you're someone you're not. I don't see how, you're pretty unmistakably you.

[ Solid person, there. Definitely not someone easily projected on. ]

[bemist]

It happens on occasion. It used to happen a lot more, in my old profession that I'm probably not allowed to talk about right now.

[ Not that she talks about it that often here, either. ]

Either way, you'd know if you pissed me off.

[ And sometimes! You have coworkers who do it on purpose!! Because they're assholes!! Chesed!!! ]

[siffriend]

[ Right, the Defender-like business.

...

Solvers. That's what they're called!

Gebura keeps warning him about that, too, but... Siffrin is very good at avoiding such fates. Can't get mad at them if they never say something in the first place. ]

I hope to never see the day. You were scary enough earlier.

[ With the wall pushing. ]

Anyone who tests you twice is brave or stupid.

[bemist]

[ Oh, right. Sorry about that. ]

If I can't make them regret testing me once, that's on me. [ Said with a sigh. ] Anyway, I won't be pinning you to anything aga--

[ That is an audible groan from a producer, who sounds extremely disappointed by this, and Gebura shoots them a Glare. ]