week one | match ceremony

[showhost]

The weather is temperate and mild for the match ceremony on this fine Saturday evening, and the crew leads everyone onto a balcony with a cute seating set-up of couches and love-seats. The vibes are Trendy. There are enough places to sit for everyone, but there are only two single chairs, so everyone else is gonna have to cozy up on the couch. Or you can cuddle up in the chairs. I’m not your mom. Also there is only one egg seat. There's mood lighting, like fairy lights.

To one side, there's a small stage of sorts, with a podium where the characters will place their hands to lock in their answers.

Wednesday and Ryuji are led off to the other side so that they can take a seat of honor over on a comfy couch to one side--close to the other contestants, but just far enough away that it's clear they're getting special treatment. Don't you wanna go to the Honeymoon Suite now? Huh???

Anyway.

There are non-alcoholic drinks for people to take at will (all the better to catch spittakes on camera), and the weather is breezy and nice.

And, standing in front of the makeshift stage, with a set of seven unlit lights behind him and one lit light, stands the Overseer. He is dressed the part, of course. He also... looks tired for a moment, but he snaps back to his Proper Hostly Character as soon as the cameras are properly on them and everyone is settled in.

He presses a hand to his chest, sweeping the other outwards.

"Welcome, everyone, to your first Match Ceremony!"

He beams, all classic Tsukasa Sparkles. "As your host, allow me to explain how this will work."

For... the audience mostly. Maybe also for Ryuji? He's not sure how many of the contestants still don't know. It's fine.

"The lights behind me represent each Perfect Match. If--no, when you manage to light every single one, you'll have won, and you will all receive your wishes. For each Perfect Match you find at this ceremony, a light will be lit! And it is your task to figure out which pairs led to those lights appearing."

He nods firmly, eyes and expression shining with confidence in the competitors sitting before him. "And you do not even have to worry about losing a wish this week! It isn't possible for you to have a blackout, since Miss Addams and Sakamoto were a Perfect Match. Congratulations!"

Get on with it, Tsukasa. He clears his throat, pauses just long enough for there to be an inevitable easy cut to commercial break when they edit this later, and then:

"We will begin this week with Team Wonder."

He extends his hand to Dorothea, the other pressed over his heart. "If the lovely Miss Arnault would come up to start us off...?"

Looks like it’s the moment of truth, so strap in.

--

The ceremony has finally arrived! Each character on Team Wonder will be called up in an order determined by the producers (read: rng'd). Each will get their own sub-toplevel that characters can react to at will.

After the matches have all been locked in, we will then find out just how many you all got right.

Otherwise, feel free to use this log for reactions/toplevels for pre- and post-ceremony, and anything else you please. The world of reality TV dating is yours to embrace.

Comments

[boneface]

[ He's got you, bro!!! Ryuji looks a little relieved that he understood what was going on here. He didn't expect to.

So, he nods and he'll pull his hand back from Will and stand up. He does pop the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth though, because Sanji probably made it and he does not want to hurt Sanji's feelings.

With his mouth full: ]

Let's go find her.

[ Except, you know, muffled. ]

[willandaway]

[. . . a small smile]

Thanks.

[Ryuji truly is a bro. he appreciates him! with the salve now applied to those bruises, Will closes the medicine jar and tucks it back into his bag, before he stands]

[ANNA WHERE ARE YOU]

["where is this in the Saturday night timeline" wibbly wobbly timey wimey]

[makeine]

[ well DEFINITELY in her pajama era, we'll say she's easy access in the main living space maybe thinking about her future kitchen ventures. it's funny to be jumpscared by will.

please don't actually jump scare her though she'll hit one of them for it. ]

[willandaway]

[good news: Will is bad at jumpscares!!]

Yana-chan?

[he actually still needs to check in with her. it's fine they're going to have a cute Casablanca date later!!]

[makeine]

[ oh no-- ]

Will-kun!

[ immediate perking up... and ryuji too?

well. she knows it isn't the case, so she'll tease. ]

Miss me so much you'd abandon your match for a glance?

[boneface]

[ girl, please ]

I'm super effin' happy, I'll have you know!

[ this is so not the point, ryuji ]

[willandaway]

[. . . hehehe! cute. . .]

I missed you. Does that count?

[he says that SO EARNESTLY too]

[makeine]

[ oh my god? anna's face warms and sheeeeee wow the blank tv is so interesting! super interesting! say one fucking word sakamoto. ]

Of course it does! [ he's so EARNEST about it. really knows how to sell the image. ] A-Anyway, what's up?

[boneface]

[ HE'S SAYING NOTHING. you two are ridiculous. anyway, nudging will to ask now...! ]

[willandaway]

[wow don't judge!! they're just two kids in love!!]

[rocks a bit to the side with the nudging, lifting both hands to clasp the strap of his bag. THE CONVERSATION STARTED CUTE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY. . .]

I was asking Ryuji about what happened at the match ceremony. [the brawl, between him and Akechi] . . . understandably, there are parts of it he doesn't want to talk about in front of the cameras.

[the lack of privacy in this place is SERIOUSLY bad for them]

I'd like to give him the chance to speak freely, but the only room without those igniters is. . . [he trails off. . .]

[makeine]

[ so they wanna do the embrace space...

well, there's no hesitation in her answer. ]

Oh, sure. That's fine. You didn't have to tell me, though... the only one I really care about you going in with is Minami-kun anyway.

[ since he's a BITCH and NOTHING GOOD CAN COME FROM IT. but anna does seem to mean this sincerely. ]

1/2

[willandaway]

. . . I really don't want to go in there with Minami.

[PLEASE THAT WOULD BE SO AWKWARD, AND HE STILL MISSED THE DEMON REVEAL!!]

[willandaway]

[but it's funny how her response makes him feel leagues better about agreeing to use that space with Ryuji. he didn't have to ask; he knows he didn't. but that doesn't mean he didn't want to]

And I wanted to tell you. I promised, remember?

[nooooo cheating!]

[makeine]

[ ah............

her heart squeezes and her smile is a little dumb, tapping her toe behind her idly. ]

You did. Thanks.

[ ... she kind of wants to get in the embrace space with him before ryuji-- ]

[willandaway]

[I'm so sorry Ryuji has to witness this. suffer, Skull]

We'll try to keep it to less than five minutes. But at the same time. . . I want to give him time to talk.

[and he gets the feeling it's not really a five minute conversation, anyway. Ryuji and Akechi. . . they have to have quite the history]

. . . if it takes longer, I'll tell you. Okay?

[makeine]

[ god she really could kiss him. ]

Okay! That's fine by me, I'm not too worried though. [ ryuji could never register as a threat wednesday or not. ] You've gotta do what you gotta do, right? Just promise that for every one you'll give me two.

[ she's just JOKING and TEASING please do not TAKE THIS AS ANYTHING MORE THAN A FLIRT ]

[willandaway]

[. . . a pause]

[. . .]

Okay.

[sorry not sorry Anna]

[makeine]

[ ..........

there's no way he'll take that seriously right. should she steel herself incase. no. there's no way.

but she will jab ryuji's chest. ]

Take care of him, got it? He doesn't pay attention to the time at all, so it's on you to keep track. Will-kun gets really into conversations.

[boneface]

[ LOOK HE. STILL DOESN'T REALIZE WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE EMBRACE SPACE, OKAY. he thinks it means hugs??? listen, it's fine. ]

Yeah, yeah, whatever. Chill out, we'll be back real quick.

[ OFF... THEY GO?? ]

[willandaway]

[RYUJI. . .]

[gives Anna a tiny wave. and off they go! into the embrace space!]

not here

[hgeegh]

[Ryuji is such a pal.]