Speed Dating Year 2

[selfhelp]

Who: Anyone who wants/is forced to come
What: Speed Dating!
When: Today (Saturday) afternoon-ish
Where: The Rec Center
Summary: Details here, Roster here!
Rating: PG/13/T/R/god I don't know there's too many people

[Much like last year, the rec center is decorated and freshly cleaned, with a plethora set up throughout the main floor. Each set includes a small table and two chairs facing each other. Along with number plates to help direct people to their partners, there is a small pile of coloured paper cards, stacked down, and pencils on every table.

Further back there is a collection of couches forming a lounging circle, as well as a couple of tables with drinks and snacks all set up and ready to be eaten. And yes, the fantastic rainbow cookies from the year before have made a reappearance. No doubt they'll disappear just as fast. The lounge area has a recycled sign from last year that says, "If you find yourself on a turn without a date, come hang out!", and this year, a new weird-looking potato man is hanging on the wall. ...But whatever.

All in all, the whole place looks ready for a big event, and when enough people have gathered - and the clock ticks to the agreed starting time - Teddy and Billy step forward to get things moving at last.]



Hey, hey! Announcement time here! Can everyone hear me? [...] All right, good!

So, some of you may remember this from last year. If you didn't come then, or if you're new, or happened to get roped into this by one of your friends, then on behalf of... uh...

[He glances down at Billy and, taking the cue, his partner speaks up.]

...We'll call the name a work-in-progress for now. Kurt says he's got it covered.

[His response is a raised eyebrow, because really, Kurt? But Teddy gets right back on track with a smile after that.] … Welcome to the second annualish speed dating event! I'm Teddy, this is my fiancé Billy, and we'll be your hosts for today. I know you just want to get started already, but unfortunately, we've got to go over the rules and stuff first. Everyone should have a list of numbers. When Billy gives the signal, everyone will head to the table with the first number on your list, where you'll either wait for or meet up with the person you're paired with. You'll both have five minutes to talk and get to know each other, for better or for worse, and leave with some sort of impression of them. Hopefully good, but can't win 'em all, right? After those five minutes, one of us will blow the whistle, and then you'll head to the table with the next number on your list. Repeat steps one through whatever, until we've reached the end! Hopefully by then, you'll have a new friend, a potential date, or hey, you might have just met the new love of your life!

[Teddy looks to Billy then, who speaks up next to him.]

The tables have conversation cards, in case you're not sure how to get things rolling, or if you're feeling shy- it has topic ideas, questions to ask your partner, whatever we could come up with. As you go through the list, try to give a little 'yes' or 'no' to the people you speak to- yes for wanting to see them again, no for it not being a good match. Once it's over just hand in your papers and we'll let everyone know - discretely, of course! - who gave and received a mutual yes. You don't have to wait for us, though- if you hit it off with someone really well and you both want to hang out right away, don't let us stop you. We have games and stuff set up over in the lounge area-

[He gestures to aforementioned lounge, complete with couches, a couple of tables, a stack of assorted games, and a snack and drink table.]

-Or you could just sneak off to keep yourselves entertained. We don't judge.

We totally do judge, just so you know.

[Billy elbows him. Gosh, boyfriend, behave.

Teddy just laughs a little, waving his hand as if to dismiss a joke.]

Okay, okay, we don't. Anyway, that's about it. We're going to give everyone one minute to get to the first table, then we'll blow the whistle and let everyone start. Thanks for coming, have a great time!

[They go back to sitting at their host table, and then, after the minute passes and everyone's settled, the whistle is blown. BEGIN!]


(( ooc: directions are as follows:

1) check your roster
2) make a top thread for your character with their name in the subject line
3) tag and be tagged
4) MAKE AWESOME NEW CR FOR GREAT JUSTICE ))

Comments

Cliff Fittir-- Aka, that Big Scary Blond

[aerialassault]

[He had no idea how he ended up in this situation.

...Rather, he had an idea, but it was far too late to point fingers after he had discovered his name on the roster for that little speed dating thing-- or, whatever it was.

Frankly, he didn't care. It was something to do, and he wasn't one to complain about a chance to have fun. Dressed in jeans and one of his better looking shirts, Cliff went from table to table, offering a big friendly grin to everyone he met.

Hopefully no one would be too intimidated....but, a man who stood at 6'5", was full of muscle, and carried tattoos around his neck and chunky earrings on both of his ears can hardly be anything but intimidating.

It was just another reason to be friendly in his opinion.]

'Sup?

[folklorist]

[ Well Helios was just about doing the same thing Cliff was so they were bound to run into one at some point, right? So he'll wave back at the other man with a smile on his face as he did so. ]

Ah! Cliff it's been awhile. I didn't realize you signed up for this too. [ He wouldn't have guessed the other man was into this sort of thing. ] Enjoying yourself so far?

[aerialassault]

Actually, someone else signed me up. [He admitted it openly and frankly, chuckling softly as he spoke.] But, that doesn't matter. A chance to get out is always good, right?

Yeah, it's been pretty fun so far. How've you been, Helios?

[folklorist]

Oh? Ah well that-that must have been a surprise. [ Helios is smiling though anyway. Cliff definitely stands out in this whole thing. ] True, true, it's always nice to meet new people at one of these things. I missed it last year but, ah, I was admittedly a bit hesitant to do something like this.

[ He still is all the awkward but he is putting on his best face. ] I've been rather good, actually. Busy since I seem to have picked up a few new magic students and cooking students. But it helps past the time, you know?

[aerialassault]

[The awkwardness from the other man is no problem-- Helios was putting in theneffort, and that was what mattered.]

Yeah, it really does when you're in a quiet place like this.

...and that reminds me, I need to check in on a few of mine and see how they're doing lately. And put out another ad for that matter

[folklorist]

Oh you're teaching people too? What sorts of things, if you don't mind my asking? [ Helios isn't too familiar with Cliff's brand of teaching. ]

It helps when your students are, um, determined and rather proactive about their studies.

[aerialassault]

Just basic stuff, [He said, leaning back and resting his hands on his hips.] Yanno. Self Defense. So many people here are so focused on teaching higher grades of fighting that they forget we've got people here who don't know a thing about it-- and no one is safe on those Drafts.

[Not even trained fighters....he shook his head.]

I just wanna check in because I haven't heard from a few in a while. One is a kid who really needs to build up his endurance, but...I've got a hunch that some of the others aren't here anymore.

[folklorist]

Ah, yes you're absolutely right. Especially when it comes to those shifters that can cancel out our higher abilities. I think you have the right idea in any case. There's never too much of being prepared after all! I-I admittedly am rather bad at self defense. But! But I've been training with other weapons.

[ Helios nods. ] You have to stay on top of children nowadays. We can't let them have too much fun during the summer.

[ He just smirks and laughs a little. ] But it's hard to tell whose left. I-I hope you, um, are able to clear that up at least.

[aerialassault]

I hope so too. Seems like all the good kids are going away at this rate--

[He cut himself off with a shake of his head. This was getting too serious for his tastes...]

Yanno, I'm not that handy with weapons per se, but if you need someone to practice against I'm willing to give you a hand. I've been looking for more of a variety in my sparring partners for a while now, and it's hard to find people who can put up a decent fight and stand their own while keeping it friendly.

[...of course, part of his difficulty stemmed from the fact that he was three times as strong as an Earthling who had a similar skill level, and he was in a world that was dominated by Earthlings, but that was beside the point.]

[capturespecialist]

[Geez he's tall. She's admittedly a little intimidated, but the grin's helping. Kind of.]

Not much. [Her night's been pretty okay, though she's kind of wishing she chose something aside from shorts and a sleeveless blouse. It's good for outside, but sitting inside for a while, especially with how long her list was? Not the best.] I'm Crystal, but you can just call me Crys. How's your day been?

[aerialassault]

The name's Cliff. Its nice meetin' ya, Crys.

[He offered a hand, another friendly gesture. He was just like a giant dog, after all, and just as minimal of a threat in situations like these.]

My afternoon's been pretty good. I mean, I got to meet you and a bunch of cool people already at this thing, so it ain't so bad at all.

[capturespecialist]

[She takes it, unease slipping away when she gives it a firm shake.]

I know what you mean. [She smiles.] I wish I met more people that I didn't know beforehand, though -- a lot of my matches seem to be people I'm on friendly terms with.

[More or less. Some more, some very much less.]

[aerialassault]

Yeah, that tends to be how these things go sometimes, unfortunately. And, we're in a small community too, so it'd be hard to avoid.

[Luceti was, after all, small enough to be considered close-knit.]

But we haven't met before, so one count ain't so bad. What sorta stuff do you like to do?

[capturespecialist]

[Ain't that the truth. It reminds her of Mahogany Town at times.]

Read, practice magic with Faeren, run... Spend time with my pokémon. [...is that really all? Hmm.] I don't mind cooking and cleaning either, especially since it's pretty relaxing at the end of a hard day, and back home I had a lot of fun volunteering at an old school in my hometown. I'm actually pretty sad that the school here doesn't have as many kids as back home, since I'd probably ask if I could volunteer at it if it did.

[aerialassault]

[He nodded. It all sounded like pretty normal stuff over all, but...

well. he had to ask.]

Pokemon-- you mean there are more people here who have critters like that kid and his.....what did he call it? 'Pikachu?'

[capturespecialist]

Sure are. There's... [She lists of the names mentally, tapping her fingers as she does so.] Eleven of us, I think? Eight of us are actually from where they're native to; two of them are trainers proper, I guess, and the last's a caretaker of sorts... with twenty-seven pokémon between us all... or something like that.

[...now that she's thinking about it, they're a pretty sizable force. A shame that two of them wouldn't be inclined to fight with their pokémon, and she's not sure she'd personally trust another of them to fight with them.]

[aerialassault]

[That was a pretty sizeable force, all things considered. Cliff let out a soft whistle, impressed by these numbers.]

Then you and your friends never get lonely, huh? Not when there's so many of you around!

[onifukuchou]

[Oh, it's someone taller than him. Usually that category is just 'Sano', though those tattoos are telling him whoever this is and Sano would probably get along a lot better than he'd like to think about]

Trying to make the best of this.

[aerialassault]

[If a mutual friend of their's was inclined to reveal anything about the man whose kimono he briefly borrowed...or anything about himself, Cliff would have agreed. Instead he's just going to note the other man's manner of dress and shrug itnoff, since he is in the dark here and doesn't know it yet.]

Ah...crowds ain't your thing?

[onifukuchou]

Not really. A... friend signed me up. [Souji you little troll] I thought I should try at least, though.

[aerialassault]

How funny-- a friend signed me up too. I think it's supposed to be a joke, but who knows with that guy?

[He shrugged-- and silently hoped that this was just a joke on Souji's part, and not some ploy to test his loyalty.]

[onifukuchou]

I know that feeling.

[Souji's 'jokes' are frequently only funny to him]

[aerialassault]

[Cliff tended to find them amusing after they were already over-- and, he was willing to roll with the madness while it was happening too. It kept life interesting.]

Ah. So your friend's also the sort who make someone run around town on a wild goose chase on a lark and call it Tuesday?

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata has woken up with a tiny pig in his futon too often to find it funny any more]

Exactly so.

[aerialassault]

[Cliff has awoken to origami floods in his apartment-- unfortunately, he still finds them funny.]

Heh. I've got a friend like that too. I think he's the one who signed me up for this thing, though I'm wondering what he's got in his head right now.