it's not unusual to have fun with anyone

[innocentloveholic]

[ The ballroom's a little swanky for a simple get-together like this, but...

Well, actually, judging by what you see when you come in at the appointed time (or even before that, but Aligula'll be huffy if you do!?), what was advertised is not exactly what's going on. Continuing her war on paper, Aligula's put up origami hearts (or her attempts at them; she got better as she figured out what she was doing, but they're not the best) pretty much everywhere. There's also sheets taped to every wall with encouraging things in her curly-cute script like GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER! and FIND A PARTNER! and WELCOME TO SPEED-DATING!

...Yeah, welcome to speed-dating.

There's a lot of chairs paired together, presumably for the whole "partnering up" thing, and everyone anywhere near the ballroom will be getting a sheet of questions titled SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS. There at least seems to be food like she promised? At least... there's signs pointing to the dining room across the wall to suggest it, and entering the dining room gets you hot chocolate (and water, if you're boring, as well treating you to the sight of a parfait bar, with various cups and glasses to stand in for actual parfait glasses. There's also things for making sandwiches—she pretty much grabbed whatever she could think of from the fridge and such—and of course, plates and utensils and etc.

And if none of that's appetizing then, like, kitchen's not that far, go make something yourself. She put a lot of work into this whole thing but especially the parfait bar because she loves parfait and everyone can have fun making those.

If you don't think your character would've come without a little help, don't worry; even if Aligula can't bodily drag everyone, she sure can bother them aggressively until they come just to get her to leave them alone. All in all, don't sweat the small stuff and have a good time getting to know each other! Or go sulk and play the piano, whatever. ]

Comments

[bloodbiter]

I cannot say that I've heard of one, no.

[Oops.]

...Are you alright?

[matchbreaker]

Of course I am! I'm just... surprised! Because bats are bars, you know? Does that mean you don't know what birds or mice are either?

[bloodbiter]

Of course I know what birds and mice are. I've just never heard of a bat before.

[matchbreaker]

Okay, we're fixing this!

[ BATS ARE COMMON AND THE BEST GOSH.

She flips over her sheet of paper with the questions on it, reaching for a pen and begins to sketch out something on the back. She begins to sketch out well, a bat ]

They come in a few different shapes and a lot different sizes. They fly, and some of them eat insects, some of them fruit or even some fish and birds and mice and the like!

[bloodbiter]

[She watches the sketch as Elda works on it, tilting her head.]

I haven't seen anything that looks like them, either. Do people keep them as pets?

[matchbreaker]

Not usually! They can be trained, but it's something of a rarity.

[ She keeps up the sketch... maybe she should draw some other species, too, actually. ]

They range in size from the size of a mouse to small dog - if you have dogs.

[bloodbiter]

Yes, I know what a dog is.

[She looks over the drawing again.]

What do you enjoy so much about them?

[matchbreaker]

Oh they're Real dependable animals! They can move perfectly well in the dark and even during the day if you get some spirit in them [ She moves on to sketch a fruit bat face ] and their sight and "sight" are both quite good! You can have them as your eyes and ears... we have a whole colony of them around the manor.

[bloodbiter]

So you keep a good number of them near your home, but they are not pets?

[matchbreaker]

Like I said, not for most people! [ Heee~ ] I'm actually really good at controlling them. So's Henry and his wife and especially little Anju.

[bloodbiter]

I see. They must be very fond of your entire family, then.

[matchbreaker]

We've bred them for a long time. We even have a specialized jerky that we feed them.

[bloodbiter]

I'm glad you all have companions so dear to you nearby.

Would you like me to ask you another?

[matchbreaker]

Oh, sure, I don't mind!

[ She's still working on that fruit bat head... ]

[bloodbiter]

Then... What are three adjectives that describe you?

[matchbreaker]

Oh. ... Huh.

[ She taps a finger on the counter, flipping around the pen ]

Well, our Coordinators seem to think "indomitable," for whatever reason. I do know I'm quite pretty. Mature?

[bloodbiter]

[It earns a small laugh.]

It's a good answer. I would agree with all of it, I think.

[matchbreaker]

Even something so lofty as indomitable?

[bloodbiter]

...I may not have known you for a great deal of time yet, but it seems fitting.

[She'll stick to that.]

[matchbreaker]

[ Oh.

... For a hot second there, he pauses in her sketching, looking up properly with lightly red cheeks. But then she bursts out laughing into her evil old lady laugh, leaning back in the chair ]

Hah! Well said, girl!

[bloodbiter]

[A slightly wry smile.]

I hope I did not embarrass you too much.

[matchbreaker]

Nothing I can't live through, at least. Don't you worry at all!

[bloodbiter]

I will have faith in your ability to withstand it, then.

[A smile.]

I believe it is your turn, Elda.

[matchbreaker]

Oh, right.

[ . . . You know after a quick glance down the one her eyes linger on... she thinks of Fern, smirks some and taps it with her finger ]

Lets's go with this one - do you consider yourself grown up? An adult?

[bloodbiter]

[She hesitates, thinking about it for a moment, but...]

Yes, I do.