player event: spring speed-dating festival

[socialize]

Speed-dating Spring Festival

Believe in your flyness, conquer your shyness.

breaking the ice

Lonely and looking for love? Friends, maybe? Well look no further—the ASUNARO-sponsored Spring Speed-dating Festival has begun. Join us in room 3-A, where participants will then be given an assignment of "even" or "odd" and seated at a numbered table. You only have so long to talk to your partner before the bell rings and it's time to move on, but not to worry, if you find someone you like, the two of you can step out together! At the end of each round, "even" players will stay at their tables, and "odd" will move to the next. This is mostly flavour, but there is one important piece to keep in mind: in the interest of nobody being left out, leaving before the end of the event is only allowed in pairs.

Better hope you find someone you click with!

Icebreakers:

1. Do you have a party trick?
2. Exploring or lazing on the beach?
3. If you could be granted three wishes, what would they be?
4. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
5. If your friends compared you to an animal, which animal would it be?
6. A human hand extends out of the toilet! What do you do?
7. What would be the title of your biography?

Or anything else you can think of!

getting to know each other

So you've found someone you vibe with—congratulations! The next step is getting to know each other a little more. Cementing the bond, y'know? But high school is maybe a little young for marriage, so let's stick to the dates.

For the duration of the festival, classroom 3-E has been transformed into a makeshift movie theatre. Stop in with your date to watch one of these heart-racing movies, guaranteed to bring you and your date closer together! For the more romantic of the bunch, classroom 3-B will be home to dance lessons. Find a partner and get to know a Waltz, Argentine Tango, or request another, and try not to step on each other's feet as you get up-close and personal.

Movie showings: (CW: They're all horror)

April 25: Other Side of the Box
April 26: My Best Friend's Wedding
April 27: The Ballerina
April 28: Don't Look Away
April 29: The Mandela Catalogue Part.1

together forever

At the end of the event, two lucky winners will receive a secret grand prize!

Anyone else who finds someone willing to pair up with them can write both of their names for entry into a raffle for a runner-up prize. Winners of the raffle will be given the choice between riches, quality of life, or valuable information as a thanks for participating and a congratulations on their new life together.

Comments

[shimashima]

[ That's what he gets for looking at the questions first... Greeted politely and beeped at, Alice hastily glances up from the ridiculous icebreaker scenario in his hands, meeting the rather charming hologram's gaze. That's right... Dynamo — having undergone what seems to be something of a makeover combined with repairs? — is also supervising these activities, quite possibly because Maple is fond of Add. They sound much more lively today! ]

Err... hello, Dynamo. You look... recovered.

[ For a moment, Alice considers initiating a high five, since they're both fully back on their feet compared to that meeting, but perhaps the gesture would be perceived as an attack, and it requires a hand each anyway. Alternatively, the projection's feline features make him entertain the thought of petting the orb, even though it's not solid — no, that would be an invasion of Dynamo's personal space!

And there's an urgent matter to clear up. Even anonymous harsh feedback could hurt Maple's feelings, right? ]

Wait— "Complaint" sounds too negative! That isn't what I meant at all! [ He turns the card around. ] It's just... Well, what kind of situation are people supposed to picture?

[ Something extremely creepy and unhygienic? Is the hand attached to a body, or is it a ghost? ]

[addendums]

All systems functioning within acceptable levels. [they also scan a light over Alice briefly... it's polite to return this type of query, so] No poisoning symptoms detected in Alice Yabusame!

[oh, but his other request is a little more complicated... the hologram pauses, face replaced with a loading blip as they decide how best to answer it. processing, processing...

rendering...

...

a sequence of beeps, then the hologram flickers out, and... a long, pink holo-hand reaches up from below the table instead. please imagine that the chair is a toilet for this demonstration.]

[shimashima]

That's right...! That tea was no match for me...

[ A Dynamo check-up, how thoughtful! Alice nods his confirmation, only to jump out of his seat as the cat orb vanishes, replaced by that hand. Standing there, staring down at it, he finally relaxes after another moment's pause, honestly amused to realize that these must be Dynamo's efforts to provide a visual aid illustrating the icebreaker question.

Even if that wasn't what he meant, either, he decides against pointing it out. He'll accept their helpfulness. ]

...Then it's a frightening surprise? I'm sure that most people wouldn't like it!

[addendums]

[the holo-hand remains there, waving at the air spookily while the drones emit a harsh beeeep that clearly communicates incorrect!]

Icebreaker question #6: "A human hand extends out of the toilet! What do you do?" This is not a like/dislike question. Affinity between individuals may be measured based on shared reactions to a surprising or unexpected event. The critique "most people wouldn't like it" is not valid.

[shimashima]

[ No! He wants the cuter friendly beeping back! Not the jarring sound of mistakes and penalties... He's no longer relaxed, and he'd like to see Dynamo's cat face again, too, instead of this spooky hand.

Presumably he has to work harder to earn all of that by making up for criticizing icebreaker question #6. ]

I see... I suppose a hand extending out of the toilet would be very surprising and unexpected for anyone, so there are plenty of shared reactions to bond over. In that case, if we can't change the location, what would you do, Dynamo?

[addendums]

[they beep again, confidently. of course, they answer without hesitation.]

Neutralize unknown threat following defensive protocols. [and as a demonstration, the holo-hand is violently snapped and twisted around, not unlike how Sara's arm was broken back during March's meeting... and then the whole hologram bursts apart into tiny cubes. no mercy for this hypothetical toilet-hand.]

If target remains, assess threat status and consult Master Add— [beep

they stop there... then go quiet for a moment, because they're kinda sad they reminded themselves of that.

if Master Add isn't available...]

... assess threat status and determine best course of action based on available data.

[shimashima]

If only you could accompany everyone...

[ Goodbye and good riddance, demonstration toilet-hand! It seems that Add never needs to fear such encounters, in Dynamo's presence. Unknown threats would disintegrate, easily defeated!

The recent incident, however... For a moment, Alice is quiet himself, regarding Dynamo, whose beeping and abrupt pause after mentioning Add speak volumes. They must miss their master. ]

More importantly, are you alright?

[addendums]

All systems functioning within acceptable levels.

[they beep again, as if asserting that statement as fact. there are no debilitating errors; if there are no errors, then they must be alright. everything is fine.]

Assess threat status... assess... Dynamo does not know how to decide the next action. Dynamo is supposed to wait for instructions. Master Add would know what to do... Master Add tells Dynamo what to do... Master Add...

[they're not supposed to take on threats alone. regroup, retreat, wait for instructions—Master Add always handled tactics, not Dynamo. what are their instructions if Master Add is out of reach? what if there are no instructions? what do they prioritize?]

Determining best course of action... error. No results found.

Dynamo does not know what to do.

[shimashima]

[ Oh no... Dynamo truly seems more and more distressed, far from alright! Upsetting them by causing them to dwell on Add's absence wasn't Alice's intention at all, and he hastens to soothe them somehow. ]

Er... Don't fret, Dynamo! You've already vanquished the hand, and there aren't any threats left! They've all been neutralized thanks to your defensive protocols! See?

[ With a sweep of both hands to either side of him, Alice gestures at their surroundings. Completely threat-free! ]

So there's no need to carry on searching for data...

[addendums]

[Alice is trying his best... alas, the drone emits a singular, sad beep.]

No threats have been detected or eliminated. The entity you are referring to was a simulation. [it's okay, lots of people would make the same mistake! they won't judge him for it...]

Dynamo will collect more data. Dynamo does not want to disappoint Master Add.

[they pause, seeming to consider their own statement. Master Add didn't leave instructions, but these are also unusual circumstances. they want to do more to help, they want him to be proud when he returns...

their avatar flickers back on, finally, and turns its attention to Alice. they need more data on this topic, so]

Alice Yabusame. Please give your answer to the scenario: "A human hand extends out of the toilet! What do you do?"

[shimashima]

[ Sad beeping definitely isn't encouraging! On the other hand, Dynamo isn't lost in the hypothetical scenario, so they might feel insulted by Alice's attempts to cheer them up? Sheepishly, he falls silent until the cat orb reappears to subject him to the icebreaker question after all. ]

My answer—

[ Very well. If this is the data that Dynamo feels the need to collect for Add's sake, ready to report back to him upon his return, then so be it. This time, Alice gives the question some serious thought. ]

I... Honestly, I would express my surprise then and there. I wouldn't wish to use a haunted restroom! Or one where dismembered body parts are floating in places where they don't belong!