speed dating 2.0

[idolpro]

WHO: More idols looking to have a good time
WHERE: Game Tower
WHEN: Day 120, morning

[ Hello, Idols! Are you ready for a game?

Some of you may have played this before! The area is familiar for sure: today's playing field is an expansive balcony with several mini-tables paired with two patio chairs each, garden umbrellas planted to keep the heat away. You can see the rest of the city from up here, too - it turns out you're pretty high up as you can even see the start of the Rainbow Bridge from here, though the railings are high so there's not a high likelihood of accidentally falling down.

There are a few pink lemonade pitchers scattered around with paper cups if you're thirsty, and some bite-sized chocolates if you're hungry. Cute snack food!

The instructions look familiar, too: it's a light game, with no enforced truth-telling even. No status effects! Just dates!

There are cards on the table, too! ]

INSTRUCTIONS | SIGN-UPS | TURN-IN | OVERFLOW

Comments

Shu

[foolmetwice]

. . .

[. . . POINTS AT!]

Aren't you that weird puppet guy?

[first impressions from the HUNGER GAMES have not yet died]

Re: Shu

[syncintohell]

Do not speak as though you do not know me!

[ POINTING RIGHT BACK, ACROSS THE TABLE ]

For what reason are you dressed in Heart Soldier Senshi's garb, but disguised no other part of yourself?! I am not likely to forget soon what you did to me, no matter what you wear!

[foolmetwice]

[THIS IS A POINTING WAR]

Wait, you still haven't figured it out? I'm not Joker.

I'm Joker's evil twin.

[syncintohell]

[ WELL HE IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO LOSE THE POINTING WAR ]

Is that so? Then you certainly have your work cut out for you, to match up to such a ruffian! Kakaka, you have already lost by revealing that you bear no responsibility for his actions, as not the man himself but as his twin!

[foolmetwice]

[NEITHER IS MARS]

[which means they're talking while pointing at each other dramatically, I guess]

Have I?

[a WICKED SMIRK]

How do you know it wasn't me who did what he did, while dressed as him, to sully his otherwise good reputation?

[Mars you don't even know what happened]

[syncintohell]

[ We're ace attorney characters for this thread!!

Speaking of which, slams his hands down on the table ]

Fool! I no longer keep up with the unit rosters, but that was not always the case! At the time of the incident, he was the only one of the pair of you here!

[foolmetwice]

[mimics that table slamming because he CAN]

Or was I the only one here?

[syncintohell]

Bad End was the unit that betrayed Taisho Roman Revolution! If that is the case, then my first question still stands— for what purpose have you dressed yourself in the garb of Heart Soldier Senshi!?

1/2

[foolmetwice]

[immediately, bluntly]

Because it's my unit, doofus--

[foolmetwice]

[PAUSES]

. . . oh, right. . .

We're supposed to be protecting you guys in that protection scheme, aren't we?

[Mars probably it's a bad idea to egg someone on and THEN mention you're supposed to be protecting them in bad games??]

[syncintohell]

[ HMPH!! ]

How unfortunate, though I suppose any supposed protection we may receive is better than the current state of things.

[foolmetwice]

[well, that's how Mars feels about sensitIV, so mood]

Fox is on your team.

[a small shrug]

At the very least, I won't let him down.

[syncintohell]

Ah— you and your twin both share a relationship with him? I was unaware. He's close to your Prim, as well.

[ He pauses, and then inclines his head. ]

I cannot hold you to those words, but for his sake, I hope you mean them. There has enough of him being let down by those he believes in in his lifetime already.

[foolmetwice]

Yeah. They're all from the same place. I'm the odd one out, but. . .

[SHRUGS]

And that's fine. I wouldn't expect anyone to just take me at my word. Actions speak a lot louder than those.

[syncintohell]

They most certainly do. Despite your announcing yourself as the evil twin, thus far you've seemed more trustworthy. You are, if nothing else, willing to own up to actions and even attempted to take credit for those that you did not do.

[ Finally sits down in his chair. ]

If I hold you only to actions, what they have been saying thus far is nothing offensive.

[foolmetwice]

Oh. That? I was just fucking with you. I don't even know what happened.

[also sits down, arms folded and legs crossed]

It's cute of you to think I'm more trustworthy than Joker, though. Wanna go through some cards?

[syncintohell]

Say what you like, it would take quite the undertaking to prove yourself more untrustworthy than your brother on Bad End.

[ But fine, he'll go flip a card as requested. ]

But very well, let us begin with the cards.

[ It reads: What, in your mind, constitutes “stalking”? ]

[foolmetwice]

. . . what did he even do?

[he asks curiously, though shortly afterwards he wrinkles his nose at the card]

Being creepily obsessed with someone to the point of following their every move even when they just want some space.

[syncintohell]

That's a rather broad definition of stalking. I would simply call that being obnoxious or clingy.

[ But he's distracted from the matter of the card now, folding his hand in front of him on the table.
]

Are you familiar with the thought exercise known as prisoner's dilemma?

[foolmetwice]

I think you're probably way more generous with people's feelings than I am.

[leans back in his chair, one foot propped on the table as he fishes a cigarette from his pocket]

I am. What about it?

[syncintohell]

It was run here, once. Altered, slightly, to be run with groups of three. Those that trusted each other mutually would be harmed, and those that betrayed mutually would be harmed worse. But if one unit were to betray a single unit or pair of units that trusted them, the unit that chose to trust would be permanently altered.

[ He emphasizes the last part, looking down at his hands then meeting Mars's eyes ]

My grudge is not that his unit chose to betray, but the actions he took following the betrayal. Taisho realized it was a possibility we faced, but I decided I would rather risk myself than put the permanent harm of another at stake. In choosing to betray, your brother ought to have considered the risks. I could have understood it had he stood by his convictions, and said simply that he had done it to protect his own unit. Bad End, like Taisho, cannot rely on other units to protect us. But instead he acted stricken, as if Taisho had pulled the lever of the traitor. He made excuses, talking about us misunderstanding the message his unit sent.

[ His folded hands tense, knuckles paling. ]

Taisho ultimately decided the message did not matter. I could not sentence another to my fate. It is his inability to take responsibility for the damage done that I hold against him. He did not make a mistake, and Taisho did not err and choose incorrectly. He made a choice and only after it was unable to be taken back did he consider the consequences. His excuses are inexcusable.

[foolmetwice]

[wow that is a lot of words. Mars loses him like, halfway through]

Sooooo many feelings. . .

[mumbling as he goes cross-eyed]

Anyway, he felt guilty about it, that's all. It's 'cause he's a good person. Unlike me; I'd just tell you to get over it.

How were you permanently altered?

[syncintohell]

[ hazards of threading with an enstars ]

I would vastly prefer your approach. He has no right to play the victim.

A mental effect.

[foolmetwice]

[HE WILL LEARN]

We're all victims, in some way.

What kind of mental effect?

[syncintohell]

Do not defend him to me. He chose to place the risk upon others rather than taking it on himself! So at the very least, he cannot expect to be pitied for it!