Truth Booth;

[omnivoracious]

❤ Truth Booth



Welcome to the Truth Booth, an innocuous-looking hut located not too far from the house, though you have to pass through a rather dense copse of palm trees and you can only make this journey with one other person.

Completely at odds with the outward appearance, the inside of the hut has white tiled floors and an almost clinical appearance. Those wishing to test their compatibility for the week must clasp hands and stand in the center of the room, where they will be scanned to determine whether they are (or not) a Perfect Match. Facing them is a screen displaying their Highly Flattering Pictures and when the scanning is complete, the truth will also flash on their screen.

So step right up. It's the only way to know for sure.

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Week 3

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pt.1 BLAZING SKY + KUJOU SARA

[omnivoracious]

[ Happy Friday! The Overseer makes a brief appearance at the house, to announce that the votes have been tallied, and the first Truth Booth Couple in this round of two is Blaze and Sara. She wishes them luck and departs, and our lucky couple are now allowed to depart the house and follow a palm tree-lined trail towards a Mysterious Hut. What awaits them? ]

[firesinthesky]

[ To say she isn't nervous would be a lie, as stepping into the booth is something she's both eager for and terrified of. What if the results-?

No, no. She can't think like that now. They've come so far together. She steps out the door, turning to Sara and offering her a hand. Perhaps the contact will put them both at ease. ]

Ready?

[dendrobium]

Hah... would you think less of me if I said "no"?

[ Said with mild humour, as she slips her hand into Blaze's. ]

But yes, I am prepared for any possibility. Let us face this together, whatever the outcome may be.

[firesinthesky]

Not in the least. Personally, I'm nervous as hell.

[ She gives Sara a wry smile, squeezing her hand a bit before they start off down the path. It's not an especially long walk, but gods, it feels like it. This is so weird for her, normally she's so funflappable. ]

I hope you know that, no matter the results, I don't have any regrets.

[dendrobium]

Neither do I. My time here has been most refreshing... and my time with you, in particular, has been—

[ Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembers they're being watched (not just in general, as they always are, but by their fellow contestants), and cuts herself off with an embarrassed cough. ]

... Well, I'm sure you know. Though I'm not sure how to explain... ah, any of this to my subordinates. It would feel rude to simply avoid their questions, but answering seems inappropriate, too.

[firesinthesky]

[ She angles her head, curious, almost as if asking her to continue, but she likewise remembers that their fellow contestants are watching their every move. Perhaps that's a bit much right now, and Blaze resolves to get it out of her later.

She brushes her thumb over the back of Sara's hand in understanding. ]

Well, they needn't know every detail of your personal life if you don't want them to. Keep it separate. Just tell them you were away for a time for personal reasons. If they respect you, they won't pry.

[dendrobium]

[ When Blaze says it, everything sounds so simple — or maybe that's just the effect of the reassuring touch to her hand. ]

It's strange to think of as myself as having a personal life outside the Almighty Shogun... but you are correct, of course. If they continue to ask, I will schedule them for five times as many training exercises the next day.

[ She's joking... probably. ]

Will you visit Inazuma, if fate allows? With the war over, our borders will soon be open once more, and I would be honoured to personally welcome you to my homeland — if not as a "perfect match", then as a dear companion; and something no less precious.

[firesinthesky]

[ For Blaze, it is simple, but then she has only ever been beholden to herself. She doesn't owe anyone an explanation for what she does with her time, and neither, she thinks, should Sara. ]

Aye, there you go. Put them through their paces.

[ An amused snort - she's choosing to take it as a joke, at least. ]

Oh... Sara, I'd love to. Inazuma sounds absolutely lovely, but most of all, I'd love to see you again. You have truly become someone special to me, as well.

[dendrobium]

Wonderful. [ She says, with a smile to match. ] As for me... it has been difficult to stray from her shores, but I would gladly do so to accompany you again, even if only for a time.

[ The booth looms, so she takes an extra half-step ahead, ensuring that she's in position to hold the door for Blaze. ]

Shall we?

[firesinthesky]

I would like that as well.

[ Sara swings the door open, and as Blaze moves to step inside, she dips down to press a kiss to Sara's cheek. Softly, ]

For luck.

[ And then she's moving past the threshold - only giving a bit of pause to how wildly different it is on the inside than the outside. With her hand still curled around Sara's, she tugs her along. ]

[omnivoracious]

[ Stand on your off-color tiles, ladies! The room is otherwise empty and almost creepily clinical, except for the screen displaying the following: ]

[dendrobium]

... For luck, indeed.

[ Their height difference means Sara can't as easily return the favour, but one of her outstretched wings rests against Blaze's back as she takes her position. ]

A rather inauspicious room, all things considered. Though I do find myself somewhat relieved at the lack of ceremony.

pt. 2 MARCILLE DONATO + DIAMOND

[omnivoracious]

[ Later in the day, the Overseer returns-- this time to take Marcille and Diamond with a gentle nod. Off you go on the path, you two! ]

[reappraise]

[ If they feel nervous about this, they're trying their very best not to show it. Maybe because they get the sense that Marcille will feel nervous enough for them both... they keep their expression serene while the two of them get led away from the group and towards the booth, looking over at their companion to check on how she's doing. ]

It looks like our strategy worked out in the end... [ They say, with a hint of lightness - their gloved hand grazes her arm softly in comfort. ] We really will get to know for sure.

[saucerous]

[Marcille looks worse than she did in the house, so probably definitely nervous enough. It isn't an entirely bad anxiety, even if she does look vaguely nauseated.]

It was kind of unorthodox way to get here, but it'll tell us a lot. After today... I'm confident we'll know what we need to.

[She chuckles (see? it isn't totally a bad nervousness), stopping on the path a second to take a very deep inhale before she resumes walking.]

More so than any of the escapades we talked about before, my heart is really getting put through its paces with this one. [She takes their hand off of her arm and puts it over her chest so they can actually feel what she's talking about. Otherwise they might not understand it.]

[reappraise]

[ She's right— they dont understand it, not until they feel the flutter of her pulse against their hand. It's the first time they've ever felt a true heartbeat before, and they press their hand a little firmer, their eyes widening in wonder. ]

It's fast... [ An idle observation, while they feel some ghost of the same tightness in their chest. ] It really doesn't hurt? Marcille...

[ It's a rhetorical question - more a show of how surprised they are that such a physical manifestation of feelings wasn't painful to her. She doesn't look to be in pain - other than from the nervousness, and naturally, they want to comfort it. Getting an answer... should set things straight. They stay close to her as they walk, not moving their hand away unless she prompts it. It's too fascinating for them to stop. ]

[saucerous]

Mm, it's just fluttering. [She shakes her head in response to the question. It's not really painful in any quantifiable way, even if there are all other sorts of small discomforts that they don't really have time to catalog.

Dia can leave their hand there is they want, even if the coordination of walking together might bump them around a bit. Marcille brushes her hair over one shoulder, off of her flushed neck.]

What does a 'no' mean? What about a yes? Should we even say it? [It's a big question, one that was hard to dissect in full even earlier this week when it felt like they had tons of time. Now they have almost no time, so the answer has to be forced and short by necessity. It's a little dangerous to ask.]

[reappraise]

Mm... it's hard to think about, right?

[ Because things were natural between them some way; Marcille feels familiar even though they were so different. Even thinking about something like this changing something between them, positive or negative, is nerve-racking... change is scary, no matter what. ]

What I said before, about in case the matchups didn't work out, I meant that. [ They move their hand from her chest, so they can link arms with her, thread their fingers together. If they're going to move, they need to walk in tandem - they can't let their selfish fascination get in the way of that. ] No matter what happens, I'll always want to talk to you like this. I think that's what I'll think about going in. That I'm glad to just have met you...

[ Thinking about it in more specific terms than that is too frightening with the door right in front of them. They give her one last glance before pushing the door open. ]

[saucerous]

That's right... It wouldn't be the same if I hadn't me you. So I'm glad, too, to have had something so unforgettable happen.

[As the door swings open, Marcille's brow thickens with a determined frown. She doesn't look at Dia when she says this next line.]

...Since I'm sure you'll live longer than I will, I really hope I've left an impression, even if it was short. Shall well?

[With a little burst of energy that doesn't seem to reflect how she's actually feeling at all, Marcille kind of hops them over the threshold and into the weirdly industrial looking room?

At least she burnt off a little bit of that anxious energy.]

[omnivoracious]

[ Hello! Here we are in the room, tiled and solemn, with the screen displaying the following: ]



[ How beautiful. Please step on the off-color tiles when you're ready. ]

[reappraise]

[ Her saying that makes them more sad than they want to admit. Mortality is always on the back of their mind when they're around the other contestants, but with her, much less so... perhaps because they could pretend her lengthened lifespan brought them closer to her than it would to a human.

If she's going to put on a brave face, they will too. They crease their brow and put their lips into a firm line, balling up their free hand into a fist like the two of them are walking into battle rather than to some element of a crazy dating show. They're not even going to tease Marcille over that hilarious ass photo, because now does Not Seem the Time. ]

So we step here... [ They place both their feet on their tile, huffing out a little breath to mask some of their own nervousness. ] ...let's finish this swiftly.

[ And that, too, comes out like a battle line, something to encourage bravery in the face of adversity. But really... it's because they can't take it any longer. They have to know. If they can keep being selfish, and keep having her by their side. If they can, then maybe... they might finally have an equal. ]

[saucerous]

Right. After all...there's something else we're both here for.

[Squaring her shoulders, she steps onto the other vacant tile, never letting go of their hand. If her heart was pounding earlier, it's absolutely hammering now, making her ears feel gummy and slightly submerged.

Only after she's fully stood the tile does Marcille duck her head a little bit, leaning into Dia's side and murmuring in a small voice that will be cut off by the light show.]

...Do I really look like that?

[She's sweating a bit nervously at this point, which Dia hopefully can't feel creeping down onto her palm against theirs. So yeah, she does kind of look like that.]

1/2

[omnivoracious]

[ Well.

The lights go off. The green lights begin their scan.

The music kicks on.

[omnivoracious]

[ Aaaaand then the music stops, the lights come up--

The screen displays the following. ]



[ A few glittery confetti flakes rain down from the ceiling! ]