thecapitol | Oh, this is the night and the heavens are right on this lovely Bella Notte

Oh, this is the night and the heavens are right on this lovely Bella Notte

Who| Everyone who signed up for blind dating!
What| An evening of romance, or disaster, take your pick.
Where| The Swift Cut restaurant
When| 16th June
Warnings/Notes| The course of true love never did run smooth. Remember that if your character was not rolled in arena but you signed up for them to be here, you will need to mark their death on fatality reporting.

The atmosphere at the Swift Cut this evening is bustling. It's clear from the moment one enters the restaurant that they have pulled all the stops out for this televised extravaganza.

Every fire is lit and the air is filled with the scent of the roasting meat on spits over the flames; boar, beef, pork, venison and more. Pots bubble with the smell of hot stew, vegetables are being roasted in ovens and from giant casks around the room beer is being drawn. The staff are in full 'barbarian' getup, consisting of skimpy furs on both the male and the female servers but luckily for you they don't seem to expect a similar dress code from their guests.

Tribute's stylists may have had other ideas, of course.

The giant room has been clearly divided. Tribute's will find themselves directed to one side while trueborn citizens of Panem and petitioned out individuals are brought to the other. It is left up to them to find their table with the number they will be handed upon entering the restaurant. Whether they are the first to arrive at their table is a matter of chance but they can be sure that a cameraman will always be there to capture the moment of realisation on both participants faces when they realise who their date is.

Once everyone is seated the music will begin the play. Minstrels strum lutes and harps, their voices filling the air softly with traditional medieval ballads. There is a space set aside for dancing if anyone is in the mood.

Throughout the evening, and certainly at the end, Tribute's and Capitolites will find themselves sporadically approached by the show host to be asked questions about how they feel the evening is going. It's up to them how honestly they answer, though they should remember the camera's are always watching.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

For someone who had seemed so pleased to talk with her last time, Meulin seems hesitant. Her smile is still strong but there's uncertainty in her eyes. Distance. More so than normal at least. Only Terezi's mimes prompt her to produce her notebook and flip it to a fresh page.

She holds it out, not saying a word yet, mostly so the cameras don't swing their way but a little because she's not sure what to say. It's an odd experience for her.

Terezi takes the notepad gratefully, but a part of her is a little concerned by the distance that Meulin's eyes put between them. She seems friendly enough, but there's a coolness in the way that it feels.

The notepad is returned a few seconds later with her own concerned expression and the following message written on the paper:

1M SORRY TH4T 1 M1SS3D OUR LUNCH D4T3
1 S3NT YOU 4 NOT3 WH3N TH3Y ST4RT3D PR3PP1NG M3 FOR TH3 4R3N4
1 D1DNT KNOW 1F TH3Y D3L1V3R3D 1T OR NOT

Her gaze drifted while Terezi wrote, just around them, but she doesn't have much time to look around. The pad is back in her hands before she can think about the situation and she takes back the pen to reply.

Part of her feels bad for the distance, for reading the article that would make it harder to be treat Terezi fairly, like any other tribute. None of that comes in her reply, not her distance or the uncertainty of said distance, just smiling and her usual tone of reply.

I did! No worries. I wasn't really aware you were back quite yet.

I sort of expected we'd figure it out next time I came by the tower. Didn't expect to see you here!

Terezi sniffs at the reply carefully before lifting her head to smell Meulin's expression as well. Something still feels...off, but not in a way that she can put her finger on. Was it something that she saw in the arena? She tries to think back, and for the life of her, Terezi can't recall brutally murdering anyone or like... Maybe she's just being paranoid. That's also a possibility.

TH4T 1S OK4Y
1 W4SNT 3XP3CT1NG TO S33 M3 H3R3 31TH3R

DO YOU W4NT TO R3SCH3DUL3?
1 TH1NK MY W33K3ND 1S FR33 4ND SHOULD NOT B3 BLOCK3D W1TH 4 SUDD3N SURPR1S3 4R3N4 TH1S T1M3
YOU C4N P1CK TH3 PL4C3
1 TH1NK W3 W3R3 T4LK1NG 4BOUT SOM3TH1NG W1TH F1SH 4ND F1GS?
4LSO FRU1T SMOOTH13S
C4NT FORG3T THOS3

The sniff throws Meulin off. Can she smell her uncertainty? She bites her lip for a moment when Terezi's leaned down to write. She must smell something off her and for a brief moment she wants to ask her why she's a peacekeeper at all, why do things like that. But she doesn't. She takes the paper back and lifts the pen.

Oh. Right. Rescheduling. Her lips press thin for a moment before pulling back into a smile.

Can't forget those at all. We'll have to pick up smoothies afterward though. I can work the fish but probably not the figs. A shop would be better for those.

This weekend should be alright. I should have all my edits in for Celebrus by that point. Any preference on the day and time?

Terezi is about to shrug and say no preference, but a thought occurs to her. If she tells her Escort about this little rendezvous, then maybe she can have a little more time to herself. Setting up a lunchdate with a journalist has to count for some brownie points with the staff, right?

NO PR3F3R3NC3 H3R3 BUT 1 SHOULD PROB4BLY T4K3 TH1S THROUGH MY 3SCORT
SH3 W1LL G3T 4 K1CK OUT OF M4K1NG TH1S 4N "OFF1C14L" OUT1NG ON MY SCH3DUL3
4ND 1 C4N M4K3 SUR3 1T WONT B3 1NTURRUPT3D BY SOM3TH1NG 3LS3
1S TH4T OK4Y W1TH YOU?

Edited 2015-07-12 20:19 (UTC)

An 'official' outing. She's a little weary of that, unsure of what that would mean, would it be publicized? What is she worried about, she's hardly a household name. Suddenly she's wondering if she wants herself associated with a Peacekeeper. Maybe that would be for the best.

Nothing would prove better that she's a good citizen than that, right? She smiles uncertainly.

Whatever you think is best
You're the one with a big fancy schedule to keep

1T 1S SO H4RD B31NG 4 C3L3BR1TY

1 W1LL RUN 1T BY H3R 4ND L3T YOU KNOW
1M SUR3 1T W1LL B3 OK4Y

Terezi flashes her an encouraging smile as she shows the tablet to Meulin. She doesn't hand it back, though. Not yet. It takes her another moment to add a new note beneath that:

HOW 1S YOUR D4T3 GO1NG?
1 4M D1S4PPO1NT3D TH4T 1 4M TH3 ONLY BL1ND G1RL 4T 4 BL1ND D4T3
WHO 3V3N S3TS TH3S3 TH1NGS UP?
TH3Y MUST H4V3 GOTT3N 1T 4LL WRONG

Meulin smiles in reply, still a little awkward.
At least Terezi changes the subject and she's far more at ease talking about this.

It's a little odd. I got a woman, Peggy. She's an pre Never-ending Quell Victor. So I'm honored to meet and she's quite sweet. But nothing really there you know! What about yours? Surely you must enjoy a blind date if only for the irony

Terezi leans to the side to sniff in the direction of Meulin's date. A Panem native, but not a Capitolite, hmm? She seems nice, as mentioned, but other than that, Terezi doesn't know much about her. She turns her attention back to Meulin to write an answer to her question.

TH3 IRONY 1S GR34T
MY D4T3 NOT SO MUCH
H3 SM3LLS L1K3 D3L1C1OUS BLU3B3RR13S
BUT H3 1S 4 D3L1NQU3NT
H3 W4S TRY1NG TO P4SS M3 NOT3S 1N CL4SS TH3 OTH3R D4Y
1NST34D OF P4Y1NG 4TT3NT1ON TO H1S STUD13S
1 4M GO1NG TO H4V3 TO T34CH H1M TO B3 MOR3 D1L1G3NT 1F H3 3V3N H4S 4 HOP3 OF WOO1NG M3

Meulin laughs aloud as she reads then looks around quickly. There really was a problem with not being able to judge your own volume. She pulls it close to her to write back, shaking her head. What a Peacekeeper thing to worry about.

Clearly a few notes is awful
I am sure one like you would never pass notes in class
But I'm sure he's trying his best

Terezi wrinkles her nose in distaste. She turns to sniff back in Kurt's direction, but even his blueberry skin does not entice her interest for very long. Maybe once upon a time it might have... But this just feels wrong.

1 4M SUR3 TH4T H3 1S TRY1NG SOM3TH1NG!
BUT 1 4M NOT H4V1NG 4NY OF 1T
1 D1D NOT S1GN UP FOR TH1S S1LLY D4T3 G4M3
1 DO NOT W4NT 4 N3W ROM4NC3
MY L4ST ON3 H4S C4US3D M3 3NOUGH TROUBL3
TH3 ONLY TH1NG 1 4M 3NG4G1NG FROM H3R3 ON OUT 1S MY WORK

Meulin feels slightly vindicated in her uncertainty about Terezi being here. It didn't seem like her to go chasing off another relationship. Er. Quadrant. Well, from what she knew. She realized recently how little she actually knows. Brought up again by the mention of work.

Just take it as an evening out
I know there's nothing with me and Peggy
Fur many many reasons.
Don't worry, I didn't sign up for this either.

She glances up and across the room, not in the direction of Kurt or Peggy. She starts to hand it back, then pulls it back to her chest.

Congratulations. By the way. You were in last months Celebrus.

What an interesting look. Terezi is glad that she's not the only one a little underwhelmed by the romance of her date, but that look suggests that maybe there's someone else that Meulin would rather be sitting with. Fortunately for her, she redirects Terezi's focus back tot he notepad and the new sentence written on it.

1 W4S?

That's news to her. She hadn't checked the tabloids since coming back from the arena, which was only a day or two ago. She'd be woken up by her Escort, gussied up by her Stylist and shipped off to this dating scene almost immediately.

1 4M NOT SUR3 TH4T 1S SOM3TH1NG TO B3 CONGR4TUL4T3D 4BOUT >:?
WH4T W3R3 TH3Y S4Y1NG 4BOUT M3 TH1S T1M3?

Meulin isn't surprised, she was in the Arena so how could she know. Yet it's a little surprising that she didn't realize that's what her posters were for. Perhaps she was just unaware of their distribution route.

You were only briefly mentioned, not to worry. But your posters were available. Specially made to be pulled out and put up on walls. My sister enjoyed them.

"Oh!" Terezi exclaims in surprise at reading Meulin's words. Her posters. Right. Part of the pieces of propaganda that the Peacekeepers had asked her to do. Exotic art. A surefire way to catch the population's attention.

OH THOS3 TH1NGS
1 D1D NOT KNOW TH3Y W3R3 POST1NG TH3M 1N C3L3BRUS

W3LL 1 GU3SS TH4T 1S 4 B3TT3R M3NT1ON TH4N MOST OF MY OTH3R ON3S
1 D1D NOT H4V3 4 WHOL3 LOT OF CR34T1V3 L1B3RTY TH3R3
BUT 1 4M GL4D TH4T YOUR S1ST3R L1K3D TH3M

D1D YOU L1K3 TH3M TOO?

Terezi lifts her attention up to Meulin's face, as if watching for her reaction.

Meulin's expression hardly changes as she reads, things she already suspected and had confirmed. A lack of creative liberty is hardly surprising given who it was for. But the last line gives her pause. It takes a lot of control to keep her smile up and her eyes down, more than she really has. She bites her lip and her eyes flick up, just peeking over the edge of the notepad. Adjusting her grip on the pen, she writes back. It's just a few lines.

They're interesting! I wasn't really aware you drew like that. Will that be part of your position or just one time only sort of thing?

It's such a little thing, but Terezi catches the way that she bites her lip--as well as the way she breezes over the answer. 'Interesting', she says, leaving it open. It's not a real answer in Terezi's mind, and it makes her wonder.

Nevertheless, she smiles at the response.

P4RT OF MY POS1T1ON
TH4T W4S 4CTU4LLY TH3 OR1G1N4L P4RT
DR4W1NG TH1NGS FOR TH3 P34C3K33P3RS
TH3 TYP1C4L DUT13S C4M3 L4T3R

Really? I wasn't really aware that they were taking in Tributes among their number you know, but I can see why they would have you draw. It certainly caught my attention

They were very patriotic of you!

She smiles a little wider. Faking patriotism was easy enough. Panem today, forever, always and always, make lots of mention of what they do for us, all bowing and gratitude. It was only really around the Peacekeepers that it slipped.

TH4NK YOU
MY 4RTSTYL3 1S 4PP4R3NTLY V3RY 3XOT1C
1 TH1NK TH3 HUM4N 1D34 OF 4RT 1S K1ND OF STR4NG3 H3R3
BUT 1T GOT MY FOOT 1N TH3 DOOR
G3TT1NG TH1S POS1T1ON W4S V3RY 1MPORT4NT TO M3
1 W4NT3D TO H3LP K33P OTH3RS S4F3
4ND NOW 1 C4N

At least, that was the intention. She's sure that her efforts have paid off at least a little, but they didn't hold up where it counted. Not yet, anyway. There's still a chance out there, waiting in the future.

Edited 2015-08-09 05:43 (UTC)

Keep other safe. A dozen memories of Peacekeepers keeping others 'safe' flit through her mind. It's curious, her image of Terezi was never this naive. Maybe she'd thought throwing in her lot with the Capitol was that way to keep them safe. Meulin is unsure if she should judge, given where she is and what she's doing. All the fawning and smiling and playing the part.

She could have picked a less awful branch of things if that were the case.

I'm sure you will. I'm told they give people many opportunities to do so.
I'm sure we'll see more of your work in the future.

Terezi keeps smiling, as if nothing that she wrote was out of place. Clearly she means every word of it.

1 HOP3 SO

BUT 1 TH1NK TH4T 1S MOR3 TH4N 3NOUGH 4BOUT M3
WH4T 4BOUT YOU?
SOM3HOW 1 G3T TH3 F33L1NG
TH4T TH3R3 1S SOM3ON3 3LS3
YOU WOULD R4TH3R H4V3 TH1S D4T3 W1TH

Someone else? Her eyes flutter up and off to one side, not at all glancing at someone. No, no of course not. Terezi is just projecting of course. Or assuming. She writes about romance, of course one could assume she would prefer--or have someone--or... Meulin realizes it's been about thirty seconds since she got the paper back and she hasn't even started writing a reply. Smooth.

Oh it is just that I don't know a lot of people here! I'd probably be more comfortable with someone I knew. But
I suppawse a blind date is to get out of her comfort zone.

Terezi's smile widens at those telltale signs of guilt. She wants to take a look at where Meulin had been glancing, but the look was brief enough, and Terezi was expecting something of a quick response. The leg between her expectations and reality is very noticeable.

1S TH3R3 SOM3ON3 TH4T YOU KNOW 1N TH1S C4P1TOL?
1 W4S UND3R TH3 1MPR3SS1ON TH4T YOU H4DNT B33N H3R3 V3RY LONG
BUT 1 4M ST4RT1NG TO TH1NK TH4T 1 W4S M1SL3D

DONT WORRY
YOUR S3CR3TS 4R3 S4F3 W1TH M3
TH3 R3L4T1ONSH1P JOURN4L1ST 4ND 1 4R3 PR3TTY T1GHT
B3ST FR13NDS FOR3V3R
TH4T SORT OF TH1NG >;]
1 C4N M4K3 SUR3 TH1S DO3SNT F1ND 1TS W4Y 1NTO TH3 GOSS1P R4GS

Meulin laughs and for a little while, she remembers why she had been friendly with Terezi in the first place. Her utter ridiculousness was clearly a good reason. She raises an eyebrow, inwardly wondering at why Terezi even pokes about this. Surely there were important things to worry about than the nonexistent love life of a gossip columnist. Relationship journalist sounded so fancy though. She kind of liked it.

You don't say.
Are you sure the relationship journalist is not...

You! :OO
All these questions.
I'll give you one answer! I knew him before I came to the Capitol.
He visited District Four when we were kids.

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phone tag no font things

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