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

[etcircenses]

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.

Comments

[revvinguptheharley]

"You can say that again. And that's coming from me, a girl who can go days in just her underpants if there's a good enough TV series to binge online." She snickered at confessing her less then fabulous hobby.

"It's worse back home though. See where I come from you get these costumed vigilantes and criminals. Sometimes they try to dress with a theme. I kid you not I knew a guy who called himself "The Calculator" and dressed...as a calculator. Numbers on his chest and everything!"

[fusshionable]

As Harley goes on, Porrim's eyebrows only raise higher and higher toward her hairline. "Goodness. That seems..." Tasteless? Horrid? "Terribly unfashionable," she concludes. "Let's hope the Gamemakers don't decide to bring anyone like that here, it'd give even the bravest Stylist a heart attack."

[revvinguptheharley]

"No kidding! Guy was a total dork! But get this years later? Totally re-invents himself. Now no one ever sees him and he charges people like...tons of money to ask him questions. Stuff like "What kind of superheroes live in this area?" And "Can you get me blue prints to this bank I wanna rob." Talk about a comeback! I still wonder if he wears the stupid suit when he handles those calls though." Another laugh and the waiter comes to take their orders. Harley orders a plate of mixed meats and roast vegetables, purposefully mispronouncing the word as "Veggie-tables" and giggling at the indignent twitch the waiters mustache makes. He might be dressed as a Barbarian but it's clear he still has some pride and class behind those furs.

[fusshionable]

"Huh. Talk about reinvention." Of course, Porrim lives in the Capitol. Her people are reinventing themselves almost constantly. Half the time she comes to work unable to recognize most of her coworkers.

The way Harley orders nearly has Porrim rolling her eyes. Oh, boy. What a class act. Porrim gives the waiter a smile that says she understands. "I'll have the prime rib, thanks."

[revvinguptheharley]

"So how about you!" Harley turned the conversation back in Porrim's direction as soon as the waiter was gone. "What inspires you to be...well all of this?" She gestured up and down with her hands.

"What makes Miss Porrim someone to admire?" She added letting her smile melt into a gooey sort of respect and affection despite hardly knowing the first thing about her date.

[fusshionable]

Porrim smirks, shaking her head. She's used to people looking at her like that, and by now she's used to reacting the way they expect her to. "I'm nothing so special," she demurs. "It's the way I am, I suppose."

The second question has her snorting. "I wouldn't go so far as that. I'm just a hardworking woman who happens to know how to dress herself. The rest is up to the viewer, I suppose."

[revvinguptheharley]

Twirling a fork between her fingers without looking at it Harley can't help but chuckle.

"Well modesty is an attribute in short supply around here so that's worth admiring. I've always been more of a flashy girl myself but I'm every bit as addicted to attention as most celebrities."

Setting the fork down for her drink she continued "And it's so much harder to predict public opinion back home. Is it easier here? Or is that just one of your talents?"

[fusshionable]

It's hilarious to Porrim that Harley thinks she's modest. She's anything but; she knows she's hot, and she likes to show it off, and most of all she likes to call people out on finding her attractive. But she also understands the merit of subtlety.

"Attention is nice," Porrim agrees. "It feels good to be in the spotlight now and then."

The question about public opinion has her barking a laugh. "Predictable as the tides," she answers.

[revvinguptheharley]

If Harley realizes that Porrim is about as modest as she herself is, she doesn't show it. Instead she nods in agreement and then grins brightly with the woman laughs. Harley loves making people laugh even if it's at her own expense.

"Maybe for you it is sister. But I gotta tell ya I just can't pin down this Capitol Crowd. Not like back home when I could rob a bank full of people and by the time I left they'd thank me for it."

A bit of an exaggeration on her part, but she liked to think among all the villains that had come out of Arkham people got along with her easiest.

[fusshionable]

Porrim props her chin on her hand, studying Harley with renewed interest.

"So you really were a bank robber, hmm? It's not just hearsay, or made up?"

[revvinguptheharley]

"Oh sure!" Harley had gotten used to peoples fascination with her former life and she could hardly blame them. It was a great life!

"Banks, Museums, toy stores, candy shops. I've robbed plenty of places. I've also stolen cars, kidnapped people, set fires, and generally caused mayhem and destruction for fun and profit." She went on in a light and cheery voice.

"The city I came from was full of types like that. Everyone from giant mutant crocodile men to the clown prince of crime himself my pud-" she visibly stopped herself and pinched her arm reflexively.

"The Joker. My former boyfriend." It took some effort but she managed to inject enough venom into the word former she thought it almost sounded convincing that she might be over him.

Maybe?

[fusshionable]

"Huh." Porrim's expression turns quizzical. "And yet you've never tried any of that here? Why? Is it the threat of Peacekeepers, or is it that you've reformed?"

[revvinguptheharley]

That was enough to make Harley laugh sheepishly, it's not as though she hadn't tried to have a little fun.

"A little of both. I mean...I want to be a hero but in my own way. I'm no Wonder Woman but I've learned a thing or two from her." She explains wondering if Porrim is one of the few Capitolites who might remember the two arena career of Princess Diana of the Amazons.

"But also you guys have like...NO privacy around here. Can't sneak around or do anything fun like plot surprise parties without at least someone knowing about it." Harley sighed chewing her food thoughtfully.

"I miss the days when I could go to the bathroom or hide in a warehouse or abandoned amusement park without knowing that there was someone somewhere watching my every move and waiting for me to do something bad enough to lobotomize me. I mean i've been to jail before, and I've been to a mental asylum. It really gives ya an appreciation for your private time."

[fusshionable]

"I can understand that," Porrim replies, catching the reference easily. She's worked in the Tower for nigh on seven years now, after all. "It's good to want to make something of yourself. And--hey, you won your Games, so that's a good start."

Harley's nattering has her amused, at least. "Don't I know it." But there are cameras watching, so Porrim plasters on a smile. "But it's all for our own protection, of course. The government just wants to take care of its best assets." A standard, regurgitated bit of propaganda. Just what President Snow himself would want to hear.

[revvinguptheharley]

Another laugh, apparently Harley found Porrim delightfully funny.

"They can pucker up and kiss my assets if you'll pardon my pun." she joked pausing to chew another bite. "I'd argue harder for privacy and personal privileges around here but I can't deny it seems to do the job. I never hear about bank robberies, big drug busts or any of the usual crimes back home. All the serial murders happen in a nice safe and separated arena."

Picking up her glass she toasted with a dangerous amount of snark in her voice "So, here's to being safe from everything except rebels, government conspiracies and boredom."

[fusshionable]

Porrim's eyes go wide at what Harley is saying. Immediately, she feels her chest tighten with fear, alarm bells ringing in her head, because not only is this restaurant already bugged to hell and back, as a general rule, there's a television camera trained directly on them, and Harley is talking about rebellions and conspiracies. And it's dangerous, and borderline traitorous, and as much as Porrim is definitely part of the rebellion, she is also firmly planted on the side of not wanting to go to prison for it.

So she does the only thing she can do, the only thing a reasonable Capitolite would do: she stands up abruptly, hands on the table, making herself look stern. "I'm sorry, I can't sit here and listen to these subversive lies. The Government of Panem is concerned with our safety and well-being. To suggest anything else would be blatantly traitorous." She tosses her napkin on the table and bolts for the exit, trying to stop the way her hands are shaking, wishing she didn't feel so dreadfully nauseous. She hates to cause a scene, really she does, but she doesn't have much of a choice in her opinion.

[revvinguptheharley]

It shouldn't surprise Harley to see her storm off like that, if she's honest with herself pushing Capitol buttons is about the only thrill she gets these days, but she's a little stunned all the same.

Realizing that the eyes of the restaraunt and probably a dozen Peacekeepers are on her now she shrugs in an exaggerated way.

"Blind Dates right? Next time I'll ask for a deaf one."