★VIDEO - WITCH & MONSTER SPEED DATING

[starseedling]

Name: Steven Universe
Date: Juril 23th
Format: VIDEO

[Steven starts the video with the composure of someone who has been practicing what he's going to say. It's not stiff or awkward, but it is definitely a pitch.

His pocket watch is settled in front of him, showing most of his upper body. He's in a house somewhere, and clearly a fae. He's got pink antennae and a set of insect wings that are partially spread out behind him. There are little glimmering stars just floating in the air around him, which are illusions, for anyone with the sense for that.]

He-llooo Aefenglom! Or at least the mirror people part of it!

So, I've been thinking! There's a lot of us out there that haven't made Bonds yet. I know it can be hard, meeting new people! But I have an idea that might help you out.

I'm going to be organizing a Witch & Monster Speed Dating Event for the start of next month! If you don't know what that is, it's when a bunch of people get together and take turns breaking the ice with each other. You get to chat for three minutes, and then you move on!

[The little glamour stars you can see turn into soft pink hearts and bubbles now.]

If you like them, you mark it down, and if you're a match, you'll get an invitation to hang out together after the event! I thought I could set it up so there is one set monsters and one set of witches, so that you can try to find someone to form a safe Bond with if you haven't already!

I'm going to start off by trying to organize something big enough for 10 monsters and 10 witches for the first event, and if it goes well, we can totally do it again in the future. I won't be participating, but I'll be the to organize, provide music, and... well, if anyone out there is willing to help me catering then that would be amazing! I... don't have a lot of cash, right now.

Attendance is totally free but if you want to bring something along to share it would be super appreciated! Let me know if you want to come and I'll book you a slot.

Oh, um... I know I said this is speed dating, but it doesn't have to be romantic! You can also just be friends if you like that better. 'Speed Dating' is just kind of a thing back on my homeworld. The Bond potential is what's important!

[OOC: There is going to be an OOC organizational component to this as opposed to it just being a free for all - everyone will be OOCly assigned a few people to tag for rapid fire threads with possibly strangers. It's mostly going to be randomized pairings for your character to get out there and meet, but you can also just tag into whoever you want beyond the ones you're assigned.

Provided there is enough interest to run this event, I'll be doing an OOC post to explain the specifics more completely and get concrete sign ups. There are limited slots, so be sure to let me know if your want your character there! I'll hold a spot for any characters that commit to the event in this post.]

Comments

[Video]

[spaghettimonster]

Wow, this is a great idea! Maybe it's not Coven-vetted emergency bonds... But it sounds like a lot more fun. Food, music, high speed friendship... Sign me up!

After all, if we, uh, need bonds...

[Papyrus glances away, his voice going tense and unhappy for a second - because boy, has he discovered that he does - before he forces a smile again.]

Th-then, other mirrorbound are the best idea! We all already have something in common.

[starseedling]

[IT'S THE SKELETON AGAIN!!! ALSO, THE SKELETON IS SAD!

Those are the first two things that go through Steven's head, and it kind of shows.]

Hey, I remember you! I met you in the dream! And... I guess I saw you around the spider cave but I didn't stay there very long...

How are you doing?

[spaghettimonster]

[Ugh, the spider cave. Ugh, how he's doing. It's been a couple months since that dream, and things sure have happened.

And with those things on his mind, there's a stiffness to how Papyrus' jaw moves open and closed as he talks.]

Oh, you know. Turning into a wolfdog... Having not the best of full moons...

But, I've got the cleanup well under way! Next time I'll be better prepared.

[starseedling]

Right?? [Steven groans.] Last month was my first real one, and I got all weird and was flying around naked, and nobody even told me to stop! At least... not until the locals started getting mad...

I had a Bond this month, and it really helped! I think. I did still shed my skin, though.

[spaghettimonster]

It's both a comfort and a disappointment not to be alone in this stuff. But that last comment is a whole other thing, and as Papyrus thinks it through, surprise startles the stiffness right out of his jaw, and he gapes.]

Huh?? How... how much of your skin did you shed...??

[He's pretty sure humans need that.]

Were you a skeleton for the full moon?!

[starseedling]

[He waves away that idea with his hands.]

Not that much! It was more like... a snake! I had new skin underneath. And my wings got bigger.

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, wow, that's not so bad.

[Phew! Not only because that's a gross idea, but because it would be grossly unfair for anyone else to be becoming more of a skeleton when he's pretty sure he's becoming less of one.

There aren't too many snakes in Snowdin, but he recognizes the idea after a couple second's thought.]

So you shed your skin... and got bigger wings? Where did the bigger wings come from...

[Is Steven growing wings under his skin? How many layers of wings are in there, is he a matryoshka doll of snake wings.]

[starseedling]

[Steven's mind clearly goes somewhere else as he tries to think of how to explain this. It's not exactly the most clearly relatable experience to describe to someone.]

It was more like... the outside skin got all hard and dry, and the wings were growing underneath that? Maybe it's more like a butterfly... or like... a cocoon if the... cocoon was my skin? The skin was all crystally afterwards.

It's honestly really weird, and it's been happening every full moon...

[spaghettimonster]

Ohhh, that's why you have these.

[Papyrus puts two fingers up above his head, miming the antennae.]

That seems... convenient? Better than getting stuck on a branch for days and weeks.

[There may not be many insects in the snowy town, either, but he's at least seen some nature documentaries. And butterflies are cool.

He has no more idea what bugs have to do with the full moon than Steven does, though. Werewolves have a fine literary - and film, and comic book, and so on - tradition, but bugs? Why he's turning into a wolf who wrecks his room and breaks down the door is a mystery, but at least he recognizes all the signs.]

[starseedling]

I did get stuck for like... the whole afternoon... but I also wasn't really thinking about it when it happened. My brain felt all soupy.

[And then he fluttered around naked for hours, so it didn't necessarily get less soupy.]

I think the full moon is different for every monster. But we all get really... um. Excited.

[spaghettimonster]

[Papyrus' voice - and smile - goes a little stiff and too bright again.]

That's... a word you could use for it!

[He remembers little of it but the early part - when he got first felt scared, and angry, and hairy, and broke something in surprise. Which just made a feedback loop when trying to calm down didn't work. Excited... in not-so-great ways. Time to change the subject.]

I can't say I've met excited soup, before. Or have any idea what that would feel like...

[starseedling]

[Steven is a bit lost trying to interpret Papyrus's expression - is the faces he's making because he feels awkward or upset, or do skeletons just look like that? Getting to know new species creates a lot of questions.

But what to do about it? The only way to know is to become more familiar with him.]

Well... you could meet me!

[Maybe that doesn't communicate his idea properly.]

I might not be excited soup right now, but... if you want to come to the Speed Dating event, maybe we could talk about that stuff!

[spaghettimonster]

[For all that his skull shifts enough to emote, lacking skin and muscles really cuts down on the amount of microexpressions Papyrus has on display. It makes sense to miss when his smiles aren't really smiles.]

I suppose... I'll have to talk about it, with anyone I bond with...

[As he muses aloud, Papyrus glances to either side - anywhere but directly at Steven - then shrugs and faces him head on.]

Yeah, okay! But, that can wait until then. I do want to come! And, I wanted to ask... what sorts of catering do you want to get???

[starseedling]

[This poor skeleton. Or, at least, he thinks that is the appropriate response.]

I'm not sure! Nothing really expensive. I don't have that much money.

At worst I guess I could make a bunch of sandwiches? But, I was wondering if anyone who likes to cook would be able to help me out. Food makes it more exciting to go to things, right?

[spaghettimonster]

[Oh, money concerns. Relatable. Their housing might be free, but the barely furnished barracks rooms haven't been cheaper, with his occasional impulse buys of knickknacks to make it feel homier. At least the repair work was cheaper than a nicer house would have been.]

Yeah!! Nothing makes people feel welcome, like food made especially for them. Even if the details of 'them' were a little hypothetical....

[He's never known for sure what an incoming human might be like, but that's never stopped him from cooking for them. Before or after beginning his mom lessons.]

I'm new to cooking, but I like it! And I'd like to help out.

[starseedling]

That's great! Thank you!

[Steven grins.]

What kind of food do you like to make? I could help you find ingredients!

[spaghettimonster]

That's excellent teamwork! But, I don't know if I like to make any food more than other foods...

[He strokes his chin a couple times, jaw shifted at an angle as he thinks.]

The important thing is, it be something that people want to eat. What do people like? I've been practicing my savory pies lately! They're sometimes called 'quiche'.

[A little experimental, maybe, but better than some of the alternatives. Pasta dishes are not the best idea. They can be good, but he'd run the risk of accidentally following Undyne's training, and having another noodle incident...]