Valentine's Speed Dating

[frost_queen]

Valentine's Speed Dating

What's Up?

Emma has arranged for the group to go to a speed dating event in New York City the night before Valentine's Day, and she promises it's going to be something, at least. It's situated in a very cute little pop-up cafe that's been all decked out with hearts and is cheesy, but in like, an Instagrammable way. Only those who signed up ahead of time are allowed in and, wouldn't you know it, looks like everyone was signed up whether they did it themselves or not! 😇

It's surprisingly well-attended, with a nice mix of humans and mutants, and a veritable rainbow of genders and sexualities. There are complementary small bites and lightly alcoholic drinks for everyone, and while there's traditional speed dating in 8-minute intervals, everyone is encouraged to mingle after the rounds are over. At the end of the night, Emma is giving a prize to whomever got the most phone numbers. You are required to wear them on the ride back home.

Volunteer Slots

On the way to the event in the small party bus Emma has rented for them, Kitty Pryde accidentally spills a drink all over their nice outfit!! It's fine, Emma has spare clothes for them. For everyone, apparently.

Kurt Wagner Burt Wragler's sign-up form seems to have gotten misinterpreted, somehow, leading to their name tag being misspelled and their job title being aspiring Broadway actor.

Manuel de la Rocha keeps getting weirdly strong drinks at the event (the bartender thinks they're cute and is trying to do them a favor), and ends the evening a little drunk and with a napkin sporting the bartender's number.

📞😘

I've rolled 3 NPCs for everyone so there's something to gossip about, but they're only a subset of the people they'll have talked to tonight! Fill out the form below and post here to let me know about how lucky you think your character might be at getting phone numbers, and I'll roll for their success.

<b>Character Name</b>: Name <b>Are they trying to get numbers?</b>: Y/N <b>How hard are they trying?</b>: N/A or 1-5 <b>How charming does your character think they are?</b> 1-5 <b>How charming do you think your character is?</b>: 1-5 <b>Anything else?</b>: You can tell us their tactics here for flavor if you want!

VIBES ♥ BEFORE SPEED DATING ♥ DURING SPEED DATING ♥ AFTER SPEED DATING ♥ OOC

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VIBES

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

How are your characters feeling about speed dating? What are they wearing? Are they going to participate in the phone number competition?

VIBES: Scott

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Scott looks how he usually does out of uniform, like a background actor with obnoxious taste in eyewear. Plain baseball cap (which Emma steals for the entire session), jeans, leather jacket over a zip-up hoodie. He's only accompanying the group to keep an eye out for danger, but ends up seated across a date with no way to get out of it. Multiple dates. Sorry, how many dates do they have to do?

He's an awful speed dater, and spends an inordinate amount of time watching how Jean's speed dates go instead of paying attention to his partner.

VIBES: Kitty

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

Kitty initially was wearing something normal, she promises. But she spills a drink on it on the party bus, so has to subject herself to abject humiliation by wearing what Emma picked out for her. Which doesn't actually look bad when paired with the combat boots she was wearing at all. It's just not enough shirt. Lockheed is in her Lockheed Purse, so hopefully her dates are cool with a little portable dragon. She's been on a LOT of first dates, so this is just like a bunch of them at once, and honestly, she appreciates the efficiency.

VIBES: Kurt

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Kurt's happy to humor Emma, and it's not like he's ever been averse to a little (or a lot) of casual dating. He's wearing loose shirt with a colorful rose pattern that stands out against his dark blue fur. Festive and eye-catching, so if his entrance draws any extended looks, he can blame them on his fashion choices. Once he arrives at the function, he quickly realizes he had nothing to worry about.

Anyway, he's here to wine and dine a some beautiful strangers in eight minutes or less.

VIBES: Emma

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Emma only spends a tiny bit of time fussing about everyone during the initial part of their trip into the city before she sits back and just lets herself have a nice time. She's dressed in a dangerously short dress and matching heels, along with a tasteful diamond tennis necklace and some understated diamond earrings. She's very much looking forward to how hilarious she thinks all of this will be, and since she's organizing the phone number competition she's opting out of playing herself. Plus, it'd be unfair if you had to go up against her.

VIBES: Manuel

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

Manuel has no interest in speed dating (or dating in general), but Emma asked him to be here and so here he is, well put-together and prepared to go along with the evening's festivities. He's dressed in a simple but flattering outfit: a dark cashmere sweater with khaki chinos and brogues and a needlessly expensive watch. For those that know him, it's obvious that he's playing the chameleon tonight; giving each stranger what they seem to want from him and putting very little of his true self on display. It's not like he's trying to connect with any of these people.

For the sake of Emma's competition, he's agreed not to use his powers to actively manipulate anyone. He's on his best behavior. 😌

BEFORE SPEED DATING

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

At the Institute, on the bus, arriving at the venue!

BEFORE SPEED DATING: Emma & OPEN+

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

The ride into the city is relaxing for Emma - she uses it to push all the thoughts of the past weekend out of her mind, and instead just bask in the comforting presence of her friends. She's positive the evening is going to be ridiculous, but that's just what they need. And surely there will be some acceptable people there, anyways, so maybe someone will get a date out of this too. But she's not holding her breath.

She's nestled herself into a corner at the back of the bus, legs crossed as she files her nails into meticulous points. "Who do you think is going to win the competition?"

BEFORE SPEED DATING: Kitty & Open++

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

At least three times between the bus and the front door, Kitty tries to fix the fact that she's wearing barely-concealed lingerie in public. She's not exactly self-conscious, just aware that this is not anything she'd ever select for herself. Except for the red. A Power Color for sure.

With futility, Kitty uses a bobby pin to fasten the lapels together, and looks at the fully neck-to-ankle bright red monochrome effect this grants her. Hm. She turns to whoever's near, and questions rather seriously, "Cute or like an off-brand fast food mascot?"

She thinks she knows the answer.

DURING SPEED DATING

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

After the formal speed dating is completed, everyone is encouraged to stick around and mingle.

DURING SPEED DATING: YOUR DATES

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

DURING SPEED DATING: PHONE NUMBER CONTEST

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Use the form in the entry to see how many phone numbers your character gets!

DURING SPEED DATING: Scott & OPEN+

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Eventually, Scott ends up on a date with someone he knows, which defeats the purpose of speed dating but is a much-needed reprieve from the stress of making small talk with strangers. Having eight-minute coffee chats the day before Valentine's Day just reminds him of how he dumped his ex the day before Christmas, which makes him seem even more depressed than usual.

"Now would be a great time for superpowered criminals to do a robbery," he sighs.

DURING SPEED DATING: Kurt & Open

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

As soon as a friend sits across from Kurt, he leans in across the table for the inevitable gossip. They'll have to keep their voices low, and Kurt's not quite setting aside the flirtatious charm he met his other "real dates" with. "Tell me about your matches while I pretend that I'm extremely into you. It might make the one you like jealous."

DURING SPEED DATING: Kitty & Emma

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

After the formal rounds of speed dating are over, participants are encouraged to mingle and have another drink or two and some snacks before the evening is over. The moment she's released, Emma is seeking out one of her companions and, wouldn't you know it, Kitty is nearby and even thinking of her.

She gets two watered down gin and tonics before making her way over to her. "I can answer your question, if only you ask it." Of course, she could anyways, but she likes to be a pain occasionally.

AFTER SPEED DATING

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

On the way home and back at the Institute!

AFTER SPEED DATING: Manuel & Open+

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

By the time they're all back on the bus and heading home, Manuel is a little drunk. He's comfortably adrift. Lightheaded but relaxed, not fully in control but not out of control enough to be bothered or to lose his grip on his mental defenses. He feels good. Now reclining into his seat on the back row of the bus, he slips a folded napkin out of his jacket's inner pocket and opens it. He turns it around in his hands a few times (and then a few more times) until what's written there starts to make sense again.

A name and a number. A parting gift from the bartender after a night of spectacular drinks and about twenty minutes of conversation at the bar once he'd had his fill of the desperate speed daters. It had been the best part of the night by far.

He squints at it briefly, then leans over to jab the person sitting closest to him.

"Oye. Is this, ah, a five or a six?"

AFTER SPEED DATING: Emma & Kurt

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Everyone is slowly draining out of the establishment, and Kurt offers an arm to Emma. A few pairs are leaving together, or hurriedly exchanging numbers, but the two of them can walk out together unbothered. The benefits of being intimidating, Kurt supposes. If someone was so bold as to walk up to them now, Kurt thinks they'd more than deserve a second date.

"So," he begins, just the right amount of tipsy, "was it everything you hoped for? Did you find true love, Schatz?"

AFTER SPEED DATING: Scott & Jean

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Most of the crowd dawdles after speed dating ends. Finishing drinks, following up with dates, exchanging numbers, waiting to be noticed. If anyone wants to try shooting their shot again with Jean Grey, Scott is already there, radiating the inhospitable vibes only achievable by a man who wears sunglasses indoors.

Not that Scott would stop anyone from speaking to Jean. Or could. If she's found love at a speed dating event on the day before Valentine's, then that's fine. Completely fine. "Ready to go?" he asks Jean.

AFTER SPEED DATING: Kitty & Jean

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

It's late when they get back to the Academy, but Kitty's always more wired than anything after so much activity. And there's important work to be done. Collaboration that simply had to wait for a more exclusive venue. And a hoodie and sweatpants, which she pulled on immediately on return. Kitty had left the hideout just to swipe a bottle of wine and scavenged leftover cold pizza that the kids must have ordered while their teachers were out. Teeny speed dating hors d'oeuvres were never enough. She lays them on the floor ceremoniously and then creates a small dust cloud by flopping on the couch next to Jean.

"So I've been thinking about it." She begins without context, "And are we sure those dates were all like, normal people? Like, were they harmless aliens or clones, or is that just Brooklyn these days?"

OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Lmao this is.. a little much sorry!!!!!!! This is all stupid and hopefully fun!! I'm willing to do a few back and forth tags with an NPC of your choice if you want 😌 ALSO obviously you can pick and choose any other NPCs from other people to have speed-dated (or just met after). I just wanted to give everyone some fresh people. Yes there are so many people here. It's fine.

OOC: VOLUNTEER SPOTS

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Holler at me if you want Emma for anything 🥰 I'll post at least one open later today probably!! Also this is the day before Valentine's Day so they can have a date tomorrow if they want wink wink

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

In the correct place: so excited about all these people oh my god. Wish Kitty wasn’t so into old guys named Peter but this is her fate. I’m gonna be around but later! Would luv to thread w everyone!

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

noting for future reference that scott's rng vibes with these ppl are 5, 3 and 12. having a bad time but he does think the redhead is attractive

scott came along as a bodyguard and instead was signed up without his knowledge. please thread with meee