WEEK TWO MATCH CEREMONY

[potatomance]

ᯓ⭐ WEEK TWO MATCH CEREMONY

Welcome, kiddos and kiddettes! To Week Two of this bullshit!

Once again, everyone is led up to the roof with the same seating set-up as before. Riri is cheerfully bobbing in front of the fire and as people arrive and get settled, it waves its little wand to offer Greeting Sparkles.

"I guess we'll see if you're taking it a little more seriously this week. Probably surprising no one, our overachieving Marty is gonna be up first this time, but who knows how it's gonna go next week?

Anyway, sit down, shut up, and unfortunately let the guy speak."

Comments

[alcoheal]

Is that so? Maybe I'd better switch to grape juice tonight, then. [At that point, even Manuela can't tell if she's joking or not. She'd like to put in an earnest effort to socialize, anyway, so why not try it? Even if he's treating it like the most finely aged barrel in the cellars.]

What do you usually do to relax? Your career sounds quite taxing, but you stay positive. What's your secret?

[bewrightback]

If you think you can handle it. [He says with a wink. That much at least seems to be a joke. Probably.]

Well, I'd be lying if I said I really was always positive. In this case, as suspicious as this set-up is, it helps that the stakes aren't literal life-or-death. But my real secret... that would be something my mentor toward me a long time ago.

[He smiles fondly as he looks down into his drink.]

'A lawyer is someone who smiles no matter how bad it gets'.

[alcoheal]

I have to agree... I'm sure I could still somehow manage to get around the things Riri is holding over our heads. I knew my voice would fade one day already. Not being able to treat people would make me feel like a failure, but I'd survive. [Of course, given that these are both things precious enough to her to be taken for this show's ransom, Manuela might either be downplaying her attachment or coping a little bit too much. Or she really does think she could recover.] I'm mostly worried Dorothea will judge me if I blow it, whenever she returns from her trip.

[When he smiles down into the dark depths of his grape juice and quotes his mentor, the importance of Phoenix's words is clear. Manuela places her palm on the crook of his elbow gently.]

It sounds like upholding the laws of your land can be heavy work.

[It would have to be serious for him to see a challenge like this as not particularly intrusive - even if it isn't life or death.]

[bewrightback]

[Manuela's response does draw some concern from Phoenix. He's been convinced that the stuff that's happened to him particularly has to be temporary. The cruise ship all his loved ones are on, his office being full of balls, the seagull with his badge... none of that can last forever... right? But even if he's sure with his own case, that doesn't mean the same for everyone else.]

W-well of course, I don't mean to make a little of what everyone has at stake here. I'm sure that we'll find a way to prevail without losing the things important to us in the process.

[He smiles lightly at her touch and glances towards her.]

The job can be more tiring than it seems! Mentally, vocally, surprisingly often physically too. I guess I've been through a lot that's helped to toughen me up. [Just not in the love department...]