[this is backdated to the day after Ethan's post and before heartbreak, okay? ;o;]

True to his word, Ethan throws the speed dating even after he makes the journal entry. He has had a lot of help to pull it off from people who volunteered, but he's worked pretty tirelessly throughout the day and night since writing the entry to be ready for the party held in the main restaurant of the ship. It's been good for him to throw himself so completely into it, into doing something positive and productive on the ship.

When one enters the restaurant, they will get a name tag to write their name on so they can wear it throughout the night. This whole event is really more about meeting people, making connections with others who are on the ship too. It's about making friends more than anything else though obviously if romance blossoms than it absolutely would be encouraged with great enthusiasm. It just isn't the actual expectation placed on those who might attend today. The event is meant to be light and casual with no pressure at all on anyone. There are plenty who are here for friendship only too though or just to get to know others, which is totally okay.

There are separate sections set up throughout the restaurant, which has been decorated beautifully by Marissa. There's a buffet table set out, and it is filled with Italian food primarily different types of made-from-scratch pizza as well as focaccia (a thanks to Marissa for all her help throughout the event). There are trays of veggies and meat and cheese for little bites of food. Naturally, there's dessert too at the end of the table (brownies). Trust, every piece of food is absolutely delicious, okay?

There's another small section set out with different tables. Each table has a set of cards on it containing a multitude of questions to ask the person sitting across from you (like If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? or If you could have any super power, which would you choose and why? or What's the wildest thing you've ever done?). After five minutes, the timer will go off, which will indicate that you have to change to the next table to meet whoever might be there. There are no separations based on sexual preferences since this is about getting to know people and making friends too. It's a simple but fun way to get to know other people with questions provided to keep the conversation flowing as best as easily as possible.

These questions that are on the table also appear throughout the room on cards left in various places. Some of them are basics but others are more fun and interesting so feel free to turn to your neighbor who you may or may not know and ask them a question from the card. There are even Would You Rather? questions available to ask.

There's a section with tables spaced out in a more relaxed way with board games of all kinds (the Hale brothers searched high and low to keep a full, varied stock of games to play), room to sit and eat and relax. Everything from Apples to Apples to Monopoly to Cranium to games specifically tailored for getting to know one another. There's a final section with space for dancing. There's music always playing throughout the restaurant, but it's never playing so loud that it would drown out the conversation. The mix of music is pretty wide but remains upbeat with only a few slow tunes in case people want to slow dance a little too.

Don't want to attend the party? The ship may just pull you here against your will because the ship likes to do what it wants, okay? Once here, there may be invisible barriers to leaving too. Men, the ship may also spontaneously remove your shirt or any other random shenanigan to spice up the evening. ;) Just cause.

On the evening of the twenty-ninth, the ballroom on the main deck of the boat is decked out in lavish black and gold, thanks to Carol and Sophie, and the assistance of the very strong men they enlisted to help (thank you, boys). It's been a while since Carol has thrown a full out ball, and she liked the chance to stretch her event planning limbs again, even if those attending are mostly the ghost robots in their cater waiter wear.

A soft music is playing over the guests as they enter. As they pass through the threshold, there's a table with simple masks for them to choose from, in case they've forgotten their's. Once they pass through the main archway, they'll find their way to the large dance space where the ghost robot band is sitting, because live music is so much better than a recording, and they actually don't sound half-bad, all things considered. They also take requests, so feel free to tell them that song where you always wondered what it would sound like with a full orchestral backing. There's a large, expansive dance floor in the middle, and you're welcome to get out there and shake your groove thing whenever you see fit.

Tables with food line the far left wall of the room, as well as clusters of tables for the guests to sit when they so choose. There's also an open bar nestled into the far corner, for all your alcoholic needs. There are also plenty of dark corners to slip into, if you don't want anyone to see what you're doing, however the narration suggests watching those dark corners carefully. Rabbit holes lurk in pretty much every shadowed area of the ballroom and while they won't always drop you into a strange location of your choosing, there's a high chance they will. There's probably a high turnover of people arriving back in the ballroom, looking like they've gone five rounds with a bull.

Probably because they have.

The boat seem to want to promote this event as much as possible. While not everyone loves a good ball, some non-attenders may suddenly find themselves in attendance, completely dressed and no idea of how they got there. Trying to leave? Might not go so well either. For some, socializing isn't so much a choice as a punishment, but there are probably plenty of people to help you have a good time.

Or you could go on a trip to Narnia. One never really knows.

[OKAY BALL IS GO sorry I was late getting this up. Rabbit Holes are to be used at your discretion, but if you need suggestions or want me to randomize something for you, just shoot me a PM/private plurk/ping me (iluvroadrunner6) and I will give you a scenario. Otherwise, mix, mingle and have fun with all the pretty formal wear. o7 Actionspam/prose/whatever floats your boat for this, it was easier to just write up the top part in prose.]