Love Sinks: Weeks 9-10

 (Read previous week here.)

WEEK 9

Confessional:

We’re down to the final eight. Let’s see, there’s Wayne, Eddie, Cedric, Leon, both Matts, Geraldo, and myself. All of us get along pretty well. We’re like a band of brothers. We’ve gone through transformations together. We’ve experienced the ups and downs of this whole process. We’re tight. Friends for life . . . Oh no, that doesn’t mean we’ll be fine if Nadre picks one of the other guys. Love is war! <I chuckle, exposing my words as feigned aggression.> Seriously, we each have our own relationship and any of us would be devastated to be let go.

This week we flew to Greece and were all invited to a dinner with the royal family . . . No, not all twenty-seven brothers and sisters. Just the King and Queen who traveled to the Mediterranean specifically for this event. Also, since we’ve had plenty of time to adjust to breathing underwater, that’s where the dinner was held: underwater. Have you ever tried to eat underwater? I guess not. It’s not easy. Food keeps wanting to float off the fork.

Having had a formal dinner with the Princess already, I had a leg up on the rest of the group. I think several of them made the same faux pas I did at that first dinner, drawing unapproving glances from the court. But that passed and the conversations began. King Olkin Benbani was happy to answer questions about Atlantis and engage in friendly chit-chat. Queen Fenae, however, was much more direct. It was clear that her concern was solely Atlantis and how this relationship with the surface will benefit them.

She asked each suitor what they have to offer Atlantis. Not what they had to offer her daughter, but Atlantis. Several explained how they would care for the Princess anyway and try to make her happy. Each time the Queen would respond, that’s nice, but how will you contribute to our city? Wayne is a geologist, so he offered his services to analyze the ocean bottom around the city. Geraldo, the architect, could help with new buildings or renovations once he studied their style. To be honest, the Queen didn’t seem very impressed and several times I noticed King Olkin place his hand on her arm . . . I assumed it was some unspoken signal for her to be patient or friendly.

When she got to me, I was honest. I told her I was interested in learning about her home and had the means to help tell their story to the world, but what I was most excited about was fulfilling Nadreall’s dream of traveling the surface world. I told her I could take her to see ancient ruins, national parks, big cities, small towns, even a trip on a plane, something the Princess couldn’t even conceive of before being on the show. Seems that was a bit too much for Queen Fanae. She said that certainly was not going to happen and accused me of being a bad influence for encouraging the Princess's wandering thoughts. She reminded me that Atlantis had withdrawn hundreds of years ago to escape the surface world’s corruption and the city has survived and thrived by keeping itself secret. The only reason she allowed Nadreall to do this show is to build positive public relations with the surface for the purpose of future trade. Atlantis’ has no intentions of integrating with surface society and she wasn’t going to allow me or anyone to make attempts at luring any Atlantean away from the city. You want to know something really crazy? She cited the surface “historian” Hans Christian Andersen and his account of the “Little Mermaid” as an example of the danger to anyone lusting after the surface world . . . I know. I tried to tell her but she just refused to listen.

That’s about when Nadreall had enough of it. She shot up . . . floated up? . . . from her seat and let her Mom have it. <Impersonating Nadreall, and rather poorly, I might add.> “Enough, Mother! I will not have you demonizing my friends like that. You might think it’s best for us to only be concerned about what the surface people can give us, but frankly, that’s selfish and self-centered. The surface is an amazing place and I think every Atlantean should see it.” The Queen started to speak, but Nadre cut her off. “I know. I’m your daughter and I will mind what I say. Well, you have twenty-seven other children who can mind you. You don’t need me!”

And with that, Nadreall stormed off.

The Queen was speechless. I was doing all I could to keep from laughing, though in the back of my mind I was concerned that she would put an end to the whole thing and I would never see Nadre again. King Olkin was doing his best to calm his wife but took the time to release us from the table. I glanced at Wayne, Eddie, and Matt R and motioned that we should try to find the Princess. I think Geraldo also tagged along . . . I don’t know. They were still at the table when we left. Either they were too in shock over what had just happened, or perhaps they’re rethinking everything. Who wants that for a mother-in-law?

We found Nadre sitting in a circle of coral, crying. We joined her and apologized for upsetting her parents. She assured us that the only person we upset was her mother -- she could tell her Father liked us -- and it was her who needed to apologize. Her mother is out of touch with the modern world, she explained. The Queen thinks separation keeps Atlantis safe, but that is exactly what’s destroying it. They are depleting their resources, which is why they needed to make contact with the surface in the first place. Their culture and advancements have stagnated compared to the rest of the world. In Nadreall’s opinion, her mother is being foolish. But, she is a princess and has responsibilities, even as the youngest and, as some might say, the least significant, and despite what Nadre said at the table, ultimately she will have to go home. She just hopes she can gradually change her mother’s mind.

The Rolls:

Draw: 1 Card

King of Hearts: While having a formal meal with the Heir’s parents, the Queen of Atlantis becomes openly critical of you and the influence you're having on the Heir. Who immediately leaves the table? Why? (What’s the Queen’s beef? Q.C. Break/Success  Atlantis has had a successful record of keeping itself safe through a policy of separation. Concern that breaking that policy too much will cause Atlantis’ downfall.)
Do not discard this card. Set it to the side. If this is the final King drawn of all four Kings,
the Heir admits you were never a good choice and eliminates you from the remaining
contestants. The game is over.

Token Roll: 4

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

WEEK 10

Confessional:

. . . That’s an understatement. This was a horrible week. First, we had that dinner with the Princess’ parents, and then this last photo shoot. I should have seen it coming . . .

Okay, let me go back a bit. There were two one-on-ones and a group date. Wayne and Leon got the one-on-one’s, which meant the rest of us were on the group date. We were taken to the set of a Greek television game show. It was a trivia-based competition and we were split into two teams. Matt R, Eddie, and myself on one. Matt P, Geraldo, and Cedric on the other. Nadreall took over for the host and quizzed us about the ocean and sea creatures. Turns out, I’m not that well versed on ocean trivia. I couldn’t tell the difference between a porpoise and a dolphin. I had no idea what Norfolk Canyon was. I couldn’t even name five types of coral . . . Yeah, our team lost and it was probably due to me. I missed the most questions of anyone. But, I’m not surprised. Besides being ocean illiterate, I was concerned about Nadreall. She seemed very distracted. She wasn’t her usual cheerful self. She lost her place with the cue cards several times. The next day we had a promotional photoshoot and I was hoping to discuss things with her.

The photo shoot was at the underwater ruins of Pavlopetri, a sunken city just off the southern tip of Greece. Before the shoot, however, we were all to meet the Princess at her cottage and be shuttled over together. When we arrived at the cottage, the crew was doing some last-minute cleaning and carrying out some trash. That’s when things started going downhill. Poking out the top of a trash bag I saw the corner of Issue #1 of Golems. Before the show, we were asked to send the Princess a gift that would give her some insight into who we are. Naturally, I sent her a copy of the first issue of my brother’s and my comic. Now I’m watching that gift be thrown away. I didn’t know what to think. Was this an accident? Are her feelings for me not as strong as I thought? Either way, I felt it was rather inconsiderate to just throw away my gift.

We finally get to go inside and, since we’d been waiting for a while, I needed to use the restroom. I was peeking around looking for the room when I walked past Nadre’s bedroom. I could see a picture of Wayne sitting on the dresser and at first, I thought that was cute. She must have had all our pictures. But quickly I realized that I didn’t see any others. I stepped inside the room just in case they were out of view, but nope. Just Wayne. Has she already made her decision? Should I just go home? What’s the point? Right then I made up my mind to ask her about it later.

Pavlopetri itself was amazing. Mostly it was just the stones and blocks in the sand, but there were some structures that were partially still intact, a few walls here and there. Throughout the shoot, I could tell something was up with Nadre. She was subdued, like at the game show. Still not her usual outgoing self. This day was turning into a real mystery and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

Pavlopetri

After the shoot, I had some time to pull Nadreall aside and ask her what was going on. She tried to brush it off but I wasn’t letting her off the hook. Finally, she admitted that the dinner with her parents earlier in the week brought her some clarity. As much as she would like to live her own life, she is a member of the Royal Family and, as such, has certain responsibilities. Yes, the original plan was just as her mother said, to use the show as a means to build bridges with the surface world. If Nadre could actually find a mate that could benefit Atlantis, that would be a plus. It wasn’t until she actually explored our world for herself and learned about each of the guys that Nadre grew more and more enthralled by our world. Ultimately, however, her life was back in Atlantis.

Needless to say, I was hurt by what she said and a bit angry that she would abandon her dreams. I asked about my comic and Wayne’s picture. She explained that of all the men, the Queen actually liked Wayne, or at least his geological knowledge. So, when her parents came to visit her in her cottage, Nadreall put out Wayne’s picture to appease her mother. She claimed that she hadn’t made up her mind yet, but was tired of defending us to her mother and thought the Queen would fuss less if she believed Nadre was primarily interested in Wayne. Nadre meant to remove the picture before we arrived, but it slipped her mind.

The comic, however, was intentional. Regardless of how she felt, Nadre knew that she couldn’t choose me. Her parents -- sorry -- her mother wouldn’t approve and I wouldn’t be happy not being able to travel the world with her. She had to start distancing herself from me and getting rid of anything that reminded her of me was the first step. That is when things really went south, as if they hadn’t already.

I lost my cool. I criticized her mother, calling her selfish, old-fashioned . . . cruel, I think. I suggested that she was keeping the Princess prisoner. Then I lashed out at Nadreall, calling her weak. How could she let her mother destroy her dreams and ruin her life? I suggested Nadre was choosing to waste her life and even said, “I guess you really had me fooled. I believed you were a strong woman who was going to follow her own path. Not your mother’s.” 

Well, there are a couple things. First of all, regardless of what Queen Ferea might say or do, she is Nadreall’s mother and the one thing you don’t do is criticize someone’s mother to their face. But more importantly, you don’t criticize someone directly to their own face, especially if you are hoping to have a relationship with that person. The Princess simply cut me off and told me it was time for me to leave. As she escorted me to the limo-sub I could see some of the other guys staring at us. I was loud and I’m sure they heard a lot of the argument. Before we parted, Nadre and I did have a quick hug, though it was cold and more of a formality.

Crazy thing is, I’m still in love with her. Those feelings just don’t go away. I’m going to miss her and I really hope she gets to see more of the surface world someday.

Exit Interview in the Limo-Sub:

Well BEEP. I really BEEPed that up, didn’t I?  I guess that's what I get for being loyal. I stood up for her. I made sure to honor her wishes and dreams. What did it get me? A sub ride home.

I’ve always let my fears keep me from getting close to someone. What if I do or say the wrong thing? What if they think I’m too nerdy? They’re so attractive, why would they want to be with someone like me. Finally, I was able to break through and make some real connections with Nadre. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but this was the closest relationship that I’ve ever had with someone . . . romantically, I mean. <eyes begin to water> I should have kept my mouth shut and went with the flow. I knew what I was getting into, right? She’s a Princess. Why did I think that she would leave that all behind? I’m so stupid!

Not only did I lose the girl, but I’m going to miss out on Atlantis and all those experiences could have meant for the comic. Yes, I know that must sound selfish, but I don’t care. I’m just so . . . I just have all kinds of emotions right now. I’m not thinking straight. I’m just ready to go home.

. . . So where do I go from here?  I’m not sure. <I look at my hands and arms, then look toward the front of the sub> Hey, do any of you guys know where I can get my old skin back?

The Show:

In preparation for Darin’s exit, this episode was edited in a way that focused on his most negative interactions. The game show segment focused mainly on Darin and his horribly wrong answers.  Some confessional excerpts that were used included, “I missed the most questions . . .  I’m not that well versed on ocean trivia . . . our team lost . . . due to me.”

None of the time at Nadreall’s cottage was aired, so viewers never saw the discarded comic or the picture of Wayne.  Additionally, any reference to those items in Darin’s conversation with Nadre or his confessional was left out of the show, so viewers did not have any of this context as they watched Darin lose his cool with the princess. Nadreall’s decision to stay in Atlantis was mentioned but glossed over. Darin’s critique of the Queen was edited to sound like they were actually critiques of the Princess. Primarily, the most insulting of Darin’s comments were shown.  “You had me fooled . . . I thought you were a strong woman . . . you’re weak . . . selfish . . . cruel.”  And from the confessional: “The Princess cut me off . . . and escorted me to the limo-sub . . . How could she . . . Nadre . . . was cold.” Nothing about Darin still being in love with the Princess.

And from the limo-sub ride: “Well BEEP . . . I guess that's what I get for being loyal . . . I’m embarrassed to . . . think that she would leave that all behind . . .  I’m going to miss out on Atlantis and all those experiences could have meant for the comic . . . I should have kept my mouth shut . . . I’m so stupid! . . .do any of you guys know where I can get my old skin back?”

The Rolls:

Draw: 4 Cards

Three of Clubs: Contestants were split into teams and pitted against each other with trivia questions about the ocean and sea creatures. The Heir provided the questions. Your team scored the worst. Whose fault was it? Roll for balloons.  5 (Use A of diamonds to ignore roll) 10 balloons remaining.

Five of Hearts: The Heir goes with you to a photo shoot for the show. Later, you notice they have a photo with another contestant displayed in their room. How do you react? Roll for balloons 4  Six Balloons remaining.

Nine of Hearts: When the show began, you were allowed to send one gift to the Heir to share something about yourself. You discovered it today in the garbage. How did you react? Roll for balloons.  5  One balloon remaining.

King of Clubs: This episode casts you as the villain. No matter what you did, it was portrayed poorly and the audience responded in kind. Roll twice for balloons. 4 3  Do not discard this card. Set it aside. If this is the final King drawn of the four Kings, the Network has stepped in to remove you as a contestant. The game is over.  Doesn’t matter. My balloon roles have ended the game for me.


Gen. 1:9-10; Col. 1: 15-16  (What's this?)

Love Sinks: Weeks 7 - 8

 A playthrough of Love Sinks, a Wretched & Alone Game.

(Read previous week here.)

WEEK 7

Confessional:

Another group date. Ugh! It’s hard to have that intimate one-on-one connection with Nadreall, then share time with other guys. The good news, however, was that Freddy wasn’t on the date. The bad news . . . that meant he was going on a one-on-one. Grrrr!

Have you ever heard of Janice Helen Thompson . . . I meant before the show . . .  Neither had I. In fact, I doubt any of the guys knew who she was, but we all nodded and feigned excitement when Nadreall introduced the group to her.  She’s one of this decade’s top writers of romantic poetry, and that’s what this date was all about: love poems.  She gave us a brief workshop then sent us off to write our own poems for the Princess. When we finished we were asked to read them to her in front of the entire group . . . yeah, everyone was thrilled. Can you hear my sarcasm? But there was a bright side. The person who Janice and Nadre agreed wrote the best poem would win the opportunity to take the Princes to a place of our choosing for an impromptu one-on-one date.

Finally, a challenge I’m trained for . . .  No, I’m not a poet, but I do write for a living, which I should give me one up on the other guys. And this might be my own bias, but I think working in a mostly graphic medium has taught me to be a little more artistic and colorful than other forms of writing . . . You want to hear my poem? Okay.

  She's a vision, painted by the aquamarine sea,
  A stranger, uncertain of what the future might be.

  She seeks a hero for her journey to start,
  I'll be her guide with a Giant's true heart:

  Like the Wind, I will carry you to the ends of this earth,
  With a passion like a fire that burns in a hearth,

  I’ll shade you as a mountain from storms that may rage,
  And return you home safe beneath the waters and waves.

. . . Thank you. Yes, I did take inspiration from Golems. The giants and elements and all.  And it worked because, Yay, I won. I got to take Nadrea to a place of my choosing and I knew exactly where. She wants to see the world. I promised to show it to her. If I can’t take her in person, then I’d give her the next best thing. VirtuZone!

VirtuZone is like next-gen VR entertainment and not just some basic headset and gloves. First, they scan your body and create an avatar that looks just like you. Next, they fit you in a full-body haptic suit.  Real Ready Player One type stuff.  This was all new to Nadre. She had never heard of virtual reality and didn’t know what to expect. I took her rock climbing in the Grand Canyon, explored caves in South America, stood on the streets in New York City, and even took a stroll on the surface of the moon. She loved it and I think it sparked more of a desire in her to see the real things.

Inspired, Nadreall wanted to share a little bit of her world with me, so we pulled up an underwater ocean simulation. Then she surprised me by suggesting we go full mermaid and merman, with tails and everything. We swam through coral reefs and among shipwrecks. We played tag with a school of dolphins.  I couldn’t help myself. I swam right up to her and we kissed . . . Okay, actually, we bumped helmets. Talk about awkward. But we just took off the helmets and kissed for real. Magical! I literally felt electricity course through me. Ok, that could have been the haptic suit, but I’d rather think it was our connection . . . Of course, she gave me the date lotus at the end of the night. She’s it. She’s the one. I am definitely falling in love and I can’t wait to see where we go from here.

. . . And we kissed

The Rolls:

Draw: 1 Card

Two of Hearts: You won the chance to take the Heir out to a place of your choosing. Where do you take them and what do you do?

Token Roll: 1

<There have been significantly few draws that relate to the transformation (diamonds). If this were real, I would have expected the transformation to be further along by now. I’m expecting a week that has a lot of transforming soon.>

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

WEEK 8

Confessional:

<I show off my skin that is beginning to take on a bluish tint.> You like my color. It just started setting in a few days ago.  I'm told it’s one of the side effects of the pills. That’s why all the Atlanteans’ skin has an aquamarine color . . . I find it very sexy on Nadreall. The only drawback is that some of my favorite clothes clash, especially the oranges and browns . . . I’m not sure what I’ll do with them yet. For now, I’ll hold on to them, just won’t wear them.  Wait until I get a second opinion from my friends and family . . . Oh, of course! If Nadreall likes them I’ll wear them every day. <laugh>

To be honest, I’m ready for this transformation to move a little faster. Many of the other guys are several steps ahead of me. In fact, I might be one of the last to get any of the procedures. Not sure what that means. Are the transformations happening in the order of Nadre’s preference? For instance, if she doesn’t choose you, you might not want to be a fish. In fact, you probably don’t. I hope that’s not the case. I like to think that I’m near the top of her list.

But being behind does have its advantages, the main being able to see how the transformation affects the others. Take the gills for example. Everyone had a really difficult time with that, probably the worst part of the transformation so far. When they tested the gills, they couldn’t figure out the breathing. Most still tried to breathe through their mouth and nose. I’m assuming due to habit? They would end up with a mouth full of water and having to surface real quick. Wayne was the scariest. The safety crew had to drag him from the pool and give him mouth-to-mouth. So, knowing this, I did a little research to figure out ahead of time how gills work and when it was my time to get in the pool, I took to it right away. I did have one false start, but soon got the hang of it and was swimming back and forth completely underwater. I enjoyed it so much that after about 30 minutes they practically had to force me from the pool to get ready for the date.

The transformation is making me think of life in a new way. I came across this photo on my phone. <I show the producer the picture. It’s of me in my bedroom back home. The only item of note for this scene is a small aquarium on my dresser.> It made me think of my fish. I’ve never been much of a pet person . . . I like animals, but I always seem to have so much going on that I don't need the added responsibility of taking care of a dog or cat. Fish, however, is easy. Pretty much feed ‘em and let ‘em be. When I wanted to relax or just give my mind a break I would sit on my bed and watch them swim around. When I saw this picture, after getting out of the pool, I realized I might soon be living in their world. Much bigger, of course, but swimming underwater, like you’re in space. Would life be easier . . . harder? If I took them with me and let them out, would they stay with me or just swim off . . . Oh yeah, they would certainly swim off. I’m no fool. But, it’s fun to think about having a fish friend, you know, like Flounder . . . You don’t know Flounder? The little mermaid? Hmm, not a Disney fan, I guess.

. . . I guess you’re talking about Freddy? Yeah, that was one heck of a shake-up. He said something that really upset the Princess . . . Obviously, I don’t know all the details, but when he left the room for his time with Nadre, a couple of the other guys approached me to tell me what he said to them. Apparently, he believed the only reason I was on the show and wanted to win -- his words, not mine -- was to see Atlantis and get story ideas for the comic. It was his intention to share his suspicions with Nadreall. I guess he was trying to get me kicked off the show . . . Was there any truth to it? Well, in a way, but not how he thinks. Several of us were sitting around talking about what we were most excited to see or curious about Atlantis. Matt R likes to study cultures, so he wants to see how the Atlanteans live. Leon is a real beachgoer, so living in the water is really attractive to him. For me, it was having a new experience that may inspire my writing. While I was sharing this, Freddy walked into the room. All he heard was my part of the conversation and not all the background leading up to it. Either he misunderstood what I was saying, or he’s just a BEEP and wants to bad mouth me to Nadreall to turn her against me.

. . . Oh, yes! I was very concerned, but then he came storming into the room with Nadreall close on his heels, yelling at him things about being self-centered and arrogant. Freddy kept going out the front door. The last thing Nadre yelled was, “By the way, you look like BEEP in blue!” <snicker> Then she walked into the living room, clearly upset, and talked to all of us. “I am curious about the surface world,” she said. “I want to know how you live and what you’ve created. And I would expect that all of you would be equally curious about my world. In fact, if you aren’t, I don’t understand why you are here. This is a commitment. To me, to my people. I’m looking for a mate. And Atlantis is a part of me. You can’t accept me without accepting my home. Any of you who would condemn or criticize another for wanting to embrace Atlantis and make it A part of themselves just doesn’t get it and aren’t worthy to be welcomed by me or my family. If that’s any of you, if anyone feels ashamed to come to Atlantis, you can leave right now. I don’t need you wasting my time.” Then she left. I hate seeing her upset, but at the moment, I was more thrilled that Freddy was gone.


The Show:

Several minutes before the confrontation Darin discusses in this confessional, Freddy and Nadreall are having a one-on-one conversation while sitting on a sofa in another room. Early on in the conversation, Freddy brings up a “concern” he has about one of the other contestants. The Princess urges him to reveal more, at which point he says he doesn’t believe Darin (You) are here for the right reasons. The only reason you are on the show is to gather ideas for your graphic novel and use this show to promote it.  Nadreall nods her head and appears to contemplate what was said before responding.

Nadreall: First of all, thank you for your concern and for having the courage to tell me this. Actually, Darin and I have already discussed his novels and how he gets inspiration for his stories. He may have already been thinking about using Atlantis in his stories, but I think I was the first to bring up the idea of him using my home for a storyline.

Freddy: Oh. Really?

Nadreall: Yes. I am excited that he wants to learn about my home and share it with others. Do you have any interest in where I come from?

Freddy: Uh, of course. I want to know you. I want to know your home. I’m very interested.

Nadreall: Are you sure? Do you know anything about me? What’s my sister’s name? Or my mother’s for that matter?

Freddy: Uh, uh . . .

Nadreall: Where did I like to play as a child? What do I love most about living in the ocean?

Freddy: I know those things. I’ve been listening to you. I just don’t remember right now, we’ve talked about a lot.

Nadreall: Yes, we have. But you wouldn’t have known any of those answers even if you were listening because you never ask anything about my life. All you want to talk about is yourself, what you do, what accomplishments you’ve made.

Freddy: Of course I talk about myself. You’re looking for a partner. Isn’t knowing more about me important if you are going to choose me as your husband?

Naderall: That’s it right there. Choosing you as my husband. Everything you say comes across as you are trying to convince me about how good a husband you’d make. What makes a good relationship is knowing about each other and you don’t seem to want to know anything about me, except how pretty I am, or how amazing a person I am, or how great a kisser I am.

Freddy: <impish smile> Well, you are.

Nadreall: <totally oblivious to his charms> And if you think that I don’t know about your dislike of Darin, Matt, and several of the others, you are sadly mistaken. I hear bits and pieces here and there. How no one is as good as you. The other guys are basically little boys, not men. “The Princess knows she’s in the presence of Greatness whenever I walk in the room.” You are arrogant, egotistical, and done here. It’s time you leave.

To emphasize this, Nadreall points to the door. Freddy, looking disgusted, gets up and leaves which leads to the events previously described in Darin’s confessional.

<Note: The above scene would almost never happen on our real life dating shows. Instead, the Bachelor or Bachelorette would trust everything they are being told, possibly go to the other person to get their side of the story, then be utterly confused over who to believe because they never take the next logical step which is talking to the other contestants in order to verify who is telling the truth.>


The Rolls:

Draw: 6 Cards

Two of Spades: While rearranging items in your contestant room, you find a picture of a pet. You suddenly realize they won't be able to join you under the sea. How does that feel?

Five of Clubs: The film crew caught another contestant talking trash about you to the Heir. They look upset and leave the room quickly. What did they say and was it honest? Roll for balloons. 3 Down to 12 balloons.

Ace of Diamonds: Your body reacts positively to one of the changes, causing it to go smoother than expected.
Set this card aside. On any subsequent Diamond card, you may choose not to roll for balloons and instead discard this card.

Two of Diamonds: After daily doses of small pills, your skin tone takes on a bluish tint. Some of your old clothes look awkward against it. Do you get rid of them? Roll for balloons. 2  Down to 10 balloons

Four of Diamonds: Some of the other contestants are changing more quickly than you are. Do you feel left behind? Roll for balloons. 5 (use one of my hearts to cancel this roll) Still at 10 balloons.

Ace of Clubs: This episode provided the audience with a redemption arc for you and improved their interest in you as a person. (In case it isn't clear, I presented this as Naderall not falling for Freddy's antics and kicking him off the show.)
If you have already drawn the King of Clubs, you may shuffle it back into the deck.

Token Roll: 6 Remove one token.   9 Remaining.

(Read the next week here.)

Love Sinks: Weeks 5 - 6

 (See the previous weeks here.)

WEEK 5

Confessional: 

We had some really good one-on-one time. I would have liked it to be longer but I did get a chance to tell the Princess a little bit about what I do for a living . . . You don’t? Well, I’d be happy to tell you. My brother Hunter and I produce the graphic novel series Golems. Hunter is the artist of the family. Growing up he was always doodling something: monsters, dragons, knights, great buildings. I would stare at his drawings for hours and imagine what the story behind the image was and occasionally would write down my thoughts.

One day, Hunter found some of my stories and had this idea that we should create a comic together. My stories. His art. I must have been like sixteen or seventeen at the time. We brainstormed this tale of four teens who discovered ancient artifacts that let them summon large elemental giants, or golems. Earth, Fire, Water, and Air . . . What’s an air golem? We imagined it as a creature made from clouds. I know the physics don’t totally make sense, but it’s a superhero comic. Anything goes, right? 

We did a few single-page stories and posted them online. By chance, we caught the eye of an editor at a small comic book publisher, N.D. comics . . . It stands for Next Decade. They contracted with us for a one-shot issue. It did well and they contracted us for five more. Up until that point, N.D. was only dealing in single issues but really wanted to break into the mainstream with graphic novels. Golems was their biggest seller, so Hunter and I got the call.

We have two books published and just finished work on a third. We even brought my cousin Samantha onto the team as an additional colourist . . . I don’t think so. I can certainly write anywhere. In fact, while Hunter and I are in Orlando, Sam is in Cincinnati, Ohio, so we already collaborate from a distance. Also, imagine the storylines that might be inspired from living in an underwater city . . . Once again, Nadreall was amazed. The way she describes her home they have a lot of what I would call “high art:” paintings, sculptures, orchestral music, stage plays of an intellectual nature. But they don’t have a lot of the more common entertainment, things to just have fun while passing the time. She’s very eager to hear all about what she calls “Fun Things.”


The Rolls:

(Author’s note: I’ve broken my posts into “weeks” because that is how the game defines each round of card pulls. Now that I’ve played a few rounds, I wish I had just referred to each post as a “Confessional.” Turns that only contain one or two prompts don’t necessarily give enough information to describe all that would reasonably occur in a real-time week on one of these shows. This post, for instance, while still being its own confessional, could have easily occurred during the previous week’s events (for example, Nadre and Darin could have discussed this during one-on-one time at the pool party, or on a group date that wasn’t described as part of the previous week’s post.) But in the end, this is just a game and I am overthinking it.)

Draw: 1 Card

Three of Spades: Did you have a job before this? Did you abandon a lifelong career? Or leave a job you hated?

Token Roll: 1

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

WEEK 6

Confessional:

This week started off with a promotional, on-location shoot for the show.  They went all out. High-priced suits. Professional styling. We even had make-up. That was a first for me.

While I was still in the stylist’s chair, Nadreall stopped by.  I could see Freddy and Geraldo showing off and heard Nardreall compliment them on their suits. I think she said they “cleaned up well.” <chuckle> If I wanted to be obnoxious I could have called out, “Hey, I’m over here. Come talk to me,” but that’s not me. Unfortunately, she left before the stylist was done and I didn’t get a chance to speak with her . . . Of course, I was disappointed. I would have liked it if she came over to see me. It really ticks me off that someone as vain as Freddy, who is really only here for himself, seems to get most of the Princess’ attention. Sometime’s I wonder what is she’s thinking. Surely she can see what the rest of us are seeing.

Eddie, Geraldo, and Freddy at the shoot

. . . Yes, I did get another one-on-one date this week. Another meal date, if you can believe that. Y’know, I wonder it was a test to see if I learned anything from the first time. <laugh> So, we arrived at the restaurant and, surprise, my parents and brother were there. I was glad to see Hunter, but I was a bit nervous about my parents. I love them a lot, but they’re not the most socially graceful people you might meet, if you know what I mean. Turns out I was right to be concerned. Mom was very complimentary toward the Princess but rather clueless. “Your skin is an interesting shade of blue. Is that natural?” Or, “It must take you a long time to put on all those scales.” She thought they were some kind of body art . . . Why? Your guess is as good as mine. But she wasn’t anywhere near as embarrassing as my Dad. He wanted to assure Nadre that she would be accepted by the family. I know he meant well, but he used all the wrong words . . . Well, for starters, he kept saying “your kind.” “We’re very excited to meet you and learn all about your kind.” “I know there are a lot of people suspicious of your kind, but that’s not us. We love everyone.” . . . Oh, it got worse. They dragged me into it. “Darin has never been prejudiced. He had all kinds of friends growing up. Black. Jewish. Hispanic.” I wished he would just stop.

But then, at the risk of our parents thinking he was being rude, my brother stepped in. Hunter took over the conversation and started telling the Princess all these great things about me. He said it was my stories that gave his artwork meaning, that I inspired him to be more creative and expressive with his art. He gave me most of the credit for coming up with the idea for the comic, which was a lie. He had as much to do with creating Golems as I did. He couldn’t say enough about how generous and loving I was and that she would have a hard time finding another person as loyal as me. It was actually a bit funny. Anytime my parents said more than a sentence or two, Hunter would jump in before they had a chance to say something stupid. I think he was protecting all of us. Before they left I thanked him. In fact, he held Nadre’s attention for so much of the meal I joked that I hoped she didn’t start falling for him.

Afterward, Nadre and I shared a drink at the bar. Surprisingly, she was very understanding about the whole situation and was able to look past my parent's awkwardness. Actually, it’s not that surprising. She is a very forgiving person. I would’ve expected nothing less from her. We talked about this whole experience. What we’ve learned and what our hopes were going forward. I admitted that I had feelings for her and . . . and yes, we kissed. What at first looked like it might be a disaster turned into the best date so far.

Which made the Balloon Ceremony all that more confusing.  Fourteen balloons popped! That’s Crazy!  Are the viewers watching the same show? Especially when guys like Matt J, who hasn’t had a one-on-one, Wayne who seems bored with the entire process, and Freddy who is . . . well, Freddy each had less than five balloons popped? I’m not saying I’m the best man here, but I’m certainly better than those guys. Certainly Nadre can see that even if the viewers can’t. It would be nice to figure out why I'm being rated so low in case I can do something about it. Otherwise, I’m just wasting my time here . . . Sorry, I don’t mean to unload on you. It’s just . . . I’ve never been in a situation like this or had to prove myself against so many other guys. I'm sure you hear that a lot. It’s very tiring. I’m just hoping she seeing enough in me to override the audience, just in case they pop all my balloons.

The Show:

<A lot happened during the filming this week’s show and the director had plenty of footage to sort through. In the end, he chose to focus on many of the other contestants instead of Darin.  What does make it in the show, unfortunately, isn’t edited in Darin’s favor.>

Highlights:

The photo shoot:  All the men are shown trying on suits and getting prepped by the stylists for the shoot.  Darin is pretty much absent from the sequence until Nadreall appears on set. Then, we see shots of him in the stylist’s chair interspersed with video and audio of his confessional which went like this: “While I was still in the stylist’s chair, Nadreall stopped by . . . I would have liked it if she came over to see me . . . Hey, I’m over here. Come talk to me! . . . She left . . . It really ticks me off . . . What is she’s thinking?”

The dinner: Despite it being Darin’s one-on-one, the show spends significantly more time on Freddy’s storyline. While Darin is on his date, he is preparing a dessert of strawberries and cream to take to Nadreall’s room when she returns, hoping to sneak in some extra alone time. What little is shown of Darin’s date consists primarily of their drive to the restaurant, Darin being surprised by his family, and some of the safer conversations with the parents. The majority of the footage, however, is spent on Hunter’s conversation with the Princess along with Darin’s commentary: “Hunter took over the conversation and started telling the Princess all these great things . . . He had as much to do with creating Golems as I did . . . which was a lie . . . Anytime my parents said more than a sentence . . . Hunter would jump in . . . I wished he would just stop . . . he was being rude . . . he had Nadre’s attention for so much of the meal . . . I hoped she didn’t start falling for him.”

The Balloon Ceremony: As balloons are being popped we see Darin’s confessional and hear his voice-over: “Fourteen balloons popped! That’s Crazy!  Are the viewers watching the same show? . . .  I’m the best man here . . .  Better than those guys . . . Certainly, Nadre can see that . . . Otherwise, I’m just wasting my time here.”

<Author’s note: Yes, I know. I know. The time-space continuum has been broken several times, especially this week. One reason is simply the game rules. The popping of the balloons represents the opinions of the viewers and their ability to vote off bachelors they do not like. However, that assumes they are watching the show practically in real-time, complete with all the editing. This is obviously not how these shows work. They are aired weeks, possibly months, after their filming. So revealing the viewer's voting for that week's events at the end of each show simply doesn’t make sense.

The second breaking of the continuum is due to my interpretation of the prompts, in particular, this week’s prompt that indicated that my character was cast as the villain. I decided to represent that by showing the contrast between what actually happened and what was said with how that can be altered to tell a story that is less forgiving or the complete opposite of real events. This, of course, also included the Balloon Ceremony, the editing of which is supposed to have affected the votes that are being revealed at the same time. Impossible, I know. But it was fun to write and, at least in this game, fun trumps reality.>

The Rolls:

Draw: 4 cards

Eight of Clubs: You were brought in for a promo shoot with the remaining contestants. Everyone is given professional treatment to look their best. The Heir sees this and compliments several contestants, but now you. How do you feel about this?

Seven of Hearts: The Heir takes you out to a nice restaurant. When you arrive, you discover your immediate family was also invited. How does the rest of the meal go? Roll for balloons. 6 23 balloons left.

King of Clubs: This episode casts you as the villain. No matter what you did, it was portrayed poorly and the audience responded in kind.

Roll twice for balloons.  (5+2=7  16 balloons left)  Do not discard this card. Set it aside. If this is the final King drawn of the four Kings, the Network has stepped in to remove you as a contestant. The game is over.

Jack of Clubs: Unfortunately, the director thought other contestants were more entertaining this episode. You go largely unnoticed and make barely any appearances. Roll for balloons. 1  15 balloons left

Token Roll: 4

(Read next weeks post here.)

Love Sinks: Weeks 3 - 4

(Read the previous weeks here.) 

WEEK 3

Confessional:

. . . Huh? Oh, my legs are feeling much better. Thanks for asking. I was expecting we would have undergone more of the transformation by now. But either bodies need to recover before they continue the process, or they are just being nice to us. I’m not sure which . . . I like Charleston a lot. I have visited the city several times in the past. I like touring the historic sites and the people are very friendly. However, I’ve always stayed in the city. But this is the first time I’ve been on the beaches. I’m not much of a beach person. I know, that must sound weird for someone dating a woman who lives in the ocean, but I feel that Atlantis probably isn’t much different from home, just underwater. Is there such thing as an underwater beach? I don’t think so. What would that even be? Shallow water before you reach dry sand?

Charleston, SC 

Anyway, it’s been an up and down week. I received some really discouraging news just after the last week’s balloon ceremony. One of the incentives of being on the show is that we could invite a friend to visit the set and watch a day of filming. I could have asked Hunter, but one of my best friends growing up was Martin.  He’s really into this whole reality tv thing, so I thought he’d love to come. Unfortunately, I received word from the producers that he refused. He said he couldn’t condone my choice to abandon my family and friends and didn’t understand why I would want to date a ‘sea girl’ when there are plenty of good women back home . . . No, I don’t think he’s prejudiced, at least he’s never seemed that way in the past. But then again, finding out about the Atlanteans, learning about their society and the reasons why they’ve kept their distance for so long, it’s new and we are all trying to figure out how to deal with it. Still, I think Martin is just missing the good old days.  In college, we used to bar-hop together to pick up girls. Double-date. All that sort of thing. I think he’s just upset at losing his wingman. Also, he might be a little jealous that I might actually be settling down soon. Hopefully, I can talk to him directly in the next few days.

Then there was the one-on-one date. I was shocked to see my name on that card. I know I don’t necessarily stand out among the rest of the guys. Nadre and I went to a fancy restaurant where we and some of her friends had an early dinner.  The chef prepared many dishes that featured Atlanean cuisine: various types of seaweed, kelp, ocean lettuce, sea cucumber . . . Oh yeah, I know sea cucumbers are animals, not plants. All that Disney stuff you see about fish and lobsters and mermaids all living together as friends. That’s all bunk. A load of carp. <I chuckle at my sea humor.> Underwater animals are just that to the Atlanteans, animals. Just as we on the surface we eat beef and chicken, they eat fish and mollusks . . . Yeah,  apparently I’m not that well versed in Atlantean etiquette, or maybe just royal etiquette. I’m not sure which. I took a sip of my wine before the Princess had even been served. Then I had started to nibble on my appetizer before I noticed the rest of the table staring at me, shocked. Did you know it was inappropriate to eat or drink before the Princess? I had no clue. All my dates in the past have typically been burger and fries nights and it’s normal to dig in when the food arrives . . . Well, I apologized, but then said the only thing I could think of. I plead ignorance. In fact, I think I made some lame attempt at humor by suggesting I was protecting her. You know, tasting the food first to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. Nadre’s friends did not seem amused, but the Princess did give me a reassuring smile. I was afraid the incident would doom me at the balloon ceremony, but I only lost two balloons, so I guess I recovered well enough.

Eventually, things got a little more normal. We continued the meal, which was excellent by the way, and the conversation eventually flowed to Nadreall’s childhood. I learned some interesting things from Rinah, Nadreall’s best friend . . . No, she’s not royalty. She’s just a normal person -- or Atlantean. Uh, I’m not sure exactly sure what the correct term is. But she told me that when Nadre was a young teen she would leave the castle to explore the city. Her parents hated that. Not because they thought it was improper to mingle with the city folk, but because they never knew where Nadreall was. She would just leave without telling them. That must have been frustrating, but I admire her willingness to get to know the people she ruled over. She wasn’t afraid to explore her world. That was how she and Rinah met. Rinah didn’t even know she was a Princess till after they became good friends.  Y’know, people often think of royal families as out of touch with the real world, and I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this experience.  Royal family. A society much different from ours. But stories like these just make me want to know more about Nadre. I really think I could fall in love with her.

. . . Charlie!  What can I say? Who could have guessed he was still in a relationship?  Nadreall just walked into the house and pulled him aside.  None of us knew what was going on.  Then, without any warning, he was sent him home. She told us later that she received a text from another woman claiming to be in a relationship with him. I still don’t know if he ever admitted to anything or if the woman was just that convincing. Regardless, he’s gone. I’m shocked -- I’m just shocked. He seemed like an honest dude. I guess that just goes to show that you never really know a person. Every day’s a surprise around here.

The Rolls:

Draw: 5 Cards

King of Spades: You were allowed to invite one close friend to come visit you on set. That friend re-fused you, saying they were hurt by how willing you are to abandon your old life for someone you just met. How do you cope with this?

Do not discard this card. Set it aside. If this is the last King drawn of the four Kings, your past pulls you back from this relationship and you quit, realizing you're still too tied to your old life. The game is over.

Joker (Black): Here is a good place to explain Jokers. Drawing a Joker means a contestant has been eliminated from the show. The previous card drawn informs the reason behind the elimination (per a chart in the rules). If the Joker is the first card drawn in a round, then the next regular card is used to determine the reason. If only Jokers are drawn, then the player is eliminated, which makes rounds where only one or two cards are drawn particularly dangerous. After the round is done, the Jokers are shuffled back into the deck that remains undrawn.

(Based on King of Spades) - The Heir eliminated a contestant after discovering they were still in a close relationship with someone else.

Queen of Hearts: The Heir introduces you to Atlantean cuisine and fine dining. You make several etiquette blunders that leaves everyone at the restaurant glaring at you. How do you recover? Roll for balloons. 2  Down to 34

Six of Spades: The contest is in a big city on the coast. Do you live nearby? Do you feel at home here or like an outsider?

Six of Hearts: The Heir introduces you to their closest friend. They share old stories with you about the Heir. What do you learn that gives you a greater appreciation for the Heir as a person?

Token Roll: 2

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

WEEK 4

Confessional:

I was just doing some reading when -- knock, knock, knock -- the film crew was at my door to take some shots of my room. Was totally unprepared, but after three weeks you think I would be ready for the unexpected . . . Embarrassed? Well, that’s putting it a bit mildly . . . Oh, the sketch? That wasn’t horrible. My brother’s the real artist of the family--he does most of the artwork for our graphic novels--but I’ve picked up a few things here and there. I was just practicing. <I hold the sketch up to show it to the producer.> It’s supposed to be Nadreall, if you couldn’t tell. That's a starfish. 

Sure, if I knew my privacy was going to be “invaded” <I use finger quotes to indicate I’m being tongue-in-cheek> I probably would have put it away. But there are worse things to find . . . Yes, like the pamphlet. That was more than embarrassing. That was mortifying. Every day there seems to be at least one group of Anti-Atlantis protestors demonstrating near the shoot. While we were being escorted back to the hotel, a young woman broke through security and ran up to me. She just shoved that pamphlet in my hand and I instinctively took it. I intended to throw it away, but must have just laid it down on the dresser and forgot about it. Obviously, I don’t believe any of that junk, or I wouldn’t be here, potentially leaving my home to live with the Princess. I really hope you guys don’t air that. While I want to believe that people are willing to give a person the benefit of the doubt, unfortunately, the reality is that people like to believe the worst.

The pool party, on the other hand, was a blast. When Blaine first stepped into the room and told us the cocktail party was canceled, you could literally feel the pall that fell over the group. But all that changed the second Nadre stepped in wearing that sexy two-piece  <whistle> and announced we were having a pool party. There was beer and champagne. Burgers and hot dogs on the grill. Some time alone with the Princess. It was a great afternoon. At least until Freddy got a chip on his shoulder. The pool had one of those little floating hoops and a ball and someone suggested we play a game of water basketball. I was on a team with Wayne and Cedric. We were playing against Eddie, Matt R., and Freddy. Most of us were just having a little fun, but Freddy once again took it way too serious. Pulling down trunks. Dunking heads to get the ball. Be very loud every time he scored a basket, and not in a celebratory way, but in a way intended to insult and demean us. “Another point, losers! C’mon, if you want to live with the Atlanteans you gotta stop swimming like tadpoles.” Yeah. They won. And Freddy made sure Nadreall knew it, yelling “We all know who the Big Fish is now!”  What a jerk. I think we’re all hoping he goes home soon.

The Rolls:

Draw: 2 Cards

Two of Clubs: The Heir takes everyone out swimming and some contestants launch a swimming competition. Do you participate? Did you win?

Seven of Clubs: The film crew asked for a tour of your contestant room. What embarrassing things were you forced to talk about? <C.Q. Carelessness/Art  Intolerance/Information>  Roll for balloons.  5 Down to 29

Token Roll: 3

(See the next week here.)