Real Rhy'Din Interview: Jaycy

[Hope]

The interview room was a beige walled conference room with a rather elaborate cherry wood desk and copious chairs lining it all. Picked by their very own Gren, it is recycled tree that was going to be burnt for firewood at some goblin incineration plant. After valiantly saving it, it now hosts all would be Real RhyDin members. There were little folded name cards all setup and Hope was… early for once. She had various cans of Red Ox before her with one being opened. Her phone vibrated once and she checked it before locking it and tapping her nails on the table in anticipation.

A side door opened and instead of The Empress entering, flocked by fans, her fae knight Ishmerai stepped inside alone. He was tall, clad in well-worn, dark leathers. His black hair was held back from his face by a simple tie, showing off the discoloration that crept up the left side of his body to his eye and the hint of scales along his hairline. He glanced around, dispassionately, before spotting Hope and approaching the table with the folded name cards. “Lady Overlord,” he greeted her formally despite her semi-regular appearance in his life as one of Jewell’s closest friends. He went down the row, located where Jewell’s name card was, and took the seat at the table reserved for her.

Gren rushed in, fumbling with several animal plushies he had stacked in his arms. “Sorry . . . sorry . . . it’s RhyDin Wildlife Day.” He sat down where his name card was, and set the plushies up in a semi-circle around it, each one of them wearing a t-shirt bearing a different slogan or charity. Gren shifted a lion to the front, whose shirt said “Our ‘mane’ concern is RhyDin’s Wildlife, we ain’t ‘lion’!”.

On the other side of the door, the half-elf known as Jaycy was waiting in a chair, peering idly at her phone. She’d also been early … as usual. Her habit was punctuality and that habit might have been at least part of the reason why their captain had arrived so well ahead of schedule; a single motorcycle was parked outside, after all. She’d even dressed up for the occasion and not in her usual “working” outfit; today it was black leather pants, a shimmery dark green v-neck shirt and a black stylish blazer. Black heels completed the outfit and silver-streaked red hair flowed freely. She even had a purse, bracelets, and two coins and a key on a chain around her neck.

“Hi!” Eden bounced in through the side door wearing a Real Rhydin t-shirt over jeans, sipping milkshake from a to-go cup. “Did Michelle bring pie?” Eden looked first to see if there were any snacks before hopping along the length of the table. She waved a hello to Gren, then lifted a hand up for a high-five to Ishmerai then one for Hope too. Then she found her seat at the table, sitting behind the Kheldar name card.

The knight was quiet and observant but he absolutely put his hand up for that high-five, "Lady Eden."

[Hope]

Bailey was one of the later arrivals, rushing through a side door still dressed in his Black Magic Burger work uniform (logo t-shirt, black jeans, no-slip dress shoes) and smelling like cooking oil and cheap alcohol. He murmured apologies to the other House Royal team members and any of the journalists in the crowd who met his eye (causing them to murmur in turn) before sitting at the closest spot he could find -- behind Eden’s name card, of course.

As the parade entered Hope waved to each, taking ample time to admire Gren’s plush menagerie before taking count of everyone so far. “Gren, Not-Jewell, Eden and Bailey and me! Okay not too bad for an impromptu interview! Maybe Michelle and Kheld will filter in.” She had taken some measures and laid out a platter of cookies as well as various water bottles. “Are we all ready?” She signaled the intern by the door to get Jaycy.

While late, Michelle at least delivered. Her arms carried an in-season strawberry-rhubarb pie and a tray of mini chocolate-silk pies. She sat them down at the centre of the table before sitting down where her name card indicated.

The intern saluted before scurrying through the door and closing the short distance between the conference room and the redhead waiting in the chair. “They’re ready for you, ma’am.” Jaycy peeked up, brows furrowing as she peered at the intern. Ma’am?! The sigh was completely inward as she placed her phone inside the purse and closed it; at the moment she was having trouble deciding which was worse … ma’am or m’lady. What she gave the intern, though, was a smile when she pushed up and led the way back to the partially open door. She slipped through it and strolled to the waiting chair, standing behind it. “Gren… not-Jewell - heyas Ishmerai,” a grin to the man, “... not-Kheld Eden, not-Eden Bailey, Michelle, Hope.” Each person received a nod in greeting. “Thank you for seeing me. May I?” Sit, that is.

As soon as Michelle set out her pies, Eden was all over that! She reached across Gren, accidentally knocking over a plushie owl wearing a shirt reading, “It’s owl forest too!” She snatched a mini-chocolate pie with a beaming smile for Michelle, then leaned back into her seat. As soon as Jaycy walked in, she lifted a hand to wave, smiling brightly. “Hi! Michelle made pie!” She pointed, and then took a bite of her own mini-pie.

An intern dashed forward to gesture Jaycy into the chair and then made a signal to the current team to begin their questioning.

Jewell never had any qualms about starting the proceedings and had instructed Ishmerai that he might have to play her role in doing so. Therefore, the knight pulled a stack of index cards out of his pocket, cleared his throat, sent an apologetic look towards Jaycy, and read, “What are your um.. measurements and how extensive is your wardrobe?”

“Miss Jewell, please!” Gren said with a shocked look, while simultaneously righting the owl that Eden had knocked over. “I think we should ask her a more . . . professional question. Like, why do you want to be a member of Real RhyDin? And by the way, I’d like to say ‘Clean Up

[Hope]

RhyDin Weekend’ is right around the corner, don’t FORGET! I know Edgar the Eco-Friendly Elephant here won’t!” Here, he holds up a plushie elephant and gives one of the cameras a cheesy thumbs up and smile as if he’s doing a commercial, not an interview.

“I want to hear about her wardrobe, too,” Bailey said, leaning forward towards the microphone. His voice popped a little with how close he was, but he was mostly understandable.

The redhead had set her purse down on the floor next to the chair and rounded the back, settling in it with her knees apart and leaning forward, elbows on the bended legs. Hands pressed into each knee, palm down and fingers toward the desk and she leaned forward, just slightly while she considered the first volley. “Well… I’m 4’11”, from shoulder to wrist is about 17 inches and my inseam is about 21?” A light grin quirked to Ishmerai before she continued. “Otherwise proportional and not too much to handle. As for my wardrobe, while it may not be considered quite expansive enough at the moment, I do have a walk-in closet that’s generally full and I’m very open to both supplementation and experimentation. My … choices have expanded in recent months.” She cast a very mild look toward the captain but didn’t linger too long. As well, her ready answer about her measurements might actually substantiate that! “Anyone want to go shopping?”

The grin faded, though, as she turned her focus to the more professional question. Hands moved from her knees and clasped in the space between her legs as elbows took their place and she tilted more, earnestness in her posture. “I’d like to be a member of Real Rhydin because you’re family, and you do things the right way in the duels. Hope’s set up a wonderful group, a team, and has fostered an amazing culture. I know all of you to differing degrees, and it’s something I’d like to be a part of… if you’d have me.” A pause, then she added “... besides, why wouldn’t I want to be somewhere that Michelle’s bringing pies and we have one of the best environmentalists here in Rhydin?” Now her grin returned, a bit.

Eden listened happily, if distantly, to Jaycy’s answers about the clothes. But her smile perked right up at the mention of ‘family.’ That’s what Eden thought too, and she was practically beaming at the idea of it. When it was her turn to ask a question, Eden leaned close to the microphone and took a deep breath, “Okay, what is your favorite ice cream flavor? Do you like the top bunk or the bottom bunk? Do you have your own roller skates? Do you know how to fly? Do you like cherry coke?” When she was finished with her list of questions, she smiled and leaned back again.

Hope allowed each of the team members their fair crack at Jaycy while she sat and sipped from her water bottle occasionally. It's not often people get to experience such a lighthearted gauntlet and while it was to get to understand and know people; it also served as a wonderful icebreaker. Eden's inquiries brought a wide grin to her face while she aimed to topple on more completely unfairly. "If Jen & Berry's were to name a frozen yogurt after you what would it be called and what would be in it?"

[Hope]

Eden had enough questions that first she barked a laugh and then she took a moment in a lull to try and answer them all. “I’ve been partial to rocky road ice cream as of late; I love marshmallows. Umm. Whichever bunk is open, I guess? No roller skates. I love cherry coke, even though I almost never drink coke in general. Ummm.” Brows furrowed for a second until that grin resurfaced again, expression easing as she remembered the missing question. “I do know how to fly! With wings, though, not with planes or anything.” Her hands unclasped long enough for a little handwave but then fingers twined once more. “Erm…” Had she missed an Eden question? Green-gold eyes shifted from one side to the other as she thought. No, she didn’t think so. Her attention lifted again and settled on the blonde captain to respond. “Hmm. Dragon’s Hoard, chocolate yogurt with those colored candies.” M&M’s; she meant M&M’s. “... Almonds, mayhaps, and edible gold for a little shimmer.”

Eden listened as Jaycy answered her questions. She looked a little concerned that Jaycy didn’t have any roller skates, but she perked right up again when she learned she could fly! With wings! “I like marshmallows too.” She beamed her dimpled smile at Jaycy, then looked down the dais, leaning forward a bit and throwing Hope a very obvious thumbs up.

Gren turned red during the barrage of personal questions and looked up towards the ceiling as if looking for a higher power to come and salvage the situation.

Ishmerai, perhaps understanding Gren's look or perhaps under instructions (totally under instructions), tried his best to assist by crumbling up some paper on the table and throwing it at Jaycy without saying anything.

With Eden and Hope peppering Jaycy with an array of questions, Bailey decided it was a perfect time to slip on some sunglasses to hide his eyes. He leaned back a little in his chair and folded his arms.

“So you want to be a part of our family,” Michelle nibbled on some fruit, “what sort of pranks are acceptable with a family member and what is one thing you would never do to family?”

The paper sailed toward her and she let it hit her in the arm, sticking out her tongue at Ishmerai. Then, however, Jaycy’s brows furrowed at the question from Michelle a moment later and she peeked up first at Hope but then to the lady who had presented the query. It was perhaps the hardest question she’d had to answer during this interview. “Well…” she finally began, face easing as she blew out a breath. “I’ll admit I’m not much of a prankster so I can’t say I really know. I prefer teasing, joking and playing with words. I mean, obviously I can say what isn’t acceptable!” She quirked a little grin. “No death, mayhem or anything like that, nothing that’ll hurt anyone. Nothing that’ll truly upset people and relationships. So… I suppose I could say what’s acceptable are those things that perhaps cause a little embarrassment in good fun that the target can laugh about after and happily plot similarly light-hearted revenge.” The second half of Michelle’s question took much less thought. “Leave you behind, or betray you. My life is yours and I’ll do everything in my power to protect you.” For a brief moment, her eyes lingered on the captain, any hint of smile fading, but after that pause she turned back to Michelle and offered a lift of her shoulders.

[Hope]

Hope was ready to speak again when the door to the interview room opened and a woman holding a clipboard cleared her throat. "Ahem, excuse me but you're well past your allotted time this afternoon. The next clients are waiting...." Hope held her finger up as she had intended to speak and a wiiide curl to her lips overtook her face with a light laugh and a slant to her eyes.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....." She looked around and scratched the back of her head. "Guess that's all folks!"

And so the interview ended.

Abruptly.