She had to admit, the sounds coming from this particular game had a pained edge to them. She would have felt bad, save for the fact that they all seemed to be coming from the same guy. Considering who contestant 4 was, she wasn't terribly surprised. Still, The cheering from the crowd and the yelping did manage to work a tired smile onto her face. Even if it was basically entertainment for idiots, there were certainly facets she could appreciate... sometimes.

With the game over, they were down to two. Number 4 against number one. So far contestant had managed to score really when in numbers, while number 3 had manged to score really well in physical trials. Another card didn't appear, and she sent a quizzical glance at the host. 

"We're down to just two contestants folks!" He started in, "and that means it's time to break out the tie breaker questions!" From within his suit coat he pulled out a golden envelope. A moment later it was handed to Shelby, and she turned it over in her hands as he continued to speak. "This special envelope contains questions designed to help our beautiful love quester on her journey to find mister right! And, to help further make the answers truly anonymous, the contestants numbers will be removed, and they will be taken into special Mystery Booths!"

There was movement on the stage behind her. Then, the host came over and motioned for her to stand. She did, and was turned to face the backside of the stage that had been blocked from her the majority of the game. Instead of six stools, now there stood two red velvet cloth booths. They were simply marked as 1 and 2. She didn't know which one held which person. On the outside of the booth was a small screen. 

"Now, the last change to this game is that the contestants will not speak! Instead, they will write out their answers for our wonderful gal to read right here." He pointed to one of the screens. "All we need now if for you, Heidi, to pick one of the special questions!"

Some sort of countdown music started to play, and she hesitantly opened the envelope. Most of the questions were dumb. The same generic things she had been told to say the whole game show. But there was one that managed to stand out a little to her. She went with it. "If we had only one weekend together before the end of the world and we were to spend it together, what do you think we’d do?"
She waited, hesitantly, for the answers to appear on the screens. 

Saph like the elimination round. He did not like this.

He and the other contestant, some smug looking doughy looking kid, were ushered into little booths, concealed from the world. They gave him a little pad where he could type in his answers.

He wasn't the best typist, to be honest. He looked around the booth nervously.

The other guy went first.

"If we had only one weekend together before the end of the world and we were to spend it together, what do you think we’d do?"

Saph blinked... That was a tuffy.

The announcer read the first response aloud.

"eh... I guess I'd hang out with you, you know? Not a lot of time left, best to spend it together." Saph made a strange face from behind his curtain.

That almost sounded like something he would say.

"I think we all know who that is!" The host chuckled.

It was his turn, his little pad activated. He frowned, and then set to typing, messing up a few times.

"Any moment now, number two!"

Wait, was that how that was spelt? Sonnuva. Okay.

He submitted his answer.

"We'd prepare. The end of the world isn't gonna take us out. We'll beat it. We'll survive." The host stumbled over the answer a little bit, what with the typos and the like.

Shelby squinted at the answers. They were... oddly similar. Glancing back and forth between the two, her hand hovered mid air uselessly.

Which answer was she supposed to choose? The first had been the nicest. Spend you last few days with someone you loved. Go out comfortable.

...but, the second one...

"Now is the time to choose your winner, Heidi. Between the two answers you received, you must choose the one that resonates with you the most." The host turned away from her, gushing some more to the audience about the beauty of the moment they were witnessing.

What resonated with her the most?

She didn't want to go out comfortably. She didn't want to vanish like a snuffed flame in the night. Her expression darkened and she lifted a hand to point at booth number two. "I choose two."

She wanted to continue fighting, for however long she had left. The host looked conflicted, but continued anyway. "Contestant in booth number two! Please come out!"

So the other guy was trying to pretend to be him... Interesting strategy. Very interesting considering he was losing. Still, it was manipulative little cusses like that who made him fear for humanity.

Still, he had to trust that Shelby would pick him... Or, well... He wasn't sure if she was in a good place right now. A date with some stranger probably wasn't in her best interest. He smiled as his number was called, and the curtain opened, revealing the still shirtless hero. Was he supposed to put hi shirt back on? He hadn't thought of that.

The crowd cheered, and some of the girls ooed an ahhed a bit. He shook his head as he wandered on out to greet 'Heidi.'

He had to act like he didn't know her as the host talked about his amazing win, and they popped some of the action highlights up on the screen. He couln't help but laugh, seeing himself in a Sumo suit, and at the poor pretty blonde guy's face as the rubber bands hit him.

"Now, for the grand prize! An all expense paid date to Benvolios, the hottest restaurant in New York, with waiting list a mile long!"

She couldn't really help it. His grin was infectious. He came out to greet her, shirtless even, and she couldn't help grinning like an idiot.

It only got worse when they started playing recaps, and she was able to see what had been going on behind her the whole time. The announcer was busy filling them in on what they had won, all of the fine details. Shelby had never been to a fancy restaurant in her whole life; she was three star restaurant kinda girl all the way. She should have been overjoyed. Should have been startled or shocked... something.

All she could focus on was the silliness up there on the screen. It was what she felt she truly needed. One hand lifted to cover her trembling lips, the other wrapping around her middle. To outside eyes it might have looked like she was overjoyed and about to cry. Really, she was doing everything in her power not to bust out laughing on TV.

She didn't last long, especially not when Saph was laughing himself. "Pahaha!" The first wave of laughter was accompanied by a snort. It only made her laugh harder. "Look at you! Ahaha!" They kept replaying him in a sumo suit, easily knocking his opponent out of the marked area in record time. Then in slow motion. Then they played the scene from him whipping the blonde one, figuratively and literally, at the elastic game.

She doubled over-herself, wiping fresh tears away as she struggled to get a hold of herself.

Saph was worried for a second; was she going to cry? A look of concern crossed his face for a moment, and he was about to reach out a hesitant hand when-

"Pahaha!" She burst out laughing, and he smiled, and then she snorted, and he laughed too! She snorted when she laughed! That was adorab-... Uh oh. No. None of that.

He looked up to the screen again, turning slightly red at his own thoughts.

He'd definitely been to fancy restaurants before... What was it with him and winning dates?
Couldn't he win a car or something?

Saph's eyes settled on Shelby again... He supposed he could have been stuck with someone a lot worse for something like this. She was easy to talk to, at least.

They got their voucher for the restaurant, and a decent bit of cash for the appearance. He gave that guy an autograph, and people took... a lot of photos of him.

Like. A lot.

After all of the bustle died down, that just left him and her. Awkwardly, he looked around. "Uh... So... That was something huh? You eh... Probably aren't hungry yet, huh?" He hadn't eaten yet.

Things progressed a little slower after that. Saph, it seemed, was a celebrity of some sort. She allowed him his moment, stepping away so she could hunt down whoever it was that had her original clothing. When she came back he was just posing for pictures with various fans. She even had a few people approach her, all of whom who gushed about how lucky she was, and how jealous they were. She attempted to quietly dissuade them on the notion that they were a couple, while struggling with a massive amount of embarrassment.

Once his fans had let him go, she re-joined him. This time with the bags of supplies for his daughter in hand. A smile was still fixed in place on her face. 

"Uh... So... That was something huh? You eh... Probably aren't hungry yet, huh?"

She chuckled, "I can think of a lot of other words for it, but yeah... that was something." She paused, adjusting her glasses. "Kinda weird seeing it play out from the other side of the screen. Even weirder being the one asking those ridiculous questions."

She smiled wider at his question about hunger, and shook her head slightly. "Actually, the opposite. I haven't really eaten anything save for a few fries." She neglected to mention that she hadn't really eaten much in the last few days, either... though not entirely on her own accord. Her appetite was virtually nonexistent,  and what little food she did manage to get down left her feeling quite ill for a few hours after. The fries she had been eating earlier had been the first real food her stomach had wanted. She was still feeling that hungry, empty feeling even after all the excitement. "What would you like to do, Saph?" 

She certainly didn't want to make any demands. He had invited her out because he needed the help, but also because he was trying to help her recover. She appreciated it, no matter what he chose to do in the end.

Talking to that many people was exhausting. He'd never really stood in place long enough to have people take pictures with him... Not in years. He was glad when he got the chance to separate.

When he finally talked to Shelby, he found out that she hadn't been able to eat after all.


"What would you like to do, Saph?"

That was an easy question.

"Oh, I'm @#$^in starvin. Whad'ya say? It's free. Let's get some high class grub. I mean it, too. There might be grub involved. You never know with those places."

He grinned. He totally wasn't kidding. The chef at this restaurant was know for his... 'unique and 'colorful' approach to culinary arts. People sat at his tables, and he served them what he felt like serving that night. It was supposed to be incredibly delicious, though.

His phrasing earned another laugh from her. She sprouted a grin to match his, which caused her glasses to slide down her nose again.

"Sounds like a plan, then!" She didn't even mind the grub joke. I mean, she probably would puke if someone actually tried to serve her one, but his sense of humor made the prospect bearable. He made going out bearable.

"Should we drop off the supplies before, or after? I just met her and all, but I get the impression that your daughter isn't likely to take to this," She wiggled the bags, ",very lightly. Sorry in advance for that."

Really, he could always lay the blame on her. She was the stranger who had interfered with what sounded like their normal routine, and she would willingly accept the blame should it come to that.

Saph had forgotten all about the school supplies!

"Knowin her, she won't be there when we get back. We can drop em off." He wasn't stupid. He knew that Elke had been plotting to have them both leave the mansion the whole time. He gave the girl her distance, though. She wasn't a little kid anymore, and Shelby needed to get out.

It already looked like this had been the better option.

"Let's go then. To the Mansion. We'll get ready and stuff, and then head down town. I'll call for a reservation."

He pulled his phone from his pocket and started the call for reservations as they headed to his car.

"Eight work for you? that give us... Four hours. Some time to decompress and get ready."

She nodded, already planning the rest of the night. She would have time to work on her painting, get a shower and get ready. Then...

She blinked, a thought suddenly occurring to her. Did she even have anything to wear in a fancy restaurant? She only had a few outfits after... after having to leave so suddenly. She hadn't had time to pick through her the entire wardrobe she had managed to compile over the last three years.

She'd have to be picky with her look, or possibly ask one of the other mansion girls for a dress to borrow. "Eight sounds good to me. I'll be able to get some work done in between." She fished the phone he'd let her borrow from her pocket and handed it to him as they walked from the mall back to the car and smiled.

"Thank you by the way. I think I needed this a lot."

----

A few hours later and Shelby was applying the finishing touches to her look for the night. It felt weird, getting dressed up after a few days of not even caring if she smelled funny.... but it felt good too. She felt clean. New. She glanced at herself in a mirror, plucking at the collar of the dress she had managed to borrow. Turns out she hadn't had anything appropriate for a fancy restaurant, anyway. This one was loose fitting, ended modestly just above her knees, and was a nice formal black with white spots. Her favorite part was the fact that it had pockets. Dresses with pockets were probably one of her most favorite things in the world.

Simple makeup finished the look. Burgundy lipstick with black eyeliner and mascara. The barest hint of burgundy eye shadow. She whisked her hair into a simple side braid. Elegant, yet functional, and tucked her wallet into her pocket. She slipped a pair of chunky black heels on as she exited her room, and made her way down to meet Saph.

Elke hadn't been home when they arrived. He walked right on into her room after knocking, and set the supplies down, as well as the phone. She'd be back in a couple hours, probably. She tended to be terrible at judging how long he would be out. He trusted her enough at this point to know she would keep herself safe.

She put some work into her appearance. Saph wore a black shirt and jeans with no holes in them. As she descended the stairs he froze for a second, looked around as if there was something he could throw on to fancy himself up or something.

All he saw was a vase, and it wasn't as if he could wear it as a hat or anything. He swallowed, and looked back to her as she neared. At least he'd taken a quick shower and stuff... The haircut helped.

"Oh, hey, you look... Uh, we better get goin. Y'know. Traffic." It was 7:15... there wouldn't be any more traffic than normal. Was he being awkward? He was being awkward.

The drive to the restaurant was pretty uneventful. It took them a moment to find the place. From the outside it looked like a grungy little side-alley hangout, no real sign, just the name written on the door.

Inside, though, it was a whole different matter. Perfect ambient lighting, a deep, cozy atmosphere. It was meant to feel like going to a close friend's house, with enough polish to pull you out of the experience just enough to realize where you were.

Architecture was soft, chairs were comfortable, but not too soft, tables were smaller, so people could sit closer together. There weren't a lot of tables, and the music was low and unassuming. Saph was impressed. Maybe he hadn't been to a restaurant this nice before.

A polite hipster showed them to a table.

He greeted her and she chuckled. "I'll take your word for it, since I don't drive and all."

She half wondered if she had over dressed, but tossed the idea out a half second later. She hadn't exactly had but choice in outfit seeing as 99% of what she was wearing was borrowed from the girl in the room next to her. Whom, now that she thought about it, and seemed overjoyed to help out.

She followed him out to the car, and then they were on the road. Polite chatter here and there, nothing big on the drive. Then they were there, and before she knew it she was seated at a table. She took in the atmosphere quietly, unfolding the cloth napkin provided and placed it across her lap.

Menus were provided, drink orders were taken. The kindly waiter hurried off and Shelby blinked across the table at Saph. What was she supposed to say? Casual chatter was not generally a strong suit of hers.

"Did you really punch a Bengal tiger in the face?" ... Nice one, Shelby. She patted herself on the back.

Saphirus handed the waiter the show voucher, and the man nodded. "Oh, it's you two! We have something special planned for you!" He said, causing a bit of a funny look to appear on Saph's face. Uh oh... What did that mean?

He tried to pay it no mind, and turned back to Shelby to enjoy a bit of an awkward silence, broken by the following:

"Did you really punch a Bengal tiger in the face?"

He nearly spit out the water he was sipping on, turning red and coughing a bit. After he settled down he debated on telling her it was a fib. Meh, what harm cold it do?

"Yup... Knocked it out, too. I was in a squirrel suit the whole time. You remember that time the animals all escaped from the Zoo? I was there. Punched a lawyer right after, too... Heh... It was stupid... Had to do with a girl." Andrea... His eyes softened a bit as he thought about her. It had been a year an a half since he'd last seen her. Everything just sort of fell apart...

She listened intently, half pondering what the 'something special' could be that the waiter mentioned, and half envisioning Saph in a squirrel suit fist fighting a tiger. It gave her a reason to chuckle. As she watched him though, she saw the expression on his face shift slightly. She wondered what girl he was talking about, but didn't dare ask. Generally anything to do with the opposite sex she had very little functional input on.

Instead, she shook her head slightly in response to him. "I'm not originally from here. It must have been before my time in New York." She glanced at the silverware on the table before her and fiddled with her fork. "Originally from Seattle. We never had any fun zoo shenanigans." She managed another smile, "On a different note, I liked all of your responses during that dumb game. They were really honest."

She laughed, "Wanna make bets on if their ratings will drop because of that episode?"