There wasn't an immediate penalty for us getting out of our seats to check the other tables. We didn't zap back to chairs that we had to be bounded into. I was sure there was still a bubble around us that prevented us from going anywhere past this restaurant set, but at least we weren't locked into simply making small talk until the next part of the challenge. Or maybe this was the last part of the challenge, with a void related premise as flimsy as this one, I started to brace myself for it ending randomly and for us to get zapped back home, another completely inane encounter where we all feel like we've learned nothing and accomplished less.

Until we could reach that point though, we had to be proactive.

"If there is some logic to the pairings, then what of the skateboards?" I said, thinking aloud.

"Maybe it was just for show," Sai said. They along with Anastasia, Myles, and Tay were my team for wandering from table to table. The other three hadn't gotten up yet to join us. "Like, the pairings were already set and whatever happened with the skateboards was just..."

"Entirely pointless?" Anastasia said.

Tay adjusted her glasses, the light reflecting off of them giving a glare fitting for a scheming villain. "You know Myles, if we were to hook up, our ship name could be 'Tiles,' as in Tay, Myles, get it? And if the three of us did, including Sai as well, we'd be 'TayMySai.' I think that's the logic between the three of us being paired together."

"Yeah, neat," Myles said. "It's probably going to turn out that Tay is responsible for all of this so don't include her in any planning for how to get out of this."

"Again, standing right here," Tay said.

"And if that's you asking me out, no," Myles said.

"And a no from me too," Sai said. "Sorry."

"It's not!" Tay said, looking offended even though it was perfectly reasonable to assume that was at least an attempt at flirting. "Also, if you're trying to find any glitches in the romantic selection process, why wouldn't you ask me?"

"Because you probably are responsible for all this," Sai said.

"She's' gonna be all like, 'you fell right into my plans,' even though we already figured it out," Anastasia said. "I mean, it makes sense. She was chasing us around in the store, probably luring us into this, maybe a fan of this horrible show and wanted to recreate it in the void."

"I wouldn't do that!" Tay said. "Let me analyze these other pairings and prove that I'm on your side."

"Even if you're not technically our enemy, keep in mind you are not on my side," Anastasia said. "That goes for Lillia as well."

"Don't have to keep reminding me," I said.

"Ah, the Rising Shards thing or the us being Zeta's friend thing?" Tay said. "I'm not particularly close with Zeta, but she is a lot more pleasant than you so if I had to pick between two Faleur sisters here—"

"I am not a Faleur," Anastasia said, gripping her fists. She had her jaw clenched as she very clearly tried to keep herself in check, restraining herself better than I expected her to. I figured she'd punch through a table.

"If you'd like to explain why you hate Zeta so much, I'd love to have that intel in my books," Tay said.

"Let's just get to the others," Sai said.

We checked with Michi and Amara first. Amara took various poses as Michi sketched her in one of their sketchbooks. Their expression was neutral, but I saw a hint of a blush in their cheeks.

"How's it going?" Myles asked.

"Oh, Michi just asked if they could draw me, and who am I to turn down a request like that?" Amara chuckled. "It's almost nice to end up in a strange scenario in another dimension and have it be something nice like this. And you're sure I'm not moving around too much?"

"Yeah, you're great," Michi said.

Sai lit up at this, peeking over Michi's shoulder to look at their sketchbook. "Ah, I was just looking at that brand, how's it drawing on that paper?"

"It's fine," Michi said. "I was curious how watercolor paper would be for pencil drawings. Not hugely different, but the thick paper will be nice to hold I think. That doesn't really affect the drawing part, so..."

Michi's drawings of Amara, even just the sketches, looked very accurate.

"We're trying to figure out if there's some logic behind the pairings," I said. "Do you two have anything in common that could be why you were picked together?"

"Isn't it random?" Amara asked, brushing her hair aside. "The skateboards or whatever?"

"Potentially, but we have a new theory that there's more to it than that," I said.

"Hm," Amara stroked her chin. "I'm not sure, actually. But I haven't interacted with Michi much. Michi, what do you think?"

"I...am not sure, either," Michi took their glasses off and cleaned them.

"Actually, this one checks out completely," Tay said.

"It does?" Michi and Amara asked at the same time.

"Or...I get what whoever did this was going for, at least," Tay said.

"Care to explain it to us?" Anastasia asked, tilting her head and squinting. "I don't see it."

"Let's just say...I get it," Tay said. "I'll leave it at that."

"Why not just tell us?" Anastasia sighed.

"Let's just say...there's something to it that I don't need to explain," Tay said. "For the interests of those involved."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amara asked.

"Are they both secret serial killers or something?" Myles asked. "And you want to keep their secret hidden so they don't serial kill you too?"

"No," Tay said. "I just think...there's a spark of something. I'll leave it at that."

"So they have chemistry, got it," Anastasia said. "Wouldn't have guessed that just looking at them."

"Maybe go check the other tables," Michi said. "We can join after I finish my sketches."

"Yes, leave us to our art time!" Amara said.

With those two seemingly cleared for having logic behind them, we moved on to the next. I did admit to myself that it was entirely possible that Tay was wrong and we skipped over a potential lead, but there was also a possibility our investigation was completely aimless anyways, which was beyond frustrating to think about. I put all my hope into us being onto something, though, as we reached Rain and Ash's table.