A Friendly Competition

The room was far more opulent than anything that someone currently living in this day and age would likely ever expect to see in their lifetimes. The floor was a thick velvety red carpet, the tables and chairs of a rich dark wood, and everything-EVERYTHING was lined with brass. The upholstery? Brass studded. The juncture of the walls, ceiling, and floor? Brass lined. The door? Solid brass. Even the ventilation seemed to be made of the stuff.
As each candidate shuffled into the room nearly everyone gasped aloud. The obvious wealth must have been too much at this point. First they had to adjust to this 4 legged mega-carrier, and now they were dealing with some coot in a gas mask? His appearance was of course, more eccentric than anything they had yet encountered, and they would soon find he had a personality to match.
When they entered they would no doubt notice his abnormally tall thin figure and crazed suit with it's long tails, huge top-hat, and ever-smiling gas mask. Yes, the gas mask was the most unsettling part. For starters, most would remove theirs when it wasn't totally necessary, but he was keeping his on. Second was the massive grin painted across it's smooth surface, all giant pearly white teeth, never moving. His goggles were so opaque it was impossible to know the direction he was looking. The rocking of the carrier didn't seem to affect him in the slightest either, so as the others rocked unsteadily, his majesty remained still as a statue. As they all took a seat he finally spoke, with a voice that was at once deep and rather light, almost seeming to echo from him in all directions, filling the heads of his guests

"So Glad you could make it!!! I am His Royal Majesty, but you can just call me 'my lord' or 'master' okay?! I hope you all found things to your liking, I provide only the finest for my guests, this wood came from the legendary fire-breathing trees of Malcior 7 after all, do you have any idea how nice that mahogany is? And the seal fur carpet you're standing on? You don't even want to know how we got it that color."
The floor seemed to hum beneath their feet, and his majesty's mask actually seemed to shift and move with his emotions, almost like it was his real face. "Anywho, let us get down to business, shall we? All of you are the finest mechanics and builders from around the world, and so, whosoever can make me the finest banana juice making machine shall receive both my love, and enough money to buy a bunch of expensive stuff! Specifically 50 bars of solid gold! Deal? Okay, hop to it!" He says, pointing to a side door. "In that room you shall be provided all the banana's and materials you need, any questions?"