The Ninth Trial

[advisories]

Who: everyone
When: Day 18, starting just after dawn
Where: The Hermit's Tent, and all around

[This morning as the sun begins to pour through the train's windows, there's the tremor that signals a Trial.]

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth. Or something like that!

[It's the same older man's voice from the sixth trial, and outside is the same fortune teller's stall. Today the front flap is lifted to show a normal interior -- there's a wooden table, carved with geometric patterns and painted in bright colours, lit by teal-coloured carved candles.

At the table sits a man of indeterminate age, somewhere between 30 and 60. He's wearing what appear to be monk's robes, teal with patterned trimming. In front of him is a crystal ball and a stack of bingo cards, along with a stand-up sign bearing the rules of this Trial.

Across the top in large font, it says:

Icebreaker Bingo

Good luck and have fun!]

Comments

[desirestruth]

[Self-preservation instinct is a rare thing in jrpg characters. Treasure it, Crow.]

You really are shameless, huh?

[bad_crowmance]

[ Look, Trails of Cold Steel has Rean Schwarzer, someone had to have some self-preservation. ]

Completely! I have no use for shame.

[desirestruth]

None whatsoever?

[bad_crowmance]

None whatsoever! It's a useless feeling and I have no desire to indulge it.

[desirestruth]

I suppose it's fair. It's not easy to discard for those of us born with it, so have a little pity for us imperfect mortals?

[She's teasing him. Mostly.]

[bad_crowmance]

I can spare some sympathy for those with an overly developed sense of it.

[ What he doesn't know is this: It's possible for him to feel shame, it's just.... really hard to trigger it. ]

[desirestruth]

[One day, Naeva will have her vengeance.]

Oh, how magnanimous!

[bad_crowmance]

[ Good luck, Naeva. ]

I do try. For the sake of the less fortunate!

[desirestruth]

[She snorts, but she's looking over the card again.]

...I need trust fall and nicknames to make a line. I'll let you pick.

[She's easy to catch, but she's worried about catching other people, tbh...]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He barely even considers that. ]

Nicknames! ....I could call you "N."

[desirestruth]

With just one letter, little brother? Really?

[Did you expect her not to pick the absolutely most obnoxious one she could think of?]

[bad_crowmance]

...."Little brother?" Really?

[desirestruth]

No one said we had to keep using these after today.

[He reminds her of her twin, but she is very certain he's younger than her.]

And you're definitely not older than me.

[bad_crowmance]

I don't really think of myself as the "little brother" type, but fine. For today... N.

[desirestruth]

It's your turn to pick a square, little brother.

[They're gonna irritate the fuck out of each other all day.]

[bad_crowmance]

Share something you like about yourself!

[desirestruth]

[She actually pauses. Has to think about it for a while.]

...I am the cutest jackal.

[She says this with an air of authority. She is. There is no question about it.]

[bad_crowmance]

Well, I can't really judge the cuteness levels of jackals so I'll take your word for it. I like my face! It's a very nice face.

[desirestruth]

Certainly, many people seem to agree with you on that. [And she doesn't disagree, but she has to be a shit about it.]

In any case, for the next square...here.

[She just pulled a bottle of whiskey out of her coat and handed it to him. :D]

[bad_crowmance]

Is this for "exchanging gifts"?

[ He takes it! ]

[desirestruth]

Best idea I could think of. You're easy to pick something for, at least.

[bad_crowmance]

Let's see.... if it's an exchange, I should give you something too....

[ Unfortunately, he doesn't have anything nearly as nice as a bottle of whiskey on hand. ]

[desirestruth]

[It's fine, Naeva doesn't really expect much of gifts, since she rarely gets them.]

I'm not really picky, so don't worry too much.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He considers for a moment....

...then removes his gloves and holds them out to her. ]

Here you go?

[desirestruth]

[Well. She considers this. And peels her own gloves off. Maybe making a note to replace his later. His hands are a fair bit bigger than hers so this looks ridiculous but, she's not going to make him feel awkward about this.]

Thank you.