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]

I died as a child. But...we're still here. As long as we exist, there is still meaning in that.

[It's okay, hug the therapy jackal. Let the grandma powers soothe you.]

I was born to make sacrifices. To be a sacrifice. I am sorry that your life has treated you much the same. But we're still here...nothing is over. It's not too late to change the course of fate ourselves. Perhaps these are nothing but empty words but...they are things I must believe in, myself.

[nihilmancy]

I don't know if I can believe in this words, but they are nice words.

[desirestruth]

Don't force yourself to try and believe anything. If they can be any kind of solace, that's good enough.

[nihilmancy]

Mm.

[She starts to cry in heaving broken sobs, but keeping it quiet so others in the room won't hear.]

[desirestruth]

[It's okay. Naeva will just sit here and allow Hlasoh to cry herself out. there's really not much more she could say, at this point.]

[nihilmancy]

[Continuing to pet the jackal, though. Eventually, she speaks in a hoarse voice.]

I'm sorry. That wasn't very dignified of me. And you had problems of your own.

[desirestruth]

I don't require you to be dignified, Hlasoh.

[She's not going to address the other point.]

[nihilmancy]

That's not it. I don't know what it is, though. I'm not even sure why I told you this so soon. Or asked you. But, thank you, regardless.

[desirestruth]

['Because you're lonely, Hlasoh.' No, let's not say that out loud.]

You're welcome.

[nihilmancy]

[Well, she is. She sniffles loudly, and lets the jackal go.]

Um, give me a moment.

[desirestruth]

Take your time. [She's going to change back, though, if Hlasoh's done with hugs for the moment.]

[nihilmancy]

Maybe I needed to say those things for a long time. I do not know. I'm... tired. I want to go back to the easy ones.

[desirestruth]

[Naeva kind of staring at her card.]

...Which one of these are easy?

ALSO THERE WAS A BOND UP THERE WHAT WITH THE EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN OKAY

[nihilmancy]

...Wed, bed, behead? Oh, wait, Lucien. Hmm.

...Pretend to be favorite animal?

[desirestruth]

...[POP. JACKAL AGAIN.]

[nihilmancy]

Um... meow. Meoooooow. Mrow?

[Licks the back of her hand.]

[desirestruth]

[She is trying very hard not to giggle or remark on how cute that is.]

Cats, huh?

[nihilmancy]

No, a parrot with a long tongue. The long-tongue parrot. You lose.

[desirestruth]

Long tongue parrots are a delicacy in my country.

[Deadpanned.]

[nihilmancy]

Barbarian.

[desirestruth]

Rather culturally insensitive, isn't that?

[nihilmancy]

Long tongue parrots are as intelligent as a five year old child, you villain.

Er, want to do an experiment? I'm not sure what, though.

[desirestruth]

So are cows.

But I was also joking.

[Seriously she's not gonna eat a cat unless she has to.]

Just need to test some kind of hypothesis, right?

[nihilmancy]

Hm, yes. I'm trying to think.

You could see if my blood actually would have strange effects, but I have the impression that may be strange for both of us.