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]

And I promise not to ask about who you are sleeping with.

[Hooking her pinky with his! It's a fairly easy promise to keep, after all, but she does mean it.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ It's an easy promise for both of them. ]

Sounds like a deal!

[ He shakes on it, his pinky hooked solidly with hers. ]

[desirestruth]

[She's careful, not to get the glove accidentally yanked off, but there we go.]

There we go, then.

[bad_crowmance]

There we go! What next?

[desirestruth]

[Staring at her card.]

...I have really no idea how I'd play a prank here and who I'd do it to.

[bad_crowmance]

I've got ideas for pranks but they'd take way too much effort to pull off on the fly.

[desirestruth]

There has to be something we can do...I don't really want to give up on a square.

[...A look passes over her face. Something came to mind, but she isn't sure if it's too mean.]

[bad_crowmance]

You look like you've got an idea....

[desirestruth]

...Well, it's something I used to do with my twin, but it was before the engagement...But we'd pick someone and see how long it took to fluster them.

The real key was to only really do or say things that could sound salacious, but were otherwise innocent.

[bad_crowmance]

That sounds like fun!

[desirestruth]

The question is, who do we do this to?

[A long pause.]

Not Hlasoh.

[That'd be just cruel.]

[bad_crowmance]

Nah, not her.

[ That'd be inconvenient. ]

You'd probably get flustered before Lucien, so not him either.

[desirestruth]

Also, if we woke him up this early, he'd be pissed.

[She's considering this.]

...I don't know if Eliza gets flustered.

[bad_crowmance]

I'm pretty sure she doesn't. At least not easily. ...Jusis does, but he tries to be prim and proper about it.

[desirestruth]

Jusis?

[She's met him but they got too snooty and never bothered to introduce themselves.]

[bad_crowmance]

He's about this tall-- [ He gestures with his hand. ] Blond guy on Clover, not a bad guy but probably has a stick up his ass?

[desirestruth]

[...She takes a moment to input this data.]

Well, I think I've seen him around. If you think this would work on him, then...

[bad_crowmance]

It might! It's worth a try.

[desirestruth]

To be honest with you, I can't really think of anyone else. I don't think 80H would let on if we flustered her or not, and I don't...really know anyone else.

So, lead the way.

[bad_crowmance]

You should talk to more people. It's worth getting to know 'em.

[ Not that he plans on attaching to anyone but let's not address that. ]

It's good to know who you're going to be spending a lot of time with, after all.

[desirestruth]

I just mostly haven't had much opportunity before now.

[A pause.] Oh! I forgot my teammates.

[THEY'RE JUST ALL VERY QUIET...]

[bad_crowmance]

I don't think I've talked to as many of them.... Elaine's pretty cute.

[desirestruth]

She's cute, but I don't know much about her. I think Pathiri's asleep, but he's very...I'd feel bad playing tricks on him.

[A long pause.]

And Ciabatta would get revenge and I live in the same car as him, so, no.

[bad_crowmance]

I don't know Pathiri or Ciabatta. I don't actually know much about Elaine either, just that she's cute and has a brother complex.

[desirestruth]

Pathiri's quiet and has long, braided hair...Ciabatta's about yae tall, black-haired, looks like he really doesn't want to be here...

[Because he does not, Naeva.]