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

[bad_crowmance]

Lacy! Black or blue, either would work.

[voreaciously]

[Her face is a bit pink. Lingerie is not something she's thought about a lot, actually. She's worn it a couple of times, but there is no denying the feminine appeal to it.

Funnily enough, she is more used to piercings.]

...I will see what I can do. Unfortunately, it would not work with the uniform.

[which is odd because it is plenty sexy? hm.]

[bad_crowmance]

I'll leave the details up to you.

[voreaciously]

V-very well.

[she clears her throat gently.]

I believe it is your turn, then...unless you would prefer to skip it.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He would actually prefer to skip it! But when she suggests it out loud, some stupid sense of stubborn pride kicks into gear and suddenly he knows he can't.

Dammit! Who asked pride to show up and have an opinion?! ]

Heh! There's no need for that, it's asking a simple question.

[ FFfffffuck he hates it.

Well. He can just go the route she did. ]

What can I do to better your pleasure?

[voreaciously]

[she can tell that he doesn't want to do it, but she's worked with and enough pride to know not to press the point. it's up to him, anyway.]

...Nothing, really.

[It is...not entirely true, but not a lie, either. There are things she wants to do, but she will not mention YET if she ever will, because of Reasons, but, really, he is also FUCKING AMAZING but she cannot tell him that, his ego will explode.

...Even if she believes in giving people their dues.

So, with a sigh:]

You are exceptional, so there is very little I would change. You do not have to focus on me so much, though....

[bad_crowmance]

[ It's so gratifying to hear that, and he can't help but grin. ]

Exceptional, huuuh~? ♪♫

[ He laughs and shakes his head. ]

Good to hear! Though you know that I enjoy focusing on you too, right? It's just as much fun to get my partner off as it is to get off myself. Aaaand I still haven't gotten you to scream yet.

[voreaciously]

[she exhales, long and slow, knowing this was going to happen.]

You are fortunate you are so handsome.

[wait, FUCK THAT WAS ANOTHER COMPLIMENT]

I take that one back.

[bad_crowmance]

Nope, too late~! It's already been said. It's okay, I already knew that one.

[voreaciously]

[she is just going to pinch his face with her free hand]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He just laughs like the jerkbird he is. ]

[voreaciously]

[she's looking a bit fussy, but really.


she's a little, glad, actually. she likes to see him smile and laugh.

but she lets his cheek snap back into place]

Very well, let us continue.

[bad_crowmance]

"Talk about your most important person," right? Mine's smart, charming, funny... incredibly attractive....

[voreaciously]

...It is you.

[bad_crowmance]

It's me!

[ He looks completely unashamed to admit this. ]

[voreaciously]

[She doesn't laugh, but there's a soft, perhaps amused exhale.]

Pardon me a moment.

[Her demonstration is done so she gives the bottle a toss. There's a bit of a blue glow where it lands as it takes it form back.

she needs to be in the water for this so she heads back to let the waves lap at her feet, feeling immediately better. She bends down searching for flat stones and finding some, but not enough. There is one, far too round, but blink and you'll miss something from the water coming to slice the sides, the flat-sided dome ends slipping into the sand and one stone becomes four flat ones.]

Did you want any?

[bad_crowmance]

Sure, but first-- who's your most important person? Unless you wanna skip that square.

[voreaciously]

I did not forget.

[Her voice is a little quietly, but her voice resumes its regular volume]

This is just for...its own sake.

[She is trying to be careful, she does not want to ruin the casual thing that they have at all. It is, truly, the only thing she really has and she does not see the irony in being so careful, fighting so hard for something that is not supposed to matter. But she does not know how else to be, she has always put the needs and comfort of others before herself if she was able to, unless it involves winning.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He considers her for a moment... Then he takes off his boots and rolls up the hem of his pants before he joins her in the water. ]

Skipping stones?

[voreaciously]

Yes.

[and, because he's like this.]

Let us do a few, I may have an idea for a game, and we can make wagers.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He grins. ]

Alright, I'm up for that. Let's do it.

[voreaciously]

[she skips, a smooth, sharp flick of her wrist and tap tap tap tap goes the stone. Eight times, easily.

She is really holding back.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He watches what she's doing carefully-- the flatness of the stone, the way she moves her arms, her wrist. When the rock is done skipping, he holds out his hand for a stone of his own. ]

May I?

[voreaciously]

Certainly. Pardon me, I thought you might already know how. You are very talented and good with your hands.

[bad_crowmance]

Heh! While that's true, I'm not sure if I ever had the opportunity to pick this up.

[ Still, he takes a stone and mimicks how she threw it. He gets a good four skips out of it before it falls in. ]