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]

You know.... that'd make sense, now that you mention it.

[voreaciously]

Mmm.

[She lets him mull it over.]

Your past and memories are yours, but you no longer have them, that would upset any number of people. If I may be so bold... [And while her tone is even is very clearly tentative, she is not sure where the line is right now.] it may not be them you are truly angry with, but the circumstances surrounding it.

It is all quite a mess. All anyone can do is pick up the pieces and put them into some semblance of order as they come.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He's quiet for a moment, considering that. The thing is.... she's not wrong, and deep down, he's known that the whole time. It's easier to be annoyed at Jusis because what he really doesn't want to admit is... he's mad at himself. For some reason, he couldn't keep a hold of his memories when Jusis could, and it makes him feel like he's failed somehow. Like he's weaker because of it.

And that's an incredibly frustrating feeling. ]

Heh. Anyone ever tell you that you make way too much sense sometimes?

[ That's the closest he's going to get to admitting she might be right. ]

[voreaciously]

[She takes a moment for herself because yes, actually, someone has conveyed that sentiment to her on more than one occasion and it hurts to think about.

The hair isn't right at all and they have little in common but, but both are proud, driven, competitive, isn't that what matters? And the eyes, the eyes are just fine and--

So she will not. She will focus on Crow. Her tone is light, playful if you squint.]

Hmm, more or less. I might as well use this processing power for something.

[She does not look at him as he resolves this truth for himself. She would hazard that this went deeper than he meant for it to, so she will give him as much privacy as she can, given the circumstances.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ It went far, far deeper than he'd meant it to. And he appreciates that she isn't pressing it, that she's giving him his space with it. It's a lot easier to play off as nothing serious if it isn't treated that way. And they've got a nice thing going, he'd really hate to break things off because things got too serious between them. ]

Hot and smart. You're a pretty decent package yourself, huh?

[ He winks at her. ]

[voreaciously]

You are not an idiot, you likely would have figured it out, in time.

[Like, but maybe not absolutely. She does not know him well enough for that must consider the time she has spent around academic geniuses, cunning individuals, prodigies, or otherwise reasonable people who were dumb as rocks emotionally.






There is an elephant the size of a continent in this inner room, but we won't talk about it.]

Thank you. [Becuase she needs to be better at accepting compliments.


Foolish Breeze, can't even be here herself to yell at her--]

Not half as much as you, however.

[bad_crowmance]

Heh! Well, I can't deny that.

[ He probably should deny that, but modesty really is lost on him. ]

Though I imagine an android brain's gonna beat out a human one, no matter how smart, simply from computing power.

[voreaciously]

A very likely, very reasonable assumption, but one I would not apply as an absolute to in all cases; everyone present comes from different worlds and circumstances.

Interestingly, humans are very common across them, but "humanity" may have different particulars, qualities and limitations as it pertains to them. It would not surprise me to encounter, perhaps, a human who could rival me.

[it would bug the SHIT OUT OF HER THO PROBABLY FUCKING HELL but we won't mention that.]

That aside, androids are like people. [No, she frowns, amends.] Most androids are people. They are simply built into being with predetermined functions. Even if she might have ample processing power, if it does not serve her function to, an android may, perhaps, not best a human at a task. It entirely depends.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He considers that for a moment before nodding. ]

That makes sense, too. Having the power means nothing if you don't know how to use it, after all.

[voreaciously]

Exactly. Or it may be lacking entirely if it was not deferred. It is a matter of pragmatism, prioritisation, and efficiency. It does not make sense for a combat model to know...the history of cheese, for example.

[Listen. She hasn't eaten and it was the first thing that came to mind.]

It may not even make sense for a combat model to be particularly intelligent beyond what is sensible for battle, even if she has the means to facilitate it. Why bother? When she can be faster, stronger, more agile.

The pods I mentioned earlier may know, incidentally. That is also their purpose. They possess and provide information as necessary to streamline functionality so fewer resources are consumed by the android and they can focus on their tasks. They think, so many do not have to as much, essentially.

[A beat.]

I still think very fast, however.

[bad_crowmance]

I've noticed that.

[ A smile plays on his lips. He's still not sure what she would've been built for.... and he still hasn't ruled out SexBot, but why would a SexBot be as smart as she does? Especially with the kind of limitations she's talking about.

Nah, it wouldn't make sense. ]

Well, good luck with getting your pods back anyway.

[voreaciously]

Thank you.

[She really needs them back, they were not originally hers to begin with. It feels like she is letting 9S and 2B down, then again, perhaps they are back with them.]

I can only have so many weapons on my person at a time, it is terribly annoying.

[she looks at him, or rather, at his side where he just cAN PULL HIS GUNS OUT OF NOTHING. What EVEN IS THAT.]

So unfair. [She says mostly to herself.]

Ah, yes, I do not mind it, but if you wished for me to tidy you up and keep you so for a time, I can do that.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He gives her a thumbs-up. ]

Actually yeah, if you don't mind?

[ Certain jackals don't need to be able to smell anything anyway--- ]

[voreaciously]

I do not. You will be able to breathe.

[She looks in his direction and raises a hand and water surrounds him, churning gently, for a few moments before it lifts away entirely, like he was never wet, and any mess and sediment is gone.

There is something else.]

The sand will not stick to you. Even if you decide to roll around in it.

[bad_crowmance]

[ Being surrounded by water but still able to breath is... odd, to say the least. But she's done this before, if for a different reason, and it doesn't take too long. So it's easy enough to endure, and worth it when he's completely cleaned off. It's honestly much more convenient than a shower.

He gives her a sidelong glance at that last bit she mentions, though. ]

No shit? [ He runs his hand along the sand. ] How long will that last?

[voreaciously]

[The sand does not stick even remotely! It still feels normal it just doesn't want to stick to him, like he has cooties.]

Four hours. I added it as an afterthought and without incantation so I did not make it too strong.

[bad_crowmance]

[ That's so cool, and he watches as he runs his hand along the sand a few more times in fascination before he looks back up at her. ]

That's a handy trick.

[ Was she planning on more sex? Because the thought's definitely become tempting now that sand won't get stuck Literally Everywhere on him.

No. No, there is a trial going on and he is going to behave. Unfortunately. ]

[voreaciously]

[Crow, behave.]

It is when you need to be presentable in short time.

[Goodness knows how many times she's used it when she's gotten lost in work for hours and hours, covered in entrails and smelling of death and chemicals.

She has tact enough not to mention that.

Instead, she flips over and rests her head in her hands. Which means sure is a lot of cleavage. They will have to back inside for some of these, but her lips twitch, feeling a rare and childish defiance. She doesn't want to. But then reason returns to mollify her: the sooner she can finish the sooner she can be on the beach.]

Wed, bed, behead?

[bad_crowmance]

[ He's behaving, even if he'd really rather not. He shifts position as well, all the better to admire her cleavage look at her as they talk.

His lips quirk into another grin. ]

I'm up for a couple rounds. You wanna pick out some people first or should I?

[voreaciously]

[If she notices him staring she does not say anything.]

You may.

[Can she like, even name three people? We'll see.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow is under no delusions that she doesn't notice, but if she's not going to complain-- well, he has zero motivation to stop staring. ]

Alright-- Naeva, Finn, aaaaaand..... [ He considers for a moment. ] Elaine!

[voreaciously]

Behead Miss Felkin. [There is no anger or agitation in her voice, but she answers with swift decisiveness.]

I suppose wed Miss Naeva and bed Mister Finn.

[bad_crowmance]

Whoa, no hesitation! What, you two don't get along or something?

[ He shrugs and shakes his head, clearly amused. ]

Not bad choices overall, though.

[voreaciously]

[Elaine can eat her entire ass.

That's about where she is even if she knows that's not entirely true all the time and it's more complicated than that.]

That would imply either of us cares enough about the other or there to be friction. That is not the case.

[If she says it enough she will believe it.]

Besides, she could survive being decapitated. [A beat, entirely unconcerned.]

Probably.

[bad_crowmance]

You know, beheading's usually fatal.

[ Usually. He still sounds amused, though. ]

Well, either way it's none of my business.