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

[voreaciously]

So you have remembered. That is good.

[Ah, but she is nearly done her food...she could go for more, but that would probably not be ladylike. At any rate, she does not want Crow to know she's insatiable.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He already knows she's insatiable— ]

Yeah, I remembered doing some fighting. It's why I picked up the guns-- since I know how to use them, keeping them around seemed like a good idea.

[voreaciously]

[FOOD insatiable.

She sips at her soup, delicately.]

A very good idea, in fact. It will very useful, to be certain. Considering.

[There are dangers in the jungle, but ah, he was not here on day one. That was wild.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ As far as food goes, Crow is significantly less insatiable, and the meal 80H made is plenty filling for him. ]

Yeah, I've heard it can be dangerous around here.... Kinda wish it would be!

[ He gets very Bored sometimes. ]

[voreaciously]

Go out into the wilds, you may find some light exercise there, depending, but it is nothing compared to the first day.

[bad_crowmance]

Oh yeah? What was the first day like?

[voreaciously]

Disorienting. Annoying. [Katsuki was here then, at least--]

The second day, the train was attacked by a gargantuan mutant dolphin, however. It was large enough to swallow the train. That proved interesting and somewhat challenging, in hindsight. [A beat.] It did not make for a bad soup after tenderising, either.

[bad_crowmance]

Wait, I missed that kind of action?!

[ That's so unfair?? ]

[voreaciously]

You did.

[Soup sip.]

It was somewhat challenging due also in part to the terran; the water was a lot more malevolent and malicious at the time. It could be controlled, but it would not hesitate to devour and corrupt if a single slip was made. So, really, it was combating two entities.

[But she just went the fuck out and did shit because she could.]

[bad_crowmance]

Guess that's what I get for not showing up sooner....

[voreaciously]

[Her voice is casual and polite.]

Do not fret, Crow-san, I am certain there will be other great horrors to come that will threaten our lives and possibly existence as we know it, in the future. Patience is a virtue that pays dividends.

[bad_crowmance]

I'll keep you to that.

[ He winks at her. ]

[voreaciously]

I am hardly a navigator of the ship called fate, but it only seems a reasonable conclusion. At any rate, the sabre tooth tigres are nimble and the geckos think themselves tricky. There are a variety of them, at any rate.

[She ponders. Oh right--]

The snakes may prove annoying, however. For most people.

[bad_crowmance]

Oh? Why do you say that?

[voreaciously]

Not everyone is immune to most venoms and poisons.

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow grimaces at that. ]

Pretty sure I'm not immune, either.

[voreaciously]

If you get bitten, I can take care of that.

[Ah, but she is finished her food, now. Sadness.]

[bad_crowmance]

So you can heal that too?

[ He's finishing off the last bits of his own meal, looking at her in interest. ]

[voreaciously]

That is correct. I have confirmed that I can heal this poison so it is not an issue, though I have not been able to test all its effects, as yet.

[This whole not having pods, not having a studio, not being a scanner model is kind of butts, actually.]

I will be certain to rectify that, however.

[But she will start to gather and tidy up their dishes before moving them to the sink.]

[bad_crowmance]

Well, being able to heal it's the important part.

[ Poisons aren't of any particular interest to him, so he's less concerned about the effects of it. ]

[voreaciously]

I suppose, yes.

[like yeh BUT ALSO LISTEN!!! analysing things is important too. but she will wash those dishes.]

Ah, it would be best to wait some time before giving you a massage, which is just as well. We can do other squares, or you may return at your leisure, it is up to you.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He'll definitely need that massage when she gets around to it, he's still tense and mentally on alert almost constantly. ]

I'm up for other squares. Got one you wanna hit up next?

[voreaciously]

Perhaps the gift, but mine will take a little time. I can multitask.

[Once she is done with the dishes, she starts to wash the stones and shells she brought with her.]

[bad_crowmance]

Oh, I like presents!

[ He considers his options, what to give her so he gets the credit too. ]

A gift, a gift.... Hmm....

[voreaciously]

[He says he likes presents and her hands and shoulders tighten for a moment.

It's fine, he's sitting. He won't notice. It's fine. She simply needs to do it.

It is fine.]

Truly, you need not think so hard about it.