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]

[She makes a gentle, mysterious noise in her throat.]

Of course.

[She is a clock, but she cannot help but look at the one in the kitchen.]

There is still some time before I should give you your massage. Were there other squares you wished to do?

[bad_crowmance]

There's always pretending to be your favourite animal!

[voreaciously]

[What is her favourite animal?

Something intelligent. Lethal. Aquatic.

But really, her favourite animal is the one animal that has been by her side until very recently. Watery moth-like wings form at her back and she sprouts antenna to match.]

Tzzz. Tzzz!

[It's a kind of squeaky buzzing noise.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ What... animal is this? He applauds, though. ]

Man, using your water magic's a nice touch!

[voreaciously]

Thank you. Did you know what it was, though?

[bad_crowmance]

Not a clue!

[ He admits it cheerfully and without hesitation. ]

[voreaciously]

[Instead of adopting moth characteristics, instead, water surrounds her and it is clearly a moth shape with the wings flitting at different speeds.

She buzzes again, irritably!]

[bad_crowmance]

Is it... a moth?

[voreaciously]

Ah, yes!

[She seems faintly excited that he guessed it.]

That is correct!

[The water fades away.]

[bad_crowmance]

I'd never thought about the sound a moth makes... I think that's what threw me off. So you like bugs, huh?

[voreaciously]

I like anything worth attention. Moths certainly are. I nearly picked spiders or a blue-ringed octopus--so lovely, so lethal, but moths are lovely things.

[Well, one moth in particular, but still.]

[bad_crowmance]

Moths are pretty cool, I can't blame you there.

[voreaciously]

Yes, they have very clever and interesting defense mechanisms. They are also very sweet and sometimes feisty. But ahh, I do not wish to grow carried away. [he didn't ask for moth facts and data.]

Your turn.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He balls his hand into a fist and then holds it up to his face as though it were a paw. ]

Nyaaa~

[voreaciously]

[Her face flushes pink for a moment.]

As expected.

[She clears her throat delicately.]

[bad_crowmance]

Well, it was either that or a bird. I like both pretty equally.

[voreaciously]

That does not surprise me, but I am glad to hear it. I imagine it would be a special sort of terrible to be named for a bird and have no taste for it.

[bad_crowmance]

Haha, right? Fortunately, I like my name just fine.

[voreaciously]

That is good. Names are tremendously important. There is a saying "Names and natures do often agree." It seems to apply in your case.

[bad_crowmance]

Oh, you think so?

[voreaciously]

Crows are crafty and famously intelligent creatures.

[if only 80H knew JUST HOW MUCH THIS WAS TRUE.]

[bad_crowmance]

Well, I'll accept that just fine.

[ He does love a good compliment. ]

[voreaciously]

Well, that is another square.

[help me rin i do not have the thing open.]

Did you wish to do a trust fall?

[people have been weird about this one. she doesn't get it.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ I'm a helper. ]

[ That being said, Crow grimaces at that. ]

Oh right, I forgot about that square.

[ He's one of the weird ones, sorry 80H. ]

[voreaciously]

[Yeah, he forgot it as much as she "forgot" to say what she likes about herself.

But, she is not going to point it out, at least like that. Something she does when she starts to get to know someone a little, especially if they are...haaaand gestures, hm, have certain idiosyncrasies (trust, pride issues, whatever) is she processes things very quickly and skips obvious, logical steps.

Crow wouldn't forget about this. He is avoiding it. Crow has trust issues. Crow doesn't trust her.

She can work with all this, she skips ahead, cuts to the quick.]

You do not need to trust in me, per se, if that helps. Instead, trust that I have nothing to gain by letting you fall or harming you. Trust that I want to win very much and so I would not do this by halves.

[She has her own issues with trusting people, but she can trust that people will be themselves, good, bad, everything in between.

But she knows she is probably approaching something personal and so she keeps her tone impersonal. Casual. This is not a big deal and she will not make it so.]