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]

[Honestly, if there is one thing she understands, it is a need to hide behind pretense.

And yet.

Something tastes a bit bitter in her mouth, this time. She does not understand it and considers the facts of the situation carefully in a bid to understand (but does she want to?). She has done this her entire life and she, reasonably, has no right to lay bare what he does not choose to show. Who is she, really? It would be tactless and inconsiderate. Yes, this sounds objectively reasonable.

And yet something is bothering her, a pebble incessantly rolling around in her shoe.

Ah, of course...that would be irksome to anyone, but she cannot push that, not now.

She tilts her head slightly in agreement.]

I am not.

[Her easy, polite manner belie the delicacy with which she handles the situation.

Katsuki has given her ample practise.

She could, instead and perhaps to great disaster, point out a number of ways that he has demonstrated trust for her, but if she does he may re-evaluate matters and find them not to his liking after all. Best not to risk it.]

Though some of your jokes would warrant it.

[bad_crowmance]

[ She could point out the ways he has demonstrated trust for her so far but she won't-- because that act in and of itself would break that fragile trust. She's not wrong to think he'd re-evaluate things if she did, that he'd pull back. Unless of course she found a way to keep him there, to anchor him, but the hows and whys to do that are likely not obvious.

Crow laughs easily at her snarky comment, shaking his head. ]

Hey now, it's not my fault of some people can't appreciate my finely tuned sense of humour.

[voreaciously]

[80H is very awkward with people, but here is where her expertise lies. The unsaid, the subtlety, maintaining delicate balances. She has had much in the way of practise and she is simply a more quiet and introspective person than not. And she knows, of course, that people who have things to hide and are good at doing so simply cannot afford not to be careful about it; she would wager (and be fairly confident in winning) that Crow knows that she knows that she should not and will not speak of things better left unsaid.

Basically, She Gets It.]

A generous use of the term if I've ever heard one.

[She does not tut, but she does not have to. It is in the tone of her words.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He scoffs at that. ]

I see you're one of those people.

[voreaciously]

A person with taste? Yes, how kind of you to notice.

[she does like his jokes often but she has to pretend she doesn't, right now.

it's not hard to do since she seems incapable of like. laughing. or smiling.]

[bad_crowmance]

Ouch, that's harsh!

[ He says that with amusement, though, so he's clearly not too hurt. ]

[voreaciously]

I wear black leather and velvet for a reason.

[bad_crowmance]

So it is a kink uniform! I'd wondered!

[ Are you a sexbot-- ]

[voreaciously]

[WHAT NO!

THAT THROWS HER OFF--]

It is not a kink uniform! Combat! It is for combat!

[bad_crowmance]

How is that--

[ He gestures at her lewd but really hot outfit. ]

--useful for combat?

[voreaciously]

[wow it's not that lewd gosh!!!!!!!]

It does not hinder me in the slightest.

[bad_crowmance]

It also does shit for protection.

[voreaciously]

...I am an android.

[like this answers everything

also sir you're like wearing an admittedly nice outfit BUT WHAT'S THAT DO FOR YOU, HUH]

[bad_crowmance]

That doesn't mean you can't be damaged.

[ Look, he's not trying to claim his outfit is a combat uniform. ]

[voreaciously]

If I require heavy armament I can purchase it. I have not found the need, presently. [Everything she's fought is a scrub, not that she doesn't believe in being prepared.

She also doesn't care about being hurt all that much right now.]

As for the rest, I can compensate sufficiently enough though a pod would normally provide that sort of support.

[bad_crowmance]

Fair enough! I still think no one has any business calling that a "combat uniform," though.

[voreaciously]

Every field unit wears this or some variation of it. And they fight in it.

[So there!!]

Scanner models are different, but fit the aesthetic.

[She misses 9S]

[bad_crowmance]

That is an extremely loose definition for combat uniform. Oh well, you look hot in it so I'm not really complaining.

[voreaciously]

[She makes a noise like she is about to scoff but aborts it. Might not even notice.]

The point is to be elegant. And pure.

[The way her booty hangs out in the leotard is anything but pure probably tho but you know.]

I suppose. I did not design it.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He notices the sound but isn't going to pursue that reaction yet. Just filing it away. ]

There is nothing pure about that outfit. More like, "it makes me think all kinds of lewd thoughts about throwing you against a wall and going at it with you."

[ You know. Again. ]

[voreaciously]

[



Well, she's pink now.]

P-please do not say it so bluntly!

[Because then she will start to think about it and that time against the wall was really excellent she thought they would break it--

no--ack--stop!!]

[bad_crowmance]

[ That reaction is cute. ]

Would you rather I just do it, then?

[voreaciously]

[GOD SHE IS GETTING SUPER HORNY RIGHT NOW.

hornier. like, she's never not, but lets pretend, okay.]

You were the one who said we should not again, Mister Armbrust.

[like THAT WAS YOU, SIR.]

[bad_crowmance]

Maybe I changed my mind.

[ LOOK, HE'S HORNY TOO, SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT UP THE OUTFIT. ]

[voreaciously]

[LOOK, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MADE IT INTO A THING!!!]

You are awful.

[And though she is reining in some of her urges, she intends to make him pay for it.]

No one is here right now. And I do still owe you.