The Eleventh Trial

[catcophonous]

Who: everyone
When: Day 23, evening
Where: The Trial Zone

[Just as twilight darkens the clearing, you hear the train's customary shift, the sign of a Trial.

Outside in the clearing, a brick building has appeared. It's shabby, paint peeling from the heavy door, but the windows are full of neon signs advertising various brands of liquor. From inside you can hear the thumping of bass, and the faint sounds of a rowdy rock song.

A voice chimes in, lazy but amused.]

You all know what this is. I'm not "come hither"ing you. Just get in here.

Comments

[voreaciously]

Android! And it is not cheating, it is winning.

[she knows he's being dramatic and she's feeding off it, very much projecting a git gud scrub mentality for fun.]

You should try it, sometime.

[bad_crowmance]

You mean like I just did in this trial?

[ The grin on his face has edges-- playful ones, but edges nonetheless. ]

[voreaciously]

[she doesn't miss a beat, because she was expecting it.

rather, she laid the groundwork.]

I meant against me.

[bad_crowmance]

Is that a challenge?

[ He's DELIGHTED. ]

[voreaciously]

It cannot be if winning is a foregone conclusion.

[bad_crowmance]

Foregone nothing! I can win against you.

[ In bed maybe. But he says it with complete confidence. ]

[voreaciously]

Oh? Do you have something in mind?

[bad_crowmance]

[ He pulls a deck of playing cards out of his pocket. ]

[voreaciously]

...What are those?

[bad_crowmance]

Playing cards! Do you know how to play poker?

[voreaciously]

No, could you show me?

[bad_crowmance]

Sure thing! C'mon, let's head out somewhere we can sit down.

[ So his room, probably, but not for [nsfw] this time. ]

[voreaciously]

[she will bring all the cake with her, but will otherwise dutifully follow]

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow has zero objections to the cake. He leads 80H to his bedroom, settling into a sitting position on his bed. ]

Alright, c'mere and I'll teach you one of my favourite games.

[ It's not quite Blade but he still enjoys it. ]

[voreaciously]

Very well.

[As a nerd, she will pay very close attention.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ As a card game enthusiast, Crow will very patiently lay out the rules of the game to her. ]

[voreaciously]

[It's cute that he's so into it, but once she has it, she is ready to play!]

Very well, let us begin.

[bad_crowmance]

Let's do it!

[ She's smart so he's absolutely not going to underestimate her by taking it easy on her to start with-- he's pretty sure that's a surefire way to get his ass kicked immediately. ]

[voreaciously]

[It turns out that...




she is actually abysmal at poker! She has subtle but obvious tells and a terrible sense for, well, all of it.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ Oh no, that's charming. Well, when he realizes she's actually fucking terrible at it, he does ease up a little bit on how badly he's beating her. ]

NO WAIT NOT THIS TAG NVM. TAG COMING UP LATER

[voreaciously]

[She continues to play very terribly, perhaps showing a little promise before--nope.

Nope.

She's just bad at it.]

Hm...p-perhaps if we play for stakes, then, yes. I can do it! I am not truly losing, it, um, it is only that there is nothing on the line. Yes.

[This...is a desperate lady.]

I WILL DELETE IF YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE A NEW TAG

[bad_crowmance]

Stakes, is it?

[ Crow smiles at that, looking positively cheery. ]

It's true that people play harder when there's something on the line... Wanna start with a hundred sparks?

NAH WE GOOD FOR NOW I PROMISE THANK YOU

[voreaciously]

We could do that too, but also...[She gropes for a word, what was it again?]

Ah, strip poker?

SWEET ALSO JUST GONNA TAG THIS AS NSFW NOW

[bad_crowmance]

[ His grin takes on a wicked edge to it. ]

Strip poker, huh? Heh! That works for me.

HECK YES

[voreaciously]

Somehow, I did not think so.

[Her own mouth forms the barest of wry expressions, even as a shiver rolls down her spine.

Crow needs to be less attractive.

Anyway, she's gonna lose a hundred sparks and she takes off a glove.]