The Thirteenth Trial

[catcophonous]

Who: trialgoers
When: Day 27 all day
Where: The Cat's Zone

[Once again the Trial time has come. Just like the Eleventh, it's the Cat's bar that's appeared in the clearing, and just like then, he's not here for formalities.]

Can you believe you've been dumped on me again already? Lame, I know. But come on in and let's get going.

[But he's not the only voice! The booming, cheerful tone of the Hermit can be heard as well.]

Right, right, come along! This one should be fun for you and us.

[Once you enter the bar, you'll find... it's just a bar. In fact, you are free to come and go from it. The inside, though, has been dolled up -- there are swaths of colourful fabric above the windows, jingly dangly crystal decorations hanging down over tables, and patterned tablecloths. It's the kind of cheesy fortuneteller decor you've seen in the Hermit's tent before!

Otherwise, though, there's nothing strange. There are plenty of tables and an open dancefloor. The cabinets behind the bar are sturdily locked, but there are pitchers of non-alcoholic punch on every table, and on the bar is a jar of paper slips and a laminated instructions sheet.

The name of this game is: Fortune and Lies.]

RULES ☆ TURN-IN ☆ WINNERS & ENDGAME

Comments

[bad_crowmance]

The only way to get better is to keep trying.

[ Says the guy who finds both of those things to be as easy as breathing. ]

[desirestruth]

Lying's a bad idea for someone like me to begin with, I'll stick with sarcasm, thanks.

[Shrugging.]

You'll probably be fine.

[bad_crowmance]

Oh yeah, I know I've got this.

[desirestruth]

If only we were all as humble as you, Crow.

[bad_crowmance]

I'm not interested in being something I'm not-- so why not admit my strengths?

[desirestruth]

On a practical sense, it's easy to start forgetting your own weaknesses when you focus on your strengths. The saying 'pride goes before a fall' exists for a reason.

With you, though, no one's going to be able to tell if you're really on that path...mostly, it's just my job to tease you.

[bad_crowmance]

Oh? And who decided that was your job, huh?

[desirestruth]

Me. Rean and Eliza are too nice to do it, and we both know it.

[bad_crowmance]

I think you're underestimating Rean.

[desirestruth]

Probably, I haven't talked to him as much as I'd like, he's a sweet kid, even if his country runs on a very stupid system.

But being teased by a lover is really an entirely different category.

[bad_crowmance]

I don't really remember a whole lot about how the country is run. [ He vaguely remembers not liking it, or at least one of the politicians in it-- but that's another thing entirely. ] Although I think you've made a whole lot of assumptions on that last part.

[desirestruth]

It was a point of contention in the last game.

[That's putting it...mildly.]

I might be. I also don't think I'm wrong.

[bad_crowmance]

It's not that I'm not interested, but you're definitely wrong.

[desirestruth]

What, do you think he's not interested in you? He'd be missing out.

[killing him with kindness: naeva's master plan.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ His gaze narrows as he looks at her. ]

Orange, green, or blue.

[desirestruth]

[Buzzzzzzzz!]

...Shouldn't you have had to narrow it down, first?

[Naeva don't address the buzzer. But, she'll go get a new fortune, then.]

[bad_crowmance]

Nice try, Naeva.

[desirestruth]

I think the cat is out to get me.

[She stares at her fortune.

And then starts...advancing on Crow.

Uh-oh?]

[bad_crowmance]

So.... red, huh?

[desirestruth]

Do me a favor, just let this happen without making it weird. [No Buzz. And she's reaching out to grab him by the coat lapels, and

hug him????

Naeva, uh, what.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ He stiffens up immediately in surprise, caught off-guard. ] ....It's blue, you can let go now.

[desirestruth]

[Well, he can tell from this distance that she winces when the buzzer goes off, just a little. Which makes sense, her hearing is a lot more sensitive than a human's...

She sighs a little, and lets go of him.]

...You're worse at hugs than I am. I'm impressed.

[bad_crowmance]

I'm better when I'm not being surprised with it.

[desirestruth]

Telling you would have given it away.

[She shrugs a little bit.]

[bad_crowmance]

Yeah, you just wanted to be a brat.