The Seventeeth Trial

[catcophonous]

Who: trialgoers
When: Day 39, evening
Where: The Cat's Zone

[Have you enjoyed your day playing in your new train cars? Great! Because now it's Trial Time.

With the usual alert, the Cat's bar appears in the clearing. There's no "come hither" -- instead, just the pounding of bass from the speakers as the door cracks open. Inside there's flashing party lights, upbeat club music, and high-top tables surrounding a wide dance floor. The stage in the corner is empty except for a single microphone.

At the bar you can get free drinks, but you'll have to contend with the bartender -- a black cat curled up on the shelf between the bottles.

On the bar, and on every table, is a sign showing the rules of this game, titled:

Kiss or Dare

If you want to dress up for the club, or want costumes for daring purposes, there's a dressing room behind the stage with a magic closet. You'll find whatever you like in it, but when the trial ends you can only take home what you're wearing!

Good luck!]

RULES | TURN-IN | THE CAT / DISQUALIFICATION

Comments

[voreaciously]

[That does get her to misstep for a moment but she recovers swiftly.]

I beg your pardon?

[she doesn't sound offended she's just shocked]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[His grip tightens on her briefly, to make sure she doesn't fall until she recovers.]

What?

You're attractive. And have a lot of one of my favorite colors. That's like double attractive.

[voreaciously]

I see. This must be a far more dire situation than anticipated.

[it must be if he finds her attractive]

How long has it been?

[schrodingerscockroach]

Let's see, it would have taken affect....

A little under three days now.

Though for the record, I thought you were objectively attractive before hand. I just wasn't attracted to you.

[voreaciously]

It should be over shortly then, I expect.

That is fine, but I am not--

[breeze voice tells her to stfu]

--...thank you.

[schrodingerscockroach]

That'd be nice. I'd like to stop questioning myself.

[The game is gonna end and then he's gonna yeet himself into the ocean.]

[He's surprised at that response a moment, and then he smiles.]

You're welcome.

[voreaciously]

Effects rarely persist more than three days in my experience. I believe it is your turn if you would like to ask me something as we continue.

[they've really only just gotten started dancing so]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Dare conversations.]

Well, that's good to know.

I dare you to tell me...three things you like to do.

[voreaciously]

Train, study, my hobbies.

[very specific, this one]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Your hobbies?

[voreaciously]

Yes, that is correct.

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Oi....]

Your turn.

[voreaciously]

[0:3c?]

I dare you to play wed, bed, and behead with three of the people you find attractive, presently.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Behead Rean because he'd never forgive me for beheading any of the others. Also he might not actually die?

Bed Crow.

And wed.... [Eliza is right out because Dusk is pretty sure he's got some Major Issues coming and he's not sure he wants to put Eliza through that. There's a very real risk of it being too similar to Randy to do anyone any good, so]

And wed you.

[voreaciously]

Why on this world would you choose me? I thought you liked yourself.

[she is baffled]

Especially when Miss Eliza exists.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Because I don't really see the things that are so terrible about you. At least nothing in a deal breaker sort of way.

On the 'reasons why to wed' side of things, you're both fairly even. You're both smart, composed, passionate about the things you study, both attractive, and very helpful, regardless of personal reasoning for helpfulness.

On the scale of 'should not marry,' I'm pretty sure I've done terrible things at some point and I trust in your ability to handle that better than Eliza.

[voreaciously]

[starts taking this hypothetical situation super seriously because we can't have this thinking]

Miss Eliza is very excitable. [not that that's a bad thing, she's very gregarious too]

[schrodingerscockroach]

And?

[voreaciously]

I am not certain I would call her composed.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Composed in a being together sort of sense. And her excitable isn't....overwhelming.

[voreaciously]

I see. I do not disagree in either case, at any rate.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Yeah.

Either way, you're still wed. I like being around you, think I would longterm, and hopefully I wouldn't make you utterly miserable.

[voreaciously]

Your taste leaves much to be desired, I am a miserable person so that is already against you. It is your turn.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Which means there's no where to go, but up.

I dare you to tell me your hobbies.

[voreaciously]

Sewing, weaving, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, cooking, cleaning, swimming, researching and studying, training, dollcrafting.