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

[schrodingerscockroach]

Told you. [Worst criminal.]

Also not what I meant. I mean you went...blank. Not a 'don't know how to deal with this sap,' more of a....something else.

I didn't hurt you, did I?

[awakenerd]

Huh? No! I'm fine. You did make my heart flutter but it's not like I took you seriously-- that's, you didn't want me to, right?

[schrodingerscockroach]

No. And I doubt you would, I'm still in the time frame for Vampire's affect. Though would hit the three day mark sometime tonight.

Just want to make sure you're okay.

[awakenerd]

I'm fine. Anyone's going to have a few feelings after a frontal attack like that, but you didn't hurt me. Honestly, sheer embarrassment aside, that was really sweet.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Well.

I meant all the compliments, at least. You have a pretty positive impact on things.

[Because he knows Blank Looks, mister.]

[awakenerd]

I could say the same to you. But you don't have to give me such a doubting look.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Because you're obviously having some kind of deep feeling and I worry about you.

1/2

[awakenerd]

Mmngh.

[awakenerd]

It's really no big deal. Sometimes I just remember that having friends and loving mortals is... a little bittersweet.

I don't intend to deny that sadness but there's not really any point in dwelling on it either. I'd much rather spend the time with people I love, my friends and everyone, having fun than brooding. My time with you, with everyone here, is incredibly precious to me. Having pangs now and then is okay.

[It's the truth it's just about 1/5th of it but it's the most he feels like sharing. And he'd rather Dusk not get all worried.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[You're kidding yourself if you think Dusk isn't worried at all times.]

... [He nods and gives Rean a gentle smile.] It's always hard when you lose someone. Especially when it happens a lot. But I'm glad you want to cherish the good memories. That's a good way to look at it.

[But gonna take his hand and squeeze it.] I am really glad we got to meet.

[awakenerd]

[Dusk! He smiles back, tangling their fingers and leaning in close.]

Thinking about stuff like that doesn't go anywhere though. That's why I'm grateful to have met you too.

No matter what, you're already an important person to me.

[schrodingerscockroach]

[He knows loss. And why it's important to treasure the memories because otherwise it's....it's bad.]

[For A Lot Of Reasons.]

[He smiles and will kiss his forehead affectionately.] You're important to me too.

[awakenerd]

Annnd you're still a terrorist.

[He doesn't mind at all.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Of course. Sometimes people need an emotional terrorist.

[awakenerd]

Spoken like a terrorist.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Yep.

[Blame Faito. You think he's bad, WAIT FOR HER.]

But! Okay, got sidetracked, but you remember how we talked about possibly heroic spirits back home for me?

I'm pretty sure we got ghosts, so suddenly a lot more possible.

[awakenerd]

[He's going to love her.]

Is this related to Church?

[schrodingerscockroach]

[She's the worst/best.]

That's right. You know that armor we wear? Like, you can't even see a person in there.

Well, when we were doing something, I noticed one of the enemy soldiers acting peculiar and then I immediately thought 'is Church really going in there' and when I tried to contact him, Caboose was trying to distract me and Church, or his armor, was completely still. Like a statue.

Or like armor that was empty. Because he went to possess someone else.

Which, you know, is a ghost thing to do.

[awakenerd]

...I mean... I guess I can't think of anything but a ghost or spirit hat does possession.

You know some interesting people.

[schrodingerscockroach]

The Reds and Blues are very.....very interesting people.

Like.

Downright baffling sort of way.

[awakenerd]

How would you describe them? Well. I guess I saw Sarge and Donut...

[schrodingerscockroach]

No one would throw out a smart AI. Whatever Lopez is, he's not a smart AI, but sarcasm shouldn't be in a dumb AI programm. That, combined with Freckles supposed 'malfunction' says there's something about those robots that's odd.

There's Church, of course.

Caboose was able to do an obstacle course faster than it took me to say a sentence and I have no idea how because there was no way to take a shortcut through the cave.

And he can't tell the difference between his face and helmet.

The Reds played house in our shipwreck canyon, while trying to pretend they weren't.

Tucker barely knows how to get through Basic level exercises.

As Church and Caboose said, none of their plans ever work.

All evidence points to being terrible kind of soldiers.

And somehow.

Someway.

We're all warriors of such caliber the civil war armies both want us.

[awakenerd]

Sounds like a motley crew of misfits.

That you're really fond of.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Wasn't at first. Wanted to throttle the lot of them.

But then I guess I became Blue Team leader? I really wanted them to be okay and to be prepared for anything, even if Tucker bitched the whole time.

Was pretty much ready to fight the whole Federal Army and Locus to get them and keep them safe.

[awakenerd]

I'm not surprised that's how you ended up. You don't seem too reserved when you like someone