The Nineteenth Trial

[hot_mess_express]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 43, evening
Where: The Mermaid's Beach

Come on, come on heroes...! Come hither!

[ There's a playful giggle and the sound of splashing as the Mermaid's beach appears in the clearing. ]

Let's play a game...!

Comments

[time5kip]

I never said I'm a gentleman.

[bluediligence]

I don't need you to be a gentleman! [ she's so indignant ] Just a warning next time.

... Though, if we're lucky, we won't have to do something like this again.

[time5kip]

I was just about to say if you actually plan on getting me out of my clothes next time, so. That's good to know.

[bluediligence]

I have no intention of getting anyone out of their clothes again, if it can be helped.

[ Changes out of his clothes and back into her own as quickly as possible. ]

[time5kip]

[ He'll be nice enough to not continue teasing her with that, and instead focusing on getting dressed. ]

I'll give you a warning next time, if we end up with a repeat.

[bluediligence]

Thank you. [ Huff! ] ... And I guess that counted as a reprimand? [ Another square down, and one step closer to a blackout. ]

What do you wanna do after the selfie?

[time5kip]

[ Checking his card and, wow, it's kind of bad honestly ]

I could serenade you to keep the atmosphere.

[bluediligence]

These cards sure like making things weird, don't they?

[time5kip]

Considering I have "Share one of your kinks" in there, I'm pretty sure the answer is yet.

I'm not doing that one, for the record.

[bluediligence]

[ turns BRIGHT RED ]

... Y-Yeah, no thanks. Serenading it is.

[time5kip]

[ He's not exactly sorry, but making her uncomfortable wasn't the goal so he's very quick to specify again— ]

I'm not doing it.

[ Which is his way at the vaguest attempt to make things LESS uncomfortable ]

Do you have any preferences for songs?

[bluediligence]

[ She wasn't too worried after he already said he wouldn't, but still, she appreciates the extra reassurance. Blows out a breath, rubbing her chin. ]

Anything you like is fine.

[time5kip]

[ See he's not always mean. But he nods at her answer and just starts singing some cheesy 90's romantic song. He's a good singer, so there's that ]

[bluediligence]

[ this is SO MUCH BETTER ]

[ she applauds once he's done! ]

That was great!

[time5kip]

[ There's like the smallest quirk of his lips at the compliment, and then he just brings his hands to his pants' pockets and super simply— ]

I know.

[ Because he's still an overconfident little shit ]

But thank you. Your turn next. What do you need?

[bluediligence]

[ he is very confident, but that's not always a bad thing ]

I've got a few ... maybe this "ask for advice" one could work. [ But what to ask about? ]

[time5kip]

What do you need advice on?

[bluediligence]

[ HmmmmmMMMMMMMM ... ]

I dunno. Hmm ... I guess - maybe ...

What's the best thing to do when you know a shoe is gonna drop, but you don't know what it is or when it'll happen? Or is that too vague ...

[time5kip]

[ It's detailed enough, and he looks at her, examining, like he definitely didn't expect a serious one. But eventually. ]

My go-to method would be obsess over it and try to fix it before the shoe can drop to star with.

[bluediligence]

[ Looks at him, kind of surprised but mostly considering ]

Not a bad idea. But ... in this case, I don't think it'd work.

[time5kip]

Let's hear it then. What's your case? In actual details.

[bluediligence]

... Really, it's kind of silly.

[ Sighs, rubbing the back of her neck. After a moment: ]

I've got scars. A lot of them, all over my body, and a lot of them are ... bad. [ Really, really bad. Like the extremely visible one looping around her neck, surgically precise, like a collar. ] And it's weird, 'cuz most of my memories have been of a regular high school life. On the one hand, I know there's no point in worrying about it; on the other ...

I don't know. Like I said, it's kind of silly.

[ Winces - ]

And a lot to dump on someone I just met. Sorry.

[time5kip]

You might have missed that, but I'm not big on manners or politeness.

[ That's very obvious sarcasm ]

I wouldn't have asked out of that. If you want to continue, I'll listen.

[bluediligence]

[ Cracks a grin ]

Thanks. There's not a whole lot more to say, though. I don't have any context for any of it, except a reasonable certainty that time travel and Dusk were involved somewhere, somehow.

[ Rolls her shoulders in a shrug. ]

And I dunno how I should approach the idea that my memory tokens are essentially a game of roulette.

[time5kip]

So you're the mysterious friend of his.

[ He had an inkling because of the scars, but it's good to have confirmation ]

What are you worried about? Remembering how you got them, or just not being a regular high schooler?