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

[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?

[bluediligence]

Ah, he's mentioned me...?

I'm more concerned about remembering how I got them, yeah, since we relive them like it's really happening.

[time5kip]

[ Well that fucking sucks then doesn't it ]

It's not silly.

You already know it's going to be painful and reasonably traumatic. It makes sense to worry about it. But like you said, there's no point to it and it won't do you any good.

What's the most painful thing you experienced here so far? Or that you remember.

[bluediligence]

[ it sure as hell does suck, yep ]

[ she hesitates for a moment at the question, more sober and serious now ]

The most painful thing ... Mm. There was a stupid trial just over a week ago. It was essentially a guessing game, and if you guessed wrong you were tortured. [ Lifts her right arm, wiggling her fingers. ] My right arm and leg turned into clockwork.