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

[schrodingerscockroach]

...you....do know you push people away, right?

[voreaciously]

For their own good, usually.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Why?

[voreaciously]

...It is not important.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Then it shouldn't be hard to say.

[voreaciously]

Perpahs I do not like to waste time with pointless things; I still need a square.

[schrodingerscockroach]

I'll do the square with you.

80H, do you want someone he'd be proud of?

[voreaciously]

You do not get to invoke him against me.

[she's made such a mistake telling him about--anything. and she sits up, disgusted. the time limit has since been reached, but that's a far thing from her mind, now.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[He reaches out for her shoulder.]

I'm asking you what you want.

Because that's the thing about being the best. Hell, it's the thing about even being better.

The world is complicated, there's a million different paths to take. You can't just say 'be the best' without knowing what that means. If you want to be a better baker, you focus on baking more than running. If you want to be cop, you focus more on how to protect people and capture the bad guy than dancing. If you just want to be a better friend, you focus more on understanding how to be considerate of people over promoting yourself.

If you want to be better, to be the best you can be, you have to figure out what that is. And then be willing to face whatever challenges that entails. Even if it's things you don't want to do or hate to even think of.

You have to be wiling to try. If you're not, then you've doomed yourself before you've even started.

[voreaciously]

[she stiffens under his though but doesn't leave it. if he wants her to stay then she must it's that simple.

but she relaxes, just a little, as he speaks.]

It does not matter what I wish. This is not important, let us continue.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Of course it's important. Because you're important.

[Letting go.] What's your square?

[voreaciously]

I am not important.

[she does not shout but she says that a bit more forcefully than she normally speaks.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Has anything about me implied you could convince me otherwise?

[voreaciously]

Of course not, because you are stubborn and you meddle and you cannot leave well enough alone.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Yep.

So, square?

[voreaciously]

I am finished with you.

[she is going to turn to leave.

why is she even angry?]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Why are you angry?

[Because he's rude as fuck.]

[voreaciously]

I am fine.

[schrodingerscockroach]

...people who push people away are not incapable of making bonds.

They're afraid.

And the fact you're so angry that someone would still want to bond with you despite your efforts just adds more evidence to that.

[voreaciously]

If you believe that is the case you truly have not been paying attention. Which does not surprise me. All you care about is pushing what you wish instead of listening, which is fine, truly. Good day.

[he can follow, but she is making strides to get away. she isn't running, but she's not stopping for anything.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Welp]

[Nope, he's following, and he's got long strides too.]

You can't tell someone they haven't been paying attention when everytime they ask to understand, you shut down. Why do you think I keep asking questions?

[voreaciously]

I have no idea why you keep asking anything1

[honestly, why hasn't he given up by now?]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Because I care about you and I want to help!

[voreaciously]

Why? We are not friends, we are not teammates, we are not anything!

[schrodingerscockroach]

Because I like your humor, I find you interesting to talk to, you have a lot of qualities I admire in a person, you helped me, you help my team, multiple times!

I think people who do good deserve to have good done for them in turn, and I personally like you, what reason do I have to not?! Literally the only reason we aren't friends is because you say no, I'd be friends in a heartbeat.