auroraexpress | The Fifth Trial

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The Fifth Trial

Who: ALL
When: Day 11, noon
Where: Outer Space

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth.

[ That familiar silence befalls everything following the call, and just like before the third trial there’s a glittering void, points of light twinkling in the air. As you step into the space it expands, seeming to consume you, the Aurora, and all that exists in general. There’s a feeling of vertigo as this happens, frozen lights swirling all about you and once again it's all accompanied by obnoxious giggling.

This time, however, when the darkness fades, you're...

Back inside of the Aurora? No, this is actually an entirely different train. Outside the windows, you can only see wispy, dancing lights illuminating the surroundings, which you can't quite make out. The doors outside don't open. ]

SIGN-UPS ☆ PRE-GAME MINGLE ☆ RULES ☆ ROOMS

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[immediately when he reaches endgame, head tilted back and hands cupped around his mouth]

FUCK YOU!

[he's unharmed, but he looks so fucking pissed off]

[my sentiments exactly.]

[he is shaking with barely controlled anger]

A lot of fucking nerve. . .

Mmm.

[I'm so upset man. You be angry for me.]

[he can do that! though he seems to wrangle himself under control quickly, the anger still buzzing under his skin like electricity, but much less visibly so]

. . . we need to do something for Jasmine.

Yes. But what would they want that would not insult them...?

. . . a cake?

[that's like. mostly a joke response]

Frosted with what, the message "sorry about the emotional blackmail"?

It wasn't--

[a little flustered now]

I wasn't trying to blackmail anyone. I just didn't want either Randy-san nor his teammate to die alone.

Re: ENDGAME

saddleclub - 2019-02-10 05:25 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 05:27 (UTC) - Expand

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saddleclub - 2019-02-10 05:30 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 05:37 (UTC) - Expand

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saddleclub - 2019-02-10 05:42 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 16:28 (UTC) - Expand

Didn't go as well as the last one, I assume?

[despite the light tone he looks concerned, because seriously wtf]

[he opens his mouth and is about to say nobody in my group was harmed but Randy fUCKING SHOT SOMEONE SO THAT'S NOT TRUE]

[. . .]

No. It didn't.

Feel like telling me about it, or should I wait to ask?

[inhales deeply to steady himself and digs his fingers under his glasses to rub at his eyes]

No, it's-- [mmmmrrgh]

It's fine.

[. . .]

What does being a hero called on by the Star Prince mean to you?

Not much more than being conscripted, though better this than some of the methods I've seen. Our goals align for now, and we get the glory of being on the front lines.

[a little bit wry on the last bit]

What if being the Star Prince's hero meant that you were expected to die, no matter what?

Depends on the circumstances, but it's likely he and I would part ways unless I knew why and weighed the costs myself.

...why do you ask?

[he recites something he heard during the trial, dull and monotone, even though his eyes are blazing behind his glasses]

"Heroes who don’t make sacrifices aren't worth much."

Re: ENDGAME

legis_vox - 2019-02-10 05:21 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 05:22 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-10 05:24 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 05:26 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-10 05:30 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 05:36 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-10 05:37 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 16:25 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-10 22:13 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-11 02:22 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-11 06:47 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-12 01:40 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-12 07:21 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-15 02:21 (UTC) - Expand

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legis_vox - 2019-02-15 03:11 (UTC) - Expand

[ claps to that ]

[that's enough to snap him out of his anger for a moment]

-- ah. . .

[oh]

What a stupid trial.

Tell me about it!

[ brightly ]

Really, tell me. I missed out.

[hhhhaaa]

The goal of the trial was to save as many passengers from zombies as we could. The more passengers we saved, the more at-risk we became of being attacked by zombies ourselves.

At the very end, despite the cautious choices we had made until then, we were told that someone would have to sacrifice themselves to matter what.

[his hands clench into fists]

I got angry.

Uwah.

Well, the passengers weren't real, right? I mean, this was a game.

[hahahahahahahahahaha]

[they weren't real, he tells himself, as the dying cries of their sacrificed passengers echo in his head]

Yeah. I don't think they were. They were just. . . constructs, I think.

[. . .]

That was my logic for refusing to sacrifice anyone in that last round.

So you didn't sacrifice anyone, right?

We didn't.

. . . but it was difficult to come to a consensus.

Re: ENDGAME

fisherofmen - 2019-02-10 05:29 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 05:35 (UTC) - Expand

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fisherofmen - 2019-02-10 05:41 (UTC) - Expand

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purrtagonist - 2019-02-10 16:26 (UTC) - Expand

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