WEEK 1 TRIAL

[foundationmods]

It was noon on Saturday.

No matter where they were, no matter what they were doing...the moment the chimes rang out through the hall, they felt a change.

The world...began to expand, as they felt themselves leaving the world they were on, and towards another, much larger world...🗈

This new world looked like...the inside of an ornate courtroom, like something that wouldn't be too far from some kind of grand fantasy novel. The audience was full of people with Goat Heads...like some kind of bizzare trial proceedings.

The Witch - Yuuko - was there, sitting in the most important place, smiling in her mysterious way at everyone. There was no music to be heard, but... perhaps on another plane, in another place, someone else heard music as they gazed upon the proceedings.

As they looked around, they might have also been surprised to see that their forms had changed - perhaps only slightly, or a much more dramatic change. It seemed like this place demanded a different form in some way, even if it was just a change of clothing.

...There was a deep silence in the room, one that no one wanted to break. It was the faint tension in the air, like the moments before a race or a competition begins.

Yesterday had been the start of the game. But now, armed with all they knew...now, they had to truly go up against the Witch, and somehow.....win.

Right?

Comments

[sotoshini]

I say what I mean, that's all. [ Maybe for a couple of minutes he can pretend he's a normal teenager again. ]

[fullbodied]

Is that supposed to make me forget about it, then?

[sotoshini]

No, just- [ What was his point again? He shakes his head, ruffling his hair. ]

Whatever you want to think.

[fullbodied]

I'm just teasing.

Mostly.

[sotoshini]

[ Sighing, he wonders if he should just leave it at that. Normally he might, but there's this whole discussion about the body and blood and at this point he'll take any distraction he can get. ]

...mostly?

[fullbodied]

Yeah. I still wanna figure you out, you know! And besides, isn't teasing what you do with friends?

[sotoshini]

[ ... ]

We're not friends, nor am I some puzzle for you to figure out.

[fullbodied]

[she doesn't seem too deterred.]

I'm not treating you like a puzzle, when I say figure out, calm down.

[she'll just respectfully disagree with the friends part.]

[sotoshini]

Don't treat me like anything. [ A friend, an enigma, whatever it is he doesn't want any part of it. And this clearly was a mistake, he doesn't have the mindset to deal with this and he doesn't really care that he's being snappy because of it.

He's not going to walk off, but he sure is going to try to direct his attention elsewhere. ]

[fullbodied]

... Why?

[sotoshini]

Does there need to be a reason?

[fullbodied]

Hmm. I mean... I guess not. But that sounds like a lonely experience.

And also, honestly, impossible. Someone's always going to treat you like something-- it's not like you don't exist.

[sotoshini]

[ Kind of laughing before his expression snaps back to stoic. ]

Barely, and that's fine by me. [ His existence, that is. ]

[fullbodied]

Which part? The lonely experience, or the existing part?

[sotoshini]

Existing. But the other one isn't far off.

[fullbodied]

Okay.

You prefer that?

[sotoshini]

Yes, I thought I made that clear.

[fullbodied]

Sure, sure. But why? Why is that fine by you?

[sotoshini]

[ Turning to look at her again, he's reminded of a certain conversation that seems like a lifetime ago. ]

That's just how I am. I've always been this way.

[fullbodied]

... Well, I can't treat you as though you don't exist. And I don't want to.

1/2

[sotoshini]

I don't care what you want.

[sotoshini]

But I can't stop you either.

[fullbodied]

Well, at least you recognize it.

You kind of remind me of someone, but I get the feeling your motivations are totally different.

[sotoshini]

I'd hope so.