Partners In Peril: Mao and Naho

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[Whether willing or just, there comes a magical shove to force you and someone else through the door leading down into the earth.]

[The passageway is cold, but at least it's well lit. Albeit with flames of blue fire.]

[It goes down, down, down, until you reach the first part....]

Comments

RULES

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SPECIAL ABILITIES ARE OFF. If a regular human isn't capable of it, neither is your character.

There is one takeback. Your characters will be progressing through rooms in this trial. One character may decide to go back however far they wish ONCE. So they could be all the way at the end and choose to go back to the beginning, or just back one room, but they can only make this decision one time. The characters will understand this fact.

Injury and death are possibilities.

Direct questions to trials-c so we can avoid bogging down the general chat.

ROOM ONE

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[There is a door to proceed to the first room and on it is an inscription:
A fall not so dangerous from height,
But rather in footing.
Is there a way for stability?]

[You find yourself in a cave, on top of a ledge. Upon which you can see a solid stone door at the far end of the cavern. On the floor of the ledge is a message. ’You can only choose to go back once.’]

[The height of the ledge itself does not seem particularly dangerous, it’s only roughly as tall as a two story building. With a bit of care, it’d be possible to climb down without any harm.]

[The harm comes from the sea of spikes.]

[From the very front of the ledge to some distance away, there are tall spikes, packed together. There are, however, spots in the spikes where there’s enough room to put one foot. If someone was incredibly careful, it would be possible to maneuver through the spikes, even stand in places. Though one slight misstep could easily mean getting cut or poked with the spikes. Making a jump for those spots would take a miracle to not end up with a worse injury.]

[There are also two metal scissor gates along the wall, one past the spikes at ground level. The other is at the end of the ledge, and it seems to have a lift of sorts inside.]

[There is a sign. OCCUPANCY: 1]

DISCUSSION

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Re: DISCUSSION

[beeknighted]

...Ah.

Um.

[Looks around for a rope??]

QUESTIONS POST SOLUTION

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These questions are to be answered OOCly about your character’s emotional/mental state, not what they would necessarily say or believe ICly. So if they tell themselves they're happy and are ignoring feelings of anger, the answer is anger.

How does your character feel about their partner?
How does your character feel about the solution to the challenge?
How is your character feeling right now?

Re: QUESTIONS POST SOLUTION

[beeknighted]

How does your character feel about their partner?
Mao thinks she's fine but worries she's going to throw herself into danger and sacrifice herself by the way she's talking, he has to be careful in how he phrases plans.

How does your character feel about the solution to the challenge?
THIS CHALLENGE WAS DUMB but the solution worked, at least. It was scary and he hated it, that jump was terrifying, but he's relieved Yuurei was there to help him out.

How is your character feeling right now?
ANNOYED but not as bad as it could be.

[misinforms]

Her feelings on Mao are neither strikingly positive or negative. He didn’t cause her trouble and worked to carry his weight so it’s fine for now. She wouldn’t hesitate to leave him behind if the opposite became true however. But for now she intends to see it through with him.

The solution was simpler than she expected, so she’s fine with it. They got a few scratches, but nothing she minds terribly.

She’s annoyed they’re going through another of these however— she’s confident that at least she will be able to get through it.

ROOM TWO

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[Another inscription on the door:
'Nothing is zero.
First one’s free.
What’s the price for two?']

[You have stepped further into the cave, and it seems to be almost a foyer of sorts. You can see old tapestries, torn, of alicorns circle around a sun or a moon, and half decayed carpeting. There are two crumbling Pegasus statues that can be seen on either side of a doorway glowing with red magic. On one side of each Pegasus is also a switch.]

[There is also a painting on the wall.]

DISCUSSION

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Re: DISCUSSION

[beeknighted]

...So we have to stand on either side?

[Staring up at those tapestries, huh, then walking over to look at the switch]

QUESTIONS POST SOLUTION

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How does your character feel about their partner?
How does your character feel about the solution to the challenge?
How is your character feeling right now?

[misinforms]

He’s proven he can be trusted for now. She’s rather go through this with him than without at this point, she trusts he can be useful to her.

It was painfully simple, almost insultingly so. The pain however, she hates. While she wouldn’t change her answer she hates the “price” of going together. Right now it’s worth it, not knowing what’s ahead however— much worse and she might have to reconsider how much it’s worth to have another on her side.

Shocked— literally and figuratively. The shock is miserable and she’s a little miserable. And very annoyed about it.

Re: QUESTIONS POST SOLUTION

[beeknighted]

How does your character feel about their partner?
She's someone he can work with and who seems reasonable, he's feeling better about working with her.

How does your character feel about the solution to the challenge?
It almost seemed too easy and also FUCK THAT PUZZLE FUCK ALL OF THIS.

How is your character feeling right now?
Mad and grumpy and petulant.

ROOM THREE

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[Another inscription, this time on the floor:
'Often those below look to those on high,
For those on high often have an easier time.
Though those below often find themselves blind,
To what they can see.']

[You get through the door and find yourself faced with another wall made of black glass, about three stories tall. There is a doorway and a staircase in front of you. Each has a panel of green light in front of them.]

[Engrave between the stairs and doorway is a simple message. GREEN: 1]

DISCUSSION

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Re: DISCUSSION

[beeknighted]

[First thing's first FALLING TO HIS KNEES FROM THE SHOCK AND YELPING, CLUTCHING AT THE METAL PORT ON HIS ARM]

Choices Above

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[As Yuurei steps onto the top, she can see a wide, open area on top of the black glass. The door is on the other side, with stairs leading from inside the building right beside it.]

[Along the floor, everything is black save for a path of clear glass where she can see Mao. For the most part. There are a few blank spaces, next to pedestals.]

[There will be a link sent to Naho's inbox.]

Choices Below

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[And probably predictably, as the glass door shuts behind Mao, he suddenly has darkness cover his eyes, rendering him completely blind. His other senses, however, are fine. And now that he's inside, he can hear things.]

[There's a crackle of energy somewhere. The sloshing of water. And the room area is on the cold side.]

[Its probably fine.]

[And to help say where Mao goes: A board]

Path Discussion

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[Mao can hear Naho through the roof of glass.]

QUESTIONS POST SOLUTION

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How does your character feel about their partner?
How does your character feel about the solution to the challenge?
How is your character feeling right now?

Is there any unconfronted conflict between your character and their partner? If yes, what is it and how do they feel about it?
On a scale of 0 to 10, from none to completely, how much does your character trust their partner right now?

Re: QUESTIONS POST SOLUTION

[beeknighted]

How does your character feel about their partner?
She is EXTREMELY COOL, took a lot on for him and trusted him to take some on as well, he feels like they had a good partnership. Liked that she admitted she was approaching everything pragmatically and he needed to be useful to her, he appreciates that level of candidness in his relationships and doesn't feel like he was abandoned or in danger of that. Trusts her a lot to make the best decisions she can.

How does your character feel about the solution to the challenge?
IT WAS FUCKING BULLSHIT HE HATES IT THANKS. The maze could have been an interesting trust exercise but he hates the pain, hates that they had to take this pain, and thinks it's a terrible bonding activity. What are you trying to get out of this evil Solar, what's your point? It doesn't matter what your point is because it's ALL BULLSHIT.

How is your character feeling right now?
Scared about how the frostbite is going to fuck up his port. Worried about himself and Yuurei. Kind of cheered by her and feels like they make a good team, they can do this, his spirits are bolstered by her! A trust has been established.

He's real mad tho he's going to fight evil solar flare KNOCK THIS SHIT OFF.

Is there any unconfronted conflict between your character and their partner? If yes, what is it and how do they feel about it?
Nah not really

On a scale of 0 to 10, from none to completely, how much does your character trust their partner right now?
mmmmmm 8-9ish. He trusts Yuurei, thinks she makes good decisions and is competent, but she DID admit she's only standing by Mao because of how useful he can be. Mao respects that! Is not afraid of being discarded as useless! But that sure is on the table if he doesn't Perform Up To Standards.

[misinforms]

Mao earned points in this room by trusting her to take as much punishment as she felt she could handle and taking the ones she pushed at him without complaint. He was a worthy partner and someone she felt she could trust. As a result, she didn't want to see him go through any more than he had to.

Admittedly Yuurei ended up feeling good about being in control of the situation. She could use logic to help things proceed in a positive way, even if it meant she ended up taking more punishments than she meant to. There was a sense of accomplishment that came out of it.

No doubt about it, she's cold and sore and in pain. She's certainly more concerned about the cold that Mao endured however, knowing it was greater than her own based on his exposure. She'd like to help if she can since they got through this much together without incident.

7. It's still fresh, but-- it's a solid start.

ROOM FOUR

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[One sentence is on the door to the final room. 'What in return did springtime ask?']

[You have made it past the labyrinth and found yourself in a large cavern. And it seems to be just that. A large cavern, with the only oddity being a few lines on the ground that seems to be dividing the area up into thirds. And at the far, far end, you can see a glimpse of light from the outside.]

[Everything seems quiet.]

[The cold you both suffer has been constant and despite that, somehow, the air seems to grow colder.]

Re: ROOM FOUR

[beeknighted]

[WHY IS IT COLDER

SHIVERINGGGG]

Wh-What did it ask?

[misinforms]

[She's not much warmer... and now this. Great...]

Spring... well there's the rainy season that brings spring's flowers...

[But the cold and the chattering of her teeth makes even thinking difficult.]

There are three areas here... i-it's so hard to th-think in the cold...