fourth trial

[airlockedmods]

[When the announcement sounds and the evidence gathered it’s time for a trial. When the remaining champions are all gathered by the docking bay doors they slide slowly slide open.

The two lines of sentry robots are there again, creating a border path from the docking bay doors to the circle of metal podiums. The podiums themselves were made of strange metals in red and gold and orange and black, each one etched with the name of one of the Champions. There are flood lights - like spot lights - in front of each podium. The lights on Oda, Akande and Leon's podiums have been turned off and their floating grey scale portraits have joined the six from last week.

Blaze Dudely stands on a repair deck on top of his ship, which looms over the proceedings ominously. His expression is still hard to read but his arms are folded across his chest and if you squint close enough there's a somberness about him that hasn't been at other trials.]

Ya'll know how this goes by now. [He's in no mood for pageantry this time.] Take the time ya need but don’t bore me.

Comments

[nightcure]

Yeah.

[ Pause. ]

If it helps, you guys can search me. The bag I've got with all the stuff from the infirmary.

[empathiser]

We're going to have to.

Let's start with the bag.

[nightcure]

Sure thing.

[ There's a lot of stuff! Bandages, some light painkillers, stuff for stitches, some cloths, antibiotics, medicated gel... ]

[empathiser]

[Is there anything in there that'd come across as suspicious?]

[nightcure]

[ Nope. Not a face mask or charcoal in sight.

And everything looks unopened, too. ]

[empathiser]

[Well that's a positive start. He's just gonna shifty that bag over to one side for now.]

And now for you. [Although he doesn't know what he's looking for. Something, anything?]

[nightcure]

Sure.

[ He spreads his arms out. He's wearing that black suit, like always; it's clean, because he does his laundry thank you very much. Nothing to suggest he's been in a fight, or he's been screwing around with chemicals and might've splashed something on himself. ]

You need to check my arms or anything? That stuff's pretty harmful, right?

[empathiser]

[It all comes down to stripping with these trials in the end, doesn't it?]

Shirt off. If you've got any injuries that can't be explained we need to know.

[nightcure]

Right.

[ He takes his shirt off, and for a noodle hobo king, he's got some nice muscle definition. One thing is notable, though. They don't look very recent at all, and it's nothing he could've gotten here, but there's very faint scarring running up his right arm.

But other than that, all of his wounds are very old. Nothing fresh that would suggest he's been in a fight recently. ]

The scarring's from using the Ring of the Lucii.

[power_of_dominance]

Your ring did that to you?

[Holy shit, Noctis. Are you wearing parasitic jewelry or something?]

[nightcure]

Yeah.

[ should he mention that while the ring draws power from the Crystal, it also drains the user's life force?






nah. ]

[power_of_dominance]

[Please don't. Otherwise Soma might consider making you immortal to prevent it.]

That can't be healthy for you. Please tell me you're not using it anymore.

[nightcure]

It's not working here, so no.

[ but, like, if it did work

he'd probably use it if he needed to ]

[empathiser]

[Will's genuinely looking for any recent shiny red scars, discolouration or anything like that, but does freeze when Noctis explains the reason for all the scarring on his right arm.]

How does a ring do that?

[nightcure]

[ well god he wasn't gonna say it but you're asking so ]

The ring holds the power of all the kings before the current wielder. That's why it's pretty picky about who it lets put it on.

[ He flexes his hand. ]

It also draws power from the Crystal, and drains the user's life force.

[empathiser]

[well gee that took a lot of pressing for you to spill the beans there.]

It does what?

[NOPE. NO THANK YOU.]

You've not been using it here, have you?

[nightcure]

Nope. Can't access any of its power.

If I had to and could, for you guys, I would.

[power_of_dominance]

[Well now he's horrified again.]

No. Don't you dare. I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't want any of my friends sacrificing their lives for me!

[nightcure]

Yeah. I know.

Sorry.

[empathiser]

[A sigh of relief would go here, but Noctis just keeps on talking.]

No you wouldn't. Because we wouldn't let you, what the hell. How does dying for someone else help anyone?

[Says the guy who threw himself off a cliff to try to kill a guy, but That's Complicated.]

gently slaps a suicide warning, retroactively, juuuuust in case

[nightcure]

[ does he tell will that he literally did that and it helped everyone still alive?







nah. ]

Hey, I believe it. You guys are stubborn.

[empathiser]

[Yeah and then Tabata says they all have miserable, unhappy lives/endings from then on.]

Yeah. We are.

[nightcure]

[ at least they aren't trapped in an eternal night! ]

Which is why we'll get through this. Find whoever's jerking us around.

[empathiser]

[Is that like winning at rochambeau?]

We will.

[Whoever it is. Whatever they need to do.]