TAKSHAKA

[soulping]

[ You find yourself in a section of the maze walled off by hedges sporting glowing purple flowers. Several tree stumps with rich velvet cushions on them surround a much larger stump, upon which lie a number of cards... ]

Comments

ROUND ONE

[soulping]

[ There are four cards upon the table. You are suddenly aware that, as a team, you will need to decide on one of these four cards to select and turn all three of the others face down. ]

♣ The Ace of Wands ♣
♥ The Ace of Cups ♥
♠ The Ace of Swords ♠
♦ The Ace of Coins ♦

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

 

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

I vote coins.

[SINCE SWAN'S NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT SWORDS]

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

Why coins?

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

Because I have no goddamn clue what any of them do, and coins seem the most innocent.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

So does Cups, and Wands. I mean, Wands is a stick.

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

And if I have a wand, I can spew fire, ice, and lightning enough to kill people.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

And if I have a wand, I can try to hit someone with it. It's not dangerous unless its in hands that can use it right.

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

But the Cups has a bird.

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

Divebombing into a cup. I realize our reputation for suicide, but isn't that a little foreboding?

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

It's putting a token into a cup, not divebombing it.

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

Looks like it's going straight down to me.

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

That's a highly literal interpretation.

Well, it doesn't matter overly much. My preference is for Cups, but if you wish for Coins . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[pchaaair]

... Coins?

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

It's not like we know what any of them do, anyway.

Re: DISCUSSION

[pchaaair]

There is the bird for cups, though.

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

Divebombing into a cup. Like I said, I would rather not pick the card that depicts a bird committing suicide.

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

The Cups card has a bird on it!

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

-Oh, it does! I vote for Cups!

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

Nightingale seems very set on Coins.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

I dunno why she thinks it's the safest card.

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

Eternal pessimism would be my guess.

CHOICE

[soulping]

 

Re: CHOICE

[takewing]

[Takshaka chooses Cups!]

Re: CHOICE

[soulping]

[ As soon as you finish turning over the other cards, they disappear. Only the card you selected remains, and after a moment it disappears, leaving in its place a blank white outline of the human form carved into the center of the table. Suddenly the Trickster's mocking laughter rings out all too cheerfully around you. ]

A little change is good for the soul, eh? That's what they say, so too bad I'm more concerned with the body than any spiritual claptrap!

[ Something shifts uncomfortably inside your abdomen. You might not realize exactly what's happened until you look down and see it: the outline of two goblets, bulging out of your belly where your kidneys should be. The rest of your organs suddenly feel very vulnerable to this transformation as well. On the table before you, the blank shape abruptly fills one-fifth of the way with little pictures of cups. ]

Don't worry too much, ladies and gentlemen. I am, as always, also interested in your minds. Let me play with those, and you just might get your healthy bodies back soon!

[ Oh, and powers are now off. Good luck! ]