Vox Mentis

Have you tried complaining that accepting only one applicant is a dumb policy? What if they get more than one really gifted applicant at once? Conversely, what if the last person standing is kind of shitty compared to previous groups, and wouldn't have gotten in if their whole group hadn't been below average? Etc etc etc

You did actually, as soon as you confirmed they did only accept one applicant. What Eliot boiled it down to was that if they get more than one gifted applicant, this final test will prove which is the more gifted, and ensure even more that they only get the best of the best. Apparently it's not possible for more than one person to win. They're also able to tell somehow if the person who won is undeserving in some way. "Trust me," Eliot had said, "You wouldn't have made it this far if we thought you were undeserving." There's been whole cohorts that have never made it through to this round.

Did they happen to mention any sort of time limit for this last test? If not, your backup plan can just be to sit in the room and wait him out for as many days as it takes for him to give in. There's basically no way that this pampered asshole can go without eating for as long as you can.

P.S. Remember to go to the bathroom right before the test starts just in case it comes to that.

There was no time limit mentioned, but food isn't going to be an issue. For as long as is required, the Academy will provide you and the curly-haired boy with any sustenance you require, as long as you go to the dining room at the appropriate times to be served. The test seems pretty "free-form", if you can call it that. There must be some end to it if you just wait it out, but they didn't tell you when it was.

What does he bloody want anyway? Besides to get in.

Or, see what he's gonna try on you first.

You may as well go and have a chat with him and see what kind of upfront methods he's going to attempt.

Before you solidify your plan of persuasive assault, you decide to be gracious and let him take the first shots. Stepping out into the corridor, you wander down to the lounge area with the television; he seems to spend a lot of his time there on the sofa.

As always, there he is, relaxing with his feet up on the coffee table. He lazily turns his head to regard you. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Figured out how you're going to persuade me out of here yet?"

"Like I'd tell you if I did. What about you? Have you figured out how you're going to persuade me?"

"Easy, street girl. I'm not. I'm not going to participate whatsoever." He puts a piece of popcorn in his mouth and talks through it. "Your type is all the same. You crave reaction. You want to have an effect. I'm simply not going to give it to you." He turns back to the TV. "Eventually, street girl, you're going to get bored. Or frustrated. You'll leave all on your own, and I won't lift a finger. I don't even care that I'm telling you all this, because it simply. Doesn't. Matter. There's nothing you can do."

How would you like to proceed?