Vox Mentis

Wow, what a well thought out strategy to use on the girl who has literally nowhere better to be than here. I mean, feel free to try and waste a year or two or three waiting us out, i'm sure that'll do wonders for your social life.

Yeah, tell him you're perfectly happy accepting free meals and lodging for life if that's what this test takes.

"You don't know me at all, do you? You think you do but you don't. This place is a dream for me. Just living here is better than anything I've ever had. I'm guessing this is at best par for you, maybe even a step down. I think I'm a lot more comfortable waiting you out than you are waiting on me."

The boy smirks. This enrages you. This little bitch thinks he's better than you?

You could always try persuading him with your fists, he's probably super-wimpy.

You grab the front of his popped collar, yank him up off the couch, and cock your fist back. He starts laughing. Nervous laughter, but still. Fuck him. "You're already losing," he says. "You think they won't" - gasp - "kick you out for assaulting me?"

You drop him. He lands back on the sofa, rubbing his neck. He smiles. "I didn't want to win like that. It's good to know how easily provokable you are if it comes down to it, though." He leans back and puts his feet back up on the coffee table.

Give it a week or so before you try this plan, but:

Just find an opportune moment when he's started watching a decent-length movie or a TV series or something in the rec room, then sneak into his room and pack up all his stuff. When he confronts you, tell him you went and talked to the examiners, seeing as you'd been forewarned he'd be a crap source of reactions. Anyway, they agreed you'd won this and they've packed his shit for him. Obviously, refuse to divulge what exactly you told the examiners to convince them.

That's a good idea, you think. While you're waiting, though, it wouldn't hurt to try a few other avenues:

Try to persuade a teacher to persuade him for you

Are you allowed to enlist the examiners' help on this? If you tell them your opponent has declared they're choosing the path of passive resistance, maybe you could with their help and a limo trick him into taking a one-way ride out of the Academy.

You storm off to Jane's office. She sits nunnishly behind her desk. You wonder if she sleeps under it. "He's not even taking part in the examination," you say. "He says he's just going to wait me out."

"And what exactly would you have me do about it, Elise?"

You're going to have to spell out exactly what needs to be done. Try and persuade her.