For any non-resident of The City simply getting in, reaching the approximate center, and getting back out alive was a challenge. To successfully retrieve an object larger than a fist was considered almost impossible.
Yet, the candidates must be required to bring back something demonstrably originating in The City. Otherwise, they might simply skirt The City's borders and bring back some piece of discarded junk and never prove their worth.
After negotiation, it was determined that each twin would go into the city and either bring back anything that was clearly from The City, or demonstrate their presence there.
Both twins wished to go first and Gypsum would not allow Feldspar to claim seniority for this task. The twins used one of the oldest and most respected contests to determine who would have their way.
The game was called "rock, clothe, and knife." The rule was that clothe beat rock, rock beat knife, and knife beat clothe. The players would clap their open hands together twice in unison and on the third clap each would show a symbol of one of the three choices. An open hand symbolized clothe, a fist symbolized rock, and a single finger extended symbolized knife.
The men agreed beforehand that the first to win two contests would have his choice of going first or second.
As can be imagined, these two had engaged in this contest hundreds of times in the past. Each had a preferred strategy, and each was aware of the other's preference. If they were to compete one hundred times, the odds were against either ever having a lead of more than two, and each would have that lead at least once during the competition.
The first three games were all ties. Feldspar won the fourth trial by showing rock to his brother's knife. Gypsum won the second the exact same way. The next five games were ties and their audience was getting impatient, especially Beryl and Topaz.
But their impatience was rewarded when Feldspar showed rock, expecting his brother to show knife and Gypsum instead showed an open hand.
Both laughed.
"Congratulations, Youngster! You will have the advantage of allowing me to go first and provide you with information to help your efforts."
"Hold on there, Old Timer! I choose to be the first to enter the city. You can wait with the others and watch as I demonstrate my abilities."
Feldspar answered with a grin—an expression indistinguishable from a vicious threat to anyone not a Riotori. Both turned to the rest.
"Shall we do this tomorrow morning?" asked Gypsum.
"Yes. At least you will. However," warned Pyrope, "You will not be allowed to pass on any information to your brother. You will be kept apart until his trial is completed."
Calcite continued, "The trial often takes a full day. And in the past we have waited for two or three days before a hopeful suitor has reemerged to claim his prize. Often after that long in The City he is in bad shape—dirty, bleeding, injured or disfigured, hungry and thirsty, and, sadly, has failed to retrieve an object to prove his sojourn into the center."
"That will part will not be a problem. I do not intend to bring back anything. Rather, I will leave something there that proves my presence."
"How will we know that? You might simply take something with you, leave it somewhere near the edge, and come back."
Feldspar started to retort, growling his anger against the implied dishonesty of his brother. Gypsum quieted him with a gesture.
The younger man looked at Pyrope and Calcite, and then winked affectionately at Topaz. "Trust me."
And so they must.
Yet, the candidates must be required to bring back something demonstrably originating in The City. Otherwise, they might simply skirt The City's borders and bring back some piece of discarded junk and never prove their worth.
After negotiation, it was determined that each twin would go into the city and either bring back anything that was clearly from The City, or demonstrate their presence there.
Both twins wished to go first and Gypsum would not allow Feldspar to claim seniority for this task. The twins used one of the oldest and most respected contests to determine who would have their way.
The game was called "rock, clothe, and knife." The rule was that clothe beat rock, rock beat knife, and knife beat clothe. The players would clap their open hands together twice in unison and on the third clap each would show a symbol of one of the three choices. An open hand symbolized clothe, a fist symbolized rock, and a single finger extended symbolized knife.
The men agreed beforehand that the first to win two contests would have his choice of going first or second.
As can be imagined, these two had engaged in this contest hundreds of times in the past. Each had a preferred strategy, and each was aware of the other's preference. If they were to compete one hundred times, the odds were against either ever having a lead of more than two, and each would have that lead at least once during the competition.
The first three games were all ties. Feldspar won the fourth trial by showing rock to his brother's knife. Gypsum won the second the exact same way. The next five games were ties and their audience was getting impatient, especially Beryl and Topaz.
But their impatience was rewarded when Feldspar showed rock, expecting his brother to show knife and Gypsum instead showed an open hand.
Both laughed.
"Congratulations, Youngster! You will have the advantage of allowing me to go first and provide you with information to help your efforts."
"Hold on there, Old Timer! I choose to be the first to enter the city. You can wait with the others and watch as I demonstrate my abilities."
Feldspar answered with a grin—an expression indistinguishable from a vicious threat to anyone not a Riotori. Both turned to the rest.
"Shall we do this tomorrow morning?" asked Gypsum.
"Yes. At least you will. However," warned Pyrope, "You will not be allowed to pass on any information to your brother. You will be kept apart until his trial is completed."
Calcite continued, "The trial often takes a full day. And in the past we have waited for two or three days before a hopeful suitor has reemerged to claim his prize. Often after that long in The City he is in bad shape—dirty, bleeding, injured or disfigured, hungry and thirsty, and, sadly, has failed to retrieve an object to prove his sojourn into the center."
"That will part will not be a problem. I do not intend to bring back anything. Rather, I will leave something there that proves my presence."
"How will we know that? You might simply take something with you, leave it somewhere near the edge, and come back."
Feldspar started to retort, growling his anger against the implied dishonesty of his brother. Gypsum quieted him with a gesture.
The younger man looked at Pyrope and Calcite, and then winked affectionately at Topaz. "Trust me."
And so they must.
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