-{ M e l o c a n i a }-

[SHIVERS]

INTUITION: By the way, Yawn, apparently we're multiple voices instead of one cohesive one.
INTUITION: So we may have conflicting opinions on what to do. Sorry in advance, I guess.
YAWN: Multiple? I only hear one. And what is this 'we' stuff? You're just a part of me.


INTUITION: Also concurring on there being multiple voices coming from Intuition, there are a lot of us in here.
INTUITION: If it'd help, we could separate ourselves by name within this collective. Might make things a little easier.
YAWN: Collect-- No? No!
YAWN: ONE is enough, please.









INTUITION: Also, Hey Bit, what pronouns should we address you with?
INTUITION: Not just Bit, any specific pronouns you'd want, Yawn?
YAWN: Shouldn't you know? You... All? ...are in here... with me. Aren't you just--?
YAWN: ...or... you're--

They drop the topic entirely.

YAWN: ...Bit can't hear you, you're in my head.
INTUITION: ...can you say hi to Bit for us? they're cute.
YAWN: . . .
YAWN: Cute--
YAWN: Intuition, they're a floating coin.
YAWN: What's wrong with you?
YAWN: Or, what's wrong with m-

Yawn debates for a few seconds whether they find Bit 'cute' in any way.

YAWN: Nope. That's all you.
YAWN: ...Fine, then you're... separate. Somehow.

YAWN: I'm not wasting any more time thinking about how that works.

INTUITION: Seconding saying hi to Bit from us, the tired bunny seems cool.
YAWN: . . . . . . . [SIGH]


 YAWN: ...You owe me for this. Every one of you.














Yawn takes a breath.




YAWN: "Intuitionsaysyourecute."
BIT: ". . ."
BIT: "...Pardon?"
YAWN: ". . ."
YAWN: "...Pronouns?"
BIT: "Let's stick with they/them for now. We just met."
BIT: "Yours?"
YAWN: "Xe/xem."

BIT: "Noted. Did you decide on a class yet?"
YAWN: "I'm... thinking! Don't rush me."










INTUITION: Hmm...
INTUITION: Generally the preferred strategy with these kinds of stats is to buff up the ones you already have a high score in. 
Plus I feel like that would fit nicely with our choice of Pippit. 
That said, Yawn seems to have positive scores in Pace, Sense, and Drama, so a class that enhances those would be our best option. 
HORNET looks good to me.
YAWN: . . .
INTUITION: You should probably go with something that shores up your negative stats while also improving where you're already good, 
because even if Bit's rolls (being either outright success or failures) are what happens when we do stuff, you should also consider for if you're contesting someone's rolls against you
looking at them I'd recommend the following:
PYTHON: a juicy looking +5 to being able to read and feint emotions is very tempting, 
and getting our noodly force out of the gutter would potentially be nice as well, 
though the hit to precision isn't great and I'm not thrilled about the potential vulnerability to whatever the hell Depths holds.
YAWN: . . . Intuition.
INTUITION: GULL is a similar situation to Python, but with a Pace boost rather than Drama, but to a slightly lesser extent. 
also trading the Depth negative for a Seraphic negative and I don't know which is more concerning.
SYLPH and CHRONICLE could also be fairly interesting with what you've got, especially if you feel like ditching some physicality for some wacky hijinks.
YAWN:    .   .   .   
INTUITION: There's also the mystery of what the skills do outside of our own intuition, so that's a fairly pick and prey subject at this time.
I think the best of these choices would have to be WEASEL. It works off of one of the stats you already have, giving you a +5 to Drama,
and brings back up your Composure stat to a 0. 
The Magic influences are smaller in this build than most others (which if we're following Bit's advice to keeping those influences small, is a good thing.) 
Your Precision would take a hit, but this class seems to give you the ability to slink around undetected more, which may suit you for the dangers up ahead.
Since we're already tempting fate... MOCKINGBIRD would be quite fitting. We are already a chaotic mix of.... Intuition and you and have a coin buddy, 
might as well go all out and pick MOCKINGBIRD, what could go wrong? And at the very least standing positive with most of the forces cant be all that bad
(if that's not an option I suppose CHRONICLE followed by HORNET if that has more of a consensus between.... You and the rest of us)


YAWN: ...mm..






INTUITION: SLYPH!!!
YAWN: !!!
INTUITION: SLYPH SLYPH SLYPH  Pick Sylph Yawn.
INTUITION: It'll quench--
YAWN: NO, ON PRINCIPLE. You're in MY head, you don't get to yell at me!
YAWN: No Screaming, or I CAN and WILL find a way to burn you out of here.



INTUITION: . . .
INTUITION: But as always, it is your decision in the end.
INTUITION: What sort of approach would you like to take towards problems?










YAWN: ...








YAWN: ...















YAWN: "Mockingbird."


BIT: ". . ."


BIT: "Please repeat that. Take your time to think."
BIT: "You wouldn't want to rush into anything."
YAWN: "I said it already. Mockingbird."







BIT: ". . ."



BIT: "Alright. I'll update your stat sheet."



BIT: "Give me a moment."







Bit disappears.





























Something is wrong.




It feels as if something has clamped onto xem,
as if a towering mosquito is holding the plant still 

while it finds a blood vessel.








Yawn reflexively twitches and freezes, mouth agape.
A sharp sensation hits xem,
the tactile sense of brain, body, and something else being pierced from the inside.






The needlelike feeling gradually wears away.

But the dread doesn't leave.




















A dizzy spell overtakes Yawn.
Numbness spreads out through xer limbs like dull sparks.

Xer body trembles as xe fall to xer knees, unable to stand back up.












A burning fear crawls its way into into xer head,
attaching itself there,
hastily bubbling its way out to the surface.

Xe struggle to keep xer breath.














Pressure surrounds Yawn.
Tight, all-encompassing;

the inundating stricture of sunken abyss.


A fathomless, 
empty 

fissure 
surrounded by tightening mass.


In the long below,



where the clawing roots of the most impressive flora don't dare reach.






















In distant elsewhere,
something calls to xem.


A dwelling

names itself home, 
as one would title themself keeper of a pet.



Respite, 

gifts, 

offered by a cage.





















Xer mind overflows with dim, fuzzy liquid,
static bleeding its way across the brain in shallow waves.


It's worryingly painless as memories blur,

swishing about, 
melding, 

fading.


The past severs tendons long-bound,
filling them instead with strings of loose snow;

garbled and indecipherable. 
































Bells toll far overhead.
Light breaches unseeable clouds.


A delayed vision hits xem.
For brief, dire seconds. 















Eyes meet.



























The vision fades.





Yawn collapses.






























Bit reappears near Yawn's shoulder, hovering over xem.








BIT: "...Oh."
BIT: "I apologize. I didn't know how bad that would be."
BIT: "...I really don't care for this new system. Playing with fire is putting it mildly."
BIT: "Though, the effects would've been minimized if you'd gone for a less... drastic class."



BIT: "...[SIGH]."

BIT: "But nevermind that. Are you alright?"








YAWN: "I'M FINE."
BIT: ". . ."
YAWN: "...LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE, PLEASE."
BIT: "Your negative composure stat is going to become an issue very quickly."
BIT: "I would recommend minimizing stress, as best you can."
YAWN: "I... am fine! Honestly, you worry too much."



BIT: "...Alright."









BIT: "Well, regardless, you can start correcting your stats next time you level up."
YAWN: "How does that work?"
BIT: "Don't worry about that now. I'll explain in more detail later."



BIT: "Do you feel able to continue into the next room?"



Yawn glances around the room, 
finding another door with a symbol, just like the previous one.


YAWN: "Of course I can."

Xe hurry over and tap the symbol, stepping through into the next room.















Inside, the room is quite small.

There are three machines lined up against the wall,
which vaguely resemble slot machines.

Each has a lever at its side, along with two displays on its front:  
the top one has a blank text readout;
and the bottom one with a simple number, currently at zero.
Additionally, they all have a yellow button next to their lever.


One machine is orange, one is green, one is purple.
The first two have huge slots at the bottom, presumably where a prize would drop to.

While the third slot machine is instead connected to a giant stone circle against the right wall.








BIT: "I remember these."
BIT: "Slots to provide some starting equipment and a first location, while letting you test out rolling."
BIT: "Not a very helpful tutorial at all, in my opinion."

Yawn says nothing, still looking shaken.

Bit glances at xem, but doesn't bring it up.



BIT: "There isn't much to choose with these."
BIT: "Each machine revolves around one stat group."
BIT: "Pulling the lever will randomly decide between the four stats in that group, then I'll roll to determine what you get."
BIT: "You can also push the yellow button on one of them instead, which will automatically pick a positive stat to roll."
BIT: "However, doing so will dock five points from your final roll, capping your reward."












BIT: "Really, I wouldn't stress over the decision. If you get something you don't want, you can always sell it."
YAWN: "I am not... stressed."


 BIT: ". . ."
BIT: "...Playing slots is a little exciting, isn't it?"
BIT: "You should try and have fun with it."