[TCPDEX] TCP Research Initiative

[seppawku]

(A pile of disorganized printouts and photographs, held together by a star-shaped paperclip and written in varying colors and speeds - was this added to over time?)

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DN 1-1:

Darkest Night is a favorite around here, with the city almost buzzing with activity and lights strung everywhere. Everyone gets so excited for the holiday, telling fantastical stories or partying on the night of, that I hear there's many, many more TCPs running around right after. It's a shame that so many TCPs disappear beforehand that it balances out.. I'd love to make some new friends. Enough people come to visit Merit that I assume Mercy’s cities celebrate much more! 




We all helped with decorating beforehand, too! It was pretty tiring, but using my ability was a lot easier than getting new fabric to use.. 

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DN 1-2:
Kids seemed to wear anything they could get their hands on, dressing up colorfully and for fun, but the trends in costumes were either dead things, monsters and creatures comfortable in the dark, OR costumes with a lot of lights! You either blend into the dark and hide, or make your own safety. I tried out a few costumes, starting with a blanket ghost! Some of the others dressed up too.

 

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DN 1-3:

Special Potin
8 oz. food-type fluid 
1 ½ cup carbonated water
¼ cup sugar
dry ice

comes out different every time! liquid TCPs highly recommended

Food types are in high demand - both TCPs giving part of themselves willingly to celebrate the holiday with others, and a rash of disappearances starting the week before.. the TCPs I talked with were tentatively excited for the holiday, but unless they feel really safe in their neighborhood, almost all of us celebrate only with other TCPS, just in case. Mercy extended an invitation to anyone who didn't feel safe being out in the city over the holiday, even if just for the night! 

 

**Abstract (purple) types spawn most rarely and have a slight rise on the week of the holiday; form (blue), machine (gray), and nature (green) types second most and staying fairly stable, rising a bit during and falling a bit after. Body (brown) and creature (fuchsia) types spawn next most frequently, rising during the holiday but not losing many after, and food (red) types spike sharply beginning before the holiday, and dip to under or equal the original baseline. 

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DN 1-4:

The kids around here seem to be really brave! I found out about another 'test of courage' they take place in for the holiday: they'll hide out with as few lights as they can stand for the length of the night, trying to stay awake and not scared! I like this one a lot more than waiting around for TCPs.. 
There are some scary stories about disappearances into the dark, but I don’t think it counts as an urban legend if it really is true for the TCPs here? The other species are scared of it extending to them, but we’re not getting taken by the darkness, they’re grabbing new spawns.. 
Mercy was busy leading up to the holiday, but we all celebrated together with the TCPs who moved in temporarily! She wanted to do the test of courage, too, I didn't realise how young for a god she is.. an anxiety type who moved in a few weeks ago, Xanax, had some trouble with the low lighting though and I got pretty worried. I made the biggest blankets I could, and we all camped out in a blanket fort to keep out the night! 

[RudeBuster]

(There's been quite a delay between this letter and the last one. It's slightly thicker than the last one as well, perhaps to make up for the delay.)

Research Topic DN-1-1: What areas celebrate Darkest Night?

Michelle here. I'm sorry for the delay. Shortly after I sent my last letter, I went to go look for scraps once more, only to end up...overexerting myself.

Tremor was there to take care of me at least. He was really concerned and thought my research wasn't safe for me to continue, and it took me some time to convince him that it was my fault since I got careless, not yours. We just focused on my studies more, and before I knew it, it was the day of Darkest Night, and I hadn't started my research at all! But now, hopefully, I should be back on track.

Darkest Night is a mixed bag on Urovis. Some areas still celebrate it as normal, treating it as a triumph over a great evil, but one zone has banned it completely. I think it's called Dredge, but I don't know why its god banned the holiday in his area. Tremor just said it brought up bad memories, as a terrible incident happened close to that night hundreds of years ago. I decided not to ask him about that at least, I don't want to dig up any bad memories.

In Ichor, it's a bit different. Darkest Night is the time of the year where activity from the monsters reaches its peak. The inhabitants line the whole village with lanterns to keep the creatures at bay, and have a huge fire in the town square, where they distract themselves with food, songs, and scary stories.

Tremor told me we could go join them tonight if I wanted to, and I instantly said no. It was a bad idea. I've been into the hamlet before, and nearly had a panic attack, so I haven't gone back there since. All those big eyes staring down at me, cringing at my warped body, whispering to each other when they assumed I was out of earshot... They all assumed I was probably no better than the monsters, I wouldn't even be surprised if they thought I was a monster at first. I didn't want to ruin their special night, where they're supposed to be keeping things like me away...

But then Tremor had a solution.

Research Topic DN-1-2: What costumes appear during Darkest Night?

Tremor took me into the hamlet after a lot of coaxing, and hid me in his coat pocket so no one would stare at me. Along the way, he apologized for how his people acted and said I shouldn't be judged for how I look. After all, his domain means his body changes all the time, but they're not afraid of him.

Well, he's also their god, so they kind of have to respect him, but I could see where he was coming from and appreciated it. He didn't want me to have to hide myself from everyone, but he knew it'd be the only way to help me feel comfortable around everyone else. And he knew just the person to help.

Next thing I knew, I was taken out of Tremor's pocket and placed on a counter, where I came face to nose with...some kind of canid. A very shiny canid.



Her name is Skippop, and according to Tremor she's a "Rainbark," a big, gaudy-looking wolf species that originates from the zone Frolic. She was so pretty, I figured she was going to hate me on sight, but instead of a squeal of disgust, I was greeted with a gleeful shriek of, "Oh my gawds! Trems, is this the little cutie you've been telling me about?!"

She...actually thought I was cute. She didn't sneer at me, or try to at least pretend to tolerate me being there. She was actually ecstatic to meet me! Finally, someone in this village actually accepted me!

We exchanged pleasantries, and Tremor explained why we were here. He wanted a costume for me, something that could help me feel more comfortable at the celebration tonight. And as it turns out, she already had plenty of TCP-sized costumes set aside.

Well, they weren't exactly costumes, mostly just fancy suits and dresses, with matching masks. There was a lot, so I let her pick one for me. I got to try it on after she made some adjustments, and...



For the first time, I actually felt...pretty...

Research Topic DN-1-3: What food is common during Darkest Night?

I ended up spending the rest of the day with Skippop and Tremor, before the celebration. Skippop had a large game animal roasting over a fire in her home, and explained it to me when I asked. In Ichor, there isn't really a tradition they follow when it comes to food. They typically celebrate with a potluck, sharing what they can as each person brings their own dish to add to the feast. The only big tradition is the roast, which falls to one person each year to hunt and cook. I felt bad that I didn't have anything to give, but Tremor told me it's alright, it was his own fault for not telling me about the tradition sooner. He had some type of colorful, sticky rice balls he had prepared for the occasion, and said it could count for the both of us this year.

Research Topic DN-1-4: What are urban legends surrounding Darkest Night?

Once the sun went down, it was time for us to join everyone in the square. Lanterns were hung everywhere imaginable, a bonfire almost the size of Tremor roared in the square, and you could barely even hear the roars of monsters in the distance over the sounds of music and laughing. There were even a few TCPs there, and food made specifically for us to enjoy! A nice smoothie type even asked me to dance with it!

I spent most of the time with the TCPs, staying out of the complexes way so we didn't get stepped on, and I told them about my research. I told them I still had one question that needed to be answered, and a silk type in the group decided to tell me the legend surrounding Ichor's version of Darkest Night.

A long time ago, a very, very long time ago, Ichor was a lot bigger than it is now, and much less desolate. It was a bustling fishing and trading hub, actually befitting of its title as Epiphora's capital. Tremor would frequently come out of his lab to mingle with the locals, trades between other zones were frequent, and they even were even developing technology that would allow them to safely traverse Taverne's seas, allowing them to explore other continents!

But then, a few days before Darkest Night, something terrible happened. The horrible thing varies depending on who you ask. Some claim it was an experiment from Tremor gone wrong, others claim it was caused by an angel, others claim it was caused by the one of the other gods, and the most absurd claim of all is that it was a god using the power of an angel.

But the end result was always the same. The high gods vanished, something horrific happened to Tremor and caused him to go into hiding, abandoning his people. A great labyrinth opened up beneath the entirety of Epiphora, setting loose horrors of the likes the denizens of Ichor had never seen before. And a second species inhabiting Epiphora became the Missing, warped creatures that spread their corrupting influence to some and eviscerated others. The people of Ichor didn't know how to handle this threat, and without Tremor to protect them, the once-bustling city quickly crumbled.

The Dreadclaws, the reptilian, primary inhabitants of Epiphora, were quickly dwindling in numbers. They had to retreat further and further into Ichor's center, losing hope as the days leading up to Darkest Night dragged on. The creatures were always more active at night, when it was difficult for them to be seen, and the remaining Dreadclaws knew the once joyful holiday was going to be known in the future as the event of their extinction. They had no way to contact the other zones, much less the other towns in Epiphora, and they were just about to give up...

Except for one.



The smoothie type did its best to draw him out with some marshmallow sauce on the table, as well as his name. It roughly translates to "Firecaller" in common, as his name has been forgotten by time. He carried a torch on him at all times, and used the light from the fire to keep the creatures at bay, as they hated the light, and hated being visible more than anything else.

So, on the day of Darkest Night, he began to put this knowledge to use. While the remaining Dreadclaws in the square waited for the end, he began to collect everything flammable he could find from the nearby buildings. Furniture, books, wooden implements, anything to help him put his idea into action. When he found a bunch of instruments, a few musically-inclined Dreadclaws begged him not to destroy them. Firecaller agreed, so long as they played when he lit the fire.

Soon, he had a grand pile in the center, and as soon as the shadows grew long he set it aflame, bathing the hopeless Dreadclaws in warmth. Faintly, they could hear the sounds of the Missing growling and and searching for prey in the distance, but they never drew close enough to be seen. The Dreadclaws started to see that Firecaller was on to something, and the musicians began to play in order to block out the sounds of the monsters. The Dreadclaws started to talk, to smile, to laugh, recounting the hardships they faced on the way to the center and how finally, for once, they actually felt safe.

And Firecaller's courage rubbed off on them. A group made makeshift torches and lanterns and began to traverse what remained of Ichor, finding survivors and taking them to the square, all while the light of the fires and the joy in their hearts practically made them untouchable to the Missing. In one night, they spread out so far that even Tremor could see the lights and hear the music, and that stirred him to finally leave his lab and return to his people, beginning the daunting task of shooing the Missing out of Ichor for good.

Most of the one proud city returned to nature, as its population was too small to keep up with most of it, and unfortunately its people still live in fear of the Missing, but Darkest Night is the one time of the year where they can actually feel safe in each others company, and some say they can still feel Firecaller watching over them from the bonfire, and the lanterns they use to keep the beasts at bay.

Or, as an author type in the group speculated afterwards, the whole legend is malarkey and Tremor had made it up himself in order to give the miserable complexes hope. I still think it's a nice story though, and I'm glad to know that Ichor isn't as gloomy as I thought it was.

A few more TCPs invited me to dance that night, and I forgot to ask if there were any more stories, but I did enjoy myself that night, and now I'm actually looking forward to learning more about the hamlet's history.

Expect more research from me soon, now that Tremor thinks it's safe for me to do so again. And Skippop asked for me to write that you should expect to hear from her soon, she's gotten very interested in the program now that she's heard about it.

[skinstealer]

@seppawku

DN-1-1
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for visual evidence!

DN-1-2
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for visual evidence!

DN-1-3
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for visual evidence!

DN-1-4
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for visual evidence!

@RudeBuster

DN-1-1
+10 points for report submission!

DN-1-2
+10 points for report submission!
+10 points for visual evidence!

DN-1-3
+10 points for report submission!

DN-1-4
+10 points for report submission
+5 points for visual evidence!

[allhallowed]

DN-1-4

[skinstealer]

@allhallowed
DN-1-3
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for visual evidence!
+5 points for special event!

DN-1-4
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for special event!
+25 points for visual evidence!

[Pichi2214]

Part 1: What areas celebrate Darkest Night?

Hello Research Staff!
I report from Fallow’s Island that the people here indeed celebrate Darkest Night. As the name of the festival suggests it gets really dark here at this time of the year, so it is a tradition to gather in the streets and light them up with little lanterns (especially children tend to craft their own special lanterns, or at least decorate the existing ones with art) and candles all over the place (well, not all over the place, that would be a bit impractical).
   Music is played, people are exchanging stories, dancing and they put on costumes (more on those in another letter)! Patches told me they’re usually not often socializing with others, but Darkest Night is one of the few days that draws them out of their home and to the people ...even if they still stand in some distance mostly. We will probably dress up for the event and join the others, I’m so excited! And a bit intimidated.
I will write a follow up letter soon
- signed Markus

Behind that first letter is another one, with a few images attached.
I’m writing right before going out to join the festivities! Patches and I built lanterns together that we will bring with us! (They helped me carve the apple!)

[Pichi2214]

Part 2: What costumes appear during Darkest Night?
- fourth letter
Hello Research Staff,
I report from the streets of my new home (I’m writing this letter in the light of my lantern a bit away from the crowd). The festivities have been really fun so far! I’ve met a few other TCPs from around here that visited the party as a group, a bird, vampire and tear type all in fancy costumes (the bird was dressed as some kind of carnivorous plant, the vampire as a werewolf and the tear type as a fluffy cat)! We talked for a while and exchanged stories, I might tell theirs in another letter.
On the other morbitians I generally saw the theme of local creatures, as well as a fair amount of knights! Many people just threw together their own costumes though, based on mythical creatures or just generally anything that they could manage to make with what they had. Oh! And there where a few people with really cool and fancy self-made costumes that they completely designed themselves!

[images removed]

Patches went as a witch and I dressed up as their familiar of sorts! They got me a bat costumes and my lantern apple doubled as the head for it.








- signed Markus

[AceOfNothing]

Darkest Night 1-1

This letter is not wet, but is filled with a ridiculous amount of sand. There’s is a little mound of sand on either the desk or the floor, and a few pieces of broken shell inside the sand. It is quite obviously intentional at this point. 

I had to trust the tcp I have come to meet to tell me about Darkest Night events around here, as Lumikki themself is not completely familiar. Allow me to ramble a bit about my new friends, as that will explain who they are.

William is an abyssal Anxiety type who makes jewelry with seaweed, and lives on the beach with an abyssal Kitsune, Mudskip (Skip for short). They’ve apparently been together for years, Skip is a swim teacher and William spends his days out on his boat. Skip is friendlier then William, but they only have two close friends, Dream and Clusterfuck (Cluster for short.) Dream is a snowman type with a sand modifier, and Cluster is a five type. A weird five type. I have no idea why someone would ever make a man/car/door/hook/hand hybrid, but Cluster is under a lot of stress and pain. But Dream helps her. They’re married and Skip says they’re “adorable”. I feel bad seeing Cluster sometimes, because when I first saw her with Kringle, we ran away screaming. That was the monster in the house. Apparently that happens a lot.

Dream has been here the longest and was thrilled to share with Kringle and me about darkest night in Hoopla, and had a seemingly endless supply of stories of the festivities over the years. The city can’t really shut down all the lights, it just doesn’t work that way, but the citizens do tend to keep the lights to a minimum in their own homes and apartments. What a lot of people in the city do is come down to the beach at night and mingle among campfires. People dance and play, run around and trade treats among groups. The only thing lighting the beach is fires and lanterns. The night ends with a large firework display, bright colors and brilliant displays. Sometimes they even use fancy fireworks in the displays that come out as pictures.

People have started coming out and setting up camps. I’ve got to talk to a lot of different cats, I’m somewhat overwhelmed. There’s been a lot of scrap on the beach, people are really excited. I met another scrap user! Boing! They’re a balloon animal and wool type. They’re, I guess, not really a scrap user, just scrap sensitive, and asked me a lot of questions about what I learned from Lumi. While my other friends are all beach creatures, Boing is also a traveler and has spent more time in the city. She showed me around the city, showing me how people decorate the streets and stores, and taught me about costumes. She’s a master at making costumes, but that’s for a different letter. They also showed me that the movies play reruns of the graphic TV shows of the area (not a fan of these) and old horror movies (I am a fan of these).

I’m really excited for the event honestly! I’ve never seen so many happy cats and people working together for something that… honestly seems pointless. It’s just… for fun. I really like something just for fun. 

Thank you for letting me ramble about this, I’m thrilled to see this happening. I’ll get back to you quickly!
Trevor

[AceOfNothing]

Darkest Night 1-2

This letter comes in a box, with a bottle, full of sand, with the letter rolled up inside it. It is tied shut by seaweed. At least there flair to this one.

Costumes are fun. Boing says they are at least, they wear costumes all the time. Boing is going as a sheep this year, so their costume only involves painting on a pink nose and wearing a bell collar. They helped me make my costume, I’m going as…. a mermaid! I have no idea what a mermaid is, but I think it’s a fish with hair. No one has exactly told me, I think they expect me to know, and I don’t want to ask and look stupid. I’ll figure it out eventually.

Kringle is limited with her costumes. Lumikki gets incredibly distressed when she makes jokes about cracking her head glass case, so that cuts out the horror ideas she has. She’s painting part of her glass red and using fruit stickers to act like a fruit bowl. Apparently last year she tried to be a scuba diver, but someone tried to take her head off and this is why she doesn’t like clothes much. Cluster can’t really wear costumes, but Dream is really into them. He’s using body paint to dress up as some cat named “Dropdead.” Lumikki won’t let us watch Gauntlet, they don’t like Hoopla shows much apparently. William And Skip are going as mummies, they called it a couples costume. William doesn’t want to wear a costume but Skip has been begging for weeks. 

   

As far as the common costumes in the area go, there’s a lot I’ve seen. A lot of people are dressing up as Dropdead, which only makes me want to watch the show more. There’s also a lot of Gauntlet contestants, at least that’s what Boing claims they are. I’ve seen a costume for someone named “Cobalt” made from boxes painted blue, but for some reason the person tapped their arms to their sides. The was also this “Iris” costume with wings made from a blanket, and a “Rex” costume with balloons with faces painted on them. Gauntlet looks fun! I wonder what they’re doing on in, maybe it’s some art contest or something? Is contestant a type?

Besides that there’s also a lot for the God Wretch and the Demon Eastwood, with mostly friends going together. People also dress up as Wax and other gods I’ve never heard of, like Spit, who has a weird name. There’s other mermaids, and sailors, and people dressed up as various sea creatures. I’ve seen a lot of pirates this year, William says it’s an easy group costume. I also saw three cats running together as a giant dragon, they kept knocking into things, I’m sort of worried about them causing trouble. 

Kringle got a bit freaked out when we saw a cat watching us with glowing eyes, hidden in a hood. They had a scythe, so Kringle thinks they were a reaper of some sort. They ran away when I tried to talk to them, Boing insists she didn’t see them. I’m not that worried about it. 

   

I’m enjoying my costume, it’s fun to be something you’re not. I look forward to the rest of this holiday.
Trevor.

[AceOfNothing]

Darkest Night 1-3

This letter does not come filled with sand, and seems completely normal. However, once it is open, confetti and sparkles shoots out to cover whoever is holding the letter. It sprinkles down to the ground, and is going to take weeks to get off the ground.

I hope you enjoyed that gag, Boing and Kringle are giggling about the idea as I write. Hopefully it has the desired effect.

The campfires are going on tonight, so I think this is a perfect time to talk about the food. The beach groups are all cooking over the fire, hot dogs and marshmallows being popular options. Have you ever had a s’more? Lumikki showed us how to make them, we’ve been giving those out as treats with chocolate used to draw faces on the top. 

There’s also a lot of people fishing on the beach, and if a fish is caught we’re cooking those too. Some people have roasted vegetables and fruits, making these things called kabobs… kebabs? I’m not sure. Meat and vegetables, all cooked on a stick. It’s simple but delicious, I thank the food types around to help us have the same experience. While we were enjoying some punch and hot chocolate, I noticed holly berries in mine. I told Kringle this is not a funny joke, and could hurt someone, and they swear it wasn’t them. The berries aren't snowglobes, but I really don’t believe her. 

This letter is fairly short, but I’d like to not be rude. I’m going to join the activities, it’s almost time for the fireworks. Then we’re telling ghost stories.
Trevor

This letter is signed by Trevor’s friends, with Kringle technically signing first,with the biggest letters. Cluster only signs with a splash of oil. Boing takes the time to add a smiling clown face next to hers. 

[AceOfNothing]

Darkest Night 1-4


These letters come with no sand, no confetti, no anything. One letter is slightly stained by what seems to be fluid. The letters are hastily numbered.


I’ll stop with the sand in the letters soon, as Lumikki doesn’t think we will stay in Hoopla much longer. Boing is incredibly upset we are moving, but refused Lumi’s offer to join us. She did take a scrapeglobe though. 


Part of the campfires was telling each other ghost stories, so I’ll only summarize a few I heard. I generally find them all to be somewhat similar and boring. Horror monster crawls out from the sea, clown hides in the sewers,killer car comes to life, it’s boring. I didn’t want to dwell on them too much.


William told this long story about a ship getting wrecked during a storm, with the crew landing on a foggy island. They spend three days waiting for help, with the captain even going missing. They become overjoyed when a ship approaches them in the fog, waving a yelling. When it gets to them, a ladder is lowered so they can get on, but there’s no crew on the ship. There’s nothing. They feel uneasy, but leave the island anyway. When the moon is high in the sky, and the crew is resting, they are all startled by ghostly screaming on the deck. The deck is alive, another ship sitting next to it, two pirate crews fighting. They’re a combination of ghosts and skeletons, but ignore the living crew until they try to sneak off. Suddenly, the ship sinks, taking the crew with it. That’s the scary thing I guess. 


Skip talked about sirens, the mermaids ugly cousins he called them. Claimed they hung out in rocky caverns singing songs for sailors, alluring them by mysteriously sounding like their loved ones. When they got too close they'd end up shipwrecked due to the rocks. He said the sirens would either eat people or drown them, but some stories talked of them turning other creatures into sirens as well. I'm not quite sure how I feel about them, they're just a way to justify people not coming back.


Cluster quietly started her own story, talking about a lab that released something into the world no one had seen before. They forced it to hide away, then made it become folk lore. A ghost story that people tracked down and visited, running away screaming when they found it was real. It gurgled, it bled, it moved around slowly and slashed it was at things like it was trying to hurt them. It came from a lab and seemed to possess some thirst for blood. The scariest part? When she revealed that she was the monster, that she was a story people told. have you ever felt guilty about something you can't control?


Kringle and I will be walking Boing home now, I hope to write to you again soon.


This letter remains unsigned, so you must move on to the second one. The writing is hasty, words crossed out and rewritten, sentences not quite even with each other. 


I'm sorry the letters came in late, and I'm sorry I will not be able to send any others for a while. I do not have a time.


Cats were waiting for us with Boing. It was all fine, I was talking to Kringle, I didn't notice Boing move behind us.


The reaper cat appeared a few feet in front of us, staring me down. His scythe shined in the light… it was real, it wasn't a costume. Kringle went to back up, Boing pushed her forward. Boing pushed her forward and she fell and I didn't catch her and there was some other hybrid and it started talking about wizards and witches and picked me up and


We are leaving. The middle one, the Reaper, slashed my fin as I tried to pick up Kringle. I'm still not sure how we escaped, but Lumikki cannot risk us staying here another moment. I cannot even say goodbye to my friends.


My fin will heal, Kringle's glass is… she's alive. You will not be able to contact me while Lumikki hides our tracks. Whatever you do, look out for them. They don't want us alive. I'm sorry.


A picture is attached, signed on the back with only a T. 

   

[skinstealer]

@Pichi2214
DN-1-1
+10 points for report submission!
+10 points for visual evidence!
+5 points for special event!


DN-1-2
+10 points for report submission!
+25 points for visual evidence!
+5 points for special event!

+5 points for costume use!

@AceOfNothing

DN-1-1
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for special event!

DN-1-2
+10 points for report submission!
+10 points for visual evidence!
+5 points for special event!
+5 points for costume use!

DN-1-3
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for special event!

DN-1-4
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for visual evidence!
+5 points for special event!

[Pichi2214]

Part 3: What food is common during Darkest Night?
- fifth letter
Hello Research Staff,
I don’t know much about food, so this will be a short report. On the streets where many little stands where you could get something warm to eat on the go, hot chocolate was also common! There were a few tables with sweets of all kinds, candy and fruits. I… climbed onto a table to inspect its contents, but… someone mistook my apple head as one to eat and tried to grab me and since then I’ve kind of stayed away from the food… Not that I could have eaten it anyway, they mostly just had complex food.
So, yeah, that is kind of all I have for now
- signed Markus

There is something scribbled on the bottom of the page.
When we returned home Patches gifted me a bag of potato chips for TCPs (but complex sized!!) as a Darkest Night gift!
 

[skinstealer]

@Pichi2214
DN-1-3
+10 points for report submission!
+5 points for special event!
+5 points for visual evidence!

[skinstealer]

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RESEARCH TOPIC: SPAWN POINTS

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SP-1-4: What affects TCP spawning?

By now we have ample data on spawn points, enough to know that certain environmental factors affect spawning points, both in how frequently they spawn TCPs, and the kinds of TCPs spawned. The next natural question to ask is what specifically affects this, and how can we possibly manipulate it. Being able to identify the factors that contribute to TCP spawning means that we'll be able to modify said factors and make spawn points safer, or provide resources more readily to TCPs based on what kinds are likely to spawn. 

Your task is to return to your spawn points (or find new ones, whichever is more convenient/gets the best results) and record a few things for us: what kinds of TCPs spawn, what factors could possibly correlate to these types, and anything else you can find. The more unconventional the info, the better- we need to consider every aspect here for best results.

SP-1-5: What are the different kinds of scraps?

There are many different kinds of scrap in this world, identifiable by their appearance and qualities. Similarly to TCP types, most can be described with a noun. Some examples include bone, light, sound, and cloth, though theoretically infinite kinds exist. On top of this, people have innate affinities for different kinds of scraps, though this affinity can be changed over time, as the person changes as well. 

Your task is to find scraps and identify them, especially if you feel drawn to them. Affinities can be picked up on primarily by feelings of belonging, which...admittedly, isn't very scientific, but for now it's all we have to go off of. If you can find scraps that line up with your affinity, it will help with research immensely- your best bet is to look in places that have personal significance to you, or places reminiscent of them...we wish you the best of luck, and look forward to any and all data you bring back. 

SP-1-6: What is the correlation between spawn points and scrap intensity?

Scraps and spawn points are definitely linked, we can say that much for certain. However, there is still one thing left unknown- the link between scrap intensity and spawn points. Spawn points seem to have an abundance of scraps nearby, with more powerful scraps clustered around more active spawn points...but we'd still like evidence to verify this theory. 

Your task is to measure the intensity and frequency of scraps by your spawn points, and record what causes there might be for their appearance. If we can pinpoint what causes more powerful scraps, we can better prepare areas with more powerful scraps for potential spawn point development.

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RESEARCH TOPIC: HORROR

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HR-1-2: What mutations are most common?

Horror causes mutations, a well known fact of life here in our world. Different areas however seem to encounter different kinds and rates of mutation, hypothetically due to the kinds of horrors laying unseen underneath the vents. 

Your task is to find what mutations are most common near your local horror vents, and theorize as to why- what kinds of environmental factors possibly tie into these mutations, and what other factors may be at play here as well- consider the species of the people you interview and poll.

HR-1-3: How are mutations managed?

Mutations require care and upkeep in day to day life, typically through medications and other treatments. Some people have their mutations modded away, at the very least on a surface level, but others embrace their mutations and make them a notable part of their appearance.

Your task is to find how people in your area manage their mutations, and the steps they take to keep their lives stable- or even improve their lives, depending on the mutation. 

[knux400]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to report my findings regarding horror research. I believe I have adequately addressed three of your research topics.

HR-1-1: Where are the local horror vents?
During my travels through Precipice, I encountered a rural town near a large, uninhabited desert area. According to the locals, no one has ever attempted to inhabit the area due to strange monsters that lurk there at night. Interested, I decided to stop and ask around. The testimonies I received fit the descriptions of horrors. The place had even been nicknamed 'The Black Desert' after the pitch-black color of the monsters that lurked there. Digging deeper, I was able to find an old OBJ traveler named Perditus who had been to the desert, and was kind enough to sit and talk with me.

Perditus was... ragged in appearance. He showed me several scars on his chest, and his right arm was wrapped in cloth. He wore a glove on his right hand, but the glove didn't do much to conceal the fact that his right hand was much larger than his left. I inquired about it, and he removed the wrappings to reveal [CW: GORE, BODY HORROR]

Show ContentSpoiler:

an old bite mark on his shoulder that looked as if it had been infected with horror radiation. The wound was still wide open, and the skin around it had blackened. The wound apparently refused to stay closed, and the black areas were numb to the touch. The rest of Perditus' arm from the shoulder down was enlarged, covered in thick black fur and ending in a horrible set of claws.

I asked him how he got such a wound, and he told me of the time he decided to explore the desert on his own. He was much younger then, and hung out with a rather unsavory group. This group of friends would always boast about how tough they were, and it escalated to the point of coming up with impossible feats that they could supposedly do. Perditus suggested he could go to the center of the Black Desert and find out where the monsters came from.

Perditus never had any intention of going through with it, but his friends dared him to, and a dare was a dare. So he gathered some supplies, and set off. The desert was empty at first (Perditus insisted on going during the day), but soon he came across a crack in the ground, half filled in by sand. He knelt down to get a closer look, his right arm leaning on the other side of the gap. [CW: GORE, VIOLENCE, DEATH]

Show ContentSpoiler:

A shadow came out of nowhere and sunk its teeth into Perditus' arm. He scrambled backwards onto the sand, desperately trying to get it off. Even after he hit it with a rock until it oozed black slime, its jaws remained locked around his shoulder. He had to jam a stick into the dead creature's mouth just to lever it open.

He ran back to his usual hangout spot, hurriedly wrapping up his wound in cloth. When he showed his friends, they all cheered. But Perditus was done. He just went home and never came back. He realized how dangerous that bunch really was and moved past it all. He got a job, got a husband, and lived a full, happy life despite his injury.

HR-1-2: What mutations are most common?
I admit I did not dive too deeply into this subject, as I only had a sample size of one. Perditus' arm was the only instance of a mutation I could find, as the people of the town refused to go into the Black Desert under any circumstances, probably due to Perditus' warnings. Perditus' theory is that the mutations have something to do with personality- he has always been prone to hitting or kicking things when agitated, even before his injury. Because of that, he speculates that his mutation manifested itself as something with increased physical strength. He then picked up his coffee table with his mutated arm to accentuate his point. I would've preferred not to be sitting on it at that point, but the demonstration was appreciated nonetheless.

HR-1-3: How are mutations managed?
Perditus regularly cleans the wound to prevent it spreading to the rest of his body, but there's not much he can do for his arm. Medical technology out here is limited due to the rural nature of the town. And besides, he kind of enjoys the feeling of power and strength. The rest of his body is weakening due to old age, but his mutated arm can still throw someone clear across a room. He does keep it wrapped up most of the time, though- people tend to stare at it a lot.

[enclosed is a hand-drawn sketch of an older-looking OBJ, smiling and waving with a large, mutated arm.]

I hope this helps your research, and I hope to contribute more in the future.

-Brisk

[Pichi2214]

Part 4: What are urban legends surrounding Darkest Night?
- sixth letter

Months after the research was requested a crumpled and torn letter with a somewhat jittery, but regardless fairly fancy handwriting arrives.

Hello dear Research Staff,
this is actually Patches writing, after the long day Markus went ahead to go and rest and since I am the one native to this place I am the one who knows the legends anyway (of course I shall tell him all the many tales once he has more energy again) so it is easier if I write them down.
    There are many darkest night stories surrounding the horror plague… I don’t want to go into detail for any of them, they are quite unpleasant safe for a few. One of the few stories that I am quite fond of is that of a bunch of corvices… or well, newly turned OBJ hiding together during the darkest night of the year. They were overwhelmed and didn’t really know what to do… but they calmed each other down and tried to help each other. In the end they all eased up a bit despite the literal horror of their situation and built casings for each other, drawing pretty markings on them… Some say this is the reason why we dress up during Darkest Night, but Darkest Night is a story much older than the plague so it isn’t quite possible… even though it is a nice thought that something good came out of that after all.
    Another story I recall that is very dear to me

 The rest of the letter seems to be torn off, something must have happened to it during the mailing process…

(I am aware that the event is longer over, but I wanted to send in what I have written regardless.)

[Clockwork Citrus]

HR-1-2
the envelope this letter arrives in is weathered and wrinkled but the inside letter is still in decent shape

“Tone refused to come with me for this task, not wanting to return to the hotel vent where I had found them, but I went and found that, along with the information I have gathered and know from tone, most of the horror infected caused mutations seem to effect tcp type ability but also effect their physical appearance more often then not, type abilities tend to not work the right way or “glitch” if you will.
HR-1-3
Some tcp affected by this, don’t use their ability ever, they are too afraid of the bad effects it could have or bad out comes, when they do use their abilities they Make sure to be far away from anything that could be damaged, when the mutation is physical they will use cloth or clothes to hide their appearance
-imogen

[Lilium Mortem]

(CONTENT WARNING: Off screen death.)
I believe context is important to any data, so in addition to a shorter report, I have enclosed relevant Diary entries.

[SP-1-5: What are the different kinds of scrap?]

Day 1
Dear Diary,

Now that I’m out of the lab I thought I’d label the days since I left. I want to treasure each and every one of them. A lot has happened today so I suppose I should start at the beginning.

It began like any other day for me. I woke up, talked with some other body types, and went to take some tests. A staff member told me I’d be up for interview again, but I doubted anything would come of it. I was very wrong.

“This is Jocelyn, an Anatomic Surrealism type, don’t worry about how she looks, it doesn’t hurt her.” One of the staff members said to the large snake person on the other side of the glass.

He slithered over to the seat by the visiting window and sighed when he saw the chair for visitors. He merely moved it aside and coiled up in front of the glass. The first thing I noticed about him, aside from being a snake, was he looked sad. The second thing I noticed was that it wasn’t about me. It was as if I did not bother him in the slightest.

“Hello Jocelyn, I’m Lilly. My pronouns are He/Him” He said holding out a hand of long claws for a shake before realizing both the size difference and the glass divider would make that impossible.

“I appreciate the gesture,” I said, trying not to giggle. “It is a pleasure to meet you Lilly. Would you like to know anything about me?”

“Yeah,” He said, avoiding eye contact. “Does any of your bloo- er, fluid leak out of those gaps in your body?” 

“No, I assure you They are quite clean. My body is my body, the parts that appear missing are normal for me and provide no complications.”

“Oh good, the entire house is carpeted, and my dad never taught me how to use the steam cleaner. Is it rude to ask what you can do? Your ability?”

I had to pause for a moment, He was concerned for his carpet? I looked up at him. His eyes were full of curiosity, not disgust, nor pity. None of the other Housing Initiative applicants had looked at me like that. He didn’t even try to ignore it, no, he was curious about me and what I was, what I could do.

“At the cost of some health I can cut a cross section into any surface I touch, revealing the inner mechanisms and/or supports within. The material acts as if the cross section is not there and continues to act normally unless anyone reaches in and touches the inside of the cross section. Internal structures can be manipulated and pieces removed. I can then close the cross section and the material acts as normal save for the changes made while it was a cross section. It works best on bodies.”

“That sounds really useful. If I ever get a bullet stuck in me for gods know what reason, I’d want you there. Or if I need help running new electrical wiring in the house.”

“You do not find it disturbing?”

“No, I’d actually like to give it a whirl. It would be incredible to take a peek inside my own body.”

“You understand perfectly! I am fascinated by the internal workings of bodies and mechanisms, and it is incredible to see them up close. I would be more than happy to use my ability on you. It is a shame practical demonstrations are discouraged here.”

From then on we talked about practical applications for my ability, what I’ve seen using it, and what things I enjoyed doing for fun. Lilly seemed to open up the more we talked and the sad look in his eyes faded a bit. I believe any sad look in my eyes would have vanished as well. At least until he had to go.

***

“Jocelyn?” A staff member asked, stopping me in the hall. “You’ve been approved to live with Twilight’s Lilly, The Selected you met earlier. I’m glad you’ve found someone to appreciate you.” 

I could not believe it. I never thought I would get out of the lab. I stopped getting my hopes up a long time ago. I could finally leave. It did not feel real. I just went through the motions of packing. It took me until I was standing in the doorway besides Lilly. He gave me an awkward smile and we were off into the world.

Everything was huge. Not only because of me being a tiny cat person, but because there was just so much of it. Cars, trains, planes, there were so many ways people had figured out how to cover vast distances. The people I saw walking around seemed more diverse than any combination of TCP types.

I had to be picked up several times to be moved on seats or up steps, which Lilly had his own difficulties with. He seemed hesitant to enter my personal space, even when I invited him to. I thought maybe I had misread him and he was afraid of touching me, but it turns out he was afraid of taking away my autonomy. He told me he wanted to make sure I could do as much as I could on my own. 

Eventually we made our way to the top of a small hill where an old house stood, among a neighborhood that had many other old houses and quite a few more of the species Lilly was. He pulled out a key and unlocked the solid wood front door, ushering me into my new home.

“I got some TCP scale step ladders you can use to reach things too high for you,” Lilly said, dropping his keys into a bowl on a table in the entryway. “I also tied a string to all the handles of the doors so you can open and close them on your own. Lucky that this old house uses lever style door knobs. I stocked the pantry and fridge with food type products, they all have a cat sticker on them so you know which is which. There are no stairs in the house because My family is Snakes like me, so you won’t have any problem getting upstairs or downstairs. What do you think?”

It was cozy. There was a chandelier in the entryway, where there was a ramp leading upstairs. There were intricately carved wooden panels covering the walls and a soft but firm carpet under my feet that radiated warmth. It was a nice place that had warm lighting and natural colors, a stark difference from the lab.

“It is lovely.” I replied.

Lilly smiled at me before giving me the tour. The first floor had a sitting room facing the street, a library, with a reading nook facing the street, a kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom, and a living room with several game consoles attached to the large tv and a computer sitting on a cluttered desk in the corner.

Upstairs was a lot of empty rooms, excluding Lilly’s, which had walls covered in posters, and a much nicer computer on a much more cluttered desk. The master bedroom was off limits, but he said I could choose any one of the other five rooms I wanted. I chose one that overlooked the street rather than the backyard. I loved looking out at people, I just needed to get up to window height to do it.

The room was fairly plain, with a bed built into the floor for easy snake acces, and now easy TCP access. It was huge for me, I could have easily slept on the pillow with room to spare. The closet seemed like an entirely different room separated  by a sliding door. I had, and still have, no clue what to do with the space.

I got a stepladder so I could look out the window and then went to explore the bathroom. The shower had a basin gently recessed into the floor with controls I could reach, but the sink proved to be harder to get to, requiring another step ladder. I didn’t need the toilet, so I just left it as it was.

Content with my living arrangements, I dropped off my bag on the bed and walked downstairs(Downramp?) to find Lily in the Kitchen, cooking. He seemed to be making  two different dishes. He had two pans out, but from the angle I was looking at, I couldn’t tell what he was making. I noticed that there was a single chair around the kitchen table, I wondered why that was when I realized that This was a house for Snake people. They didn’t use chairs. The chair was for me, and had a smaller chair sitting on top of it that would allow me to reach the table. I moved a step ladder over to it and sat down, pulling out my Kick Phone and snapping it open to browse the net.

“How do you like your room Jocelyn?” Lilly asked, looking away from the stove for a second.

“It is… large” I said, “Nice, but large. It will take some getting used to.”

“Well if you need anything just ask. I’m sorry I couldn’t make my home more TCP friendly, I don’t have much extra money these days. Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Dinner?” I asked, confused.

From my new vantage point I could see the smaller pan held a variety of colorful, small ingredients. He seemed to be making some kind of stir fried noodle dish in both, but the mix of eccentric TCP food type ingredients seemed to be presenting a challenge. I had never thought to cook food type food. I didn’t even need to eat unless I got hurt.

“I apologize, but I do not need to eat. I can if I want to, but I do not get hungry like you.” I said.

“Well if you don’t want to eat that’s fine, but I thought I’d cook something up for both of us, mealtime has always been important in my family.” Lilly said, turning off the burners and opening a cabinet to get plates.

“No, I mean there is no reason for you to cook for me.”

“By that logic there’s no reason to cook for myself either, I could just stock cubes of meat in the fridge and eat them whenever I got hungry. I cook because I like tasting good food. Don’t you enjoy good tasting food?”

“Yes, it just seems like unnecessary effort to go for me, especially considering your financial situation.”

“I’d rather spend time enjoying your company and half the years I can live off my inheritance than spend the rest of my life alone in this big empty house.”

He punctuated that by setting down a small plate of colorful noodles in front of me. He then rummaged around in a drawer until he pulled out a small fork. He handed me the fork and I relented. It was… well, fantastic really. I hadn’t had anything like this back at the lab. You usually just eat something straight from a food type TCP. there are a lot of nice sweets, but something was different about this. Maybe cooking changed something about TCP food type food. Whatever the reason it stopped me from complaining anymore.

I retired to my room shortly after, where I am currently sitting typing out this diary entry on my mobile device. I feel strange in a lot of ways, but also good. There is much about the world I still do not know, a life I have not had the chance to lead yet. By the grace of a kind and saddened soul I can finally live. What to do with that life is a question for tomorrow

Day 2
Dear Diary,

Waking up in a room I didn’t recognize, one far larger than necessary, was a jarring experience. I felt hopelessly small in the face of the world. Once I remembered where I was it quickly faded, but there was still the feeling of being small, being tiny. 

I went down into the kitchen to find Lilly eating a plate of some kind of meat, neatly cut into cubes. In one hand was his phone, which had most of his attention. Every now and then he’d push his fork into a meat cube and bring it up to his mouth, before swallowing it whole. I decided to be polite and take my place at the table.

“Good morning Lilly.” I said.

“Oh!” Lilly exclaimed, having not noticed my arrival “Jocelyn, good morning to you too. Do you have any plans for today?”

“I do not. A new life begins for me today, but I do not know what to do with it. There are so many possibilities I barely have any clue. At the very least I should look for a job, to pay the rent you asked for in your application”

“That wasn’t a requirement” Lilly said, putting his hands up in a defensive gesture “You can live here as long as you like, no strings attached. If your direction in life takes you somewhere where you’re earning money, then I’d like at least a little rent.”

“As kind as that is of you, I feel I must repay you for giving me a place to live. At the very least a job is a concrete goal that narrows down the scope of what I should do today.”

“Fair enough” Lilly shrugged, swallowing another cube. He perked up when he remembered something “Oh! A tiny package arrived in the mail this morning. It’s from the lab and addressed to you. Here-”

Lilly fished a small for him, normal for me sized package from one of his skirt pockets. He set it on the table in front of me. I picked it up before realizing I did not have a knife. Knowing food was in easy reach I activated my ability and made a cross section of the box disappear, pulling it’s contents out before restoring the box to normal. It’s never pleasant to use my ability, well at least not on my body. Personally I love using it.

It was a set of bracelets sized for my wrists and a note. Reading through it the not specified a research opportunity for former Lab TCPs. the bracelets were made to detect scraps and give info about them and wirelessly link to my KickPhone. Rewards for research include cash and company store credit.

It seemed strangely convenient, but I did do a lot of testing in the lab. They probably thought I would want to do research for them. They were right. Either that or they just sent it out to every lab TCP. I could already faintly sense Scraps, but intuition was not reliable, so I was glad to have these bracelets.

I let Lilly know what was up and his eyes widened when I mentioned how much you could earn for each report. He and I looked over the list of requests to see what I would do first. Lilly was Wary of the Horror research requests, even if it was just talking to people. I felt as if there was a story there, but I let it be.

“You could probably knock out all the SP requests by heading to Cube Tower.” Lilly mused.

“What’s Cube Tower?” I asked.

“Oh well about thirty minutes out of the city in the brushlands, there's this huge tower made of cubes of sandstone that clip into each other. No one knows where it came from, there isn’t even any sandstone around here other than that. It’s not actually that interesting, given all the other weird stuff you can find in the wilderness.

“What makes it interesting is that about six months back it got a TCP spawn point. And it’s stuck. Kinda. You see it disappears sometimes, or moves a little ways from the tower, but most times you can find a spawn point on top of the thing.” 

I considered it for a moment as I looked over the requests again. It did seem ideal, as the spawn point would not be likely to move. Still… It seemed hasty. I looked through the requests again and noticed something about SP-5. It did not have anything to do directly with spawn points. Only scraps.

“I think I will leave that for tomorrow. SP-5 seems possible by staying in the city and I could ease into life here, explore the neighborhood while looking for scraps.” I said.

“Alright, are you going to be ok on your own?” Lilly asked. “Do you have a map on your phone? Do you want money for trolly fare since you don’t have a transit card yet?”

“Yes, I will be fine on my own. Yes I have a map application on my mobile device. No thank you, I plan on just seeing what is within walking distance.”

“Ok, but be safe out there, watch out for people who might not see you, don’t jay walk, and make sure to be back before dark.”

“That is reasonable, I will do my best.”

***

I snapped on the bracelets and Synced them with my mobile device. It took me a bit to figure it out, but the bracelets seemed to amplify my natural Scrap sense. I still couldn’t see them, but I could feel where they were by concentrating and holding a hand out.

There was one in the foyer. I cannot believe I had missed it, it was something powerful. I could not see it though, and the application on my mobile device did not have much information for me. The letter that came with the bracelets said something about them being designed for my type and ability in mind, therefore I decided to attempt to use said ability on the scrap.

It is difficult to try and figure out a way to put into words how the effect worked. The best I can come up with is that there was a cross section of reality cut open, and the scrap was sitting before me, impossible to describe visually. I saw emotion. Loss. the powerful weight of grief, weighing down a weary soul. Then I decided to cut a cross section into the scrap itself.

It was like watching a window into the past. A cross section of the world that existed in memory only. 

The scene began with Lilly closing the door behind himself, taking off a heavy coat, gloves, hat, and other assorted cold weather gear. He sighed, throwing his keys into a bowl on the table next to the door. He began to slither upstairs when his phone rang.

“Hello?” He asked. “Oh, Hey Orchid! Just got home from class. Calculus is kicking my butt.”

“...”

“Yeah I’m doing pretty ok, How’s dad?”

“...”

“Orchid? Are- are you ok?”

Something was said over the phone and Lilly started trembling. The voice on the other end grew silent, and Lilly dropped the phone. It landed softly on the carpeted floor, without Lilly even seeming to register it was gone from his hand.

“No. This- I can’t believe it.” he mumbled.

The person on the other end of the phone, Orchid, said something I could barely hear.

“Lilly?! Please, it’s going to be ok. Lilly? Are you there? LILLY!?”

With shaking hands, Lilly bent over to pick up the phone. He told Orchid he was there, that he was fine. I didn’t believe him. There were tears in the corners of his eyes. 

“He can’t be dead!” Lilly snapped, yelling into the phone. “He still needs to be here for me, to show me how I can get through College. Be there to talk with my advisors, make appointments, remind me to take my meds, and give me advice! I only ever made it this far because he was supporting me! He can’t be dead! He can’t!”

Lilly began to break down sobbing at that point. Seeing that, I felt like I had intruded onto something personal. I closed the cross sections and checked my mobile device. It reported that the scrap type was Void, it’s emotional contents were grief and/or loss, and it’s power was 8.5/10. 

I sighed, and put away my mobile device. I felt I desperately needed that walk, seeing that scene gave me a lot to think about.

Walking through the neighborhood was relaxing. There were trees along the sidewalk and many interesting old buildings to look at, or buildings that were built in an old style. It was labeled on the map as being the ‘Historical District’ but what history it had I did not know of. 

I eventually crossed a road to find an end to houses, and a beginning to shops and restaurants. Everything seemed to be leaning into the rustic charm aesthetic of days long past. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Was it people celebrating the past, or yearning for a time long since gone? Then I saw a candy shop and ceased my pondering to do some window shopping.

I went to enter the building, but I was barely too short to reach the handle. It seemed the city was not that TCP friendly, which made sense. We were still new. I briefly entertained the idea of constructing some sort of grappling hook to reach the handle before I did the obvious thing and Knocked.

I stood outside the door and waited. Soon enough an aging grey long haired Karacel opened it. He was wearing a red uniform with a whilte apron, and a set of gold rimmed reading glasses. He looked around for a second with a confused look before I made a sound approximating coughing. He looked down and flinched when he saw me. That was understandable given my appearance.

“Oh, sorry I didn’t see ya there” He said. “What can I help ya with?”

“Your sign says you are open, but I lack the height required to reach the door handle. May I come in?” I asked.

“Oh! Right, ‘course. So long as ya don’t mind I got no TCP candies.”

“I was planning on window shopping. I enjoy the aesthetic of sweets very much.”

“Well ya won’t get a very good window shopin’ experience down there, would ya care for a ride?” He smiled, kneeling down and holding his arms out as if to give me a hug. I nodded and walked up to him. He pulled  me into a hug and lifted me up from under my arms. I was shifted until he was cradling me like a baby, letting me see in front of him.

The shop was… incredible. A rainbow of possibilities laid bare in front of me. Wooden baskets filled with mountains of hard candy, shelves of candy bars stacked upon each other, Giant lollipops swirling with color hanging from walls, machines with canisters of candy waiting to be dispensed into paper bags, and a glass counter displaying fudge and other freshly made confections.

“This is a lovely shop, and you are a very kind man.” I said.

“Thank ya, I do my best,” He said, smiling, “name’s Benzen. He/Him. May I kindly have the name of the little cat interested in my humble confections?” 

“Jocelyn. She/Her. I would shake your hand, but I think we are a bit beyond that.”

“Ha! Yea, I guess we are.”

I asked questions about the various sweets on display, and Benzin explained his craft to me. Most of his stock was brand named stuff. RockinChoc, Wonderfun, Zaprocks, amongst others. He did make some of his own candy though. Jawbreakers, lollipops, and other hard candies. Fudge, peanut brittle, Truffles, and gumdrops.  If I had a mouth it would have been watering. As it was I could only look and appreciate as Benzin handled a customer, a Pockitt kit who spent all of their money on a massive jawbreaker.

While I waited I played around with my bracelets. I started noticing something once Benzen handed the kit the jawbreaker. My bracelets were almost pulled in that direction. I thought I might have missed a Scrap when I came in, but then I realized… I was seeing a scrap being made!

“Benzin?” I asked, watching the kit run outside excitedly with their purchase. “That kit just shed a Scrap. Would it be alright if I took a look at it? I have some experimental tech I’m testing for the Hoopla TCP research facility.”

“What?” He asked, looking confused and slightly concerned. “Ain’t that just urban legend stuff?”

“No,” I replied. “Scrap based phenomena are well documented, at least that was my impression when I was living at the facility.” 

“Just, don’t bring it up, ok?” He said, giving me an intense look that shocked me.

I simply nodded. I supposed he couldn’t be entirely jolly about everything, but the look he gave me still hurt. I decided it was best to leave the shop for the time being.

I encountered a few more scraps whilst wandering, noting their qualities for my report later, but don’t feel it’s important to mention these encounters in this Diary. Eventually I went home and ate a piece of a caramel TPC. 

I’m sitting in the living room writing this with the TV on, playing some drama about horror hunters. Tomorrow I head off to the Cube Tower, to see what a spawn point has to offer.

[Research Report]
[SP-1-5: What are the different kinds of scraps?]
[by Jocelyn]

Scrap found at Twilight House
Scrap type: Void
Emotional contents: Loss, Greif
Strength: 8.5/10
Memory contents: Death of owner’s father, conveyed by sister over the phone.

Scrap found at Colloquial Candy shop
Unknown, shed when owner bought a large jawbreaker

Scrap found at Parlay Park
Scrap type: Noise
Emotional contents: boredom, disappointment
Strength: 3.1/10
Memory contents: Owner waited all day for a date to show up before accepting they were stood up.

Scrap found at Callie’s Clothes and Accessories
Scrap type: Hair
Emotional contents: anger, stress
Strength: 4.7/10
Memory contents: Owner fitted for a wedding dress. Dress rips due to the owner's bulk. No other dress like it was in stock.
Scrap found at the corner of 14th St. and Tenor Ln.
Scrap type: Neon
Emotional contents: Joy, trepidation
Strength: 6.6/10
Memory contents: Owner receives a call, they had just won a lottery, unsure of what to do with the prize money.

I have had no luck at this point finding a scrap type I am aligned to. more reports to follow.