TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[AceOfNothing]

+1 for See and It/its

Can I explore anywhere, or must I remain here

[skinstealer]

 
 
You brush the confetti out of the chute and into your hands, sitting on the floor and starting to arrange them into a little pattern- it’s not one you recognize or assign any meaning to, but it’s pretty.

????: Can I explore anywhere, or do I have to stay here?
INTERCOM: You will be let in and out of your room when we see fit.
INTERCOM: Things may change outside of your room, and you are unlikely to encounter the same area twice. 
INTERCOM: Unless, of course, we find something interesting enough to study again. 
INTERCOM: We decide when you are able to leave and come back, however the choice as to take those opportunities is yours.
INTERCOM: You cannot redeem rewards when out of the room, though you will be made aware of when you make an impression. 
INTERCOM: Similarly, you cannot receive larger rewards unless you are out of the room.
INTERCOM: There will be many more chances to make impressions outside as well, so please explore and give us as much information as possible.  
????: Okay…

  

 
You have to make an impression...a name...okay, you’ve got it.

????: I want to be named See. 
SEE: And...I don’t really know how I know what a pronoun is, but I use it/its.
INTERCOM: Very good!

 
A little chime echoes through the room. 

INTERCOM: Cycle reset. 
INTERCOM: You have earned a reward. Please tell us what you would like, though it must be a physical object. 
INTERCOM: We will try to meet your request as best as possible.
INTERCOM: You have two questions remaining in this trial cycle. 

  

 
Without warning, a door slides open on the wall opposite to where you entered, pillars unfurling. 

INTERCOM: You may also now leave your room.
INTERCOM: Please enjoy your time outside.

[victorianflorist]

For our rewards, I believe See should request a coloring book and crayons. Though that might be 2 rewards

[Zenthis]

I think it would be a good idea to get a book that lists useful objects with pictures, (like a shopping catalogue) after all, See doesn't really know about many objects yet.

[Guest]

 --.---'

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

A journal to keep track of things and write out personal thoughts.

[Ignispark]

Either a journal or a catalogue both seem like pragmatic choices. Seconding those ideas.

[Lilium Mortem]

place the mosaic on one of the shelves like the treasure that it is. ask for a thing that explains as much as possible.

[AceOfNothing]

So we can on receive rewards here, but can we ask questions outside the room?

I'm saying a journal and pen would be a good idea, at least a journal. And oooh we have to go out of the room!

Show Content

Spoiler That face looks v facebank

[seppawku]

journal if we can also get a pen, if not catalogue

[Blue_Fox]

I agree that a journal and pencil would be nice!

[Guest]

Seconding a shopping catalog, or maybe a small activity book since I don't think we know how to write or draw yet.

[skinstealer]

 
You take a moment to gather up the confetti and put it on the shelf, making sure to put it back in its proper, mosaic shape. 
  

SEE: Mystery voice?

 
There’s no response, and you haul yourself onto the bed in order to press the button on the wall.
 

SEE: Hello?
INTERCOM: Hello, See. Do you have a question for us?
SEE: Can I ask questions while outside this room?
INTERCOM: No, you cannot.
INTERCOM: Please return to this room when you seek information and feedback, so long as the entrance is open.
INTERCOM: You have one question remaining in this trial cycle. 

  
Time to think of a reward...what would be good? There’s a lot of ideas rumbling around, but they’re all vague...you really wish you knew what even exists, how are you supposed to ask for anything...
 
You press the button again, keeping your voice as clear and composed as possible.
 

SEE: I’d like something to...write, with? And in.
SEE: I want to be able to put marks down like with the letters you give me.
INTERCOM: Will a journal and writing implement suffice?

 
You have no idea what a journal is. 

SEE: I guess?
SEE: Yeah, I think that could work.
INTERCOM: Reward available on hand. Dispensing…

 


Something tumbles down the chute, both a large thunking sound and a far tinier one echoing through it. Once it stops, you open it up to find what your mind confirms to be a journal and a pen.
 

INTERCOM: Since you do not have the writing skill, you will have to learn on your own.
INTERCOM: If you do not want to go through the manual learning process, consider asking for the skill with your next reward, or have someone else teach you.
SEE: ...someone else?
INTERCOM: Are you asking a question?
SEE: No, no, I’ll- I’ll figure it out.

 
You step off of the bed, flicking open the journal’s pages and looking at the blank lines inside. Weird...so you write in this? You’ll have to mess around with that later...for now, it’s time to check out what’s outside.
 

 
You tuck your journal under your arm as you walk outside, your pace quickening as the pillars start to descend behind you again. When you reach the end of the hallway, it’s completely sealed up, as if you were never there. Looks like wherever you are now, you’re going to have to stay until they let you back.

Looking forward, you’re in a large room, on top of a raised pillar. There are smaller pillars making stairs down to a clearing, where there’s a pool of something and… 
 

????: Oh, hello!

[Ignispark]

That's probably someone else. Saying hello and introducing yourself would probably make sense! You could probably try to ask them about the place you are, the intercom, and similar things after you exchange introductions.

[AceOfNothing]

Yay, another cat. First chance getting to meet one!

Say hello. Tell them you're See. Ask who they are, and tell them you're new so you're not sure what you should be doing

[cosmo]

all of the above, and also if she seems friendly, ask her if she can "teach you writing" like the intercom suggested

[knux400]

Say hi! Introduce yourself, ask them your name, and explain that you're new here.

[Blue_Fox]

Oh this new cat is friend shaped and i adore them already

Say hi and introduce yourself as See! Also ask them if they know how to write.

[skinstealer]

 
You have to raise your voice to make sure the TCP downstairs can hear you, but you do your best to yell across the room. 
 

SEE: Uh...hi!
????: Are you new? I haven’t seen you yet...
SEE: Yeah, I’m new...I don’t really know what I’m doing at all, or what I should be doing…
????: Well, do you have a name?
SEE: I’m See.
????: See...that’s a nice name.
????: I’m Suzanne!
SUZANNE: It’s nice to see someone new here, though I guess that means you’re going to have to learn how to make impressions and all that. It’s a lot to get used to…
SUZANNE: What type are you, anyway?
SEE: A molded chocolate type, I think? That’s what my head tells me, anyway.

 
Suzanne nods, clearly understanding. 
 

SUZANNE: I’m a chimera fish type. 
SUZANNE: Sometimes you just...know things like that. I get it.
SUZANNE: Do you know your ability yet?
SEE: Yeah, it was one of the first things I knew upon- spawning, I guess, that’s the word they keep using for it.
SUZANNE: Yes! We spawned here, all of us. I haven’t met a single person who wasn’t yet.
SUZANNE: My ability is strange, but I like it- I can release electrical charges and use it to sense my surroundings, which sure came in handy for a room or two.
SUZANNE: It works better underwater, though! Makes sense, considering the fish thing.
SEE: What’s electrical mean?
SUZANNE: Well, it’s- you might be best off reading a book on that, actually. I don’t know if I could do the explanation justice.
SUZANNE: All you really need to know is that I can sense things around me better than most people. 
SUZANNE: How about you?
SEE: Uh...I can...break pieces off of myself? 
SEE: And people can eat them???

  


She perks up immediately, clasping her fins together. 
 

SUZANNE: You’re a food type?!
SUZANNE: That’s perfect!
SUZANNE: Does your ability heal? Are there any extra effects?
SEE: Yeah, it can- something about an energy boost, too. 
SUZANNE: Oh, that’s wonderful...this could really help Max!
SUZANNE: But we can talk about that later- how are you holding up with everything?

 
Max...is that another TCP? You’ll have to ask her about that later.
  

SEE: It’s all a bit confusing…
SEE: What is this place, anyway? 
SEE: And what’s the deal with the weird intercom in my room?
SUZANNE: I’m not sure, really. I spawned here just like you.
SUZANNE: They call it the Maze Trials, which makes sense with how it’s laid out and what they’re expecting of us, I suppose.
SUZANNE: The rooms outside- like this one- change position and what’s in them between whenever you enter and leave your room, and the trials aspect comes into play with the whole impression system.
SUZANNE: From what I can tell, they want us to do things that interest them, so they can study us.
SUZANNE: The problem is, with every impression you make, the more they want to see something more and more stand out. 
SUZANNE: So...the trials are finding ways to do that, and using rewards to help enhance your impressions.
SUZANNE: The rooms out here can have all kinds of different stuff, but this one seems pretty straightforward. I was wondering if anyone would show up at the top of those stairs, it seemed way too convenient for just a platform. 
SEE: This is a lot to take in…
SUZANNE: You get used to it! Though there are some things I wish I didn’t have to get used to…
SUZANNE: As for the intercom, that’s how they speak to us. I don’t know who or what they are, but like I said, they’re studying us for some reason.
SUZANNE: And when it comes to that, anything goes, as long as it “makes an impression”.

  

 
She looks hesitant, her gaze falling.
 

SUZANNE: I...don’t like it very much. 
SUZANNE: But I’m getting good at it, and I’ve picked up quite a few rewards so far.
SEE: Is a writing skill one of them? We got a journal, but we don’t know how to actually write in it.

 
She lifts her head up to meet your eyes again. 
 

SUZANNE: Yes, actually! That’s an important one. 
SUZANNE: Come down here, and I can teach it to you!

[Lilium Mortem]

slip and tumble down the stairs, you don't know how to use these things!

Ask Suzanne if there's any way to get the jumpsuits off, it's cramping your style.