TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[Winds]

be careful

[skinstealer]

 

 
SEE: No, my name is See, I’m not actually…”hi”.
SEE: Was just trying to say hello.
TODD: Oh you're not actually high? My bad.
ROXAS: Would you like to be? We're always down to share our stash with a friendly face.
SEE: Uhh...
 

Your eyes are drawn to the lines on the other TCPs' faces. They're...unsettling, and it's with a sudden shock that your mind tells you exactly what they are-

 

 

These TCPs are marked. Before this moment, you were completely unaware of what that meant- but now, you know without a shadow of a doubt...that a marked TCP has killed someone. With this information, you know the meaning of the marks as well. Length means how intended the kill was, and how broken up the line was indicated regret...

This is...really overwhelming. You had no idea about any of this, and just seeing the marks flooded your mind with this knowledge. A deep feeling of dread settles in the longer you look at them, but you don't want to avert your eyes and make things awkward.

You don't know if you want to share anything with someone who's killed another TCP, but...you have questions, and you have to stay calm.

 
SEE: I dunno, with the stairs and all, we already appear pretty high up-
 

All four TCPs burst into laughter at that, Roxas approaching you while giggling.

 
ROXAS: Nah man, high like, as in weed, you know? Like... uh...
 

They stay awkwardly silent for several moments.

 
ROXAS: You must be pretty new here, can't believe I didn't realize.
SAMSON: That's because you can't even tell your head from your ass when you're blazed.
ROXAS: Ha! Yeah.
CAYDEN: We've been around for uh, like a week and a bit. If you have any questions we can probably help.
 

 

WHY ARE YOU MURDERING PEOPLE WHY DOESNT ONE OF YOU REGRET IT AAAAAAAAAAA

 
SEE: Yeah! Yeah, uh, I have some questions...
SEE: What's that bag you threw out here?
 

OH GOD THEY KILLED PEOPLE IM GOING TO DIE HERE

 
SEE: And how'd you get your jumpsuits off?
SAMSON: The bag? It's just trash. Some of the stuff we get comes in packaging and stuff like that. Have to get rid of it somewhere so we just chuck them into trial rooms and let the overseers handle it.
SAMSON: As for our jumpsuits-
 

Roxas kneels down and puts their arm around you, the door shutting behind the TCPs as they all come out to see you.

 
ROXAS: See, it's like this little bud, we still have the suit shit stuck on us, but like...
ROXAS: If a type spawns in with clothes, it can't just go over them for some reason. So it like......
ROXAS: Uses its ability to change shape to turn into shit that fits?
ROXAS: This shirt around my waist? Jumpsuit. Cayden's rockin' glove? Jumpsuit. Todd's kicks? Jumpsuit. Samson's bomb ass coat? Jumpsuit.
ROXAS: I don't really get it either, to be honest.
SEE: Uh...huh.
 

They don't seem like murderers. But...

This is a hell of a situation.

[victorianflorist]

I say we try the recreational drugs, it might help us relax.

[sarcovyn]

if you recognized the marks instantly, chances are the guys that Personally Obtained Them know exactly what it is. thus it's a great idea to ask them about who they killed

[Guest]

Lets not try the drugs, we don’t know how they would affect us, and we should make sure they won’t hurt us before starting to relax.

[smorzando]

I would be hesitant to try substances if you don't know how they will effect you. There's a chance that tcp weed is not a one to one replica of human weed. Does manslaughter still create lines? I could see this gang accidentally causing the death of a tcp during a more extreme night of getting completely fucked up, especially given how dangerous some of these rooms can be. I could also see a tcp of a different type being effected by substances differently, possibly dying of anaphylactic shock, giving everyone a nice accidental line.

[King-Clod]

An accidental kill would be a shorter line, unfortunately. Whoever these cats killed, they meant to do it.
We're gonna have to ask about the marks sooner or later. I don't know if now is a good time, but it's gonna bother See until we do. So... let's explain that we've never seen a mark like that before, and while they don't have to explain what happened, ask if they'd advise us to keep our distance.
Also let's not eat or take anything from them just yet.

[skinstealer]

 

SEE: I think I’ll pass on the...weed? For now?
ROXAS: I mean, fair enough. We weren't gonna like, make you smoke it here or anythin' like that. You gotta... you gotta uh... 
SAMSON: You have to keep recreational stuff like that to your room if you wanna be safe.
SAMSON: You never know when you'll be in danger out here.
TODD: If you do decide to try some, make sure you have time to come down before you leave your room.
ROXAS: We don't have to worry too much about that though, because our powerful gamer metabolism clears it out of systems pretty quick. 
SEE: Y-yeah...makes sense...
 

You have no idea what a metabolism is, and your mind is too scattered on the whole MURDER THING to really figure out what the hell it means.

 
SEE: S-so...about, the uh...
SEE: ...lines on your faces-
 

The group shuffles around uncomfortably, clearly unused to answering this question. You notice that Samson in particular seems upset about something when it's brought up.

 
TODD: There are...
TODD: Dangerous people here.
TODD: You can usually trust most new people, but people who have been around too long...
TODD: Some of them will get impressions by any means necessary, and I'm sure you've noticed that impressions aren't always for nice things by now.
TODD: We have had to protect ourselves. You will too.

[victorianflorist]

We understand, See has met a couple of people we believe could be dangerous. Have you guys been here long? Have you met Max or Monroe?

[King-Clod]

I'm really sorry you had to go through that,that sounds awful. How long have you all been here? Do you have good conflict resolution skills you could share with us? I don't want to bog you down with explanations of what's been going on, but if you know psychology or negotiation that'd help a lot.
Beyond that, ya'll are gamers? What are those? I think we have a game on our laptop, do you guys play stuff like that? I'd love to here more about the things that interest you.

[skinstealer]

 

You calm down slightly at Todd’s tone...you don’t want to admit that the idea of having to do this yourself has crossed your mind, but the fact that the...gamers? Seem to take this seriously shows that it wasn’t an easy decision.

SEE: Oh...I’m really sorry you had to go through that.
SEE: I think I can understand...I’ve met a couple of people so far that could be dangerous, but I’m not sure yet.
SEE: Have you guys been here long?
ROXAS: We’ve been here for uh, like a week, week and a half? Something like that I guess.
SAMSON: It’s been nine days, Roxas you can just check your phone if you don’t remember the date.
ROXAS: Oh yeah.
TODD: How long have you been here, See? 
SEE: Uh....less than a day.
SEE: 16 hours, I think the overseers said?
 

You see Todd, Cayden, and Roxas glance at each other before nodding quickly. All three of them loudly burst into song wishing you a... happy birthday? Before they get very far into it, Samson interrupts them.

 
SAMSON: Stop, stop! It’s probably not even the right day.
SEE: ...thank you????
SAMSON: We should probably all check out what the deal is with this chamber, you can multitask, right? Walk and talk?
SEE: Yeah, that's cool.
 

 

You start walking with the gamers, keeping an eye on them as you do.

 
SEE: So... you have phones?
SEE: I got a computer!
SEE: It's got, uh, a game on it?
SEE: Is that something that gamers like you are into?
 

Samson scoffs.

 
SAMSON: Depends on the game. We're not casual gamers here.
ROXAS: I am!
TODD: Shhh! Stop admitting weakness to people we just met!
SEE: I don't really know the difference between casual games and, uh, non-casual ones?
SEE: I just have pinball.
SEE: I don't think I'm amazing at it yet, but it's pretty good.
TODD: Not amazing at it yet huh? Let me give you a gift.
 

  

Todd puts his hand on your head, and suddenly you feel the knowledge of gaming flow into you. It's similar to the feeling you get when you read a skill paper. Suzanne did the same thing, back in the first chamber, now that you think of it.

 
SEE: Oh...thanks!
SEE: There is- there is a lot of stuff to this, actually. 
SAMSON: Yeah, it takes a lot of work to be real gamers like us.
ROXAS: Or you can just be chill about it like me, really.
 

You've gotta think about your approach here. There's so many options for gaming and being a true gamer...

 
SEE: I'll think on it.
 

Before you manage to get down all the steps (they're a bit big for you, unfortunately), you pause and make sure to ask something important.

 
SEE: Have any of you met TCPs named Max or Monroe? 
SAMSON: We've never met a Monroe, no. We met Max though, he's...
SAMSON: The goal of uniting everyone is good, but he's a bit full of himself I think.
TODD: We'll probably help some, but we don't like how he's made sure to make himself the leader of the group, I guess.
ROXAS: I think he's alright, personally.

[MarxzVulpez]

Full of himself sounds kind of right
We met him recently and it went uhhhh
kind of not great
we have some evidence that his intentions may be a bit different than he initially lets on, and we have proof of at least one case of him outright lying to seemingly be in better graces with and or control someone.
We parted on the terms of basically "we'll help you if you need it but we're not directly involved in your group"

so uhh, what kind of games do you all like?

also 9 days huh? have you noticed any patterns with like, length of time between cycles, difficulty of challenges changing, frequency of Updog occurrences etc.

[Lilium Mortem]

Use the power of GAMING to communicate.

Max is "sus". He's lied about his "total playtime" to a "noob" to make her think they "spawned"wait that's the actual word at the same time.

Can I get your "gamertags" so we can message each other?

Every "party" needs a healer, and I think that's the "class" I'm going to "spec into". Any advice for a "noob" or "sick strats"?

[Pichi2214]

oh my GOSH
YES
immediately seconding lilium's whole thing

[King-Clod]

So, you all kinda look the same, did you spawn together, or did you find a way to clone yourselves? Does sharing a room between the four of you ever get difficult?

[skinstealer]

 

SEE: Full of himself sounds about right…
SEE: I met him recently and it went, uh-
SEE: Kind of…
 

You channel your knowledge of gaming to find the right words.

 
SEE: Sus. 
TODD: Sus, huh? How so?
 

You've got this.

 
SEE: Well, he lied about his "total playtime" to a "noob"-
SAMSON: What? What are you even-
SAMSON: Oh god, no. I know you just learned the gaming skill, but please stop talking like that. 
SEE: Got it. Yep.
SEE: Basically, uh...he's lying to one of his friends about when he spawned, I asked the overseers.
SEE: I'm worried that he's doing it to control her or get onto her good side...
 

 

Roxas fidgets with their claws and makes a sort of low droning sound before responding.

 
ROXAS: You don't know that he was lying, maybe he was mistaken.
ROXAS: And besides, even if he's lying, sometimes good people have to do bad things to survive here.
ROXAS: Lying isn't great, sure, but sometimes it's necessary to protect yourself or others.
SEE: It was a whole month on his part compared to two weeks on hers...
SEE: And...there were other things.
SEE: I ended up calling him out on some things during our talk, and when I looked things up later, I'm pretty sure it could be called pretty manipulative stuff.
SEE: I don't know what to think, but I don't like it.
 

 
SAMSON: You...
SAMSON: You called him out on stuff.
SAMSON: Like, to his face?
SEE: ...yeah?
 

A couple of the TCPs let out resigned sighs.

 
SAMSON: So let me get this straight:
SAMSON: You talked back to -and potentially angered- a man who
SAMSON: A) You think is an untrustworthy manipulator
SAMSON: B) Is like, 8 times your height
SAMSON: C) Is currently trying to assemble a large group of TCPs with him at the head.
SEE: W-well!
SEE: I didn't like the way he was trying to talk to people and make everything seem! 
SEE: I'm trying to be a medic in this whole...situation, and I want to help people...
SEE: And I told him that I'd help his group if necessary, but that I didn't want to be a part of it.
SEE: But there was some really skeevy stuff going on, and stuff that I just can't take lying down, I guess.
 

Samson gives you a look that you can only assume is her pitying you.

 
SAMSON: ...Kid, you're a fucking idiot.
TODD: I don't know what you were trying to accomplish with that, but like, that really only goes one of two ways.
TODD: Either he's not a bad person and you annoyed a potential ally,
TODD: Or he is a bad person and he now considers you a threat to dispose of.

[King-Clod]

Then I can handle it then. I stand by what I said then. He was trying to get someone else to join his group then, too. In mentioning what seems off I could show her she didn't have to go along with everything. Either way I'm certain he'd see me as a danger, I'm friends with his enemy. It is what it is.

[Lilium Mortem]

Yeah it turned into a mess. I assumed coming in he was a good person, but I'm coming to realize not everyone is. I probably shouldn't have even told you guys in case you turn out to be bad too.

I just want to help people. People are getting hurt and... Killed because of the overseers. Why can't we all just help each other? Why do we need a group for that? Or a leader? Why can't we just help each other when we need it? Are impressions that important? Rewards are just stuff! How can that be more important that people's well being? Their lives?

[sarcovyn]

absorb the gamers' swear words into your lexicon

[Winds]

See: Have a gamer moment