[TCP] MAZE TRIALS 2.0

[skinstealer]

[image description: a cover image for the first issue of maze trials 2.0, named "the angel code." a melting brown TCP has half of her face covered in a cloth mask, detailed with swirly eyes and a wiggly mouth. her expression is distressed, even from eyespots alone, and her face is melting into red fluid. a blue pretzel type seems caught up in the fluid as it carries it away, a fleshy-looking body type's face looming in the background.]



 

SmartBoolet @[educatedbullet]
i dunno. gamepiece just seems- yknow. overdoing it?

xXx_CLOSESHAVE_xXx_ @[sharpestrazor]
I mean. It's an art piece. It's meant to be dramatic.

 

...tch.

SmartBoolet @[educatedbullet]
yeah like okay but that doesnt mean the acting is good.

 

Idiots. Why do they all just-

Monopoly freezes, staring in silence at the post on her screen.

 

~lost message...~ @{lostMessage]
I know it's just a whole...puzzle, game, thing...
But Gamepiece makes me so worried. Even if she's just a character, I really want her to be okay. :(

 

She doesn't move, unsure what to think or how to react.

It's the first time someone's-

INTERCOM: Monopoly, it's your time for a trial!
MONOPOLY: ...

 

The candy type refuses to look up at the ceiling, shutting her flip phone.

INTERCOM: Best of luck out there!

 

Up yours.

It's been months since she's been here, according to the date on her phone. Seven months. A completely normal amount of time for someone to be in a hell dungeon, and a completely normal amount of time for someone to gain a significant internet following for posting about it on social media.

The outside world wanted more! Of course they did, it was exciting-

She picks up a fabric mask from the corner of her bed, checking the face over-

 

[image description: monopoly getting dressed for a trial, standing in a standardized bedroom and putting on a cloth mask. her room has a laptop on the table, two posts for placing masks on, a mirror, and some more masks with silly faces.]

 

Spiral eyes will do today.
A little bit disarming.
Cute, but mysterious.
...should work.

-putting her false earnub headband on-

-and slipping it onto her head, checking it over in a mirror before stepping out into the trial chamber.

The chamber door opens, and before Monopoly is a grisly scene- a body type of some sort on the left looking heavily burned... or is that just their skin? Their leg is missing, and fluid is starting to seep out onto the floor. They appear to be sitting down, wincing and attempting to pull their jumpsuit tighter to keep the fluid in.

On the right is unmistakably a pretzel type, who is unharmed but visibly concerned about the state of the other TCP's leg. They're also sitting down, as if the two of them have been talking for some time now.

Monopoly's whole body tenses, immediately on red alert.

 

[image description: monopoly entering a trial chamber, faced with a fleshy, blue body type TCP with teeth for claws, and a pretzel type waving at her. the fleshy TCP's left leg is missing, instead replaced with a pool of fluid. there are no walls on the sides of the chamber, steep dropoffs on both sides.]

...no weapons.
No fighting, and the smaller TCP couldn't have-
But that's-

PRETZEL TYPE: No, I really do appreciate the concern, and it's great to see someone with that perspective! I just- You're going to have to jump through again, and with your leg like that, I don't know if you can...
????: Really...you don't have to do that for me.
????: My body grows back! It's a special talent of mine.
????: I'd much rather just sit and wait and not have you risk your own body.
????: A bit of patience is never a problem for me!
PRETZEL TYPE: Well, thank you, but I'm not sure how long the overseers will let us just sit here.
PRETZEL TYPE: It's not exactly exciting for- oh!

 

She takes a step back as the pretzel type spots her, praying that her fists would be enough if something were to go wrong.

I-!
The body type's fucking huge...
But- it's not too big, the other one-

The pretzel type addresses her, the thunking and squishing vocalizations coming out friendly, but wary.

PRETZEL TYPE: Hey!
PRETZEL TYPE: You must be the third person for this chamber- I'm Tightrope, it/its, and this is Autopsy, he/him.
MONOPOLY: ...
MONOPOLY: She/her.
 

She does not offer her name, standing completely still.

AUTOPSY: Oh!
AUTOPSY: Glad for you to join us!
AUTOPSY: As you can see, I'm in a bit of a pickle...
AUTOPSY: I was just telling Tightrope here that I'll be just fine.
TIGHTROPE: ...Yeah.

 

Tightrope does not seem convinced at Autopsy's diagnosis.

TIGHTROPE: Anyway. This looks like one of those cooperative puzzle chambers.
TIGHTROPE: We're meant to hold the levers for each other, which slows down the giant fans so we can jump through.

 

[image description: a massive "hallway" made up of a straight flat path (which the three TCPs are on) and a humongous swirling fanblade, with monopoly looking up at the fan in shock as tightrope explains. there is a small lever in the distance.]

It gestures behind them, towards the massive fan (and presumably more behind it). The breeze from them is unpleasant, but not strong enough to impede movement- and at the moment, they are spinning far too quickly to even think about jumping through.

TIGHTROPE: We got through the first one on our own, but the one after that has two levers at the opposite side- I'm assuming we need to hold both of them down at once. We decided to head back to the entrance, and, um...
 

It waves vaguely in the direction of Autopsy. Autopsy waves back, closing his huge wet eye in a pleasant gesture.

TIGHTROPE: That happened. I've been offering to heal him, and he's being really good about it, but... I mean, there's no way he'll be able to jump anywhere with his leg like that. No offense.
AUTOPSY: Oh, none taken!
AUTOPSY: I just worry...
AUTOPSY: You know, it's so easy for food types like yourself to overdo it.
AUTOPSY: And it's so common for people to take too much...

 

Monopoly has to keep from making a surprised sound, approaching slowly and trying to appear nonchalant.



Be normal, be normal.

MONOPOLY: ...do you regen fast?

 

Tightrope glances at Autopsy briefly with a sort of strained expression before turning back to Monopoly.

TIGHTROPE: Uh... I think so?
TIGHTROPE: I mean, I haven't met any other food types, but...


 

Tightrope holds up its hands, indicating a chunk about the size of Monopoly's head.

TIGHTROPE: I can do this much in a few hours if I'm resting? Probably? I don't know if that's fast or not.
MONOPOLY: Decent.
 

She turns to face Autopsy.

MONOPOLY: You said you regenerate.
AUTOPSY: Mhm!
MONOPOLY: Would a small piece expedite that?
AUTOPSY: ...you know, it just might!
AUTOPSY: I've never thought about that...you know, the overseers really train people into an "all or nothing" mentality!
TIGHTROPE: So we'll compromise, then.
TIGHTROPE: I'll give you enough to get you your mobility back, and we can try the chamber again with more people?
TIGHTROPE: Just... Don't you push yourself too hard, either. You'll hurt yourself worse if you miss a jump, so if you're not sure you can move okay, just say something.
AUTOPSY: That's a wonderful offer...I feel much better about that!

 

He turns to the candy type and gives her another eye-smile.

AUTOPSY: Already a big helper!
MONOPOLY: ...yeah.
MONOPOLY: We should get moving.
 

The pretzel type kneels down next to Autopsy and removes a small chunk from itself with no reaction that Monopoly can see.

Tightrope's health is now FANTASTIC.

The chunk is much smaller than the one it had indicated previously, small enough to fit comfortably in one hand. Tightrope passes the chunk to Autopsy, who presses it gingerly against his...teeth?, his face warping into a little nibbling motion.

He savors it, looking pleased as can be as his leg begins to reform. The body type wiggles it, pointing and making sure Tightrope and Monopoly can see it all back together before getting back to his feet.

Autopsy's health is now GOOD.

AUTOPSY: Thank you!!
AUTOPSY: We'd be in a rough spot without you!
MONOPOLY: ...
MONOPOLY: No...problem.