[PCA] UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS

[skinstealer]

JESTER: We...could try looking for it.

 

Synna sighs.

SYNNA: Contact made, yes or no?
MAES: Yes.

 

Maes' tail tip lashes.

MAES: It doesn't like Judgment, but it seems to be allowing us in.

 

The knight relaxes his posture.

CHARON: Let's not overstay our welcome with this.
SYNNA: My guess is it thinks he's some kind of guard.
SYNNA: ...saying he works for you, smart. 
SYNNA: Weird the way you did it, but smart.
SYNNA: Freak shit probably appeals to the way a ghost thinks. 
SYNNA: Less logic, more strong emotions.
CHARON: On point observation. 
CHARON: From the ghost's perspective, I'm a threat unless my position is one where I hold no power over any of you.
MAES: ...we can work with that, then.
MAES: The titan and medium class kill floors are closest. 
MAES: Do we split up?
CHARON: I trust your instincts here, that's looking key right now.
ROSETTA: ...Judgment will be an easier target if we split up.
JESTER: Sheesh, Rosetta.
ROSETTA: I'm just saying, if we want to appear less threatening...
CHARON: Is that concern or a suggestion?
ROSETTA: If you want it to come closer, it needs to feel less scared.
ROSETTA: Being able to get one on a guard would definitely make me feel better if I was still stuck in here.
CHARON: In other words we're betting on it seeing me as easy to deal with.
MAES: ...she might be onto something. 
MAES: It might not attack in that scenario.
ROSETTA: Exactly. 
ROSETTA: Let it get close enough to see you're harmless.
CHARON: I'm more than able to protect myself if this fails too...
ROSETTA: See?
JESTER: ...it could work. 
JESTER: Maybe splitting up is the move.
JESTER: We'll...have comms, right?

 

Jester seems a little less hesitant, now.

SYNNA: Yeah. 
SYNNA: You can just keep them live.
CHARON: Mm...
CHARON: ...Good luck.
MAES: ...of course. 
MAES: We have plans after.

 

Maes sighs.

MAES: I'm going to make good on those.

 

Jester can't help but make a soft noise of endearment, Synna pausing.

SYNNA: ...wait, are you two really-
MAES: We can discuss it ]later.

 

Maes tugs on Jester, heading to the right.

MAES: We'll take medium class. 
MAES: Rosetta, you, Mar, and Judgment are more suited towards titan.
ROSETTA: I can work with that.
CHARON:  Understood. 
MAR: Lead the way.

 

The titan floor was identifiable immediately, massive metal machine frames making up a distressingly large slaughterhouse assembly line- and a single colossal cage, long since emptied.

The ground is stained with dark smears, far too much viscera having touched them to ever really be cleaned. 

The dog took point, hood pulled up and cloak pulled around himself securely.

CHARON:  If someone living is here somehow... the ghost would have to be on good terms, no?
MAES: ...you think there's someone else left?
CHARON: People can adapt to the cruelest of worlds given the means and resolve.
MAES: They would have to be able to break into Storage for that, and even then-
CHARON: Storage? 
CHARON: As in supplies? 
CHARON: Food?
MAES: ...no. 
MAES: Storage, as in the sector.
MAES: This is Intake, where maybecats marked for culling would go to be slaughtered and broken down. 
MAES: The resulting products...
CHARON:  So.. someone would have needed to avoid execution and hidden away for years.
MAES: And broken into the Storage freezers, yes. 
MAES: It's the only source of...even relative nutrients. 
CHARON:  Unlikely then... which means if there is more, it's not a cat.

 

Synna's voice crackles through.

SYNNA: What's got you stuck on this? 
SYNNA: You picking up more than our target?
CHARON:  Just going over the possibilities. 
CHARON:  If I prepare for the worst and it never comes, it's easier.
SYNNA: As far as we can tell, there haven't been any breaches, and our population's pretty set. 
SYNNA: ...know Maes was worried about terrors down here, but there's not all that much to mutate in the first place.
JESTER: ...

 

Jester makes a soft noise of worry.

JESTER: Very lonely, then...
MAES: ...Lonely.
ROSETTA: Jester was likely the only companion it had period- if you could go that far.

 

Rosetta rumbles, halting in her tracks as her tail brushes against something.

ROSETTA: Judgment, flashlight over here.

 

The dog was quick to the draw, flash light out.

A mess of old bones, heaped into a pile, the flesh picked clean- layers and layers of bite marks rendering their actual source unidentifiable.

CHARON: Bonepile. 
CHARON: Been sitting there.

 

The dog immediately makes his way over.

CHARON: Get some distance.
SYNNA: Remnants from slaughter, or...?
CHARON:  ....purposefully gathered.

 

Jester mumbles into comms, skeptical.

JESTER: I wouldn't touch it....
CHARON: Mm.. 
CHARON: Someone or something is leaving it as a marker. 
CHARON: Territorial.
MAES: .....

 

Maes makes a displeased noise.

SYNNA: Jester, you got a good gut for this. 
SYNNA: Is this a grave or a warning?
JESTER: ....
JESTER: I think we should be careful.
CHARON:  What are you feeling?
JESTER: Nngh.
JESTER: I...can't tell yet.
JESTER: Just a bad vibe.
MAES: ..Nothing here in the medium class, not from a cursory observation-!

 

Maes' voice hitches, suddenly cut off.

CHARON: Boss?
SYNNA: Maes, status-
MAES: I'm fine.

 

Her voice is a harsh whisper.

JESTER: S- it's- 
JESTER: I don't know. 
JESTER: Weird f-feelings-

 

Jester sounds like he's shivering.

JESTER: We're- nothing happened, it's- 
JESTER: Gh-
JESTER: Just really cold-

 

A slight chill settles into Mar's spine, feeling it before Charon.

CHARON:  Cold. 
CHARON:  I'm coming over to check it out. 
CHARON:  Stay close Rosetta, Mar will cover the rear.
MAEES: Is that- is that normal for ghosts-

 

Rosetta does her best to hunch down, immediately self conscious about her massive silhouette.

CHARON:  Temperature changes? 
CHARON:  Very common... unfortunately just as likely to be nothing at all-

 

[alt: a curvy figure stands unnaturally, its posture stiff- yet entire lifeless. it appears canine, made of patchwork materials not meant to be put together. it is clothed, just barely discernible in a flashlight's beam.]
 

The dog flashes a light on scarecrow-like structure wearing a stained uniform.