Masa con Papas: - A Punch Clock Animal Story

[A_Mi_Manera]

You go over the first nice things you got in your head to say about yourself. "I mean I'm smart enough to get here to begin with even if I didn't plan it. Don't know too many people who can say that right? Try to take care of my look so I don't think I look all too bad."

"You mean the hair?"

"I like my hair!"

"And the PJs?"

"They're good pajamas! Anyway I guess besides that... I guess I'm pretty tough if I'm taking all this well. It's pretty big and people could die but I haven't freaked out too hard. Always been though, did I ever tell you about the time my friend Gene and I went to the creek and-"

"You smacked your head into a rock."

"Yeah. Sunk in and he thought I drowned but I was just fine. Didn't even pass out. Concussions on concussions but I was okay. Doctor said all things considered I shouldn't be alive so... I'm pretty tough."

"Yeah, sure are. You feel confident with everything you just told me? Think you can back that up?"

"I can, maybe just enough to get by and maybe enough to surprise myself. I got powers now right?"

"Yeah, sure you do. Let me tell you something then, I'm gonna update your card before I toss you back to your little stories. Your form will change just a tiny bit, nobody will notice though."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm gonna toss you a few little gifts you were supposed to get later early. You're gonna need this to stay alive, and I need you to make it if I wanna stick around. Well... stick around for now."

"You're tied to that angel right?"

"Little, more like the worst of it and you. But the worst of you needs the rest to not just phase out."

"I gotta give you a proper name you know."

"Nah, I'm barely a person honestly. Just kind of a medium between a bunch of folks so don't sweat it too hard. Gonna be you one day though if you make it out."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't worry about it, like I said."

"Alrighty then..."

"Give me one sec.... I'm determining our potential so far."
 

---

You feel a warmth inside you. You know yourself just a little better. 

The card that represents your soul has gained new potential. It flickers with a side you never knew until now.

You now have the ability to prompt checking your status.

Your Proxy synergy is 50%. "Extreme Retention" will mirror your actions closely when prompted.

"Extreme Retention" has the strength of a fully grown adult of proportionate size and the durability of mortal flesh. Taking lethal damage will cause it to retreat until tension in yur body has stopped.

You are blessed with a unusual resistance toward blunt damage, clawing, and biting. Nature is on your side. You are also gifted with a immunity to horror high that rivals full blooded fiends.

You have the ability to summon a large needle at will while exposing your proxy. The needle is categorized as a bladed/unusual weapon and as such will have a small inclining toward you.

This needle can drain fluids and save them for future usage. Keeping fluid in the needle may allow you to convert it in some way.....

Your proxy can be called back to you at will from anywhere. 

Most proxies allow you to share sight with them. However as your proxy has no face, it is BLIND and as such is lacking in potential to scout ahead. Keep it close to you if possible. 

Your own strength is below average, your prosthetics are only good enough to get through the day to day tasks scaled to a child and as such may struggle with heavy duty task work. 

Your ability to strike is above average due to your basic training as a knight. Your damage when delivering melee based attacks is comparable to a typical adult with modest practice.

Your fiend's eye has tapped into your curios nature given you the ability to "Gauge Soul." Making direct eye contact with one will allow you to see one's proxy and scout for skills. This does not require your proxy to be exposed. You can use this without being detected by anyone who lacks knowledge of fiend abilities. Under most circumstances it is "Undetectable." When you have defined your sense of justice, something amazing may happen.....

You know a good amount about the supernatural items and odd artifacts from another world due to your enthusiasm for the unusual. Feel free to examine items to possibly prompt a few tidbits from your memory.

You have a unusual resistance to those with mind altering abilities. You are your own person and that's all that matters.

You are marked and as such may see disdain from those well versed in angels who are capable of detection. 

Your pain tolerance is quite high, trading even blow for blow with anyone softer than you may end up in your favor at times. Do not be reckless however.

Your prosthetics are somewhat clumsy in nature and do poorly in bad weather or difficult terrain. Your mobility is below average. Your proxy on the other hand has slightly above average relative to a adult of approximate scale.

"Extreme Retention" can hover above the ground and fly up walls. It cannot however superman fly. 

"Extreme Retention" can summon a lance. The lance cannot co-exist with your needle. Due to the nature of using a full sized cavalry lance on ground, the weapon can be categorized as "Unorthodox" and this you have a natural affinity toward it.
 

---

You feel a step up in the world. "That it? Am I strong now?"

"Well no, you have a way to go however.... I will send you back. Prompt me if you need to ask questions down the line."

"Gotcha."

"And no metagaming."

"What?"

"You'll understand when you're free of your strings. One day."

You start to feel reality phase back in.



You are back to being on the makeshift seats in the train's storage room with newly found friends.

Erica looks at you with anticipation. "You got this, what's your name?"

You try to play off what happened. "Extreme Retention."

"Like a cactus?"

"Don't know, has a pretty good ring to it in my head.."

Arabis chimes in. "It's not too shabby, don't feel like you have to commit too hard however. Are you alright child? You look a little tired."

You shrug. "It's past when my grandma wants me to sleep so... just a bit."

He shakes his head. "We can't have you doze off until we find a Inn. Hopefully there is one suited to our accommodations. I do know someone who can provide us with assistance once we get to town and we do also have your little friend.... um... is he still on the walkie?"

Geezer yells through. "Yeah actually, you still need me right now?"

"No, you have done quite well for now. If you could, can you meet up with us at the station?"

"Yeah, I'll do my best."

Erica turns off the walkie and tucks it away. "We got a heck of a rag tag crew don't we? The old spider, the new kid from the future, the rabbit also from the future."

Arabis nods. "We take whoever we can get that shares a common goal, we all wish to return home and this pocket space we're in is linking us. I imagine it could potentially drag in others in proximity too... I have to ask one of you to do me a small favor actually. Could someone grab me a drink from the vending box? There should be one along the walls. Charon? Water or some tea would be good if they offer"

You nod. "Easy."



"Hold out your hand then child. Giving you a tad extra so you may treat yourself."

You cup your hand out. He drops five silver coins into it. You get a loose sense of the weight, the currency must be different around here. Erica pops in on the conversation. "Get me a cola too could you? I'd awfully appreciate some right now, train is stuffy. Do it and I'll teach you a little something. I spot you got a few hidden talents you've not figured out yeah?"

You nod. "I'll get you your cola as quick as I can. Make good on your end."

"Can do. If they don't got cola water or iced tea is good too. Don't take long."




You get up from your seat and pocket the coins. You make your way through the pines of luggage from the passenger's sections who could afford a better ticket here.  It's a bit of a hazard and you admittedly find yourself having to nudge and shove quite a bit of mess to get through. If there were a accident you would more than likely be vaporized off the planet, no confusion on why it's the cheap option. You wonder what cool trick Erica's gonna teach you. You think about the comfy Inn a little at the end of this train trip. You're feeling pretty confident about this whole mess though knowing you got family new, old, and rarely spoken of now with you.



You reach the vending box mounted along the wall as promised. The drinks listed appear to be:

Coelacanth-ca-Cola
Diet Coelacanth-ca-Cola
Joe Tackle's Raspberry Iced Tea
Soda Orange de Catrina
Dreaming of Le-mon.
Untitled Water Project
Chamoy Than You Can Bargain For!
Chamoy Than You Can Bargain For! DX
Root Beer, seemingly no brand name attached.

You know what to pick up for the others, you think what to grab yourself. You also seemingly got two folks watching you carefully as you pull out your money. They seem to be whispering to each other, maybe even arguing a little. It's hard to make out clearly. One voice is lighter  and the other is a little more on edge. They might be focused on you as you get the words "Ask him for the goods" and "It'll be fine" between them.