TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[skinstealer]

Well...if the gamers wanted to hurt you, they probably would have done it by now- especially since they already know you're inexperienced. Going with them would also be a good chance to see what this whole predetermined reward thing is...
 

SEE: Sure, I can come along.
ROXAS: Alright, sweet!

 
The TCPs walk with you back up to the top floor of the room where the doors have reopened. Even if you didn't already remember which one was yours, the smoke billowing out of it made it immediately apparent which one was theirs.
 


 
You head along with them, the smoke blinding you a bit- but you finally reach it...the den of the gamers.

The first thing that strikes you as you enter is the smell, the smoke billowing out of the room carries a faint odor that gets stronger as you walk further in. Through the smoke, you can see what can only be described by your new knowledge as a 'gamer den,' with several setups for playing video games.
 

SEE: Whoa...this place is cool as hell!

 
Roxas stoops down for a high five.
 

ROXAS: Hell yeah it is!

 
You go for it, grateful that you didn't have to try to reach any higher. 
 

SEE: Are these all for gaming? I know I saw something similar in my catalog, but damn, this is a lot!
SAMSON: Tch, not everything we do is gaming.
ROXAS: Yeah, we do a lot of other stuff too, like recon type stuff. And also figuring out explosives.
ROXAS: Don't worry, we all have the skill for it.
SEE: ...explosives?

 
For some reason, that word makes you a bit nervous.
 

TODD: Don't worry about it, chat for another time.
CAYDEN: Well, now that you're here, what do you want to do? We can play games, smoke some weed, whatever.
SEE: I think I'm down for weed, actually.

 
 


The door behind you seals, startling you out of your chocolatey skin. You probably should have expected as much, but it looks like you've gotta commit to your decision now.
 

ROXAS: Nice! Let’s-
ROXAS: Wait, what’s that?

 
Roxas rushes over to some kind of basket that seems to have tumbled down the chute. They take a card that was tied to it.
 

ROXAS: “To my favorite band of feral gamers, I think you’ll get a real kick out of these. - J the Overseer”
ROXAS: Well shit. Looks like this is what they meant by ‘predetermined rewards,’ huh?
SEE: Who's J? 
SEE: I thought there was only one voice.
SAMSON: What made you think that? There’s a lot of us to keep track of, and they’re always so quick to respond, it only makes sense there’d be more than one person.
SEE: ...I guess that does make sense...
SEE: What's in the basket, anyway?
ROXAS: Looks like a bunch of boxes, and also they used loose weed for packing filler.

  

 
Roxas pulls out the boxes and hands one each to Samson, Cayden, and Todd, keeping the last one for themself.

Roxas rips open their box and pulls out a strip of red cloth and a note.
 

ROXAS: Lets see... wrap it around... stand like this and... no way.
ROXAS: That can’t... no...

Roxas quickly wraps the cloth around their arm, faces the wall, and puts their arms together.
  

 

ROXAS: Holy Shit! Did you see that? What the fuck?!
SEE: What the hell is that?!
SEE: How'd you do that??
ROXAS: I don’t fucking know????????
ROXAS: The note told me to do it and I did it????
ROXAS: Damn, I guess these overseers don’t joke around with this shit.

   
Samson glances at the rest of the gamers and gives them a look.
 

SAMSON: I think we should open the rest later. Just in case. 
SAMSON: If the rest are similar to this we wouldn’t want to accidentally put See in danger.
SEE: I wonder if my gift's anything like that...I don't think me shooting a fireball is a good idea, though- something tells me I'd melt.
SEE: Are you sure you don't want to check them out, though? Like...even just reading the notes?
SAMSON: I'd rather not go through all that right now, no.
SEE: ...fair enough, I guess.
SEE: So...weed, time?
ROXAS: Hell yeah!

   

 
They grab a handful of loose weed from the basket and begin wrapping it in papers from their pocket, passing out the completed joints.
 

ROXAS: Here you go, bud. 

You hold the relatively massive joint in your hand, weighing it. 
 

SEE: Here goes nothing.

  

 
You promptly and completely absorb the joint into your face.

All of the gamers stare at you wordlessly in shock.
 

SEE: What?
SEE: Did I do it wrong?
TODD: You were-
TODD: You were supposed to smoke it.
CAYDEN: You should probably sit down and take it easy for a bit, I don't know what eating that much will do to you.
SEE: Okay, uh...

 

 
You sit on the ground, feeling just fine. 
 

SEE: What's it usually supposed to do, exactly?
ROXAS: Uhhhhh that kinda depends on you, bud.
ROXAS: Different folks get hit different.
ROXAS: But generally, it makes you chiller.
SEE: Okay...chill. I can do chill.

 
You could probably ask some questions while you're here, waiting for the weed to kick your ass.