TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[Guest]

I think a long rest would do us good. Let's just grab Sky and crawl under the covers for a while, we can figure out what to do with the laptop and questions when we wake up.

[Pichi2214]

I would grab Sky and rest in the bed for a while. After that I'm seconding Lilium, use the internet for helpful knowledge.
also maybe play some games or just squish the keyboard a bit for stimming

[skinstealer]

You stumble towards bed, hauling yourself up and patting around for Sky. Once you find your plush, you hug it close to your chest...even with all of the new stressors around Monty and Max, it still brings you a lot of comfort. You’re not sure what to do about that whole situation, but for now, you need to rest and let yourself regenerate. 

You slowly let the world tune out around you, falling asleep for the first time. 



It is dreamless.



When you wake up again, your head has healed- how long were you out? Your health is also back at its maximum of PERFECT, and you feel fine. Sky is still held tightly in your arms, and you give it an extra squeeze for good measure. 



Once you acclimate to being awake again, you decide to drag your laptop over to your blanket nest, propping up Sky in your lap so that it can see the screen. You read about something called “searching” in your web browser application, and it’s about time that you started looking for answers. It’d be free, unlike asking the overseers, right?



>how to protect people

Oh god, so many results, most about news and illnesses, whatever those are...it’s kind of overwhelming.

>how to get stronger

A lot of stuff about “exercise” and...you don’t know what half of this stuff means. 

>how to get strong fast and free

You are absolutely bombarded with links for “muscle supplement free trial order now”.

You somehow doubt this will help you.

>how to protect yourself if you're small and weak

This gives you way less results, the third one jumping out to you-

“INSTANT PROXY
The surefire way to enhance your life, use magic, and protect what’s important to you!”

No idea what magic is, but it’s worth a look- better than getting overwhelmed by millions of search results.



“Invest now in supernatural self-defense with our brand new Instant Proxy™ kit!

The Instant Proxy™ comes with all the essentials to developing an impressive proxy like clockwork!

Avoid all the prep-work and hassle that comes with the process! Setup can be done in minutes and you'll see results by the end of the hour! No more mixing devilish spices or fishing around a lake of shady eldritch entities! 

The Instant Proxy kit comes with:

(2) Canned Potatoes, just add a bit of yourself!

(1) Self-Tuning Angel Radio! No dealing with finding a signal!

(1) A Blank Deck to help you generate form! 

(1) Scrap Amp! Power up fast!

(1) Radiation orb, allowing you to use the kit even in the middle of nowhere!

(1) Instruction Booklet in Common, “Spanish”, and Esperanto!  (Instructions for how to dismiss a proxy sold separately. Warning! Results may vary!)

Ordering the deluxe edition will also include

(1) Deluxe Scrap Amp for even more power!

(1) Proxy Monitor! Normally quite rare, this tool for tracking and maintaining proxy growth is now at your hands!

(1) Little Buddy! Experts hate him!

Begin your adventure today whether it be to find more success at your job, maintain a loving relationship, fight the dark arts, or just impress your friends! Order now!“

There’s a button on the bottom that seems out of place for some reason…

”Orderable for Trials Reward”

Huh...whoever’s making these webpages knows about the trials, you guess?

...that, or the overseers put this there.

You have a sneaking suspicion it’s the second one. Still...whatever this is, even if it goes over your head, the idea of maintaining loving relationships, fighting whatever the dark arts are, and impressing friends...neat!



>what skills are useful in resisting manipulation

You don’t get as many results for this one, but the second one seems promising. It’s some kind of “psychology” site.

“...being taken advantage of is a common thing in our society, but it is is possible to avoid with skill development. Knowing what the steps that common manipulators use is the key to avoiding being manipulated yourself.

Step 1) Manipulators will look for ways to make you feel insecure about your life, and make you feel like you are missing something, or target areas that you have worries and doubts about. 

Step 2) Manipulators will use these insecurities to provoke an emotional reaction of some kind- the stronger, the better. This reaction may override your common sense, and make you more susceptible to their manipulation. 

Step 3) Manipulators use your emotional state to suggest that doing what they would like you to do would be beneficial to not only you, but potentially a larger group- it could be your school, your workplace, your friends and/or family...or even a group they themself belong to.

Step 4) Manipulators will try to erase your fear and doubt about an action with reassurance, and potentially make things more appealing through rewards either through themself or your own actions.

These are not the only ways that manipulators operate, and knowing them does not make you completely immune to manipulation- but knowledge is power, and knowing at least common techniques behind manipulators’ actions will help you to avoid trouble.” 

...these don’t make you feel very good about your recent talk with Max.



>what skills are good at understanding people

You get another numbered list for this one. 

“Good communication skills are vital for understanding others- here’s some handy tips for getting to know people!

Share interests
Sharing your interests with others and having them share theirs in turn is a great way to break the ice in conversations, with anything in common being a stepping stone towards a great relationship. Even if there doesn’t seem to be anything shared between you and another person at first, stay open to new possibilities- you never know what new experiences could end up being your favorites!

Listen often
When you talk to someone, listen to what they’re saying and think about their perspective. Being perceptive to their thoughts and needs will be a boon in almost any conversation- but beware of people who won’t do the same for you! 

Offer a shoulder in times of need
When someone you know is going through a hard time, offering some reassurance or just a listening ear is a good way to help them feel appreciated and cared for. Make sure not to overextend past what you can do, and take care of yourself too- a good friend will offer the same comfort to you when they’re able!

Keep an eye out for social cues
While it can be difficult for some to pick up on things such as body language and tone, learning to identify these these will help you stay on top of social interactions! When in doubt, however- just ask how someone is doing! 

Stay sincere
Be honest and true to your feelings, and try not to let sarcasm or irony get you down. Being sincere with someone will allow you to strengthen your relationship as you get to know each other- and if they aren’t sincere in return, stay away!”

Well, it looks like you’re already doing a lot of these. That’s good news!

>what skills are good at helping people

Most of the search results are talking about “improvement for your career”, which is a little frustrating. It doesn’t really sound relevant to you!



>what is destiny

“Destiny: the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future; fate.”

Huh. That weirds you out a bit, frankly. Was some kind of future event with Monty your destiny? And what about Max’s future? It makes your head hurt to think about too hard, but looking down at Sky reassures you a bit- better to have a vision of time with someone who was kind to you, versus someone who creeped you out.

At least, you hoped so.



You decide to wind down from all this new information by trying out pinball...the instructions are a little hard to grasp at first, but actually getting into the game, you pick it up quick.

Oh god, it’s so fun.

This may end up being a problem.

[King-Clod]

I'd like to request learning a skill in psychology, I suspect that would help us both with identifying different forms of manipulation Max might try, and for reading people's body language going forward. The proxy kit is definitely a good idea to keep in mind for the future though.
I'd like to also use a question (or two, depending) on how long Max and Suzanne have been here, respectively.

[victorianflorist]

I think investing in a proxy could be a really good idea. We could potentially use Sky for it

[AceOfNothing]

I want to again bring up looking at bags in or catalogs. That way its safer to take our notebook and sky around.
But I also like the idea of investing in a proxy, that could be really helpful

[sarcovyn]

update journal with new names and pronouns while you're here. maybe also look into putting it on that text program on your computer in case you lose your journal somehow

[smorzando]

It might be a good idea to look for an article on what a proxy is (from a source that isn't trying to actively sell it to you) before going through with purchasing one.

[skinstealer]

 
You shuffle around your laptop to get your journal and pen, quickly scribbling down the updated names and pronouns of all the TCPs you’ve met so far...or at the very least, heard of. For posterity’s sake, you also start including typings.
 

SUZANNE- SHE/HER, CHIMERA FISH TYPE
MAX- HE/HIM, BEHEMOTH TYPE
MONROE/MONTY- THEY/THEM, ATYCHIPHOBIA TYPE
RUDY- HE/HIM, PLASTIC TYPE
TEEVEE- ANY?, DESTINY TYPE

 

You remember the text editor program on your computer, too- you quickly check the manual to figure out how to use it, and enter the same information in a new file. Looking good.
 
Time for questions.

 
SEE: Hello? Overseers?
INTERCOM: Hello, See.
SEE: How long have Max and Suzanne been here?
INTERCOM: That will count as two questions.
SEE: Fine, just tell me.
INTERCOM: Suzanne has been here one week.
INTERCOM: Max has been here one month. 
INTERCOM: You have one question remaining, and one reward.
 

You...really don’t like that- you’re not sure how long either of these time periods are, but they sure don’t line up. Whether you tell Suzanne or not is something you’ll have to figure out later, but...yeesh.
 
The idea of a proxy sounds interesting, and while you do have some worries about the whole thing...it tempts you.

 
SEE: Overseers?
INTERCOM: Yes, See.
SEE: I’d like to ask for...this...Instant Proxy Kit? Thing?
SEE: It says on the website that I can get it.
INTERCOM: Reward on hand. Dispensing…
 

 

A box comes tumbling down the chute, having to pry it out as best as you can with your short arms. 

Well, there it is. You open it up and start taking things out, laying all the components out in front of you. There’s an instruction manual, thank god...though it looks a little sparse.

“Instructions:

1) Find a room with a big enough clearing, lack of clear floor space may cause furniture to be knocked over.

2) Open up the canned potato by pulling off the tab. Let it warm up to room temperature and stuff it with a personal scrap or physical element of self (teeth, hair, scales, blood, etc.) The potato will change colors when a sufficient amount is placed within. 

3) Set up the “Canned Potato” on a plate or sheet of cardboard in the clearing to avoid mess. Your entity will manifest through its flesh. Do not let the canned potato completely dry out.

4) Activate “Self-Tuning Angel Radio”, give it time to warm up. Place the “Radiation Orb” somewhere nearby to help boost the signal. Do NOT break. The device will tune itself to a channel where the entity will contact you from. Wait for the hum. 

5) Place the object you wish to form a proxy around in front of you- the kit has provided a blank deck of cards to help you choose a form safely! 

6) Press the button on your Angel Radio once it's fully warmed up and humming, this will confirm that you desire contact. Your entity will arrive shortly. The entity will explain further process from there!"
 
 

Huh. An object...the way you see it, you could use the cards they gave you, whatever those do...or maybe toss Sky in there. Could be interesting, and the idea of making Sky stronger in some way sounds cool.

 

 
Your insecurity settles in a bit, though- this is all really new stuff to you. You decide to look up proxies online, just to make sure you know a bit more.

"Proxy (Occult)
From Shareware Library, the free digital library anyone can use.
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For other uses, see Proxy (disambigution).
    "Spirit Homunculi" redirects here. For other uses, see Proxy (disambigution)
In folklore, a Proxy is often considered a type of familiar (occult) commonly seen among practitioners of the witching subculture and dating even further back to its roots, scrapwranglers. Description of proxies seem to drastically vary in their manifestation, nature, and purpose but are commonly described as extensions of personal traits. In regions where the influence of witchcraft practitioners is a important part of the cultural identity of a region, they are often considered to be symbols of personal growth, protection, and coming to terms with one’s inner self.  

The existence and true scientific nature of Proxies is somewhat contested in many circles and a number of contradictions make them difficult to truly pin down. 

In the past decade a rapidly growing subculture commonly referred to as scrapcobblers has massively raised attention toward proxies in the culinary world through their presence on celebrity cooking shows and internet image boards..."
 

Okay, never mind, most of it goes over your head anyway. The whole “extension of personal traits” thing stands out, though....maybe it could help you be a better medic! May as well just...dive into it, you guess?

[AceOfNothing]

Maybe we should hold back for now, and find out a bit more. Get another reward and use it to get a magic or scrap skill?

[victorianflorist]

Go for it, with Sky as the Focal. Nothing ventured nothing gained, and it sounds like a great idea to have something or someone really on our side, without question like with Monty or Max.

[King-Clod]

Let's wait on it - I think I'd like to gather more information on this first.

[Guest]

I agree on holding off and learning more first. But definitely using Sky when we're ready, that could turn out amazing.

Use the computer to search definitions - first "week" and "month," then something like time scales. Perhaps ask the overseers how long See has been in the Trials?

-aeshihowl on phone

[skinstealer]

 

Or...maybe not yet. You definitely want to go for this, especially using Sky for it, but it might be a good idea to put in some more research first.

For now, you look up what “months” and “weeks” are, as well as measurements of time.

You...think you get the gist, now. You still don’t have too much reference as to how long an “hour” is in practice, unless you think about how the overseers told you it’d take “two hours” for your injury to heal earlier. Since you had a new one heal completely during your nap, you must have been asleep for at least that long, though something tells you it was much longer.

SEE: Overseers?
INTERCOM: Yes, See?
SEE: How long have I been here?
INTERCOM: You have been here for a total of 16 hours.
INTERCOM: We are looking forward to further time together.
 

The door opens up as they say it.

 
INTERCOM: You may now leave your room.
INTERCOM: You have no rewards or questions remaining in this cycle.

[smorzando]

Might as well get up and head out, see what you are offered this time.

[King-Clod]

Write down how long everyone has been here in your journal next to names and pronouns, and head into the maze.

[skinstealer]

 

You scribble down how long people have been in the trials for in your digital and physical notes before heading out, giving Sky a little pat on your way. 

The next trial chamber is...tiny. At the very least, the platform you’re on is- there’s some stairs going down, and there might be more to see there.

There’s already a door open, and you can’t help but peek down the hall-

 

 

You barely have time to notice the smoke billowing out of the open door before you feel something large collide with your body, knocking you backwards.

 
????: Shit, Todd, did you just hit someone?
 

 

You have to struggle to get back up, panic going through your whole body- to your relief, it doesn't appear to be one of those balls that Monty talked about. It's...your mind calls it a trash bag?

  

 

You see a TCP poke their head out of the doorway and look sheepishly at you.

 
TODD: Uh, you ok little dude?
SEE: I'm...hi?
SEE: I guess? You really startled me, though-
TODD: You're high? What a coincidence, so are we.
 

 

Three more TCPs poke their heads out.

 
????: Sorry about Todd, he tends to act without looking ahead too much. I'm Roxas, this is Cayden, and that's...
 

They trail off and just stare into space.

The last TCP finishes the introduction.

 
??????: I'm Samson.

[victorianflorist]

No, my name is See, I'm not actually hi. I was trying to say hello.

[King-Clod]

Ooooh boy. Oh boy. Oh boy. They don't seem mean, but you've never seen someone with a line before. Not even Monroe, now that you think about it.
Let's calm down for a second, try not to panic, then ask them what the bag is, and how long they've been here. Wait. Wait, how did they get their jumpsuits off? There's a lot to take in here.

[smorzando]

There are a lot of questions you are probably going to want to ask, and a lot of information that you could gain from this interaction, but it will probably be important to try and not overwhelm this group with a barrage, and instead try to keep a naturally flowing, calm, conversation.