TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[AceOfNothing]

Leave the journal as well I think, until we get something to safely carry it, but exploring sounds like a good idea.

[cosmo]

seconding leaving behind precious items to make sure they stay safe. maybe you'll be able to find suzanne and max!

[King-Clod]

Can we take the skill note out with us? To be able to leave in the room we're entering now, for anyone that reaches it after us that might need help?

[skinstealer]

 
You put the journal down and give it a pat, shoving all of your books onto the corner of your bed. You don’t want to lose any of your stuff, especially not when you’re just getting started with ‘em. Still...an idea strikes you and you fold up the first aid skill note, carrying it tight within your hand as you head for the door. Maybe you could teach someone and get a whole medic team going.

You leave your room, heading for the outside chamber. 
  

This cycle’s chamber is a ring shape with what looks like a large pit, much to your anxiety. You’d have to get closer to actually tell what’s in it, a prospect that makes you feel a little bit sick.

There’s a large, fairly imposing TCP sitting in the corner, playing with something in their hands. They have something strapped to their back as well- your mind tells you that it’s a backpack. 

 

  

They turn their head to face you with a slight tilt, their voice a bit hesitant as they call out. 

 
????: ...oh. Someone new.
????: Are you a friend, or a foe?

[cosmo]

friend! my name is see. are you doing alright?

[Ignispark]

friend seems like a good answer. probably would also be good to start introductions.

[King-Clod]

Friend, hopefully! What do you have there?

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

Friend, check up on them. Their reluctance and the fact that they're asking friend or foe is a little worrying, makes you wonder if they got burned by someone recently.

[AceOfNothing]

Friend! And agree with checking on them, wonder if they ran into Monroe.

Should introduce ourselves as See and ask if its okay to approach them. Ask if they need our help.

[skinstealer]

  

SEE: I’m a friend. 
SEE: My name’s See, and I’m...new here.
????: Ah...nice to meet you, then.
SEE: Whatcha got there?
 

The TCP holds up some kind of shaped figure, to which your mind fills you in as a doll.

 
????: It’s...a toy I saw in a book.
????: It keeps me calm.
SEE: Oh! That’s nice, actually...
 

You approach carefully, keeping to the wall.

 
SEE: You okay, though?
SEE: Sounds like you ran into some trouble.
SEE: We have to be careful out here, there’s somebody named Monroe going around and hurting people…
 

The TCP droops, as if some kind of sore spot’s been hit.

 
????: ...something like that, yes.
????: I...don’t know if I want to talk about it.

[King-Clod]

You don't have to, don't worry! I was just checking in to see if you need any help. Are you hurt at all? Or is there anything else you'd like to talk about to get your mind off of things?

[cosmo]

you don't have to talk about it right now if you don't want to. it would be good for me to know eventually so that i can be on the lookout but it's just the two of us right now and i don't see that changing anytime soon so we can take our time! also, i don't think i caught your name?

additionally: maybe either ask more questions about the doll or offer to teach the tcp first aid.

[Lilium Mortem]

We don't have to talk if you don't want to, we can just sit and enjoy the quiet. if you're up to talking though, have you seen what's in the pit? I'm a little scared of getting close to the edge.

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

Yeah, absolutely give them their space on the topic. Seconding on asking them about the doll and offering them any assistance you can give them.

[victorianflorist]

Yeah, tell us more about the doll

[skinstealer]

  

SEE: Don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me.
SEE: ...well, I do want to know for like, safety reasons, but it’s just the two of us right now.
SEE: We can just sit, don’t even have to say anything if you just wanna enjoy the silence.
????: No, I’m...good for talking.
????: Just not about that.
SEE: That’s fine! Are you hurt at all, though?
SEE: That’s the one thing I want to check on for sure.
????: No, just...I don’t know.
 

You sit down next to them, the large TCP scooting over to make room. They’re absolutely towering over you, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t intimidated, but they don’t make any sudden moves- to hurt you or otherwise. 

 
SEE: I didn’t catch your name.
????: ...Monty.
SEE: Cool name.
MONTY: Thanks…
 

  

It’s awkward for a moment as you think of things to say, but the doll catches your eye again.

 
SEE: That doll a reward?
MONTY: Yeah...I got it after dodging a trap that shoots these heavy round things at you.
MONTY: I’ve seen it a couple times now, but they can really do some damage if you’re not careful.
MONTY: They just wind me when I get hit because of how big I am...but to a little one like you, they’d knock you over.
MONTY: ...better be careful of pits like this, if you’re around those.
SEE: Y-yeah…
 

More silence, but Monty starts talking this time.

 
MONTY: It was worth it for the doll, though. I named it Mint.
MONTY: Mint is...it’s a kind of herb, and they put it in different kinds of food as a flavor.
MONTY: It’s pretty popular in the outside world, but I haven’t had it yet. I’m thinking about asking for some mint ice cream as a reward, maybe my next one.
MONTY: It’s not yellow like the doll though, I just thought it was a cute name.
MONTY: ...and I don’t know any words for yellow things yet.
SEE: That’s really cool, though.
SEE: I don’t know what ice cream is-
 

 

Monty perks right up, getting progressively more invested in the conversation as they get to ramble.

 
MONTY: It’s a dessert. It’s cold and made from dairy products most of the time- dairy is stuff like milk and cheese and cream, and it comes from animals.
MONTY: Ice cream comes in all kinds of flavors and you can get really fancy stuff if you go to these places called ice cream parlors, and I’m thinking of asking for a proper sundae when I get the mint ice cream reward-
 

They catch themself in the middle of it, looking embarrassed.

 
MONTY: ...sorry.
MONTY: I get caught up in learning about new things sometimes, and I don’t shut up when I get the chance to actually talk about them…
SEE: No, I love that! It sounds really good, honestly.
SEE: Where do you learn all this stuff, anyway?
MONTY: I’ve been here for a while...I don’t really know what constitutes a long time, but I have a lot of books by now, and I use the info I get in those to get more books on things I find interesting.
MONTY: I have what’s called a library by now, but it’s not a very big one. 
MONTY: I actually figured out a really good system with it...along with asking for new books from the info I learn, using that info in practice gets me a lot of impressions, sometimes more than one at once if I break it into steps and take my time.
MONTY: They really like it when you do that. One time, they told me that us learning helps them learn. 
MONTY: So...I like appealing to that.
MONTY: It’s the safest way to go about it, really…
 

While Monty talks a lot- and you mean a lot, you get the feeling that they’re actually enjoying themself now. 

[seppawku]

hmm, ask if they've learned or read anything else they rly liked?

[sarcovyn]

do they make doll-sized clothes like the ones we're wearing? how does monty feel about dressing Mint up

[skinstealer]

 

SEE: Do they make clothes like ours, but in like, doll sizes?
MONTY: I’ve seen some outfits in my books, and I want to dress Mint up at some point for sure...but it’s really hard to figure out which rewards I want the most.
MONTY: While I’ve definitely figured out a good system for getting them, it still feels like they make it harder over time...things that would have definitely got an impression before don’t now, and I have to really find something interesting to work with if I want my multiple reward strategy to work.
MONTY: Oh, there are actually a few things I’ve picked up along those lines, though, sort of…
 

They gesture for you to scoot over, using the extra space when you do to slip their backpack off and rifle through it. After a bit of sifting, they pull out another doll, holding it out to you.

 
SEE: What’s this?
MONTY: I got a few extra, because...I figured that people who are actually nice here could use some stress relief too.
MONTY: Even if it’s just a little toy to play with…
 

They look down at the ground, hesitating for a moment.

 
MONTY: Is that silly?
MONTY: Like, that doesn’t sound stupid or anything? Or naive?
SEE: Nah, like...that’s really cool of you, Monty.
 

You pick up the doll, the toy much bigger proportionally to you than your large companion. 

 
SEE: I’ll take good care of it.
 

Monty looks better immediately, their head gently swaying from side to side contentedly. 

 
MONTY: You have to come up with a name for it, to make it yours. 
MONTY: That’s something I read in one of my books.
SEE: I have to think on that...but I will. 
 

 
SEE: Is there anything else you read or learned that you really liked?
SEE: I’m really curious.
 

Monty thinks it over, tapping their hand on their bag. 

 
MONTY: I mean...I’ve read a lot of things.
MONTY: I learned a lot about combat and protecting myself, but I really don’t like that kind of thing. It’s just...necessary.
MONTY: I may be really big, but there are some other TCPs here that are even bigger than I am, and even ones that aren’t can still pack a punch if they’re determined enough.
MONTY: ...or if they have weapons.
MONTY: But when it comes to things I really like, I guess I like learning about the comforts of the outside world?
MONTY: It sounds like a really weird place...you have things like the sky and the sea and all kinds of scary things I don’t like reading about for too long, and you get to choose whether you’re stuck within walls or not.
MONTY: The sky just goes on and on forever.
MONTY: ...just like the pit over there, but in a nice way. A way that makes you feel free.
MONTY: What I like most about the outside world though, is stuff like food, and toys, and all of these weird little things that are just there to make your life nicer…
MONTY: We TCPs don’t need to eat in the same way that other people do, so any kind of regularly scheduled eating is recreational. It’s for fun.
MONTY: It’s for the taste.
MONTY: It’s a weird thing...food, toys, they’re not technically necessary for us in a biological sense from what I can tell, but they make us happy. They make us feel safe, they make us feel fulfilled.
MONTY: You could argue that reading as many books as I do is the same way. I may pick up a lot of them for survival reasons, and learn what I can to make sure I stay alive in the Trials…
MONTY: But so many of them, I take because I want to learn things for fun, or hear a new story.
MONTY: In a sense, those kinds of things drive me more to survive than things like learning combat or violence or weapon use…
MONTY: So I guess they are necessary after all, just in a weird way you wouldn’t expect.
MONTY: ...I guess that’s part of why I carry around toys to give to people.
MONTY: I want people to feel better and less stressed, of course, but I think...it’s nice if I can get people to realize that there’s more to our lives than just the impressions and the fighting.
MONTY: Even if we’re trapped in here, we can still find value to the lives we lead.
MONTY: That’s what I think.
 

Huh.

This is a lot to take in.

[AceOfNothing]

Maybe we can name it Aid, like First Aid. We want to help people so... yeah