TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[seppawku]

thirded pichi!

[knux400]

DRAW

THE

PICTURE

As for items, maybe a refrigerator/cooler? We can break off small bits while we rest, store them in there, and give them to others as needed- that way we can use our regenerative abilities to our advantage.

[skinstealer]

 

You sit down on your bed and reach for your journal, not wanting to forget your doodle idea. Drawing Sky and Mint comes easily, though you aren’t exactly good at it yet. Looks like that’s a completely different skill.

Finishing it makes you happy, though. You can’t wait to show it to Monty when you meet again.

Time to figure out your next reward. You bust open that shopping catalogue and start flipping through pages. 

The first section is labelled “Electronics”, and seems to have all kinds of weird things your mind calls “devices”. 

Listed on these pages are:

-a mobile phone. It boasts a complimentary phone plan, which you don’t know anything about. It also says it comes with 12 ringtones, a camera, and something called a MessiRoom app. None of this makes any sense to you, but okay.
-a laptop computer. This one has a ton of features listed, and you can barely keep track of all the new jargon. It says it has a battery life of 24 hours- a whole day, apparently! You’re pretty sure that’s supposed to be impressive. It also says that it comes with a bunch of programs included, including something called “pinball”. 
-a videogame console. This one lists having motion controls and comes with some kind of sports game. Sports is a fun word...no idea what it means, though. Something something “pressure sensitivity,” whatever that is. Comes with one controller. It keeps talking about how fun it is, so that’s promising?
-an internet router. It says it’s easy to set up and has a wide signal range. There’s something noting that it should work with all devices with something called “wifi” enabled- looking at the previous three listings confirms that they all have it. Maybe you should consider this if you’re picking up any of them?

This section makes your head hurt. 



You flip around a bit more, stopping when you see a section labelled “Comfort”. There’s dolls and other toys in here!

Listed on these pages are: 

-a jar of slime, marketed as something called a “stim toy”. 
-a weighted blanket- this one you can actually understand, considering your bed has one of those. Still, weird that it has...weights, in it? You hope it’s not too heavy.
-a squishy plush, shaped like a dab type plush. What’s a dab? Either way, this toy sure has long arms, kind of like Monty. Could be a companion for Sky? You know Monty would probably like to see it.
-a tangle toy- this one has really fun colors! You have no idea what it does, but it’s apparently calming to play with.

At least this part’s easier to understand than the electronics. 

These are all pretty neat, between the electronics and the comfort stuff...you don’t have to stick to what’s here, considering these sections have a lot of pages each, but this feels like a good starting point. 

[Ignispark]

this is a bit silly, but i think the laptop would be a good choice, purely because it includes pinball.

[seppawku]

pinball's fun! i think we should go for one of the comfort toys tho

[Lilium Mortem]

wait does this room have power? if we get an electronic device will we be able to charge it? if so go for the laptop. then we can get the router later.

[Guest]

How want the phone? The laptop would need a wifi router, and the phone comes with a plan installed - as well as a camera. It would be easier to conceal, too.
(Clod on phone)

[Lilium Mortem]

How want the phone? The laptop would need a wifi router, and the phone comes with a plan installed - as well as a camera. It would be easier to conceal, too.
(Clod on phone)

It doesn't specify of it has a net browser, or of the phone plan even includes data. Even then getting quality internet so we don't need to spend rewards on learning materials and (as much) entertainment feels like a priority.

[King-Clod]

I was more considering the camera, and the possibility of swapping numbers with people we meet. We could always get the wifi router later on for the other features too.

[AceOfNothing]

Know we're getting something electronic but I'd like to see the bag options anyway, just so we can think about later

[skinstealer]

 

You can’t seem to get your eyes off that laptop. It has so many features...and that weird squishy thing on the bottom looks really fun to touch. 

You press the intercom button.

 
SEE: For my reward, I’m thinking the…”Oak T-480 Laptop”.
SEE: Does that work? It’s in my catalogue.
INTERCOM: Reward on hand in your size. Dispensing…
 

There’s less of a thunk this time and more of a loud sliding noise, as if they were more careful sending your prize tumbling down.

Inside the chute is a big box, which you can just barely squeeze out of the opening. Weirdly enough, you swear the chute got bigger on the inside to accommodate. You shake off thinking about it too hard, dust the confetti off, and open your prize up.

Inside is a laptop and charger. You have no idea what a charger is, but it seems important…

 
[INTERCOM]: To summon a power outlet, tap on a portion of the wall three times in quick succession. 
[INTERCOM]: You are allowed five power outlets at a time. 
[SEE]: ...thanks?
 

 

Opening the manual for the laptop sheds some more light on the subject, and you tap the wall next to your bed three times. Part of the wall slides away and reveals a power outlet, just like that. Plugging in the charger takes a bit of force, but you manage to get it in and charging.

 
SEE: Says to wait five minutes minimum to get it a charge…
 

You get busy reading the manual for your device as you wait, your head hurting a bit with all of the new knowledge...but it’s pretty cool, too. All of these words are fresh and mysterious to you, but there’s kind of a rush from getting something so...complex. It makes you curious and eager for more.

 

 

You can’t help but feel a bit excited as your laptop finally boots up, making a little jingle. The bottom half of the computer is covered in what your manual calls a doughboard, a universal input device for the laptop. You flick a latch on the side and it puffs out, ready to be kneaded and squished around.

Immediately, you’re in love with the thing. It feels amazing to use, and you spend a good minute or two shoving the doughboard around to make things pop up.

There’s a couple programs already installed, looks like...you check your manual.

 
-Domain Web, an internet browser. It says you need that wifi thing to use it, though.
-Spectral Pinball, a game that comes free with pretty much all Domain OS computers. 
-Domain Office, a document editor. You could probably write digital journal entries or something in this?
-MessiRoom, a chat client. Says you need wifi again. Damnit.
-Scribbler, an art program. You could make digital drawings in this! That’s kind of exciting...
-Scrap Solitaire, another game. Has to do with something called cards.
 

It’s kind of overwhelming, but in a fun way. There’s so much to do on this thing!

 

Before you can click on anything though, the intercom makes its usual noise.

 
INTERCOM: See, you have made an impression.
INTERCOM: You may collect your reward at any point within this room.
INTERCOM: You have also earned an additional question.
 

As if that weren’t enough to process, the door to your room opens up.

 
INTERCOM: You may also now leave your room.
INTERCOM: Please enjoy your time outside.
 

Oh god, so much to do.

[Lilium Mortem]

Get the router get it now

[King-Clod]

Oh yeah router is a good idea, definitely.
Let's also try each of the games before we go, and maybe check out the art program if we have time.

[AceOfNothing]

Eh, I say we wait on the laptop a bit and just go see the next room. More impressions hopefully to think about getting more things.

[seppawku]

def get the router, save ur question tho.. if we get it and set up our chat stuff before leaving also, if we run int2 someone else we can askfor their username

[Ignispark]

seconding getting the router and setting up the chat client. that way you can connect w/people on there later, in case you dont meet them in person again, considering the whole weird maze thing.

[victorianflorist]

It is router time, once we get that router set up we should boot up messiroom, see what we can access.

[cosmo]

i'm confused about what we did to make an impression here. we didn't even do anything with the computer aside from turning it on, do you think the impression was from that?

[skinstealer]

 

You press the button.

 
SEE: I’m gonna go for this router in the catalogue.
INTERCOM: Reward on hand. Dispensing…
 

After a few moments, the sound of something falling down the chute comes through, and you open it to another box. Inside is the router.

 
Oh god, the manual for this one is way worse. 

 

  

You don’t know how long it takes you to set this damn thing up, but it practically drives you nuts by the end of it. Finally, you get it going, with all the lights on the way they should be. Everything checks out…

 

 

You scoot to your laptop, flip through the manual for that to get an idea of where the whole...wifi menu is, and find it. Your network is visible, as well as...some other locked one named…”gamers paradise”? Huh. Guess someone else had the same idea as you.

 

 

You go to set up MessiRoom, and are prompted with a pretty barren looking chat window. Your manual says that this interface can be customized, but you’re not going to mess around with that right now.

It’s prompting you for a username input, though. Gotta think of something for that so that you have something to give people- but you should probably head out after.

[cosmo]

input username: [SEA_AND_SKY]