'So, I can change the general shape of my body: cube, sphere, cylinder, mostly flat, star, etc, but my body mass remains the same.

I can grow more or less eyes, either static like a bugs or traditional ones in a socket like a mammal. I can grow more or less ear canals and nasal passages.

I can split my tongue into multiple ones, but it's total mass and size remain the same, meaning when split they're weaker and I can't walk on them.

I can produce teeth from any part of my body as if they're bone spikes.

Strangely, I can't produce more than one mouth or throat. I also can't make arms, legs, tentacles, or other appendages.

On that note, after three hours I'm still walking on my tongue. I turned left when the path ended at a T intersection and haven't encountered another monster or bug.

One thing did happen during that time: my Strength went up! I now have a Strength of TWO!

Woot!

I still don't know if thats out of 20 or 100, but it's an improvement!

There is something else different: I'm getting hungry. Like actually hungry, not the constantly hungry I've been.

Hunting isn't something I've done before. Or tracking things. I can tell there's been a lot of traffic through this section of hall compared to the first but I can't make out anything more.

Not that I could actually hunt anything; Mimics are definitely ambush predators, but I'm not keen on the idea of waiting around for something to show up… let alone for anything bigger than me.

So I've been keeping an eye out for anything edible. I'm no more a gardener than a hunter, but I figure there's got to be something growing down here that's edible. I mean, the roaches are eating something, right? I figure they mostly munch on the glowing moss I can see towards the top half of the tunnel. I'd risk taking a bite but it's too far out of reach.

Turning right at a second intersection I momentarily get excited, old habits making my currently nonexistent eyelids rise as I openly garble "Money!"

I'd always pick up change, no matter how little it was. A nickel? A dime? Never know when you might need it, and it all adds up in the end.

Hey, sometimes it's the little things that add excitement to your day.

This time perhaps my excitement is excessive for whatever is in it, but seeing what looks like a change purse that's twice your size? How could you NOT get excited! I move quickly toward the bag, only to freeze in my tracks as the bag itself begins to move.

Suddenly I can't help but think I almost fell for another Mimics trap- because I can totally see that happening.

After a moment of watching the bag wiggle around the opening spreads as the head of a roach pokes out, antenna twitching.

Unlike the first roach this one didn't see me moving and remains ignorant as it exits the pouch and turns to start munching on the bag.

A hint of red appears at the edge of my vision and I mentally open the window

You are attempting to avoid direct observation!

Activating Skills: Stealth, Disguise

'Well yea.' I think as I close the window. I absentmindedly wonder if I'll have to get used to such useless notifications, but my focus is elsewhere as I'm reminded of watching a TV show about an Asian food market where they were cooking bugs- all kinds of bugs: scorpions, crickets, beetles, and– roaches. 'I think it said they taste like greasy chicken...'

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Ok, so I admit I'm hungry, but not that hungry; you just happen to produce more saliva when you think of food. And I just happen to have to look at this roach while it's eating because it's in my way.

While I try not to gulp down extra saliva and draw its attention, I have to decide what to do next, because once this thing knows I'm here I'm certain it'll attack me.

So my choices are "Bite, Spit, or Lick". Well, my opinion on those hasn't changed anymore than my options have, which means I'll either have to get within five inches of it to spit acid on it, or draw it close enough to me to do so. I doubt I could inchworm my way stealthily, while baiting it to come to me wouldn't be difficult.

… I can't believe I'm planning to do this. I mean, if it sees me and leaves me alone, it's all good, right? Live and let live.

I desperately want to believe that'll happen, but after the other one practically hunted me down? I can't take the chance. Or more accurately, I don't expect to be given the chance. So: prepare to spit, show yourself, and if it comes towards you, fire away. You can do this.

"Yo roach face!" I garble. OK, so i'm not someone who insults other people, give me a break. Not that it understands me anyways, but it's enough to get it to turn around.

"You wanna piece of me?" I say, the action only now breaking my Stealth because it's facing me. For its part, the roach does seem surprised; perhaps it's never seen a rock talk?

It waives its antennae in the air and I wonder what kind of information it's getting from them. I'll assume it's "I'm a tasty treat", because it starts gnashing its mandibles together before taking a few steps in my direction.

I summon a wad of acid from my Gut and wait. It walks a couple feet closer to me and– pow! I spit at it as hard as I can!

The wad of acid makes a small arch as it sails through the air, expertly hitting the spot I spat at! …but not the roach.

The roach sidestepped the spit before it got close. Basterd. I didn't even know roaches could sidestep!

It inspects the puddle for a moment, then turns back towards me. It rubs its mandibles together as if sharpening them before its entire body tenses up.

'Oh crap!' I think as I summon and spit another wad, getting a sense of deja-vu as it easily ducks under the offending projectile. Much like the last time I suddenly find myself face to face with a roach, but unlike the last time it doesn't just pass me by, coming to a stop in front of me and sinking it's sharp blades into my flesh.

It hurts. It hurts bad. It feels like someone took a butcher knife and stabbed it deep into my face, red icor staining the length of its mandibles as it pulls back, ready to strike again.

I mentally scream "You fucking bastard!" as the pain shoots through me, rage fueled hate filling my mind. I involuntarily lash out at the creature, attempting to punch it in the head for what it's done.

Mentally I imagine doing this with my hand. Physically, I do it with the only thing that can respond like one: my tongue.

My attack lands, the blow connecting against the top of its head. I hear a cracking sound announcing the impact and some fluid leaking onto it.

I begin to withdraw my tongue, expecting the roach to fight back as my anger pushes me to attack once more, only to find it holding onto my tongue and moving with it.

'Shit.'

I thrash my tongue around, wishing I could move my body away from this thing attacking me, but it won't let go. No matter how I move my tongue the roach adjusts it's body, even slamming its back against me several times while refusing to loosen its grip. I can't even see its head under my tongue…

… I stop moving for a moment, then twitch my tongue to see the roaches body twitch with it. I curve my tongue down then up, twisting the roaches body sideways in the process and see the end of my tongue sticking out of the other side of its head- the backwards facing barbs on my tongue keeping it firmly latched onto the roach.

Still breathing heavily I momentarily war with myself on what to do, slightly confused between the pain from the cut and my tongue stuck in the bug.

I attempt to use my teeth and pull my tongue in between them to get the bug off but the barbs seem to refuse to let it go and my tongue refuses to allow me to change its shape to get it free.

The pain wins out on importance and I open my mouth, pulling the bug in before biting down on it, crunching into its shell a few times till it releases my tongue and I involuntarily swallow hard, the mass disappearing as it reaches the back of my throat.

As I begin to move my tongue to check where I was cut open the world explodes in a cacophony of noise.