I don't know what's worst, that I have to go through survival scenario after survival scenario over and over again. Or that now I have to deal with and care for a pair of kids alongside it. On one hand, I'm no longer alone and maybe these kids while not being able to help me in this place would function well for loneliness issues. ON the other they are both actual children. Them being injured or killed would likely do something awful to my mind.
Talking about the kids the kid Button (while an odd name I met a girl named Cigar as in a cigarette so it isn't the worse) just asked me if I was okay. Tying to give myself more time I gave a comical yawn to help think of something and oh I have been holding one in. “Oh yeah Im fine just wanted to sleep for a bit I get tired easily most of the time. Especially after being in that forest.” I lied trying to poorly lead them to talk about their own experience.
This time it's Pipsqueak or Pip who spoke up his appearance fitting his name perfectly as he is simply tiny, and so is his voice it's barely above what I would think the sound of a fairy would produce. “Oh, we also came from the forest too. W- we did pretty well I think, we weren't hungry all that much we didn't also have an issue with water. W- w- we had an issue with, um we had to run a lot from the animals but we didn't see any problem with it until last night." He stops for a second his eyes and body becoming still, locked onto me but gazing past or through me like he was seeing something behind me. Button jumped at the sudden freezing up sufelling slowly toward
Oddly enough he looked familiar.
Looking behind me nothing is there.
Looking back I realize why his face summons an odd familiarity. He looked even with his young face similar to a traumatized solider that my world history teacher showed in his class.
"We were preparing to sleep but we heard some growls and then- and *sniff*" Shit he's crying now "Then we-."
“Stop" I interrupted a firm point on my tongue, he stops with a jolt from his retelling snapping out of his mind but he's still sniffling and his eyes started tearing up and looking at his friend he looks the same way but I can tell that he is pretty grateful about me stopping Pip from retelling their death. "I can tell you are uncomfortable, I can tell whatever happened to you was bad.” I told them both jolting slightly again
“Why don't you two sit down over here you are probably tired and… We can talk about whatever you want?” Did I just have a huge pause in the middle of that and also make the last part sound like a question I did dear god. Thankfully the Kids are sitting down now beside me so success I guess.
This must look like an off-sight. Two small children huddled up on either side of well me. I mean I'm tall as hell at 6’4 with some long limbs to match. I'm usually hunched over because as it turns out being friends with people shorter than you usually means leaning down or shifting to properly hear them. So I probably have some future back issues in my prospects. Now that I think of it I look pretty odd, especially with my wavy black hair that as Chris puts it ”Frames your angular face as it comes down to your solders and makes your sunken eyes look somehow worse”. The dude then proceeded to whip out his phone and showed me this webcomic called Reality Quest, he then showed me this Steve character who looks a lot like me. Thought Chris commissioned my likeness to be put into a webcomic down to how I usually wear ripped jeans most of the time. But nope it's just one of those odd cosmic coincidences that happen sometimes. I was touched for a good 10 seconds.
The kids… Well, Button is standard size as far as I know in child sizes go as he goes right to my stomach so he is I think 4’3 he also was a ginger with his deep red hair. He's wearing some light jeans that are stained on the knees in a mixture of brown and green. His black T-shirt was torn up consisting of a pair of character-esque claw tears in the chest and waist area with a large missing piece of his collar.
Pip was small like 3’9 small, boy looks like he should be in a preschool or kindergarten. He's also a little simple, white plain button up shirt stained dirt brown and light brown pants to match his hair with red suspenders draping both his shoulders. All his cloths however were covered in tears exposing his stomach and waist fully instead of the 'claw' mark Button has
Ok, the silence is enjoyable, but these kids probably need some form of distraction from the events of today. What do kids like again uhhhh- wait Button’s shirt has a game controller on it he probably enjoys games. “Hey kid. You said your name was Button right? Do you know any games you enjoy?” Oh looks that got his attention.
“Um I don't have a favorite game but I do enjoy a bunch of them from a lot of genres.” The kid seems awkward so I'll have him continue about this let's keep him going.
“Do you know any good RPGs you would recommend then? I mostly play FPS games but I've been hearing about how some of them are pretty fun when you get into the rhythm of it.”
That seems to have ignited something in him and it looks like Pip is interested in whatever Buttons is about to say.“Yeah, I like Knights Of The Sun and Moon it's a good game especially the main mechanics of time. You see the MC and all the other characters are the lunar and solar knights which means they get stronger and weaker during the progression of the day. With some knights getting even more powerful at certain times of the day. Like knight Yurk or ‘Yurk of the Rising and Falling Sun’ who is especially powerful at the time of sunrise and sunset. Or you whose goal is to become one of these knights which means choosing a domain of either night or day. You level up and eventually, you gain access to your ‘Hour’ which is the time when you are given a massive boost to stats. This also isn't mentioning the good characters and your relationship with them and the dynamics in-.“
By the lord could he talk I'm pretty sure he could make those hour-long video essays online seem short. But he is presenting this game pretty well and by the look of Pip, he's also heavily invested in this explanation. And Button is all but happy to answer our questions about this game and its seemingly high amounts of functions like the relationship aspects that the characters have and how that carries into the combat aspect of the game. This was a perfect distraction. I am pretty sure that a kid would normally have ended his rambling around a good 9 paragraphs ago but he is now reviewing the merit of all the characters in the moon quart and ho-.
*BAM* What the fucking hell was that!? The kids also surprised both seeming to have done their best impression of a pair of scared kittens and have jumped back with Pip who was at my left and has now jumped to Button's side to hide behind me. It sounded like someone slapped a slab of raw steak onto the sidewalk by throwing it off a building. Looking over to my left -oh that's a person.
Wait I know that man and he's an idiot! Yup, same stupid highlighted hair, same black dress pants, is 5’11, has a shirt with some random anime character, and oh yeah there's that Sherpa jacket he wears every day in winter. It's Chris my best friend.
Oh damn it he's awake too if he was asleep I could maybe brainstorm something to help lay down the situation gently. But no use crying over spilled milk I guess.
Turning back I raise my hand and try to put on my best comforting face “It's okay guys I know him I’ll deal with him”. Didn't seem to work but I’m sure that me and Chris can do better.
Let’s walk over, use my best comforting voice, and get this over with “Hey Chris you are not going to believe what I’m going to tell you”.
Oh, he's still groggy I should shake him a little, it’s rude but he needs to wake up. “What the fucc!” He exclaims looking around taking in the surroundings “Blake, where are we?”
Ok, how to explain it without sounding insane or sounding like nonsense? I should start by using examples of media that Chris knows and lay out what's happening. “Ok so you know those Korean webcomics that you like a lot. Especially the ones where characters are put into situations that are very similar to RPGs?”
He looks puzzled but responds “Yes what about them?”
“We’re in that but instead of us being in a tower we are in a hallway" I told him before adding something for my amusement as a running gag between us. "But before you dismiss this as a dream I can if you want to slap you in the face, hard.”
Chris looks so confused right now it's pretty funny. His face started to go through multiple stages of puzzlement before settling toward a mix of hesitation and perplexment. “Yeah, could you slap me I’m still trying to decipher what you just told me” A valid reason to slap my best friend. Nice.
*Whoo* I exhaled calming myself down and focusing. Let’s do this raise your arm high, shift your wrist so your hand is outward, make your hand slightly cupped and limp, rotate your body so you generate some extra force, and aim for the cheek.
Chris looks like he's finally starting to understand or comprehend everything by the way his face is scrunching up . But my hand has already left the station.*SLAP* Hell yeah not perfect but that was easily my best slap yet at 9.5 out of 10. I've only done this 4 times before but its oddly nice doing it . Feels like im still at home trying to think of a way to wake him up.
“OOOO WHAT THE FUCK DUDE” Chris yelled rolling on the ground and grasping his face from the pain. “Did you have to employ the slap of god on my discombobulated ass!?”
“Hehe discombobulated. Discombobulated by what? By the fact we’re apparently in one of those lazy manhwas that you are constantly reading. Or was it the fact that you just slammed into the earth with what I might add as the meatiest of whacks.” I say waving my hand about. And it’s true it was the sound of the century.
“Hey I'll have you know that some of those manhwas you like criticizing so much are very good and not at all lazy.“ He says with an indignant tone - Oh, he didn't, time to destroy this man with fact and logic.
“‘Not lazy’ he says” I say as I gesticulate my arms around to express my exasperation. “knowing damn well they are. You recommended me like 15 manhwa to read once and all but 3 had the same problems. The characters go through no real challenge in fact let me tell you the order in which the characters go through for the cheapest “growth”. MC is a super weak anti-social loser and is rejected by society with the MC sometimes having a female interest that is a close friend of theirs that isn't evil. MC goes through a moment in time where they suffer a little extra sometimes resulting in them being humiliated in a fight or being comically betrayed. MC then gets some form of “golden finger” or ”cheat” like having a system, a growth weapon, or a sponsorship from a god-like being called a ‘Constellation’ which I dislike most. MC then grows at an exceptional rate where then he beats up the guy who was mainly humiliating him. He goes through no true growth he doesn't go through any form of challenge and he doesn't once go through something that can be described as bad. And that's without mentioning the other problems like how a lot of characters are some of the most one-dimensional and boring people I’ve ever seen with, at LEAST 75% of the cast being female to just act as love interests for the MC” I'm panting after all this ranting now. Still, these are all things that I've noticed.
He has the decency to nod in slight agreement after 5 seconds of silence with a barely visible smile“…Ok fair, but you have to admit that most of them are good dumb fun”
Is this man more of an idiot than I thought “Well duh, why else do you think I know so much? I read every current chapter of that raised z-class one that night.“
“Pff HEHEHE” Oh, god damn it I forgot there were kids here. With both of us looking over we both see that Pip and Button are having a good time by all the uproarious laughter. Or at least from Button as Pip looks like he's just giggling hard.
Oh, dang it Im starting to chuckle, and looking at Chris he already is starting to laugh. What a ridiculous situation this has become 2 pairs of kids and teenagers laughing in an endless hallway.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
*5 minutes later*
“Alrigh*Wheeze*t, so what are the two kiddies' names?” Oddly, looks like Chris is the first one to stop laughing, he’s lurched over but still. But with the current state, the kids are in, looking both like they're still trying to stop the giggles I’ll answer.
“ he *cough coughs* Small ones Pip the other one's Button” I answered coughing to try and disperse my laughter also ignorring his odd use of 'kiddie'.
“Hi” “Hello” [Oh they replied!] They responded respectively.
Chris looks like he's a little off put by their names like me but before he can ask anything he catches me just shaking my head with the clearest look of “Just don’t ask numbnuts” conveyed on my face.
He seems to have taken the hint “Oh um that's nice uh how old are you two?“
“Oh Im 10 and Pip is 9” replied Button- Wait WHAT!? Button I can believe he looks like he's 8 but he could just be a tad bit shorter than normal. But Pip looks like he’s 6! There is no way they can look that fucking young. And I can tell that Chris is thinking the same thing.
“Wow ok” I can see and taste the hesitation to believe in his voice.
“Ok, nice introductions let’s all get to the elephant in the room. What should Christopher get as his free item from the shop?”
“Free item?” Upon saying that the familiar blue shop pamphlet appears for Chris to grab. ”Wuh the!” He yelped before grabbing the pamphlet out of the air and started to read it.
“Yes free item. You get a free item of choice from the shop where you then get to employ it in a trial.” And I'm pretty sure that Chris is smart enough to connect a trial to the floors of a tower in a dungeon story so I'm not elaborating further.
“What do you guys think I should take then?”He says as he browses the pamphlet before pointing individually a finger at Me, Pip, and Button “Actually, what did you guys grab?”
“I remembered that people in the army and survival groups use knives so I grabbed a survival knife. Sounds pretty basic but it lets me grab large sticks and defend myself pretty well” I replied
“I got here just after Button and we both want didn't want to go hungry so I grabbed basic plant knowledge. The main thing is I know a lot about what's safe to eat and how to prepare and cook as long as its about plants.” Replied a shy Pip who I have to admit grabbed something pretty good as he wouldn't have ruined the fox or rabbit I grabbed. Nor would he die by poison berry like that chump named Blake.
“I thought that this was a dream initially and the thing I hate most of the time is having to all of a sudden research and learn how to build bases in games. And I wanted to knock that out of the way. So I grabbed the basic knowledge of crafting… Didn't give me much building knowledge but I do know how to make crude survival tools like a flint knife and other primitive things like a stone axe.” Button Replied looking pretty embarrassed about how he thought this place was a dream I did too so I get the feeling.
Oohh I get to witness Chris’s rare thinking face haven't seen that in a blue moon.“What should I get still? I don't know much about this place and I do not want to grab something we don't need.” He finished a little sheepish. Darn, here I was thinking that brain of his was going to good use this time.
“I'll say that since Me and Pip already have some basic survival knowledge. That you should grab a pot so that way we can boil water more easily to get clean water[I could've cleaned my wounds better if I had boiled water] but also to cook food items.” Replied Button
“Agreed I found a lake on my first attempt and I luckily didn't get sick. But I easily could have as the water could've contained a bunch of microorganisms and drinking from It would have taken me out for a while. I also had a wound that I'm pretty sure was infected so if I cleaned it better I wouldn't have gotten sick.” I reply
“Yeah, drinking from most sources of water is risky as no one knows what could be inside even if it is a freshwater source. It was a large risk to drink every day and I got sick so getting a way to sterilize water sounds great.” Replied Pip and damn didn't know he also suffered from diarrhea for like 2 days too. Poor kid.
“Ok, good point I’ll get a pot if that's what we need.” - - Flash of yellow and a pot is in his hands now - - “DAh” he yelped being dragged down by the weight of the heavy pit now In his hands. “HA” I laughed over how he got surprised again
“Oh, shut up, Blake.”
“Screw you too Chris.”
I'm unsure why but the hallway feels... heavy or intense the longer I stay here like feeling a person breath right on my nape get progressively worse as I ignore it. “Alright *Clap*” In the corner of my eyes I can see Button and Pip jumping from the sound of my clap. “Let's get out of here and go into the trial already. By the way Chris the first trial is surviving in a forest for a week so be prepared to start chaffing like crazy.”
“Wait we’re already leaving!?” Questioned Chris a little confused.
“Yup we can talk more inside the trial and right now I’m sick of being in this hallway”
“Yeah, we should leave.” “This place is creepy and cold.” replied Pip and Button, oh the kids agree with me, that is nice.
“*Sigh* Alright I guess we leave then.” He groins while he runs his hand through his hair ”So where do we go?”
“What about the swirling mass of blue light behind you.”
“OH, that… God damn it.“ Indeed god damn it indeed.
“Still an idiot let’s go.”
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DAY 1: Hey journal guess what you have brothers in the pockets of Pip, Button, and Chris. Also, I’m an idiot. Apparently, a large number of plants that I’ve overlooked are edible, not eatable as many still taste bad but are very nutritious. Because apparently, dandelions are a very nutritious thing to eat. Thanks, Pip for listing over a dozen different edible species of plants. On a side note, he said that there was seemingly a difference in how many edible plants there were from his and buttons trial. Dont, know what to make of that little tidbit. Chris is helping him today to gather as much edible stuff as they can find.
And again thanks, Pip for finding us another cave to live in. It isn't next to a lake but it's near one large river so that's nice.
Also, Button has made with my help some firesticks. These dried sticks of wood that he taught us to start fires. He made them by grabbing some sticks, skinning them, and drying them out, he then drilled some holes into what he called the baseboard(The larger piece of wood) and then added some notches into the sides of the holes to let hot wood powder fall out(he calls it punk). He then showed how it works by grabbing some dried leaves to use as kindling and using the spindle(the piece of wood that's spun on the baseboard) to create punk and then put it into the kindling, he then blew on it to develop embers and made a fire. This is going to be a way better way for us to create fire than what I was doing before.
(Insert Pretty Bad But Not Terrible Drawing Of Firesticks)
NOTE: As it turns out after a trial attempt journal entries are cleared except for drawings and entries depicting survival information. TLDR only my drawing and entries on the berries from the first trial remain.
NOTE 2: Don’t know why but I have found a back page with an attribute panel next to a diagram of myself. The attribute panel is comprised of a few lists called abilities, traits, and notible skills. It's also mostly blank with the one thing in it being “Not awakened. No abilities found”. With the other lists being blank save for a "Analyse In Progress Check In later On "
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-Night-
This was a good day we made a fire, found a shelter, we have a source of clean water, and a beautiful view “Hey guys, do you see the night sky? Never looked outside at night from my first attempt but it’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah never seen a naked night sky before but I wouldn't mind sleeping to a sight like this every day.” replied Chris
“It looks awesome.” Said Button
“It's beautiful like a sea made of light.” A little poetic but a good metaphor or simile Pip
“Alright, goodnight everybody.” I thought this was it so I closed my eyes for temporary oblivion that was occupied by unchained thought energy.
Or so I thought ”Hey Blake?” Button whispered with a clear hint of nervousness.
“Yes?”
“Can I sleep with you tonight?”
What’s that mean? “How? We’re like 3 feet apart so we’re already sleeping together.”
“.... I mean, can I cuddle with you?”
“Oh………..[I should respond before this gets more uncomfortable] Sure.”
“Really?”
“Yes really” And he jumps at that. Metaphorically of course and a bit literally, as I feel small arms quickly wrapping around my torso and a head sticking into my arm.
“Alright goodnight Button.”
“Night.”
“hehe” Darn it Chris is awake.
“Hey Chris can I sleep with you too?” Asked Pip.
“..............Oh yeah sure you can Pip.”
“Ha” Should've been a little quiet but I kinda want Chris to hear my laugh. Couldnt hear properly but I’m sure that Chris just told me to STFU. As in he said the abbreviation, of each letter but didn't actually mutter the words ‘shut the fuck up’. So eat it.
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Day 2: Woke up today in what only could be described by Pip as a “Human pretzel” with Button as our limbs were interlocked in odd angles. Chris so kindly put it that “you both looked like you were both slammed through every floor of a skyscraper bending and then tieing you both together.”
Went out looking with Button to find some clay. He said that pottery is one of the most important things that people learned as it helped in the creation of better housing with bricks and things like pots to carry water. Didn't find shit though so that was a failure. Had to console a downtrodden Button as he said he wanted to make us some trinkets.
Went looking some more with Button to find some berries after the clay failure. Found a bear print and saw a bear feeding off a berry bush. We got the shit scared out of us both at that moment but luckily I remembered that brown bears don't attack people unless scared or protecting cubs. We slowly moved the fuck away before Button broke off into a sprint with me following didn't know if the bear was chasing us but I don't really care I just wanted to make sure that Button was fine.
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“Wait you two saw a bear?” asked a bewildered Chris.
“Yes” “*HUFF*YES!” Replied me and a screaming Button respectively.
“That must have been horrible!” Interrupted a frightened Pip.
“*Huff Huff Huff*It was Pip, it was.” Responded an out of breath hoarse-voiced Button.
“I don't even know why a bear was here anyway. When I read the trial description It said it removed large animals like bears and moose. Why would it add in large animals when it said it removed them It's not like we did anything to add in-. Wait a damn minute! Pip Button what did your trial say was how long you two had to survive?”
“Um, it said that we had to survive for two weeks Blake, why?”
Oh mother fucker. “When I read it it said I had to survive for only one!”
“What the hell does that mean?” Asked an even more bewildered Chris.
“It means that with every increase in people participating in a trial the more difficult the trial becomes.”
“So what does that mean for us?!” Questioned Button clearly worried about the prospect of the situation becoming worse.
“What it means is that right now the trial is way harder than what it was originally. Creatures that were removed are put back in, sources of food decrease, and the time needed to pass a trial increases.” I explained to the others. God damn it why didn't I listen to Mike and read the fucking book slowly and carefully.
I see the others at different speeds coming to the realization of what this all means. With all of our faces cycling through roughly 94 different emotions before finally landing on a mix of fear, anger, dread, and panic. Luckily Chris summarized all of our thoughts in the most eloquent of ways. “FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU–”