Notail Simulator Beta (4/4)

You play it cool.

"It's fine, whatever, it happens. =3"
"It's fine? <:)"
"It's fine! =3"
"Right....it's okay. Anyway sorry for making you go through all of that. <:)"
"It's fine. =3"
"Are you sure? <:)"
"Everything is fine. Always. =3"




With a year ahead of you and nothing to do but waiting, you get to training.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 13 is rolled.

You grab heavier and heavier objects, luging them to where they need to go. You reject most offers of help and take up any pleas of weight woes. You decide to embrace the life of a pack mule as long as people remain respectful to you, which they do. You're second in command after all.

You feel yourself become stronger by the day, and everyone remains wowed by your ability.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 9 is rolled.

You feel like you barely missed the train on your endurance. You just didn't train enough, but you feel like next time you train you'll get it right for sure.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 9 is rolled.

The same goes for your studies with the others. You attempt your best to focus but find yourself drifting in and out of lessons half the time. Enough to look like you're paying attention to your peers, but not enough to learn all the information you needed.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 2 is rolled.

This year as second in command has been rocky. Usually, your charisma is far above those of your peers, but they aren't buying it this year. Things seem tense and you find yourself unable to quell anxieties. A lot of them are getting tired of this temple and want to explore the rest of the woods.

You can't blame them, the area is dull, and while there are artifacts, you can't see what E-4 sees in them. You try to explain that keeping the swarm together is what is most important, but a group of E-classes break off and form their own group, your speech uninspiring to them.

E-4 is disappointed, surprisingly more in you than them for not even being able to pull out words to make them question their thoughts.

They do say it's not an issue though. Around this age, swarms should be breaking up into specializations, and not many E-classes are ecstatic about the pursuit of staying in one spot and investigating a single building for a year. It goes against their explorer nature.

You do ask why we're doing this, and E-4 mentions that they have to find something great in one of these ruins something that will impress the people who will be judging them before they get out.

You hope E-4 finds whatever it is, but you also hope that E-4 will know when to stop.



====================


With fewer people around, and honestly no interest in the art of documenting artifacts, you have more time than ever to yourself. Everyone assumes you to be only for heavy lifting and as E-4's bigger mouthpiece, so no one asks you to assist with tasks such as documenting every single detail about an artifact they found.

With this time you continue to pursue your hobby in creature training.

So much time has passed that you can only vaguely remember the name of the Z-class that got you into it. The numbered names made it hard to remember someone if they haven't been seen in years.

You still feel a guilt time to time. The few memories you can hold onto were of a person you could genuinely relate to. You hope he's ok.

It's just too bad that even when you leave the woods, you won't be able to find him.

There will be no closure.

It's not a good thought. You would almost be happier knowing he died.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 14 is rolled.

You get to training Slithers, who is well trained and takes well to your orders. You teach him a few new tricks, as well as teach him to bite or wrap something on command. This will help you greatly with capturing creatures for food when you don't want to kill them right away.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 14 is rolled.

The prophet seems interested in you taming Slithers, mainly for the extra treats Slithers gets. Noticing its interest, you do the same to it and have taught it to consistently allow you to ride it with no danger of it standing still in anger. You no longer have to worry about lagging behind when the others head out to gather supplies. With your semi-noble steed, your agility is no longer an issue when outside as long as you keep the treats rolling.


====================

It's been months since the incident in the temple when you bring up something while E-4 and you huddle around a campfire.

"Is it weird that no one will know that E-31 died here? =3"
"Well, we don't know if E-31 died. <:)"
"E-31 is dead. =3"

You don't say anything for a few seconds while E-4 sighs.

"And no one will know it. =3"
"We know it. <:)"
"Everyone who walks by this temple won't know someone died in there. =3"
"Well, yes, E-2732. There have possibly been many people who died around here that we don't know about. Is that an issue? <:)"
"I dunno. It sounds weird. It feels like someone should know about it. =3"
"When things die they stop being useful and eventually go into the ground. I don't see a reason for people to be reminded that things die in certain places. Everything sort of dies everywhere at all times. Does it help anyone to know what died where? <:)"
"When my gwech, Midnight, died, I put leaves on him. That way his remains wouldn't be taken as fast. =3"
"Uh, but what does putting leaves on a dead body accomplish E-2732? <:)"
"I just wanted to do something. What did you do when your capture creature died? =3"

E-4 tenses up at the question. It wasn't a memory they liked to think about much.

"Nothing, E-2732. <:)"
"But did you want to do something about it? =3"
"I.....I guess, but, there's nothing to do about it, E-2732. It's a dead body. Nothing but meat. <:)"
"You should have put leaves on it. When we find E-31 I thi-"

E-4 takes a deep breath and puts a hand on your shoulder.

"E-2732, if we find E-31's dead body, we are not putting leaves on it. <:)"
"Ok. =3"

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 17 is rolled.

It's been nearly a full year now. It feels like you've been in the woods for so long. At least in two more years, you will be allowed to exit. You don't care what's out there. It has to be better than this.

You remember that you'll get a reward if you successfully research the face anomaly and with E-4 still not ready to head to the temple you ask a few people who are free to help you catch a creature to test an idea you had.

They catch a polydextrol.

The polydextrol struggles inside of its makeshift cage and bindings. While typically not interested in notails, its sharp claws could rend through the flesh of one if angered enough. Everyone had to keep their guard up and the polydextrol contained as you grabbed the least damaged of the masks and pressed it into the face of the creature.

It stopped moving, becoming limp. You get a notepad and writing utensil from one of the others in your swarm and watch the results.

After 5 minutes you were beginning to think it might have died when it perks its head up and struggles with the rope that has it tied up. Then it screams.

It screams in unexpected ways.

"What is going on? Who are you? Where am I? ow"
"Subject has obtained sentience. =3"
"Don't just stand there! Untie me. Do you know who I am? I am Z-19934! Great explorer and hunter of big game. I.......There's something wrong....this isn't my body. I'm missing fingers. ow"
"Subject has assumed the mindset of a notail. Currently pretending to be Z-class in an attempt to escape her bindings. =3"
"Pretending? I am not pretending! ow"
"Subject is clearly not a notail as a notail would look at the situation logically and would understand that assuming she got trapped in the body of an animal is illogical. =3"

She attempts to snap her teeth, but the mask disallows her from opening her mouth wide enough for anything other than a few clacks.

"This is why I hate non-Z-classes. Always with this subject and logic stuff. I hate my own species. I'd wish they'd die already and let nature take over. ow"
"Subject has begun to guilt trip in an attempt to become free from its shackles. Subject appears to be a very manipulative anomaly. These masks may be a danger to those who are very emotional and easy to believe falsehoods. =3"
"Shut up, disgusting notail! You know what? I'm happy! Hahahahahahaha! I wanted to be an animal my whole life, and now I get to be it! ow"
"Subject is becoming more hostile due to plans failing. =3"
"Where are we? Tell me where we are! ow"
"Subject yet again has shown that it is not a notail, or else it would be obvious due to the younger notails around that it is in the Woods."

"That's unfair! You don't look like a child. You look HUGE! What the fuck have you been eating? ow"
"A lot. =3"
"Look, whatever. Just take me to the exit. I'm just.....pissed off right now. I need to find a government official, get data on where I was last reported, and find out what happened to me. Ok? ow"
"Subject has unrealistic goals and continues to think it can outsmart researchers with its pleas. =3"
"I'm a blessing notail! ow"
"Subject is a persistent anomaly. =3"