…
…
…
'Ugh… fucking hell… what is…?'
Slowly opening my eyes, all I'm met with is darkness. So dark that I can't tell if my eyes are even open.
I would question what's going on right now but…
'Ughhh… fucking aftereffects…' feeling the aftereffects of the mushroom I took. In the simplest way I can explain how I feel?
I feel like total shit.
Trying to accustom myself to the awful feeling I can only wonder how I'm awake right now…
On top of the injuries and the mushrooms aftereffects, I should be passed out cold right now…
But I'm still conscious? That… shouldn't be possible…
…
Trying to move, I notice that I'm not on any solid surface? I think I'm floating right now?
'What the hell? It's like I'm trying to swim through very thick water…' I think to myself while moving my limbs. I'm pretty sure I'm moving forward but it's still hard to tell…
…
…
…
'What is even going on?' Amongst my confusion I remember one detail I somehow forgot when I woke up here.
'Wait… ah shit! I passed out in front of Inv at the scavenger treasury! I passed out when the voice said the system was updating???' And of course, right as I think this…
System update will start now
Right as this is said I feel a strange feeling take over me. I feel more… clear headed?
The pain is still there but much more distant now…
With a much clearer head I try to understand what's going on.
I passed out in Inv's arms but I'm somehow still awake. Then I woke up in this strange place after being told my system was 'updating'...
…
I'm awake… but I'm also not awake…
…
Am I in my head? Is that even possible?
Seeing nothing but pitch darkness around me and being able to barely move my body I can't really confirm this thought.
…
So… what am I supposed to do now? I'm sorta trapped here not being able to do anything…
…
'Fuck… I hope Inv is ok…' I can only hope for this. I left him in such a bad position…
As long as he survives and gets back to the shelter, I would be ok with that.
I was holding him down anyway… he should be able to get back to the shelter by himself pretty easily.
Feeling just the slightest better knowing Inv is in a much better situation then I am, I think what else I can do while trapped in this… dark void.
…
…
…
…
…
…
I definitely didn't just try to drink some of the weird void water just now, definitely not…
'Man… when's the last time I had water?' I randomly think to myself.
'I mean actual fresh water. Not the kind that has infested kelp or the kind that pierces right through you from the sky. Just some damn clean water. How am I even able to survive without drinking water? All I need to survive a cycle is eat 6 pips worth of food and I'm somehow completely fine… also when's the last time I actually used the bathroom?? I eat all this food but never go to the bathroom for some reason??? Does all the food completely convert into energy or something? If that's the case, then why do I still have a-
Stopping my line of thinking I realize that this is dangerous. Being left alone with my thoughts like this. I was just starting to get used to being around Inv, not alone anymore. But I'm already going insane being left alone like this!
Think Joseph! Think about something better!
…
The only thing to come to mind is Inv…
… I hope he's ok…
… wait a second…
'I never checked Inv's stats, did I?' I want to smack myself on the head just now thinking about this, but can't due to my arm being slowed down in the strange thick water.
With nothing else to do I can finally look at my system! How did I not think of this sooner?!
Raising a finger to my forehead very slowly, I close my eyes and attempt to access the familiar screens I'm used to.
'Hopefully whatever this system update is doesn't stop me from accessing it…'
…
After a moment I see the screen pop up!
Food: 8758
Successful cycles: 1479
Deaths: 14739
Karma Points: -18727
◉◉ⵔⵔ|ⵔⵔ
Thank god… I don't know what I would've done if I wasn't able to access it… that's weird though… I don't remember my food pips being on this screen before?
'Maybe it's part of whatever this system update is? Pretty convenient though.'
Seeing a very slight increase in my karma points is nice. Just need to like, survive 2000 more cycles to even it out, no pressure.
I see that there's more to look at on the screen but decide to move to the map. Maybe I can look at what's happening around me right now?
Changing screens, I move on to the map, what I see though doesn't surprise me.
Nothing, literally nothing. Just a tiny pink slugcat head icon indicating that I'm just floating in the middle of nowhere.
'Ugh, of course I can't see what's going on, what was I expec- hold on… what is?' Before I give up looking at the map. I see something that wasn't there before at the corner of the screen.
Soul⬅
???
'The hell is this?'
Seeing the word soul with an arrow next to it, I can only look at it with confusion. What does it even mean??
Not sure what to do, I decide to press it to see if anything happens.
Soul⬇
Vessel
Invert
Seeing the 2 words pop up I grow even more confused. Vessel? The only time I remember hearing that word mentioned by the system was when… I bit Inv's ear? Also why is Inv's name here??
'Ok… let's try choosing… vessel?' I test further with this and select Vessel.
Vessel⬇
Soul
Invert
The moment I select Vessel, the empty map on the screen suddenly shifts to one I'm more familiar with!
Replacing the empty screen I now see my little slugcat icon still in the swarm room… and Inv's still there?! I thought he would've left by now??
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A/N: it's time to finally discover how this system works! it doesn't work how you usually would expect one to work...