Ch. 4 Cheshire Cat's Maze

SUMMARY

Static lost sight of the White Rabbit, but finds Valentina or at least her look-alike: the Cheshire Cat!
She points him on the right path, but it's a trick.
Static finds himself in a maze and requires your guidance to get out safely!
Keep an eye out for the Cheshire Cat's trickery.

THE RULES

This is also a group activity.
Discussing with the community is especially important in this activity as the majority will dictate Static's route!
You will be presented options at every turn... You'll have 10 minutes to vote!
Work together to navigate the maze successfully.
Hint: Try to follow along as well. This is a first-person perspective experience!
There also can be great rewards and horrifying surprises hidden in this maze.
Choose carefully.

PRIZE

All participants will be granted a FREE Cheshire Cat EI.
Additional copies will be available in Joyful Jamboree for purchase with Mushrooms.

Valentina

Friend PM Trade

Is this really the end? Are you and Static going to die in some strange new world without him ever having seen his siblings again? No, you decide that's not an option. There's another way here, and you made it available.

Leaping from the Guardian's arms, you draw on what magical power you still possess from Voltra, and resign to fight! As you rear back for your attack, you blink in surprise. The vines rushing towards you seem to abruptly stop as if an invisible wall is holding them back. Amidst the bark of the twisting beast, you find glimmers of silk signifying that it's a little tied up at the moment. A tiny spider descends into view once more with a sign that reads, 'this is for trusting me, fufu. ;3c'

With a smile of your own, you unleash your spell on the immobilized threat. It lets out a feral cry as beams of light shoot from cracks beginning to form in its body. In a blinding flash, it is no more, and the wall behind Static unwinds to reveal the way out.

"Thank you," he says to you softly while gently carrying you once more. You're so tired and panting hard, but it was worth it to save a friend.

With determination, you chose a way.

You're confused upon entering the new area. What was previously beautiful and tranquil forest is now void of life. Tall hedges surround you, and even the sky seems to have lost its luster.

Under the darkened skies, you're faced with a choice. One of many.

Which way?

or

Vines shoot out from the hedges behind Static and intertwine to form an impenetrable wall. There is no going back.

Taking a deep breath, you turn left and see a hedge wall straight ahead. Your heart sinks at first, but keeping left reveals an open path that seems to continue straight. Letting out a sigh of relief, you walk and walk as vegetation crunches beneath your feet. Wait, those sounds are morbid...

Before you can think too deeply, you arrive at a decision to make.

Which way?

or

You decide to turn right which briefly bumps you against a wall, but keeping right reveals a path around the wall. To your left you hear a mysterious sound and you look briefly to see thousands of small insects peeking out of the hedges. They appear to be Bernard look-alikes, and they simultaneously chirp as you pass. Is that approval in their noises?

You shake your head and continue straight to arrive at another intersection.

Which way?

or

Straight is a tempting direction, but right has been good to you so far. You guide Static on the right path with a wall to your right and a wall straight ahead. However, a spider drops down from who knows where holding a tiny sign that says 'keep straight.'

You thank it and do as the sign says. You have to turn left and walk down a long, nearly endless corridor... but eventually the path opens up to a crossroads.

Which way?

or

Again there's a straight option, but you go left. Fight the power. From the hedge straight ahead, you see a glint... and you push Static out of the way just as a seeming wall of spears impale the space where you two just were. Wiping the sweat from your brow, the spears retract quickly, and you keep on the path.

You're walking straight for a while before you bump into a wall with luckily no spears this time, or weapons wanting to kill you. You keep on the path which is winding steadily right before it's a straight shoot to another intersection.

Which way?

or

The small spider from earlier is hanging straight ahead. It's holding a sign that reads 'don't go this way.'

You're determined not to go straight, and Spider-Chan only reinforces your decision. You salute them and go to the left... only to be faced with an interesting circumstance.

There's a strange wall to the right, but a path to the left. Do you investigate the wall, remembering the spears from earlier, or do you forego it entirely?

Either way, this is a nice change of pace, and keeps to your no straight philosophy.

Which way?

or

(Congratulations! Mushroom Drop Amount will be doubled after you navigate out of the maze!)

You're about to take the left path when you hear soft whistling. You and Static watch as a very tiny figure steps joyfully out of the hedge to your right and makes its way to the wall you were suspicious about.

You both blink at each other as the figure doesn't stop, and instead dances right through the wall. In fact, the thick vegetation seems to part to allow it entry.

There's a moment of silence before you try it, too, and walk into it. Sure enough, the wall's vibrant greenery retracts to the sides to allow you passage, and you find a massive treasure chest ahead!

You plunder the loot and turn around, happy for the mini figure who's likely back at home now.

Which way?

or

Straight? That doesn't seem right, but you're the boss. Passing through the hedge wall that seemed solid, you arrive at a familiar intersection, but now you're faced with a different set of directions.

Which way?

or

(running from the monster has displaced your path.)

You remember this is the spot where Spider-Chan warned you, but curiosity is strong. You take the left path and feel the atmosphere dip in temperature. A few rustling leaves fall from the hedges around you as you turn a corner...

Before you lies a skeleton, and a beast of large proportions. Its limbs are thick and its maw is massive. As it turns a lumbering head to face you, its eyes gleam red. It outstretches a claw with each nail flicking as if possessing a will of its own, and it grins.

You and Static run away, needless to say, and it takes off after you with each huge step shaking the area. It's gaining on you, but as you pass a familiar wall to your right, you hear a SHING and remember the spears.

Yeah, that monster probably isn't a threat anymore, but you're hesitant to turn back to see its remains.

Which way?

or

(Congratulations! Cheshire Cat is now available in Joyful Jamboree! Reminder, you will be granted a free EI for participating in this event)

After that harrowing experience, you take the left path which was at one point a straight option. It seems normal at first and time for a good breather, but the hairs on the back of your neck stand up at the return of a piercing chill. Is this a bad idea? Is another monster waiting at the end of this path too?!

...

Nope! You find a colossal treasure chest at the end of this path, but sadly it's just painted onto the hedge. Who would do such a thing? You're about to leave when you notice a tiny box on the ground beneath the picture.

Now that's a treasure chest, and you work with Static to get it open. The loot's all yours.

Turning around, you walk back to where you entered this path and you're met with a choice.

Which way?

or

THE MAZE
You tread a familiar path that was near the beginning of this experience. You take a sharp turn to the right and a tiny bend to the left before you're greeted with a major intersection.

To the left you hear a flood of noises. The Bernards you saw some time ago are still having fun, apparently, but the right path is silent.

Which way?

or

You decide that the right path must be a trap for how deathly quiet it is, and start to go left... but before you can move, your friend appears before you.

Spider-Chan descends from an unknown ceiling from in front of you, and gently sways there. The sign in its tiny hands has a very important message which reads, 'this way, friends, to get back on the path.'

You and Static look to one another as there is no path ahead, but it could be an illusory wall like before. Do you take a chance?

Yes or No?

[font=Cambria Math]Spider-Chan nods and spins the sign quickly in its hands. The text changed and now reads, 'you have chosen well, fufu.' It skitters up its invisible web and you gulp, unsure whether this is a good idea or not. This could be a grand betrayal in the making, but then again this world has a habit of making one pursue different entities.

You take a step forward and feel a vibration deep in your bones as you walk through the wall. Your vision briefly whirls and then flashes before you're deposited in another location. Where is this?

Gathering your thoughts, you look around and find three paths now open to you. And where you're standing is completely new territory.

Which way?

or

(monster will throw you off your path)

You figure now's as good a time to go straight as any, and press on. The crunching of grass beneath your feet is a returning sensation, and indeed strange as grass usually does not crunch. It waves in the wind and may snap, but crunch?

You swallow and Static takes your hand with a smile as if to reassure you. Together, you walk the path until it seems to end abruptly. From the space before you, vines snake out of the hedges and slowly begin to mingle and intertwine. The scene is reminiscent of the wall that closed behind Static, and you have to wonder if this is good.

Unfortunately, you don't think so. As the vines converge into a towering figure, you start to really doubt it. As its eyes flash the same malevolent red as the beast from before, you start to sweat.

Yeah, this bark-like creature is not friendly, and it's time to run! Static swoops you off your feet and floats quickly through the maze, choosing to go right. The resulting path is long and filled with echoing laughter as the tops of the hedges seem to sag inwards to block out the sky. The creature seems to have become the vines that now flood the corridors behind you, and in the mess of spiraling bark is a pair of menacing red orbs.

You come up on the final choice.

Live or die?

Which way?

or

You're held in Static's arms, staring back into the eyes of the roaring foe. The maze is crumbling around you as the rush of vines is rapidly gaining. "Oh no!" You hear from Static as you hit a dead end.

He turns to face the monster with determination.

Did you make the wrong choice?

Which way?

There is no way to choose.

Valentina

Friend PM Trade

CONTINUED...

The maze was long and arduous but with your help, Static was able to navigate the winding labyrinth of the mischievous Cheshire Cat. Too bad his siblings did not await him on the other side. He took a small breather before continuing on his adventure, unknowing of the bouncing grin that watched him leave. "You and yours will certainly shake things up, little one," mewled the Cheshire Cat as her image flickered along the treetops. Her expression shifted for only a slight moment from its constant mania to grave seriousness.

"What fun we shall have again lest the Queen devours you."

(UPDATE! Thread is still open for participation! Talk about the maze, discuss the lore, or chat! ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THIS THREAD WILL BE GRANTED A FREE CHESHIRE CAT EI. Offer ends at 12 PM Voltra Time tomorrow, when thread will be closed. Items will be handed out after next Chapter begins.)