She finds herself awake again, standing in an empty convenience store. The stock is still all there, but the lights are off, the fridges are not humming, and it's eerily silent.

And then a bright blue box pops up in the center her vision.

Exception Detected

Just as soon as it appears, it vanishes again. And then is replaced by another.

Integration interface not found. Escalating...

Initial synchronization has already been completed. No record found for 4356777756423523469020921354785

You are not supposed to be here.

Calculating...

This one hangs in her vision for a long moment. After a bit, it vanishes again only to be replaced by-

Sapient mind detected. Match to local Integration pattern: 99%+

System Integration beginning.

Extrapolating life experience...

The System welcomes you to the Tutorial!

Due to your status as an Exception, Tutorial duration will be extended.

You are currently Level 0. Select a Class to proceed to Level 1!

She's... bring attacked telepathically? She shields - she's just a harmless cat who got lost, doesn't want to cause any trouble, see how she's intently looking around for an exit? (That's all true, except for the "harmless" part.)

The attacker seems kind of mechanical? But the only computer she knows of that's capable of telepathy is on the other side of the world.

She drops her shield and thinks loudly: I beg your mercy, sir. I have lost my way. Please direct me how to remove myself.

System Inquiry Detected

Remaining Tutorial Duration: 9 Days, 23 Hours, 59 Minutes

The nearest Integrated Settlement is 47 miles Southwest.

Leaving shelter is not advised until you pick a Class. Think 'Class' to pick a Class.

Yes, sir. "Class".

You have reached Level 0! Select a class to proceed to Level 1!

Classes available:

Uncommon Classes:
Infiltration Bard (+)

Common Classes:
Singer
Dancer
Servant
Student

For more information, focus on a Class.

Ookay, this person wants to play a game with her. Hopefully he'll let her go when he's done. She'll try to be entertaining!

What did it mean that he called her an "Infiltration Bard"? Is he angry that she's in his house? (House with an elaborate theater set?) She didn't come here on purpose! Does he want her to do some infiltration for him? (With the implied threat of telling her father if she refuses?)

She wants to dance for him and not think about anything stressful, but it will go better if she cooperates.

She focuses on "Infiltration Bard".

Infiltration Bard (Uncommon+)

The art of self expression can be a beautiful thing. Or, in your case, rather than expressing yourself, you use the same arts for trickery and infiltration. You have unlocked the supernatural ability to confuse and befuddle your foes. Perhaps you work with an intelligence agency to find the secrets of enemies of the state, or you simply delight in being someone else for a while, but your ability to pretend is greater than most. Your Class Powers improve your spellcasting, your performances, and your ability to twist the perceptions of others.

Requirements
Have an extensive knowledge of and frequently use Music and Dancing.
Knowledge and skill in A*V#$h3^&lepathic Shielding.
Use your charms to earn the trust and admiration of many people.
Bonus: Use Telepathic Shielding to access restricted information or discover an important secret.
Bonus: Use your charms to disguise your true nature over a long period of time.

Body per level: 1
Mind per level: 2
Spirit per level: 3

Would you like to select Infiltration Bard as your Class?

Skill in what kind of telepathic shielding?

Yeah, sounds like he wants her to do some kind of spying for him.

How did she get here, anyway? The last thing she remembers is the fire alarm in the laboratory - did he grab her as everyone read evacuating? A telepath of his strength could have done just about anything, though; snuck in to her father's block, forced her to come with him, erased her memory of that. Maybe there are powerful telepaths running around all the time and they never let anyone remember them.

Or maybe she's in a Torment Nexus because her father caught her.

She doesn't want to think about that.

Back to the game: Yes.

You are now an Infiltration Bard! You have advanced to Level 1!

There is a huge rush of energy flowing into her. Heat surges into her muscles, making them feel stronger, making her feel steadier. Her head gains a rush of clearness and energy, like there's just more room to think with. Any lingering pains simply vanish, and her senses all sharpen, taking in more and more detail - the lingering chill from the fridge, the smell of blood just on the edge of awareness, a faint skittering noise somewhere outside - it's all a sort of energy, flowing into her, surging and making her feel absolutely wonderful, like genuine praise, safety and warmth, a delicious meal, and a hug from a friend all at once.

And then the flow ends, leaving her feeling alert and capable.

C'Esther Jefferson

Class: Infiltration Bard
Level: 1
HP: 60/60
MP: 110/110
XP: 0/1000
Body: 6
Mind: 10
Spirit: 11
Conditions: None
Class Powers: None

5 points available to assign. Assign points to earn Class Powers and Class Upgrades.

(+) Bonus to Class Power effectiveness.

She closes her eyes and stretches languorously, purring. If that's what he wants from her, it's a role she can play!

(If she's in a Nexus, is her father trying to get her addicted to this?)

Class Powers.

Upgradable Class Powers:
None. Pick a Class Power first to upgrade it.

Available Class Powers:

Sonic Wave - Active - Spell - 30 MP
Fire a wave of noise at a foe, doing up to 33 damage to all it hits, stunning and reducing foes' Mind depending on level. Does damage in an area. Caution: Friendly Fire.

Enthralling Performance - Active - Spell - 10 MP/minute
Your music and dancing becomes supernaturally compelling, distracting those who hear or see it it from other things. Can be used to distract enemies or put on a show.

?@Telepathic Disguise - Active - Spell - 100 MP
Gain instinctual knowledge of how to A&$Telepathically Shield for a general type of person or situation. This power cannot be used to gain specific knowledge, only general knowledge. Cooldown: 1 day.

Inconsequential Presence - Passive
When you don't want to be seen, you are up to 11% less visible and quieter. Good for sneaking and hiding. May be counteracted by perception based Class Powers and Passives.

Cute and Harmless - Passive
You are 11% more likely to be perceived as harmless, cute, or attractive. This can make people generally more favorably towards you and assist with infiltration.

...Before she has time to think about that too much, though, there's the sound of something tearing into cardboard or something, coming from behind a sheet metal door labelled 'Employees Only'. There's a chuffing and scuffling sound. It sounds like some sort of big animal - the dangerous, unthinking kind.

That's concerning. Um, Cute and Harmless. How much space is there between the refrigerators and the ceiling?

There's a happy little ding, and then the blue boxes all vanish.

It's a high ceiling and the fridges are a big commercial model; There's like five feet of space above them, aside from a thick bundle of tubes and wires going into the ceiling. Scuffling noises continue, getting closer to the main room.

If any of this is really happening, she hopes the ding wasn't audible to the creature in the other room.

She opens a refrigerator door, takes a step back, and springs up, catching a foot on one of the upper shelves and belly flopping on top of the refrigerator. She's not expecting smooth metal to give her a good grip with her claws - she restrains her reflex to dig them in, pressing her palms and firearms to the surface instead.

Is the ceiling soft enough to claw through?

This maneuver is surprisingly easy? She's stronger, more coordinated, than before. Not dramatically so, but it's definitely noticeable.

It's a drop ceiling with big square foam panels, occasionally interrupted by banks of (dead) lights. She could claw the panels apart, probably, or just move them out of the way, yeah.

Okay, think.

If she's in a Nexus, her subconscious is making this up, and the most important thing is to stay grounded and resist getting addicted or heartbroken or whatever her father is trying to do to her.

If this is some sort of job interview - obviously the telepath won't be happy if she flunks on purpose, so... this is a test of what she does when something goes wrong. Maybe she's supposed to have snuck in here and then the guard is coming? People do occasionally use natural animals to guard things.

So she needs to get out without leaving evidence. Claw marks would identify her as a fur, in particular as a cat. (A small dog could have similar claws but dogs don't usually keep them sharp, a wolf is too big, rats would be more inclined to use their teeth.) She breaks off the corner of the ceiling panel where she tested it and crumbles it. Then pushes up the panel and squirms through.

If this is a game, she should pick some more class powers and upgrades. But if it's not a game, she shouldn't get accustomed to relying her apparent game-like abilities... That could well be the trap her father intends for her.

Class Upgrades?

4 Points available

Upgradable Class Powers:
Cute and Harmless - 3 Upgrades Available
Toggle (0/1) - Weaponized Cuteness (0/5) - Wouldn't Hurt A Fly (0/5)

Available Class Powers:

Sonic Wave - Active - Spell - 30 MP
Fire a wave of noise at a foe, doing up to 33 damage to all it hits, stunning and reducing foes' Mind depending on level. Does damage in an area. Caution: Friendly Fire.

Enthralling Performance - Active - Spell - 10 MP/minute
Your music and dancing becomes supernaturally compelling, distracting those who hear or see it it from other things. Can be used to distract enemies or put on a show.

Telepathic Disguise - Active - Spell - 100 MP
Gain instinctual knowledge of how to Telepathically Shield for a general type of person or situation. This power cannot be used to gain specific knowledge, only general knowledge. Cooldown: 1 day.

Inconsequential Presence - Passive
When you don't want to be seen, you are up to 11% less visible and quieter. Good for sneaking and hiding. May be counteracted by perception based Class Powers and Passives.

Pounce - Active - Ability - Special
Attack an enemy with your claws via a leap or jump, while the enemy is unaware of you. The attack deals 2.2 times normal damage and has an increased chance to Critical Hit.

The sliding 'employee only' door is pushed open to reveal... A pig. Pink skin, blubbery fat body, eyes hidden by tufts of fur, nose snorting as it shuffles along. It's big and tough looking, solid hooves and shining teeth. No tusks.

The boxes have this to say:

Lv. 1 Glutton Pig
A weak enemy that is easily distracted by food and has few methods of defense other than its thick fur and fat.

Defeating enemies will award you Experience!

The pig sniffs its way to a bag of crackers, and tears it open, squealing in delight and munching on the contents.

"Pounce" is new, and particularly appropriate to the situation. The telepath wants her to attack the natural pig - and kill it?

"Weaponized Cuteness" sounds like a telepathic attack, but might not work on an animal? Same with "Enthralling Performance" (which would be cheating normally but okay fine could be useful in a violent game).

What is Wouldn't Hurt A Fly?

Wouldn't Hurt a Fly - When Cute and Harmless is active, receive a bonus of 11% (increases on upgrade level) to all attempts to convince others that you are innocent of whatever they suspect you of doing, that you would never sneak around or steal, that you certainly have nothing to do with the dead guard over there, that you are trustworthy and dependable, etc.

Sounds great! ... Except that it probably only works on people. She'll keep it in mind for later.

If she were really in a situation like this, she would leave. But in this game, she has to fight things? That... could be fun, as long as she remembers that this isn't real, and doesn't learn bad habits or lose her empathy for real beings.

Class Powers. Pounce. Class Upgrades.

3 Points available

Upgradable Class Powers:
Cute and Harmless - 3 Upgrades Available
Toggle (0/1) - Weaponized Cuteness (0/5) - Wouldn't Hurt A Fly (0/5)

Pounce - 3 Upgrades Available
Impact (0/5) - Dancing Claw (0/5) - Hit and Run (0/5)

Available Class Powers:

Sonic Wave - Active - Spell - 30 MP
Fire a wave of noise at a foe, doing up to 33 damage to all it hits, stunning and reducing foes' Mind depending on level. Does damage in an area. Caution: Friendly Fire.

Enthralling Performance - Active - Spell - 10 MP/minute
Your music and dancing becomes supernaturally compelling, distracting those who hear or see it it from other things. Can be used to distract enemies or put on a show.

Telepathic Disguise - Active - Spell - 100 MP
Gain instinctual knowledge of how to Telepathically Shield for a general type of person or situation. This power cannot be used to gain specific knowledge, only general knowledge. Cooldown: 1 day.

Inconsequential Presence - Passive
When you don't want to be seen, you are up to 11% less visible and quieter. Good for sneaking and hiding. May be counteracted by perception based Class Powers and Passives.

The pig has finished one box of crackers and is contentedly chewing on the next one, snorting and chuffing away.

What is Impact? What is Dancing Claw? (It sounds awesome!) What is Hit and Run?

If she's going to be sneaking up on enemies a lot, it's probably worth getting "Inconsequential Presence", but she'll hold off on buying it in case she urgently needs the points for something else.

How far away is the natural pig? (No, not a natural pig, an imaginary game character.) Which way is it facing?

Impact - Deliver a heavy blow when you Pounce, staggering the enemy as if you weigh 2.2 times as much (increases by upgrade level), dealing additional damage. Deliver a crushing first strike and end the fight before it begins. Cooldown: 3 minutes.

Dancing Claw - You might not need a weapon. Moving with grace and elegance, you attack and dodge 11% faster with your claws during melee combat (increases by upgrade level). You move and sway through the fight, as if dancing to an unseen beat.

Hit and Run - After using Pounce, you move 33% faster for 1.1 seconds (increases by upgrade level), but only while fleeing. Escape and pounce again. An enemy counts as Unaware if they don't know where you are at the time, even if they suspect you are near.

It's in the aisle directly below the big fridges she's perched atop, facing sort of sideways to her, but paying a lot more attention to the food on the shelves than anything else.

Those are all good! And now she has more good options than points.

"Inconsequential Presence" and "Hit and Run" go together. "Wouldn't Hurt a Fly" is going to be relevant to her future assignments as an "Infiltration Bard".

She was planning to Pounce on the animal's head and stab its eyes, and then, if it survived that, grapple it lying on her back using all of her limbs to keep it away from her head. That doesn't fit with the options the telepath is giving her, but maybe that's part of the test?

If she's going to use "Hit and Run" then it sounds like she needs to buy it before Pouncing. But not now - this enemy looks slower than her already.

Should she upgrade "impact" first? Ugh, yeah. One Impact, please.

Breathing deeply to prepare for exertion, she rehearses her plan: Pounce, jump away, if it's still alive and can see upgrade Dancing Claw, otherwise Pounce more.

Pounce!