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bootleg-parable · 2 months

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Partial Parable Progression 1

CW, there is an illustration toward the end that some readers might find disturbing.

Courage was something that didn’t come very easy to User- not in reality and not in the loops. That being said, finally removing himself from Teller’s office and taking the risk of wandering the facility halls was a big step for him. All by his lonesome, traversing long and unfamiliar corridors. Anything could be around any corner, and he would never know until he turned it. But he had a mission that could not be completed without a little bit of adventure, so onward he pressed, peeking into open offices on occasion only to find them empty and move along. He would have kept this routine strict if not for the voice of Teller becoming more prominent the further that he proceeded, and naturally the younger man had to follow. He couldn’t be sure if Teller usually talked to himself, but he was far too curious to let it slip by him that Teller could be talking to another human being. He always spoke so fondly of his coworkers, but they always failed to actually occupy their workplace. User wouldn’t mind being humoured with an answer to this mystery.

He popped his head into the open workroom, discerning Teller’s casual attire without so much as a glance. To User’s absolute surprise, there was, in fact, another person standing beside his friend, mug in hand and formal in choice of dress. He gasped a little. Finally, proof that other people were trapped here, too. He didn’t notice how…freakishly tall this individual was until he had to look up and see their face.

This…This thing was not human. It couldn’t be. It didn't have any clear face, but the sunken outlines of its countenance appeared to be frozen in time as a scream, and with closer looks at its entire body, its proportions were far from typical. He couldn’t tell whether or not it was looking at him before, but when its head lifted and paused with User in its line of sight, he froze in the doorway in which he stood. Teller turned and smiled at the sight of his companion.

“User! How nice of you to join us. It’s a pleasant surprise seeing you anywhere else.”

User didn’t make any sudden movements. He slowly straightened his posture and removed his hands from his pockets. He didn’t look away from that sky-scraper of a creature at Teller’s side. It made a series of sounds that hardly even came across as words.

Teller looked between the two. “Oh, he’s just shy. He doesn’t see people around here often.” He motioned User to come closer. It was rather awkward of him to just stand by the door like that. “What did you need?”

The whole reason that he was walking around in the first place was because he needed a weapon. Scissors might have done well, but he wanted something more personalised and effective. Something that he could modify to be as mortal as possible. The blade would be easy. It was the handle that was the challenge.

He crept cautiously forward as requested of him, and in being too fearful to speak, he decided to sign. No doubt that he stuttered multiple times even without the use of his words. “A brush.”

Teller made a face and looked at his coworker, who was already looking at him before User even finished his sentence. It dipped down to a drawer in the desk behind them while Teller shrugged at his friend.

“Micah might have one,” The eldest reassured.

Oh, so it had a name.

User motioned at “Micah” while its back was turned, as though to say “what the hell is that?” There was no way that Teller wasn’t seeing the same thing that User was. He just seemed so calm. Maybe he was used to this. Teller, in return, mouthed the words “don’t be rude” before “Micah” stood back up and went toward User. Its unnaturally-lengthy arm extended to him, and its hand held a brush that looked kind of like a polish applicator. It made a couple more sounds. User looked at it, then its hand, then at it again. He shakily took the offering and signed his thanks, but his staring did not relent. Teller traced past him and elbowed him in the side.

“Stop doing that,” He scolded in a whisper. “What’s wrong with you?”

User’s mouth worked soundlessly for a second. No fucking way. “Are you kidding me?” He murmured back, completely dumbfounded.

Micah just kind of stood there and watched their close-distance bickering.

“Am I kidding you?”

“There’s no way in hell that you’re not seeing that.”

“Seeing what, User? Do enlighten me.”

Well, now this was just frustrating. “Sei fottutamente pazzo.”

Teller had a halt before his next reply. He tilted his head and gazed emptily at the younger man. He slapped User across the head with the set of papers he’d been holding. “In English, next time.”

User wanted to call Teller a certain vulgar name. He wouldn’t say it aloud, but it started with b- and ended with -itch. Luckily his face said all of that and more for him, however Teller would not be bothered. The younger man’s eye trailed back up to “Micah”, who stood there placidly, somehow drinking from its mug even without a mouth of any sort in sight. Unless that freakish indentation in its face was its mouth. The longer that it stood there, the more uncomfortable User got. He poked Teller as payback for getting swatted before going back toward the door.

Maybe “Micah” was a person once, too. Maybe people who got trapped for too long start bearing similar appearances. But that wouldn’t explain how Teller continued to look like the average man with super-spectacles on, or why he, apparently, couldn’t tell that “Micah” was an out-of-the-ordinary figure.

…Could Teller turn into one of those things?

User had no time to waste. The sooner he could get them out of here the better.

Welcome to Partial Progressions, where we feature shorter writings or comics that go toward the story, but don't quite meet the standard of your average Parable Progression!

In the midst of User's plotting, we finally get to meet one of Teller's coworkers, Micah. Micah is actually in the place of TSP's "The Curator".

Everyone in these loops looks a little strange, and Micah is a prime example of said strange surface, even if their first form is more tame than the second. None of the workers in this building have a face, and some lean more toward the monstrous side in terms of how they are presented. They usually reside in offices on higher floors. Teller, otherwise "Storyteller", is the simplest form of uncanny in this valley,

Who knows. Maybe he'll learn to fit in.

#the stanley parable #tspud #tsp stanley #bootleguser #tsp narrator #bootlegstoryteller #bootlegmicah #tsp curator

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