Marxo =3

(No image of them yet, but just imagine a person with a round candle for a head.)

*The newcomer stumbled back, hands going up defensively*

"Sorry! Sorry, I- Wh..."

*They touched their forehead. Their head felt abnormally hot, and their skin waxy.*

"What in the..."

Marxo - they... abstracted. They went fully insane and became monsters.

“That’s a thing that can happen?”

*They shuddered*

Marxo - go insane enough, and yeah, it can happen.

"Oooookay. Okay."

*Wax breathed. Just stay calm, they reminded themself. They had to hold on to rationality more than ever, it seemed.*

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind..."

*Marxo and Wax find Wax's room*

*they look up at the portrait of what was supposedly them. The image looked about as confused and anxious as they felt. They supposed it was appropriate.*

"So... I sleep here? Guess I ought to get used to it. And hope nothing in there is flammable."

Marxo - this room was specialized for you, so you're good. *leaves to his room*

"Bye then..."

*they stepped into the room. The walls and floor looked to be some kind of stone. Dim as it was, their head gave some light*

"Now what..?"

*you hear someone unlocking your door*

*They freeze*

"Wh- who's there?"

*Jax comes in* Jax: Heya newbie.

"Jesuzs- How did you get in through a locked door? Where'd you get a key? I don't even have a key!"

Jax: i don't tell my secrets. And by the way, don't trust the microwave man. He's more dangerous than you think. *he leaves, locking the door behind him*

"Wait, no hold on! Come back. What does that mean?"

*they grabbed at the lock and fumbled with it until it unlocked. They stumble out into the hallway*

*Jax looks back* Jax: what do you want?

"What do you mean by 'he's more dangerous than you think'?"

Jax: oh, he's put multiple people into breakdowns, most of them lead to abstraction.

"Why? That just seems... cruel."

*Another searing drop of wax runs down the side of their face*

Jax: don't ask me. i think his brain was like "let's do some mischief".

"'Mischief' as in driving people insane. Alright. I'll keep that in mind. For as long as I've still got one."

Jax: well, he can be friendly. just be careful and don't do anything stupid. *he grabs a bucket of centipedes from his room and goes into ragatha's room, snickering*

"What are you doing with that?"

*They chuckle awkwardly*

Jax: doing a prank. *he pours the centipedes into her room and runs off*

"...Note to self, tell nobody anything personal."

*They shuddered, eyeing Ragatha's room before wandering along down the hall back to the main area. They took extra notice of the crossed out rooms now that they could take their time to. They frowned. Inevitably, a big red X would cover their face too, they guessed. They'd have to accept that. They blinked as another drop stung their eye*

*Marxo comes out of his room, waving towards you*

*They jump as they look over, warily waving back*

*Marxo looks confused, like he didn't know what he did. Maybe he didn't do it.*

*Waxter looks away, semi-apologetic. Were they sure they could trust Marxo after what Jax said? Were they sure they could trust Jax after he broke into their room and dumped bugs in someone else's?*

*you bump into ragatha while deep in your thoughts*

"Geh! Sorry! Why is this the only way I meet people."

*Well, at the very least, another character meant a distraction from their confusing thoughts*

*kinger yelps out of shock*
Marxo - nah, he was just yappin' about some insect collection like he usually does.

"Insect collection? Sounds interesting."

*Bugs. They remember liking bugs. At least there was some familiarity here*

Marxo - not really interesting in my opinion.

"Plenty interesting in mine. And you are?"

*They looked to Kinger*

Kinger: uhhhhhhh... *he makes unhinged movements before saying:* Kinger! My name is kinger!

"Waxter. Pleased to meet you."

*they smile, glancing briefly to Marxo with a look of mild concern.*

*Marxo again looks confused with the same look he made earlier when he waved at you*

*They shake their head. This place supposedly drove people crazy. Kinger must just be on the more out-of-it end. They felt a little pang of guilt*

*you hear Ragatha scream, but you look at her room, and she isn't there, she's in Gangle's room*

*They flinch at the shout and race back down the hall to see what's wrong*

"Ragatha? What's wrong?"

*They called*

Ragatha: oh, it's ok! What's your name?

"Waxter."

*They straightened their posture a bit. Going by that name was only starting to sound right.*

"You?"

Ragatha: oh, I'm ragatha.

"Ah, Makes sense. Fellow pun name, heh. Uh, I... would avoid checking your room for the time being, by the way..."

Ragatha: why?

"Jax."

*Was all they could think to say*

Ragatha: urgh, *BONK* that dumb rabbit! *she storms off into the main part of the tent*

*They follow hesitantly after. May as well get used to the area if they're stuck here til they lose it*

*you see Marxo talking with Kinger*

*They approach the pair with apprehension, waving politely*

"Hello? Am I interrupting anything?"

*Ragatha points at gangle, or at least WAS gangle. Gangle is abstracted*

(NAWWWW NOT MY GIRL! THEY GOT HERRRRR)

"Wh- what is that? That's not... what IS that?"

*They stammered, wax dripping over their face. They backed away from the door*

(Btw, for context since I keep mentioning them melting, Waxter's head literally melts as their mental state deteriorates)

*The monster grabs Ragatha and throws her down the hall. She looks at you and starts chasing you*

*Waxter stumbled away, barely looking back towards where Ragatha was thrown. They raved for the main area*

“Oh shoot shoot shoot shoot…”

*Marxo sees Gangle and screams and runs off*

"Hay! Come back- What do I do- wait!"

*They gasp for breath as they run after Marxo, dodging around colorful blocks and plastic barrels*

*Marxo is hiding around a corner, looking extremely scared*

*They scurry around another corner, hugging the wall as tight as they could. They looked back around for Marxo. As they caught their breath, they started to question what Jax had said about him. If he were intentionally forcing people into abstraction, then why would he be so terrified of them? Unless it was some sick joke to get them to distrust him? They shook their head. That wasn't the problem right now. This was*

*the monster is running around, looking for people to attack. You don't see it for a while, then it sees Marxo and throws him*

"Marxo!"

*They yelp, stumbling out of their sad excuse for a hiding spot. Perhaps they should've reacted like that for Ragatha? They shook their head. Now wasn't the time to feel bad or conflicted. Now was the time to worry about having stepped directly into danger*

Marxo - that was jax, and you can't leave this place, because there is no exit, sadly

*They stare blankly at where Jax had stepped away. Can't leave? They felt their knees buckle and it took all their strength not to collapse into a half-melted heap. Another dribble down their face threatened to scorch out one of their eyes, but they blink it away*

"This is so... so stupid."

Marxo - oh well, you'll get used to it. What's your name, anyways?

"My... name is... uh... What is it? I-it's on the tip of my tongue... Why can't I..."

*Their hand shakes and they feel oddly cold. Their flame dims*

"God, what is it?"

*sigh* Marxo - CAINE! WE NEED SOME HELP OVER HERE!!! *Caine comes over to see the newcomer*
Caine - My, my! Another human has entered this realm! So, what's your name?

"I don't know! That's the problem!"

*They snapped back*

Caine - time to bring the name-inator! Patent Pending... *A large machine falls from the sky containing letters*

"Wait! I- I think I can just... pick my own. Yeah. Just uh... Okay, so it's a wax pun. God, it sounded better in my head..."

*They paused for a moment.*

"...Waxter. Like Baxter and wax. Smushed together. I thought it was funny but looking back it's honestly really dumb but it's stuck now I think..."

Caine - AMAZING NAME! Never had anyone choose their one, but there is a first for everything! *he flies off with the machine*

"Who was... that?"

*They gesture up to where Caine had flown off to*

Marxo - hmph, another heating device character. What a concidence.

"Heating device- wh- What?"

*Their flat eyes dart across their face as they look about. A small drop of melted wax streaks down their cheek and they wince a bit*

"What's going on? Who- Who are you? What do you mean heating device?"

Marxo - I'm Marxo, and you stumbled into the amazing digital circus. And also, you are a candle.

"I'm a what?"

*They shuffled back, running another hand over their head. There was a sharp searing pain as they neared the flame*

"Ow- wh- How? What is going on? God, how do I-"

*They gripped at their face. Where was it. Where could they grab it, get it off?*

"Where is it?"

*puts a mirror in front of them*

*They freeze, staring back at what should be their reflection. It wasn't. It was some candle-headed something or other. Another drop of wax fell down their face. No, not their face. It's face. That wasn't them. But then again, what did they look like again?*

"No, no no no no no, how do I get out of this damn thing? Get it off me! This isn't funny!"

*They went right back to clawing at their face. The flame on their head flared up.*

Marxo - you're right about it not being funny. But its real, and it's your head.

"Exactly, it's not funny so tell me how to take the d*boink*ed headset OFF!"

*Jax barges in* Jax: heh, they think they can leave... *Jax walks off*

"Who was that? What does it mean?"

*Their brow scrunched*

"What does it mean, 'I still think I can leave'?"

*the monster spots you and starts chasing you again*

*They sprinted off to find a new hiding spot. Or someone else. Someone who could actually help*

"Jax! Kinger? Caine!"

*They shouted out as many names as they knew*

*Jax looked at you from a hiding spot, then went back to hiding*

"Does anyone plan to help me here?"

*They yelled out between gasps for breath*

*Marxo rushes out and pushes you out of the way before getting attacked again*

"Shoot- Marxo!"

*Panicked and unsure of further action, they freeze and curl up where they were shoved. Could they go after him? Was it safe?*

*Marxo is yelling in pain*

*They stumbled up to their feet. No, squi sitting there, thy commanded themself. He was hurt, so was Ragatha back in the hallway. Maybe the thing was disinterested in them. They rushed over to help Marxo*

Marxo - the ringleader, Caine. He controls this place.

"Wait, if he controls this place, he can get me out of here!."

*they stood up, feeling a bit less melty*

"He can get this thing off my head."

Marxo - he can't get you out. He's tried but can't.

*Their shoulders slumped once more*

"So... there really is no hope? And we're all just... supposed to be content with that?"

Marxo - yep.

"...Fine. Fine, I can handle this. Just... Deep breaths, Wax. You can handle this."

*They assured themself in the least assuring way possible. Clearly they were trying to avoid hyperventilating.

Marxo - um... I can show you your room, if you want.

"Yes! Yes, my room. that'd be great."

*They snapped back to 'reality,' if it could even be called that. A little place to curl up and process everything would be well appreciated. They felt exposed out here.*

Marxo - follow me. *you follow him down a hall, where there are pictures of things on the doors. Most of them are crossed out*

"What happened to all... them?"

*They gesture to the X-ed out pictures*