Monster (Cartoon Cat x Reader)

Game Within A Game

You took one step backwards, then another, pushing your two new companions back with you. You forced yourself to keep breathing steadily, even though your heart was racing in your chest. If you had been alone, you'd have probably bolted. But you weren't alone. You had other people with you, minors no less. You wouldn't just leave them behind to face whatever twisted punishment Cartoon Cat had in mind this time. Your mind strayed to what had happened when you'd been caught during that first game, your many scars itching at the memory.

"You know, I just finished introducing myself to a lovely young lady a couple minutes ago." The creature hummed, a casual smirk across his face. You heard a gasp and a muffled curse from behind you, though you couldn't tell who made which sound. Your blood had frozen in your veins, icy tendrils of dread creeping up your spine. "It was such a shame that someone else found her first. He pulled her right out of my claws, through a doorway I couldn't follow." A whimsical, innocent sounding chuckle escaped him, though never once did his eyes leave yours.

"So I did the next best thing..." At this, he leaned in. A sickening stretching sound echoed through the hallway as his neck extended towards you. There was a tug at your wrist as the two teens tried to back up. You stood your ground, trying not to play into his game. He'd just follow you if you backed up anyway. The grin widened the closer he got, until there was only a few inches of space between you both. "...and followed the sound of my favorite toy chatting away~"

You felt your breath hitch, unable to pass the lump in your throat. All you could see was your face reflected in his wide, flat pupils. Your eyes were narrowed in apprehension and bordered by dark circles. Your cheekbones were made more prominent by your slightly sunken cheeks. Your mouth had pressed itself into a thin, defiant line. Without your more distinct features, you wouldn't have even recognized that hardened face as your own.

An eternity seemed to pass as your tormentor stared into your soul, though it was probably only a few seconds. You should have been used to this by now, you reasoned desperately. The malevolent grin, the invasive closeness, the soulless eyes: you'd felt it all before. And yet you felt like you couldn't breathe, there was a prickly feeling from the hair on the back of your neck rising, your hands trembled, your legs had locked into place, and-

"That's not possible." You stopped staring at the monster only inches away from you, turning to glance at the brunette boy behind you. His face was pale, but his brown eyes never broke contact with the entity. "That scream we heard was too far away for you to have been there and overhear our conversation, much less for you to have gotten here as soon as we were leaving." Cartoon Cat's eyes left your face, his neck moving to get up close and personal with the young man. You tensed, your grip on his wrist tightening. You sincerely hoped the teen had enough sense to not offend the thing capable of ending his life at a second's notice.

"Are you suggesting I would lie?" An innocent enough question on it's own, but you knew nothing with Cartoon Cat was ever innocent. He was planning something, you could feel it. But what?

"Yes." Even with death so close, the boy didn't back down.

"Then I assume you wouldn't mind a little contest then, would you?"

His eyes narrowed, locking suspiciously with the monster's black ones. "Depends on the contest."

Cartoon Cat retracted his neck to a more reasonable distance and chuckled, sending a fresh wave of unease washing over you. "Oh, nothing too complex~ Your brother and your friend's cousin are still missing from your little group after all. Whoever finds them first wins! Plain and simple~"

"What about-" The girl whispered, pressed so close to your back that you could hear her clear as day.

You lifted a hand to silence her, finally finding your voice again. "How can we trust this game to be fair?"

The monstrosity tilted his head innocently. "Beg pardon?"

"You heard me." You swallowed the fear that threatened to close up your throat again. "You've already made it very apparent that you can move insanely quickly when you want to, and you have the added benefit of knowing this bloody maze better than anyone. Perfectly, even. You have proven to have superior senses to any of us-"

"Your praise flatters me, (y/n) darling~" The interruption annoyed you, turning your fear into indignation. You were sure now that he was playing with you, taking advantage of your current reactivity to toy with you further. It was infuriating, insulting even, how easily this creature could puppet your emotions.

"As I was saying..." you stated after a brief pause, hoping your distaste wasn't evident in your tone, "you have every possible advantage in this 'little contest.' We have absolutely nothing in comparison. The game isn't fair as long as that is the case." You put your free hand on your hip, eyes narrowed as you finished your spiel. The two young people behind you were silent, watching Cartoon Cat just as you were, waiting for whatever answer he had to give.

He was grinning wider now, his attention once more on you and only you. When he spoke again, you could hear something in his voice that fueled your indignation further. Amusement.

"It's true, I know this whole house front to back. Nothing happens in it that I don't know about." His eyes flicked to the teens again. "I knew you and your little posse were here the moment you set foot on the lawn~" You sensed the boy behind you, moving closer to the girl in response to his words, but you didn't dare look away from him.

"As for the flattering compliment regarding my superior senses~" He looked back at you again, "that is also completely accurate. I'm faster, stronger, can get into more places, hear better, smell better, see more, and track more accurately than you small, squishy humans could ever dream of. The game is only fair if I choose to play fair."

"So we're doomed, is what you're saying." The boy muttered angrily from beside you.

"Now now, I didn't say that." Cartoon Cat chuckled, walking around your small huddle nonchalantly. You turned with, keeping your body constantly between him and your new companions. "You see, I am playing both of these games purely for my own amusement. And while I love nothing more than seeing the hope drain from my playthings' eyes, it's no fun if I win immediately." Despite the childish pout dripping from his tone, his grin remained firmly in place. You doubted he even knew how to make any other expression.

"If I had wanted merely wanton destruction..." He paused to grin darkly at the lot of you, his voice deepening considerably, "none of you would be alive right now."

The dark atmosphere immediately lightened up with a giggle. "So, you'll get a very decent head start! I'll even give you a way to track their location! You'll have enough advantages between those two things to make it fair enough, don't you think?"

". . ." Your grip on the boy's wrist tightened. "This is your decision to make... I'll go along with whatever you decide."

"I should warn you that the alternative is I kill your girlfriend back there and we can continue with our little game of hide and seek as if our little negotiation never even happened." Cartoon Cat chuckled once more. "I'm not picky how this little encounter ends~"

"Okay, okay! We'll play!"

"Excellent!" The cryptid's eyes flashed in excitement, and for a moment, you could swear you saw something almost doglike in his face. Then the moment was over and something hard and round collided with your chest. Your hands shot up, catching the round thing on instinct. It was cool and smooth to the touch, with one glassy side and the rest being metallic. Almost like...

"A... compass...?" The girl asked, peering from over your shoulder at the object in your hands.

"I did promise a way to track your little friends~" He sounded far too pleased for your liking. The desire to leave as fast as possible had not left you yet. "You have a one hour head start. Beginning.... now~"

You wasted no time, pushing the two teens ahead of you as you turned and sprinted down the hall. There was hope, you could definitely reach the rest of the group in time. You might even be able to get out of this place with everyone in one piece!

At least, that was the lie you told yourself as Cartoon Cat vanished into the shadows behind you.