Alex was on the outskirts of town, lounging on Jim-Jam as she waited for the rest to show up. Lazily, she stretched out and opened up her status.

Alex Bryers Lord of Cats

Pawssance B Elast-hissity

A++ Clawt

A Know-meow

A+ Fursight

A++ Purrsonality

C

Her report card of attributes had increased considerably since traveling. Most of the improvements had come from her skills, but some were from hard work. Like her elasticity (she refused to make it a pun) came from constantly stretching each day. Sure some of her skills improved the grade but she attributed most of it to the stretching.

Speaking of skills, Alex took a look at the list of them under her report card.

Skills

Cat's Meow Catapult

Catalogue

Catalyst

Catastrophe

Cataclysm

Cool Cat

Belling the Cat

Cat Out of The Bag

Cat Facts

Catseye

She was getting a bit tired of every ability having cat somewhere in the name. Sure, the skills like cataclysm and catastrophe were ridiculously strong, but there was a thing as too many puns. The strange thing was that some of the skills had extra effects. Like cat facts. Alex expected the skill to only work with cats but it worked on everything. It just gave her less information if it wasn't related to a cat.

Of course, the worst skill was Catalogue. Once again she opened it to see if anything changed.

Catalogue Purrendipity Get luck like a cat! Costs the best belly rub

And that was only the first entry! How was she supposed to give a belly rub to something that lived in her head? She had tried imagining doing it but it wasn't like she could treat a box like a cat. Boxes were what cats sat in!

"What's got you riled up?" A voice said. Alex twisted around to see Caleb. He had a backpack stuffed to the brim and a bat hanging from a clip. Alex noticed the bat had a smiley face.

"Dealing with this cat system." She huffed.

"Ah. Cats are one of the most unfathomable animals so I can see how a system based on it is difficult. " He said.

"Yep." She replied.

Two more voices entered the conversation.

"Thank you for introducing me to your friend," Nathan said.

"It was no trouble. Your armor needed some repair and Jonathan is the best around." June replied.

"Oh hey you two, ready for our fetch quest?" Caleb said.

"Ready as one can be," Nathan replied. June only nodded.

"Hop on up then," Alex said. "It'll be a long journey even with Jim-Jam's and Rocket's speed."

June joined Alex on Jim-Jam while the two men saddled Rocket. "Let's go kids!" Alex cried.

"Yes Alpha!" The two said, leaping forwards.

Heading west, the two cats raced across the plains. Early on they hopped over small creeks and streams but soon the land became flat and dusty. Wind blew in the group's face as the cats bounded past dead farmland. In the distance Alex made out roving bands of monsters. One in particular had repurposed an old pick-up truck as a wagon. Large crabs looked to be pulling the truck and on the back sat little green men. Looking closer, she saw one of the goblin creatures on the roof of the truck, playing a guitar with wild abandon.

Alex saw many other sights as Jim-Jam and Rocket traversed the plains. Mechs made of junk, golems of stone, a giant marshmallow man. And those were only the most noticeable. After a good half-day of travel Alex finally saw the power plant in the distance.

"There it is." She pointed for the others.

The plant itself sat alone in the plains. The chimneys stood like concrete trees, and the buildings were imposing brick boulders. An aura seemed to cover the area as if to warn people away. Pulling up to the parking lot the group dismounted Jim-Jam and stored both him and Rocket in her satchel. Both needed some rest after the long trek.

"Man your cats are really fast," Caleb said.

"They aren't as good on rocky terrain. Crossing the mountains was a chore." Alex replied.

Caleb whistled. "Man even I haven't thought about crossing that deathtrap. Weren't there some dwarves or something raiding the area?"

"Something like that. It helped that all of their mounts were mountain lions. None of them could chase me."

"Is anyone else getting a feeling from this place?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," Replied June and Alex.

"No," Caleb answered.

"You don't count," June said.

"How do I not count?" Caleb said, affronted.

"Even if you did feel something you'd walk in without a care." She shot back.

"Alright, fair." Caleb ceded. "So what's our marching order?"

"You first." June pointed. "Alex and I in the middle so we can respond to threats. Nathan, you take the back since you have echolocation."

Everyone nodded. June turned to Caleb. "Do not. I repeat. Do not go too far ahead of us. You got that?"

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Yes, mooom."

June almost pulled her hair. "Let's just go before I try to stab you." She grunted.

The four moved over to the parking lot entrance, Caleb strolling while the others padded forward as quietly as possible. Reaching the door, Caleb pushed it open and walked through, bat at the ready. The others followed.

You have entered the Coal Dungeon! Turn back or become peat!

A box appeared in front of everyone but Caleb, causing them to pause in their travel. Noticing he wasn't being followed, Caleb turned back. "Okay one of you has got to warn me if you suddenly stop. Especially if you don't want me going ahead."

"You don't see it?" Alex asked.

"Obviously not," Caleb answered.

"We've entered a dungeon. Apparently." June commented.

"I thought this was a power plant?" Nathan questioned.

"It is," Alex answered.

"Oh it's like a game!" Caleb exclaimed. The others turned to look at him. "Have you guys never played videogames?"

They all shook their heads. "I'm blind," Nathan added.

Caleb turned and pointed, "Blindness is no excuse!"

"I think it kind of is," Alex replied.

"Whatever, just explain." June griped.

"Philistines," Caleb murmured. "In games, dungeons are places with traps and monsters. They protect loot, normally weapons or armor."

"Ugh! We don't have time for this." June cried.

"Maybe we can still get the essence. We just have to find the right area." Alex commented.

"Have we tested if the essence capsule will work anyways?" Nathan asked.

There was a pause.

"I'm an idiot," June said. Caleb nodded in agreement behind her.

Frustrated, June grabbed a capsule from her pack and activated it. The spherical capsule opened up, light emitting from the inside. A swirl of particles raced out, bonding with the air and racing back into the ball. It closed and a string of text wrapped around the capsule. June brought it up to read.

"Essence of Dungeon." She said. "No dice."

Alex tried to reassure June. "I'm sure we can find a generator or something down here."

"Maybe." June sighed. "I guess we keep heading in."

Caleb turned, excited. "Never got to explore a dungeon before. Maybe we can get you and upgrade Bat!" He shook the bat up and down in agreement. "Onwards!"

The group moved forwards, past the lobby entrance. A door sat at the end, slightly obscured by tacky potted ferns. Pushing past them, Caleb opened the door. On the other side were stairs that led downward. The stairs curved around in a spiral, carpeted steps becoming wood, then stone as the group delved.

After a tense trek down, the group came to another door. With the same blase attitude, Caleb threw open the door. He walked in, followed by the others.

The area was a cave, dark and lit by old electric lamps. Confused, the others stopped. Caleb walked forward, not bothering to look back. Alex noticed a bit too late.

"Caleb!" She yelled. He turned to look back at her and was hit in the head by a swinging ax. He walked back over to the others, the ax doing nothing. Alex breathed in relief. She had forgotten he was invincible and thought his brains were about to paint the walls.

It was then she heard it. There was the sound of drums and then a trumpet. "Do you guys hear music?" She asked.