This was what Iliya had been looking for. Just as he remembered, the easternmost wall of the building was all glass. And unlike the staircase he was on earlier, rays of light shined through from the springtime sun. And right in that sunlight was a small black kitten, stretching its body out in a cozy manner, eyes closed in contentment. It was quite out of place. Compared to the contorted and miserable portraits lining the walls, the cat was a mystifying, almost comforting sight.

“Hello there,” Iliya said from the entrance of the room. He hadn’t expected to find the kitten this easily. Tutorial mode was great.

The kitten lazily opened one of its golden eyes and started grumbling. “Great. Don’t tell me you have more peaches for me to eat?” There was a loud beeping sound, almost like a buzzer that would call for a foul in a sports game. The kitten let out an indignant meow before it stood up, stretched, and changed its tune. “Dear challenger, I am so hungry,” the kitten yowled, despite its clear bulging belly. “Please, do you have food for me?” It sat down and yawned, clearly bored.

Iliya approached the kitten, convinced that it was probably safe enough. In most games, quest givers didn’t attack those who were completing their quest, especially if the questee was on tutorial mode. “You’re sick of peaches, huh?”

“You have no idea,” the kitten groused. “I’ve eaten dozens of peaches within the last few days. If I see another peach I will cry. Do you want to make a kitten cry?” Clearly the little thing was going off script, but whatever system was in control didn’t seem to care very much even though the kitten’s casual complaining revealed to Iliya that this was a game that ran over and over, probably moving to different locations to suit its players.

“The food stash is made up of all peaches, huh?” Iliya commiserated with the kitten. He wasn’t a big peach fan himself- he didn’t like the fuzzy texture. Felt weird in his mouth.

“It started as a joke. That’s my name. Peaches.” The kitten- Peaches answered. “But the big cat just won’t let it die and now I even want to change my name. That’s how much I can’t stand peaches.”

“Can cats even eat peaches?”

“I don’t know. All cats are different. We’re individuals, you know,” Peaches said, much as the Moderator had. “Besides,” she added, “do I seem like a normal cat to you?”

“Most cats can’t speak,” Iliya conceded. “Tell you what. Since you’re so special, how about I share my dinner with you?”

Peaches eyed the bag under Iliya’s arm. “Whatcha got?”

“You like peanut butter and jelly?” Iliya took it out of his bag. The sandwich was wrapped in tinfoil, and about the size of his hand.

Without answering, Peaches hopped onto his lap, and gave the tinfoil a sniff. Then she unhinged her jaw like a snake and swallowed the sandwich whole. Tinfoil and all.