Act 3

## SUMMARY

Once the Cursor is done, it appears to be sunset.

Gardener Skye: "Oh! Y'done already?" "...thank God..." "Well uh, thank you so much for helpin' me out here!" "If you excuse me, I'm gonna go do somethin'... important." "But don't worry! In the meantime, you can get to know all of your Handy Pals!" "See ya!"

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-12h58m15s929.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-12h59m15s102.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-12h59m55s125.png

the Cursor remains just ahead of the flowers where Gardener Skye had waited before. What this "somethin'... important" means is unclear, but later context clues make it clear that soon after is a verbal confrontation with Number 8.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-13h01m59s351.png

Going back to the area with the flower trimmings...

Narrator: "Hmm..." "There's a lot of Handy Pals over... here... here... And here!" "Looks like it's time to meet your fellow Handy Pals!"

From here you can play several minigames:

### Hoopin'

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-13h17m49s014.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-13h17m58s047.png

Here the the Cursor must score 15 hoops in two and a half minutes. If you get all 15 in under 90 seconds you get the achievement Ballin. Completing the minigame we receive the middle piece of the Hideout Code with the text "You found a piece of paper!".

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h22m49s796.png

### Can you find us?

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h36m35s085.png

In this minigame, the Cursor must find six gloves. Some of them hide in plain sight while others paint themselves green to blend in with the grass. Completing the minigame we receive the right piece of the Hideout Code with the text "You found a piece of paper!".

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h37m01s872.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h37m28s860.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h37m38s797.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h37m52s966.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h38m09s452.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h38m14s422.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h38m44s692.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h41m35s089.png

### Rock, Paper, Scissors!

!Screenshot 2023-11-04 18-49-46.png

In this minigame, the Cursor must defeat Number 17 in a best of 5 match of rock paper scissors. Waiting long enough, visuals in the background appear telegraphing their next move. Completing the minigame we receive the left piece of the Hideout Code with the text "You found a piece of paper!".

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h55m14s546.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h55m58s274.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h56m01s211.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-18h57m20s366.png

### Exploration

Between the minigames, you can wander around the garden. Interacting with the basketball near the Handy Pal Cabin…

Narrator: "A basketball. Wait, is it called a basketball or a basketball Ball?" " I guess some questions will never be answered..."

This gets you the B-Ball clue.

The cabin's lights are still on. Knocking on the door gives us slightly different text than earlier... Narrator: "..." "No answer. But it looks like there's someone inside..."

Later we see that the people inside are Gardener Skye and Number 8.

Interacting with the sleeping Handy Pal on the bench...

Narrator: "It's... still sleeping."

Exploring the leftmost part of the garden where you and Gardener Skye planted flowers earlier, there's a closed shed. Interacting with flowers that motion left or right reveals the code needed to open the door...

Narrator: "The flowers are moving in a specific pattern. Maybe they're trying to tell you something."

This is not the last time the flowers will be treated as if they're alive. Entering the code in the lock, you open the shed and get a shovel.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h02m19s375.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h04m16s707.png

## After Completion

Once all minigames are completed, the Cursor puts the papers together to reveal the Hideout Code. Right after, a Handy Pal walks back to the same place you entered the garden from. As soon as you reach them, they jump into the well...

Narrator: "One of the Handy Pals is heading to the well!" "You should go and find out what's going on."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h05m30s048.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h05m38s180.png

Further down, interacting with the spot where something was buried we get narration...

Narrator: "Looks like something was buried here."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h06m36s700.png

If we have the shovel, we can dig it up, and find out it contains a paper. This is one of C's Notes, specifically number 15. This gets us the achievement A Buried Treasure.

Further down, past the entrance there's a shotgun shell case, another clue. This case was not here in Act 2.

### BEFORE

!Screenshot 2023-11-04 19-22-01.png

Interacting with it we get the following... "Huh? This wasn't here before. Someone may have dropped it by accident."

This suggests when Ben went to hunt Gardener Skye down, he arrived some time around this afternoon. Still, with Gardener Skye occupied with lecturing Number 8, she hasn't found him yet.

Following the glove down the well, the Cursor makes its way down a ladder. At the bottom is a metal door with a slider that can be looked through. Above the door is a sign of a bunny crossed out with a red X. This seems to represent Gardener Skye note being allowed in.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h36m13s610.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h36m00s172.png

Interacting with the door...

Boxers: "..." "Hmm..." "Password?"

Giving the password from the Hideout Code, which is "ILBOX" (I love Box) in sign language...

Boxers: "..." "Hehehe..." "Alright, come in."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h42m41s385.png

After this, he opens the door and lets you in. The door acts as a stopping point for the act, from which the story continues. Interacting with it brings up another Y/N prompt...

Narrator: "If you head inside, you won't be able to go back to the garden. Head inside anyway?"

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-19h52m17s428.png

Entering Boxers' Hideout, the Cursor is met with a long hallway.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h03m39s642.png

Next to a flickering light is an out of sight area full of boxes. Here in a box at the bottom the Cursor can find The First Fighter's Key.

!Screenshot 2023-11-04 20-01-40.png !Screenshot 2023-11-04 20-01-55.png !Screenshot 2023-11-04 20-02-13.png

The hallway continues from a side view. A brick wall is covered in spray paint with various messages. There's also a wooden table the painter(s) appear to have used as a stool. Interacting with them just tells you what the text says.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h04m00s196.png

In purple is a drawing of Gardener Skye. It's crossed out in red with the text "NO BUNNIES ALLOWED!". around it are drawings of eyes, and in purple the text "HA!" We see "HA!" as the onomatopoeia for her laugh in the "Don't get too close" teaser. Drawn in green is also some lines in reference to infamous comic "Loss".

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h23m59s015.png

Further right is a drawing of box in purple with the green text "I (heart) BOX!" and "yo!" There's also green drawings of flowers. Right of that is a drawing of a tongue sticking out in yellow, and the same colored text beneath says "NO more RULES!". Finally to the right of that is a red drawing of Boxers' face.

The purple color is heavily associated with Silvie, and being used for Boxers seems like a subtle nod to the fact that they're related.

Finally, at the end of the hall, you follow Boxers' silhouette. There he's waiting for you to get there as the lights turn on.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h33m41s105.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h33m49s069.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h33m55s367.png

The area ahead is fenced off for the time being...

Boxers: "Sup, dude. So you found my secret hideout, huh? That's kinda impressive, not gonna lie." "But I'm gonna be real with you for a sec. Somethin' about you seems kinda weird, my dude." "I don't wanna judge or anything, but I've never seen a Handy Pals as pale looking as you, dude." "I'm not gettin' the vibes I normally get with all the other Handy Pals." "Did she run out of gloves or somethin'?" "Hmm... you know what? I got a lil' challenge for you, my dude." "We're actually starting a competition in a couple of minutes." "So... if you like, win the competition... you'll earn my trust!" "Sound good?"

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-20h34m01s462.png

The player is presented with another Y/N prompt. Pressing NO gives some extra dialog...

Boxers: "Really? Come on, man! You're gonna miss out on the coolest event of your life, my dude!"

Saying NO again...

Boxers: "Hmm, ok, ok." "But what if..."

Saying NO again...

Boxers: "Bro." "Ok, you're just messin' with me" "Let's just go."' "Wait, I almost forgot... Name's Boxers, hehe..." "Alright, time to go."

This gives you the achievement Messing with Boxers.

After a fade to black, a cutscene begins.

We see several handy pals outside of the Handy Pal Cabin as it turns to night time...

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h09m54s943.png

Narrator: "Looks like it's starting to get dark outside..." "The Handy Pals are starting to get worried..." "The cabin's door has been locked for a while." "What's going on in there?"

Changing perspectives to inside the Handy Pal Cabin, we see Gardener Skye lecturing Number 8 as she lets out an exhausted sigh. Number 8 doesn't seem to be horribly scared or shaken up, and is just standing there listening...

Gardener Skye: "Just to reiterate." "If one of y'all gets past the labyrinth…" "Things are not gonna go well 'round here understand?" "Your actions will put all of your pals at risk." "So don't even think of going down there again."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h00m07s396.png

TODO analysis of what this means for GS and N8

Here Gardener Skye does threaten consequences for Number 8's actions, but doesn't take any immediate violent action. Her tone and expression seems to be one of disappointment and frustration, rather than rage. She's actively decided to let him off easy, but not without a very long conversation about why nobody should enter the Labyrinth else there be dire consequences. This seems to suggest she's hesitant about killing Number 8. It's heavily implied he's one of the earliest Handy Pals still around by now. We know that Gardener Skye could easily take out all the handy pals with the blow of a whistle, so I doubt her choosing mercy is out of fear. At a base level, she doesn't want to kill them, but is willing to do so if she deems it necessary. It's either out of respect for a long time companion, or to keep his disappearance from creating panic in the other Handy Pals. After all, Number 8 is the most popular.

She finishes lecturing him, and is quickly shocked by how long she's been spending there, with the rest of the Handy Pals waiting outside.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h04m19s933.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h04m22s056.png

Gardener Skye: "AH! Look at the time! My lil' Handy Pals have been waiting for hours now!" "I'm sorry for making y'all wait so long!" "I'm gonna head home now, but you should all take a nap." "Especially you..." "Number 8."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h24m47s507.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h25m23s136.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h26m00s456.png

Skye walks away and Number 8 is left standing there before the rest head in.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h27m59s528 1.png

After a fade to black, we flash forward in time after Gardener Skye's left. Number 8 looks around to make sure the other Handy Pals have fallen asleep. After that, he starts leaving the cabin.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h28m16s624.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h38m54s317.png

We see Number 8 slowly walk away, before being suddenly interrupted by Gardener Skye, who drops down from a nearby tree with a dramatic sound cue. After her sudden entrance, Number 8 is trembling. Clearly for her, this is the last straw.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h39m58s017.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h40m50s784.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h40m57s899.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h41m05s878.png

Gardener Skye: "Well look who it is!" "The one and only, Number 8!" "Sneaking out again are we?" "Seems like you don't understand the severity of this situation." "Do I have to teach you some manners?" "I'll take that as a yes."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h42m47s682.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h44m10s261.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h44m49s920.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h45m22s388.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h45m24s757.png

We can see her eyes are a glowing purple, and some purple force and black goop is used at will to transform her paw into claws.

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h51m30s951.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h51m35s286.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h51m42s166.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h51m47s991.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h51m59s156.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h52m03s928.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h52m07s387.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h53m59s756.png !vlcsnap-2023-11-04-21h52m12s480.png

After tearing Number 8 apart, she stomps on him, causing his heart to break. After a cut to black the game's intro plays. The intro analysis is on its own page. We later find out that Ben was whiteness to this encounter, which is what caused him to find her and stand up for the Handy Pals.

After this, it cuts to the Cursor and Boxers descending into the hideout...

Boxers: "Well, uh... I thought this thing could go faster, hehe." "Anyway, I don't wanna spoil the fun, but I wanted to ask..." "Have you ever... like... fought someone before?"

Here's another Y/N question...

Saying YES...

Boxers: "Oh, nice." "Guess you're ready for what's coming then, hehe."

Saying NO...

Boxers: "Oh.." "Well, I might have to teach you a few things then." "Unless you're too scared to handle it, hehe."

After both options Boxers gets surprised by the sound the elevator makes at arrival...

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-22h28m09s666.png

Boxers: "Oh." "Looks like we're here."

We switch to a scene of the space below, where several Handy Pals are hanging out.

Boxers: "Alright. Let's go to the training room."

!vlcsnap-2023-11-04-22h30m00s302 1.png