First TDM: Sterile Blues

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Arrival


Not all characters (known as Wickie, singular or Wickies, plural) arrive at the same time, surprisingly enough! That’s life for you. Some Wickies find their way to the island at a pivotal (or very mundane) point in their life, or even after or during their death.

Wickies who were standing or walking often find themselves entering the town South Sister, located on Lighthouse Isle, through an open doorway. Those that were laying down, or sleeping, tend to be found lying prone in beds, bathtubs, showers, couches, and similar places within the cottages on Cottage Row. There’s no rhyme or reason to it all! To Wickies familiar with the era, they will realize that everything looks as if it’s come from the ‘90s.

The house which a Wickie finds themselves within could already be occupied. This includes walking into a fellow Wicke, waking up in the same location, or accidentally scaring a room full of people with their sudden appearance.

Oops.


Sterile Blues

After arriving, Wickes will find that food and water are easy enough to come by, as they can be readily found in the various houses which populate Lighthouse Isle. Medical supplies, on the other hand, are not so easily acquired. Bandaids and other simple trappings can be pilfered from the odd medical cabinet, but otherwise you’re on your own.

Thankfully, if a Wickie or their friend are in need of medicine or a pair of trauma shears, while you won’t find a full-fledged hospital on the island, there is a clinic. The clinic, named Sister’s Helpers, is like the rest of the buildings in town. Its appearance is well kept, and the doors are unlocked. Whether the Wickie goes in through the windows (because they can), or through the front door like most would, they’ll find that the clinic’s interior is crisp, clean, and orderly. There are plastic chairs, a desk where a receptionist would sit, white walls, but then—

There’s a sound. It could be mistaken for a breeze, at first. But as the sound goes on, it becomes more obvious that the ‘breeze’ is an exhale, prolonged and forced. At the end, there’s a murmur, professional and assuring.

“That’s good. Breathe.”

And with that, the clinic becomes awash in shades of blue. Sister’s Helpers itself hasn’t become warped in any way. There is only monochromatic coloring which, upon further realization, is not truly in the building, but a problem with their vision. Leaving without investigating further will mean having blue vision for the next twenty-four hours.

But for Wickies who choose to stay and explore, there is a chance at clearing their vision. This is is especially difficult for those who have a history of not taking care of their injuries. Gradually, it becomes more difficult to walk, as if there are weights on their feet. For Wickies are especially guilty of not tending to their wounds, their movements will become even more sluggish, and weight will settle on their arms and chest, forcing the worst of offenders into a crawl as they explore from room to room.

Laying on the patient beds will alleviate the situation for a short amount of time. The cure, however, will come from characters taking the supplies which they need for themselves and not for others.

If the Wickie fails this, over the course of an hour they will be crushed to death, and will eventually wake up outside of the clinic. Their vision stuck in shades of red with a weakness in their limbs for the next twenty four hours.

The Wickie’s only cure for that is either taking medical supplies for themselves or by doing some form of self care.


Ashes, Ashes

It’s the middle of the night when all the Wickies are jarred awake from sleep by the blare of a broken siren. Wailing into the dark, the siren functions as a foghorn might, warning of hazardous conditions to come. Beneath Wickies feet, the ground trembles, pulsating once. Twice. Three times. And again, and again until—

The world changes, and it is no longer the foggy island the Wickies knew.

Ash falls steadily from above, blanketing the ground, and at first glance it can be mistaken for snow. Whether by scent, by touch, or even by taste (an option for the brave, the bold, the few), the truth of the ‘snowfall’ can be easily revealed. It is strange, though, that there are no signs of fire in the vicinity. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be much of anything at all. There’s still no sign of the mainland. There are no buildings in this desolate place, either.

Lighting in this new landscape is hazy and sullen, but still conducive to exploring despite it being the dead of night just moments ago. But while Wickies walk, there’s a growing feeling of foreboding. There’s something… something else with them.

And it conceals itself in the ash.

It attacks by lashing out to grab at the ankles and the calves, attempting to drag the unsuspecting victim down, to somewhere far deeper and hidden by billowing piles of ash. It’s easy to save a Wickie from the pull, so long as they’re quickly freed from their assailants grasp. Retrieving someone out of the ash itself is nigh impossible, though.

Grabbed Wickies who lived to tell the tale, may find themselves bitten. The stalkers in the ash sink their teeth into the foot or calf of their prey, leveraging the force of their bite to take down their target. And once there’s blood, more of these creatures will be attracted to the smell.

If a Wickie is clever or strong enough to draw the stalkers out of the ash, they will find that the attackers are shark-like people. Most of their head consists of oversized jaws housing an impossible amount of teeth, and lacking any eyes. Their bodies are covered in ashen chitin and bone, with elongated feet and thin, taloned fingers. These Ash Sharks do not like being exposed, and will respond accordingly.

Ash Sharks cannot be reasoned with. Trapping one in ropes, magic, or other means will elicit angry shrieks which will attract other Ash Sharks, either to eat the trapper, or trapped, or both if they can. Being dragged completely under the ash will start a feeding frenzy, and the Ash Shark will proceed to rip and tear chunks out of its prey.

In dying, Wickies will reset to a random location within the ash filled fields, completely intact but for a purpling bruise where the initial bite took place.

Good luck.


Network Time: The Heart Game

There’s a beeping alert on all Wickie’s smartphones that refuses to stop until a particular notification is read. The notification is for something called the Heart Game (which, yes, looks annoying, overly bright, and cheesy). And surprise! The game opens up automatically with a loud ping!

The game begins (and ends!) with a question, one which will not go away even if you try to close out of it or shut off your smartphone. It reads:

It’s time for everyone's favorite game! Confession! Heeeeere is today’s question which you must confess!

What is… the scariest thing you’ve experienced? It can be anything!

code bases by tricklet

Comments

Roxas | Kingdom Hearts | Will match format

[missingache]

Arrival
[Waking up in a strange house wasn't fun. Roxas was sure he'd been asleep in his own bed, only to wake up on one that wasn't as comfortable and not in a room he recognizes. Was he having a nightmare?

Everything feels real. The vision and voice seemed real. Yet Roxas wasn't 100% sold on all of this since his heart was still fairly new. This was more of an annoying situation than a worrying one. The phone in his pocket was far more advanced than the gummiphones from home and that was ignored after he couldn't get it to work right.

Once Roxas was outside, it was time to find someone. Anyone. To talk to. Ask things. Figure out just how real this was. So the first person seen will be approached.]

Excuse me? [There's a lot of tension in his poor kids body language.] Is this place real?


Ashes, Ashes
[The ash snow was weird. Tasted weird (Roxas was a curious guy). The smell was worrying when he couldn't see a fire anywhere. He should have been on guard for a possible attack. It came to fast, but he fought back, finding his poor calf sore beyond belief after. His poor pant leg has seen better days.

After having climbed up on something high, there's anger and some plan already forming. Anyone not accosted will be called to.]

Hey! How strong are you?

[Mind helping him catch the thing? Or at least scare this shark thing away from the area for a while?]


Heart Game
[Okay. Phone is being given a chance. The question is a bit weird, but what's the harm in answering the question?]

Being forgotten is the scariest to me.


Wildcard
[Feel free to hit me up with anything! Pm or contact me at chromatus for more specific things.]

Heart Game

[whiteshroud]

[Oh huh. Interesting.]

Why do you say that?

[missingache]

It feels like you don't exist anymore.

[whiteshroud]

I guess...but it's not like you actually STOP existing if people don't remember.

[missingache]

I did for a while.

People can stop existing till someone remembers.

[whiteshroud]

["That sounds like BS" he thinks, being someone whose life work kinda depends on not being remembered.

But. Hey. Maybe it'll make a good scary story to tell someone so]

Really? That sounds bad. How'd that happen??

[missingache]

[..... that was a good question. He has to take some time to think about it??]

I don't really know how to explain it, but I stopped existing so someone else could, and I just wasn't there.
No one knew I existed in the first place because they all forgot about me.

Does that make sense?

[whiteshroud]

I guess. Sounds like a pretty special situation.

[Then again his own life is flipping weird so who is he to judge]

But in that case...how do you exist now?

[missingache]

I got my own heart!

[That doesn't really explain anything, but sure, go off with that.]

arrival

[oathkeeper]

[Sora doesn't much like waking up in weird places either. But it's sort of something that happens to him quite often so he's gotten used to it happening. One moment he's staring off into the expanse of stark blue and the next he's waking up soaking wet in someone's bathtub. That's mega embarrassing. Aside from the whole "okay where am i now" that goes through his head.

He's shivering when he finally manages to get his bearings. Seeing the darkness and fog of this place is eerie. It makes him think of Jack Skellington's world or maybe even Port Royal on a stormy day but there's nothing jovial about this place so far.

A voice makes him turn his head. Seeing a flash of blond makes Sora's eyes go wide.]

... Roxas? [Is this actually real? Good question.] Is that you?

[missingache]

[It's Sora!

Wait.

It's... Sora.

Roxas just stares at the other for some time. This couldn't be real. Sora was gone. The blond reached up and pinched his own cheek to see if he was really awake. That's what someone does, right? It makes him yelp softly, rubbing his poor cheek right after.

Definitely awake... which means this was real. Sora was here. But how...? Roxas doesn't remember them figuring out where the missing young man had gone. Someone would have told him, right?]

Y-Yeah, it's me. [Should he cry? Run at Sora and hug him? Stand here with eyes wide and trying to figure out just what was going on? The last one was the option the blond was opting for. Despite what his throbbing cheek said, this couldn't be real.]

[oathkeeper]

[Why is Roxas pinching his own cheek like that? Sora blinks and then lets out a snort of laughter before he comes up to the blond boy quickly.]

Boy, am I glad to see you!

[Sora seems chipper as ever as if there's nothing wrong with him at all! He throws an arm around Roxas' shoulder with a friendly push.]

But- Uh! I think we're really far away from home right now...! Are you okay?

[missingache]

[Okay, that's weird. Roxas is actually going to put a guard up since... shouldn't Sora be less Sora? The other did disappear. This was strange and the blond wants to ask what's up....]

Uhm... yeah. We are. [As for being okay?]

Shouldn't I be the one asking if you're okay?

[oathkeeper]

[Roxas gives him that look so Sora finds himself pulling his arm away from Roxas and rubbing at his own hair.]

I think I'm okay?

[Honestly, he feels okay. Maybe a little empty inside but he's not about to tell Roxas that. At least not right now.]

Except for that weird voice that was in my head when I woke up here.

[missingache]

[It's hard not to keep from frowning. That reply didn't answer much of anything, but with how he knows Sora is, might be the best answer Roxas will get. For now. Maybe something more honest can be fished out later.

For now Roxas is going to do his best to be happy. Or at least less suspicious and anxious about this entire ordeal.]

You think you're okay waking up in a weird world? [He snorts softly at that and shakes his head.]

You're doing better than me. I still don't think this place is really real... weird voice or not, this isn't normal.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora lets out a short laugh and then shakes his head. He's still shivering from waking up in that bathtub full of water but he's trying to seem like he's doing his best here!]

I think I'm maybe kind of used to it at this point?

[But in all honesty he's worried about why they're here. He's happy to see Roxas but there's this thick caution between them that makes him press his lips together.]

I don't know what's happening but at least we can try and figure it all out together?

[missingache]

[Roxas notices the shivering finally and tries to figure out where it's from. Why was Sora wet?]

Yeah... but we should get you dry, first. Come on.

[He grabs Sora's hand just to make sure the other does come along and leads Sora back to the house he just came from.]

I didn't see anyone in here, so it should be fine if we get some towels. You're gonna catch a cold if we don't get you warmed up.

ashes, ashes

[sweariff]

[Bigby has also seen better days. Having managed to climb atop a bus stop shelter across from where Roxas is, he winces as he shifts his weight off his wounded leg, his pants leg wet with blood and slightly torn from where the shark's teeth had clamped onto him. Thanks to his healing factor, the wound is gradually beginning to seal up and doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did when the fucking thing grabbed him, but the scent of blood hangs thick in the air like a cloud.

Which is probably why it hasn't left yet.

He sharply glances up and over at Roxas, who seems only slightly less stuck than he does.]

What did you have in mind? [he yells back.]

[missingache]

[Roxas goes to stare at the ground, waiting for movement. Once he sees some, his attention goes back over to Bigby.]

I was gonna lure it. Once it grabs on, if we can get it above ground, we could try and take it down!

[So this thing doesn't attack other people.]

I can't think of how else to get it to pop up.

[sweariff]

[Bigby looks troubled, and it's not just from the bite wound or the bulging outline of the shark as it alternates between his vantage point and Roxas' across from him. That's a pretty ballsy plan for a kid who, so far as Bigby can tell, is completely unarmed. He's been at the immortality game long enough to know that appearances don't mean shit and age is a number, and blah blah blah, but he still can't help but feel uneasy at the idea of involving a child in this — especially a Mundy child, as Roxas seemingly appears to be.

He looks from the path the shark is cutting through the ash, then back down to his leg. Blood is puddled in the place where he's had it stretched out. More than once, the shark makes a u-turn and goes back to prowling around the shelter, ignoring Roxas completely.]

I can, [Bigby says. He touches two fingers to his leg, drawing back red.] It smells blood. That's why it won't go away.

[And why would it? It's hungry, knows he's trapped and thinks he's weak. Easy prey.

Rubbing his two fingers together, Bigby decides to test his theory out by dragging his entire hand across the blood puddle, making sure it's nice and wet. Once it is, he holds it out over the edge of the shelter and shakes it out, scattering blood droplets down into the street. He's too high for the shark to get at, which should work in his favor in more than one way. He wants to see how intelligent it is, if it's willing to bide its time and recognize the bait for what it is or if it's willing to jump to get to him.]

[missingache]

[Gross, but effective. Roxas didn't know that sharks went after blood since he's never really had to deal with one. There was still a lot of learning left to do for him being human for such a short amount of time.

Since Bigby was trying to lure it out, Roxas nods and holds a hand out. Summoning a rather strange looking blade that gave off a very dark aura. Oblivion was his preferred for a straight up attack.]

Come on...

[As soon as the creature comes up, he's off in a literal flash. Skidding to a stop in front of it. He doesn't expect the chitin that protects it as his Keyblade hits and almost bounces off of it. Being this close may have been a mistake, but that's to be expected from such a reckless plan as teeth come at the blond. Hopefully Bigby doesn't mind Roxas jumping up and scrambling on top of the shelter with him. Looking irritated for a moment before he nods.]

I'll try magic next time. Just gotta keep away from that mouth...

[sweariff]

[Bigby doesn't expect Roxas to take immediate action, and he definitely doesn't expect him to conjure a blade out of thin air. He pulls his hand back, out of instinctive surprise just as much as reflex as the monster uselessly leaps up like a dog trying to get a bone dangled over its snout — close, but no cigar.]

Wait!

[Now that he knows the kid knows magic, the least they could do is come up with some sort of plan. Unfortunately, Roxas doesn't seem to hear him and his strange looking weapon rebounds off the shark's hide. Fortunately, the shark doesn't land a bite on him — the last thing it expected was an attack from behind, and it doesn't know which target it should concentrate on more — and Roxas is able to get a handhold on the roof of the shelter. Bigby grabs him by the arm and helps him the rest of the way up. The shark, meanwhile, dives back into the ashes with a hiss and begins to circle again.

Bigby looks over at Roxas, scooching back to give him some breathing room, frowning as he gets a better look at the kid's sword. If he squints, it looks a little bit like a key.]

What kind of magic? You mean [he gestures to the key, a bit at a loss for to describe it,] with that?

[missingache]

[Bigby would be right with the key thought. Roxas has never seen a problem with his weapon, though he knows it gets strange looks. As long as it hacks and slashes, it's fine.

The other is thanked for the help up before he nods.]

Yeah. I can use magic without it, but it's easier to aim and channel with the Keyblades. [There's more than one?] I can use ice, fire, thunder, and air magic. Oh, and curing magic! I'm not the best with it, but I can hold my own in a fight.

[Roxas looks down at the circling shark.]

I wanted to figure out if I could get it out by knocking it out... but it's got scales or something.

[sweariff]

[So it's as much of a wand or a staff as it is a sword. It's still weird, but it's not as weird as he thought it would be. Many of the witches back home use different objects to channel their magic through; Totenkinder with her knitting needles immediately comes to mind.

He picks up on the plural use of the word, and ordinarily, he'd ask the kid to elaborate. But ordinarily, he isn't stuck on bus shelters with hungry monsters circling underneath him, so that's going to have to wait. He frowns mightily with each form of magic Roxas lists off until he's outright scowling by the end of it.]

If you had a way to attack from a distance, why didn't you? That thing nearly ripped my leg off. [Although you couldn't tell from the way his leg looks now. His pants leg is still soaked through, but the bite marks underneath the torn fabric don't look nearly as severe as the amount of blood would suggest.]

You could've gotten yourself killed. The hell were you thinking charging in like that?

[missingache]

[That will get Bigby a blank look. Roxas doesn't see the problem with attacking first and using magic later??]

I attacked to see what kind of enemy I was dealing with? I can't just use magic randomly if I don't know it'll get hit by it or not.

[Just seemed more practical that way.]

I've fought enemies who can reflect magic. Can't just use it randomly.