2nd Event: Choices We Make

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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.

C-C-Changes

Thankfully the fog has gone down to what it was before, a slow creeping crawl over the ground. And too, the monsters of before are gone, leaving the town much like it was before. Well...close to what it was before.

For now the season's have changed, from a lingering summer to a cooler fall.

There’s new foods to try, even if some things like lattes cause people to slip into warm boots and tie up their hair, and soups make people curl up under blankets on the couch. And it also means decorations of all sorts, made of the leaves from the forest, orange, yellow and red things and...we can not forget...

Pumpkin overflow

Pumpkins! They're everywhere. Wickies will find pumpkins infused into all sorts of things, like coffee, ice cream, even spaghetti options! It's wild.

There’s also many jack o'lanterns. They have been placed everywhere in town, outside homes, and even small ones have been made into table decorations. The Jack o lanterns have very cheerful faces, and seem to watch Wickies every single move.

That is, until a Wickie bashes or otherwise abuses a pumpkin. That's when it changes- there seem to be more of them. Their expressions change to that of anger, sadness and disgust. None of them attack- yet. But their faces become more and more horrifying, as they follow the Wickie more and more- outside of the bathroom perhaps, or found on top of them as the Wickie wakes up in the middle of the night.

It shouldn't matter right? They're only pumpkins.

What a ride

Funny enough, with the pumpkin invasion, there also comes a dull colored horse wandering about the island. Its head is drooped, and it looks depressed and lonely. The horse is tame on approach and will accept pats and treats, even from those who are obviously not human.

But it also wants something, for all that it seems to be begging for attention. It wants someone to ride them, seems to even be begging for it with its big eyes. The horse will help Wickies to figure out how to mount; it will even stand beside the Town Center benches, rocks, or even go down in order to make it possible for the Wickie to get onto the horse’s back.

That’s when it changes. The Wickie is immediately wrapped in chains from their barrel to the Wickie’s waist. The horse turns a coal black and the Wickie’s clothing changes into that of a soldier's uniform, with a hand either holding a whip modeled after a human spine, or a jack o'lantern.

The Wickie cannot get off the horse on their own, no matter how much they struggle. As the horse moves throughout the town, they will go anywhere from a walk to a full canter, seemingly impervious to any magic or physical attacks. The same cannot be said for their unfortunate rider.

If the rider is hit, or simply in pain, the Wickie will feel an impulse that grows and grows until they scream a name of someone in town, someone they know.

And the named will drop, paralyzed. Paralyzed wickie are likely to die within minutes, more so if they are too close to horse and rider. The horse will happily trample anyone on the ground to death.

Even without the impulse, should the Wickie rider use anyone’s name, that person will drop, paralyzed, and unable to breathe.

There is only one way to possibly save the rider: scatter golden objects in their path. The horse will shriek, and promptly buck the rider off, before running away. Just make sure to catch the rider, or at least cushion their fall: they have no way of saving themselves until they hit the ground.

Heart game: confession

Current residents of the island may remember this particular beeping alert, and how it doesn’t go away, no matter what they do! That is, unless they open up the Heart Game, and answer the question.

Welcome back everyone! It’s so good to see you again! Now let’s play that game, Confession! And the question isssssss…

How do you celebrate the changing seasons! Don't be shy!

Comments

Aerith Gainsborough | Final Fantasy VII (Remake)

[flowertalks]

1;

[ aerith walks through the open doorway, plenty confused on how she's gotten here and why she's not at the very specific place she was beforehand. an open doorway is nothing like the edge of a highway looking into a foreboding void. but regardless, she seems to take it with stride, walking through and treating it like any other door she's walked through. ]

... Hellooo? Anybody home?

[ though this isn't really a home she's walking into. huh. still works? ]

2;

[ aerith's noticed the pumpkins watching her, but she isn't spooked by it by any means. in fact, she's sort of endeared by it, and interested as well. it's not like they have this sort of thing where she's from. so after a certain amount of wandering and noticing things, she can't help but speak up to one of the pumpkins, regardless of how strange it may make her look to those around her. she's never cared about that. ]

Hmm, need something? Maybe you're lonely?

[ do the pumpkins want to chat? is that it?? she has experience with talking to flora. ]

3;

[ aerith is kind to anyone and anything, this horse included. so she can't help but give it pats and such, following it to figure out why it's so upset, until it beckons for her to get on. she needs that bit of help to do so, but once she's on, things change for the worse, throwing her off-guard. okay, that's not good.

her initial reaction is shock, but she reigns it in quickly to try to deal with the situation with her usual softness.

and she leans in a little, trying to pet its mane. ]

If you tell me what's wrong, I can help better. I promise I won't judge.

[ because as it stands, she doesn't know what's going on but she definitely wasn't wearing this clothing and she definitely definitely didn't have these chains around her. ]

wildcard;

[ feel free to pm me with anything else! ]

1

[whiteshroud]

[The doorway will open up to a bedroom! Specifically this teenager's bedroom. He'd been in the middle of putting up a couple decorations: a plant, a couple pretty anime-style drawings he found in the store to hang on the wall. Maybe it was a little pointless to decorate, but it still felt nice.

But his decorating gets forgotten when a strange girl walks into his room. He pauses and stares. He definitely didn't hear her come into the house]

...Hello?

[flowertalks]

Huh? [ she hears his hello, which catches her attention, before she realizes her surroundings. WELL she didn't expect this door to lead into someone's bedroom, but she can roll with it. ]

Oh! Sorry, I didn't know where that door would lead. I guess now I do.

[ though maybe to him it's strange that someone in a home they already don't belong in is wandering into rooms. what she says makes more sense from her perspective. but she doesn't think to explain that. and she has questions herself, but she doesn't ask those, either. helpful. ]

[whiteshroud]

[Yeah, it's a little strange alright. Jun may be from an RPG, but it's not one of those where it's normal to just wander into someone's home. Then again, this isn't entirely unfamiliar to him. He's certainly popped up in unusual spots randomly before too.]

Um, yeah. Not the most exciting discovery, I'm sure.

[Just a nerd's bedroom]

Where were you before?

1

[splitinvain]

As I wandered the forest, the green leaves among, I heard a wild flower, singing a song.

[ There was a moment's pause, and then a soft chuckle as a thin man covered in tattoos stepped out of the room across from the door. ]

Forgive me. I was... reading. [ He hold up a book with a single V on the cover, his smile wry. Sitting on his shoulder was a rather odd looking bird that gives a very human-like huff before pushing off and flying up the stairs.]

I hope I didn't startle you.

[flowertalks]

[ only a little, but not enough to get any reaction out of her other than noticing him and watching curiously. so she shakes her head in response, a soft smile showing to reinforce her response. ]

No, you're good. I'm the one who should be hoping that, anyway.

[ he's probably where he's supposed to be, meanwhile she isn't. she's the one who should've startled him, she thinks. ]

2

[beskarad]

[Having spent a great deal of time on a moisture farm, IG-11 had observed Kuiil exhibit such behavior when attempting to coax and comfort the animals he cared for. If the Ugnaught had spoken to his crops before, the droid hadn't seen it.]

Are you conversing with the vegetation?

[He's curious, more than anything.]

[flowertalks]

[ oh, a new friend. a robot-y new friend! she'll speak to him just like normal, with the same casual tone she just used on the pumpkins. like nothing's strange about any of this.

and she nods her head in response. ]

Yup. I thought maybe that's what it wanted.

[beskarad]

An interesting hypothesis.

[His optics swivel to the nearest pumpkin to Aerith, focusing intently on its strange markings.]

How would you measure its success?

2

[dragonsgardener]

Pumpkins don't talk. Unless you've manage to contact their god?

[Geri looks somewhat interested in the possibility of the latter.]

[flowertalks]

[ well it's certainly not the latter, but aerith believes wholeheartedly in her little attempt. ]

Aw, you don't know that. Maybe they have a lot to say.

[ and she's here to hear it!! if they want, that is. ]

2 (Remake spoilers are a-ok!)

[thiefmaster]

You think you can understand these things?

[ Hi Aerith, have a shorty thief walking up behind you. He stops when he gets close enough and lets his arms fold across his chest. ]

[flowertalks]

It doesn't hurt to try, right?

[ which means she's not sure, but she can try it. if she can manage to talk to them, then it'll all be worth it. and if she can't, then that's fine, she won't be upset. ]

3

[coinages]

[ A growing impatience with Dark Nation's fear has caused her to be left behind at the house--and though his hands feel empty, without the comfortable weight of her chain in his fingers, there's also a bit of freedom in moving around town without her nudging at his legs, tugging him alone or whimpering softly every time they turn a corner. He hasn't seen too many other animals, lately, and maybe that's what draws his attention to, of all things, a horse, mounted with a rider; there's the soft voice of a woman, far enough away that he doesn't think anything of it, until he recognizes the sing-song of her soothing tone.

Well. It's the Ancient--not that he's had much experience with her, not that he knows much of anything personal outside of Tseng's insistence to keep watch on her and all the information in her files and her former residence in the laboratories and the fabled Promised Land; but she's wrapped up in chains and rags and surely this is another trick of the town. What else could it possibly be?

He approaches cautiously, but the horse is already at a trot--he reaches out a hand, tries to grasp at the reins to reel it in, but the horse does not seem to appreciate his presence, and he tries to keep pace with it.]

I don't believe the creatures will speak to you here, Miss Gainsborough.

[ A wry smile, but his cold blue eyes narrow at her predicament.]

Shall I help you down, or are you enjoying yourself?

[flowertalks]

[ well this is wholly unexpected. she knows very little about the man herself, only briefly catching sight of him before. but his expression and the things he says put her on guard. he's right, that the voices she normally hears are so silent here — like she has no connection to the planet (or rather, this planet). and it's disconcerting that he be right about that.

and then his smile, and his cold eyes... yeah, no, she knows when someone isn't safe. she's spent a lot of her life dealing with that. but she can't break her calmness.

so she gives a response in her usual tone. ]

That's nice of you, but I think I'll be fine on my own.

[ honestly she's safer with this horse than with him. ]

2

[supersoldier]

[What’s more ominous, a pumpkin with an expressive face, here and there throughout the town, as though to follow its residents about with no real reason why?

Or the presence of a certain silver-haired SOLDIER, his existence unannounced but here all the same, his wanderings having brought him this far out — just enough to spot a young woman trying to converse with the bright orange thing.

She should have better sense than that, he thinks to himself critically. This place has not proven to be safe — in fact, the opposite is true — and to waltz up so blithely you one of those smile-carved things is taking an undue risk. To herself and likely those around her.

Sephiroth has taken to ignoring them. He’s good at that, distancing himself with people and things he does not consider worth the time or effort, and he considers doing as much with her. Yet in the end, a moment passes and he approaches, speaking in that unaffected tone of his—]

You should leave well enough alone.

[The disapproval is blunt, and clear.]

[flowertalks]

[ this is fine.

aerith catches his voice, before turning to see him there — so close, so menacing. her breath almost catches in her throat for an instant, as she takes a step back, suddenly on guard, and her expression changes to something of wariness. they were just about to go after him — they needed to confront him. she knows full well the danger he poses to anything and everything.

and yet here he is, practically looming over her in his size and stature, telling her to... leave the pumpkins alone?

she gathers herself, her voice not taking on her usual sing-songy tone but instead staying calm and composed, with some assertiveness behind it. ]

I think I'll be fine.

hello! 1

[coraza]

[cloud is taking advantage of the fact that the house is empty to catch up on his sleep on the couch. it's hard enough, pretending to not need it just to look as capable as sephiroth—and also in not wanting to have the housemates, practically strangers, to worry either. his sleep is uneasy though, and having barely pulled any deeper than a light sleep, it's no surprise that the familiar (yet unexpected) voice rouses him.]

[he's at the edge of the couch, ready to stand, but takes a moment to hear if he hadn't just imagined it. the fog had messed with his mind plenty enough, voices of friends taunting him with the reality that he was rather alone.]

[the wooden floor squeaks under the weight of what he supposes is a boot, and cloud's making his way out of the living room towards the sound.]

—Aerith! [and how crazy the thought, as he reaches forward with a hand to hold onto her arm, only to stop himself at the last moment.] What are you—? How?

[he's not actually still sleeping and dreaming, is he?]

aaa hello!!!

[flowertalks]

[ considering she was only just with him moments ago, it isn't too much of a surprise to see him here, and she isn't dealing with the same amount of separation he is. ]

Oh, hey, Cloud! [ she assumes he's trying to ask about the door. maybe. ] You got me. I'm guessing you went through that door right before I did.

[ which is why he's here and she didn't see him coming through the door with her. yep! makes sense! really she has no idea what's going on. ]

2

[expio]

[ the tall, lanky priest observed her ministrations from a little ways away, for a few moments - it was a little endearing, how she bent and spoke to the pumpkin as if expecting the fellow to answer her back. the simple act seemed to tell a tale about her - though, maybe that was simply him looking too far into it with rose-tinted glasses.

he didn't want to startle her - Lord knew there was probably enough to get the hairs on the back of one's neck rising naturally, in this place - so he clears his throat a bit to try and announce himself before speaks, sunnily and with a little amiable wave in her direction ]

Ah - surely it can't be too lonely, if this the kind of company it keeps~!

[ he sheepishly rubs into silver hair with a chuckle ]

Though I hope I'm not interrupting your conversation, Miss...?

[ooc - aah I'm late, please feel free to disregard this if you're busy!! aerith is just..... too cute.........]

[flowertalks]

[ ooc: aww, of course it's not too late!! i'm glad you'd like to play with her ahah ]

[ oh — she looks up from her little attempt at a conversation to notice the man nearby, seeming friendly enough. she always enjoys when someone goes along with this sort of thing anyway. ]

Aerith. [ to answer what comes at the end of 'miss', there. and then she shakes her head. ] You're not. The more the merrier. [ and she gives a smile at that, before glancing down at the pumpkins and back at him. ] Though I think these ones might be shy.

[ considering they've only watched her and never responded yet. hmmm. ]

3

[like_a_surgeon]

[Most people would be surprised to see someone sitting a horse and wrapped in chains. This man? He just kind of blinks at Aerith.]

Is this something that happens a lot here?

[flowertalks]

[ well she looks right back at him, and then, with the most casual tone. ]

Hmm, who knows? Could be.

[ she honestly has no idea. at all. but she's far too calm for a situation like this, really. ]

3

[labdog]

[ the sight of aerith doesn't surprise red xiii so much as her change in clothing. he is aware that he is far from home and that this is not where he is supposed to be; whether this is part of destiny's course remains to be seen, but there is something he can do now, at least.

a golden brace rolls in front of the horse, causing it to rear back in surprise with a sharp whinny. red xiii takes advantage of its surprise and makes his way behind it, skirting around the horse's legs as it bucks aerith off. he has no way of properly catching her, but at least he's prepared to cushion her fall, digging his claws into the ground to brace himself for the impact.

hey girl, how's it going. ]

[flowertalks]

[ OH OKAY THIS WORKS, thank you rat dog friend.

she's taken totally off guard by this, as she didn't expect to be suddenly bucked off the horse like that. so please excuse her small shriek in response as she falls back off it, landing right on top of him. he's a strong doggy, though, he can take it!

though it takes her a moment to realize what she's on top of — it certainly doesn't feel like the ground, with all that fur. and then she notices. ]

Oh! [ she pushes herself off him, onto the ground proper and turns to kneel next to him instead. ] Did you do that? [ the freaking the horse out thing. ] You aren't hurt, right?