pedalbike | 2nd Event: Choices We Make

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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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Abel contemplates the best way to approach this. he wasn't in the habit of enjoying it when ~~cute~~ girls started thinking he was crazy right off the bat, and they HAD just met... he hadn't gotten nearly enough time to impress the fact he was incompetent to her yet!! can't have it spoiled too soon... ]

Ah, then - if we're in a judgment free zone, then I'll do my best to sound completely in touch with reality!

[ he chooses a diplomatic approach: ]

Can you tell me, Miss... if you remember how you got here? I promise, this all ties in to the leaving part!

[ Call her cute to her face and she'll just stare at him like he's spontaneously grown two heads. Hide has no idea how to deal with flirting, but it could be hilarious!
But as that's neither here nor there... ]

I'm... not sure. [ Her brow furrows thoughtfully. ] There was a village with a bandit problem. I was in the headsman's house, then --

[ What did happen? She remembers a brute with an axe giving her some trouble, but after the scuffle she left the same way she came in. Maybe. Probably. Or was that when the world decided to go absolutely apeshit and spit her out here instead? ]

The front door didn't lead back outside like it should have, just to another house. It's very confusing.

[ mm... he thought so. she didn't recall making the conscious decision to come to the island, either. Abel had picked up chatter from others echoing the same sentiments, and realized he wasn't alone in the phenomenon. no... sadly, it seemed-- ]

Then we're in the same boat, I'm afraid. No one I've spoken to seems to recall how on God's green earth we got here... Oh - speaking of boats, there haven't been any arrivals or departures that go anywhere, either! It's like we're marooned with no way to get... well. Anywhere, unfortunately...

[ a roundabout way to ease into the whole... crazy business. ]

Whoever brought us here seems to be very fond of our company, enough to make sure we stay.

A seaside town without fishing boats. That's not suspect at all.

[ G r e a t. Hide's initial optimism that this is all a strange but temporary misstep is plummeting more by the minute.
And per her blunt way of navigating a Gordian Knot problem, she'll offer the most reasonable solution: ]

It seems to me that all we need to do is find the person or thing responsible and kill it.

W-wow, she just went right out and SAID IT--

[ he gawks a little, giving a suffocated cough into his hand to mask his reaction. belatedly. and then he's lifting his hands in a gently placating gesture-- ]

Action-type! So you're an action-type, I see, I see...! [ he can see her and Father Tres getting along all too well... ] But - you know, don't you think maybe you're jumping the gun a little, miss...? What if someone brought us here for, ah. Less than nefarious purposes? Needed our help? Or were desperate, or...

[ he trails off. he wouldn't be much of a priest if he advocated for blind violence, of course, but he can completely understand why one would jump to Terminator mode after finding themselves trapped on Creepster Island with no explanation. or ticket home ]

[ ???
??????
Abel's an odd duck for sure. Entertaining to watch with how animated he is, but odd. ]

Then they should've asked. Like any reasonable person would have. [ Oh, that flat tone. She's not sympathetic for their kidnapper at all. ] We're being held against our will, presumably with no compensation. I see no need to waste time with "what if"s.

[ UNGA BUNGA SMASH has always worked in the past, okay. Don't judge her! ]

[ he seems completely oblivious to the look she's giving him WILLFULLY IGNORANT... she tolerates his nature considerably better than most of his female companions, and if she only knew how much she appreciated it...!!

he nudges habitually at those glasses again, his look going a little sympathetic ]

I can't help but agree that their methods aren't exactly... the best, I'll give you that. But it's good to try and keep a lid on our tempers, just in case, right? Someone with the resources to pull something on this grand a scale off probably wouldn't take well to violence...

[ ...what? he can make sense. occasionally. ]

Ah-- [ but then he abruptly brightens, that warm smile returning ] --right! I'm sorry, but I've forgotten to ask your name after we started introductions earlier, Miss...?

Then they'd better be convincing while begging for forgiveness.

[ Temper? Who said anything about temper? You don't have to be a loose cannon to decide some jerk needs to be fastball pitched directly into the sun, okay. She's not a total monster.
Anyway, Hide's more puzzled by Abel's reluctance to step up to the plate and hand out some well deserved whoopass. Who doesn't enjoy a good old beat 'em up? Maybe it's a weird cultural thing?

Hide studies him intently for a stretch of time, lost in thought just long enough for the silence to verge on awkward.
~~OH BOY ARE YOU READY FOR THE WEEB EDGELORD MOMENT~~

As with 99.9% of other instances of being asked her name, Hide reaches behind herself, unhooks her tanto from her belt, and thumbs the blade from the weathered sheath just enough to expose the character stamped into the metal:
"秀" ]

Hide.

[ is she cool yet???? ]

[ he sees her reaching behind her, and he looks quizzical and curious-- ]

[ --OH GOD NO DID HE MISCALCULATE?! he's watching her withdraw the weapon in unadulterated horror. he's having flashbacks. he's in ~~Vietnam~~ Astha's foyer and she's punting him into a wall for opening his mouth. he's being crushed by the waves of a woman's wrath, a familiar and endless ocean of rage and pain. he's drowning. he is--]

[ oh it's her name.

OH IT'S HER NAME.

THAT--]

--Was the COOLEST intro ever!! [ sorry about your personal space, he's leaning in and examining the symbol -- and may be inadvertently grasping her hands with ~~passion~~ overtop them in his eagerness. ] Ah-- Miss Hide, what kind of blade is this? I think Father Hugue would like it...!

-?!

[ WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU HEATHEN???? He's ruining her extra edgy air of mysteriousness! It took forever for her to master the perfect deadpan expression, the hours of honing muscle memory for baring the blade no more than needed while not accidentally nicking her thumb --

Hide just. Accepts this is her fate for the foreseeable future. ~~stares into the camera like The Office tbh~~. ]

...it's a tanto.

[ Unless he's holding on exceptionally tightly, she's going to tug one free and hastily tuck the dagger and sheath back on her belt before he gets any funny ideas.
The physical contact is more unnerving than having him all up in her grill tbh. ]

You plan on letting go any time soon?

[ he had been swallowed by his ~~passion~~ in the moment, but belatedly realized he's got a hold of her as she tries to wiggle free. the priest gives a strangled noise and releases her apologetically. ]

--Tanto! Tan-to. Very cool~! S-sorry about that, I was just, um. Swept up a bit by the drama of it all! Miss Hide, if I didn't know better, I'd say you practiced that number... it was action star levels of cool.

[ he's fangirling. she's doomed. she will never find rest her remaining days. he will sing her praises to all who will hear them, and they will come in search of this beacon of Coolness (TM)... ]

[ The nanosecond he lets go, Hide's already managed to somehow miraculously put some generous distance between them. She's keeping an eye on you, Abel. So much as one twitch in her direction again... ]

It's just a simple one handed draw.

[ Says the walking armoury. One would think he'd be keeping at least one sword hidden somewhere under that voluminous cloak of his.
~~good luck tryna stalk an actual ninja my dude you're gonna need it~~ ]

Something tells me you don't use blades often.

[ the Abel behaves himself!! ...until he's overcome by emotion again. which will probably be soon. sorry, Hide. ]

Oh, you say it's simple, but if I tried that I'd probably be at least THREE fingers down by now! [ he holds his fingers up on one hand, wiggling them in demonstration. just in case. you know. she forgot what fingers were?? ] And I can't imagine I'd have been able to give the same kind of cool delivery of my name, either. I mean--it's really a mouthful on my part. 'Father Abel' is too informal for a proper introduction, but just 'Abel' is even more informal-- and 'Father Abel Nightroad' is way too long, but [ here he puts on some mockery of her cool, collected face and a husky voice -- ]

"HIDE."

It's just the right amount of syllables. It's perfect. The whole thing is practically dripping coolness!!

Edited (SPELL...ING....) 2020-09-23 02:01 (UTC)

[ W H Y...
Even Tokichiro would get winded trying to keep up with Abel. That's saying something.

Hide's sort of dazed by this whole experience, not gonna lie. Her head tilts slightly, observing his performance with the same kind of vacant fascination as someone watching a slow-mo trainwreck directed by Michael Bay.
So majestic. All he's missing is a choir singing Ave Maria in the background. ]

I don't sound like that.

[ ...d-does she really sound like that?
DSFJLKASJ why does she care?! This has nothing to do with the matter at hand anyway! ]

So practice katas with blunt blades and think of a different nickname. It hardly matters what people call you if you can't defend yourself and end up dead anyway.

[ he waves his hands with a laugh, as if she'd just suggested something quite silly. there is also no commentary on whether or not she sounds like that. ~~maybe she sounds like that.~~ ]

Now, now-- Miss Hide, surely you aren't suggesting a priest break a vow of pacifism in the name of cool intros...

[ ...gears, turning. machinery whirring. one, singular brain cell left in his head - it works. overdrive. ]

[ leans....... in ]

But let's say, hypothetically, I did. You could teach me. To do it. Right? [ does not seem interested in the self-defense part..... just the looking cool while giving his name part........ ]

[ He leans in, she leans back in perfect sync. The integrity of her Personal Space Bubble must be maintained at all costs! Besides, even she can't keep a picture perfect poker face the entire time in the face of Abel's enthusiasm point-blank. That's just too much power for anyone to bear. ]

I... suppose so?

[ Hide's going to regret this. She can feel it in her bones. ]

You could start with a bokken and work your way up, if you're really serious about this.

[ and as simple as that, a pact was forged in blood that day. they say Hide's body was never found... ok jk but she has signed her soul to the eternal torment of meddling, quite an equally serious affliction!!

can she see her mistake as his eyes abruptly ~~shimmer~~ with immense excitement and awe?? ]

Ah! AH!

[ he would capture her hands again, but he can see her leaning away and some self-preservation has him, thankfully, refraining ]

I have no idea what that is but it sounds perfect! When can we get started?!

[ Did I say she was "going to" regret this? Scratch that. Hide already regrets this decision. Very much.

When can they start? Technically, right away. Maybe even right here. All he needs is a sturdy stick to trim down to size if they're really going to start super baby steps basic, but... ]

Later.

[ Yeah, no. She's not going to push her luck just to see what Abel's critical fangirl meltdown point looks like the moment he gets his hands on anything remotely sword shaped, and there aren't tall enough trees around here for Hide to bolt up one like a startled cat if she needs to make a hasty exit.

Thus: later. ]

We're still stuck in a place we can't escape, remember. This isn't a dojo one can freely enter and leave at will.

Ah, yes. Yes. [ he nods, knowingly. clearly on the same page as her. drawing the same conclusions. for the exact same reasons. definitely. ]

We don't have the right outfits. Well, I mean, yours is good - but mine? If I'm to be your apprentice, this simply won't do. You're right. How can we remedy this, Master?

[ you are Master now. do not abuse this power, or the gods will smite you. ]

[ S I G H . . .
Despite a full half of her face being hidden, Hide manages to scrape together a dead-eyed stare just fine. He can't seriously expect formal training, does he? That takes years --

Despite herself, Hide caves to the urge to cover her eyes with one hand after deciding a full on facepalm is too dangerous with the pointy metal bits on her gloves. ]

Don't call me that.

[ Something tells her he won't be satisfied with just a cursory "THAT is the pointy end" crash course. ]

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1/3 i'm sorry lkajslkdjf

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Never be sorry, I love him!

ok well i love hide already BEAUTIFUL

Sounds like some GREAT CR POTENTIAL to me 👀

i am absolutely on board with all of this

ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ most excellent!

COMBO'S YOU into the awaiting arms of this glorious new friendship; 1/3

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bless

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