Third TDM: Don't Turn Around

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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.


Braving the Trail

A new trail has opened up in the woods today! Funny, that there’s never been a real path before, but this one promises a spectacular view for all Wickies who brave it.

However, the view has to be earned with one stipulation: until the Wickie reaches the trail’s end, they are forbidden to turn around. At all. There’s no mention of what may happen if the Wickie does glance back, but the scripted text on the sign marking the trail hints that the consequences just might be dire.

The hike itself is fairly easy. It even feels peaceful with the sounds of bird calls echoing in the distance. But for Wickies who are known for past procrastination, the walk will prove to be difficult. These individuals will experience an itching urge to turn around and leave the trail, and the itch worsens with every pause of their footsteps.

If a Wickie does turn around, they will find themselves staring up at a blank masked figure, slightly taller than themselves. And as wisps of fog cover the packed-dirt path, the figure hisses out a sigh, their voice barely audible as they issue their reprimand:

“I’m disappointed.”

Why, it’s not clear at all.

But with those words, the Wickie will find their body locked into place, unable to scream as their limbs become paralyzed, their eyes remaining fixed upon the masked figure. Somehow, the figure moves without walking, inching closer and closer until their mask and the Wickie’s face are close enough to touch.

The only way to become unlocked from this position is to have someone come and cover the Wickie’s eyes before leading them back to the trail’s start, somehow breaking their vision of the masked figure, or by speaking of a past regret outloud.

Otherwise, the Wickie has a good chance of dying from exposure.


Currently residing

It’s been nearly three months since the first arrivals started off on the island. It’s had its ups and downs, but with the previous quiet month, it’s been easy to relax in the cottages and houses, and even feel safe.

But not everything stays as it should. Whether a Wickie is just scoping the houses out, or returning to sleep in one of those comfy beds during the night, they will find that things are just a little..off. It’s as if someone has moved everything just a little, by no more than an inch or two. Sometimes, it even looks as if someone hurried away from the middle of a task. For example, mugs left in the sink will be washed; unslept in beds have been stripped, and their sheets are found in the laundry.

It’s only after sitting down with a fellow Wickie, that what’s going on will slowly become apparent.

People, looking more like blue tinted holographic designs, appear within the house. Slowly they become more visible, going through the motions of daily life. People with their significant others, children playing, even pets can be seen, playing with their owners or doing things that pets do.

These residentials don’t seem to notice the newcomers in their surroundings. But they do notice objects are moved, particularly if it’s furnishings. They frown, confused, before talking to one another and seeing the items returned to where they believe it should be. And curious too, that while the residentials appear to speak to one another, there’s not a sound that’s uttered when their mouths move.

It’s not possible to interact with them, unless the Wickie has the spiritual power to speak with spirits. Even then they’re quite confused, and do not believe themselves dead- it’s as if they think the Wickie is the ghost instead.

It is possible to deter the residentials manifesting by lighting a candlek. Upon the candle being lit, they recoil, some of them violently, and with great upset, before fading.

But they weren’t causing any harm.

Are they?


It Arrives

The pumpkins have vanished (finally!) there’s no more costumes in the various drawers in town; the apple bobbing is done, and there’s no more bonfires. Pity that means the food is gone too.

But something else has arrived. Something...small, white, and with webbed feet.

You’ll know it by its sound. It’s unknown what has brought this particular goose to the island; it might have been a laden desire, or it had flown here over miles. Or who knows, maybe the Admin has set this goose out as some kind of petty revenge.

All that is known as that this goose likes to wreak havoc. It likes going into the flower and vegetable gardens, looking for seeds, vegetables, and flowers to pull up; it likes to grab keys and toss them just out of reach.

It’s also clever enough that it figured out how to get into Fruits Basket, into homes, and even...sometimes...onto roofs.

Thankfully, while the goose likes to startle people, its mischief is rather harmless, and even, at times, enjoyable to watch. Just be sure not to leave anything electrical it can throw into a body of water by accident- or any bells it can keep in its temporary home by the woods.

For those who are curious, yes it will accept all sorts of snacks, and it is a wild, ordinary goose. (So yes, it is as harmless as a normal goose and yes it is edible).


Confession network

Yet again, the phone goes off. Doesn’t look like it’s anybody in town, but it’s that weird, cheesy app called The Heart Game. And it’s persistent, too: it doesn’t want to be ignored, making a series of beeps and chirps, much like a pet that wants attention.

The message that pops up is as follows:

We’re back! It’s the time for everyone's favorite game- Confession! So beloved users, our question is:

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why? Tell us everything!

Comments

[laeradr]

It contains my spells, yes. [ He sounds vaguely amused; it's an odd feeling, explaining something that's so obvious to everyone back in his homeland. ] They're called grimoires, where I'm from.

[ He watches Natori work with great interest, getting his vines to scoot out of the way so he has plenty of room to draw. They weave a larger circle around the both of them, leaves quivering as if in preparation. ]

You're quick to act. Are you used to handling situations like this?

[paperpusher]

Haha, this is essentially the sort of job I'd be sent on back home. 'A new path appeared in the forest and something suspicious happens to travelers who look behind them, please take care of it' would fit right in.

[And step number one to figuring out how to take care of it is to figure out what, exactly, they're up against. He nods in gratitude as the vines clear out from under him, and starts to work on a second circle in the center of the first.]

It sounds like you've accepted that you're in a different realm fairly quickly! I don't know if anyone's told you yet, but for the record, we supposedly don't die while we're here. Before you think I'm too noble for volunteering.

[laeradr]

[ You can't just throw a curveball at him like that??? The vines briefly halt in their movements, and Vangeance gives a wide-eyed blink from behind the mask. The thought of people being immune to death in this place is going to take a little effort to internalize. ]

I hadn't heard.

[ But for now, he shouldn't let his mind wander. He exhales softly, not quite a sigh. ]

It didn't seem prudent to waste time panicking when there are so many things about this place that need to be understood.

[paperpusher]

[Natori stops when the vines do, waiting to see if they'd picked up on something around them and shifting his grip on the stick in preparation to swing or block as necessary. But no, apparently it's just an emotional reaction to the idea of coming back from the dead. Which, you know, fair.]

I'm not telling you from personal experience, but it's pretty consistent what people are saying about it. Still, better to avoid it if we can, right?

[He truly has no idea what the causes or consequences of death not sticking could be; it's hardly something that came up when going through the exorcist texts in the family storehouse. He starts working on a stylized eye in the center of the second circle, now that the vines have settled down.]

Not to immediately throw another item on that list of things that need to be understood.

[laeradr]

[ Surely there must still be some consequence to 'dying.' He'll have to consider looking into it later. ]

Of course. Please rest assured -- I'll do everything I can to protect you from harm.

[ Despite his mild demeanor so far, that much is said with a gentle but ironclad confidence. He's no exorcist, and he's wary of curses, but he's a lot more used to straight combat.

Still, it doesn't sit well with him to be endangering a total stranger like this, so -- ]

Before you finish, if I could ask for your name?

[paperpusher]

Oh, right. I'm Natori. I've been here for a few weeks, so feel free to ask me any questions you have once we're through with this.

[No offense to the Char clone, but while he appreciates this guy's confidence and willingness to protect a total stranger, this place has a habit of throwing curveballs.

He finishes up with a few quick characters evenly spaced to ring around the center circle motif-- they're not anything used in modern Japanese even if Vangeance were able to recognize it when he saw it. He surveys his work for a second, then says]

If you're comfortable with it, you should stand so you're in front of me when I turn around. You might be able to see something.

[laeradr]

[ A nod and a very brief pause. ]

Vangeance. [ He's grown used to being recognized, so it's actually been a while since he's had to introduce himself. It's not a bad feeling. ] And thank you, Natori. I'll accept your offer once this has been handled.

[ Those weird characters do earn a curious glance. He doesn't recognize them, not really, but they look a little bit like the kind of thing he's seen Yami write in the past. (Because even a fantasy manga needs to have a Japan expy.)

That aside, he moves into position. A thin spiderweb of tree roots shoots out across the ground behind them in preparation. ]

Please be careful.

[paperpusher]

[He nods back, in lieu of a 'nice to meet you' or a thank you of his own; whatever, they're both cool adults in their mid-twenties (so, ancient) who are here to experiment with some unknown force in the forest, they don't have to stand on ceremony. He steps into the center of the circle and claps his hands around the stick-- Vangeance might pick up on a shift in the spiritual energy or what the fuck ever around him, focused on the array.]

Alright. Ready?

[He takes one more breath in preparation, then turns around in one smooth motion. When the figure appears, there's enough time for a rather satisfied half smile to appear on Natori's face; great, they dragged whatever it was out of hiding, and with his spell circle already set up they might just be able to seal the threat for the rest of the residents.

(He's gonna look like such a smug dick with that expression frozen on his face.)

He hears that voice-- I'm disappointed-- and suddenly he can't look away from the mask. That gathering power in the circle underneath him sputters out in a moment as his limbs lock in place. The figure draws closer, not as though it's walking but evenly, steadily, unnaturally moving forward until all he sees is the distorted reflection of his glasses and eyes in the mask.

womp womp.]

[laeradr]

[ The instant Natori turns around, his nerves flare. There's the immediate sense that something is wrong, his blood running colder, but he can't quite pin it down. And the roots he's planted aren't picking up any new presences, either. Vangeance stands tensely at attention, and it's obvious from his gaze -- focused, but staring off in the wrong direction -- that he totally doesn't see the other masked stranger gliding up to terrorize Natori.

At least Natori doesn't have to stay frozen like a smug wax statue for too long. Vangeance had already noticed the magic circle's effects fizzling out, and it only takes him a moment or two longer to realize Natori is ... oddly, unnatural still.

He springs into action immediately, his grimoire glowing bright. Natori is hefted up a dozen feet into the air as saplings burst into life all around him, lifting him up and forming a protective cage of foliage and branches around him.

And just for good measure, he obliterates the path in a twenty foot radius around them, the ground violently exploding with tree roots meant to ensnare any invisible enemies. They unfortunately don't catch anything, which means he'll have to worry about it later. For now, Natori's safety comes first.

He'd held onto the side of that foliage cage as it rose up, and he calls through the curtain of branches, ]

-- Natori, can you respond?

[paperpusher]

[The moment he's hauled up into the air by a forest exploding around him, he regains the ability to move; he braces one hand against the nearest branch and tries to process what's happened. 'Some confidence' in combat, he'd said. Natori huffs out a small laugh; he's had a lot of practice encountering people with more power than he'd imagined possible, lately, but he can still take a moment to be in awe of it.]

I thought you said you weren't bringing the entire forest, [is what he says first, because a movie star of all people knows the importance of timing your cool guy quips correctly. He closes his eyes and rubs the back of his neck with his free hand, chasing out an intangible stiffness. Alright, so. Status report.]

There was a figure there. Were you able to see it? [It's not a given, but the trouble is that it doesn't necessarily narrow things down if Vangeance wasn't. He'd assume someone capable of this sort of elemental manipulation should be able to see spirits at least as well as he could, but at the same time this place had challenged a lot of his assumptions.] Maybe 176 or 177 centimeters, wearing a blank reflective mask. It got close enough to touch before you... [a hand gesture to indicate 'all this,' even though Vangeance can't... see him through this nice protective forest bubble.] As soon as I saw it, I couldn't move.

[please note the 'couldn't,' new super powerful friend. he wasn't scared like some incompetent newbie!!!! pls believe.]

[laeradr]

[ He breathes a tiny sigh of relief at the prompt response. He's confident in his own abilities, but there's always a sliver of risk in any situation; he would have been devastated if he let someone die before his eyes, and so soon after ending up in this strange place. ]

Haha, I only brought along what was necessary.

[ 'I can do more than this,' in other words.

There's the rustle of leaves as some of the branches peel aside, making a window so Vangeance can look in. ]

I'm afraid I didn't sense anything. I only reacted because your, ah ... spell [ the magic circle, he means ] failed, and you were acting strangely. To think it got so close without any trace of mana ...

[ Devious. The fact that it's undetectable means they can't even be fully sure it's gone. Which heightens the desire to look back. Vangeance seems tempted for a moment before shaking his head, focusing on Natori once more. ]

It may be an automatically activated trap. If not, an impressively long-range effect. I couldn't find anyone in the immediate vicinity. [ The window opens bigger so he can step into the little forest bubble. ] Are you hurt in any way? I acted as soon as I could, but ...

[paperpusher]

[Wow, look at that. OP shounen powerhouses are really convenient allies to have in your back pocket, he muses.]

Haha, no, I'm fine. Maybe a bruise to the ego. I don't want you thinking so little of the techniques from my world when we've just met. [It's cheerful, jocular, and he even as he says it he's extracting a handful of paper dolls from his pockets; Natori isn't necessarily the best person from his world to be demonstrating their spiritual prowess anyway, though he'd like to think he strikes a good balance between 'has the training to know what he's talking about' and 'isn't an insufferable dick.'] Thank you, though. For how quickly you acted.

[He's also, incidentally, familiar enough with the entertainment industry that the use of the word 'mana' doesn't throw him. He really is one of those fantasy types, huh (thinks the exorcist/movie star as he animates several pieces of paper and watches them weave their way around the shrubbery).] Can you normally see things like this, then? Spirits or supernatural creatures, along those lines. Or rather, not just see them, but catch them in... [a gesture towards the ground. Whatever the fuck that was.]

[laeradr]

[ He can't quite keep up with Natori's effortless moviestar charm, but Vangeance does laugh at that, pleasantly modest. ]

Please. I haven't accomplished enough here to be looking down on anyone.

[ His magic's showy, certainly, but it's not like he managed to bag their masked culprit, so he doesn't have much to brag about. ]

I'm familiar with spirits, but they may be different from what you're referring to -- they represent the elements and are visible to everyone. Nothing like this. And though I'm aware some types of magic can make individuals invisible and intangible ... only the most skilled users would leave no trace of mana. It should also still leave them vulnerable to physical attacks. [ He watches Natori work while he speaks, widening their foliage dome and opening little windows if those paper dolls want to fly out. ] The spell I've cast outside should have drained the mana of anyone in the vicinity, trapping them, or at least tripping them up. But for a foe like this ... I apologize, I may only be able to serve as brute force.

[ Like, a lot of brute force. But only that. All of his broke-ass abilities rely on mana, and if that's not there, his arsenal is much more limited. ]

[paperpusher]

Ah, I see. I'm thinking of-- creatures, would probably be the best word, who are typically only visible to people with a strong spiritual ability. [So they can't really know either way whether this is an ayakashi-- or any sort of spirit in the way Natori thinks of when he uses the word-- or if it's something that only appears for the person who turns around. Not without Vangeance testing it, but it'd be reckless to have them both marked for turning around just to investigate a minor point.] ...But still, it's a spell based on some sort of spiritual power, so even if you wouldn't be able to see them it still should have...

[Oh, of course. He's forgetting the obvious way to narrow it down. He wiggles around within their little arbor cage until he's showing the back of his neck to Vangeance, shoving the ends of his hair up to ensure the ayakashi that lives on his skin isn't covered by anything. It looks like the shadow of a gecko, solid black and flat against the nape of his neck like a tattoo, except that when it's revealed it skitters to the right towards his collarbone with a quiet slithering sound.] See anything?

[It's only visible to people with that same spiritual sense-- like, I'm guessing Vangeance can see it, basically follow the same rules we'd follow for Stands]

[laeradr]

[ Sure, why not. Let's say he can see them, but the outlines are a little blurry since he's indirectly seeing their mana or something. Gotta love stupid shounen power systems.

When Natori starts squirming around, Vangeance leans back at first with a puzzled noise, balanced at the edge of the 'doorway' to give him some room. His first thought is that the phantom(?) Natori saw has left some sort of lingering effect. He has his grimoire flipped open to a healing spell, all ready to cast it when he finally realizes what he's supposed to be seeing. ]

... yes. [ The startled pause before his answer is notable only because he's been so calm and prompt about almost everything else so far. He's still squinting to try and make out the details, and when it audibly skitters away he gives a tiny start, boots shifting against the foliage underfoot. ] The shape of an animal. Some sort of lizard.

Is it some sort of curse? Or one of the spiritual creatures you mentioned.

[paperpusher]

The latter. [And maybe the former, though the jury's still out on that one. He turns back to face Vangeance with as much dignity as possible given their circumstances (so, not much), tapping his lip in thought.]

If you can see that, you'd be able to see the spirits I'm referring to-- so my guess is that the figure I saw is only visible to the person who turns around. --Haha, sorry if I threw you off guard. I probably should have explained what I was doing beforehand, given everything else that's going on here. [Then he blinks, realizing after a moment that--] My doll stopped. The one I sent back the way we came. It's not flying anymore.

[laeradr]

[ He smiles gracefully and shakes his head to signal, 'don't worry about it.' But silently, he admonishes himself.

... right. Right, of course. He should have known, given the flow of the conversation -- that mark is meant to be proof that he can see these spiritual creatures. Of course it wouldn't be a curse. It's just that his mind went there first, and Vangeance clears his throat to try and focus himself once more. ]

I can attempt to confront whatever has caught your doll, but I assume I won't be able to do much if it's the same presence that you saw before. It may only manifest to those who've turned back. [ The ridiculous feathers on his mask bob when he cants his head in thought. ] ... conversely, if I've nothing to fear from it, I can attempt to transport you in this state. I assume it hasn't appeared inside this enclosure? That presence.

[paperpusher]

No, I haven't seen it since you first did all of this. [What was the deciding factor? Eye contact? Physical contact with the path? Line of sight of the figure?] The doll certainly isn't worth you exposing yourself; it was more of a test than anything else. I can't tell if it's been taken or if it just froze the same way I did.

[The downside to using his dolls; easy to make, but severely limited in terms of what information they can convey back to him. Maybe it's considered an extension of Natori himself due to the sliver of his power that animates them. Or maybe a bird ate it. It could mean anything.]

In any case, we might as well try. If it's not too much trouble.

[laeradr]

Of course. It shouldn't be difficult.

[ His grimoire flips through its pages while Vangeance ponders for a few moments, then there's a flare of magical energy around him as he gestures with his hand. There's the sound of creaking tree roots and rustling dirt underfoot as their little foliage chamber starts lumbering backwards like a tank, carrying them back down the way they came. Not the smoothest ride tbh, but at least they won't be tripping all over the place trying to walk backwards. ]

And thank you. [ That done, he gives Natori a small nod. ] For risking your safety. With this, we've confirmed at least one way to help people who might have made the mistake of looking back. I'll have to traverse the path later in case anyone else has been caught. ... though I hope there aren't any ill effects from being left in that state for longer than a few moments.

[paperpusher]

[--Woah. It's not like he was caught off guard, per se, not when Vangeance just offered to transfer him "in this state," but... somehow it's still unexpected that something this elaborate could move.

What an insanely impressive piece of magic.]

...That's my line. This is incredible. [and then the princess gets carried back to safety in the magic plant carriage, the end, this half-finished tag has been sitting open on my laptop for a week but TAKE THAT it's done]