pedalbike | Third TDM: Don't Turn Around

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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!

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Xavier has never seen woods, let alone a trail. In spite of his apparent age, there's a wide-eyed wonder with which his ponderous steps seem to coincide, with no hurry or strain.

Another might notice the shape Sam is in, might notice the unfazed (or underlying perturbed) demeanour... literally anything, honestly. This someone, however, simply stops when Sam glances his way.

"Ah. You are correct; this is what I understand to be a beautiful landscape." That's... Hm. Maybe he's just not used to speaking the language? Though... the more one looks and listens, the more the monotone seems deeper than that, like he doesn't know how to emote, like some kind of automaton. Imagine that. "I do hope I am not interrupting your walk."

Sam glances at the stranger. He doesn't look... unfriendly, exactly, but he doesn't look like someone who has a whole lot of experience socializing with others. He keeps himself at a noticeable distance, hands at his side.

The monotone doesn't appear to faze him, though. At least, he doesn't comment on it. "Not really." As terse as he is, it doesn't look like he's upset at the company. "You a local?"

Xavier certainly has zero real bar to judge the human by, in the end. He's happy to turn his attention fully to Sam, and maintains the self-same distance at that.

"Negative, I am sorry. I am FH-76854-XVY." That... explains some things, maybe, and yet it really doesn't explain anything. "I have been searching for Pieces, but I am forced to conclude that this location is completely separate from where I was."

... yeah, this is a conversation. Sorry, Sam.

It could explain a lot, were Sam not a post-apocalyptic mailman. "Sounds like you had a worse childhood than me," he says with as much disbelief he can muster given the situation.

Waking up in a completely unfamiliar place is enough to make just about anyone feel a little off.

This is a completely normal conversation, of course. "I can't say I've ever heard of Pieces. Isn't that somethin' to do with astrology?"

"Childhood?" He tilts his head a little, blinking at the concept. "I have not been activated long enough to be considered past 'childhood', by DoLL standards."

Oh. He misunderstood. That's alright, Xavier is happy to assist! "Negative. I believe you are referring to Pisces. 'Pieces' is the desgination of my registered maintainer."

By the blank stare, it's clear he doesn't know what to do with any of that. "Can't say I know what you're talking about," he admits. The fact that none of that really rings a bell to him certainly doesn't help with his demeanor any.

"Do you... not have a proper name, then?"

It's the first time his voice has edged into something approaching concern. It's almost parental.

Oh. That is a little trickier... most people, he assumes, know what DoLLs are. Hm.

"I am sorry. Normally, an Artificial Intelligence like myself would be more able to explain." He can tell, vaguely, that something is odd in Sam's tone, but he doesn't really know what it is.

"Correct. As I am an Artificial Intelligence without an owner, I do not currently have a registered name. You are free to call me what you would like, of course. I will answer to any name registered in my database."

What luck, stuck with an actual baby AI.

The explanation doesn't help at all, considering he still looks baffled, but at the very least he does nod at the explanation. Still clearly doesn't have a clue what to do about it.

"My dad's name was Clifford. Cliff for short. Will that do?"

Just roll with it, Sam. You can shove it off on someone else later, maybe.

"Of course. Would you prefer I register both names, Mister--" A pause, a blink. "... I am sorry. I have not received a designation by which to call you."

"If you'd like," he says with a little shrug.

It's more than clear he's not the sort of person to want so much responsibility on his shoulders. Though, despite being terse and a little stiff, he doesn't appear to be trying to be rude.

"Name's Sam, you can call me that."

Clear, at least, to anyone with a real knowledge of humans. And, y'know. More than six months of living in basically a single room.

"Of course. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sam." A narrative that's going to be dry as toast left out overnight, really. Xavier's attention doesn't much waver without prompting, but he doesn't have a whole lot to add to a conversation.

The silence will stretch on until a new topic presents itself, but that isn't necessarily uncomfortable. They are, after all, at the precipice of a terribly beautiful scenery, and there's a lot to just... enjoy about that. If the silence stretches on too long, Xavier might find something to talk about, something to ask, but it's pretty clear that he's not inclined to interrupt too much just yet.

Sam, it seems, isn't uncomfortable with silence. He doesn't look awkward, doesn't look put off, just turns his attention back to the scenery in turn.

It's hard to tell just how long he's silent, but eventually he does speak up again. "You know... where I'm from, it ain't safe for most people to go wanderin' around outdoors. There are entire underground cities where folks live, now. Though there are a lot of people who've decided they wanna try and make it on their own anyway."

He motions to the view. "I can't blame them; when I was trekking my way through the country a while back, I saw views like this every so often."

When the silence stretches on, Xavier's attention does turn to the scenery, such to record it for a while.

It really is one hell of a view.

When Sam speaks up again, Xavier's head tilts. "Why is it unsafe outdoors, where you are from? I have no information in my database about such a place, though I am learning that there are many different places to have... come from." This, he pauses at, unsure of the wording. It works, though.

"This is the first time I have been outside of a small city block. I have never seen this many trees in one place, but I have only been active for approximately six months." The addendum is almost thoughtful, monotone aside. Sam didn't ask, but based on their current interactions, he... supposes this is how people interact. To a degree.

"It's... complicated," he settles on.

Sure, the guy may look old enough to understand the world, but Sam isn't entirely certain how childlike the guy actually is. Super complicated robots are completely outside of the realm of possibility for him.

"A long time ago, this... event was triggered, something that's happened for the entire life of the planet I'm from. Rain immediately ages and destroys anything it touches, and there are these creatures called BTs in the rain, too. Most people can't see 'em at all, makes things dangerous, because people die if they run into 'em. Me, I can sense them; know when they're around. Can't see them, though."

He's silent for a while, taking in Xavier's statement, and the view. "You're a little older than my daughter."

Complicated. Xavier files it away as a notation, even as Sam begins to explain.

And, of course, the explanation is... quite a lot to take in, even for him. These are not 'normal' facts for a human the way that Xavier understands them, but neither is this place. If it were... there wouldn't be nearly this much sprawling greenery.

"... I comprehend, but do not understand." He confirms the fact that... well, it is complicated. His grasp on the world is a strange thing, malfunctioning as he is, but he doesn't seem terribly childlike save by measure of his curiosity. "If I am comprehending correctly, this would make you a very important person, where you are from." It would make sense, after all. People, machines, things with the ability to perform functions otherwise difficult for others were important. Enviable, even.

The quiet stretches on a little longer, as Xavier files further information. Sam has a daughter, his father's name was or is Clifford, his world is-- "You have a daughter." It's a simple confirmation, nothing more. "I am sure you are very proud of one another."

Honestly, he isn't sure what his age means - he's a computer, after all. "I am sorry if my age has brought any discomfort." It's finally added, after a long moment of silence.

"Important?" Sam actually laughs a little at that, sounding maybe a little cynical, but he shakes his head. "I'm just a porter." It doesn't sound like he doesn't want to talk about it as he's just a little tired.

At the statement about his daughter, he actually smiles, though it doesn't last long. "Maybe. She's precocious; not like most babies, but she's still only a few months old. She's an infant, can't do much on her own."

It actually scares him a little, not knowing what's going to happen to her now.

"Is that not an important thing to do?" Xavier asks it earnestly. A normal DoLL, he knows, would be able to understand and reassure, but he is... well, the way he is. "You are able to do something that many cannot, after all."

He's categorised the scenery by now, and as such, Xavier's focus shifts to Sam. Each expression seems... small, fleeting, but it's noticeable even to him. "Someone takes care of her while you are out working, then?"

The wonder is there - if he can't find Pieces, the likelihood of Sam's daughter being nearby is... low, isn't it? Unless Sam was here before, but that doesn't fit the logical narrative either. He can't understand the logic behind fear, but he does have enough in his database (and his own confused experiences, he'll realise one day) to register that Sam must be worried.

"I guess," he says. It's... better than arguing, because it's not something he wants to argue about, really. That life is behind him, anyway.

He's silent for a moment, this time the silence is uncomfortable. "It's... just me. I've got a friend, though. I hope he's able to find her." The fact that his baby daughter is possibly completely on her own, too young to do much of anything is...

"I don't know for sure."

Xavier's lips purse as he takes in the words, this time... earnestly trying to find information to connect it all to. This level of discomfort is something he's seen once or twice in his time, and... well, he's trying.

People are, after all, nearly inimitably complex individuals.

"... I understand." His voice softens a little, the first change of inflection thus far. "... The voice spoke of 'perfection' when I arrived. I do not believe they would bring you here if they were not intending to assure that your daughter is taken care of."

Of this, he's reasonably certain - especially for humans, it would be pointless to bring them here under the guise of betterment, only to cause suffering, wouldn't it? He is broken, but... "I am also unable to admit to certainty, however. I am sorry I cannot provide more helpful information."

Sam laughs. It's not a kind noise, but any sense that he's being mean deflates when his shoulders visibly sag. "I wish I could believe that," he says quietly. "But I've got a little too much experience with supposedly all-powerful beings toying with others."

He shakes his head. "I've just gotta hope Deadman finds her first."

It's a grim statement, but he does offer a... well, not a smile, but his expression softens. "Thank you. It's not like you've got anything to do with my situation."

Supposedly all-powerful beings... Again, Xavier's head tilts curiously. It's difficult, he supposes, not having any databases.

"... Then it is acceptable to hope, I believe." He doesn't know if it's helpful, if it means anything at all. But... he doesn't know what else to say, either. "And I am happy to listen. I am... uncertain how to assist, in these situations, despite that being my function. So I am at least happy to provide an ear, if it is helpful."

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Third TDM: Don't Turn Around

Trail I

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dreamwidth pls post when I hit "post comment"

dreamwidth would like you to slow your roll, clearly

clearly

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