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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm not unarmed.

[ in his pocket he has a kitchen knife. not very big, but can probably cause some damage against someone that...isn't something like a sleep paralysis demon.

but he doesn't want to argue with her anymore, so he nods. ]

...I'm sorry.

A knife of sorts? Or are you a mage? [He looks a few years younger than her. At his age, Sabriel had been proficient in magic... and traveling into Death, to deal with the Dead spirits that had made it as far south as her school. She'd thought herself capable, at the time, of dealing with almost any threat she might face.]

It's all right. [Although she's not sure what he's apologizing for.]

[ sometimes you have to apologize for Existing. ]

It's a knife. I'm not a mage.

[ neither in his dream or in real life. and he'd much rather keep from her what he is in real life. unless she asks, which in that case...

well, it doesn't matter right now. russell sighs, pulling the knife out and holding it close to his chest for protection. his shoulders are still shaking from anxiety, but he stays close to sabriel as he waits for her to take the first step. he's not leaving without her. ]

All right. Then follow me. [Sabriel offers him her hand as she starts to walk. Her strides aren't as long as they normally would be, as she tries to maintain a pace Russell can keep up with.]

I never introduced myself, did I? My name is Sabriel.

[ russell stares at the hand like it's a foreign object for a couple of seconds, before tentatively reaching to grab it with his own.

the warmth of it makes him feel conflicted all over again, sighing. ]

My name's Russell. [ ... ] Why were you, um...around?

I wanted to see where the path led. Then I found you on the way back. [She almost says didn't you read the warning, but Russell seems to have been scared enough without getting scolded.]

It's a nice view of the ocean from a cliff- very scenic, even with the fog.

Oh....

[ that makes sense. russell had wanted to go down the path to see where it had led as well, but also because he had wanted to get away from the strange town he had ended up in. and yet look at him now, getting dragged back because he couldn't follow simple instructions.

he looks somewhat dejected as he walks...or maybe that's just his usual demeanor? who knows. ]

I also wanted to see it...I don't know what happened. I felt like I...had to go back, I guess.

There is some power on the trail- something that compels people to turn around.

[Sabriel sighs as she walks. She'd felt something, but it had been easy to disregard- she'd had her mind set on her goal, and she couldn't allow potentially dangerous distractions.]</small. If you're not experienced in such things, it can be hard to tell what impulses are your own, and which are being put in your head by someone... or something.

Oh.

[ well...that is definitely an explanation. he doesn't really know how to respond to that other than simply accepting it...but that too weighs down heavily on his shoulders. something putting thoughts in his head...

he sighs, and shakes his head. ]

Are you used to it?

I was trained to deal with such things, as part of my instruction in magic. [Mostly from her father, although Magistrix Greenwood also discussed such matters.]

So I can recognize when it's happening, and work to resist the effect. [And also.. Sabriel simply isn't prone to procrastinating, so the effect was less overwhelming.]

It does make me wonder what sort of place this is, though.

So you're...a magician?

[ to think that he would meet someone that uses magic outside of his dreams. he wonders if anyone else would be excited about it, but he doesn't really know how he feels about it. confused, maybe?

though her questions about this place do make him pause in thought, his gaze wandering down to his feet that continue to move at her pace. what is this place indeed...? ]

I thought... it was like a dream. I'm used to, uh, having weird dreams.

A Charter mage, yes. [Among other things, which weren't relevant right now.]

Dreams can be frightening sometimes. And I don't think dreams are ever completely ordinary. [Although this seems far too coherent to be a dream, from what Sabriel can remember of her own. And in dreams, she never thought this doesn't make sense, while here, it's been a reoccurring thought.]

Is that different from a normal mage?

[ he's a little curious. especially when he would rather not talk about things that have to do with dreams. though his dreams did not start out as frightening, russell had begun to recognize the strange distortions in the nameless town.

eyes on the trees. his mailbox, melting.

even now, he sometimes feels like he can hear the soft laughter of something that isn't there. ]

Well, Charter magic is normal magic in the Old Kingdom. It's called that because it draws its power from the Charter.

[Discussing necromancy and Free magic- and that Sabriel is also a kind of necromancer- seems unwise after he's been through an already unsettling experience.

Especially in a wood that almost certainly isn't entirely normal.]

The Charter is... it contains and describes everything. Everything that is, that was, and that might be or could be again. By drawing on its power, and tracing the appropriate marks, mages can do magic.

[ if she knew about his dream world, she would realize that this is per the norm for russell recently.

not that it makes him feel any less nervous...and he's also not going to tell her if he can help it. ]

Oh...[ he doesn't understand any of this, but he's doing his best to keep up. ] So...what kind of magic can you do?

I know how to defend myself, and how to heal, along with various forms of sealing and binding, along with a few minor, practical applications.

[To demonstrate, Sabriel sketches a single, shining mark in the air, letting it float a few feet ahead of them and illuminate the area. As Sabriel walks, the mark stays the same distance ahead.]

Such as producing light.

[ russell watches with interest as sabriel produces the light, his eyes following as it floats away from them. again, this is not his first time seeing magic... but it definitely is the first time outside of his dream.

there's a strange, fluttery feeling in his chest. one that he doesn't know how to describe...but he figures that it might not be a bad one. ]

That's cool.

[ said in the flattest tone ever. sorry, he's no good at expressing himself. ]

Well, it's a light spell, not a fire spell. Of course it doesn't produce heat. [Sabriel's tone is cheerfully informative.]

Are you cold? [He didn't seem to be shivering at least. Perhaps he'd merely expected the light-spell to act more like a fire.]

That's...um... [ not what he meant!

now he just feels high key awkward. at least it's a bit easy to hide it when you have maybe 3 expressions at most. ]

I'm fine. [ not cold. just traumatized. ]

All right.

[Sabriel walks in relative silence for a few minutes, listening to the sound of birds and the wind in the trees. Then, she speaks.]

Have you been on this island for very long?

[ russell doesn't actually mind the silence. in fact, he prefers it. there are too many awkward questions that could be brought up, and he has never been one for conversation.

he shakes his head when asked. ]

No. [ a pause. ] A couple days. I was in someone's house.

[Several days. He doesn't seem so young that he'd have trouble managing on his own, at least.

But Sabriel was a prefect, and the idea that younger students- or people in general- should be looked after had been drilled into her.]

And you're doing all right, on your own? You've found a place to sleep and aren't eating nothing but sweets?

I found a place to sleep. And I haven't only been eating sweets. I used to take care of myself a lot.

[ because his parents sucked. ]

Good. Although- hopefully we'll be able to find a way back to where we came from soon. [Sabriel has things she needs to do, and... this doesn't seem like a safe place for a child- even a self sufficient one.]

I just- need to find a way back. I came through a door, so- there must be a door that leads back to Belisaere. [Or perhaps it was a spell that was used? Perhaps she should check if this place had a library.]

Do you think so?

[ russell doesn't think so. usually he wasn't able to leave his dreams unless he had accomplished everything for that day. maybe if he were more skilled like those dreamsend employees...

well, if that were the case, then he wouldn't have been where he was in the first place. ]

That seems tough. There's lots of houses. Are you going to open every door?

Third TDM: Don't Turn Around

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