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

Like "nice to meet you, my name is Natori." [see, you can do it, Megumi. Trust your instincts!

He gets to his feet properly, dusting off his jacket as he does so. (it wouldn't be a problem if he didn't nap on the ground--) This guy seems new, and he can go through enough of the welcome spiel, but first things first-- he assumed anyone who can summon a doggo from a cute shadow puppet act would be able to see the gecko, but it's still been a while since he's been stared at so blatantly.]

Something on my face?

[what a dick. The lizard skitters a little further down his cheek with a quiet slithering noise.]

[ he can tell that there's a gap in knowledge here, that the other guy's casual approach to another guy tripping over him on sight is something more expected in this weird place than not.

Megumi, on-brand for black haired boys in anime, plays the stoic card with ease. he would've done the whole "i don't need to tell you my name" spiel if he were more of a shit, but there's nothing actually wrong with divulging it, so: ] Fushiguro Megumi. [ last name first, given name second. obviously Japanese.

Natori, he notes. but more importantly-- ] --Is it alive? [ tapping at his own cheek. doesn't mince words, this one. ]

Nice to meet you, Fushiguro-kun, [he says with a little wave of his hand, and there isn't any meaningful stress on it at all-- just, you know, he already yoroshiku'd, so maybe the repetition in and of itself could be considered a little snarky. Really gotta hold this guy's hand through this whole process, huh? It's fine, Natori's having fun, and that's what really matters.] Mm, well, I guess it depends on what you consider 'alive.'

[Is it an independent entity, capable of moving on its own? Yes. Is it sentient? Probably. But spirits can always be a little hard to classify.]

It's an ayakashi, if that means anything to you. [Based purely on this truly excellent good boy who isn't even tearing up the remains of his paper supply, he'd guess that it probably does, but this place did have a habit of messing with his assumptions.]

[ hajimemashite, gurl... except there are no hajimemashite-s exchanged, because he's Rude. not rude in the way that suggests that he doesn't care, but rude in the way that suggests that he doesn't really have time for this— the formalities, the pleasantries.

at least he has something to focus his attention on, now. Natori shouldn't have to look carefully to see how Megumi's mental cogs are turning. ]

A spiritual derivative of a Curse. [ is what he finally lands on. ] Is it parasitic?

[ he's aware he's asking A Lot of Questions, but he might as well.

meanwhile, the dog shrinks down from were-dog to normal dog size. a big fluffy boof. Megumi idly runs his palm over its fur. ]

[That's not a set of phrases Natori would have put together like that-- he can understand what he thinks this guy is getting at, but it's sort of like, say, stringing together the phrases 'drugs and murder are foul, without any excuse' or 'need not to know.' Understandable, but still noticeably off. I hate that we haven't RPed in 5 years and yet the instant we do I immediately lose the ability to take anything seriously.]

Who knows, [he says breezily. You Only Live Once, Megumi, you can't spend your entire childhood obsessing over the mark on your body that only you can see while your family tells you that you caused your mother's death by your very ability to see strange things. That would just be a bummer. How about, instead, you don't think about it.] I haven't died yet, anyway.

[Aw, look, the shiki changes form. That's cute. Natori figures he should probably clean up too, so he claps his hands twice and the little scraps of paper snap together to form a short paper doll chain. They fold themselves up into a tidy little pile.] Can I grab them? I'm trying to conserve supplies. [And he doesn't want to just go sticking his hand right in front of a spirit doggo, even if it's a very good boof.]

[ did you truly expect a black-haired shonen jump character to speak in any way that is comprehensible or non-contrived? sweet summer child. here's the kicker: Megumi even has an orange-haired protagonist to top off his list of insufferable genre tropes. i'm canceling him right here, right now.

anyway. man, it must suck to be different. #relatable, but also #morbid at that casual mentioning of dying? here's Megumi looking a bit skeptical, but also maybe a little bit concerned. hint taken, sparkly stranger.

he breathes in and out. registers the request, and puts two and two together. ]

Sure.

[ a flick of his wrist, and the boof starts nudging the pile of paper towards Natori. what a good boy. on his end, Megumi is refraining from continuing to bombard this guy with questions, because he can try to come to some conclusions on his own. hopefully. ] —I've only ever seen those in temples.

[ the paper doll chain, he means. ]

[WHAT a good BOY he is, how does Megumi resist the urge to just summon his shadow puppet dog and play catch all day? The struggle must be REAL. Natori bends down to pick up his little stack of paper dolls, rewarding this pupper with a genuine sparkly actor smile. No pets, though; he's not just going to go and touch someone else's shiki.]

Thanks. [For either directing the dog or at least not letting the dog chew his face off.] Well, I'm an exorcist, not a priest, but I'm sure there's some connection if you go back far enough in my ancestors. The Natori clan is known for its paper magic, in my world.

[Casual, just shooting the shit with this aloof black-haired anime teen who, I bet, comes from a strong magical background in contrast to the energetic orange-haired protag who is new to the world so the audience can learn alongside him; except it's also a way to subtly steer the conversation back to 'oh right, jamjars are just isekais I guess?']

[ hm. once all the papers are collected again, the dog returns back by Megumi's feet, rests its chin on his shoe, and melts. gooby jojo...

'Natori clan', though? never heard of her. what he does get, however, is the subtle clue-in to the fact that yeah, this is probably an isekai situation.

he's about as thrilled as you'd expect, which is to say: he isn't. he's not even the protagonist of his own anime, don't do this to him. ] In your world... [ sigh. ] I think I'm starting to see what's going on now.

Shit. [ ugh. ]

Haha, sorry to be the bearer of bad news. [As expected (of my eternal rival), the magic anime teen doesn't seem baffled by the concept of being in another world, just annoyed. It all seems to track.] I've been here for several weeks now, and there are some people who have been here for a month longer than that, so I'm afraid you're going to be stuck with us until we can figure out how to break it.

[He says 'we' as if it's non-inclusive, but:] If you're familiar with things like 'curses,' you might find yourself getting called on to lend a hand. [read: so what's the sitch, yo]

[ in another life, Megumi will wake up and he'll just be a normal non-Sasuke expy whose problems boil down to "had to block another political troll account on Twitter". until then, he's stuck here, in a jamjar, talking to someone with a gecko on his face. everything happens so much.

oh well. here's something he knows for sure: life is unfair. he's not bitter as much as he's resigned, so— ] Against what?

[ he of few words. listen, he's willing to do whatever, he just needs to know what the whatever is. ] ...I'm a sorcerer. [ i hate the official translation of the word 'jujutsushi', which is more of an exorcist than anything else; pretend Natori hears juju instead, please. ] I usually fight the supernatural. [ not humans, so if they're up against a kidnapping ring or something??? he's not here to like. murder a bunch of people, sorry. ]

[Look, if Natsume didn't take place in the ambiguous pre-digital age, Natori would be able to block trolls on Twitter while also having a gecko on his face. Life contains multitudes.]

Well, I haven't experienced it directly, but shortly before I arrived corrupted specters of people's loved ones apparently started sprouting from the walls trying to lure people in to touch them, so. [Which he figures a jujutsushi, the word he totally heard, should be able to help out with. Natori called himself a haraiya by the way.] I'm told there's a lot on this island that's vulnerable to holy or spiritual power.

...It's an island, by the way.

Figures.

[ that it's an island. and like, that entire part about ghosts coming out of the wall. of course something like that would happen, because life is absurd.

and maybe it looks like he'll leave it at that— tired, slightly disconcerted, and as patient as he can manage— but. ]

Thanks for the heads-up. ...Natori-san. [ simple and direct, he bows his head just a sliver. offhandedly polite. ] If there's anything else I should know, I'd want to hear it. But that's up to you.

[Oh my god, get a load of this kid. Tired, which tracks, but this patience and gentle stab at politeness is... cute. Not what he expected from a black-haired magic shounen teen. It's earnest enough that he doesn't immediately reply with the name of his latest film (please support us if you can!), bless.]

Mm, well, you can reach out to the people who take responsibility for us being here on the phone, if you'd like. They aren't responsive to threats or requests to go back home, of course, but they do seem willing to talk to us, and even answer some questions about the mechanics of this place. Take the responses with as much salt as you'd like, but it's not nothing.

Also, if anything comes up, feel free to contact me. [If he needs help, or information, or whatever; look, he knows what the likelihood of getting a call will be, but one of the benefits of reaching the ripe old anime age of Twenty Three is getting to fret over all the teens.

also he. holds out a paper doll. as if that follows from what he said. holds it out as if it's his business card. there is nothing on this paper doll, though it does wave at Fushiguro after a second.]

[ funny story: if Natori asked Megumi to support his movie, Megumi would probably go see it. contrary to popular belief, exorcist high-schoolers actually do have time to do Real Kid Shit on the side.

but also— congratulations on being effectively moved to the 'nice' section of Megumi's mental Venn diagram. tentatively. someone he would, in fact, protect in a pinch. this binary is important to him. ]

Got it. [ guess who will be texting these people right after this convo... This Guy. another slight bow of his head, and he glances at the paper doll being handed to him.

raises a brow at it waving. ] ...You know how to use a phone, right? [ Natori?????? ] You don't need to monitor me. [ iyaan, hentai!!! ]

[Amazingly, his movie is actually... good? He's in some sort of Guy Richie Sherlock Holmes-type historical mystery series called 煌めき探偵明星光太郎 and four teenage boys bought tickets in advance to see it. Wild.]

Sure. [Well, he learned recently.] But I turn it off when I sleep, so this way is better in an emergency.

[still... holding out the doll, with a supreme air of patience. He could stand here all day offering out this doll.]

Think of it as me doing my duty as an adult!

[ actually, that title is heinous and i'm making an executive decision that Megumi will not go see your kirameki movie, Natori. banned.

but here's this kid, looking... skeptical. deadeyed? he's just being a shit. ]

You actually turn your phone off. [ as if the concept of turning your phone off in an area that isn't like, an airplane or a movie theater (callout post for all of us who never turn our phones off in those places either) is completely bugfuck nuts. ] ...How old are you?

[ is this one of those anime cases where you look 20 but are actually like, 20000? grandpa??? ]

[just @ me next time, as I struggle to think when the last time I turned my phone off at all. probably if it was freezing???]

I unplug the landline, too. People leave curses on the answering machine. [do you feel older yet] I'll be 24 on November 12; I'll accept well-wishes in lieu of presents.

November's in a few weeks, by the way. It's October here.

[ l a n d l i n e s

but, ok. he can respect the caution... it tracks. even if he's of a generation that has never heard the actual curse of a dialup tone.

24 isn't that old, either; maybe it's a haraiya thing. he's always known temple families to be old-fashioned— can't judge a family by their eccentricities. ]

Huh. [ what a weird guy, he thinks. his gaze wanders to the side. ] I'll probably forget your birthday by then. Sorry.

[ like. just sayin'. ]

["isn't that old" oh my god. It's an infant judging a toddler.]

That's alright. I'll just have to remind you. [Speaking of, he's still holding out the paper doll.] Here.

[ need not to know your birthday, Natori..................

but. to take this doll or to not... ugh. ] It won't be anything special, hearing 'happy birthday' from me. Fair warning.

[ seriously, it won't be. after a few seconds of consideration, though, he takes the doll.

worst comes to worst, he'll make his dog eat it and purify it. ] What do I do with this?

I'll cherish it nonetheless. [he says with no obvious trace of irony. get a load of this guy.

The doll waves up at him again, now that he's taken it and Natori can finally drop his hand.] If you write a message on it, it will come find me. In an emergency, you can just send it back to me as-is-- if you can see this [and he taps the gecko, finger unerringly coming up to where it sits on his face] you'll be able to activate it. Just focus a little power on it and it will find me and lead me back.

Ah, but not too much power. They can burst into flames if they get overloaded. [casually.............]

[ the amiability feels like a papercut; something similar to the offhanded jabs that Megumi's sensei always passes his way. it's not unpleasant, per se, but he can foresee it rankling.

oh well. he fiddles with the doll, and sticks it into his pocket. ]

Alright. [ truth is that he doesn't foresee him using it anytime soon, but he doesn't want to say so. ] On my end...

...I'll leave my phone on. [ so just. text him, loser. ] My shikigami's also remembered your scent.

[Natori, carrying on the proud tradition of sus mentor figures everywhere, even across genres; bless.]

Haha. It seems like I'm the one who's acting unusually by turning mine off, huh. [like, he could, but.] What's your shiki's name? Mine didn't get to come with me. [2 much personality, rip hiiragi and co]

[ if someone ever RPs Gojo-sensei, he and Natori can bond in being sus together. until then, Natori's gotta hold the fort.

but also!!!! a fellow shikigami user...!! it's not something to get excited about, yeah, but Megumi does lean into the topic of conversation. if he also had dog ears, they would be pricking up. ]

You're a shikigami user too. [ not a question. just a reaffirmation. ] Mine don't have names. Just designations. The one you saw before— that was my 'Gyokuken'. [ 'divine dog'. (all dogs are divine, though.) ] I'm guessing you need an intermediary to summon yours.

[ which may be why they didn't make it here...? bummer. ]

Ah, that's interesting. [A difference in their disciplines? He'd chalk it up to a difference like those between him and any other resident here, except that this kid's techniques are much closer to his own than, like, the Char clone who can control forests.] No, I just summon mine by name, but I'm not able to reach them here. I assumed there was a barrier in place. [It's not unusual, especially not when dealing with other rude exorcists. "You can't have your shiki here" just felt par for the course in the game of getting stuck in weird realms.] I have three-- all ayakashi who agreed to form contracts with me.

[Not one of them is a divine dog, tho, so Fushiguro wins.]

Third TDM: Don't Turn Around

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