pedalbike | 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

Ah- thank you. That might be helpful.

[ She fiddles around with the phone in her hands for a moment, and she looks surprised when the screen lights up. It's nothing like she's ever seen before back at home... ]

But what is it used for? What does it do?

Contacting people over large distances. It's in real time, so you don't have to worry about any sort of delay.

[A short pause, and then she laughs. ] Or a good flashlight if it's dark out an' you need to find somethin'. But here,

[Kate starts, gently tapping the screen to light her own phone up, going slowly to help her navigate the menus to a private line with her. ]

Watch, [Kate herself sends a short text to Historia, compromising entirely of just a quick Hello! 💖 while showing ger how to navigate to the appropriate menus.]

[ Historia doesn't really know what to expect when she hears that it's for contacting people across long distances. Like a letter? But as Kate helps her to navigate through the menus, and sends her a text, Historia finally starts to understand just what the device can do - and her eyes widen in shock. ]

That's amazing... How does it do that? The phones aren't connected at all!

[ Then, for some reason, she suddenly feels a little embarrassed. Is it because she's asking so many questions? Maybe.

Carefully, and rather slowly, too, she types out a text to Kate and hits send. Hello!, it simply reads. ]

They're wireless, these ones. I don't really know the science behind it too well, but I do know it has to do with electric signals and radio waves.

[She Thinks. This sort of thing was never her strong suit. ]

You can also make calls or videos. By pressin' this-

[ And she shows her that as well, the video chat coming up on both phones. ]

Pretty convenient, right?

[ It sounds... complicated. Historia has known for a while that Paradis is far behind the rest of the world when it comes to technology, but this is incredible. She'd probably have believed you if you'd told her it was magic.

She's surprised once more as the video chat appears. ]

I can see myself on it...

[ Is that what Kate called a video? ]

Yep, that'd be the video function. [She confirms, with a laugh, then points at the camera on it. A beautiful screen of Kate's finger appears.]

This is where it sees what it's showin' other people. Aim this part at yourself to broadcast it. Or at whatever it is you wanna show others.

So other people can see whatever I point it at?

[ Historia thinks she gets the rough idea, though she's not completely sure. When she tries, she can think of all kinds of useful ways to use these phones - and it makes her think about how helpful it would be if they existed back in Paradis... ]

Thank you, Kate. You've been a huge help.

No problem, hun. We're all here together, so we might as well help each other out. [At least, that's what Kate thinks, anyway. A few people don't agree with that, but at least she's doing her best.]

You got any other questions? I know what it's like to be put somewhere randomly, and not have a single clue what's goin' on.

[ Historia smiles at that. She's lucky that Kate was the one who found her, she thinks... But then, the smile drops off her face once more. ]

Umm... I'm not sure. To be honest, I'm barely taking this all in...

[ Her head's still spinning a little. She's calmer now than she was before, but... she was at home- and now she's here. She's been taken. It's... a lot.

Yet in spite of Historia's fear... she sighs, and her expression suddenly becomes determined. ]

Is there anything important I should know about this place? Anything I wouldn't think to ask?

Lets see... Somethin' someone might not think to ask...

[She has to think for a moment, important that someone might not think to ask... And then it hits her, and she gives an uncomfortable sounding laugh.]

Ah, might be a bit of a conversation killer, but death... it isn't permanent here. That bein' said, I don't recommend you go and test that out. You might lose pieces of yourself, and you might end up different than you were... Can't say how, though.

Edited 2020-11-03 00:03 (UTC)

[ Historia's eyes widen, and she's too shocked for a moment to say anything at all. Death... isn't permanent? ]

That's... [ She hesitates. What does one even say in response to news like that? ]

I'm sorry. It's a little hard to believe...

[ Even though she's already experienced quite a few seemingly impossible things, she hesitates to accept it. After all, it's... death. ]

It's not that I think you're lying, it's just... well, you understand, right?

I get it. [Had that reaction of her own when she'd first succumbed to death in the Entity's realm, only to wind up back at the campfire with those she'd been in the trial with.]

It sounds way too far out, right? But it's true.

[ Historia falls into silence as she once more thinks about her situation. It's only been a matter of minutes since she was taken from Paradis, and it's finally starting to sink in now... the fact that this is real, and that she has no idea how to get home. On top of that, now there's all this about death...

Suddenly, Historia thinks of something. And she looks up at Kate, staring at her with an intensity to her gaze. ]

If you know that, then... that must mean that people have died, right? In this place.

Well, as far as I'm aware. I've only been told as much myself, but... I guess I'll just say I'm familiar with that bein' the norm. Sorry, hun.

[She doesn't really want to go into more detail than that. Doesn't want to bog down the conversation more so than she already is.]

[ So, she's only heard about it? In that case... it's not that Historia particularly distrusts Kate, but it does make it harder to believe. ]

I see... [ She looks down for a moment, before giving an awkward smile. ] Well, I'll try not to find out for myself!

Good call. Ain't never fun comin' back from the dead. From what I hear, anyway.

[Even though she's speaking from experience, she gives a laugh that makes her comment sound significantly less serious.]

Third TDM: Don't Turn Around

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