Fourth TDM: Winter's breath

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As a quick note: This will be the last TDM and Application Round of the year! Have fun everyone!

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.

Start of Winter

Thankfully things have more or less dried out, for the seasons are already changing. Or at least, the weather is, and with it...comes snow.

The grass on the island is covered, various trees lose the last of their leaves, the sand becomes crunchy, and even a portion of the ocean water becomes frozen solid. (Take THAT, water!). And with it, Wickies wake up at their feet (or suddenly in their hands if they don’t sleep) warm clothing and various ways to keep warm- or at least keep the cold from messing with their joints!

And with it, there are snow shovels and boots that are set out neatly by the door. It seems more snowk is expected, and foot protection is more important than ever. While it is possible for some (those who are not infected by the Silence at least) to use the teleporter to get from town to their homes, there are pathways that need to be cleared for everyone.

It might be a good time to offer a helping hand! Especially with some Wickies who are snowed into their homes.

Or it could be a good time to use the shovels to gather snow for snow ball fights, snow forts, and similar winter activities. The nice thing about the winter shovels is that they’ll have them for a few months.

Too bad the ground is nearly frozen solid, and these particular shovels are not good for digging into the ground.


Frosty Protections

While there may be the snow and the quiet that’s coming in, there are other things that are coming into the island too. There are tables that linger day or night, which have tangyuan. Some in the shape of various animals, and some of them that are simply balls of colored dough. They are edible, and thankfully they don’t have a negative consequence to eating them (unlike the mooncakes from before) but there are written instructions, which also proclaim outloud to a Wickie if they linger for awhile:

“For the use of protective talismans! Stick it on your chair, your door, your window!”

Interestingly enough, they do seem to work. Wickies who are Silence infected are repelled by them, feeling uneasy and nauseous around them and touching the tangyuan even with covered hands will cause a burning sensation.

Infected Wickies who eat the treats...they’re in for a rough time. Really rough.

There are also little tables with various drinks, some being fruit juice, sparkling fruit juice, champagne and of similar ilk- but not ever with water. That’s just bad luck after everything.

The inscription for this table, which is again read out loud, “Toast to others health”

Picking up the cups, they will be unable to drop it, and the fluid will refill in the Wickie’s cup until they find someone to toast to- whether it’s in humor or in earnestness.

For the next twelve hours after the toast is made, even if the drink is not drunk after, the Wickie toasted will find they will have better luck in that subject, whether it is in health, love, or friendship, or just in general.

The same applies if Wickies toast together to a group of people as well.


Of hooves and horns

The strangest thing of all isn't the sweet rice balls, nor is it the smell of evergreens heavy in the air. Instead, it's the masks set to everyone, and the ruckus music that thrums through the air, deep into the night.

The masks are of a haggard old woman, well worn and aged, and that of a man with horns and facial hair similar to a goat.

There are different effects when it comes to the masks, both happening at night with the music starts.

Wickies wearing the devilish mask find themselves wearing a ragged fur suit, prancing in the streets, ready to whip other Wickies whose behavior has been suspect or bad as of late. Finding the wicked and punishing them is an impulse, neigh impossible to ignore. And, too, there is a sense of wicked glee when they do punish someone with their reeds and whips. Krampus masked Wickies thankfully can be pacified with rum or brandy. They'll need the help of another to pull of the mask. But once it's off, the costume vanishes, and the chagrin of what happened ( or the satisfaction) follows.

Wickies wearing the woman’s mask will find that they’re not trying to scare people, but instead, they find themselves loping in and out of the crowds, searching, scanning, for certain people, all the while wearing ragged clothing, and often a scarf on their now ratty, graying hair.

It’s with a sickening horror that Wickies will realize there is something in the mask that is watching through the mask itself, and is nodding to itself far away and writing their names on a list.

And it’s not Santa Claus.

The Wickie’s wearing the old woman’s mask can be distracted by scattering seeds or threads in front of them- one inducing a true distraction to count and pick up the seeds, and a rage that comes over that of wasted thread.

Seeds make it easier to pull off the mask, and thankfully popcorn counts as a seed! But thread...well, it is a distraction too, but one that can lead to violent consequences. It might mean some rounds of bait and switching until the mask is taken off.

And that’s when the Wickie who had been wearing the mask realizing the list is of ‘bad’ Wickies, But…

how bad could they be?

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:

What do you love about winter? Is it the nip on your nose? The hot drinks? Playing in the snow? Tell us!

Comments

Kenzou Tenma | Monster

[neurosurgical]

[Arrival]
[Sometimes a random, slightly frazzled man just opens your door, frowns, and then closes it again?

And then there's a pause, before he opens it and says, as a hurried afterthought;]

Sorry... I'm just a bit lost. I didn't mean to interrupt you.
[And he'll close the door again. Bye??? Unless you want to chase after him and let him know what's going on.]

[Start of Winter]
[Well, far be it from Tenma to not take advantage of a chance to be helpful? He's got that new winter gear on, and he's shoveling snow off a pathway. Doesn't matter where. People have to be able to walk, and surely there are people who would struggle to shovel themselves. If you pause to observe him, he'll gesture to another shovel nearby.]

An extra pair of hands makes the work go by twice as quickly. If you'd like.

[Confession network. UN: DrTenma]
I actually quite like Christmas. It's a quite different holiday where I grew up, but in Germany the decorations everywhere are always so dramatic and bright.

[Wildcard]
[Hit me up at agentmaine or discord; caitie#6024 if you have another idea or just throw something at me! I'm up for whatever.]

[robopriest]

Hm?

[Hansa is just sitting here drinking coffee? He blinks at the man just. Walking in. Who are you.]

Uh, no, you're not... [Oh, he's gone. Hansa stands up, opening the door.] Hey! What are you looking for? If you're a thief, you're the worst one I've seen.

[neurosurgical]

[Oh no this priest with a frankly crazy looking eyepatch is following after him!! Tenma... doesn't seem too concerned with what Hansa's saying? He's opening the door of the next building over which is thankfully empty at this moment, so no more awkward apologies. Just him muttering to himself.]

How did the door off the train lead here...

[robopriest]

Hey! Hey, you're not deaf, are you? Helloooo~

[Just going to go up to him and slap a hand right on his shoulder. HI.]

start of winter oh my god

[escardos]

[ flat is not so much struggling as he has pretty much given up. he's laying down on the snow, shovel thrown aside out of frustration for having to do manual labor.

besides, making snow angels is much more fun. ]

You'll do the shoveling, sir?! [ no he didn't say tha-- ] Thank you!

[neurosurgical]

[Frowning!!]

That's not what I-
[Well, no, he shouldn't get mad.]

Is there something the matter?
[Maybe this boy has a good reason for being unable to shovel?]

[escardos]

Yes!

[ he sits up dramatically, huffing in irritation. ]

Why couldn't they get a truck to shovel the streets? Or get one of the weird monsters that show up here to do it instead? [ and he flops back down on the snow. ] Snow's fun to have a snowball fight in, but having to shovel it is so boring.

[Arrival]

[song_princess]

[Leanne just finished making tea and blinks as someone just goes to open the door and look around. It gives her newest stalker a clear view of her.]

Ah... Are you new, my lord?

[She calls before he closes the door. She moves to quickly open the door, keeping her wings close to herself.]

Where are you trying to go?

[neurosurgical]

[He's very focused on his quest to get back where he came from, so his response to something that's actually very weird is delayed. He's turning to be on his way when he stops and realizes two things;

-Someone just called him "my lord"
-That someone is a woman with wings???

So he turns around to confirm that yeah she does have wings. She looks like a character out of some fantasy story??? Except real.]

Ah- You don't have to- Just "Tenma" is fine.
[He is definitely not a "my lord."]

[song_princess]

[Leanne goes to watch him, keeping her wings almost flat against her back. She didnt want to scare him. He was an unknown human but... She has the safety of her house and her housemates.

She rests her hands right above her breasts and tilts her head.]

My lord Tennant? Are you lost?

winter

[laeradr]

[ Ah. He was just kinda staring absently at the scenery while walking by, and now he’s faced by the type of politely-worded request that’s so hard to refuse. This anime-ass masked man blinks, then gives a placid smile. ]

Of course. If you’ll give me just a moment to recover, first — I’m returning from assisting elsewhere.

[ Although he doesn’t look winded, and his clothes are mostly clean of snow. ]

[neurosurgical]

[Well... that's a pretty crazy mask, and it does give Tenma pause, but he's... at least aware that things are Different here, and he's certainly not going to be rude. He'll just nod.]

Of course. It's important not to overwork yourself.

[laeradr]

[ It’s horribly tacky and he knows it. The fact that Tenma visibly pauses at the sight of it but doesn’t say anything earns him a little mental plus point. ]

Not to worry. I’ll be ready shortly.

[ That said, he nods at the considerable amount of work Tenma’s put in so far. ]

I hope you’re also being mindful of your own limits. You must have been toiling away for quite some time.

[bindsthedead]

I agree. [The speaker is a young woman, bundled up in dark blue wool and grey fur. Sabriel's gaze is on the snow, but she gives the shovel only a cursory examination.]

One spell ought to melt it all, if I aim correctly. [Sabriel's already tracing golden symbols in the air- marks that flicker like fire and shimmer with heat.]

[neurosurgical]

[He's had this place explained to him! Logically, he knows magic is real now. But seeing it out of the blue still makes him jump, a little.]

Oh, uh, am I in the way?
[He has no idea how magic works!?]

[bindsthedead]

[For Sabriel, magic- especially basic magic- is interesting but not particularly remarkable.

People's reactions to it, on the other hand...]

Could you move about six feet to the left, please? I don't want to set you on fire? [And her tone is light, but Sabriel's hands shake slightly at the memory of the one time she did almost set someone on fire, thanks to a misaimed spell. Best make sure the man stays well clear of her target.]

Network! UN: drhamilton

[itsybitsybastard]

Is it now? Same over in Ireland, last time I was visiting my old fella. Everything's pure savage, but it'll blind you if you're not careful.

[neurosurgical]

pure savage?

[Please be kind to Tenma he's a middle aged man from 1996.]

[itsybitsybastard]

[Tenma please let him use his slang it's all he has]

It means "very good". If you're needing it I can explain what 'very good' means too.

start of winter

[globs]

[ while they usually try to stay away from others by coming out at night or slinking around in the shadows, there's too little light in winter to make nighttime strolls viable for a photosynthetic being like Cinnabar, and they stand out like a sore thumb in the snow no matter where they are, thanks to their red crystal hair and the fact that they've still got shorts on. (They kept the sweater, but they didn't like not having their legs free.) Thus, they end up getting called out to, despite their best efforts to ignore the nearby human while they try to wade through the deep snow without a shovel. ]

... My arms would just snap off. The snow is too heavy.

[ they actually do look mildly apologetic instead of angry, for once... ]

[neurosurgical]

[As a doctor, Tenma cannot help but become deeply concerned by a statment like that.]

I'm sorry, do you ha-
[And he stops, as he looks up from his work proper, and sees Cinnabar and her crazy rock hair. And her shorts?? He doesn't know how to address the fact that she's clearly not human, so. Shorts.]

Aren't you cold?

[globs]

[ here comes 20 questions again. Immediately, the cold face is back on, and the androgynous besweatered being sighs, sounding irritated already. ]

Save it. My kind don't get cold like yours.

[ theoretically, they could, but it would have to be real damn cold for them to feel it, so. this is fine. They're more sleepy than anything. ]

arrival

[survivaltricks]

[I hope you know that Tenma is opening the door to a 90's bathroom to find a frazzled looking teenager standing in the doorway blinking at him with a blank expression? hi yes hello. in fact, Akira opens his mouth to speak the first time, only to have the door slammed in his face]

[RUDE]

[. . . but then the door opens again and he just. lifts a hand in a little wave]

Oh-- it's fine. I was just.

[uh]

Inspecting. . . the bathroom?

[anyway Akira's lost, too]

[neurosurgical]

[Well, in some ways, it's almost comforting to see that same look of confusion on someone else's face. It's also weird to see a Japanese teenager since there generally aren't THAT many of those wandering around the German-Czech border?]

Are... you lost too?

[survivaltricks]

Hn? Me? Of course not; I know exactly where I am.

[. . .]

. . . not. . .

[lifts a hand to rub the back of his neck, slightly sheepish, as he steps out of the bathroom]

Just kidding. I'm super lost.