amuze | TDM 01

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!tdm

TDM 01

WE DON'T

A quiet beep and a series of mechanical clicks draw you to consciousness once more, regardless of how you found yourself on the other side of dark weightlessness. You open your eyes to find yourself standing within the gates of a seemingly rundown amusement park, the forward motion of your feet suggesting you had just stepped through the turnstile directly behind you. A look backward also reveals a row of faceless, inky shadow figures, all seemingly waiting for you to move out of the way and allow them to enter after you.

Another beep, and should you choose to investigate, you will notice a small screened device embedded within the flesh of your left wrist (or elsewhere should that be impossible) The screen itself is dark with static aside from a bright red heart monitor that moves about in the top right corner. It's locked on that glitching, garbled visage, and doesn't respond to any taps or shakes of the wrist.

Floodlights click on from high above, providing a new source of lighting outside of the fiery sunset sky and revealing that this park may not have been as rundown and abandoned as it had first seemed. Off key music blares from somewhere unseen, loud enough to cause discomfort but not severe enough to rattle the teeth from your skull. Previously motionless figures suddenly begin to move, articulating and bending in uncanny ways as they wave and beckon you in towards the park. Their porcelain masks plaster on a cheerful demeanor despite the cracked and dirty state of the masks they wear. Stretched out across the promenade is a clearly handmade sign, the once-white cloth dirtied with years of dirt and grime. Even so, the words GRAND REOPENING! are a clear and stark contrast, painted in some dark liquid that oozes and drips onto the cobblestone below. Streamers and string lights drape haphazardly across the buildings and over the walkway, accompanied by several dozen sad balloons that seem to have lost the majority of their helium long ago.

In the distance looms the dark foreboding shape of a massive Ferris Wheel, standing motionless like a silent sentinel keeping watch over its dominion.

One of the masked dancing figures ripples its way towards you, shoving a pamphlet towards you with a hand that doesn't seem to possess any proper joints for the fingers to move the way they do. This close it's easier to spot that the dark void behind the eye holes seems to go on far too deep, and it isn't an illogical leap from there to come to the conclusion that perhaps there is nothing within this costume to pilot its movements. It moves and sways to the whims of unseen strings, playing the part of a puppet to another's command.

The offered pamphlet appears to be a map of the park's grounds, and whether or not you decide to take it the being soon thereafter slowly retreats back to its starting position. As it reaches its spot, the limbs of its body go slack and it slumps forward slightly, seemingly lifeless. A rippling wave of inactivity seems to roll through the other gathered figures, and one by one they all enter a state of identical deactivation. The music abruptly cuts off. The lighting from above flickers away with a loud electric hum, leaving only the light of the setting sun to guide you. Somewhere behind you, a shadowy figure slowly morphs to take on the form of the next park guest, and the whole routine will repeat itself in an endless loop the moment they gain consciousness the same way you yourself did.

Welcome to AMUZE ★ MENT AVENUE! The park is now yours to explore to your heart's content.

MAKE

The Ferris Wheel at the center of the park continues to play the part of a stone monolith, serving as a landmark to help you orient yourself as you wander the grounds. More of those masked beings seem to be everywhere you look, in various states of animation; some are sweeping the cobblestone walkways, while others seem to be in charge of concessions stands and game stalls that you pass along the way.

And on the subject of game stalls and food stands... You seem to have wandered into the area containing a surplus of both. A big aluminum sign hangs high above your head, spelling out the words PRIZE ALLEY! A central courtyard stands before you, containing a stone fountain depicting what appears to be a seal as it sprays muddy water out of the tip of its snout. The music has returned to this area, though it seems less bent on being overpowering and more content with being the soundtrack to your adventures.

Game stalls litter the area, all begging for you to give them a shot. The one closest to you in particular seems to draw the eye in a way you can't quite understand, and closer examination reveals that the goal of this one seems to be to break a stack of plates with the bucket of baseballs on the stall counter. Another masked figure stands at attention at this stall, waving at you as you approach and motioning to the row of bagged goldfish that sits along the countertop. They all seem to be in excellent condition, and should you find that you cannot resist the urge to try to win yourself a new pet, you may discover that the plates shatter to pieces regardless of the skill behind your aim.

Congratulations!

Winning your new scaled companion doesn't seem to be without its drawbacks, however, as the masked figure promptly reaches behind the counter and hefts a huge ten gallon tank up and onto the surface in front of you, thunking it down with enough force to slosh around the water inside it.

You didn't think you were going to keep that fish in a tiny little bowl, did you? Of course not. You were entirely aware of how inhumane such living conditions are, after all. Please enjoy lugging this aquarium about with you for the remainder of your stay; it's even fully cycled and equipped with an automatic filtration system, courtesy of The Entity.

DREAMZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The sun hasn't seemed to move at all in the time you've spent here, giving you no indication of just how long you've loitered. Ancient looking animals lope about the carousel before you, and beyond that stands the tall shape of a large multicolored tent.

A sign above the open entrance flaps reads CIRQUE ILLUME, the painted-on C a glaring contrast to the rest of the letters, which are carved in wood and bolted on. The flaps of the tent itself are open, though it doesn't appear like anyone is inside. Rows of bleachers line the inside of the tent, facing and surrounding a central raised platform that seems to be the main stage area. Above your head, trapeze bars hang lifelessly, suspended by ropes and scaffoldings that don't quite seem capable of supporting any weight.

The main stage is vacant of any furnishings, and the overhead spotlights are dark and shuttered. You get the distinct feeling that you shouldn't be snooping about in here, though whether that deters you from doing just that is entirely up to your discretion.

ooc

Feel free to have your character wander about the various park attractions as you see fit! Everywhere listed on the locations page is currently available, with the only exception being the Hi-RiZe, which is undergoing maintenance for the duration of this TDM.

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Kanade....

( is that relief? or simply recognition? it's hard to say for certain. mafuyu stares for a moment, ignoring the- the glorified fitbit and letting her hands drop to her sides. )

Nothing about it seems like the empty SEKAI. But then, I've only been to that one. If we could walk into one through it...

( ... wouldn't miku have said something? mafuyu trails off and shakes her head. )

I think this is something else.

[ Relief, recognition, or something else entirely... that doesn't matter at the moment. Whatever it is, Kanade can't help but feel a little happy; there's just the smallest warmth that's settled in her chest that comes from seeing Mafuyu.

And it's better to focus on another person.

In her eyes, anyway. ]

Mm. It definitely feels pretty different from the empty SEKAI. Although if it is something else... I'm a little worried.

Mm. This isn't like anything I've seen before. ... I don't think I've ever been to an amusement park, so it can't be mine. And it doesn't feel like... you, either.

( there's a lot she's lost touch with. the desire to go to an amusement park staffed by- by marionettes is definitely not something she has in her heart at all. and it can't be kanade's, because kanade is...

warm. healing, at best. consistent, at worst.

not analyzing that right now. instead, she points to the device on her wrist again. )

Do you have something like this, too?

The only amusement park I'm familiar with is... Phoenix Wonderland. But this doesn't look like that.

[ It looks very much not like that.

It feels... dissonant. To Kanade, it reminds her of some of the darker songs that she's heard some of the other producers put out on the internet.

For a moment, it sends shudders down her spine, her face turning only the slightest hints of pale just thinking about it.

She wants to go home.

But those thoughts are washed away with a question, one that's at least, relatively easy to answer as she raises up her own left wrist for Mafuyu to see. ]

...Yeah, looks like it. Does yours work at all?

Not that I've seen.

( it will turn on within ten hours, giving her access to her new home. it's going to be the worst.

if kanade is there for it, they can at least continue writing music together?

but for now, mafuyu is painfully ignorant and she doesn't care for it, gotta be honest! ... nor does she like seeing that look on kanade's face. a ghost tour is one thing. this is... something else entirely. )

That fog outside the gates is ominous. I want to try going through it.

( ... which is kanade's only warning before mafuyu just. goes for it. brb k, going to experience some sensory hell! this is what she gets for being proactive for once. )

Mafuyu--

[ Before she can even say another word, Mafuyu immediately is gone.

...

What does she do? Does she follow her in? Or does she wait for Mafuyu to come back?

Would she even return? There's that sense of anxiety that sits in the pit of her stomach. But she takes a deep breath in--through her nostrils, counting the seconds: one, two, three--and then breathing out through the mouth, as if that would alleviate that feeling.

Spoilers: it does not.

Maybe if she just mentally counts in eighth notes for about a minute, perhaps she'll come back. It's a silly notion, but.

Wait a second.

With Mafuyu being the way that she is, she might not ever come back. Okay, fine, she'll take whatever small amount of courage that she has to take a step forward. She hasn't been stalling for so long that Mafuyu is already walking back... right? ]

( mafuyu pushes through the mist- and everything turns black. she can't tell if she's turning around when she wants to or not, but her vision doesn't return. the air takes on an almost sweet, pungent, chlorine-like smell floods everything and as she tries to keep going, it's like she's been encased in gelatin- every step feels like a struggle, especially as it starts to feel like electricity fills the air. it'd be painful if it were any stronger, most likely.

for what feels like hours, mafuyu is lost in this awful pit of darkness. but when kanade blinks next within six minutes, she'll be right where she started again, breathing heavily, eyes wide and hands shaking. )

[ Six minutes.

Thanks to Kanade's innate ability to count the seconds in her head, the way how they feel longer and longer in spite of it actually being a short period of time, the moment when she blinks at the end of it - the length of at least two average full length songs and she sees the expression on Mafuyu's face...

Her legs don't even hesitate, already moving the very second she gets the chance to.

While she might stumble slightly, eventually she finally reaches Mafuyu, trying to bring her own hands to grab onto Mafuyu's own trembling ones, as if that would be any sort of reassurance. ]

Are you alright...?

[ What a stupid question. Of course she isn't. But Kanade asks the question as if trying to steady her with something tangible. ]

I-

( her lungs feel like they're burning a little, her skin feels numb and her legs hurt. her voice is shaky as she speaks. )

I'm not hurt. But... I- I don't know what that was... it was like... I tried to turn around immediately, when the world when dark. But I couldn't. I was trapped in there... there was a strange smell, and it was like I was trying to force my way through jello, and the air was electric.

( so.

don't go in the fucking mist.

but her body feels heavy now and she just wants to lay down. she wants to go home or to the sekai and lay on the floor for therapy reasons. )

[ Not hurt physically at least. But for Kanade, it's not the physical part that matters to her.

Mafuyu's feelings matter.

And that's why her grip on Mafuyu's hands tighten ever so slightly. ]

Next time, don't go alone, Mafuyu.

[ It makes her heart feel something--a twist in her chest that hasn't entirely settled-- something that she can't entirely explain in words. ]

If anything worse happened, I...

[ She doesn't know what'd she do. ]

I'm not trying that again. I don't know what that was, or if it could get worse.

( despite everything, she does have a sense of self-preservation, at least. and today she is listening to it very well, now that that little trip is over. after a moment, however, mafuyu slumps forward against kanade. not enough to put force upon her, but... )

...

I don't understand anything...

Good.

[ She's relieved. But she probably should add: ]

That goes for... other things too though, Mafuyu. Let's try to stick together.

... Right. Okay.

( during the tour she'd wandered off- and been scolded for it by ena, of course. but this is... different. the horror is real.

there's a heaviness in her stomach that feels familiar, like when her mother is in her room but stronger. mafuyu isn't... entirely keen on dissecting what that means, however. )

If we explore... I have a notebook to record things. The rest of my school bag is gone, though.

[ It's definitely different. And the fact that they're so out of their depth here.

Not to mention that they're human. Nothing special. It really emphasizes just how out of depth she is in this place and just how weak she is. She wants to be able to do something for Mafuyu, but she knows.

She knows, ultimately, that the only skill she has might become useless in a place like this...

That thought terrifies her, right down to her core. ]

...I have my phone. Although without the charger, it might not be good to use it too much.

I have a power bank. It can help keep things going a little bit longer.

( it's just a matter of keeping it charged too. something to keep an eye out for. maybe in the help center...? she'll have to check later. )

... What should we do now?

( because her only idea was a bad one, honestly. and none of the rides look even fun let alone safe. even if she was interested in this sort of thing...

ugh. )

Alright.

[ She nods in response, a little thoughtfully. But then the question is raised and Kanade is honestly not sure how to answer. Even though she's the leader of their group, that doesn't mean that she's actually good at doing any proper leading.

So instead, Kanade takes out a map in hopes it'd give any sort of answer. Or at the very least, an idea. ]

Let's see. We're here-- [ Kanade points it out. ] Ah. There seems to be a First Aid Station. Or maybe Guest Services...?

Edited 2022-08-18 09:45 (UTC)

... First aid station. It's best to know what we have to work with, if it becomes necessary.

( and if nothing else, maybe there's patient cots to take a rest on. everything feels awful and heavy and she's not having this 'being awake' nonsense anymore. and frankly, kanade is terribly frail and even if it's just a sunset, being outside for so long won't help her much either.

so. yeah. )

Yeah.

[ Honestly, Kanade is just glad that she hasn't done any walking yet. And the weather hasn't been beating down on her, either. But she doesn't know if or when that will change.

But she's right: the first aid station is important. And it might become necessary to use sooner rather than later. ]

Let's go, then.

[ They have a destination in mind now. ]

( it's not a terribly long walk, at least, given that the first aid station is just by the gates. but in her current state, every step feels like a struggle. it's entirely possible that she's just gonna take a nap here.

the station itself is... huh. she'd more expect a regular school nurse's office or something, not... this. )

What's that cabinet...?

[ The fact that the walk isn't long is a relief on Kanade's part, especially as someone who has no clear athletic talent. Of course, given what had just happened to Mafuyu, she keeps an eye on the other girl, making sure that she doesn't overdo it.

And given the way she acts normally...

That's definitely a concern to her.

But they do eventually reach the station, and -

Hm.

She feels herself freezing up, tensing slightly even if her expression barely even shifts. This doesn't feel like what she was expecting from a first aid station. Then again, she isn't sure what she was expecting, from a place this strange. It wasn't this, though. ]

Ah, let me see...

[ Kanade opts to walk ahead to check the cabinet out-- ]

There seems to be medicine. But... [ She taps her knuckles against the glass. ] ...there's this.

I'm not sure if medicine will really help whatever it was that happened.

( but her attention is instead drawn to the metal drawers. it's not wandering off if they're in the same room, right? because mafuyu is pulling one out. and... uh.

huh.

that sure is a body storing drawer, okay. )

... This is...

( she's pretty sure this isn't normal. very positive of it, even! phoenix wonderland would never.

her chest hurts as she looks at the drawers longer, up until she finally slams it shut again. )

They expect corpses here.

...I'm not a doctor, so I wouldn't know if it would or wouldn't.

[ Kanade's words come off as a little blunt, but there's no sharpness to the words, just a bit of something really dry.

But then.

There's the body storing drawer.

Um. ]

... Let's not become the corpses that they expect.

[ Weird that's what you'd see in an amusement park. ]

( listen. she's pretty sure that was some demon shit? because that sort of thing is super not normal. doctors don't help with demon shit, you need a priest.

but mafuyu's more focused on the implications of a storage for bodies. given the poor condition the rest of the center is in as well... )

Right.

( but will that be so easy in a place like this? what should they even expect? )

There might be something here though.

...I don't know if we really want to find out what that something is.

[ If this really is meant to be a place for dead bodies, then the implications of what they might find here are probably not the kind type at all.

She expects body parts, not something that can help them.

And while it's chilling to the bone, that doesn't deter Kanade as she takes a few steps and looks through the cubbies.

... ]

Claw marks...?

[ And gross, that smell. Kanade finds herself scrunching her nose at it, sensitive to things like the actual stench of blood, even if it's dried out. ]

Is there anything on your end, Mafuyu?

Some... bits of porcelain, I think?

( carefully, mafuyu picks up a piece and turns it over in her fingers. what on earth? ... her first thought drifts to the marionettes- the park attendants with the venitian masks. it's the same color, though none of the pieces fit together... )

These look like the masks those things are wearing.

( there's so many implications here that make that pit in her stomach feel even heavier. )

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songsearching - 2022-09-06 05:13 (UTC) - Expand

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