OCTOBER EVENT + TDM 02

[ride_technicians]

↞NAVIGATION

event | ƨγɒbiloʜ γqqɒʜ

Curfew lifts on 10/06 as thunder booms overhead, the dark clouds writhing as they roil and twist with unshed waters. Over the past few days, no rain has fallen from the turbid skies, but the threat of downpour remains ever present.

It’s on such a dark and stormy day that the doors to the Gift Shop are propped open by two wooden crates, full to the brim with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. Inside the shop itself, a stack of pumpkin carving kits sits on the checkout counter, alongside a row of colored candles. The masked individual that works as the shopkeeper is as silent as ever, though through the act of gesticulation it manages to convey that the carving kits and the candles are complimentary, and are given for free alongside the purchase of a pumpkin from the bin outside.

You could definitely try to steal one, sure. But the signs above the bin state that each pumpkin is only priced at one Park Token, so it’s not too much of a net loss overall.

Characters will find that after they’ve made their choice of one (1) pumpkin and one (1) of the colored candles, they are not permitted to try and return for another one of either. If more grand theft pumpkin is attempted, no matter how strong the character is they will be unable to lift the second choice up from the bin, almost as if it carries the weight of the whole world within that orange rind. You are only allowed one pumpkin, so be sure that you consider your options carefully.

Of the candles themselves, the following colors are available to choose from: red, blue, white, black, purple, green, and yellow. Each candle will cause a different event to happen, but the side effects of lighting each candle are not advertised anywhere in the shop. Please note which candle your character chooses in the mod comment below, so that you can be informed of what your character has inadvertently unleashed upon the park.

Strangely enough, despite not being provided with a lighter or a match of any kind, the candles flare to life regardless the moment they are placed within one of the carved pumpkins.

You are free to do whatever you deem fit with the pumpkin innards. Go ham.

event | wolɘd

It starts as a glimmer, a flicker of illumination that can be briefly spotted below the surface of the lake. It's quick, something that could easily be excused away as your eyes playing tricks on you, nothing more. That would be the case, at least... If it didn't keep happening. And if the lights didn't get brighter with time.

The flashes are almost rhythmic, a pattern without explanation. Gold and white, brightly shimmering beneath the waters before going dark once more. Over and over again, almost as if controlled by something sentient. Almost as if the lake is beckoning you in to investigate it. Should you give in to the urge, however... Well. Whether you attempt to find the source by either swimming in or renting one of the swan boats, the end result is the same; blackened hands grab at your limbs, clawing at your ankles and dragging you down below the surface. Down... down... down... Until fighting your way back up to the open air would be challenging. Difficult, but not impossible. Then the hands retreat, and you're left alone.

Down here, there are no lights. It's impossibly dark, and something is moving.

tdm intro prompt | !woʜƨ ɘʜT oT ɘmoɔlɘw

You open your eyes to the burn of salt in your lungs, panic clawing up the sides of your throat and settling in your pulse. There is black water all around you, frigid in a way that cuts like a blade and seeps into your very bones. It’s then that you become aware of a minimum of two things:

You’re floating suspended within what could either be a lake or an ocean, roughly twenty or so feet below the surface.

There’s something moving in the blackness beneath you.

You can’t see the bottom, and you can’t see whatever is down there, but you can feel its presence as it disturbs the water below you. Whatever it is, it’s big. And it’s coming closer. You can practically hear it now, a quiet hum that rumbles and resonates at such a frequency that it seems to rattle your teeth in your skull. Silent, yet at the same time somehow impossibly loud. It builds and builds, until you can't seem to focus on anything other than the noise. It crowds your senses, dulling your reactions and dimming the drive to flee.

Suddenly, the hum stops. Several feet away, a massive amber eye blinks closed; you can't remember ever seeing it open in the first place. The water around you shifts, displaced as the thing begins to move away.

Might be a good idea to start swimming for the surface.

Crawling your way to the shore of a lake only to find an amusement park waiting for you isn’t the strangest thing to happen to you after all, is it?

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 difference being that the temporal displacement within It'z Quite The Large World has been soothed, causing the ride itself to function in entirely normal ways with no spooky secrets hidden anywhere. TDMers may also participate in the carving of pumpkins.

Comments

mafuyu asahina ♡ project sekai ♡ ota

[beathollow]

( it's the first of october- and truthfully, who knows how long it's been since the day she walked out of it'z quite the large world after only riding it once. she knows magic is real, she saw the man in white make flowers out of nothing and tie them to her wrist- how she keeps them still, carefully tends to the delicate petals and refuses to let anything happen to it- and she knows she'd seen something in the water.

but time has made her doubt her memory, so into the boat she goes once more, foolishly alone.

she sits calmly as they dance and sing, up until the sound cuts out just as harshly as before. and then she starts to sing a wordless tune to herself- something soft and comforting, a few cues from kanade's own composing- up until she sees that the animatronics seem to be saying something: 'help us'. at which point, mafuyu sits up properly and begins to sing in earnest; something to offer them comfort and safety just as much as herself. and something holds it's breath.

the animatronics watch as if they're enraptured- not a movement or a sound... or at least, not until she pauses to take a breath. then they shake in place, almost aggressively, and something grabs the boat and moves it. it's not hard to see they want her to continue, and despite the heavy pit in her stomach and how cold it feels, she tries again... and again, and again, until her voice gives out and whatever is listening refuses to quiet anymore.

the animatronics tilt their heads back in odd angles with their jaws open as they sing her song right back at her so loud it hurts-

and mafuyu awakens floating on her back in the lake. )

a. awaken - 10/03

( somehow mafuyu makes it to the shore undisturbed. ... she'll need to take a shower. as it is, she's shivering in her soaked clothes and her throat is killing her, truth be told. but that's not a surprise. she just... doesn't understand. how did she get to the lake? there's an itchy feeling on her neck, too. what happened?

hugging herself, mafuyu stumbles a bit and tries to get back to her cabin as soon as po... ah. no. the ferris wheel's probably stopped by now... but kanade's is the first, right? she'll probably let her stay in her cabin for the day. but first she really should at least... get to the showers and probably purchase new clothes for now. ... was... the sky always so cloudy?

with a rough, raspy voice, mafuyu tries to call out- )

Hello? Is anyone there?

b. burn

( following her rediscovery, mafuyu is... quieter than usual. even when tending to her ranchu, careful to wrap her hands in cloth when she sprinkles food in for it, she feels... empty, honestly. deadrabbit sits on her bed still, but after deadrabbit speaks again...

...

she doesn't want to be alone. so even if she has nothing much to say, if she can't be with kanade, mafuyu seems to follow along after the others trapped in the park. sometimes, the rabbit gets to come with her, carefully tucked into her arms. )

c. calling

( all things considered, mafuyu wants nothing to do with the lake- or with it'z quite the large world, she doesn't dare go back in again. not alone, anyways. but she sees the lights flashing in the depths, and sometimes... sometimes others check to see it. so she stands and waits for a sign-

which is how you may find yourself being pulled to the surface, possibly even dragged to the shallows before helped to your feet. when mafuyu speaks, it's quiet- she hasn't had the energy to play the good girl since her return. )

... Are you alright?

d. deluge

( in all honesty, she's not sure what to make of the halloween festivities being prepared. but it's something to do that isn't being waterboarded voluntarily or whatever else this place deigns to do to them, so. whatever, yeah, she'll do this.

... she's just not sure what to carve, really. sitting at a bench with the pumpkin and the purple candle before her, she stares blankly for a while before sighing. )

What's even the point?

e. enter

YUKI has posted in the group chat: Park Guests

I think something is watching us. I saw part of the window to my cabin fog up, like someone was close to it. It was too dark to see what it was though.

( totally not awful or anything.

f. wildcard

( your wildcard option! there's lots, considering the notes from plotting! i just didn't think i could fit everything i wanted without this being even longer. )

e.

[starsmoothie]

GROSS

What cabin are you in again??

puts this before her candle effect for sense-making reasons

[beathollow]

22.

I didn't see anything outside, and... frankly nothing should be able to get up here.

everything will now make sense.

[starsmoothie]

You're only a couple away from me, so I'll watch out my window and see if I can see anything clinging to your car. It might be magical in nature, you know?

[beathollow]

Alright.

( a pause, and then she switches to a private chat. )

I've seen things in the water in some of the rides. It might be similar.

[starsmoothie]

Yeah okay that's concerning

[This is absolutely leading up to the Drowning Arc.]

What are the "things"?

d. can i double dip? i'm double dipping

[starsmoothie]

What do you mean?

[It's an innocent-enough question. The point of pumpkin carving? Or the point of being here? Noah can only answer one of those, so he goes for the obvious one.]

It's fun! Have you ever carved a pumpkin before?

PAWS AT U

[beathollow]

( oh right. she's not alone. mafuyu stares at the pumpkin for a little bit before looking at noah. )

No. ... My family always found this sort of thing to be... an indulgence.

EATS YOUR PAWS

[starsmoothie]

Liiike... Eating a whole pie by yourself, type of indulgence?

[Noah knows what indulgences are. Indulgences are when you get into Clamor's wine chocolates at 3am on a school night and spend the rest of the night sick because you're a dumbass kid and he has to parent your ass.]

...it's just for fun, though. [On many levels, he gets it, despite the peppy tone he's using when he makes the comparison.] What's so bad about having fun?

NO NOT MY PAWS

[beathollow]

( mafuyu stares at the pumpkin before crossing her arms on top of it and leaning over. )

... Once I reached a certain age, we decided it'd be best to focus on my studies. But before then, Mom couldn't find reputable places to celebrate. So we didn't.

[starsmoothie]

How old are you, anyway? You look like you're close to my age.

[Which, to him, means at some point when she was way too young, she was forced into a life no kid would ever want. Just like him. He sighs, dragging a hand through his hair and momentarily sweeping his bangs out of his face while he leans back.]

Sounds like your mom and my mom should've been friends...

c

[mooninthewater]

[ It's probably not incredibly hard to pull someone as light as Mizuki out of the water. He's a little startled, actually, that he feels someone's hand at all. Maybe he's just a little on edge considering that there were quite literally hands out here in the water moments ago. But he makes no effort to fight it, maybe deciding it's best he's pulled towards whatever is out here so he can face it himself?

But when he's pulled up and out… that's new. With a wet flop against the ground, he blinks a few times in quick succession before his big pink eyes are locked on Mafuyu. Confusion is quite apparent on his face, even as he's helped up. ]

… I'm fine. Are you…?

[beathollow]

( confusion. but not fear. interesting.

she's almost a little jealous, she's tired of this heavy terror in her chest. but once mizuki is standing, mafuyu only hovers until its clear he won't just... plop right the fuck over, ala kanade. after she's sure that's not happening, she steps back a little, eager to get out of the water. she hates it. she hates it she hates it she hates it- )

I'm okay. I just... I thought I saw something in the water. And... something is pulling people down. I'm not sure what it is... but if I could help, then...

[mooninthewater]

[ There's just silent staring for a moment after she finishes speaking, like the gears in his head are stuck. It takes him maybe a little longer than he'd like to admit to connect all the dots here. But, well, he can't help it. He's not used to people just… knowing what he is. But more than that, just the fact she was putting herself somewhere that clearly made her uncomfortable to try and help someone like him.

Help… him? Help him… ]

You were trying to help me? [ … ] Why?

[beathollow]

... Why not?

( which isn't the answer she truly intends to give, but she's a little frazzled. once she gets closer to the shore, she inhales and then exhales slowly, eyes closed. and then she tries again. )

There's a few reasons. I don't want to see people hurting. I... ( feel responsible for this. ) I don't want to live with the fact that someone suffered when I could have stepped in.

( at the core of it all, mafuyu has only ever wanted to help. why? why not.

it really is that simple. )

[mooninthewater]

[ Processing…

…

Mizuki eventually puts on a warm smile that might've even lit up the area if smiles alone could be sunshine. He seems absolutely delighted to find someone here who's so selfless, just like that. And here he had gone assuming the worst of this place — he's supposed to be optimistic! Mafuyu had, at least, reminded him of that much. ]

I see~! You're a very kind person, miss. I'm sorry to have worried you! Thank you so much! [ He doesn't go about correcting her, either. No "I can breathe underwater, actually" or "I was perfectly fine," just sincere gratitude. He wouldn't want her to feel embarrassed or even put her off from doing this sort of thing again for anyone else, after all. ]

If you saw something down there, though, we should get you away from the water first, I think.

a

[songsearching]

Ma...fuyu...?

[ Kanade finds herself rubbing her exhausted eyes when she hears the familiar voice. She's a little out of it, almost stumbling, but she manages. It's probably fine. ]

[beathollow]

( oh- oh no. if mafuyu feels a mess, kanade looks just as bad. can she even stand a moment more? )

Kanade...? What happened? You look so tired.

[songsearching]

I was... looking for you, this whole time.

[beathollow]

--Whole time? Kanade, how long was I gone?

[songsearching]

Two... almost three days.

b. i'm so sorry for what's about to occur

[aiyatsbus]

Give me that.

[Hi Mafuyu, someone is here to snatch Deadrabbit right out of your arms and go put it in Containment. After Yesod manages to get his hands on it, he quite literally spins on his heel and heads toward the ferris wheel.

...

Listen he's just doing his job—]

[beathollow]

( considering how well-tucked into her arms her emotional support demon has been, a purple-haired man who she's never seen before just yoinking him is

pretty damn surprising to say the least!

mafuyu stares for a moment before snapping out of it and following, a mix of worry and 'what the fuck how dare you' stirring in her chest. )

What are you doing? Why did you take him-

[aiyatsbus]

[Can she keep up with the purposeful fast-walk of a man who has already Had Enough?]

Abnormalities like this will tempt you to take them out of their containments and damn the rest of the Facility.

[Where he is not, currently, but if he gaslight gatekeep girlbosses himself into thinking he is, then that's just as well. Clearly things are Wrong and clearly things need to be Suppressed, so really, is this so different from the Corporation? (yes)]

I'm locking it back up before it further damages your psyche.

[beathollow]

( well. deadrabbit is abnormal, yes, but something tells her he means a capital-a Abnormality. but- facility?

does he know about what this place is? and he's focusing on taking a bunny instead of getting them out. rude. )

What do you mean, "the Facility"? You act as if I should know what you're talking about already.