Darcie Takada

Darcie Takada is student number 6 out of 15 in the A Planned Game (APG) roster. Her talent is the Ultimate Designer because of the skills she possesses in designing many different things from clothing to decorations. Most of her creations involve sewing, for she has the most knowledge in that area of skill. Darcie conveys this talent well through her attention to detail and the ability to focus on things without being disturbed. Some of her other traits include being polite and reserved, causing her to be on the quiet side in many occasions. She speaks in a formal manner, but Darcie can be unnecessarily sarcastic at times due to her negative view on others. Along with her struggle to express herself, Darcie has trust issues as the result of past trauma. However, if you give her information, Darcie will most likely give something back to create a fair exchange.

## Backstory

(Parts of Darcie's backstory are found in her disks, so to keep them separate the summary, this will be very vague. Instead of a detailed circumstances, this backstory section will be short and only contain a few vital plot points.)

As a child, Darcie's mother was obsessed with being "ladylike" and "gentle". This obsession was reflected onto Darcie, and it made her stand out from all others in her dreary neighborhood. Other children saw these differences, and many avoided her because of them. Those who did show her kindness only betrayed her in the end, and she swore that nobody would ever harm her again. Shutting everyone out, she never gave anyone a chance to get close to her, resulting in Darcie spending most of her time at home with her mother. She felt as if she couldn't even breath for herself, and nothing she did brought her any joy. When she did find something that brought her peace of mind, it was usually taken from her and she was powerless to stop it. Everything Darcie did was to please her mother and avoid punishment in any way possible.

That was until she finally found something that could not be taken away from her. Under Darcie's bed was a hidden deck of cards, only to be used when she resided in her room. These cards kept her distracted for hours, taking her mind of the tragedy that was everyday life. Before she knew it, Darcie could do card tricks that she thought of all on her own. Being her original ideas, nobody could figure them out. She finally had something all to herself. These secrets gave her a feeling of worth, like she was more than just a lifeless doll. As her secrets piled up, illusions Darcie would create grew to more than just cards.

Making glasses of water fall off desks and tables was her favorite ticket out of lectures. While her mother critiqued her sewing technique and suggested how Darcie could make her fixes less noticeable, a cup would fall off the counter behind them. Shattering into millions of pieces, she glass would cover the floor with water. Although it made no noise, her mother would quickly notice the mess and instruct her to clean it up. Once her mother was gone, Darcie would simply bat at the illusion with her hand and it would disappear. She would be out of trouble, and she would finally have time all to herself.

Although things were better, something was still not quite right. Every day Darcie had this sinking feeling of being watched. This feeling had always been with her, but it grew the more alone time she had. Under her bed, in bushes, behind walls, someone always seemed to be there. Unfortunately, this feeling wasn't just her being paranoid. As it turns out, there *was* a person watching her. There always had been. Someone filming her with a outdated camera that picked up her every move day and night. It drew closer and closer until Darcie finally caught the person with their camera directed right at her. In alarm, she attempted to take it from them and...

## CD'S

### CD: 6-1-18-20-8-5-18

Many clicks filled the theater before the dark screen lit up with what seemed to be footage from an outdated camera. Only a quick scan of the screen would reveal the number 003 beside what must have been a blurred out date. The lens was quickly redirected from a damp sidewalk to the weathering brick wall above. To overcome the obstacle in its path, the camera was shoved against a circular crack in the fence. Once it gained its focus again, the greens of a well kept garden were unmistakable.

Admiring one of the many whimsical flowers was a petite little girl. She smiled softly as she kneeled down to touch its delicate bulb. The cawing of crows pierce the serene silence on that dreary morning. On que, the small girl looked up at the sky as the clouds overhead rolled in once again. Her dress’s hem was already wet from kneeling after a bout of rain, and she didn’t want to make her mother cross. To escape the rain, the girl ran out of the camera’s sight, leading the viewer to assume she went inside.

“Your dress is absolutely soaked! I am beyond disappointed with you,” bellowed a furious woman. “Go change at once.”

“But I want to go outside again, mother! I’ll change afterwards so it’s only this dress that gets-.”

The other voice was cut off, leaving a moment of solemn silence from both of them before anyone said another word.

“I will hear none of your back talking, and you certainly will not speak out of term! You will not be going outside. Now go change and do not make me repeat myself again.”

Rain began to pour, seeping back into every crack and fault. Retracting from the crack in the wall, the camera was shoved under a coat and shut off, leaving the screen baron and black once again.

### CD: 6-1-18-20-8-5-18 #2

Similar to the first CD by the same label, the theater’s screen relayed the footage of an old, outdated camera. However, instead of a musty old wall, its beholder sat in the brush under a tidy windowsill. Whatever scenery that was visible around the house could easily remind any viewer of the neighborhood from last time. In the same corner of the screen as before, the number 009 replaced the former 003.

After a moment of adjusting, the camera was propped up along the window’s water-stained glass. Two people soon came into view, in which one could be identified as the little girl from before. Only this time, she appeared older due to what few features the camera could register. Unfortunately, they were just far enough away that the camera could not pick up any of their conversation.

The girl seemed to be holding an average-length book with a red front and back cover. It was impossible to read any of the wording on the front, making it unclear what the book's purpose was. The girl backed away from the other woman before trying to balance the book on her head. The girl got it to stay in exactly 2 tries, meaning that she must have done this same routine multiple times before. According to the other woman’s posture, they must have been standing there for a long while, meaning they must have been practicing prior to the camera being turned on.

Once the girl had adjusted the book enough for it to stay when she moved, she walked forward toward the elder woman. The girl was successful in keeping the book from falling, but the lady was not pleased. Starting to get frustrated, the woman sent her to repeat what she had just done once again. The girl obeyed, walking backwards and balancing the book on her head a second time. As she walked back towards the woman, the girl tripped on her own feet, sending the book tumbling to the floor. She quickly picked it back up and began to apologize when the woman stopped her.

Pointing towards the blurred hall, the lady must have told her to leave. Attempting to apologize again, the girl tried to explain herself in clear distress. Refusing to listen, the woman ripped the book from the girl’s hands. Still making excuses, she didn’t react to the sudden gesture. The woman then struck her across the face with the book, bringing the girl to absolute silence. Tears welled in her eyes, but she hastily wiped them away upon command. Nodding as if to not anger the lady any further, the girl dashed out of the room, her cheeks now burning a soft red color as she tried not to cry.

Right after she had left, the woman made her way towards the window, making her similar features to the girl clear. The camera was quickly pulled back into the bush and out of sight. While closing the curtains, the lady was much easier to understand.

“How unlucky am I to have such a burden as a daughter… She cannot even perform the simplest of tasks,” she thought aloud for the viewer to hear.

Before anything else could be said, the camera was pointed down and completely shut off. Once again, the theater returned to complete silence, leaving the possible viewer with only their thoughts.

### CD: 6-1-18-20-8-5-18 #3

Sometimes things are exactly as you left them, and sometimes things will never stop changing. Some things are uniform while some will never behave. What you want to become should be your decision, but sometimes it just can’t be helped. This disk would be a great example of that theory, for a lone girl being filmed by an outdated camera had no choice who she wanted to be. Even though she was becoming more familiar with each CD, the viewer could not figure out who she was. This was filmed long before she gave up trying. Long before her chains would tighten and never let her feel truly safe again.

In the corner of the screen were the numbers 017, meaning there were now 17 clips of the girl onscreen. From where the camera was perched, she seemed to be huddled in the corner of a powder room. A vanity mirror loomed across the top of the screen, seemingly protecting the viewer from the girl’s sight. Although, she may not have noticed even if it wasn’t hidden, for she was preoccupied. Instead of using the powder room to get ready, the girl must have locked herself inside for protection.

The room was small, allowing the camera to pick up every sound within its walls. Among these sounds was the soft song the girl sang in clear distress. Her voice was hoarse, and she was once again on the verge of tears. The melody was recognizable, but the words were foreign. It was as though that very song was sung while the viewer was unconscious. Alas, where it may have happened was impossible to recall.

“She’s like the swallow that flies so high… She’s like the river that never runs dry,” (She’s Like the Swallow - Canadian Folk Song) she muttered to herself in attempts to calm down. The slow and melancholic notes were indeed charming, even when sung by someone at their lowest. Unsurprisingly, the song was something the girl’s mother would have chosen with her beliefs in place. Why she must have favored it wasn’t hard to understand either.

Just as the young girl’s breath began to slow, a harsh pounding echoed from the locked door. She shot up as its handle shook violently in a fit of unexplained rage. Panicking, she wasn’t sure if she should let her mother into the room or hide away forever. The girl didn’t know what she had done to cause such a ruckus. Wanting to flee, she searched the room, but there was nowhere for her to go. She thought this room was an escape, but it became a trap when she needed it most.

The pounding, shouting and creaking became so monstrous that nobody would be able to hear themselves think. Knowing she had no other options, with great dread, the girl took a step towards the door. It felt like an eternity before she finally got there. Simply turning the lock took all the strength she had left. If she was trying not to cry before, it would be especially difficult now.

The door slammed open with a loud snap, but the screen didn’t show any more. The clip had been cut short when being transferred into the CD, and it was irrecoverable. Without answers, the viewer could only assume what happened next, and whether it got better would be up to their mind’s eye. If only they had some kind of confirmation that the little girl was alright.

## Profile

In the events of A Planned Game, Darcie believes she is 15-16 years old, but her actual name is undefined. She has light gray-brown hair with a section of deep brown in her bangs. Darcie wears a old-timey blue dress, stockings, and a pair of black flats. In her hair are two black bows to compliment the darker colors in her design. She usually has a straight face with no real emotion, but sometimes her glares can be a little bit unsettling.

Fun facts about Darcie Takada:

* Her favorite flowers are white roses.
* She is wealthy and she grew up in a upper-class area.
* (Spoilers) Her actual ultimate is the Ultimate Illusionist.
* She would have killed herself by now, but it wouldn't be of use to anyone.
* She is in a ship with Yuri Keamon, but she she doesn't know what she means to him.
* She views Hiko Hirose as an acquaintance.
* Click Here for Darcie's opinions on all the other active students.