Rendezvous
Rendezvous is the fifty-sixth episode of TribeTwelve and the 16th video in Season 2. It was uploaded on June 8th, 2018.
Description[]
so yeah
that's how i got it back
Transcript[]
[Shot of Noah's face from the front, with the red night vision still turned on. He is still running as the Administrator's spider-form is chirping in the background.]
Noah: You're not gonna catch me. You gotta be quicker than that. You gotta catch me. I'm quicker than that. You're gonna be so surprised when I fuckin' get out of here. I don't need anyone's help. Not even my own. I can do this. I can fucking do this.
[Cut to Noah walking slowly on the boardwalk.]
Noah: Come at me, come at me you fuckers! What you waiting for, huh? I'm here. Take me! Spook me! Make me your bitch, I dare you.
[Cut to Noah walking towards the parking lot. The spider begins to screech again. As he walks toward it, the parking lot transitions back into the boardwalk.]
Noah: No... no...
[Cut to black, then cut to Noah peeking around the bottom of the observation tower. He walks out to the boardwalk and leans down to roll the die.]
Noah: 96. 79. 32. 32 again. Rrrrgh. 4. Close... maybe-- maybe I can...
[He tries dropping it down on a specific number. The die lands on 57.]
Noah: Ugh, fuck my life.
[Cut to Noah taking out his car keys and pressing the lock button.]
Noah: Where is it? Where's the beep? Where is it? The beep, where is it? I don't hear it anymore.
[Cut to Noah holding the car keys up and continuing to press the lock button.]
Noah: There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no--
[A fortune reads "You will never find the journal."]
Noah: Really? I tell ya, the novelty's really wearing off.
[He crushes it with his shoe. Cut to a close-up of Noah laughing. He turns the camera to a fortune that has a smiley face.]
Noah: So cute! Oh, I am lovin' this!
[Cut to Noah picking leaves off of the boardwalk and eating them. Cut to the camera zoomed into a strangely moving blade of grass.]
Noah: [mortified] What in the fuck is that?
[A group of people talking pass by.]
Noah: No.
[He coughs abrasively before running after them, but they've gotten even farther away before he can reach them.]
Noah: Hey! Fuck, fuck! Hey!
[The spider starts screeching.]
Noah: You guys, hey! Over here! [terrified] Wait! Wai--
[Cut to the camera's vision going from red to completely black.]
Noah: Come on, not again.
[He knocks the camera a few times and starts to rapidly turn night vision on and off.]
Noah: Come on. Shit. Come on. Ugh!
[He spits. The vision goes black again as Noah continues to repeatedly flicker night vision on and off.]
Noah: Shit, come on.
[The Administrator appears in one of the flickers, accompanied by heavy audio distortion.]
Noah: What the fuck. Yeah, good one! Real scary! Stupid motherfuckers.
[He keeps flickering the night vision. One flicker shows a busy road at the end of the boardwalk, another is a vision of his hallway filled with eyes, accompanied by disembodied laughter.]
Noah: What the fuck. [coughing] Fuck.
[He continues to flicker the night vision. In one flicker, a mysterious man in a hoodie appears and runs into him, knocking him over.]
Noah: God dammit! Ugh. What, are you trying out for the football team?! Shit. Ugh, fuck.
[Noah looks around, but Observer is nowhere to be seen. As his camera is pointed to the ground, we see it pan by Observer's legs.]
Observer/Kevin: Yoo-hoo!
[Noah gets scared and runs off.]
Observer/Kevin: Hi, buddy! [laughs]
[Cut to Noah staring down at the boardwalk.]
Noah: If I was a god demon from the future... Hm, I wonder.
[He turns to find a bandage paired with a fortune that reads, "Enjoy the small things you find on your path".]
Noah: Oh shit. Alright, I'll take it!
[Noah opens the package and puts the bandage on.]
Noah: Merry fucking Christmas. Just like new.
[Noah wraps the old rag around a tree and looks down.]
Noah: Is that a fortune? It's just a fuckin' leaf.
[He turns around and runs, but returns to the same tree to find the rag has already disappeared.]
Noah: Shit. Where do I go? Fuck.
[Cut to Noah walking up to a fortune.]
Noah: Woo boy, I wonder what this one says.
[The fortune reads "You don't need strength to let go of fear. What you really need is understanding." Observer is heard whistling.]
Noah: Oh no...
[Observer is waving while walking towards Noah.]
Observer/Kevin: Hey Noah, I got something to show ya!
Noah: Oh, shit, no.
[He turns around to see the Administrator.]
Noah: Fuck...
[He turns back to the Observer, walking closer.]
Observer/Kevin: Trust me, you're gonna love it.
Noah: Fuck this.
[He turns around again to see the Administrator even closer, arms outstretched. He turns back, and the Observer is laughing and running straight at Noah. He turns around again to see a giant spider scurrying in his direction. With nowhere else to go, Noah runs aside, up the observation tower.]
Noah: No no no no no no no--
[Transition into an old, chained-off tower.]
Noah: What the... [coughs] Oh, I know this place. I haven't been here in years. Even in hell it's still closed.
[He looks down at a fortune that says "Stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." Corrupted visual tearing begins as Noah looks up at the chained-off stairway.]
Noah: I am going to try and get past--
[The tearing becomes a transition into a room with a Future Noah]
Future Noah: Hey there buddy, have a seat, we've got to talk.
Noah: Oh hell no, not this shit again.
Future Noah: Have a seat, we have to have a conversation right now.
Noah: No, fuck you! And I ain't your buddy. You and your freak show back there can suck my ass. You're not me, you're just a doppelganger.
Future Noah: Take out the die.
Noah: What?
Future Noah: Take out the fucking die and roll it.
Noah: Sure. Here you go.
[Noah takes out the die and rolls it.]
Future Noah: You're gonna roll a 72.
[The die lands on 72.]
Noah: Uh, wow, that's impressive. Do you do children's birthday parties?
[Laughing. Future Noah nods.]
Future Noah: I want you to have this back, it's a good read.
[Future Noah hands Milo's journal to Noah.]
Noah: Oh shit.
Journal: Hello Noah, I missed you.
Future Noah: Now if you don't sit down and speak to me--
Noah: Uhh...
Future Noah: then you're going to be stuck here forever. So put that camera down, and let's talk.
Noah: Like I have a choice. I'm literally going to be sitting beside myself. My life is a joke and I'm a walking punchline.
[Noah puts down the camera at the end of the table. There is distortion before it faces both Noah and Future Noah.]
Future Noah: I don't even get a thank you?
Noah: ...Thank you.
Future Noah: You are such an asshole.
Noah: Sorry, I've just been-
Future Noah: Through hell? Yeah. Been there. Still there, really.
Noah: Where are we?
Future Noah: A room. What does it look like? Sorry, excuse me. It's a small recess that I've been given to have this very conversation with you.
Noah: So, we don't get out?
Future Noah: No, we do. It's just, uh, it ain't the last time you come. You see, after we get Sebastian's journal-- and we get it on our terms-- they get royally pissed, and we get plunged into this... state of perpetual darkness. The, uh, dark times. He likes to call it that.
Noah: How far in the future are you?
Future Noah: Not as far as the first guy you met. I've been here for about a month. Just in case you haven't been keeping track, you've been here for about a week now. That other Noah, uh... he's been here... quite a while, uh... yeah, um. I'm not really sure. We've met a few times. It wasn't pleasant. Nothing's ever pleasant in here.
Noah: What is this place?
Future Noah: This... this is where the monsters live. You see, if the conditions are just right, the creature that's tormenting us can access these tiny dimensional pockets within ripples of our space-time. Uh, the boardwalk and our home are two of a myriad of places with special levels of energy in which they can take advantage of.
Journal: I hate this place.
Future Noah: Think of it this way: a three-dimensional object casts a two-dimensional shadow, right? This dominion is a three-dimensional shadow cast by our four-dimensional space-time. Essentially, it's a mirror of our reality that they've trapped us in.
Journal: It sucks.
Future Noah: I'm not even exactly sure if we were ever supposed to discover this place in the first place. Uh, but we're here. So, there we go. Firebrand works in mysterious ways.
Noah: How can you even trust him? If- if he's what comes after that Noah, then--
Future Noah: Let me ask you something: who do you think's been teleporting you around this whole time, every instance since this all's started? Observer? No. His powers are limited. Tall dude? Mm-mm, he wants to eat'cha! It's Firebrand, yeah... He's the one who's been doing this, it's always been him from day one. He's keeping us safe every chance he can because he's the only one who knows how to save us.
Noah: More like keeping us alive so we turn into him.
Future Noah: Listen, I'm not going to lie to you. You got lured in here by both sides. Our side wants to strengthen you, the other side wants to break you down even further, make you into a more form-fitting puppet. I'm fairly certain that Firebrand brought you here in the first place to prepare you for these inevitable dark times.
Noah: Sounds more like three sides to me. Sounds like Firebrand don't give a fuck about what happens to us. As long as we end up turning into whatever the hell he is. I think he's only preserving himself. And I, for one, don't want to become that. He ain't us!
Future Noah: He's spoken to me directly. By following his instructions we have an opportunity to fix everything. When the time comes, we will actually have a chance, a real chance, to stop the creature. To end this hell once and for all.
Noah: Huh... okay, so, there's no chance that I-- that we--
Future Noah: No. Our ascension to godhood is essential for this to work. It's key to maintaining the loop.
Noah: Really? So that's-- that's our only option. Have you ever, like, considered that maybe this loop is his way of tricking us into giving in and joining the Collective? Huh? How about 'fuck destiny'? What if maybe I don't want to be you? What if I don't want to turn into a Charles Manson? Maybe I don't want to become an Egyptian god. Huh? How about that?
Future Noah: Would you rather be a mindless puppet? Would you rather let them win and this all be for nothing? You don't quite understand right now, but it took us a lot of fucking effort to get here. And, if changing form is what it takes to beat those cosmic fuckers and save countless lives from their curse, then I'm all in.
Noah: You know who you sound like? You sound like one of those cult fuckers. You-- you're-- you're so far gone, you got suckered into believing someone else's bullshit. You know what? I think you're the puppet. You're the puppet, dude. Wow, I can't believe this shit.
Future Noah: It ain't bullshit. I have proof of this, that our fate has been sealed since the forties. It's all because of this.
[Future Noah reaches down and grabs Sebastian's journal, placing it on the table.]
Future Noah: There is something contained within this journal that is so powerful that it allows Firebrand to exist on his own, separate from the Collective. I can't tell you what it is because my future self didn't tell me either, it's against the loop rules. To break that rule would be to alter your future events, my events, and we don't want that.
Noah: Can I ask you something? I know it's crazy, but, if you want me to be on your side-- if you want me to truly trust you-- why are you, Firebrand, all these damn future versions of me so damn cryptic? Why does communication have to be so fucking difficult all the time? Why can't you just be straight with me and tell me things straight out?
Future Noah: Don't you think we've tried that? You know, it's all making sense to me now-- now that I'm finally the one explaining it. This, right here, is a tutoring session that we're having, and I'm helping you learn how to pass the final exam. I just-- If I just tell you the lesson, you're not going to learn anything. You need to experience it for yourself, so it sticks. Hands on and shit. You need to wake up and realize that you've been playing Jumanji this whole time, and the monsters are not going to stop. This plague has been going on for a long time before you were born. We need to finish it, we need to win. It's your move now. They love this game, and they're damn good at it. We're teaching you not only how to play this game, but how to rig it in your favor. So, in order to stay one step ahead of them, we communicate in puzzles. Firebrand isn't being cryptic to you, he's being cryptic to them. He relays information to us in a way that's beyond their visual field. He's fucking with the timeline so god damn much that they can't reliably see ahead anymore. He is compromising their omnipotence. He's changing our fate to complete the loop, and that's why it all must play out as I remember it or else you'll end up doing something different that will throw the timeline off and if that happens they'll stop us from doing what we're trying to do. And if I give away too much, they'll take advantage of my knowledge and who knows what will happen then, so, no, I can't tell you what makes this journal powerful. But, I did show you.
[Future Noah opens Sebastian's journal, revealing heavily distorted static to Noah before quickly closing it. The Severance symbol is briefly visible amidst the static.]
Noah: What in the fuck was that?!
Future Noah: Yeah, you felt that?
Journal: Do it again, do it again, do it again!
Future Noah: That's right-- that's the reason they've been after our family since the forties. That's why Karl's been safe for years. They want this... they want this bad. I can't tell you how I got it, because if they knew how, it would be disastrous for us. I can tell you that the protective powers of this journal are based on ownership. It can only be transferred willingly. It belongs to me now, so I'm safe. They can't just come take it away from me. Uh, the only way they can possess it, really, is for it to be willingly gifted to them by the current owner.
Noah: So, you're saying... I need to go to Karl and get him to hand it over to me?
Journal: He won't give it.
Future Noah: See, this is the problem with you, Noah- with us. We are so desperate for answers after all of this that we-- we just jump to conclusions, into situations without thinking, and we do dumb shit, and dumb shit happens to us. Let's be real, we're fucking bad at this. We're stupid as shit. Let's stop that, okay? Try being a bit more cerebral. You've gotta keep your mind sharp here or else they'll take it from you.
Noah: So... how do we get out, then? Do I really have to roll a 5 or an 8?
Future Noah: I'll tell you, only if you promise me that you'll be attentive. Don't just listen to this shit, but think critically about it. Think critically about applying it. We only get this talk once.
Noah: Alright.
[He holds up the 100-sided die.]
Future Noah: This dice is a ruse. In fact, had you actually rolled a 5 or an 8, you would have been taken deeper into the infinite maze.
Noah: What?!
Future Noah: So yeah, be thankful you didn't actually roll it.
Noah: Why the fuck did you make me roll it?!
Future Noah: Because I knew which numbers you were going to roll. It was the same one that I rolled back then. And I'm you. That proves it, we're the same person. I've watched this video that you're filming right now enough times to know exactly how this entire conversation goes. I even already know what you're gonna title it.
Noah: Okay, then why the fuck did Firebrand leave this evil dice for me?
Future Noah: You think that was him who left it? Firebrand ain't the only monster in here, man. You're deep in enemy territory, anything obvious is a trap. This place is a network of mirrored pathways that change constantly-- it's M.C. Escher's worst nightmare. You've gotta find your way out of here, on your own, just like I did. It may seem impossible, but, there is structure to the chaos. It's very possible to find your way back. I did it once, and you're going to do it again.
Noah: B-B-But... but how?!
Future Noah: You studied aerial photos of the boardwalk for years. We know that place very well, don't we? But, you've been seeing discrepancies in the path, yeah? Patterns, things are off.
Noah: Th-th-the... the path repeats.
Future Noah: Yes, the path repeats, but sometimes it flips, sometimes the tower isn't there, sometimes everything's reversed, sometimes you find weird shit. Follow the path to the pier, but take note of the changes. If you have something different, something wrong, then turn around. Head in the opposite direction. It's like one of those 'Find The Difference' games. However, when you find misleading, confusing, or even negative fortunes, shit you've never seen in a real fortune cookie, just ignore them and continue on, because they've anticipated your movements after everything we've done, and those fortunes have been placed there intentionally to manipulate you into going the wrong direction. So, keep doing that, and eventually you'll find the end of the boardwalk. So, at the pier, you're going to find that intersecting eye symbol. Now, what are you going to do with that symbol when you find it?
Noah: Uhh... I'm- I'm gonna...
Future Noah: You're going to destroy it. Through the function of severing a connection, that thing can be used in many ways. Like a lock. Remove the lock, and the doorway opens. That's your lesson. Didn't you listen to anything that fucking demon told you in New Jersey?
Noah: Okay, okay, I-- I understand now.
Future Noah: Good... now you're going to need to think real hard and remember this part because it's fucking crucial. After the symbol is destroyed, you're going to have a window of just about a minute to get from the pier to the entrance before they can re-seal that gateway. No matter what you hear, no matter what you see, what you think, you cannot turn around or look behind you until you hit that fucking parking lot, you understand? Any hesitation, and they will grab you and drag you back in. Fear is their ally, if you give into it, you die here.
Noah: But... you saw what we turn into. That's not even Firebrand yet. He's a god monster, like... what am I going to do after this? Like, how-- how could I stop--
Future Noah: You can't stop the future, you can only prepare for it.
Noah: But I don't know how to prepare!
Future Noah: Yes you do, I just told you. Take some deep breaths, you aren't thinking clearly.
Noah: How can you assure me that I'll be okay in this?
Future Noah: I'm here talking to you, aren't I? The reason I can't just tell you the way out, as I remember it is, because, again, they're listening to us right now. Firebrand's clouded their future vision to a point where not even they know where you'll be headed. They're watching this video right now. They're counting on me to give it away, so, you're going to have to find the way out yourself. You're gonna have to solve this maze on your own.
[He raises up a plastic bag filled with some things and puts it on the floor.]
Future Noah: Here's a bag of supplies, you're gonna need them. It's not going to be easy, and it's not going to be short, but it can be done. Remember what I said to do, and map your way out of the labyrinth. Note the patterns, follow them intuitively, and you will get out. I know for a fact that you can do this because you already have.
Noah: Thank you. Thank you for helping me.
Future Noah: There it is. Thank yourself. You're the one who gets out.
Journal: Thanks, Noah.
Future Noah: So, you're welcome! But, this is the part where I leave, so, uh, you're going to need this.
[Future Noah hands Noah the camera.]
Future Noah: Adios, muchacho!
[Noah points the camera back at Future Noah, who is standing by the door leading out.]
Noah: Hold up, hold up, hold up. So, since you exist, that means I do get out of here for sure, right?
Future Noah: Hey, I'm just the middle man here, dude. I'm not the guy pulling the strings. Not yet. Um, so... who knows? Maybe you're fucked. I guess you'll find out when you're me. I miss you, Milo.
Journal: Miss you too.
Future Noah: Uh, good luck, fam. See ya.
Noah: Wait, wait, hold on! I have more questions!
[Noah transitions out of the room and back onto the old tower.]
Noah: What? Wh- huh? Wait? Huh?
[A faraway dark figure seated on a bench stands up. Noah transitions to the boardwalk observation tower.]
Noah: Where's this-- what's going on? I'm back.
Journal: Hey Noah.
Noah: Hey.
Journal: Isn't this exciting? We get to go on one last adventure together.
[Noah laughs.]
Journal: Oh, I'm having so much fun.
[Noah walks up to a fortune that reads "Whatever we are, I still remember the way we were."]
Journal: [laughs] Have a good one.
[A beeping noise and low battery indicator appear]
Journal: What's that noise?
Noah: Oh no. Oh no.
Journal: What is that--
[Cut to black. A frame appears of a maze with an eye that says "The labyrinth awaits", with laughter.]
Analysis[]
- There are a total of seven songs that play throughout the events of this video:
- "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden plays from the start of the video, up until the part where Noah begins using his car keys to search for his car's beep.
- Midway through Noah's attempts to find his car, "Revival" by Deerhunter fades in and plays up until the part where Noah begins eating leaves off the ground. It can also be heard briefly when Noah is chasing after a random group of people who suddenly appear on the Boardwalk.
- "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce plays when Noah starts fiddling with his night vision, up until Noah realizes the Observer has appeared and attempts to escape from him.
- "Follow Me Down" by The Pretty Reckless plays when Noah finds Firebrand's band-aid under the garbage can, up until Noah decides to leave the Observation Tower.
- "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel plays when Noah is trapped by the Administrator and the Observer until Noah climbs up the Observation Tower to evade them both.
- And finally, "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by Fleet Foxes and "Olmec Guides You Through The Temple" from the Legend of the Hidden Temple Soundtrack play during Noah's conversation with another Future Noah, up until Noah is transported back to the boardwalk with Milo's Journal, and notices his camera battery is about to die.
- Noah meets up with another version of himself, similar to Sisyphus, but this time his future self is from a point on the timeline that is closer to current Noah.
- The fortune that Noah picks up before being teleported to the meeting room with his future self reads "Stay in Wonderland and I'll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes" with corrupted text. A quote from the film The Matrix, this exact same paper fortune appeared in the final frame of Fortunes and was quoted by Milo's journal at the end of the same video.
- During the conversation with Future Noah, the camera distorts when he explains how ownership of the journal functions, when discussing how to escape from the Collective's dominion, and when he was pointing out that the Collective was listening to their conversation. This proves Future Noah's point about how they were eavesdropping on their meeting in order to gather intelligence.
Gallery[]
