bopbay | 002 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE

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002 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE

⋆✩ test drive 02 ✩⋆

The day begins like any other.

Routines, eventful scenes, and boring errands — no matter what you were in the middle of, there's a moment where everything begins to feel wrong. A searing pain tears through your body, so intense that it feels like every nerve has been struck at once. Muscles spasm, joints scream in protest, and as you double over, you find yourself clawing or clinging at anything within your reach. As your attempts to maintain composure fail you, your bones begin to twist with an agonizing force, the pain rising in a crescendo until it becomes unbearable to even breathe. Then, as quickly as it began, everything stops.

For a single, terrifying moment, there's nothing. No sight, no sound, no touch, no taste, no smell — just the weight of nothingness swallowing you whole. The absence of sensation might even be worse than the pain, leaving you adrift in a void you can't escape. Hopelessness threatens every fiber of your existence, and try as you might to fight it, your darkest thoughts begin to surface, flooding your mind in an onslaught of suffocating feelings and ideas.

In the darkness, you hear a voice.

It's faint, a gentle flashing of something warm along the edges of your mind, like sunlight itself. It's a voice, but you can't identify who or what it comes from, how it sounds, or what it means — still, you know it's directed at you. Something tugs at your heart, a powerful ache that throbs once and ripples outwards. You can feel the aches again, like fresh sores throughout your body. You feel off, like something isn't quite right, like you're not where you should be, or who you should be. But the voice continues, whispered just beyond your understanding. The sound is warm like hope, and it wraps around you, distant yet intent, before you wake up.

i. arrivals

OUT OF THE WOODS

A branch cracks, loud and deafening in an otherwise eerily silent forest. Thick fog coils through the trees and around your new form, twisting into unnatural shapes in your peripherals, and returning to nothing when your head whips around in an attempt to catch it. Though your memories are still solidly your own, they're gathered and pressed oddly into the back of your skull, out of reach in a way that's difficult to explain. Something rustles between leaves and underbrush, and the unmistakable sound of claws against bark follow shortly afterwards. Though the fog is thick and difficult to see through, you're suddenly aware of one thing: you're not alone.

The fog that surrounds you and your fellow new arrivals is maddening, and something foreign wraps around not just your mind, but your body as a whole. A strange illness has long been spoken of and witnessed within and around Bottlecap Bay, and you're the unlucky bunch to arrive with it slithering its way in now.

The fog is heavily related to this mystery illness that has plagued Pokemon, both inside the city and wild, for some time now. Though the connection isn't easy to fully grasp, it becomes incredibly clear as time passes that the fog worsens the symptoms of the illness. Some Pokemon who traverse the fog come out just fine, but others fall ill with varying levels of severity.

As soon as the first reports come from the Cheri Berry guild indicating that a large amount of confused Pokemon have been spotted approaching Bottlecap Bay from the forest, the three guilds send their members out in forces. Rescue these newcomers and discover that they're just like you, and not just confused wild Pokemon. Dr. Denne firmly insists on bringing everyone they can to the Pokeclinic, so please hurry!

AND INTO THE FIRE⟡ Whether you fall ill or not, the fog is not safe to stay inside of for extended periods of time. Time within the fog leads to hallucinations, aggression, temporary memory loss, and overall confusion, so Pokemon should be careful, and try to get out as soon as possible!

⟡ While all new characters will arrive infected with this mystery illness, it is not contagious in any traditional fashion, and the severity of the symptoms is up to the players. Some barely exhibit any symptoms at all beyond the initial foggy memory and may even wind up cured out of nowhere! Existing characters may become infected during the rescue, if you so desire.

⟡ The illness can cause Pokemon to have the fog symptoms listed above in any area, and it can come and go erratically. It also creates symptoms much like a normal illness, varying by the person. Some examples are: coughing, fatigue, fever, chills, sneezing, nausea, and the accidental discharge of Pokemon moves. NPC characters who have had this illness have died from it, and some characters are warned the same.

⟡ Symptoms may improve or worsen for characters as the players desire, at this time.

⟡ As some of you have already discovered during your quests, the forest is filled with Pokemon exhibiting these same symptoms, as well as dangerous pitfalls, plants with minds of their own, and poisonous berries, leaves or thorns! Be careful!

ii. nightmares over

LINGERING SHADOWS

The nightmares had ended weeks ago, or so everyone had thought. Now, some Pokemon may experience them again, a more extreme version that causes a number of Pokemon to wake up in the middle of the night in a panicked sweat, screaming, writhing or scrambling quickly out of their nests. Upon waking, these Pokemon plagued by resurfacing nightmares notice something is wrong. Physical scars or injury over a spot of insecurity, phantom pains over limbs that are no longer there, or constant shadows in the corners of their vision...

How does it feel, when the Pokemon beside you wakes up with a calm stretch and a healthy, well-rested and rejuvenated smile? They feel great, they say, looking at you with worry and concern. What's wrong? You didn't feel that warm and wonderful sensation during the night, like being wrapped in a blanket of lullabies? How odd...

What could this possibly mean?

THE FOLLOW UP⟡ From our survey, 8 characters talked things out, and 6 timed out, meaning we took this as a fairly even match of sharing versus holding it in. Because of that, only those who held it in have "consequences" to bear, and only those who talked it out have "blessings" to hold.

⟡ Characters who did not talk through their nightmares in the previous TDM experience one more horrible nightmare, accompanied by the feeling of a foreign presence. They may optionally feel someone eating their happier dreams, leaving only nightmares in their wake. These characters may now experience physical manifestations of their suffering upon waking from this last dream-eater's nightmare: scars, phantom pains, continuing nightmares with the sensation of being eaten, strange injuries, weakened abilities, etc. We encourage creativity! While you may choose the punishment and its severity, everyone who did not talk it out should have a lasting scar or effect of some sort. It should be at least mildly unsettling and upsetting, but not a heavy block for playing your character.

⟡ Characters who talked out their own problems, especially if they also helped others, will sleep amazingly, especially with the company of others. They'll tend to feel more refreshed after a night's rest in company, and will notice that they feel great in the mornings after sleeping alongside friends or companions. Their presence will also, from now on, seem to create a soothing aura that calms those around them during the night, meaning that those Pokemon experiencing suffering may seek them out for better rest.

⟡ New characters this round enter with a similar sort of presence. Characters who see their sleeping forms will feel the urge to cuddle up next to them and keep them safe from these nightmares. Any characters who sleep in the same room as them will feel more refreshed the morning after. New characters who do not find sleeping partners or roommates may find themselves plagued with similar creeping nightmares.

iii. pokeclinic

PRESSED FOR SPACE

Though the number of mystery-illness cases has been steadily rising for months now, this is the first time that the Pokeclinic has seen so many patients at once. Existing characters receive updates constantly over their Grumpearls, indicating the Pokeclinic at max capacity, but still insisting that all new Pokemon be brought to the clinic, and that all previous "newcomers" come in for a quick checkup, as well.

Anyone who steps foot or paw into the Pokeclinic can tell immediately that it's overbooked. The main ward of rooms is packed, cots spilling out into the hallways, and even the lobby is beginning to look like an impromptu campsite. Pokemon staff shuffle, flutter and scramble around the bodies of ill Pokemon, performing checkups wherever they can find the space, applying medication and herbal treatments where necessary, and reassuring worrying family and friends.

In the midst of this chaos, it's not hard to see how mixups are occurring. It gets bad enough that even Polteageist themselves joins in on treatments, causing a shocked ripple of whispers and gasps any time they float by in a hurry. They can be heard, at times, firmly scolding those who make the mistakes, insisting that there's no excuse for poor health care, and that even in times of urgency, care and attention to detail is needed. But for the time being, this isn't enough to help.

So they put out a plea to the other guild leaders. The Pokeclinic needs everyone who can help to check up on patients, deliver meals and medications, and check records for mixups. Lum Berries are fewer in number, so it makes sense that they're being overwhelmed right now! Polteageist promises to make it worth everyone's while, of course. Any Pokemon who works within the clinic during this time will be awarded with points.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO?⟡ Characters, old and new alike, are encouraged to help where they can. Obviously those more serious cases should focus on resting, but anyone capable is allowed the chance to help out!

⟡ Caretaking is one of the most important roles in the Pokeclinic. While Pokemon like Chansey, Lilligant, Gardevoir and others move around using their moves to help with ailments, many of the patients need more personal care and assistance. Whether it's feeding them their recommended diet, helping locate and deliver their medication, or just snapping Pokemon out of hallucinations, it all helps!

⟡ The rooming situation is a complete mess! Hospital cots are stacked multiples to a room, lined up in hallways, or even spilling into the lobby. New characters may end up staying together, and existing characters may end up temporarily checked in while awaiting their screening, or listed as an actual patient after showing signs of the illness. Or maybe there was some kind of a mixup? Whatever the case, you're in rooms together, now!

⟡ Clinic visits may lead to violence on occasion. In some cases, Pokemon moves are set off on accident (like a thunderbolt going off after a reflex check), and in other, the illness-related agitation flares up, leading to straight up brawling in the clinic. With newcomers and ill wild Pokemon mixed together during the chaos, some may resist treatment and lash out at staff, other patients, or any passerby. Try to keep order if you can!

LEARNING YOUR BODY

Polteageist has worked with Dr. Denne to encourage an assortment of activities and classes to help characters better adjust into their new forms. Not only is this helpful in every day matters like movement and balance, but Dr. Denne also believes that this could help reduce symptoms of the mystery illness that's still being looked into! Because of this, characters are encouraged to pair off for activities or visit various classes together, hosted in various places around the city.

BODY SPECIFIC⟡ Various body type angled classes are being held throughout Bottlecap Bay! On the beach, aquatic Pokemon hold classes on swimming, and an underwater obstacle course has been set up beneath the waves of the ocean and through the various underwater cave systems!

⟡ Pokemon with wings or other methods of flying are encouraged to meet in the Canopy for some careful flying classes. The natural clutter of the trees and branches makes for a great agility course, too, and this has been marked off with bright painted colors.

⟡ For those with more or less legs than they're used to, various activities have been set up around the city and outskirts to promote paired encouragement of movement! Just be aware, sometimes these new forms of yours come with a large tail, or bulky wings, and you might just smack into someone next to you while trying to get your bearings.

⟡ Mightyena is holding sparring tournaments and matches on the beach just before the cliffs. Try your bodies out in battle with one another!

TYPE SPECIFIC⟡ Each type (fire, water, grass, etc) has its own collection of activities to try to better become accustomed to the movesets. Often, opposing types will be matched up and told to fire attacks at one another, with the aim of practicing brushing off super-effective moves, or powering through weaker type moves. First aid kits are scattered throughout the city for this purpose.

⟡ Sometimes, it can be difficult adjusting to a type. Fire types, while comfortable in high heat, may find themselves overheating or unable to control their temperatures. Water types may forget how to breathe on land temporarily, requiring assistance in meditation. Grass types may feel oddly slow, or tied to the ground beneath them, though it's purely in their mind. Maybe your dragon type can't stop roaring. Feel free to be creative with your character's struggles!

⟡ In an attempt to encourage special Pokemon moves (rather than physical), one of the local bakeries has developed Type Muffins for characters to try out! Just be warned, sometimes it makes it so easy to use your moves that you might send them off on accident. It's suggested you try these with a friend to spot you.

CHALLENGE YOUR MIND⟡ More dangerous (but not lethal!) challenges await those who wish to sign up for them. Polteageist insists that with the dangers on the horizon and at their door, it's important now more than ever to become prepared. So, they have suggested an escape room of sorts. These come in three flavors, and even ill Pokemon are welcomed to try them, as experienced rescue Pokemon will be on call the entire time. Anyone who takes longer than the allotted time will be rescued.

⟡ Ocean room. Two Pokemon are put to sleep and wake up in a small cave beneath the water, with pockets of oxygen for those who need them. Upon waking, they must work together to escape the labyrinth of caves beneath the water and make it back to Bottlecap Bay. Some obstacles along the way may include: a maze-like cave system with misleading routes, paths with less or no sunlight, strange plants that may inflict status effects, agitated or disoriented wild Pokemon, and varying water temperatures/underwater geysers. It has an hour time limit, so good luck!

⟡ Forest room. Two Pokemon are put to sleep and wake up in the center of a dense forest, with tree covering blocking most sunlight. Upon waking, they must work together to find their directions, navigate through thick brush and forest, and make it back to Bottlecap Bay. Some obstacles along the way may include: the fog, collapsed floors into cave systems, sudden steep drops, aggressive Pokemon and plants, vines, thorns, poisons and toxins. It has a two hour time limit, so good luck!

⟡ Cave room. Two Pokemon are put to sleep and wake up far beneath the city, in one of the many tunnels belonging to the mines. Upon waking, they must work together to reorient themselves and find a way out to Bottlecap Bay. Some obstacles along the way may include: unstable sections of mines leading to collapses, a vast assortment of tunnel directions leading to disorientation, extreme temperatures, lava pits, and lessening oxygen levels. It has an hour time limit, so good luck!

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: body horror, death, disorientation, hallucinations, illness, injury, scars

⟡ TDMs are game canon and act as events for the month they are posted.

⟡ New characters can link to their top level beneath the NEWBIE DIRECTORY!

⟡ All new arrivals are not assigned to any one guild. However, if they assist with any of the clinic prompts, they may gain points for their future guild!

⟡ The creepy forest fog can be done away with temporarily through Pokemon moves, but always seems to work its way back like it has a mind or will of its own.

⟡ Remember that at least one thread for your application must come from the TDM! There is no comment minimum, but we will be looking for engagement, as well as for players and characters who take the time to delve into things like character thoughts, emotions, morality, and other deep themes. Take this time to engage with the setting as you would in game!

⟡ As of today, reserves and applications are now permanently open, with apps processed every other month! See information on their respective pages for details!

⟡ Have any questions related to the TDM? Ask here! If your question is more general for the game, please make sure to direct it to the FAQ page instead. Thank you, and happy threading!

FULL NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Her reaction is still amused; she can tell he's trying to bait her as much as she has been him, reflects in a way that is familiar. ]

Oh, I have no specific questions currently~ it is a curious sort of place to observe, as long I can get away from these crowds.

You may have to wait a fair bit until they release you, but I suppose you'll have ample opportunity after the fact. Perhaps you'll even luck out and end up in one of the less populated guilds.

[Not like Oran, no. The Oran Berries are quite the crowd, and just based on her demeanor, it's hard to imagine her enjoying it.]

[ There he goes with that guild talk again. As if she wasn't already trying to think of ways to escape, were he to head on his way again, any illness she was blatantly ignoring on her part aside. ]

It all depends on who comes calling, doesn't it?

[ It's a weird concept to her, honestly. ]

It really does. For instance, Polteageist-san is highly particular about who they welcome into the Lum Berries, favoring those of high intellect.

[Akechi chuckles, a smirk taking form once again.]

Perhaps that's why Mightyena-san approached me before the guilds formally announced they'd be welcoming new members.

To utilize your more, constructive talents, as you put it?

[ She does pay attention, as much as she deflects otherwise. ]

Indeed, though I can't say I'm especially bothered by this turn of events. Mightyena-san seems far more genuine, and I rather like the idea of excelling within the guild and dethroning the Lum Berries in the rankings.

[There's an air of confidence in his words, a rush of excitement. He can prove himself without being in a gilded cage...]

So it's all for a big competition in the end? What a peculiar sort of world. Sounds like something that should have been put on television.

[ She's even less convinced, but she's at least trying to make use of what she hears, as indirectly as she wants to receive it. ]

At the very least, the ranking board does incentivize competitiveness, though the missions also are productive for the well-being of this city and its residents.

[He gestures at the food he offered her with a wing.]

It varies from resource gathering, rescue missions, and exploring uncharted territory.

Do people only work when there are incentives involved?

[ She dislikes asking questions, but sometimes even she has to get clarification. She's had a workaholic personality herself, but that was also at someone else's behest. Seemed there was no getting away from that here. ]

[Hmm... It's a fair question, really.

The cynical side of Akechi wants to say yes, but he's seen evidence to the contrary.]

There are those who work for their personal gain, and there are those who do so out of the goodness of their hearts, bright-eyed and idealistic.

[ It's a lot to contend with really, but she's still grappling internally, with the old life and the new and trying not to think too hard about either. The expectation of having to do something after seeing everything undone is harder to reconcile.

It sounds too simplistic, too good to be true in an unsatisfying way. She taps one of her front legs. ]

... Sounds annoying, either way. Everyone trying to fix everything. Someone will come along and destroy it all eventually.

Oh, I highly suspect we're due for some inevitable adversity.

[A scowl returns to his face, and his voice takes on a sharper edge.]

The mushrooms in the forest, the fog... All of them have already turned otherwise docile Pokémon hostile. Their sense of judgment is greatly impaired, their cognition distorted... The state of this hospital already speaks for itself.

Right, right, it's a big mess. [ A leg taps, and then points at him. ]

Do you really think anyone is up to the task, of fending off their eventual destruction? A disorganized place like this, and they're all sitting ducks.

[Akechi shrugs. She's right to be skeptical, but...]

You underestimate the tenacity of "hero types," and we've quite a few of them here. My rival immediately comes to mind.

You don't need to praise them to me. They are exhausting. Those types... they get by with everything with just luck.

[ The irritation is creeping back in again; she can't help it. Some things just cut too close even when she does her best to project that she's above it all. ]

Believe me, I know.

[He heaves an exaggerated sigh.]

Ren is obnoxiously lucky. He faced adversity, certainly, but he had the benefit of his 'bonds' to keep him on the straight and narrow.

They all do, it's -- cheating, is what it is. They get backed up against a wall in what should be an inescapable situation and then, what do they do? Just evolve again and again when it shouldn't be possible.

[ Huff. She's not used to venting to people she doesn't know, but hard to avoid when it's a deep seeded irritation. ]

...Evolving as in changing forms, or are you speaking from a metaphorical standpoint?

[He arches his brow. There's a difference, and this seems rather pertinent to clarify.]

[ She waves one of her legs in a circular movement. ]

Both probably, but technically I meant the former. It's unbelievable, what kids like that do. Facing something too powerful? Don't worry, they'll cry a little about it and then their little partners will just get stronger, somehow. Traveling all over the world? Don't worry, somehow they can be everywhere at once if they need to be if they take enough energy from somewhere else. Ugh... the world is just a toy to people like that. And if you know someone who is the same way, it's an epidemic, clearly.

[ Life is suffering when you're cast in the role against people destined to win again and again... ]

[Fascinating. Akechi listens, eyes narrowing in focus.

Partners implies a relationship between monster and humans, not unlike what Emmet and Ingo have described before.]

So, effectively, their bonds facilitate evolution rather than their strength alone.

[Heh. The epidemic remark squeezes a chuckle out of him.]

Well, it's not quite the same, but Ren was able to wield a wider range of skills thanks to his bonds. Even the will of the masses has aided him in the past.

[ Thinking back on all of that has unlocked a level of migraine. A lot of buried issues. She reverts, of course, to deflecting. ]

Then, it seems that all he needs is for you to sing his praises. Together, you both can solve this problem, right?

Perhaps if we were in the cognitive world, but this world doesn't operate on the will of the masses. Not to mention, I'd rather not bloat his ego any further.

[Still, he smirks, and there's a hint of fondness to his voice that wasn't there before.]

You're probably going to have to work a lot harder to avoid that, because it seems you have a habit of it that you can't seem to get away from. Who knows what you might unleash here.

[ As much as she is teasing him for it, it does come with a price; having once had someone repeatedly do the same for her but to little avail. Talking to others at least is a distraction from that. ]

Ha. It's true. Ren has an obnoxious way of working his way into people's hearts.

[There's that strange mix of fondness, coupled with an air of resignation.]

But someone has to keep him out of trouble, and without his teammates, that responsibility falls upon me.

Do you consider it your responsibility only because you know each other from the same world?

[ If he was going to make a point in saying they hadn't even been teammates, it seemed a bit much. ]

002 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE

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