002 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE

[baymods]

⋆✩ 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

Comments

[loopsiedaisy]

[The Shinx thumps to the ground, and is immediately hit with two strong and opposing urges: get away from the spooky fabric thing, and chase the little wiggly ground snake. Siffrin freezes in place, one dilated kitty eye watching Shoka zip along.]

What are you?

[A Sadness...? Sadnesses don't generally talk.]

[telewarped]

Not a floor cushion.

[The shadow comes to a halt a short distance away, spreading itself out into one large, dark splotch—and from it reappears the Mimikyu, hopping back up onto Siffrin's level with practiced ease. Her real eyes, peering out from the holes in her cloth disguise, look them up and down while her false head tilts jerkily, curiously toward one side.]

What are you?

[Whatever they are... they're unfairly cute.]

[loopsiedaisy]

[Siffrin's eye darts up to the false head, then back down to Shoka's real eyes, and settles there.

[At this point, they've probably run into at least one other person, so:]

A cat. Apparently. As of today...

...why are you wearing a costume?

[It's less weird than whatever they were imagining upon landing on her and having her just poof into the ground, but it's still kind of spooky-looking...]

[telewarped]

[As of today... So there really are more like them out here.

Siffrin's question earns a scoff, like they've just asked something rude and possibly even offensive—but it's a fair question, really, so Shoka answers:]

Same reason you're a cat, I guess. I've been stuck like this way longer than just today, though... [A pause.] What were you before, then?

[loopsiedaisy]

[Stuck... wearing a costume? That really doesn't answer anything! Still, it doesn't seem like they're going to get anything else -]

[Siffrin opens their mouth to answer. Then Siffrin closes their mouth. Then opens it again.]

...a human?

[...you know, that sounded weirdly lacking in confidence??]

[telewarped]

[... What, are they asking her?]

Uh-huh. You sure about that?

[loopsiedaisy]

[...]

Yes.

[Their tone this time is a lot more confident, but whether that's convincing after the last one...]

I'm... [...just having a strangely hard time remembering what they looked like. But that would be weird to say, right?? They can't say that.]

I mean, what else would I have been?

[telewarped]

[Her eyes subtly narrow, studying.]

Uh—literally anything? This place isn't exactly picky with who it messes with... I mean, I wasn't human before I turned into this.

[Not completely, at least.]

I know one guy here who used to be a cat. Like, an actual domestic Earth cat—not whatever you're supposed to be.

[loopsiedaisy]

[In theory this should be very reassuring! Even if they're suddenly not totally confident whether they were human or not, it sounds like it shouldn't be a big deal. But... for some reason they're feeling defensive now!!]

Okay, but - I definitely only had two legs!

...what were you, if you weren't human?

[telewarped]

A Reaper.

[A Reaper who was then demoted to lowly Player—but "technically a ghost, but also not really" is less fun to drop on an already disoriented stranger than "goddess of death".]

I had two legs back then, too, for the record, so you're not special. [And now she has none. What have you done to deserve four times as many legs, Siffrin?]

[loopsiedaisy]

[Unfortunately for Shoka's fun...]

...like a wheat farmer? [Why wouldn't that be someone human?]

[Siffrin doesn't actually want to be special, and they're about to say so - but instead they sneeze. Several times. Kitten sneezes!]

[They shake their head furiously afterward, fur down their back rippling in a shudder.]

[telewarped]

[Ugh, what?]

What's inhuman about a farmer, dummy? Yeah, no. More like a—

[Before she can explain, Siffrin sneezes—a lot. She should probably be more grossed out, and she does recoil a bit to put distance between them... but they're so cute about it in that form that she can't quite repress a small giggle. Kitten sneezes...]

Yeah, maybe you should get that looked at... So. You ready to get outta here?

[loopsiedaisy]

[Siffrin huddles down miserably on their paws, instinctively tucking them underneath in... almost a loaf. They're not all the way on the ground, it's too damp and unpleasant with the fog.]

I guess so.

Um. To where?

[Should they be following this mysterious costumed not-farmer?]

[telewarped]

To the clinic? I just said you should get that mystery-cold looked at, didn't I?

[Her eyes wander, watching the fog as if she expects something to leap out of it at any moment. Still, nothing about her manner suggests fear of whatever that might be lurking in the woods—only a muted wariness.]

Unless you'd rather stay here in no man's land. Up to you.

[loopsiedaisy]

[She makes a very fair point. They would not like to stay in no man's land.]

Right. Makes sense.

...where's the clinic?

[There don't seem to be signs of civilization in any direction, not even a partially overgrown road or anything equally worn down. Mayyybe a few animal trails?]

[...hold on, if they're animal-shaped...]

[telewarped]

Back in the city, duh. [She straightens; her false head wobbles a bit, still sitting just slightly off center on its false neck.] Fortunately for you, it's actually sort of my job to make sure sorry noobs like you make it there without getting eaten or whatever, so—c'mon.

[A long, shadowy appendage emerges from under her costume, ending in a set of jagged, deathly sharp claws—which she uses only to motion for Siffrin to follow her.]

And stay close. Things can get pretty messed up around here. [She shuffles a step or two in one direction (back the way she came, judging from the trail of trampled grass before her) before glancing pointedly back at Siffrin.] Just don't get too close, got it? Not super interested in catching whatever you did.

[loopsiedaisy]

R-right.

[Siffrin heaves themself back to a standing position and trails after Shoka, tail drooping. After seeing those claws, maybe it's a good thing to be told to stay back...? But honestly, they're more distracted by trying to control their shivering, and also not trip over their own feet.]

[Speaking of weird things - it's not long after that Siffrin starts to jerk their head up, eye fixing on Tall Shapes in the fog that disappear as quickly as they appeared. For a bit they don't mention anything, assuming it's just the bad visibility playing tricks on them. But eventually...]

[...]

Are there any humans that are still human, here?

[telewarped]

[Though she maintains a distance she deems safe, to her credit, Shoka does keep a close eye on Siffrin as they start to walk, watching to make sure they don't stray too far from her side or trip over something. Naturally, she notices when Siffrin's gaze fixates on a spot in the fog, but she doesn't say anything either. It seems that everyone who's been in these woods has seen—or heard, or felt—something out in that mist. It's happened to her, too.]

If there are, I haven't seen any. Only Pokémon here.

[But the Pokémon are wary of humans, which she supposes means that humans must exist (or at least have existed) somewhere. Lacking much interest in studying the history of this world, she doesn't know the details.]

[loopsiedaisy]

[Well, now they can't say that they keep thinking they see humans in the fog. It would be weird. Clearly they're mistaken. (Even if at least one of the figures is shaped like it's wearing an extremely familiar hat...)]

[Alright, Siffrin, if you're not seeing humans, what could you be seeing?]

[...]

What about ghosts? [Are there any, that is?]

[telewarped]

Duh? You're looking at one right now, buddy.

[Because she just can't help herself, she waves her clawed hand (which does look ghostly indeed, as if made of shadows) at Siffrin.]

[loopsiedaisy]

[hang on WHAT]

[The fur at Siffrin's shoulders starts to bristle up, and they do trip over their own feet now, though they catch themself before they tumble over embarrassingly.]

[Then they squint suspiciously at Shoka, fur smoothing back out.]

Ghosts don't just go around talking to people.

[They say, despite knowing basically nothing about ghosts,]

[But still! There's no way!]

[telewarped]

[She tilts her disguise-head toward them, one ear perked up.]

Says who?

[loopsiedaisy]

[No one. But they've never run into a ghost that...]

[Hang on, have they run into ghosts?]

[The memory's slipping away. It's just a feeling.]

[They phrase it impersonally instead:] I've never heard anyone say a ghost talked back to them. Just made faces, stuff like that.

[telewarped]

Then you can be the first! Lucky you.

[Here, of course, all Ghost-types talk, but she keeps that information to herself for now.]

If you don't expect ghosts to even do much of anything, why'd you ask about 'em?

[loopsiedaisy]

They do things! They... hover. Out of the corner of your eye, so you get jumpy and then your friends start looking at you funny.

[That's not an answer... but despite that, them being defensive about this is maybe giving a little too much away. Quick, make up some stuff. Maybe use some ghost stories from plays.]

And make spooky noises. And float over you when you're sleeping, so you wake up and there's a ghost right in your face. And, uh, follow murderers around, sometimes...? Or people who gave up on bringing them to justice?

They just don't talk.