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

[seacub]

It- it's not that uncommon here..!!

[PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYONE HERE DO NOT DISMANTLE A POKEMON, SIR,]

I've been eye to eye with a lot of adults here!

I'm even taller than some of them!!!

[dripdrive]

[But if Pokemon are such mysterious creatures, shouldn't he take one apart so they can learn more about them :)?]

Sounds like an excuse, short stack. Especially given some of the architecture. Seems like I'm not going to be the tallest here.

[seacub]

[ANASUI NOOOOOO]

I mean, probably not...

[There's definitely taller...longer???]

I'm going to get bigger though!

...eventually...

[Not espartha big though, aw man.]

[dripdrive]

... Sure you are.

Keep dreaming. It's good for you. [He means that genuinely but man, it sounds mean from him.]

[seacub]

[It does! It sounds so mean when he says it!! Why is he like this...

Still, Emporio's used to that. And...also not?

All things considered, this really is Anasui being. Nice. It's alien, but it makes him think about those moments during the drive to Cape Canaveral, however short the journey was- those delays caused entirely by recovery from injury, the quiet that existed for at least until they were passing crocodiles and fighting gravity itself.

When Foo Fighters had left with Anasui that day, he'd been scared. Nervous. He hadn't actually heard Anasui profess interest in Jolyne, and then there it was.

...Maybe it had been good for him after all though.

(She was good for all of them, one way or another.)

The forest begins to clear away. They come to rockier land, along a shoreline, where paths put together of cobblestone begin to form. Buildings can be seen- not particularly tall next to the skyscrapers of human cities, but something one might see in a fairytale story book, or similar, with stone bases and wooden upper levels.

The paths are wide. There are lamp posts that look more like perches. Emporio gestures ahead, around Anasui's neck.] We're going to be heading toward the center of the town, that's where the Clinic is- I've been learning some first aid there actually, it's pretty different from normal stuff...

[dripdrive]

[That was a nice time. It was peaceful... comfy. He almost managed to propose to Jolyne back then... It would have been perfect if those gators didn't show their face.

(He did change. Maybe not quite to the man that she wanted or even needed but he's going to keep working towards that. He's been given another chance, after all).

Anasui continues to walk forward and he is well and truly impressed with the buildings. They're beautifully made, intricate in their own way, and Anasui ruffles his wings as he studies them since he doesn't have fingers to flex.

Man, it sucked not having Diver Down to dismantle something...]

... Is it more like doing first aid for pets?

[seacub]

Kind of a weird mix. You can probably see just while we walk down the streets...

[...So he starts, but the streets are actually a lot less bustling today. Emporio gets a bit nervous.]

Hmm.

I was going to say you'd be able to see for yourself how varied everyone can get, but...maybe not? That's kind of weird...

[He hadn't realized how deserted the roads got when he left early in the morning to meet with the others and head off for rescues...]

Well. Some pokemon aren't really 'animal-like'. Polteageist is a ghost made of tea, more or less, as an example.

[So doctor work gets funky.]

[dripdrive]

...Maybe they're all in the forest being do-gooders. Searching for other lost people or whatever.

[Thanks, Anasui. Anasui opens his mouth to reply when Emporio drops that bomb on him. And then Anasui hones in on the important part of that conversation.]

... It's a fucking teapot? It's name is literally a teapot? Short and stout? [Anasui!]

[seacub]

Hmmm. Maybe? If Polteageist was sending us all out, then the other guilds definitely were...

[He should clarify on all of that. Later! They're still making their way downtown, faces passing, walking fast...ing. No wait, fuck-]

Part of him is a teapot, yeah! ...He's also smaller than me, so...yeah, I guess.

[HE'S NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE RHYME HE ISN'T-]

[dripdrive]

[Anasui is used to Emporio infodumping so if Emporio isn't sharing information now it means there's a reason for it. So instead, he decides to focus on what's clearly more important.]

... Everything's already so goddamn weird anyway. Why not? I bet that's not even the weirdest thing in this world...

[seacub]

Tell me about it. Most people who came here don't even know about Stands, [he adds with a small laugh.

And sure, percentage wise that was most people back home too, but these guys talk about stuff like...Like personas and whatever.

They're making their way to the center though, and...the streets are starting to fill to normal amounts, though they all go the same direction. Worrying.

This increases when they near the clinic, which is plainly overfull.]

Uhhhhhhhhhh...uh oh...

[And given that the building had to be large enough to take in LARGE pokemon, that's not great.]

[dripdrive]

[Anasui would vocalise the same if he wasn't talking to Emporio. Emporio knows these things, so he doesn't have to waste his breath. His energy is better spent on looking at the people around them. Anasui's sharp eyes narrow on the other Pokemon suspiciously as he takes in the different shape and sizes of the mons. And then he sees what Emporio sees...]

...This sickness spreading is worse than we thought.

[Which is just... fucking great.] And there's nowhere else I can get something for this headache? [The headache he did NOT vocalise about earlier, mind you.]

[seacub]

Clearly...I can't believe it's already spread this much...

[That's really not great, he thinks. It's-

....

hold up]

....How long have you had a headache?

[dripdrive]

Since I got here. I just thought it was from something dumb: like turning into an ostrich.

...

If I caught something, you probably have it by now. I had you in my mouth. [Anasui doesn't apologise but that's the closest to 'sorry not sorry' you're gonna get.]

[seacub]

....fair point...

[And.

Mm.] ...honestly it's probably in the fog, so I'm not even sure it would matter...

[Which is as close to an apology as Anasui's also going to get, but that's more because Emporio knows that acknowledging Anasui's own apology is not especially wise.]

...Well...we better get in there then...

[dripdrive]

[Yeah, he might get violent, or at least snippy with Emporio.]

Hmph... I don't fancy waiting in there for hours if it's that crowded.

[But Anasui will walk inside despite his reservations. He supposes he can always just take medicine he needs if he doesn't get served fast enough...]

[seacub]

Maybe they'll let us wait somewhere else..?

[He doesn't really think so, though. And good luck knowing What medicine you need, Anasui!!

Of course once they do get inside, it becomes clear that Anasui is at a disadvantage- far from the largest, he's still a larger pokemon, which makes crowd navigation tricky.

Emporio looks around with his helmet back on his back, and hums at the sight.] ...Maybe I can go look around for the Doctor...it's going to be tricky to stay together like this...

[He's clearly hesitant.

It doesn't take a genius to guess why.]

[dripdrive]

[It will occur to Anasui when he sees the medicine that things are not the same medicines to what he's used to.

Anasui's eyes narrow as he surveys all the different Pokemon, a menagerie of monsters. He does his best to push past people but the sheer mass of bodies inside the clinics makes it near impossible for him to get very far. The bird clicks his tongue irritably.]

... Then get a move on already. I can take care of myself. [That isn't the issue and Anasui knows it.] ... I won't intentionally hurt someone unless they deserve it.

[seacub]

...Okay.

[He wants to trust Anasui- so, down he goes. This may well be the last they talk to each other for a number of hours from here...and looking at him now, Emporio almost fears that if he leaves, they'll forget the other even existed.

Still.] ...I'll show you where I live, after.

[dripdrive]

You'd better. You're not escaping me, kid. [Anasui mutters. He's not sure what's wrong with Emporio and why he looks at him so wistfully but it's disconcerting and makes him uncomfortable

Anasui waves the kid off as best as he can with his head alone. Once Emporio is out of sight, he'll scrunch his eyes shut. His headache is acting up again. He wishes he could massage is temples. It really feels bad right now. He must be really sick.

Probably sick enough to wander into the forest later.]