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

[dripdrive]

[Anasui's head snaps over to Firepaw in the disconcerting manner. His blue eyes stare at the cat unblinkingly, head unmoving as he turns his body to face the correct direction. A kid? Huh... Well... he has to handle things delicately. Like he does with Emporio...]

I took care of the problem. [He flicks one of the meat cubes from the top of the pile down to the bottom.] Don't worry about it. It won't be back to bother us.

[How... reassuring.]

[firealone]

[The casual flicking of the cube makes a shiver shoot down Firepaw's body, and he instinctively unsheathes his claws. Which is honestly adorable, when Anasui is nearly the largest Pokemon he's ever faced.]

Was that someone who lives here? What makes you think you can just kill folk and act so normal about it?

[dripdrive]

... Are you stupid? [He asks, both exasperated and genuinely surprised that this tiny red kitten is asking him such a thing.] Of fucking course it wasn't someone from here. No one's done anything to deserve it yet.

What makes you think I killed someone?

[firealone]

[The bird is so calm, he's even talking down to him. Firepaw feels like he's going crazy, and just hisses in response.]

There's blood everywhere! There's meat everywhere! I can see that you killed someone!

[He has to carefully pick his way around the meat to get closer - it has to be enough to make up his own body mass, at least.]

Even if it was just a wild Pokemon, I'm gonna have to turn you in to the guild leaders! And if you don't come quietly, then I'll have to knock you out first.

[dripdrive]

There's barely enough meat constitute a body. Well... your body, maybe. This is just a tail. See, you can tell if you get the middle cubes out of size order and follow how the bone would have threaded it through them.

[Anasui moves a couple of cubes with his claws, trying prove his point but failing on the virtue it is all viscera.]

Hmph. I have better things to do than talk to the authorities. Don't get in my way.

[firealone]

[How would I know that, he bites back. He really doesn't want to be looking at the meat cubes, but he does follow Anasui's explanation, even though his ears are back and his hackles are raised. There is... a point here, there's no organs or skull in the mess. Not that it really feels better, for reasons he can't exactly put his paw on. It's just gross.]

Well... you should still be talking to them, if you had to do this to get someone to leave. [Brave, foolish Firepaw assuming this was the last case scenario.] Just so they know your side, since you're a newcomer. Someone's going to have to clean this up, and... the ground's gonna smell like blood for moons.

[dripdrive]

[Well, now you know because he told you.

Anasui pushes another cube and studies it quietly. Though it may look like he's just playing with the meat, he's actually weighing it, trying to get a better grasp of the anatomy and the creature's size. He wants to know what sort of creatures he'll be fighting against and you can learn a lot from taking something apart.

Anasui likes to be thorough.]

The problem's already taken care of. [He scoffs, waving off the suggestion to talk to the guild masters with a flick of his hair. That's as much of a 'look' he'll give Firepaw.]

...I just said don't get in my way. I'll dispose of this when I'm done.

[firealone]

[Another shiver runs through him. He's definitely resolved to tattle to the guild leaders, assuming he'll be allowed to leave. There's certainly no chance of him leaving fast enough unless Anasui lets him. He is starting to back away, then stops after a few steps.]

...What do you mean when you're done? [He can't help himself. Curiousity and cats and all that.] Are you going to... eat all this?

[That's all he can think of. Maybe it's just the old ghost stories about forest cats creeping into his mind.]

[dripdrive]

[Anasui looks dryly at Firepaw for a good five seconds. He doesn't even grace what he deems an idiotic question with an answer. When he's done means when he's done!!!

The Espathra turns back and returns to sorting the cubes, pulling them out of their disturbingly tidy towers and then placing them out on the floor one by one. After a moment, however, he speaks.]

You'd assume tails designed for offensive moves wouldn't be dropped as easily as tails suited for balance like regular lizards. But the denser muscle is surprisingly light and springy while the weight distributed on the sides of the tail absorb shock easily. This way, the tail doesn't fall off when you hit someone with it but it can be pulled off to Shed Tail.

[He rearranges a meat cube again.]

Give me a few minutes. Then you can eat as much as you want, cat.

[firealone]

[....This person is so weird. Firepaw ends up too confused to even stay afraid, and just sits down to watch him dumbly. After a while he just rationalizes that this bird probably wasn't human. Humans don't like him hunting, he can't be too upset about some other creature acting in a way that's normal for them.]

I'm not gonna eat it after you put your feet all over it.

[Weird line to draw but okay.]

...I guess I didn't think something that big could do that. Why did you have to cut it up, though?

[dripdrive]

[Firepaw isn't entirely wrong. Most people don't think he's human too.

Anasui raises an eyebrow, having assumed cats would eat anything edible if left to it. But then again... This guy must be a person like himself... Fair enough. He would draw the same line too.]

Neither did I. It implies there are bigger predators that can catch it. Or it could be used as bait for a trap if that other Pokemon wants. [Anasui talks absent-mindedly as he rearranges the cubes to make it resemble the original shed tail. Considering how jumbled it was originally, he's doing a great job reassembling the twisted puzzle.

... Ugh. This kid asks as many questions as Emporio.] I don't know the anatomy of Pokemon as well as I do humans. This lets me study the creature piece by piece. The more I know my enemy, the better I can fight it. [Obviously.]

[firealone]

[Once Anasui starts moving it back into the shape of a tail, it starts getting much easier to look at. The stench of blood in the air still sucks, but he can categorize it as meat and pay more attention to the... science lesson??... he's getting.]

One of my friends is seven tail-lengths tall. I don't think she's the biggest Pokemon around, either, so there's lots of things that might hunt this. If you got a good look at the rest of it, someone might know more about the Pokemon, and a lot of them like to talk about fighting techniques.

[A pause.]

Do you think you're gonna need to go find the rest of it later?

[dripdrive]

[Anasui looks at Firepaw's tail and does some quick math in his head. So his friend is fairly big... Big predators could also prey on creatures larger than them too, so Firepaw highlighting there being bigger Pokemon made sense.]

Hmph... It was just some dumb motorcycle lizard. [What Firepaw is saying is true but Anasui doesn't like talking to others, regardless if it's about fighting techniques. Maybe he'll go hunt around the library and see if said techniques are documented or not...]

...It should have gotten the message. If they do come back, I'll finish it off.

[firealone]

[Firepaw perks up at that last sentence.]

You sound like some of the cats I knew back home. [At least, his friends were very prone to showboating about how they would shred enemy cats that came into their territory. He thinks Anasui could actually back it up.] Hmm... I wonder if Emporio would know what that lizard was...

[Emporio knows everything, so probably. If nothing else he can ask him what a motorcycle is, because he doesn't know if Anasui will have the patience to explain that to him.]

[dripdrive]

Cats? ... You must be the cat that Emporio mentioned. The cat who turned into a different cat.

[So his earlier assessment about this being a human was wrong. Huh. Well... This cat might just be more hygienic than others; Anasui was so sure cats would eat anything.]

... probably. Kid knows a lot of useless information. [So close to a complement...] If not, he'll find out faster than the rest of us.

[firealone]

[He's a cat with Standards (tm). Although there's definitely cats in his universe that eat roadkill.]

You know Emporio? [Then this person must be trustworthy! That's how it works.] He's my best friend. And yeah, he's super smart. One time he looked at my old owners' bathtub den... bathroom... and figured out exactly where I used to live. I bet he could figure out what moves work best against that thing, too.

[dripdrive]

I knew him in prison. [Emporio can have friends his age? Does it count if he's friends with a cat? Mysteries. Anasui raises an eyebrow as Firepaw's attitude towards him seems to do a 180 but he doesn't comment. Better cheery than whining while he works.]

He notices small details. I don't doubt he could. [Although...] Your old owner is here though? Is that a person or another cat?

[firealone]

[Ah yes, prison... just remembering the images Emporio showed him of the prison makes a shiver run through Firepaw's fur.]

Oh, no - we have special stones that let us show each other memories. They do other things, but that part has been really helpful for getting to know each other. Emporio and I were talking about bath tubs when we first met, and I showed him the one back in my housefolk's den. Back before I started living in the forest, I belonged to my housefolk, who were people... I do miss them sometimes, but I wasn't able to speak to Twolegs before so I don't know if we'd be friends.

[This is a lot of rambling and he's aware of it. So he pauses, but then another thought crosses his mind.]

I'm sorry you had to live in a prison. Emporio showed it to me, it looked horrible.

[dripdrive]

Hmph... I can think of a few people who need that. [Not him, mind you, but having something like that would be useful. Anasui needs a moment to replay what Firepaw says to himself but he's able to decipher what the cat is talking about quickly enough. He has no real comment on Firepaw's 'Twolegs'.

At the change of topic, he shrugs.]

It wasn't that long or all that bad. My experience was very different to Emporio's. People didn't mess with me. [Honestly, Anasui didn't mind it as much as the other inmates. It wasn't great but he managed.]

[firealone]

I guess a lot of places are easier to live if you're tough.

[Like his old home in the forest, where he pretty much had to win his right to be there through combat. Not how cats normally join, but he had to prove that he wasn't too soft to survive out there.]

Oh yeah, I'm Firepaw.

[He has pretty much stopped bringing up that he used to be a member of ThunderClan. That was lifetimes ago, and it doesn't feel as important as it should anymore.]

[dripdrive]

[Anasui shrugs but it's clear he agrees with Firepaw as he gives the slightest of nods his head.]

... Anasui.

[Anasui then quietly finishes his work. Soon, he steps back from the reassembled tail. He doesn't recognise what a Cyclizar is but it's definitely the tail from one with the ability Shed Tail!]