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

[ourtomorrow]

[ Something is wrong.

Something is very, very wrong.

This is far more complicated, and far more different, than Ken had supposed. Every new sentence from Guilmon doesn't fit with what he knows of the Digital World. Of course, he's open to being wrong - he's learned the hard way not to assume his understanding of things is absolute - and the world's too vast for him to figure he knows everything that's happening, but.....Izumi-san. Even if he hasn't encountered this group of Tamers, wouldn't Izumi-san know? And if he doesn't, what does that mean.....?

Ken lapses into silence, thinking this over. Sorry, Guilmon. He hasn't forgotten you're here, he just....does this, sometimes. ]

[guilmon]

[Oh. That silence doesn't look good.

Blinking, Guilmon moves a little closer and gives Ken a light tap.]

Are you okay? You got really quiet...

[ourtomorrow]

Eh??

[ He blinks, startled by the tap. You can almost see the world zoom back into focus in his little buggy eyes. ]

A-ah......

[ Rebooting. Rebooting. ]

[guilmon]

Giru...

[He sniffs Ken, just to make sure he's okay.]

Sometimes Guilmon has to think really hard, too.

[ourtomorrow]

[ He smells like Bug, if you must know. And something in the back of his mind prickles at being this close to a source of - fire? Some instinct of his looks at Guilmon's new body and thinks "fire"? Huh.

Guilmon's concern is touching, regardless. Ken does his best to smile without a clear mouth. (How is he talking? The creators of Pokemon would like you to not worry about it.) ]

Sorry. What you said is just - very different. From how things are for me.

But what's the same is that we both have partners to return to.

[ He holds up a front leg. ] Let's do our best for them.

[ .....He has no hand to shake. This is awkward. Ken's just left sticking his leg out. ]

[guilmon]

Okay!

[There's that bright, bubbly tone again, complete with a goofy smile.]

But that means figuring out how to fight! Guilmon's used to it, but you're not human anymore, that's probably harder...

[ourtomorrow]

[ ....Ken should probably lower this leg, huh. Here it goes.

And Guilmon raises an excellent point. As the Digimon Kaiser, Ken had studied judo - one more way to demonstrate superiority over the "insects" - but he'd dropped it afterwards, not being especially fond of it. Not that anything he learned is likely to help in his current body. ]

That's true. The only ability I've found thus far is evasive.

[ He's got what he can almost hear Daisuke describing as "mad hops." ]

Were you going to practice?

[guilmon]

Mm! Guilmon knows how to shoot fire and dig, but maybe there's other things Guilmon can do, too...

[He looks down at his much stubbier arms.]

Plus, Guilmon isn't usually this small...

extra material says ken calls home during break periods at school to check up on his bug. BOYS.

[ourtomorrow]

[ He's not? But he talks like a young Digimon. How large is Guilmon.....

Not important. Ken can sympathize with Guilmon's frustration. ]

Let's help each other learn everything we can do. So you can show off to Takato.

[ Because they're going to get back. They're going to see their partners again. He won't let that leave his mind, not for a moment. For Takato-kun, who - if he feels towards Guilmon the way every Chosen Ken knows feels about their partner - must be so worried and lonely. For Wormmon, who panics every day Ken goes to school.

For Ken's parents, who have already lost one son.

He and Guilmon going home. ]

KEN, THAT'S SO CUTE... omg.

[guilmon]

Mm! But maybe Guilmon shouldn't start with fire...

[It just doesn't seem like a good idea to burn a little bug. Not to mention, the doctors said things about "types" and not the usual Digimon types...

He didn't grasp all of it, but it seems important!

He'll wait and watch Ken first, though. It's not very nice to attack without warning, unless the person he's fighting is bad and deserves it.]

wormmon also likes to play dating sims for girls. i bet he romances the dark-haired nerd first.

[ourtomorrow]

Thanks.

[ How to figure out what he can do, though....? Wormmon had been able to spit a thin weblike string, as had other larval Digimon. Can Ken....

....No. Nothing. He can't even feel anything that might be a string-generating organ. He focuses, he thinks -

His eyes flash in concentration. Ken (accidentally) uses Leer! ]

That's so precious... Lil' worm guy, a romantic at heart.

[guilmon]

Wah!

[Guilmon shuffles back, suddenly feeling much more exposed.]

Hmm... Maybe you can jump? Or kick! Legs are good for that...

everyone associated with the ichijouji family is an enormous sap.

[ourtomorrow]

Jump....That's right, I might have...

[ In the forest, when everything was a fog. Another Pokemon got him mad, and he....He thinks he might have jumped. it was archnemon. surprise.

Ken squares off against Guilmon. ] Here I come.

[ And he jumps!

......Straight up in the air.

Up

up

up

up



.....up..... ]

we love and support them for that, tbh...

[guilmon]

[Guilmon looks up and up and up and... well, his neck can't go too far back, but...]

Big jump...

truth.

[ourtomorrow]

[ Big jump indeed. And when Ken descends, it's....uh, it's with one leg extended. Headed towards Guilmon. He remembers seeing his partner do this, and it being effective. Focus, control his descent, aim - concentrate his weight in this one single point, hurtling through the air -

Rider Stingmon Nymble Kiiiiiick! ]

Haaaaaaaghh--!

[guilmon]

[Oof! Guilmon takes the kick with a grunt, digging his heels into the sand.

But... but! Now they're close, so maybe he can tackle Ken? That probably won't hurt too much.]

[ourtomorrow]

[ Perhaps not, but the size difference is nothing to sneeze at, so Ken attempts to dodge. This body is built for extremely specific purposes, isn't it? Everything it can do probably revolves around jumping-

Except he doesn't quite get his legs in spring-position fast enough - this is FAR more legs than he's used to having - and over he goes. Bug: Tackled! ]

[guilmon]

Hmmm...

[Guilmon lightly taps Ken.]

It must be weird having lots of legs.

[He steps back, giving Ken a little space.]

But Guilmon's legs are lots shorter now, too...

[ourtomorrow]

What sort of Digimon were you?

[ Ken asks, as he maneuvers his new legs into place. If he puts this here, it should provide leverage, and then that goes there.... ]

[guilmon]

Guilmon was bigger. Almost as big as Takato!

[Hmm... He tries scribbling in the sand, but he's less practiced with art, and these limbs are so stubby.]

Like a dinosaur, I think. Red with black stripes and big claws and a white belly... and ears that kind of look like wings!

[ourtomorrow]

That's.....certainly different.

[ From how he is now, and also much larger than Ken had anticipated. But Tailmon is a small Adult-level Digimon......Guilmon might be a large Child-level Digimon. He supposes it's not impossible. He shouldn't assume anything. Especially not if Guilmon is from, as he suspects, a different Digital World.

Check this out, though: he's standing again. ]

[guilmon]

[Oooh... standing. That means it's time for another attack!]

Mm, Renamon's pretty tall, too...

[But if Ken is standing up, then Guilmon will crouch down...

And start digging. Yep.]