bopbay | 003 ⟡ MAY TEST DRIVE

⋆✩ test drive 03 ✩⋆

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

FROM TUNNELS DEEP

The scent of must meets your nostrils, perhaps more strongly than it normally would. To open your eyes is to meet the dark — though if you're fortunate it could be that something about this new body, or perhaps the body of another, leaves some faint illumination to see by. Either way it soon becomes clear that where you are is somewhere underground. They are deep and sprawling tunnels, with corners of some unknown civilization storied away in their many carvings and ruined pottery. Portions of the cavern walls even bear the appearance of old structures and dwellings, as if the earth itself swallowed a city whole.

Trickling through the tunnels in quiet streams are tendrils of fog. It's difficult to see, but not in the least hard to feel. The mist is damp and cloying, clinging to every inch it finds on you to the point that it seems to grasp at the very soul; and the longer one lets it have its way, the worst it feels. You begin to question your body. Your mind. Your very memories — are they really yours?

Staying underground may be unwise anyway. Diglett and Dugtrio soon make themselves known to the weary arrivals here, and unlike these newcomers they have had far too long to succumb to the mist. They will attack without hesitation, and the only options are to fight or flee above ground.

The forest above unfortunately is not much better. The fog here is thick, even if some light somehow makes its way through the canopy above. What could have once been helpful landmarks become sources of dizzying misunderstanding, and the gnarled trees seem to move when no one watches. Rescuers from the city will have their work cut out for them once it becomes clear how many could be stranded out there, and time will be of the essence. The sooner that these wanderers can be brought to the clinic to be treated, the better!

CAUGHT IN THE BRAIN FOG⟡ While the fog does not cause illness specifically, it is still incredibly dangerous to spend extended periods of time within it. Disorientation, hallucination, as well as mental and physical dysphoria are all symptoms noted from the fog and it is vital to remove oneself from its presence. Fortunately, the symptoms fade quickly once exposure ends.

⟡ The severity of the above varies; characters may feel that time is moving too quickly, or simply become incredibly aware of their inhuman limbs. Players may increase or decrease symptoms as they desire, at this time.

⟡ In addition to the above symptoms, memories become scattered across characters in the fog. The longer one remains within it, the more memory they lose to it — and the more foreign memories they gain. Players are encouraged to offer memories within their top-levels for others to use, but unlike other symptoms, characters need to come in contact with the memory's source to be free of them.

⟡ As many within Bottlecap Bay can guess, the location of all of this is the Southern Forest; which means all the dangers discovered in earlier quests apply. In addition to the disorienting fog, this particular branch of forest is rife with time and space distortions, making it difficult to navigate safely through.

ii. under the weather

RAIN RAIN, GO AWAY

The first thing anyone will notice as the month of May truly sets in, is the rain. Light or heavy, sunny or cloudy, a near constant rain pours down upon Bottlecap Bay and its surrounding areas. There's no escaping it; it pours, and it pours, and it pours ever long, until it becomes impossible to do even basic tasks outside one's dwelling without getting soaked to the bone.

While it's not unusual to receive rain at this time of the year, the amount of rain is unnatural according to the Guild Leaders. To ensure no one suffers any more than they already have, all three are quick to open their doors to these new Pokemon in their midst. Or at least, they're quick to offer other foreigner's doors. Pokemon who originated from other worlds soon find themselves with new bunkmates and housemates, and with the rain as bad as it is there’s no good way to refuse.

It's best to remain in similar company after all, and until there’s time to sort out who fits where, it’s all these newcomers have.

RAIN CHECK⟡ Though the epidemic from earlier in the year has now passed over, Dr. Denne does not let his guard down. New pokemon are herded to the clinic for mandatory check-ups, to be absolutely safe. The clinic will house pokemon exhibiting any sign of illness, but otherwise send them off to rest in their temporarily assigned housing.

⟡ Unfortunately, many of the offered Guild rooms belong to those recently admitted into the fold. At these lower tiers, rooms are often exposed to incoming water. Rain causes floods to rise up within Oran Guild, bringing at least an inch of rainwater along the shared ground. In the Cheri Guild, it pours between leaves and over walls during particularly stormy weather. The only guild with surefire methods to avoid the rain is Lum Guild; all of these buildings are fully enclosed.

⟡ Even if Pokemon are able to avoid getting wet while sleeping, this won’t spare them when they go outside; it is at minimum drizzling at all times for the rest of the month.

THE WATER CYCLE

While Pokemon begin to settle into their new lives at Bottlecap Bay, the rain continues to fall. On some days it’s harder — hard enough to bring sheets thick enough to blot vision, sharp enough to leave unprotected pelts stinging for minutes after retreating inside. Thunder booms, and lightning flashes, a clear message to all within the city when they see it. These storms are bad. Dangerous. And the danger is in more than just the weather itself.

At first the signs are subtle. Those same symptoms from the forest can be felt, lasting only as long as a Pokemon is damp from the downpour outside. Even the gentle drizzle causes absent thoughts, an empty mind staring into the distant grey skies as you forget.

Staring longer still, as you remember. But is what you're remembering actually yours? Something about the concentration of forest mist in the form of raindrops changes the effects as the days go by. The body and mind rebel against what it knows doesn't belong, and it finally comes bursting out with a shout! Those memories you've seen, they aren't yours! They're someone else's!

And the world needs to hear it!

STORMY MOODS⟡ After May 10th, the rain for the rest of the month is constant. Severity of the downpour is up to the player to decide, but it never stops drizzling at the least.

⟡ While symptoms from earlier prompts can still be in effect, additional consequences are caused by the rain. Light drizzle carries lighter memories; happier thoughts, caring moments. Pokemon capturing these from the rain are drawn to quietly whisper their opinions on such memories, and can pass them to the original owner in this way. Raging storms bring the opposite; Pokemon will inherit despairing, or wrathful memories from another in the rain, and feel compelled to instead shout their opinions to cast the memory aside.

⟡ Despite the above, Pokemon do not need to pass the memory to their original owner to get rid of them. NPCs can be used as well, and it can be assumed the memory eventually made its way home.

⟡ Side effects of the rain carry over into any puddles formed. Sleeping while soaked in water will cause effects to manifest as sleep-talk, and potentially affect their dreams.

iii. the archives

RECORDS KEEPING

The longer the rainfall persists, the more clear it is that staying outside is unwise. Not only is it dangerous to non-water type Pokemon's health for the most part, but the full scope of side effects only increase the risks. After one too many shouting matches caused by vitriolic memories, Polteageist offers a simple but beneficial solution. The doors of the archives are opened up, as senior members in the Lum Guild offer up their time as temporary librarians.

Polteageist's solution is as follows; instead of training their bodies out in the rain, everyone will be training their brains. There have been many questions raised over the last number of weeks, and now is the time for everyone to investigate the mysteries. Entering the Archives means entering a building of clear splendor, filled with couches and beanbags for sitting and beautiful flowers and plants to accentuate the green hues within the halls. The shelves are well stocked with records kept on stone tablets, and the additional guides within the guild are eager to help everyone find what they're looking for.

The illustrious leader of the Lum Berries is well aware however, that not everyone is willing to spend all their time reading. As it would be counterproductive to expect anyone to sit twiddling their thumbs (or tails, or ears) he has thus arranged for a few of the archive meeting rooms to host additional activities. They are simple things; there's classes on recording writings properly in clay before firing, minor history lessons where newly arrived Pokemon can share in what many others already know, and even community building exercises. They're nothing like the escape rooms organized during the last two months, but they're good for passing the time.

And eventually, the rain will hopefully calm down. A few skilled Psychic Pokemon are offering their services to keep others dry until then however, at least so that everyone can get home safely.

SHUSH!⟡ The Archives, while acting as the base of operations for the Lum Berries Guild, additionally acts as a library. Players are encouraged to come up with their own available texts within these halls, but should keep in mind that not all knowledge is publically available. If a player is unsure about whether or not something can be easily accessed, please comment about the topic under questions.

⟡ Examples of available topics include general folk tales and fairy tales (with examples given here), as well as non-fiction matters such as pokemon types, species, and moves. As a note, paradox pokemon and canonically synthetic pokemon such as Type: Null are not included.

⟡ The history of Bottlecap Bay is no different from what is noted within the game's premise; guild members teaching the history will explain that the settlement came about when a number of Pokemon escaped from human lands, seeking refuge where no humans could be found.

⟡ Players may be creative with team building exercises, provided they would not cause damage to their surroundings; examples include bonding activities such as 'two truths and a lie', '20 Questions', and even scavenger hunts within the public Archive limits. The focus is always upon getting to know one another.

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: body horror, disorientation, hallucinations, dysphoria

⟡ 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 participate in the Archive's bonding activities, they may receive a unique reward.

⟡ 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 a reminder, reserves and applications are permanently opened. Please see their respective pages for details on processing time.

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

FULL NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The body language- Its deeply reminiscent of an annoyed feline, come to think of it, the ears and tail were nigh identical, just on a vastly different body. He doesn't waver in the face of the irritation.]

I don't. [He states again, tersely. He's glad this kid knows better than to push his luck-

He stiffens. Other beasts can smell his hunger? Or was it just this kind? How exposed was he without knowing? His gaze becomes even more wary somehow.] ... Can you now. [He does his best to sound and act disinterested.]

Yeah. Twolegs never understand how much their scent gives them away until they come here.

[He goes to reach for the bag, and ends up shoving it closer with a haughty little paw swipe. As much as he wants to be petty, he can't stand to actually take the food away.]

I can smell that you're a Dark type, that you're hungry, and that you're new. And I know you're a Twoleg, or something like it, because you don't pay attention to your nose. Most of the other newcomers don't pay attention to it either - but the local Pokemon know all that too.

"Twoleg." He tests the word in his mouth while trying to mask his growing sense of alarm. Although its probably pretty obvious to Firepaw- given his fur starts to stand on end (although his tail doesn't lash, that's ONE appendage he's used to having and controlling) not to even mention what his clever nose can pick up-

So this whole time he was a bright neon sign of information to everyone around him. Suddenly he feels his skin prickle. As if thousands of eyes are upon him. Thousands of enemies surrounding him. Every sound feels slightly louder, every movement vitally important.

It takes a moment for him to compose himself. To get a grip on himself. Panicking would do him no good. If he wanted any semblance of control in this situation, he had to start with himself.

He takes a long breath that he demands stay steady. "That implies you're not." A twolegs he means.

He has more questions. So many more. But he can't ask them without showing more of his hand.

[Firepaw can smell the fear, too, but he doesn't think it will help anything to point it out. This newcomer does remind him of a cat - no cat ever wants to admit weakness, even when they're clearly in need.]

No, I'm not. [He answers evenly.] Twolegs call themselves 'humans'... I'm still getting used to that. I'm a cat - they look a lot like I do right now, except I used to be ginger. My name's Firepaw.

[He has to add the explanation, because not everyone here has heard of a cat before. The local Pokemon especially seem confused by the idea, even though there are plenty of cat-adjacent Pokemon around.]

Humans. [That is what he would consider himself yes. And... a cat? He wasn't familiar with that beast name... although Firepaw's appearance did remind him of the often sighted companion of Operator Phantom, Ms. Christine. The idea that he might be speaking to a beast- somehow. And not even a Beast Lord. Although he couldn't rule out the chance. But Firepaw didn't give the disposition of one who held such power or age. But how... if this were true, what strange place had he been drawn to?!] ... and you take no issue with being thrown together with supposed humans, despite how different we may be?

[Not to even mention how different they are currently. He would tower over this individual if he stood up. In any physical way, Firepaw seemed to be at a disadvantage- and yet he approached Flamebringer anyways. He knew better than to underestimate a potential foe just because of their size- but some people.

Inwardly he growled in annoyance. Had he drawn the attention of one of those self sacrificial and generous types? How irksome. Firepaw's efforts would be wasted on him- and he'd have to suffer through his "help".]

[... despite his hostility. He's curious. He has nothing better to do, and information is valuable to him.] Firepaw... I can only guess you have that name because of your abilities.

[It's not the first time someone has made that mistake - or at least, assumed there's a correlation. It still makes his whiskers twitch with amusement, and a moment later an audible comes with it that Flamebringer might notice is completely fake. Not that he doesn't feel it, but he is consciously making a sound to mimic how humans act.]

No, I was a normal cat back home. My Clan's leader gave me that name because of my orange fur. I guess now I look more like a Burntpaw.

[Bad joke, probably. Jokes aren't really his strong suit.]

I don't mind being friends with humans, though. I used to live in a human house, when I was a kitten. I don't think I'd like going back to being a housecat, but I don't think there's anything wrong with them - especially here, it's pretty easy to forget that we're different creatures.

[Or maybe it's just the fact that cats struggle to differentiate between species. If someone is his friend, that sort of makes them a cat in his mind.]

[The noise does make his eyes narrow, but less in the paranoid way in more of the mild confusion way. That laugh was. Unnatural. To say the least. But Firepaw did seem genuinely amused.

And.. normal, huh? So that ruled out him being a Beast Lord he supposed. Better for Flamebringer then. He wasn't cocky enough to assume he could take on powers such as those. And tough crowd Firepaw, he's hard to make laugh on a good day.

His comparison between Ms. Christine and Phantom was apt then- Except that Firepaw left and joined others of his kind he's guessing.] One can't grow if they're constantly dependent on the charity of others. [He hums, its not really annoyed though.] You have to grow from the soil you're planted in. Not remained buried in it.

[Its his weird way of saying he approves of Firepaw's choice. As grating as he found his approach, it at least spoke to a backbone. And he couldn't chide him for taking inappropriate risks like he had that one wayward sankta.

Although the kid should've recognized his death glare all the same.]

[There's a beat where he looks away, past the individual in front of him. There's silence between the two of them, whether its awkward or not depends heavily on how Firepaw interprets it, since Flamebringer couldn't care less. He sighs, ember like eyes looking back up at the kid with a steady, searching gaze.]

Flamebringer.

003 ⟡ MAY TEST DRIVE

Pre-grouch handling skill acquired 😔 Its okay, he can get fast tracked to it now.

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