bopbay | 003 ⟡ MAY TEST DRIVE

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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

Yep. Depot Agents. Makes sense. Furze is excitable. Likes trains. Can ramble especially when nervous. Cloud is verrrry serious. Follows the rules.

[ Wonder how they're doing... ]

Oh.

[Is he...supposed to know them? Were they friends, or simply coworkers?]

...there was an older man, too?

Older... still a Depot Agent? Might be Isadore or Ramses. [ Though Isadore is more... closer to their age than anything, but well, still older than Furze.

Emmet shivers a little, the motion going through him from head to tail. Mostly he's a lot drier now than he was not too long ago, but still. ]

If not a Depot Agent ... could be Drayden, maybe.

Ramses! Yes, that was it!

[He's not sure he saw an Isadore - or, if he did, he doesn't recall them being identified. Certainly there wasn't a Drayden; he didn't really notice anybody who wasn't one of the agents.]

Okay. Ramses is steady. Verrrrry reliable.

[ Right, that impromptu ... sort of a meeting, in the office there, is starting to take on clearer shape in his mind.

But this isn't really doing anything for Ingo, is it? They are just names and faces and a brief description. That wouldn't really jog Emmet's memory either, he thinks, as he picks his way through the general shape of it. He was running the red line, got back... they went to investigate... ]

Oh. I think ... That is not how I wanted to show you Chandelure.

....I was still...interested to see him.

[It's a little weak. Ingo can see why Emmet would not have wanted that to be his introduction to his old partner. He didn't much like seeing him like that either, even if the sight did not really awaken any old memories.]

[ Emmet doesn't call Ingo out on the white lie, just shifts himself slightly to press a little more firmly into the warmth the other is providing. ]

Still not ... the best introduction for anyone involved.

[ But that's kind of how that memory was in general. It's not like the memory he got from Ingo, at least. Nothing really happened in it. No one was in any imminent danger. It's just the Aftermath, the cold shock of ice running down your spine as you realize you're missing something important, you missed something important, and no matter what you do, no matter how hard you look, at the end of the day, you'll go home alone, the space at your side a gaping void.

Really, Emmet's had it easy, relatively. He hasn't been nearly dying to wild Zoroark, anyway. He lifts his head a little, just enough to stare silently down at his paws for a long moment. ]

... I am Emmet. You asked me to let you know before I do this.

But I think I am going to pretend, at least for a little bit.

Perhaps not, but we cannot control these things.

[One might argue that their introduction was not exactly ideal, either.

Ingo blinks, needing a second to process the implication. But once he has...maybe that makes sense? He thinks that their similarities were very important to Emmet once - maybe especially more so now that so little of their old relationship is left. He angles his head more towards the Zoroark, but he thinks that the transformation should not be so jarring now that he is prepared for it.]

Very well.

[ Maybe it's that.

Maybe it's that he needs to not look like this for a while. He hasn't entirely stopped shivering, every now and again. At this point, it probably isn't the cold.

(Strange, being uncomfortable and unsettled in his own skin like they've just newly arrived again, after managing to adjust and get used to how things are here. To an extent, though, it's the same feeling that's persisted every time he's managed to successfully disguise himself as something else: the general sense that what he is is not what he needs to ~~is supposed to~~ ~~should~~ be. Zoroark isn't the right shape for the Tangela terrified of even the Mimikyu and Boltund attempting to rescue her, so Audino instead. Zoroark isn't the right shape for someone who's had bad experiences with it, so anything else would be better.)

There's a rush of phantom wind, the long fur of his mane and collar billowing unnaturally before whipping back against him and redistributing itself as the Zoroark's form grows faint and hazy. Shorter, more compact limbs, strong shoulders, smaller ears... a collar, still, with different shape and purpose, a bulkier overall form. The colors shift like an ink spill, a heavy, dark coat blooming into existence in the longer fur at his back, starting at his head, snaking around his neck, and working its way down to eventually terminate in a wisplike tail, longer than this shape's Johtonian cousins.

Emmet carefully stretches his limbs a bit without budging an inch from Ingo's side, testing how well the layers of the illusion follow him. Sound, sight, sensation, scent... Ghosts are shadows and feelings. Shadows are images of something else. So, it all follows.

He'll tilt his head back to glance to his side, checking Ingo's reaction. ]

... Maybe. It's good that I didn't get Illusion to work that first time. Back when we met.

[ Ingo's never seen an Illusion go up from so close, or in so much detail. He watches, ruthlessly quashing the flutter of unease in his chest. There's no reason for it. ]

Probably so. Though, I suppose I did not quite...look at a Typhlosion and think of it as me, yet.

[ Maybe he wouldn't have reacted as badly. But it's a little up in the air. His brow furrows a little as Emmet stretches alongside him. The physical sensation is...odd. Twisting, he reaches with a paw to try and feel where the trailing ghostly mane ought to be.]

Wasn't ... trying to look like Typhlosion back then.

[ Looking closely, there's something like a little bit of faint heat haze around parts of where the mane should be, but it feels to be clinging much closer to Emmet's frame than usual, pressed flatter mostly following the contour of his back. It always feels a bit insubstantial even at the best of times, but if Ingo's looking for it then he'll find it, even if Emmet blinks a little quizzically at him for it. ]

No? I suppose not...

[ Can you make an illusion of yourself? But, Ingo reasons, Emmet's far more accustomed to seeing his own face looking back at him than most people. At least he was at one point. ]

It certainly is good you did not do that. Though - illusions do not still cause you pain like that, do they? [ He has, for obvious reasons, rarely seen Emmet actually do it. ]

Only if I try to look human. Not just me. Other people we knew before, also off limits.

[ He'd tried to experiment a bit, after Ingo asked about their family, but he's not about to tell Ingo that. Ingo is ... probably not going to be happy to hear this either way, but still, Emmet would rather not give Ingo the direct cause and effect to feel guilty over when it was Emmet's decision to do anything with it in the end. If he comes to that conclusion on his own, then, well ... okay then. Not much Emmet can do about that without outright lying, but still. ]

Can't even take on a rough shape. It is strange.

Edited 2025-07-14 01:59 (UTC)

That is strange!

[ It's certainly well within a Zoroark's ability normally, though of course he knows he does not have to say so. ]

But, I suppose you have no need to imitate a human anyhow.

[ He has some idea of why Emmet might want to, but he shouldn't put himself through that kind of pain on Ingo's account! ]

No need, but... Might be useful eventually. Maybe.

[ If they ever do run into humans on this continent, anyway. You never know. ]

... Sorry. If I worried you earlier.

Think nothing of it. That was...those are always quite the disconcerting experience, even without...being personally relevant.

[ Which this obviously was, in more ways than one. But Ingo doesn't want to get back into all of that. He lifts a paw, hesitating before he actually places it over Emmet's. ]

Does it change feeling at all? I thought I felt something, when you did it.

[ The only response the first part gets is an acknowledging, if somewhat noncommittal sounding hum. It's the feeling of a paw being placed over his own that pulls him back out of maybes and gets another few blinks out of Emmet. ]

It does. Can make things that aren't actually there seem sort of solid if you don't press too hard. If I try to anyway. But my paw really is where it looks like it is right now. So I can feel that too.

[ And maybe it makes him clingy, but he is going to be doing absolutely nothing to make it stop. ]

Only gets weird if I start thinking about it too hard.

[ The potential discrepancy between where he should or appears to be and where he actually physically is, that is. At least they're mostly the same size, so it's nothing all that drastic. ]

How curious.

[ He removes his paw quickly. He hadn't been quite sure he ought to do that in the first place. ]

It must be a strange sensation. Very ghostly. [ Trying for a joke: ] I am still annoyed that you got Shadow Sneak and I did not!

[ A rolling shrug of the shoulders. Sure is, isn't it. Seems to be the name of the game since he's gotten here. Emmet is very much the more ghostly of the two of them, it feels like.

But sure, let's play ball with the joke.

(If there's a faint, quiet noise from Emmet as Ingo removes his paw, no there wasn't, and he doesn't make a move to chase it. What's being touch-starved, they've been sharing their quarters for months, and are literally pressed up against each other's sides right now.) ]

... Who knows. Maybe you will be the first Typhlosion to figure it out. Out of sheer spite and annoyance.

And then. I am Emmet. I will laugh at you. If you end up stuck halfway in something solid. Like a rock or a tree. Or up somewhere you can't get back down from again, like a stray Purrloin.

Did that happen to you?

[ Ingo really attaches no greater meaning to it than utility. He would like to be able to use Shadow Sneak! The rest...well, he had to get used to Emmet being a Zoroark already. Mostly, he has. Nothing has changed for him on that front.

...watching Emmet realize that he'd vanished, though. Feeling that sense of loss. He already felt guilty, illogical as that might be. Now, he knows he'll be dwelling on that memory for some time. ]

No comment.

[ He has absolutely gotten stuck in places he shouldn't have.

The rest of it, though ... honestly. It's starting to feel like. Despite his best efforts to keep the past from weighing overly much on himself (or anyone else) because there's nothing that can be done about it now... one way or another, memories like this one will get dredged up anyway. (Surrrre, universe. Thanks. Just as fun for anyone else watching it as it was for him the first time around, surely.) ]

[ Ingo snorts in disbelief, and turns to nose lightly at Emmet. It's an instinctive gesture and he immediately feels weird about having done it! ]

...do you want to go back to our room? We do not have to.

[ It is still, though, a public space. ]

You are laughing at me. Stop that, that is against the rules. [ Emmet is going to nip lightly at one of Ingo's ears in mock offense and then also feel embarrassed about it. ]

But I would not mind heading back, if the weather allows. Maybe if we hurry...

[ The rain won't be so bad? Maybe there are a few volunteer psychic types willing to escort people back to their current places of residence, but they can't be everywhere or assist everyone, and Emmet would feel a little bad about bugging them especially when he isn't a type the rain would be actively hazardous to. ]

Maybe it has lessened by now?

[ It...probably hasn't, really. Ingo's instinct is simply to get Emmet somewhere a little safer now that he's feeling better. The archive is not unsafe, per se, but...well, someone might happen over them in any moment. He'd rather it were only the two of them.

...strange impulse. Is that something old? Or is it just how he feels right now? He doesn't know how to tell the difference. He just rises, though he waits for Emmet before going to see what's happening outside. ]

Maybe.

[ Echoed, without any real weight or belief behind it. It's a moment before he also pushes himself to his feet to follow closely after Ingo after the other does make to see whether or not the weather's changed, not willing to stray far. ]

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