004 ⟡ JULY TEST DRIVE

[bayhelpers]

⋆✩ test drive 04 ✩⋆

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

STRANDED ON A BEACH

Beneath your body is wet, thick, sand. In the early dawn hours, one would think all color drained from the world. Eyes open to the shadows of distant buildings, with massive cliffs looming ever closely in the faint twinkling of sunlight. Water, for those particularly unlucky, laps at the body to leave a persisting chill — sinking into bones that no longer feel familiar.

It’s impossible to tell how you got here. All you have is those last moments before it felt as if your entire being was being broken down and stretched into this uncanny shape, this thing that doesn’t feel like you. Even the ground itself seems to agree. It shifts, and rumbles. Gathers into mounds, rising up and over with the sounds of dying gasps. But wait.

That isn’t normal sand. That sand is alive. That sand, gathering into shades of pink, of blue, of green, it all forms faces before your very eyes. An enemy, you may think? A monster? A threat?

“OhhhHHhHH…What has happened to us..?”

Or perhaps, someone in the same predicament as you?

“Someone…Someone get Mightyena!!”

Albeit someone who clearly knows more than you do here, on this beach that slowly regains its color.

CASTLES OF SAND

⟡ Severity of dysphoria and disorientation symptoms are entirely up to the player, as is the duration of time these symptoms last.

⟡ The Sandygasts on the beach of Bottlecap Bay are in fact residents of the town by proxy. They are at their most active during the summer, and can thus act as helpful NPCs to help player characters toward the town.

⟡ These Sandygasts are very strange in color. The colors they appear in include — Pink with lilac stones and a blue shovel; Moss green with brown stones and a black shovel; Deep red with black stones and a cyan shovel; Dark purple with white stones and a black shovel. They don’t know how their colors changed either, but they certainly remember being normal Sandygast before everyone arrived.

ii. see the sunset

COPPERAJAH-TONE

With newly arrived Pokemon settling in from the beach, the town quickly moves to adjust existing plans until they’re certain the shores are clear. It only takes a few days before they’re back on schedule however, and every Pokemon including those same arrivals will find themselves with an open invitation to the shoreline.

With the recent successes of Bottlecap Bay, public opinion is at an all time high, which is reflected in the activities pulled together in response. Through much of the Summer season, the beach of Bottlecap Bay becomes a literal hotspot of activity. Beach activities that many will find familiar take part at all hours, with equipment set up at small stands for public use.

A volleyball net is a particularly popular feature of the beach, with a particularly spooky form of gameplay spotted in the evening hours where Ghost types reign. Multicolored buoys float out to section off a safe zone of the water for Pokemon capable of it to swim at their leisure as well, with Bottlecap’s very own Dondozo and Tatsugiri acting as lifeguard.

The most popular game by far however is sand sculpting. Tools of wood and stone can be gathered up to shape the sand into any number of shapes, and some Pokemon may even offer small rewards to those who make especially impressive ones.

Be sure not to accidentally use the sand of one of those colorful Sandygasts however.

Beach Day Breakdown

⟡ During the entirety of July, beginning on the 15th, the beach is open for public summer games.

⟡ While examples listed above are available, Players are encouraged to include their own Beach traditions within reason. If you are unsure, please ask under questions.

⟡ Beach fun will happen during the day and night alike. During the day, the beach is far more active; Pokemon are livelier, and enjoy much more cheerful activities. At night, while many Ghost and Dark type Pokemon enjoy the games, there are also often small campfires where quieter traditions such as apple roasting and scary stories happen.

⟡ Alcohol may be present at the campfires of the evening. Please be sure to mark threads including alcohol with a warning, and remember that characters under the age of 21 may not partake.

iii. mentorship methods

BUDDY SYSTEMS

A whole host of new Pokemon arriving is no longer a fully unanticipated scenario for Bottlecap Bay. While the town has persistently done their best to seek a solution to so many displaced new citizens, they have also come to recognize a growing pattern in their arrival. Every other month, these new Pokemon have appeared.

Therefore, the combination of their recent peace and the local nature of these particular arrivals has given them an easy option for guiding these lost new souls. Rather than any of the Guild leaders seeking out ideal Pokemon among their ranks, those who have arrived from other worlds themselves are tasked with a new assignment. Help their fellow interlopers!

At minimum, each Guild Leader suggests a few basics to cover, but the methods with which they do this is ultimately left up to them. A tour of the local sights? A chance to test their mettle with brand new powers? Or perhaps simply a listening ear from one who understands the strangeness of these new bodies. The world is truly their Cloyster.

A MENTOR MINDSET

⟡ Each of the Guild Leaders will offer to their existing members few points they consider most vital to teach to the newcomers. Mightyena focuses on making sure the new Pokemon have a place to sleep, and insists that they be taught how best to fight. Ribombee emphasizes a need to show the necessary work ethic of the community, so that an understanding of how much they need to work together is understood. Polteageist in turn, gives a list of necessary establishments to familiarize themselves with, beginning with the Clinic, Archives, and Questboard.

⟡ During much of the month, various Pokemon maintaining stores and eateries within Bottlecap Bay will be offering their own helpful advice to guides and their charges. This trivia is minor, but typically focused on what the food is like, or what the benefits of certain articles of clothing might be.

⟡ Any Pokemon who helps another newcomer will earn 50 points for their Guild! As well, newly arrived Pokemon who put up with the guidance will receive a voucher for a custom, non-magical accessory, such as a hat or scarf.

ADVANCE TRAINING

After considerable research and effort, Polteageist has once again teamed up with Dr. Denne to craft a series of ever popular escape rooms, hinting that participating in them will be very useful in the future. Joining the effort is none other than Cheri and Oran's own Ribombee and Mightyena as well, making it a truly unified project. With so much investment going into these exercises, it's no wonder that every Pokemon from another world, new and old alike, is offered the chance to try at least one when they have the chance.

THE NORTH

⟡ Located just between the Canopy and the beginnings of Bottlecap Bay’s southern coastline, the lush greenery of the Northern Forest's entry has been sectioned off into a training ground. Pokemon are grouped into random pairs, and tasked with finding the end of a hand-crafted maze within this early area of woods.

⟡ While many threats within the Northern Forest are well documented, some may still come as a surprise. Wild Pokemon such as Bug and Grass Types may still be encountered, as well as mushrooms releasing rage spores.

⟡ The Forest itself is also a threat — though it seems to understand these Pokemon mean no true harm, vines and plants will move when not directly looked at, creating added navigational challenges.

⟡ Pokemon who show no signs of escaping on their own after a certain point will find themselves retrieved by a local Grafaiai or Mankey, as enlisted by Bottlecap Bay.

THE MIDDLE

⟡ Located a good distance down the southern coastline of the Bay, a section of the Middle Forest's entry has been carefully sectioned for a training ground. Supervised in part by a recently recruited Bloodmoon Usaluna, Pokemon will be grouped into random pairs, and tasked with finding the end of a hand-crafted maze in this early area of woods.

⟡ Due to the presence of heavy supernatural fog, Pokemon participants are warned heavily in advance of what to expect. The fog is known to literally reach into others, creating visions and hallucinations, as well as a deep loss of identity the longer they're exposed.

⟡ The end of the maze does not lead out of the Middle Forest. Instead, Pokemon must find their way back from the uniquely marked bone pile; because of the fog, this return is far shorter than the journey in.

⟡ Pokemon who spend too long within the Middle Forest while showing no signs of successfully escaping will quickly be retrieved by Ursaluna, whose Mind's Eye grants relative immunity to the Fog's effects.

THE SOUTH

⟡ Far to the south of Bottlecap Bay, beyond the farthest stretch of wooded coastline, the Southern Forest lies shrouded in darkness. While there is no longer a thick haze of fog, its unique dangers mean that numerous Ghost Pokemon have been recruited to monitor a simple challenge within the woods. Specifically, two Pokemon will be paired at random, led a short ways in, and told to find their way out.

⟡ Due to the mechanics of the Southern Forest, nothing within this 'maze' has been crafted personally. Pokemon are sufficiently disoriented by the forest's own ability to alter its surroundings when none are looking directly at them, as well as the significant time dilation that occurs here.

⟡ Local Ghosts who have entered an agreement with Bottlecap's recently recruited Spiritomb will be available as both obstacles, and guides. As obstacles, they will intentionally lead Pokemon astray by joining the team in disguise, playing on the Forest's ability to create inconsistencies in memory and experience both.

⟡ Any Pokemon who spend too long within the Southern Forest with no signs of being able to return on their own will be led home by Ghost Pokemon acting as guides. These Pokemon take care to not shapeshift into anything other than themselves.

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: Disorientation, Dissociation (Escape Room Prompts), Body Dysmorphia, Possible Pokemon Injury

⟡ 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, they may assume themselves to share rooms within any one of them during the course of the TDM.

⟡ 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

Comments

i figured, im just teasing!

[friendlyflower]

[He does his best to dodge, but her Fury Swipes are fast. Several of them still catch him, scratching up his outer shell. His smile grows wider and toothier.] Is that all you've got? I've got much worse.

[He retaliates with a close-range Mega Drain. Whether or not it hits, the health sapped from Leech Seed is enough to begin healing the scratches she left on his face, right before her eyes.]

orz

[bladeofnymeia]

Huagh-

[FUCK, that just. Yanks her strength right out of her, that and the Leech Seed. She doesn't have that old endurance she's so relied on in Eorzea and beyond, and this is what gets Firoza to collapse, breathing hard, legs shaking. She keeps trying to get up, but...certainly not making any moves to strike.]

I...I yield. [She heaves a ragged breath and grins. Damn, when did she last feel like she was beat to shit? As much as she'd love to keep going, the images of her friends' tears in the aftermath of Ultima Thule stay her hand. Paw.] Thal's balls, Flowey. Never let anyone...underestimate you. Alright?

[She's lost, but she's happy? Weirdo.]

[friendlyflower]

[He... won? So easily? Flowey doesn't believe it. A first try victory against a supposed great warrior of light? Either all that training really paid off for the pathetic little Sunkern or something doesn't add up.]

What, that's it? Were you lying about killing despair at the edge of the universe or whatever? Where's your determination?

[He scoffs, dispelling the Leech Seed. The pain is gone, but it might scar. He reaches into a little sling he carries and rolls a Sitrus Berry toward her.]

Fine. Eat it. I don't need you dying on me.

[bladeofnymeia]

I was very different in body and in skill when I did that.

[She's still learning so, so much about this body, about her new limitations. To abide them is a lesson in and of itself.

She'll take the berry and shake off the leg where the Leech Seed was, taking small, careful bites.] I could certainly keep trying, and then push myself so hard that I would be incapacitated for who knows how long. It would hinder my ability to help the town, and put back any progress I wish to make for myself. Certainly, it may even cause others to worry. Or, I could accept that I've been bested, train, and try again another day. I happen to like that better.

[friendlyflower]

[Flowey doesn't respond for several long moments.]

... No.

[Then he fires another round of Leech Seeds at Firoza.]

That's quitter talk, pal! You're only going to get hurt by the real threats out there.

Now show me what you can really do! And you'd better really fight, because I'm not holding back!

SORRY TO MAKE YOU WAIT

[bladeofnymeia]

[Haha

Hahahahaha

So, Flowey, you sure you wanted to give Firoza that berry, huh. You sure you wanted to be that tiny bit kind? Because she hadn't finished the whole thing, the core is still intact when he responds, and she looks up in time to see those Leech Seeds coming her way-

The berry core is snapped in half and whipped out to knock two seeds away to give Firoza more clearance to dodge, skidding and tumbling out of the way. Girl's got a second wind, and clearly someone wasn't done with her yet.]

You speak as if you're quite aware of those threats! [It's a harsh tone, but also, edged with something...excited? Intrigued? Godsdamned adrenaline junkie, this one.] I had assumed you were still a child - was I wrong, Flowey?

[She's advancing on him again, but not directly - there's a zigzag to her path, an unpredictability. You gave her a round to learn, and she's making use of that.]

[friendlyflower]

[He is a child-- at least, he was when he died. He would never admit something like that vocally, though.] Child? Hee hee. I'm your worst nightmare.

[She's getting faster, smarter. He likes that. He won't stop until she's showed him what she's really made of. Flowey begins to strengthen himself with Growth as she approaches, and then he's going to try to unleash a Mega Drain when she's close enough.

As a downside, he's very likely going to be hit by whatever attack she aims at him. All he can hope is that the health draining will keep him standing long enough to draw out the fight more.]

[bladeofnymeia]

[It's as they say - fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

There will not be a third time.

She laughs - a wild sound, unrestrained.] Presumptuous! How do you know I'm not my own worst nightmare?

[Is she joking? Exaggerating? Or is Firoza being wholly and unapologetically honest about that?

She can recognize Growth as a rooting in, as a strengthening technique - he's squaring himself up to take a hit and withstand it. Maybe even reach out to sap her energy again? That might really knock the wind out of her, but she knows what the feeling is now, knows she could power through it if she had to. If she must.

Now, a Paladin always comes at an enemy head on, and keeps them in place. But she's seen Alisaie as a Red Mage, with flips and darts and tricks - she's seen the young woman fight enough that inspiration hits her in this moment. Just as she's approaching Flowey's range for the Mega Drain, she leaps. And oh, she's tiny, she's tiny and the push of her legs launches her up into a tuck and roll, barbs and pointy bits out. For long enough, it seems like she's trying to drop on him from above, and it's only when she's too close for Flowey to uproot and move does that change.

Nope, she's landing behind him, out of line of sight, and ramming her tiny horn into his back as it alights with Poison Sting.

Or at least, that's what the plan is. Flowey, in those last seconds, you have all the leeway in the world to get the hell out of dodge. Firoza's powerful, but not perfect. I leave the result of her actions in your non-hands.]

[friendlyflower]

[What the--

Flowey can barely even comprehend the fact that she went from 'rolling over and crying uncle after one hit' to 'doing flips over his head and landing a powerful hit from behind'. The super-effective attack nearly knocks him unconscious on the spot. It's only thanks to his own stubbornness that he clings to awareness.]

Hee hee... I knew... you had it in you...!

[bladeofnymeia]

[Oh that was hardly crying uncle!

But if she hits, then she hits! And she doesn't stop, following it up Double Kick, then Fury Swipes...she could to a Bite, she could, but. Ew. No. No no no. No bites. Eugh. Cannot handle that. Maybe if it happened reflexively, but not when she's yet aware of herself.]

Well? Come on, then - tell me why you would be more scary to me than myself, I'm listening!

[friendlyflower]

[When Firoza finally stops, he's already unconscious. The Poison Sting was enough for a Sunkern, despite all the big game he talked-- the Double Kick and Fury Swipes have just beaten him while he's down.]

[bladeofnymeia]

[Oh

Oh


Oh fuck

When Flowey doesn't answer, she stops. Stills. A shiver runs down her spine, and her heart starts to pound in a bad way, in a panicked way. I-Is Flowey breathing? Is he just KO'd? She brings an ear to his tiny Sunkern body to listen, even though she doesn't know if he'd have a heartbeat or, or...]

Shite. Shite...!

[Ooooh she fucked up, she got overzealous and fucked up, she fucked up did she kill a child oh no oh fuck oh no]

we can skip ahead to him waking up in the clinic or something if you'd like LOL

[friendlyflower]

[Sunkern biology seems to be more plantlike than animal-like. She can't detect a heartbeat or breathing, but he seems to still be alive, just unconscious. If she wants to bring him to the clinic, she'll find that he's very light.]

oh god please ;A; she doing a concern

[bladeofnymeia]

[SHE IS BRINGING HIM TO THE CLINIC SHE IS GOING TO TRY NOT TO CRY she is going to beg the Pokemon there to fix him up and ask many times if he's alive because she fucked up!!!!!

So, uh. Imagine Firoza has had to get a cup of like, herbal tea from Doctor Denne and a calm explanation that Flowey is not dead, she did the right thing to bring him here, he will be fine, before she can bring herself to just wait in his room in the furthest corner possible to wait for him to wake up. Because. Shit. She needs to apologize. She's gotta.]

[friendlyflower]

[It hurts. Ugh, he feels like he was trampled by a mob. In his half-conscious state, he reaches to reset and remembers that he can't anymore. So now he's stuck like this.

Now that he's awake, he looks over and spots Firoza sitting there. Slowly, it all begins to come together.]

Sheesh, here to rub it in, too? [He's not really mad at her so much as mad at himself for getting knocked out so easily. He wanted to fight! He hates being weak!]

[bladeofnymeia]

[Oh-!

The words don't even process as bitter and frustrated, just that they're words, that they're coherent. Firoza springs to her feet, practically trembling, eyes wet-]

You're alright! Oh, thank the gods - Flowey, I'm so sorry, I cannot - I can't...!

[She can't take it back, can't reverse what she'd done, but she also can't apologize enough.]

That shouldn't have...I should have kept myself in check, that was all my fault. I swear, I won't let it happen again, not for sparring, not with you. If you wish me to leave, I can, I understand-

[Shit dude she's going to keep going if you don't stop her]

[friendlyflower]

[His first instinct is to exploit her guilt, but he reminds himself he's not supposed to be doing that sort of thing anymore. The sappiness and self-hatred is getting on his nerves a little, anyway.

Flowey cuts her off, a smile spreading on his face.] Are you kidding? That was awesome! You didn't hold back at all! Hee hee... You really are as strong as you say. That's what I wanted to see.

[Her strength. Her ferocity. Her anger. It sure did hurt to be on the receiving end of it, but he's glad she didn't hold back again.]

[bladeofnymeia]

[She looks at him quietly, taking in that...enthusiasm?

Oh gods. He still sounds so young, but...]

Ah. I think, mayhap, I understand your earlier claims a bit more, now.

[That he was her "worst nightmare".

After all, wouldn't Zenos say something similar, if she were fighting him...? But - no, the difference was that Zenos was a fucking adult. Only four years her junior, perhaps, but still an adult. And Flowey...she doesn't know what age Flowey is. But. Augh. Gods. Oh, fucking godsdamn it.

You'd think she'd shrink away, repulsed, but...no. Not at all.]

...Well. As I said, it shall not happen again. I hope the display was enough for you.

[friendlyflower]

Sure... for now! But I'm going to keep training, so you'd better stay on your toes! After all, once I can really beat you...

[... then he won't just seem like some pathetic kid to her.]

... hee hee. No, nevermind.

[bladeofnymeia]

[It's not being pathetic! It's - it's the child thing!! It's the fact that beating up a child is really fucked up!

Still, she manages a tentative smile. Might as well, ah, give him some encouragement?]

I...suppose I could try my best. Apparently, I can yet reach further heights in this body. I'd like to experience them for myself.

[And she would really and truly love a challenge to see just how far an evolved Pokemon might be able to go.]

[friendlyflower]

Good! We'll see just how strong you can get. [He's looking forward to it.]