bopbay | 004 ⟡ JULY TEST DRIVE

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004 ⟡ JULY TEST DRIVE

⋆✩ 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

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Probably not well.

[He thinks a moment, lifting his nose to the air and closing his eyes for a moment.]

It's a little bit like everyone around me is a tuning fork and I can see the vibrations they're putting off in the air around me, as like a shimmering wave or something, instead of hearing them.

[ Not well, Umemiya says, and yet it paints a good enough picture for Laios to follow. His eyes get a little wide. ]

A bit more extrasensory... how fascinating. And you're not even a Psychic-type, right? There's been so many interesting new Pokémon lately...

[ Suddenly, a thought: ] C-can you see mine? My vibrations?

[Umemiya closes his eyes, a slight smile coming to his lips.]

Yeah, I can. A bright, lively aura. Intense, but not in a bad way.

Really? You can sense all that? [ Oh, if he could only glow with pride and excitement. Good thing his tail wagging still does the trick. (That bit about being intense sure does go over his head while we’re at it, too.) ]

What an ability! I wonder where it must have come from... maybe something to do with your Fighting-type? That would be pretty funny, but it’d make sense! Reading your opponent like that would be really useful in a battle...

[ What were they doing again? Something about a garden? He’s still busy musing over Lucarios. ]

[Yeah, no, Umemiya's content to follow the hund down the rabbit hole.]

I'm sure you have just as many interesting talents with your form. You mentioned your senses and tastes being different now. What's it like on your end?

Well, I can eat raw meat more easily now. Aside from that... I suppose I have a stronger preference for anything savory and sweet.

[ But Umemiya is probably more curious about actual abilities. Laios jumps into a little play bow, a slightly smug look crossing his face as a he speaks. ]

Boltunds are known for their speed, so I can use my electricity to give my legs boost, if I ever need to. It’s pretty useful for hunting, though I’ve heard Boltunds usually help with herding and guarding livestock, back where they originated from.

And...when you say hunting. Do you mean other Pokemon?

[This conversation might get uncomfortable, but he'd rather have it than not.]

[ RUH ROH. ]

W-well... Pokémon seem to be the only animals around so far, here and wherever else they exist. S-so, I’m sure people used Boltunds to hunt other Pokémon, yeah. [ Because that’s what he was talking about. Not personal experience. ]

That’s what I think anyway!

But you can eat raw meat more easily now.

[He turns an incisive look on Laios.]

Don't bullshit me. I'm young, but I'm not naive, and I think that there's value in having an actual discussion about hunting and meat. Trying to cover it up, though, means you're either ashamed or scared of being judged, and in either case, you know that there is reason to hesitate.

So, if you've done the work and decided that you feel hunting is something you can justify, I'd like to hear more about that.

[ And just like that, his ears fall flat. His loud mouth and inability to hold a poker face will always be his undoing. ]

I didn’t mean — it’s not like that at all. I know people don’t want to think about it. [ He doesn’t really sound all that ashamed, if we’re being honest. The thought of being judged might be in the back of his mind, but it’s more about other people’s comfort than his. ] But there is value in talking about it. I do agree with that.

[ To justify it, though? A bit more of a challenge. In this world, it’s eat or be eaten. ] I suppose “not denying my body’s needs” might not be what you’re looking for? But being a carnivore doesn’t leave me with many options, if I want to be at my best to help around.

So you are an obligate carnivore? That must be pretty tough. How do you decide what Pokemon in the wild are acceptable targets?

Or, perhaps more interesting, how do you decide who isn't?

[It's a very different sort of conflict than the open gang wars Ume faces back home, where you just beat someone until they stop getting up to make your point.]

Oh! [ Laios is clearly impressed that he knows his stuff. ] No, I'd say closer to a facultative carnivore. Boltunds are more like dogs than wolves, if you're familiar. [ He's since learned not all worlds might be.

As for the other two questions, he simply tilts his head. ] Well, any from the city are off-limits, of course. [ He pauses to think of the Tatsugiri and Dondozo, both spared despite both causing some pretty fatal problems. He would've loved some sushi, but alas. ] And I guess... any who seem willing to be recruited, too.

I'm familiar with both. Dogs more firsthand than wolves; the town I live in is pretty well civilized and doesn't have much to offer to wolves. [...background process, Umemiya's now wondering if a Lucario is a dog, a fox, or something else, but that's taxonomy to chew properly at another time.]

So, is making the choice not to join our society by itself enough reason to eat someone?

[Like, if it is to Laios, that's interesting and worth knowing, but he's not sure yet if it's a black mark against him.]

Mm. We didn't get too many wolves around my village either, but every so often we'd have a few go for our livestock. Most just lived in the mountains nearby. [ It always got the dogs riled up, that's for sure. ]

... You say choice, but it's not like I'm stopping to ask every time I go hunt. They either want to talk, or attack me back, and most times it's going to be the latter.

So if they attack and you're stronger than them, you get to eat.

[There is remarkably little judgment in his tone of voice now. Like, he's not coming to the same conclusion himself, but he's following the logic at this point.]

Yeah, something like that! [ Predators and prey. The natural order of things. Umemiya seems to be getting it. ]

And, if I'm not, they get away. Or, if they're bigger than me, then they get to eat. [ Said as if that's the most normal thing in the world. ]

Not that I don't know my limits, but it could happen!

[Putting it that way makes a lot more sense, honestly. They're not in a full modern city with the conveniences that allow abstraction in the food chain. They're part of it, inherently.]

Well, hopefully not soon. I'm sure your guild needs you.

Heh. I know, I know. It's just good to always remember that when we're out there. [ He starts to smile again, appreciative. ]

Are you thinking about how you might fight wild Pokémon eventually? Some people really do find it hard, you know.

That absolutely isn't a sticking point for me. I fight back home. My area is lousy with street gangs of teenage delinquents, so fights break out regularly.

I suppose I've been thinking of the wild pokemon mostly as people, like those I usually fight.

That's... dangerous. I'm glad we're talking about this, actually. [ Said with the genuine concern of a mentor. ] It's not at all like going against other people. You have to remember they're living in the wild for a reason.

[ His smile falters, ears flattening. ] Some can be reasoned with, but Pokémon speak with power just as much as words. They're animals. Monsters. [ He shakes his head. ] Back home, it's easy for people to forget that, too. Humans can anthropomorphize even the deadliest of creatures.

Good thing I seem to have arrived with a decent amount of power to speak with.

[He's still not entirely sure how he feels about being a Lucario, but it's certainly a lot more capable of making its mark in a fight than, say, a Magikarp. Lots of resistances. Few weaknesses. Good attack coverage.]

That's true. You just have to make sure you use that power, too. You'd be surprised at how uncomfortable it can make people!

[ Is that really all that surprising. ]

You're even bipedal too, so hopefully that makes it all a little easier to get used to. [ He says, trotting along comfortable toward the garden again without much trouble at all. ]

...Is there anyone whose power makes you uncomfortable, Laios?

[He's glad to follow, but the conversation's making him more and more curious.]

Huh. [ A pause. That's a new question. ]

Not necessarily, no! I think all Pokémon are pretty cool. Though... I guess I'm still getting used to Ghost-types. Their powers can vary, but not all of them are like normal ghosts. [ That reminds him. ]

Actually, um. There's one species that still makes me little nervous. [ He looks around first, before lowering his voice. ] Have you met any Mimikyus yet? They're really dangerous... even more than what I'm used to.

I haven't run into one yet, that I know of.

[He will meet Shoka, later along the timeline, and he will enjoy sparring with her, until her own scruples catch her off-guard.]

What makes them so dangerous?

(no subject)

dunchies - 2025-09-02 05:43 (UTC) - Expand

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