005 ⟡ SEPTEMBER TEST DRIVE

[bayhelpers]

⋆✩ test drive 05 ✩⋆

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

HIDDEN IN THE TALL GRASS

All around you now, is the scent of loam and plantlife. It is just slightly damp - the morning dew has not yet dried, and the sun’s light visible even while the sun still crawls up from the horizon. The grass around you is somehow ridiculously tall however.

Or perhaps you’re just small?

It’s difficult to see much of anything in the fields you’ve arrived in, but at the very least you can see yourself. Your limbs, no longer what they should have been. Your very skin, covered perhaps with fur, scales, or something else entirely. There is much about this situation that bears no answer, but maybe that will change as you wander through the sea of grass.

The sounds of other Pokemon soon become clear to your new ears. Other confused wanderers, fumbling with their new bodies. One by one, you make your way through the grass to each other - or maybe, someone finds you. Pokemon who didn’t wake up dazed in the grass also begin to appear, and they bring with them offers of help and explanation. All of them point toward the same place, eagerly indicating a series of gleaming lights through the blades.

Don’t worry friends - Malamar is here to help!

YOUR FRIEND, HERE TO HELP

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

⟡ The grass fields stretch for a long distance, but grass becomes shorter the closer one comes to the ends of the fields. Forests, as well as the bank of a river can be found, as can the new Outpost constructed here. Malamar, being a good friend, always aims to bring everyone to town. Though the route may be a bit long - they’re avoiding danger!

⟡ Upon arrival at the Outpost of Skull Town (though ‘Death Blood Murder’ seems to have been added above the word Skull on the sign), Pokemon will be ushered into a communal housing structure while news is ferried to Bottlecap Bay.

⟡ While TDM events specifically will occur here, Players are welcome to have their Top Levels involve other locations as well.

ii. The Town of Death Blood Murder Skull

AN OMEN OF THE SEASONS

Shortly after the sun sets, on the very same day that new arrivals began to wake in the grass, eerie lights and music drift down from one of the distant mountains. They wind their way into the valley, bringing with them an unseasonable chill. Something is coming.

Something is Froslass, queen of those dead by frost and in lonely spaces, and she is on her traditional visit down from the mountains. Does this happen yearly? Every few years? It's hard to tell - Ghosts aren't always the best at keeping track of living time - but however often it is, she is delighted to see that the Ghosts of the forest and valley have built an entire town this time, just for her!

What? Malamar wants her to know it's not just for her? Of course it is, silly! It has Death and Murder and Skulls in the name, doesn't it? She'll even magnanimously accept all these living participants, since they so graciously showed up to pay her tribute.

Quibbles over the town aside, Froslass's presence heralds the beginning of an undead ritual. Ghostly flames make delicate, flickering paths through the valley, visible only at night but felt even during the day. Trip through one of them and you will find yourself shivering, maybe even feeling slightly disconnected from your body.

Froslass herself holds court in town, expecting attention and entertainment, particularly near dawn and dusk. While she's not outright hostile, she is rather volatile: she's easily delighted by anyone who puts in a genuine effort, no matter how unskilled, but she's very quick to anger if she thinks someone isn't sufficiently motivated - or worse, avoiding her! Be ready to either participate or stay far, far away to keep unnoticed. Even that might not save you, as her presence seems to have a very odd effect on Ghosts and even other Pokemon in town. You may be subject to encouragement... and some of it might not be gentle.

HAIL TO THE QUEEN

⟡ Ghost types and those who have ever experienced dying are susceptible to Froslass's presence.

⟡ This may be mild: maybe characters just find Froslass charming or stately, or are a little more tolerant of participating in the festivities, even if they’d normally be annoyed. Or it can be more severe, with characters having an inexplicable urge to act more spooky or ghostly.

⟡ In the worst cases, characters can get really caught up in it and feel an outright compulsion to not only do things for Froslass, but to make sure that other people are doing their part too. This can even escalate to Pokemon battles!

⟡ Your friend Malamar is very concerned about this, and will be encouraging people to try and snap their other friends out of it! (Is this perhaps also contributing to battles? No, it couldn’t be, your friend Malamar wouldn’t do something like that…)

SOIREES AND SERVICE

Fortunately, the festivities required aren't particularly deadly or horrifying! Froslass expects to be well fed and entertained as recompense for her very important role, but she is very happy to share with everyone as long as she's getting her dues.

Pokemon can choose to help make and serve elaborate dishes for Froslass, and attend on her needs - she'll require them to be well-decorated if so, to match her brilliance! Those who are less skilled with food can choose to sing, tell stories, make music, or dance for her - she particularly enjoys performances with fans or ribbons - or offer her little Ghost Pokemon figures made out of harvest fruits and vegetables. Barring that, Pokemon can decorate Skull Town and their less crafty townmates, making sure everyone is adequately adorned for the occasion (or crafting necessary props like those fans and ribbons)!

Pokemon who aren't particularly artistic have at least one other option: help maintain the ghostly flames throughout the valley. These lights were originally made by Froslass, and while they're currently placed to guide other Ghosts into town, they're being saved for another purpose later. She'll be very put out if any of them are snuffed! Fortunately, the lights are easy to keep flickering. It takes days for one to die, and the judicious application of a Ghost, Fire, or Ice move - or, lacking any of those, the addition of some completely normal kindling - brightens it right up again. There are, however, rather a lot of them...

Froslass outright expects any Pokemon who has taken a turn contributing to the festivities to have some time to enjoy them, too. Come, sit down, have some good food served to you by Pokemon in elaborate outfits, and enjoy a fun diversion! Or at least take a relaxed stroll through town with her and her retinue and take in the atmosphere!

LIGHT UP THE TOWN

⟡ Yes. Yes it's a maid cafe. (Maid outfits are optional, but Froslass does think they're suitable attire.) If not interacting with another character currently taking a shift, players may assume that NPC Ghosts are acting as staff!

⟡ Froslass rewards or curses those who catch her attention by participating or abstaining from the festivities. Particularly unlucky curmudgeons will just get a mild case of frostbite, but mostly her rewards and curses are themed around what she thinks would be helpful or harmful... based on her conception of the world, which is a tad Ghost-centric.

⟡ All of these curses or blessings are temporary and will not last past the end of Froslass's visit.

⟡ Some possible blessings: Characters are able to detect a single emotion of player choice. Characters' voices have become melodic enough to slowly lull people to sleep, whether they intended it or not. Characters are struck by constant inspiration for ghostly pranks. Characters become less sensitive to sunlight (wait, you already weren't sensitive to sunlight? What do you mean, of course you were).

⟡ Some possible curses: Characters feel emptier and hungrier than usual, like their stomachs have become a black hole. Characters feel drained of energy unless they're around someone feeling a specific emotion (of player choice). Characters find it nearly impossible to enter inhabited buildings, which are suddenly unnervingly uncomfortable to be in. Characters are lonely and can't bear not being around people, desperately seeking others out when by themselves.

iii. Fête of the Forgotten

VESSELS SAILING AWAY

As the festivities welcoming the immaculate Froslass settle down, the end of the month gradually brings the true meaning of the occasion to light. When she first arrived, it was easy to lose the facts among the fanaticism - not to mention, Malamar’s frustrations. It’s always difficult when friends fight. However, as the leaves slowly turn to the color of flame and the air begins to crisp for harvest, Skull Town gathers more and more Ghost Pokemon ready to bring forth their core traditions.

A tradition of remembrance. Of connection. A celebration of ‘ghosts’ who no longer walk the mortal realm.

During the final week of September, Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Oricorio begin to reach out to the Outpost citizens to collaborate for their final tradition. Having spent some time among the Pokemon of Bottlecap Bay, they feel confident that the communities of Spectrunk and Bottlecap can harmonize with its meaning. They spin tales of boats sailing across distant seas, and of faint lights floating through the blackest skies to guide spirits to their new home. Here and now, as the summer season officially greets the autumnal one, Pokemon may be granted a chance to reconnect with those who sailed ever further.

Those who sailed beyond, to their final place of rest.

Where the weeks prior were filled with festivities and excitement, the final week of September is a somber time as small boats to carry spirit flames are prepared for the final day. They will sail them down the river and out to the sea as the sun sets in those last moments - a tribute to the departed, as well as a message to those who still reside in the places they came from.

To the quiet surprise of Pokemon beyond this world, it seems there is something to this ritual. As their boat sails outward, spirits of those they left behind in their homes - whether deceased or otherwise - appear before their very eyes! It is a chance perhaps, to get some closure.

Or to simply say hello, as the Ghosts would say.

LIGHTS ALONG THE SHORE

⟡ The final week of the festival in fact runs from September 22nd to September 30th - Approximately 8, rather than 7 days.

⟡ Players may be creative with the stories shared from the Ghost Pokemon during this time: the only key points to remember are that it seems many either sailed here themselves, or had ancestors that did so.

⟡ Pokemon do not have to make a boat in order to participate within the festival - if your character would not do so, you are free to assume a well-meaning Ghost Pokemon crafted and launched one for them!

⟡ Spirits of otherworldly characters will remain from sunset to sunrise, September 30th to October 1st. They may not necessarily be fully present - perhaps unable to speak, or hear clearly. They may also appear to come from a time different from the character’s own. Strangely, while many will recognize who they are speaking to despite appearances, some spirits claim to have never met.

⟡ Spirits may also appear as players wish - Perhaps they are fully human (or inhuman, in some cases). Perhaps, they take the form of a Pokemon as well, one characters associate with them.

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: Disorientation, Grieving/Death (as a topic of conversation), Hypnosis/Mental Influence

⟡ 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!

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[bayhelpers]

NEWBIE DIRECTORY

[bayhelpers]

If you have posted a top level with a new character, please feel free to link it here!

Emporio Alniño | Current Character | Cubone (no helmet) | JJBA: Stone Ocean

[seacub]

[SEPTEMBER GRASS]

[While Pokemon of varying sorts are slowly waking up in the grassy fields surrounding Skull Town (or as Emporio occasionally, jokingly calls it when feeling a particular mood- Dbms Town, sounding almost like a drum riff), Emporio has been settling into his new home with Anasui. It's not a bad little place- larger than the townhome certainly, but nothing obscenely so. There's a large bedroom. There's two entrances, one at the back and one at the front, and the latter is definitely meant for someone the Espartha's size. The interior, he's intruiged to find, is unmistakably Japanese.

It makes him miss Akari. He hopes, beyond anything, that she and the others will eventually recover. It's a hard call, when there's still a banette there in the clinic from that winter.

But, settling in, Emporio manages to enjoy himself a good deal. He's gotten his hammock set up in the bedroom, and he's slowly making the place feel like home between what he does outside of it. He's just checking in at the Archives and Questboard, when news from the Outpost drops.

And. Leaves him pausing.]

A...A malamar started a cult?

[This may warrant further investigation.]

[COLD AS ICE]

[It turns out, it was a Froslass starting the cult. Not that he can bring himself to quite call it that (though he'll be a bit mortified later either way). And for all that the Malamar hanging around is increasingly alarmed by it all, he can't help but enjoy the frosty Queen's presence. Likewise, it seems to others that she's got a soft spot for the little baby 'who hasn't even yet died' (which is yet another thing he'll be mortified about later). Suffice it to say, after he arrives at the Outpost and runs into her for the first time, he quickly ends up just staying most of the month.

Helping with decorations. Helping to tend to the flames, even if he can only do so with gentle offerings of tinder.

And of course-] So...should I wear this then?

[Emporio doesn't typically show any interest in clothing as a Pokemon. It's one of the things that's helped him stand out- or rather, to fit in among the populace enough that aside from his displaced helmet he's often mistaken for a local child. But if Froslass wants them to dress for the occasion of a walk together, who is he to argue, right?

The boy looks to others with him for advice.] H-honestly I've never really dressed up before...

[BIRDLAND - THREADS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS]

[It is beautiful, watching the flames sail down the water. Watching as they're eased onto boats cradled by Pokemon paws and snouts, carried to the water and set adrift. It is relaxing, and strangely...cathartic, as well. The boats sail farther and farther away, and Emporio spots his own amid the gleaming 'flock'. It feels like it carries his sadness, somehow. It brings forth a feeling he didn't expect to experience, least of all while looking toward the distant sea.

There is a shift, however. Something makes him pause, and Emporio ultimately turns.

It's...] Oh. Uh...

[An...Altaria? He thinks that's the Pokemon. Except something seems familiar about it somehow. Something resonating in his chest as he looks to this Pokemon who, now that he thinks about it, is somewhat translucent. This is a ghost, he realizes.

But also...]

...Weather? [He says with a small, fragile voice, and he hopes he's imagining it when the Altaria steps back somewhat at the sound.]

Firepaw | Warrior Cats | Returning Character

[firealone]

i. Arrival...?

(a) [Firepaw doesn't remember any of the last month - he spent it deep in a coma, dreaming alternately of the Spectrunk Forest or the White Hart Woods at home. He also doesn't remember much of the last few hours. He knows vaguely that he's awake - he thinks he's awake? - and that he's no longer in the Clinic. But he doesn't realize how far he's traveled, and that he's somehow managed to wander from the Clinic in Bottlecap Bay all the way to the outskirts of Skull Town.

For the first few hours, he stays in town, huddling under the shadow of buildings while he tries to get his bearings. Everything hurts, and his mind feels foggy, but he certainly can't manage the walk back to Bottlecap Bay. So even though he looks like a stiff breeze could knock him over, he's trying his best to pull himself together and be present.]

(b) [The disorientation isn't going to stop him from being Firepaw, though. And that means helping out with new arrivals, every single time they come in. Once he's gotten enough rest to think straight (not enough to stop the aches, but he can deal with those later), he stalks through the tall grass, looking for anyone who looks disoriented or lost. This still seems to be a lower-stakes rescue than some of the earlier waves - which is good, he isn't sure he'd be able to help much if anyone was stuck in a riptide again.

So here comes an undersized Litten to the rescue, wearing a blue bandana. And whenever he runs across someone he calls out:]

Hello - can you stand? We should really get you into town, before something else finds you.

ii. Death Blood Murder Skull Town (cw: mentions of cat/Pokemon death)

[Firepaw doesn't have much experience with death, before coming to Bottlecap Bay - he has seen exactly one dead body, not counting the daily occurrence of freshly killed prey animals. As far as he knows, the forest cats never celebrated death, because it was a somber and necessary part of their lives that they didn't want to encourage. This is very different - decorations, fancy food, dancing, it feels like a festival and that sits oddly with the apparent theming, to him.

It sits much worse, that Froslass appeared out of nowhere and expected to be showered with praise. Like a conquering force, demanding tribute instead of earning respect like (he assumes) the guild leaders had. But snubbing her openly feels, similarly, like an act of war. Something Bluestar would be deeply disappointed in him for doing, and he's sure Ribombee would as well.

Unfortunately, it seems he was "too gloomy" while bringing Froslass a freshly-caught Wattrel, and didn't put any effort into "dressing up" what was clearly just a dead sentient creature. So Firepaw has been cursed with loneliness for his transgression - stuck between the cat instincts to hide because he isn't feeling well and the overwhelming need to be with someone else, he'll likely be caught following behind others rather than actually striking up a conversation, and looking a little like a deer in headlights when he's called out for it.]

iii. Vessels Sailing Away (cw: mentions of cat death)

[Firepaw doesn't have any dead to remember - even Redtail, the only dead cat he's seen, was someone he never got a chance to speak to before. But he thinks about death often. He did back home, as a constant and tangible fear, and he does now as a constant moral quandary. Worse, though, he thinks of every forest cat as dead in a sense - they're in another world, far away from him with little chance of seeing them again, and that's just as hard to wrap his head around as them going to StarClan.

He isn't sure what he's expecting when he sends out a boat, but... he does see something. A flickering image of a Glameow with a scar over her shoulders and a star-shaped white marking on her chest. Bluestar. But she's not dead, is she? At least... not yet.

She does seem to be aware of herself, and as soon as their gazes meet she moves forward to touch their noses together. But as soon as someone else approaches, she startles visibly and moves behind Firepaw - despite being a few inches taller than him, and much more muscular.]

iv. Wildcard!

[Toss whatever at me, or come plot with me at necromantica! Feel free to assume Firepaw always looks distinctly like he just got out of bed and needs assistance, even if he's in the middle of trying to rescue your character.]

Agnes Montague | The Magnus Archives | Ninetails

[pyrodulia]

1. Arrival
Some say the world will end by fire, some say by ice. Agnes arrived here after dying via neither of these methods, but the fire that branded her destiny seems to have lingered enough to determine what form she takes here. A little on the small side for a Ninetails, she holds her tails tight against her back, as if afraid that them brushing against the grass, tall or short, will cause a grass fire.

When did starting a blaze become something she worried about? Was it J̵̨̣̣̓̕a̴͖̩͗̂̋c̶̞̲̑k̷̼̦͋ ̴̟̙̔̊̕B̶̝̊ḁ̸̆r̴̫̟̋̆̈́n̵̟̈́̈́a̵̭͒b̴̖͈͈̂â̸̤s̵̫͋̍ or some nebulous time before meeting him?

Still, those out looking for arrivals, or our friend Malamar, might find the Ninetails lost and wandering.


2. The Court of the Crimson King Queen
Arriving fresh from her death, Agnes easily falls under Froslass's spell, which leads her to lounge at her feet like a loyal dog when she's in town, letting her fears and confusion about her new state of being fall away like ash from a burning log.

Anyone who tries to fight back against Froslass's control of the town might be met by this fierce guardian--she'll attempt to Roar to get the more belligerent Pokemon around to back down, and might event initiate a battle if anyone gets too up in arms.


3. The Lightless Flame
In addition to playing guard dog fox, Agnes seems to cherish the duty to stoke the ghostly flames. The moment she becomes aware that any have begun to wane, she's off on her long legs to rekindle them, using Ember to keep them as healthy as possible. One might even find her sleeping curled up beside one of the fires, her amber eyes opening if anyone approaches.


4. Wildcard
Throw anything at me that you'd like! I am cool to flip to brackets if you have a strong preference. Agnes is being taken fresh from her canonical death in 2006, though she's not planning to talk about it. Are you?

[pyrodulia]

So much - power and fire and rage inside of her, enough to burn the world and leave it nothing but desert.

i(a)

[fromsprouts]

You look like shit.

[That comment is fond, despite the rough choice of words. Umemiya jogs over the moment he sees Firepaw, his tail doing a sweeping swish-swish wag that he's hardly aware of.]

But it's good to see you up and about. Have you eaten? Do you wanna find some place to rest?

A

[truthdecided]

Firepaw-kun?!

[So comes the voice of a surprisingly startled Akechi.

He'd come here to investigate, but he did not expect to find the formerly comatose cat this far from town, huddled close to a building.

Well, no matter. Down he swoops, promptly digging into his satchel to fish out a berry. It may not be Firepaw's meal of choice, but any sustenance is good right now.]

September Grass

[truthdecided]

[Fluttering onto the quest board, Akechi makes a sound somewhere between a scoff and a chuckle.]

A cult. At this point, why not?

[They've certainly experienced stranger here. Perhaps it was just a matter of time.]

Aichi Sendou/Shiny Charcadet | Cardfight!! Vanguard (2011)

[believeinmyexistence]

Aichi Sendou...

The voice enveloped Aichi's thoughts, as suddenly he's thrust into the dark depths of... honestly, he's not sure what. His thoughts are scattered and lost as he feels the sharp and harsh pain rushing through his body, an unbelievable and unimaginable sensation he could have never pictured.

Where is he? Where are his friends? He tries to call out, but there's nothing, no one...

And soon enough it all fades away again, the nothingness. It's almost calm in comparison to what he just felt, and yet...

The voice returns, gently easing him towards consciousness, the light at the end of the tunnel, and... he awakens.

--

A. Arrival At first, Aichi has no idea where he is. He only has just awakened, finding himself surrounded by grass, and... actually, he feels rather tiny.

"Eh...? Where am I...? I feel strange..."

He raises a hand to his head, only to finding it to be a nub rather than a proper hand. His eyes widen, and he jumps woozily to his feet as he exclaims.

"Ehhhhhh?! W-What is this...?! I'm... I'm not...!"

He tries to process it, he tries to understand, to picture it, but nothing's coming to mind. He pats himself down, he tries and tries, and he looks around for his dear friends, but there's no one.

B. Light the Fire Up in the Night When Aichi finds himself in town, he sees the countless ghostly lights. It's such a strangely pretty sight, but also there's the fact that they're keeping the town lit.

One of them seems to be going a bit dim though, and he can't help but frown. They're all supposed to be helping with the festivities, aren't they? But what can he do? He's never worked with fire like this before...

But he finds himself reaching up to the fire, and a small burst of Ember escapes his hand without much effort, thus revitalizing the flame... although Aichi himself can't help but recoil.

"Ehhhhh?! W-What was that...?! Was that... me...?"

He looks down at his own hand in shock.

C. Wild Card! Aichi can be just about anywhere, so please don't hesitate to come up with an idea and post!

Re: NEWBIE DIRECTORY

[believeinmyexistence]

Hello! I just posted as a character here!: https://bopbay.dreamwidth.org/2671.html?thread=2260591#cmt2260591

ii. (just to mix it up)

[friendlyflower]

[Flowey wasn't there when Firepaw awoke. In fact, he's been so busy that he didn't know that Firepaw was back until spotting him following him around.]

What the-- Firepaw?

[He came back. He actually came back. Did he hear Flowey calling him? Did he see the flower crown that he left by his bedside...?

... No. The last time he spoke with Firepaw, he still hadn't forgiven him. Something isn't right.]

... I get it. This is one of Froslass's tricks, isn't it? Ha ha. Is it really you?

Cecil Gershwin Palmer | Welcome to Night Vale | Scream Tail

[lasthumanvoice]

1. Arrival
Cecil's used to weird shit. Like livestock being rained down on the town by an angry cloud. And government agencies sending undercover personnel to his sister's wedding. And five-headed dragons running for mayor. He's used to weird shit.

But when he wakes up to find himself a four-foot tall orb with cat ears, that's a little beyond the usual. So he does what a Scream Tail is known for: he screams. Which probably makes him easier to find than some of the new arrivals the game has seen. Someone ought to come give him the low-down before he wakes up wild Pokemon who might attack a vulnerable newcomer. Or manages to burst the eardrums of our friend Malamar.


2. Cafe Remix
The new resident of Skull Town is eager to be helpful to Froslass, so very eager. He immediately started doing everything she suggested. Fortunately, Cecil is gregarious enough to stick in the cafe in a little round butler uniform to play host.

"Welcome, welcome! Table for two?" His voice is velvety and warm, so very comforting. "Might I recommend the chai?"


3. Just Desserts
For being a good little busy beaver Bibarel, Cecil is rewarded with the ability to sense sorrow. This means that newcomers who are feeling homesick (or old hands who have their own reasons to be sad) might have a pink friend bouncing up to them with a look of concern on his face.

"Hey, there. Are you...do you want to talk?"

He's not easily discouraged, either. If shooed away, he may well pop up later to see if now is a better time.


4. Parliment
While Cecil had been hoping to get a visitation from Carlos in some form, instead what had happened as his boat sailed away was a whole flock of Noctowl appearing in a tree nearby, their eyes glowing. They blinked in unison, and then took off into the night sky without saying anything.

Cecil is still staring at the tree when the sun rises on October 1st, tears streaming down his cheeks.


5. Wildcard
Cecil is coming from mid-episode 70B, after Violet has used Lot 37. That is, the last thing he remembers from his canon before the sensations all new characters here feel was his will being taken over as he was mind controlled. He's sure having a time with things! I am familiar with certain parts of later/current WTNV canon, and his ghostly visitor in the last prompt is something of a spoiler for things that come up later in canon. But you're curious anyway, aren't you? Cecil's final Pokemon form may change, if I app him.

Feel free to flip me to brackets, as always.

[lasthumanvoice]

Your mind a dusty surface, so easily blown clean...

parvati holcomb | the outer worlds (2019) | new character - tinkaton

[edgewater]

i. arrival - hidden in the tall grass

[ parvati isn't someone wholly unused to aches -- she can't be, with a job like hers. between actual bodily aches a quick puff of adreno can't fix or the headaches she sometimes got listening to ellie and the vicar bicker incessantly over habits nobody in the crew cared to drop. so waking up with a slightly throbbing head isn't unusual by any means, even if such an occurence had grown rarer in her time aboard the unreliable. what is unusual, however, is the damp feeling beneath her. she bolts up quite violently, letting out a bird-like shriek at the sensation. there is no possible way for that to be, if she'd been on her bunk on the ship it would have been as dry and hard as any other standard bunk aboard cargo vessels. but this? oh law, what is this.

she tries to reach back in her mind for what could have happened, remembering a sudden bolt of pain and the prompt sound of her head hitting the metal grating in the cargo hold. ouch. maybe this is some kind of afterlife the osi couldn't have planned for, but man, she would have liked to have been able to bring junlei with her. she takes a moment to finally orient herself, looking around at the tall grass while trying not to cringe at the slimy and damp feeling beneath her. her gaze then flickers downwards towards herself, and she makes another noise. ]

Oh Law! What the--?!

[ parvati, last she checked, is not a little pink... creature. she feels as spry as a sprat after stealing someone's lunch, though, and that's in spite of her disorientation. she just has to think, think really hard at the-- is that a hammer. at first she doesn't believe it, but she blinks again and feels a wave of relief wash over her like a warm shower. oh, thank the law, she has some means of self defense until she can find a way to contact the ship -- if such a feat is possible, that is. she pushes herself onto her feet and swings it over her shoulder as though it were nothing, giggling. she's never had a weapon so big or well made before, and her now-small stature makes it all the more amusing. she feels like a little kid again.

with that out of the way, she looks around once more, still trying to push past the grossness of the damp beneath her. normally, she'd have boots, but whatever body she seems to have now seems to have no need for it. still. damp stuff is gross. ]

Hello? Anyone out there? Hello?

[ apologies now to anyone who may run into this stray tinkaton while searching for either dear malamar or the new arrivals. ]

ii. who the heck names these towns...? - soirees and service

[ it hasn't been very long in this town and parvati has already firmly decided that it's weird, but not in a bad way. halcyon, of course, does not have holidays. heck, nyoka had to be the one to explain the concept of weekends to her not that long ago. still, she's taken to putting up decorations -- balanced on a ladder with her giant hammer propped up against the wall of the building she is nailing bunting to with a significantly smaller hammer.

the heavy lifting and handywork stuff comes naturally to her, of course, so she doesn't mind sitting on the sidelines to make the town look all pretty-like if it means everyone else can have fun. and people can have fun? they're not burdened by work or corporate malfeasance? wow. she's unsure if she could get used to this, but it seems like there'll be plenty for her to stay occupied with. hopefully it'll distract her from the weird feeling of being bound to earth for the first time in a while, and the even weirder feeling of being bound to earth while not also having to deal with her boss or the cannery or anything like that. the added bonus is that she's one of the few pokemon that she's seen around with opposable thumbs (or a close enough approximation to them) so it means she can contribute plenty! ]

Hey, can you pass me that box of nails there?

[ she gestures to a passing pokemon, and then to the nails at the foot of her stepladder. she's awkwardly holding up the string of bunting with her right hand, with an even more awkward smile plastered on her face almost apologetically. ]

iii. wildcard! let me know anything else you can come up with for your guy to do with this dorky engineer over here! or just make something up here if you do not want to pm me. totally cool.

// a few ooc disclaimers i need to get out of the way
- hi! i'm seventeen, and have been given permission to participate and apply this round because i am eighteen at the end of the month (tysm kururu for asking on my behalf <3), but will be applying pretty late because my birthday is the 25th.
- this is my very first dwrp that isn't a dressing room because of the above fact! i totally get having an 18+ restriction, since most of you are twice my age, but i am very excited.
- i have a decade of rp experience across various platforms and styles but i have missed forums/journals so much waaaa
- i will try not to be this verbose in the future (unless you want to match) i just like to have prose act like an inner monologue :] that being said my replies to tend to get shorter as threads go on -- it's a habit i'm hoping to get out of/lean into depending on what everyone wants/needs!
let's have fun together!!

Mr. (Ant) Tenna | Deltarune | Volbeat

[its_tv_time]

The pain is sudden, violent, and most of all, terrifying. Tenna wasn't prepared, just like he hadn't been back in TV World, and doubled over, a spike of fear shooting through him. This was it- his damage and age were finally catching up to him, because what else could it be?

He doesn't even have time to cry out proper, a loud, static-y beep screeching through his head, just like-

A voice calls to him. The world goes dark, darker, yet darker.

1. Hidden in the Tall Grass

Tenna wakes up in a place that is wholly unfamiliar to him.

There's disorientation, but most of all, there's relief that he woke up at all. This time, he was so sure that this time, he wasn't waking up again, but Susie, Kris, and his (former) crew must've found him, must've further repaired him. Why, he's so relieved that, if he could, despite the lingering fog in his mind, he'd be crying tears of joy!

... Uh. Hey. What's that wetness on his face?

Actually, what's with the dampness around him? Don't they know that that's super bad for a TV like him?! Are they trying to kill hi-

Ok no seriously why is there wetness on his hands when he reaches up instead of the expected static also where is his nose HOLY WHAT THE HECK WHAT ARE THOSE-

"WHAT THE MAMA WHAT THE HECK THE WOH MAMA WOAH MAMMA MA WHAT'S WOAH MAMA MIA WHAT'S WHAT'S WHAT THE MAMA MIA WHAT'S WOH MAMA MIA MAMA MIA WHOA HECK WHAT THE MAMA-"

He continues freaking out like that for a little while, until someone comes across him, at least.

2. An Omen of the Seasons

Okay! So he is... not in TV World anymore!

Or Castle Town! Or a new place for him to bring joy to Lightners in! He is no longer a TV, and in fact, the creatures here don't even know what a TV is! Tragedy! Horror! How in the world could they not know the glory of the silver screen?! How could they possibly LIVE?!

Clearly it is up to Tenna to enlighten them to the beautiful world of TV! ... Even if he appears to now be a weird bug, or if his funny TV-tastic text doesn't work anymore. No Matter! He can still do his job! He can still be useful! He can still bring joy!

It appears his chosen avenue for this is putting on a show for Froslass, since clearly she'll appreciate it! Although, if you get a little too close, or show a little too much interest...

"You there! Yes, you, you weird little creature! Get up on stage, we're going to do a Physical Challenge! Or would you rather do a quiz? I've got quizzes up the wazoo! Don't worry, just enjoy TV!"

... At least Froslass seems amused?

3. Lights along the Shoreline.

The somber mood leaves Tenna... well, he doesn't like it! He understands that certain, ahem, rituals call for a level of somberness, but he's not very good with that. Oh, he can put on a tear-jerker of a production, play sad movies, but this is... it reminds him a little too much of-

That doesn't mean he can't be quiet, or respectful, or anything like that. He can read the room- er, well, town. It's just all... so sad, isn't it?

He doesn't like the idea of death. Not one bit.

So, for once, he's quiet, watching the boats depart alongside the ghostly flames. He'd made one of his own- of course he had! Mr. Ant Tenna doesn't say no to a fun new activity! But has mixed feeling about watching it drift away.

He also has mixed feelings about the weird spirit flickering in the corner of his eye.

Visually, it doesn't really resemble anyone he knows. There's not one recognizable speck about it- it's just a weird, puppet-like thing, but strangely, he has the feeling that this thing... is someone he knows. Someone he used to know very, very well. He doesn't know what to do with it. The idea alone makes him seethe with anger, with despair, envy, and a desperation he thought he'd moved past.

The little mailman. It's him, Tenna knows it is, but clearly he doesn't know it's Tenna. Or who Tenna even is! That little- how dare he pretend not to know Tenna, even if he is a weirdly large bug now!

So, Tenna has elected to ignore it! He is! Not! Going to! Engage! There's no way he's going to let that little freak mess with him, no sirree! Mr. Tenna does not need a mailman, and he does not need to expend energy on forcing the other to acknowledge the way he ripped Tenna off! Mr. Tenna does not NEED that, he is FINE on his own, Thank you very much! This is a new start and he is NOT dwelling on past mistakes anymore!!!

... From the outside, though, it mostly looks like Tenna is rapidly oscillating between a somber quiet and seething anger. Do you even dare approach him to ask what's up?

4. Wildcard!

Don't vibe with any prompt here? Hit me up in Tenna's OOC inbox or cha0136 on discord for a personalized thread idea!

Mr. (Ant) Tenna | Deltarune | Volbeat

[its_tv_time]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A TV IS?!

[edgewater]

You offer work to everyone that breaks into your home?

Tall Grass

[fromsprouts]

[The creature that approaches when she calls out is much taller than her, but he doesn't move in so close as to loom over her or anything. Umemiya's a Lucario, the aura-sensing tendrils on the back of his head tied back loosely with a scrap of green cloth.]

Whoa, hammer. Promise you're not going to hit me with that?

[Not that, like, he's as afraid of it as some, given that Steel types resist Steel attacks. Hammers are steel type attacks, right? Right. Probably.]

iii

[colorsflyinghigh]

[Realizing Firepaw had woken up had been such a relief. Ren had been so, so happy. Sure, Firepaw had been a little out of it (how the hell did he end up all the way over there?!) and then cursed by Froslass, but... Ren was happy.

Ren is also happy to see him now, quietly walking up to the... duo? There's a spirit hovering near Firepaw, though it seems to startle at Ren's appearance.]

Hey. You feeling a bit better now?

[He speaks quietly as to not spook the spirit even further. It seems to know Firepaw, after all, so he gives it a gentle nod in greeting.]

[edgewater]

[ parvati startles a bit, looking up at the... blue thing, that she's encountered. ]

U-uh. Nope, prob'ly not... sir?

[ she tilts her head to the side a bit, scanning him up and down like she's going to find some sort of clue as to what's going on. ]

Unless you attack me, I guess.

[ she adjusts the hammer's place on her shoulder as she says this, hoping that seems threatening enough. it's worked before on ruffians, but she can't tell if this guy is a ruffian. ]

An Omen of the Seasons

[lasthumanvoice]

"I'm more of a radio guy, myself!" But as enchanted as he is with Froslass, Cecil's glad to go along with a show meant to entertain her. So he (now a lovely pink orb of Scream Tail) waddles his way over to Tenna.

"Let's go for a quiz! I have all kinds of answers."

Noelle Holiday | Deltarune | Current Character (Deltarune spoilers up to Chapter 2)

[holidaygirl1225]

i. The Empress

[It was just too overwhelming.

A new body. Scattered memories. The prospect of never going home. Getting bitten and burned and, most importantly, getting stronger. Meeting new people made it easier, and she put on a smile like always... but Noelle never stopped being scared. She never stopped seeing faces in the dark. She never stopped dreaming about a blizzard she couldn't escape from.

When Froslass descended from the mountain, Noelle was terrified. She wanted to run away, go right back to Bottlecap Bay and hide under the covers. It was like something out of her nightmares-- a chill to her very core, ghosts flickering in the corners of her vision, a haze descending over her mind.

Noelle couldn't look away. And as much as she likes a friend... spending time with Froslass just feels right. A calm blankets her fear like snow. People who know Noelle might find all her awkwardness and anxiety has been replaced with a sense of serenity and strength.

The Deerling marches up to Froslass and shows a taste of her Hidden Power. The Pokemon who had been presenting a gift to Froslass before her now sits half-frozen in ice. Noelle does a little bow, never taking her eyes off Froslass.

From then on, she spends her days by Froslass, serving however she sees fit. If Froslass wants to see a battle, she shows no mercy. If Froslass wants to hear a song, she'll sing a haunting hymn. And if someone displeases her... Angel forbid.]

ii. The Devil

[Noelle does look cute in a maid headdress complementing her flower, along with a little black ribbon tied around her neck. Her glossy eyes, though, break the illusion.

Being quadrupedal, it's hard for Noelle to carry trays, but she can still bring baskets of bread rolls by balancing them on her head. She makes sure the lanterns stay lit as well, working through the night. Sleep is no respite for her, anyway.

One day, Froslass summons her to offer her a reward: Noelle can now sense fear. It radiates off of others like a stench-- rotten fruit, burning sugar. For once, she isn't afraid at all.

Noelle has been attending to all who visit Froslass's court, but she's more likely to approach someone who she senses is afraid.]

What's wrong? Aren't you enjoying the festivities?

iii. Death

[Nobody notices Noelle until she's sprinted into the water.

She tried to use her Hidden Power to create a bridge and chase after something that only she was seeing, but it shattered and submerged her in freezing water. After the strange and sadistic way she's been acting around Froslass, others might be hesitant to rescue her...

... especially because she fiercely resists if anyone tries. She screams wildly:] Dess! DESS!!!!

iv. The Fool

[Noelle spends most of this event in a trance and isn't much help to newcomers. Feel free to toss something else at me or message me on Plurk: friendlyflower.]

[fromsprouts]

[He is absolutely a delinquent, but he's not about to turn that on a new face, not when he's only been here for a couple of months himself. He remembers arriving on the beach, confused and lost.]

Yeah, not in the plan. C'mon, let's get you to the outpost, we can help get you settled in. I'm Umemiya.

[Right, he might be taking it a little too quickly, so he waits to hear her response instead of turning in the direction of Skull Town straight away.]

[its_tv_time]

"Excellent! So good to have you, my lovely contestant! But before we start-"

With a twirl in his step (literally!), he hands the strange pink blob a piece of paper and a pencil, before stepping back.

"-please write down your name, so we know what to call you!"

He leans forward, putting his... hand (? does his new appendage even have a hand?) up to his face, grinning while he stage-whispers to the pink blob.

"But don't write anything outlandish. The censors will kill me!"