006 ⟡ NOVEMBER TEST DRIVE

[bayhelpers]

⋆✩ test drive 06 ✩⋆

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

OUT OF THE FRYING TUBES…

The first thing you notice is the heat. It’s dry and sweltering, a pressuring thing that surrounds you in darkness. Opening your eyes reveals that it’s not just the temperature doing this however - no, all around you is a near total darkness, broken only by the soft glow of red gold that creeps in from distant cracks.

And perhaps, in some circumstances, yourself.

The tunnels here appear to be lava tubes, long faded from primary use by the caldera nearby. While the occasional pool of hot molten rock can be spotted throughout this impressive maze, it never seems difficult to avoid. In fact, the deeper you go, the more evidence you find that someone - or at least, something - even lived here!

Staying here is probably not going to feel comfortable however. Not unless you’re Fire or Ground type. Escaping the tunnels is only half the battle, too, as the exits lead to a desolate plain of ash and dust. The caldera of Furnace Mountain is hot indeed, and it seems that’s precisely where you wound up! But perhaps, another kind Pokemon will appear to help lead you to somewhere safer?

AND INTO THE FIRE

⟡ Furnace Mountain’s regions all return to the settlement of (Death Blood Murder) Skull Town easily, but it’s not impossible for Pokemon to get lost and wander from the tunnels to other locations:

The Caldera Crater is a maze of molten lava and narrow walkways, where one can eventually find a crooked Obsidian Spire - making contact with this will cause a chorus of shouts to echo through one’s mind.

The Plateau in the meantime is covered with numerous geysers, with safe paths marked by what appear to be skeletal remains. They lead to a valley filled with even more such skeletons, many of them partially melted.

⟡ Worry not dear Pokemon, for Lurantis, the Mayor of Skull Town, will be sending rescue crews to your location; in addition to current Players, various Ghost Pokemon will likely answer the call to guide others out.

⟡ For those who remain in Skull Town for a time, they will find the village primarily focused on either rescuing newcomers or preparing for winter: Characters may find themselves swiftly recruited to help dry foods, or gather wood.

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

ii. BRISK BREEZES

KNOCK ON SUDOWOODO

For the most part Pokemon are encouraged to return to Bottlecap Bay as quickly as possible - rather, to be brought there for the first time. The Guilds are all located there after all, and it will be far easier to settle Pokemon into their new homes if the Leaders are able to meet them in person. With the winter season right around the corner, everyone is trying to avoid travelling unnecessarily; they held that mayoral vote for a reason after all!

While much of the food stores have been prepared, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do either. In addition to putting together warm materials for beds, or cutting and preserving the last of the autumn harvest, a good number of Pokemon have started their own efforts to prepare the guilds, and gladly accept extra help from these newcomers! In Cheri Guild, everyone gathers to build stronger, more weather resistant rooftops for the otherwise open tree houses, with some even gathering large leaves to make curtain walls - the more that the wind can be kept out, the warmer they will be, and starting a fire in these buildings is ill advised.

In Oran in the meantime, an enterprising Tinkaton has started work on a bilge pump system - an incredibly relieved Mightyena is happily telling everyone who will listen that if they’re lucky, they won’t have to worry about flooding until the seasons warm up again.

Even the Lum Berry Guild has their hands on something, even if it isn’t anything quite as impressive; given the weather preparations they haven’t had time to put together any special escape rooms this time, but they’re at least willing to send out less busy members to give tours of the town.

Though of course, the quality of the tours vary, and it’s hardly as if the new Pokemon can offer to help tour themselves!

…Right?

YOU JYNXED IT!

⟡ Pokemon who assist in any of the three projects - including the tours, which they can indeed attempt for themselves, will find themselves granted an article of warm clothing. Stay warm everyone!

⟡ For current players, Player Quests as referenced can be found here, along with many other wonderful submissions!

⟡ As Guild Leaders will be taking their time to decide on who fits best in each group, housing is at the moment an open bag. Players are free to assume anyone from Oran, to Cheri, to even Lum opened their room to other Pokemon to be shared - they can even assume residence at Skull Town for the time being if they wish!

iii. FREEZE THE DAY

WINTER HAS COME

It happens without warning. A sudden chilled wind from the coast - a darkening of the skies that would normally entail thunder, and rainshowers. Rather than the anticipated storm however, weather experts at Lum are quick to sound the alarm: a blizzard is here!

With just moments to spare, all Pokemon residents - and even some visiting wild Pokemon, who are confused but grateful all the same - are herded into the nearest shelter. Houses, Guilds, even storefronts become temporary homes as the snow blasts through the streets, freezing anything in its path. While some Pokemon might find the conditions tolerable, the leaders of each region are enacting a No Exceptions policy to the rule, even making use of Pokemon abilities to locate anyone who might be in danger.

With the snow storm in full force, it’s on the various guilds to find methods to pass the time. The winter storm can’t last forever, but if it does they’ve fortunately prepared. At this point in the year, there was very little food that would need to be sourced from outside each building - each and every location has at least a small connection to the storage tunnels below, and the Oran berries even have access to sheltered portions of the ocean. Even the newly planted Winter Gardens are well protected, with one of Lurantis’ first orders of business being to put enough fencework up that they could roof things in if need be.

Entertainment will be the true struggle, and each Guild Leader has their own method at the problem - as does Lurantis, back in Skull Town. And fortunately for those with Grumpig Pearls, it’s possible to make your own fun as well!

Unless you actually enjoy the ice breakers, of course.

HOW ABOUT SOME ICE BREAKERS?

⟡ There are a variety of ways Pokemon will be catching others outside, including methods such as ‘Future Sight’. Players are free to get creative with how other Pokemon might find their characters (and vice versa, with Player permission).

⟡ Each Guild has their own unique set of ‘Ice Breakers’:

The Oran Guild involves various races, as well as seek-and-find games through their more sheltered tunnels, capitalizing on their ability to remain active. They also host a number of slumber parties to help keep everyone as warm as possible.

The Cheri Guild also hosts sleep overs, as well as various crafting circles within their huts - that way, they can do something useful! As the buildings are connected via bridges, Teleporting Pokemon within the guild have offered to graciously lend their power to get everyone between the necessary buildings.

The Lum Guild has access to the archives, so a similar Teleport use is offered on a case-by-case basis to get Pokemon into the Archives; try not to abuse this, everyone! Once in the Archives they’ll find plenty to read and study, and some Pokemon are even hosting ‘board game’ parties! Though they seem somewhat confused about how these board games work.

Last but not least, those in Skull Town will have found themselves herded into the primary housing facility to sleep together. Lurantis, despite her anxiety with crowds, has actually arranged a variety of simple ‘Get to Know Each Other’ activities such as word games in the hopes of keeping everyone entertained. She seems stressed, but she’s clearly trying to keep the peace.

⟡ It’s more than possible for members of one Guild to end up sheltering within another. Due to the distance between them however, someone stuck in Cheri won’t be able to simply teleport to the Lum Archives, and vice versa. Long Distance Teleporters are too focused on the clinic!

⟡ Grumpig Pearls will be working perfectly despite the blizzard, due to their use of Psychic energy rather than anything that relies on a signal - because of this, characters may feel free to get creative about how to use their Pearls to entertain themselves and others.

IT’S SNOW MUCH FUN!

When the winds and snows of the blizzard settle down, Bottlecap Bay and Skull Town wake to a beautifully sunny landscape covered in white. It’s just warm enough during the day that snows start to melt, and trees drip water and handfuls of snow onto everyone’s heads. (Sometimes entire heaps come sliding off at once - if you’re a smaller Pokemon, careful you don’t get buried!) The ground cover is far too deep to disappear completely, though, so the first order of business everywhere is digging walkways through the snow.

Once that’s done and everyone’s had a breath of fresh air, though, Pokemon find ways to take out all the pent up energy of being snowed in! It’s very easy to find a snowball fight, or join in on building a fort - or both! Or if all that’s a bit too frivolous for you… there’s rumors going around of a giant snowbeast that’s been glimpsed around the borders of Bottlecap Bay, ducking in and out of forest. Descriptions aren’t consistent, so it might just be gossip that’s been blown out of proportion, but maybe it’s worth investigating?

Over in Skull Town, Lurantis flits to and fro frantically, visibly stressed. The harvest was practically done, so very little has actually gone wrong. However, it’s very early in the year for such a bad snowstorm, and she has terrible feelings about what it might mean for this winter. Pokemon who don’t seem busy with something else might get pointed toward collecting more firewood, or better insulating Skull Town buildings, or other winter preparation tasks.

On one particular day, one of the mountains around Crowncork Valley experiences an avalanche - snow shears off near the top and tumbles down in a giant sheet, piling up at the bottom and invading the very edge of the valley. It’s an impressive sight - nearly all Pokemon in town pause and watch in awe before returning to their tasks. Good thing that wasn’t closer! Hopefully no one was out there…

EVERY DAY I’M SHOVELIN’

⟡ There are numerous ways to get rid of snow, with some Pokemon moves more effective than others. While Fire is strong against Ice, it results in a lot of snowmelt that gets everything wet - Pokemon will find that as long as they can push the snow elsewhere, it’s a lot more effective than trying to just vaporize it.

⟡ Pokemon who investigate particularly deep into these ‘Snowbeast’ tales will find themselves incredibly confused - at least until the end of the month, where one such ‘beast’ finally slips up. It appears a group of Solosis were inspired by scary tales of something their Uncle Reuniclus saw just at the end of October. A big, tall monster, with frozen clouds at its feet, and horns of ice…what could that be?

⟡ Those who help Lurantis won’t receive any points for their guild, but she’ll be incredibly grateful for the assistance given how new she is to her position! She’ll speak to any such volunteers individually, and while she admits she can’t give them anything now she tells each one to come visit once spring is here.

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: Skeletal Remains, Hard Wintering conditions, Pokemon Typical Violence

⟡ 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.

⟡ Rough Timing on the prompts are as follows: the Blizzard will begin on November 20th, and lasts until the 23rd for a full three days. The avalanche in Crowncork occurs on November 27th. Thank goodness it didn’t happen to the town somehow right?

⟡ 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

[timeexistseverywhere]

[The thing about Hatenna is that it's probably the most Digimon-like Pokémon he's seen so far.

...if she was a baby.

Her round body, no arms, adorable appearance... He could totally see something like her back in Central Town, bouncing around the others her size. She doesn't...talk like a baby, though.]

N-No, not yet... I didn't even think about joining anything... Is that...what they expect me to do?

[wovensecrets]

[ She's so well aware of that fact and she hates it. But that's why her life is a series of irony vignettes - ]

It's probably "expected" that someone will try to recruit you eventually. Don't worry, I'm not that person. But if you're feeling lost, there must be something you're looking for?

[timeexistseverywhere]

[Someone might want to recruit him? That should be a good thing........right? But...what if no one wants to recruit him? After all, he's just been wandering around like a lost animal, does he have to do something impressive to get their attention? He shakes his head and tries not to think about it.]

Yeah, actually... I've been trying to find my friend, Inori. But...if everyone transforms once they get to this world, then she might look completely different by now... If I described her to you, it might not even matter.

[He can't help but wonder how she'd even handle something like that. Maybe a part of her would like it, now that she had powers, but what if she turned into a Pokémon she doesn't like? He shakes his head again, these "what ifs" just keep piling up.]

S-Sorry, I just can't stop thinking about stuff, and then it just spirals out of control in my head. [A pause.] My name's Aegiomon, by the way. What...what's yours? Are you...from here? You sound like you know a lot.

[wovensecrets]

[ That's. A lot of anxiety emotion. Ugh. She forces herself to weather through the light throb of headache that forms to listen carefully...

... He reminds her of someone. The more he speaks- oh. That familiarity. Even if the names aren't, the mere concept is. So the good news, she's reminded more of Guilmon than the likes of -- certain others. ]

-- Oh? Aegiomon, are you a Digimon?

[ The rest of what he's said is important, but better to get that one narrowed down, right? It's not a type she's familiar with, but neither was Guilmon. ]

Try not to think too hard, you'll... hurt yourself. [ And Her. Probably. ] If your friend is here, finding her wouldn't be too difficult, transformed or not... a lot of people seem to have luck finding the people they know, even accidentally. [ Even her, regrettably-] But no, I wasn't from here originally either. I've been here for a few months, at least.

[timeexistseverywhere]

[Aegiomon's fluffy head shoots up from his woe-is-me moment, all sadness momentarily set aside, his attention fully on the little hat Pokémon at full force.]

Huh?! Y...Yeah! You can tell?

[Gosh, what could've possibly given that away?! Still...it's kind of a relief? Not that Aegiomon is a stranger when it comes to blending in, but having someone figure it out without having to tell them is really nice.]

So, wait! Are you a Digimon, too? Or...maybe a human? I mean, I don't mind either way. This is great!

[His little leafy tail starts to wag, filled with hope.]

A few months? Really? That's...a lot.

[wovensecrets]

This place is annoying, but the time itself isn't really the issue...

[ "Getting back somewhere" wasn't exactly her priority, but keeping that under wraps in a place like this was it's own difficulty. Now, the constant headaches and having to very carefully navigate through people's emotional outbursts or issues was another.

Not many really tended to ask her outright what she had been, either... not that she was too keen to offer it. ]

There are only a couple of us familiar with Digimon here. Most others were humans before, aside from the Pokémon that lived here to begin with, so...

[... Does that warrant an introduction? She hates introductions... ]

... Eh, most people call me Hatenna here. [ Pause, reluctance. ] My name is Archnemon, but I try to keep it uncomplicated.

[timeexistseverywhere]

[Aegiomon suddenly gets very still.

He may not know this Archnemon, but he knows what an Archnemon is. ....She was mostly slumped over a table at the tavern in Central Town-]

You...you were a really strong Digimon, weren't you? I don't understand, why would they do this to you?

[That doesn't seem right, Archnemon is a...a pretty big Digimon. And, like, a spider. He at least gets why he's a goat, but why did this world make her a...um, hat? Is she supposed to be a hat? Hatenna????]

I'm sorry that happened to you... Do...do you want me to call you Hatenna?

[wovensecrets]

[ Oh?

It gives her pause, both that he seems familiar with - knowing that she should definitely be a lot stronger than this tiny baby form and that it also just seems wrong with everything else. Her body language rather animates her confusion.

This is just something she hasn't encountered before. Was that sympathy? The initial frustration - at being seen for being brought so low, but at the same time, this little stranger seemed to also get it immediately?

Weird! It's everything she's ever avoided acknowledging, and she can't exactly mirror it all away now that she's even handed him that information. Right - ]

... that's right. It's terrible, but don't -- worry about it. There's no good reason for it. It's not even the first form I was in when I arrived.

[ And so much other bad luck than that. Ugh. It's annoying, she hates it, but no need to get into all of that. ]

That's the name I use around others. [ She gives a huff and glances sideways--not that it's too visible with her fringe, but even so. ] Since I've already let you know my real name, you can use that if it's just us.

[timeexistseverywhere]

So like a secret... I don't really get why you'd hide your name like that, but...okay. I'll only use your name if it's just between us.

[He doesn't have to get it, it's what makes her feel comfortable. That's all that matters.]

You were in another form, too? [He rests his chin on the crate she's on and looks up at her curiously.] I heard...Pokémon can evolve, too, but it's totally different. You think that's what happened?

[wovensecrets]

Tch - I just don't like it associated so much with a weak form.

[ It's probably just petty on her part, but she's had her share of identity turmoil that she avoids dealing with. Besides, Ken was already here, it wasn't as if it was really much of a secret aside from her not wanting to have to explain what a Digimon was to people who didn't really get it.

So why did this kid feel easy to open up to? Ugh, she was too soft in this place. ]

At first I thought it was a sort of evolution - even if it was the wrong way, the only other person here I know who had it happened to is another Digimon. Accordingly to the Pokémon they said that it was different from how they usually would evolve, so it could be something different. That said, it sounds like no one here has been able to evolve "normally" so far, according to them.

[timeexistseverywhere]

[You know what? He can actually understand that. Very well, then. Aegiomon makes a mental note not to slip that up, the last thing he'd want to do is ruin her trust like that. Knowing someone's name can be...a powerful thing.

Plus, if she ever changes back, he'd rather not have to deal with an angry Archnemon. Yikes.]

It happened to another Digimon, too? You don't think it's happening...because we're Digimon, do you?

[He looks down at his hooves and frowns. Although he'd much rather go back to being himself, as far as forced transformations go, he doesn't mind being a Skiddo. It's kind of like if his goatness combined with his feralness as Elecmon. Inori would probably get a kick out of it, too. He can't even imagine...what other sort of Pokémon he'd become...]

So Archnemon, you're in one of those guilds, right? Maybe if I work really hard, I can get into the same guild and we can stick together.

[wovensecrets]

It's a possibility, I haven't had reason to discount it yet either.

[ Regarding Digimon and the not quite evolutions. She disliked overthinking, but certain coincidences were hard to ignore... still the rest of what he says seems to have her perk up considerably. ]

In any case, you should know that there are three guilds. The leaders usually are watching out and deciding who to recruit. The one I'm in is called the Cheri Berry guild, so if you get approached by a Rimbombee, you'll be on the right track.

[ Heck, she might even go out of her way to recommend it at this point. ]

[timeexistseverywhere]

Ribombee, got it.

[He commits the name to memory, but...he's still a little nervous when it comes to impressing a guild. Would someone like Ribombee even like him? Trying to impress someone on his own merits...where no one in this world expects him to be some sort of big hero...is a lot of pressure.

But if it means he can be around another Digimon, he has to at least try.]

Do you remember what sort of things they like when they're scouting for someone? Maybe I can start there so I can make a good impression.

[wovensecrets]

Well, I think as long as you're interested in helping out when it comes to keeping things running around here and don't try to draw too much attention to yourself in an unnecessary way...

[ Then again, Flowey.

... ]

Do you have any issues with needing a roof immediately? That's something that we've been working on, since most of the base is up in the trees.

[timeexistseverywhere]

[Try not to draw attention to himself, huh? He wouldn't mind that...if he can pull it off. Attention tends to find him.]

It's up in the trees?

[Like...the Gear Forest village? That might actually be kind of fun, that was the place Aegiomon had his first (and only) party. Maybe that means Ribombee is like Baccusmon, then. A....huge drunk.]

I don't actually mind not having a roof, I like sleeping under the stars.

[Says child who never had to sleep in extreme weather conditions before.]

[wovensecrets]

Yes, it's called the canopy. Even so, you'd need at least part of a roof to keep out the snow...

[ Which she hadn't really thought of herself until a few months had passed and they were looking at the obvious seasonal change incoming. But she knew for some people it could be a dealbreaker. ]

In any case, that sort of thing is being worked on now, I just thought I'd warn you. Guilmon had that problem earlier on because the Pokémon he ended up turning into is unusually vulnerable to water, as he is a fire type. You seem like you could be... grass?

[ It's straightforward, but also... the sheer extra amount of vulnerability just for being in different environments for some of them. ]

[timeexistseverywhere]

Guilmon's in the Cheri Berry guild, too?! That's...that's awesome!

[Well...not so awesome if he's having a hard time living there. Water is, like, everywhere! That's gotta be a pain to deal with.]

Heh, yeah, I think it's safe to say I'm a plant now. [He gives a little shake to ruffle his leaves.] It's, uh, different? I guess? I'm used to using electric attacks...

[But then again, he definitely had a plant form as Aegiochusmon, so it's not...that weird. There's definitely worse things to be than a goat bush.]

What about you? What type is a hat, anyway?

[wovensecrets]

Oh good, you've met him already.

[ Keeping the kids together probably wasn't a bad idea, even if the rooms probably wouldn't be big enough for close quarters with their different typing, but ... Why was she invested in this? Because she had no other priorities? ... Don't worry about it. ]

As for the typing I've ended up with, it's called 'psychic'. It's annoying, but I'm more used to it now. My attacks tend to confuse most enemies, but otherwise I tend to support more with my abilities on a team. Which probably makes sense for a 'hat', right...

[ Since she doesn't know how well "psychic" on it's own would translate without some explanation. Even she doesn't know about just how varied some Digimon could be in his Time. ]

[timeexistseverywhere]

[She's clearly just a nice Digimon. Aegiomon is so thankful all the former Digimon he's met so far have been kind and helpful and not out to kill him.]

...Yeah, I guess that's way different than what I'd expect a spider to do.

[She isn't wrong, he's not really sure what "psychic" means, but at least he understands the concept of support moves.]

...But, um, what makes it so annoying?

[wovensecrets]

[ When there's no vampire villain pulling the strings and one is isolated and forced to adapt...

If he hasn't given a reason for murderous intent it's fine, right. ]

Which is... ironic because I was a spider Pokémon before.

[ Just more literal spider. Which was also insulting in it's own way but at least she didn't have the other issue. ]

The annoying part is I have a new sense... Which is more of a nuisance. When people start having too many strong emotions it gets... tiring.

[timeexistseverywhere]

Oh, yeah, that does sound pretty tiring—

[He stops.

Aegiomon is...very aware that he tends to have...rather intense emotions. The confusion of his situation, the anxiety of not knowing what's happening back home without him, the longing for his loved ones. These aren't things he can simply temper with silence, he still feels them even if he refuses to talk about them.]

...

[Aegiomon shuffles backwards a little, as if putting distance between them will soften the, um, blow.]

[wovensecrets]

[ Right, this is why she tries not to divulge too much. The moment they start to think about it is when that anxiety cycle spirals. This was the price of being candid. Great. ]

... tch, you were doing fine until you started worrying about it.

[ Otherwise they would not have talked for nearly as long or so personally. ]

It's just how things are. I'll let you know if you're being difficult with it.

[ Like now, really. ]