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

[holidaygirl1225]

[Noelle has returned safely, but she hasn't been the same. That's more obvious to Archnemon than most; even at her calmest, Noelle's emotional state is... off. If it were a song, it would be just a bit out of key. There's a spike of surprise when she sees Archnemon, then she decides to approach.]

Miss Hatenna, I hope you're staying warm. Um, I've been meaning to thank you in person for the malasadas. I... think it was you, at least, faha. I recognized the music notes! [It did take her a while to figure it out, and she's actually still not certain-- something which Archnemon may pick up on and take amusement in.]

Um, I was just going to get a warm drink and maybe a pastry from this bakery. Would you like to go with me?

[wovensecrets]

[ Seeming slightly off is still better than ... whatever it was that she must have experienced to drive her to that state to begin with. At least that's progress!

Still, even though she did do the generous thing by leaving her the (mystery) gift, it doesn't mean she's used to doing so - or being thanked by such a gesture either. Even if she can tell that Noelle is also a touch unsure. ]

I was guessing on the flavor, but hopefully you liked it. I thought leaving the notes would be a fun idea. You like music, and there aren't too many other options...

[ That felt unique and that would have been affordable, anyway, and she hasn't quite worked out if she wants to suddenly develop a crafting hobby or just keep focused on all the work around here anyway. A slight shrug of her hair tendril. ]

But yes, I'd be happy to join you.

[holidaygirl1225]

They were really great! Did you make them yourself...? [Maybe she did find a hobby in baking after all! Maybe that's why they happened to meet outside a bakery? (Well, maybe Hatenna just bought them from here. Still!)

Noelle heads into the bakery, instantly lighting up at the scent of fresh bread. The store is run by a Fidough in a little chef's hat who keeps insisting he isn't on the menu. She gives Hatenna time to decide what she wants.]

[wovensecrets]

Ah, sadly that is not a talent of mine.

[ Who has time for baking when they're overworking, anyway- she hasn't really thought of it from a hobby perspective, and it wasn't quite yet a necessity. Mostly she was just very aware of where the little bakeries were around here. That one had been run by a Dachsbun, but that connection was being a "friend of Guilmon's" anyway.

Menu, menu... she'll peruse, most bakeries tend to have the same variety anyway. Once she can tell Noelle is sort of waiting for her to order first, she'll go ahead. ]

Lets see... well, they do have a variety of scones, those are nice. Maybe some of the Pecha berry ones for me, what about you?

[holidaygirl1225]

Gingerbread. [She answers without a second thought. They have the cutest gingerbread cookies on display. Guess the early snow has put people in the holiday spirit! She's not complaining.] Haha. Maybe some peppermint tea, also.

[Noelle certainly has a theme.]

[wovensecrets]

Oh?

[ She has... actually not had gingerbread before, so she hadn't even considered it as she glances over at the tray she indicates. They're all shaped and decorated like different Pokémon, of course... ]

With just a curious hint of spices, aren't they? How interesting... I think I'll give them a try as well.

[holidaygirl1225]

You'll like them! They're a classic Christmas-- err, Winter holiday kinda treat where I'm from. [She's rapidly becoming aware that not everyone has Christmas in their world... that just means she needs to work that much harder to bring Christmas joy to everyone!

After they order and get their treats, Noelle brings them over to a little table by the corner. The glass has frosted over. Thanks to the fire from the bakery's oven, it's warm inside, though.]

... Miss Hatenna, have you ever celebrated the holidays?

[wovensecrets]

Mn, the last time it came around I was really busy with work, so not really. Aside from the music, it's more of a romantic holiday anyway.

[ Opening up digital gates all over the world for monsters to cause chaos, making plans with a bunch of kids who wanted to meet their idol, that sort of thing that might be called kidnapping, as one does when ordered. Busy...

Very carefully breaking the cookie apart so she can try it. Maybe something about the shape had warranted it. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

Oh, sorry to hear you were busy! [She wonders what type of work Hatenna does... she still pictures her as a rather metropolitan woman. Maybe she was an office lady, taking calls and stuff. Noelle takes a bite of her cookie, watching for Hatenna's reaction to it.]

I heard Christmas is romantic in some places, actually... [She seems sheepish all of a sudden.] Um, you don't have to say, but... do you have anyone special in your life, Miss Hatenna?

[wovensecrets]

[ A glance down to the SirFetched cookie she was slowly breaking into pieces. Don't think about it-]

Hmm? It's just how things were, so don't worry about it. That wasn't the priority.

[ That and being here, it wasn't anything she'd thought of. Not that she truly had any priority beyond... adjusting or just living here, but even so. Reminders.

More importantly-hey let's actually try this delicious smelling cookie instead of dismantling it. ]

-- Yum!

[holidaygirl1225]

[Noelle will take that as a no. Sometimes, Hatenna is more mysterious than she thought.]

... yeah, um. Good, right? Fahaha. We used to make these all the time back home. [Especially during Christmas, but it was her favorite cookie no matter when.] You sure broke it apart, haha. [She used to feel bad for having to eat the cookies. What if they were alive, like in the stories?]

[wovensecrets]

So I did... something about the shape offended me.

[ It's a little awkward when the other codependent partner thought it was a romantic relationship when it wasn't... it's just not something she knows how to talk about normally.

It wasn't the cookie's fault. It was just displacing the lingering thought. ]

The warmth and different spices together definitely draw together in a unique way. Does it always come out similarly when you make them?

[holidaygirl1225]

Sometimes I vary them a little bit, but nothing beats the classic flavor! [Christmas is all about nostalgia, after all.]

Although one time, I wanted to get revenge after getting pranked, so I made, like... cookies with spicy peppers in the dough. You should've seen my-- [A moment.] My, uh, neighbor's face! ... And then they, like. Said they liked them and kept eating them? [They were such a weirdo. She smiles, but she's staring out in the distance.

...]

[wovensecrets]

Sounds like in order to dish up a better revenge, you should have found out what flavor would really startle them. Something bitter or sour might not have been as expected.

[ Unless they were the sort of person who could eat just about anything? Hard not to notice that Noelle is distracted while also being intentionally vague. Hn. ]

Though that doesn't really seem the kind of thing that you'd want to do.

[ Doesn't really seem like a ... revenge taker? ]

Good memory, then?

[holidaygirl1225]

[She was about to say she would keep that in mind for next time, but then it hits her that type of thing will never happen again. Everything she's been repressing comes out at once, likely hitting Archnemon with a bomb of grief and guilt and despair. Sorry.]

... I, um. Need a minute. Excuse me. [She steps outside quickly, leaving the rest of her cookie and her tea on the table.]

[wovensecrets]

[ ... oh, there it was. She knew that there was always a potential for emotions to go a little sideways for Noelle given what had already happened, she just didn't realize how close to the edge a trigger was. Oops.


... Hopefully she wasn't running away again? She did seem to have a more avoidant nature. For now though she's a little preoccupied with the emotional wake left behind, so it'll be a little bit before she can clear her own head to sort out the next move. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

[Noelle returns after several minutes, looking sheepish.]

... Sorry. It's, um. Complicated. I shouldn't have said anything.

[wovensecrets]

It happens. Don't worry about it.

[ She might sound a little groggy but she's also genuinely surprised Noelle returned. ]

If you have a lot to miss, it's hard for people to do anything about that nostalgia when it hits them.

[holidaygirl1225]

[She wants to talk about it, but she's picked up on the fact that Hatenna is sensitive to emotions. She's not sure how composed she can be.]

... It was a good memory. But things were, um, really difficult with this friend. It's, like. A lot. Sorry, I don't want to ramble too much or anything.

[She drinks her tea. It's a little cold.]

We can talk about something else.

[wovensecrets]

I would at least suggest finding someone you can talk to about it, if you need to. It probably will help to process it, anyway...

[ "Or it will haunt you forever" is what she doesn't add, but she has her own complications that she tends to keep under wraps. If Noelle wants to speak to her, she'll listen, but she won't press her if she's indicating otherwise.

That's the right thing to do, right...? Well, keeping calm was the other option. ]

So, what other desserts do you like?

[holidaygirl1225]

Besides gingerbread? I like fruitcake, snowball cookies, pie... [That last one brings back memories-- and mixed latent emotions.] Especially a custard pie with a sort of... butterscotch and cinnamon flavor, faha. I liked baking all kinds of things, though cookies were the easiest for me.

[She wonders if she should learn how to make scones for Hatenna.] Um, what about you? I was wondering if you have any favorite foods, too.

[wovensecrets]

Favorites, huh...

[ She should have anticipated the return question. Simple questions often felt the most difficult, with how much she ends up spending so much time running away from personal aspects of the self. Burying nostalgia to avoid coming face to face with it.

That and she hadn't really had too much opportunity for real sweets before here. So rarely would time allow it. There's a pause, as she considers, mostly because... she's not certain she can remember the last time there was such an allowance for it. ]

Oh! ... It's been a while, but there was this. Imagine a delicately steamed bun made with a soft, sweet dough, but inside it's filled with a warm black sesame seed paste. It had a rich, mature flavor...

[holidaygirl1225]

It sounds good! You must like more complex flavors than just pure sweet stuff, faha.

[She wonders a lot about Hatenna... she herself has shared so much, but she only knows a few things about Hatenna. It's pretty obvious she has things she wants to hide, but Noelle can understand that.]

Maybe we could try making it. I might be able to at least assist with baking some stuff, even if I can't do it all myself.

[wovensecrets]

[ Vending machines, prepared foods... it was that kind of life. It was part of what made finding restaurants so exciting, or stumbling into that once-in-a-lifetime tasty treat even if it was too short a life to begin with.

She hadn't thought of cooking for herself, when it's so easy to rely on others and not think about that sort of thing. Someone else had always been there to perform that role ... ugh. Right. She had time now to learn, didn't she. ]

Hmm... we would likely need extra assistance anyway. Even if I knew the recipe, which I--don't... I haven't done much cooking, myself. I would have to learn first.

[ Which makes it a potential project, but she likes projects... maybe. It's a complicated thought. Because that means having someone else do the teaching, which meant another person to know shortcomings - ugh. One thing at at time though. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

You must've been busy. Or maybe you just knew some great restaurants back home. [Or there was someone else cooking for her-- but again, she won't pry, no matter how curious she is.] I mean, it seems like you know how to pick them. You have good taste.