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Baymod Helpers ([personal profile] bayhelpers) wrote in [community profile] bopbay2026-03-10 10:48 am
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008 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE


⋆✩ test drive 08 ✩⋆



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
IT’S RAINING, IT’S MOOR-NING,



The first thing you notice is that it’s wet. Not wet in the way it would be if you were submerged in a pool, or beached at the edge of some mysterious shore line - just wet, damp, a pervading layer that covers every inch of you.

The next thing you likely notice, by virtue of this state of wetness making it impossible to ignore, is probably the fact that this is not the body you had just a few moments earlier. Whether covered in fur, feathers, or scales, they aren’t what you knew.

Nor is the land you’ve awoken in. It appears that you’re in a building - one that’s not been in use for a long, long time. Dust and leaf litter are scattered near openings to the outside world, and melted snow explains why that pervasive dampness surrounded you so entirely. That and perhaps the rain falling through any holes in the roof…which might be falling on you, if you’re unfortunate enough.

It almost looks like a library. Almost, because anything that could resemble a text has been smashed into dust; clay tablets, the scraps of some sort of writing upon them, lay in scattered fragments across the floor that you were once asleep on.

As do the forms of other creatures, be they awake or asleep themselves.

The land outside is a perpetual rainstorm, and aside from the building you’re in there isn’t a single scrap of civilization to be seen. Just where are you all?

No one can say. But perhaps banding together, you’ll be able to find your way to some form of civilization. …Provided of course, it’s not all ruin like the one you’re in.

THE CASTFORM ARE SNORING⟡ Welcome to the region of Heavy Downmoor; a perpetually rainy place, which fortunately isn’t experiencing the snow it had in earlier months. While Pokemon will eventually realize where the arrivals have appeared this time, player characters will have ample time to make their own way out to Skull Town.

⟡ Whether guided by their own determination, or current residents, Lurantis of Skull Town will be fairly welcoming over all; while apparently occupied with a personal gardening project of some kind, the absence of snow combined with some kind of recent ‘success’ has the residents in a good mood. Characters can certainly be escorted to other locations, but why not rest a while? There’s shelter, food, and most importantly - it’s not raining.

⟡ Did we say it’s not raining? We meant it’s mostly not raining. It’s spring after all, and such weather is to be expected; but it might just be raining a little too much thanks to some over-eager Pokemon doing something called the ‘Rain Dance’. How rude!

ii. STARLIGHT, STARBRIGHT
A MINIOR INCIDENT



The Starfall meteor shower this year is unfashionably late, but perhaps it's for the best - at least this month's newly transformed Pokemon have a cheerful, friendly introduction to the city! Once Psychic Pokemon finally receive the date, all of Bottlecap Bay bursts into activity, dusting off starry decorations and accessories. But thanks to so many Pokemon starting to prep food ahead of time last month... whoops, it seems everyone's a little bit sick of the usual festival food? The bakers and cooks of Bottlecap Bay are scrambling for new ideas, particularly from new arrivals.

In exchange, they're happy to explain the festival to anyone who missed last year's: it's a celebration of wishes, excitement for the unknown, and hope for the future! Legend even says that if you close your eyes and wish upon a falling star, there's a strong Pokemon that can make it come true. All Pokemon agree that it's the strength of someone's willpower and heart that makes the biggest difference, but there are many superstitions about what will make your wish more likely to be heard. The most common this year seems to be that you should share your wish honestly with one other Pokemon - though there's a lot of light-hearted debate about whether it should be the first Pokemon you see after you open your eyes, or whether a friend of your choice is fine. Others will say that you should keep your eyes closed after you wish and stumble all the way home like that, or that you should draw a representation of your wish on the ground before moving.

Perhaps everyone's anticipation and all those superstitions do have some effect, because shortly after the festival begins - days before the peak of the meteor shower even arrives - occasional shooting stars start falling all the way to ground. They impact with loud cracks, scoring gouges in the ground and breaking chips off stone... and leaving broken shells behind them as they bounce. There's something very colorful inside: is that a Pokemon?

Miniors emerge from their shells dazed and confused, and while they respond and react to speech, the noises they make are practically impossible to understand in return. What is quickly clear, though, is that after falling they're too exhausted to immediately shoot back up... and that without their protective shells, their cores are starting to fade! Pokemon scramble to help, looking for safe containers the meteor Pokemon can recover their strength in. Sometimes, if a Minior is lucky, the pieces of their shell are still pretty intact and can just be tied together around them. Other times the nearest intact container is... less optimal.

Quick, grab that jam jar! Surely there's nothing more likely to make your wish come true than rescuing a fallen star, right?

CRASH, AND BURN⟡ The Starfall Festival might be off to an awkward start, but that doesn’t mean there’s no games - from March 10th to the 18th (as long as the meteor shower), small luck based games such as card guessing, and dice rolling can be had. How do Pokemon do this without hands? Well, you’d best learn!


⟡ Another staple of the Starfall Festival are Farigiraf Fortunes; one time Fortunes that Pokemon can draw will include simple statements of how good, or bad, their luck will be. Bad fortunes are tied to festival decorations to dispel ill fortune, but this, too, may be tricky without hands…

⟡ OOCly speaking, Farigiraf Fortunes are little omikuji fortunes with an included ‘lucky Pokemon’ and ‘lucky color’. You can make up your own, but if you’d like one randomly generated for you, reply here.

⟡ The Stargazing Club is having an absolute ball during all of this, and even non-members can take a gander at the falling stars through their telescope. While everyone has to share- so please, no more than five minutes per run, there’s a line! - even a glimpse at the stars through the crisp lens shows just why this club is so passionate.

⟡ Just what’s wrong with the Minior? They’re not sure; those who were awake during the initial disruption that brought them downward remark on a strange vibrative force that struck them through the air, followed by…well, the sensation of falling. They’re very grateful to the Bay for helping, but they hope to return to the sky as soon as possible. It’s very dangerous for them down here!

iii. CHARACTER GROWTH
GROWING PAINS


The Pokemon across Bottlecap Bay and Skull Town - and the regions surrounding - are in high spirits for more reasons than just the ongoing festival. Every so often, they’ll see it; one of the locals stops mid-gait, and a brilliant glow seems to surround them. Their figure grows, or shrinks, or sometimes even stays the same size, but with a burst of energy it’s clear that the Pokemon has visibly changed. ‘Evolution’, it’s apparently called. A natural part of most Pokemon’s growth, and something that simply hasn’t been happening for a while for some reason.

A few scholars from the Archives can be heard debating on just what it was that caused this change. Some theorize it’s something to do with the weather; that visitor during the Longest Night evolved first, didn’t they? That was during record breaking waves of snowfall, so it must be meteorological.

Others point instead to the rifts that were appearing and creating so much havoc. Didn’t the brave Pokemon who fought those bounties remark on their strange appearances, as if it were an evolution gone wrong? The only problem with that theory is those bounties were encountered after that evolution during Longest Night…

It sounds like there was another theory that the rifts were the source of the otherworldly arrivals all along, and that Bottlecap Bap wouldn’t be seeing any new ones this time. So much for that one.

While the arguments continue with no end, the fair weather and festive moods have allowed the more innovative Pokemon of the region to pull together something they haven’t had the energy to pull off in quite some time - specifically, training mazes! As they explain it, Evolution is often sparked when a Pokemon acquires enough power to do so, taking that final push from battle to go even farther. The mazes are also just good for practice in the first place, and with rumors of a rescue operation for those missing scholars beyond the cliff, every bit of training counts…

…after all, they’ll only be sending Pokemon they think are capable!

BODY ROCKING⟡ With the variety of body types unique to each Pokemon, it’s no surprise that some of the first obstacle mazes to be found come in the form of simple race courses. Those suited to the water will find hoop-ring challenges littered through the bay and its underwater caves, while those with wings will find similar challenges put together in the Canopy.

⟡ What of those who have nothing but legs (or even no legs at all)? For those Pokemon, the general understanding is that it can take time to adjust to things like an overly large tail, or having four-plus legs where there might have been two, so more simple pop-up mazes are found sprung about the city. Some even include a task- get those flowers up to the shelves, but only after going through this precise set of roads. Collect all these flags, and return them to the place you started. It’s a lot easier to walk now that you’ve done hours of it now, isn’t it!

⟡ Naturally not everyone really wants to run a footrace, or swim, or fly in one for that matter. But for that reason, the beach is getting cleared for some good old sparring tournaments, courtesy of Mightyena! Get your practice in by having a good battle! As a bonus, there are more experienced veterans on site to help explain just how best to tackle an ‘impossible’ foe.

ROCK-PAPER-LIZARD⟡ There’s a lot of Pokemon types, and it can be hard to keep track of what they do. So aside from the generalized courses, a fun incentive to make it stick is happening through both towns - specifically, after signing yourself on for ‘practice’, you’ll find you get ambushed quite abruptly through the day! Learn to defend super-effective moves, or power through weaker ones! …And don’t forget those first aid kits scattered through the streets either.

⟡ Every type is unique, and that involves more than just the types. As the weather warms up, the spring weather brings out the strangest things in everyone; ground types might want to burrow a safe den, while electric types seek out places most likely to attract lightning. There’s a number of struggles that, fortunately, the local Pokemon are happy to help with!

⟡ Of course, not everyone is a tactile learner…which is why the Archives are also open, and ready to help everyone locate information on their species. Hopefully it’s nothing too unfortunate though - some of these entries seem to have been written with alarming bias behind them, if the wrong scholar was put on the task!

IT’S EVOLUTION BABY⟡ While no player Pokemon will be evolving through these events, that doesn’t mean they can’t try their best! The most grueling of ‘mazes’ are escape rooms created through the natural resources available to the towns, intended to mirror experiences in the wild with random Pokemon battles and strained resources. Everyone is invited to try them, though they only have so much time to complete the course - after that, experienced rescue Pokemon will go to retrieve them.

The Cave Tunnels - These tunnels are connected to the Spire that the Oran berries reside in, and come in both flooded and dry flavors. Water Pokemon are invited to give the flooded ones a try, taking advantage of their existing skills, while other Pokemon will find themselves waking in the dry maze to work their way out. There’s all kinds of things down here; they’re deep enough that the occasional lava pit (or vent) is a real risk, as well as low oxygen levels to boot. Watch your step, that the path doesn’t collapse either!

The Spektrunk Woods - While often split into three zones of ‘north’, ‘middle’, ‘south’, Pokemon might find themselves anywhere in these woods…and the challenges vary across from them. The north has plants that seem almost alive, moving to create entire walls behind Pokemon who don’t pay attention. The middle in the meantime has a number of barely hidden tunnels and crevasses, which Pokemon risk falling into if they aren’t careful. As for the south…the south is perhaps the most tricky, with ghost Pokemon happily pulling tricks on passerby, and the surroundings changing once one looks away. But don’t worry!! You’ll surely get through this after you fight this next Pokemon.

MARCH-ING PROGRESS



One day in the middle of the week, among all the evolving and obstacle courses, Pokemon cluster in the center of Bottlecap Bay. It seems as though Ribombee has an announcement!

The bee Pokemon is accompanied by several other high ranking members of his Guild and seems especially energized, practically buzzing with pride. He waits only for a short while - until there's enough of a crowd, perhaps, or until some designated time known only to him - before launching into what he has to say. Which is this: he and several of his High Rank Cheris have been volunteering extra time scouting, trying to determine more reliable ways through the malleable Forest. And with all their experimentation... they've actually discovered something!

It's already known that in much of the Forest, natural landmarks shift places and Pokemons' senses of time grow more and more distorted. The same happens with constructed landmarks, like someone making an arrow on the ground out of stones, or scratching a tree, or even putting up a hasty sign - and those experiences have taught Pokemon mostly not to bother, doing their best to trust in their innate sense of direction instead. But as it turns out... the Cheri Berries have discovered that sometimes, deliberately constructed landmarks do stay in place, tacking down the forest around them!

They're still trying to figure out the details. It's clear that it takes building something more than in passing - simple signs are still a no-go - but that isn't all of it, as they've still had their experiments disappear on them. Is it to do with specific spots in the woods? If so, why those locations particularly? Is it a type of construction? About all they can say is that they're reasonably confident now that it's nothing to do with the materials used, as they've tested each one individually and in some simple combinations.

However! Ribombee excitedly motions forward Aurorus, one of the Pokemon on stage with him. The contrast is almost comical: the small Ribombee, with his voice lively enough for three Pokemon, and the huge, tall Aurorus, who seems bashful to be on stage. The dinosaur Pokemon flutters his sails shyly, but goes on to say that he found a conveniently central spot in the woods where something he built has been sticking, and he kept coming back to try and stretch it into the beginnings of a road without much success... and then Ribombee suggested expanding it into a Forest Waystation instead! Even without a full road, something like that will make voyages through the woods more predictable, since you can split your journey into two shorter parts with consistent stopping points. Besides that, it'll be a great base for foraging, and they can station some Pokemon there to provide emergency medical treatment at short notice - something that seems especially necessary with how many teams were disabled by those over-evolved Pokemon recently!

"It really just feels like pinning down a perfect possibility," Aurorus concludes.

The end of his explanation is followed by clapping from the side of the stage, where Polteageist enters with praise, telling Ribombee that he and the Cheris have done excellent work. If anything, Polteageist is even more interested in the Cheri's experiments than the Waystation; they're quick to encourage the Cheris to submit the results so far to the Archives, as they'd love to take a look. They'd be happy to assign some Lum Berries to provide support and have the guilds cooperate. (Polteageist doesn't say anything about the Oran Berries, however... is someone still annoyed about the standings?)

There's a sense of genuine comradery between the two guild leaders for a moment... until Polteageist continues. "And in fact, your Waystation feels like the perfect spot to base a point for what I'm here to announce."

Teleportation points. That's what Polteageist is here to announce. Is this what all their sleepless nights have been about? Regardless: it's now possible to send large groups of Pokemon out to wherever is necessary at a fraction of the Psychic Pokemon effort. No longer will Psychic Pokemon have to teleport one Pokemon at a time, and tire themselves out sending an entire team - instead, with a special room constructed to amplify their abilities, a team of Psychics can teleport the entire interior at once!

Now, this isn't fully ready yet, Polteageist clarifies. They've only got one prototype, hidden in the Archives, and things can't be teleported back to the room. For this to be an effective use of resources, Polteageist is picturing building finalized points at useful locations, such as Skull Town and the to-be Forest Waystation. Outside of emergencies and special expeditions, these rooms will be used for scheduled warps several times a day rather than on demand. And anyone who's being warped out on an expedition will still have to return on foot. Still - it's a massive improvement! There will no longer be a need for a day-long trek just to go between Bottlecap Bay and Skull Town, and emergency supplies can be transferred seamlessly to deal with situations like February's avalanche! So Polteageist is sharing this now to provide context for quests they'll be posting on the questboard in the coming months.

With this announcement, nearly all the Pokemon in the crowd lose interest in gossiping about the Forest Waystation - this is so much more exciting, after all! Ribombee is left to leave the stage with a half-hearted glare at his fellow guild leader... but as he and his group of stage Cheris head back to the Canopy, the bee Pokemon's wings seem to flutter more tiredly than before.

BUSY BUSY BERRIES⟡ Aside from the obvious topic of gossip, this series of announcements has left the Pokemon of Bottlecap Bay chattering about guild rivalries, and they're interested in guild member opinions on this… or in asking new arrivals which guild they'd be excited to join!

⟡ In town, the Lum Berries seem to have regained their most favored status - and various stalls and merchants try to bribe members with small treats on the off chance that they have pull with Polteageist. Can you get them in to take a look at this prototype room? They're so curious!

⟡ While both Polteageist and Ribombee seem to lock themselves in their respective work focuses after this, Mightyena is available for comment after everything is announced - and she seems quite worried about both of her fellow Guild Leaders! She doesn’t say much on it, but she seems certain that if they aren’t careful, they’re going to burn out.

✩ OOC NOTES.
TDM CWs: Pokemon typical violence, Mortality (Minior focused)

⟡ 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.

⟡ Notes concerning arrival timing, settling timing, etc, go here!

⟡ 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
i_can_read: (Dizzy)

Simon | Iron Lung | Incoming Player OTA

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-13 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[CW for massive psychological trauma, body horror, and apocalypses. Also thalassophobia.]

1. It's funny if you're not him

Simon's first sign that something is wrong is immediate: he can't feel his body. He knows what having a body is supposed to feel like, but he doesn't feel it. He doesn't feel his arms or his legs. He can't feel his pulse, his heart beat is gone. His lungs aren't pulling in air. Nor does he feel the excruciating, nerve-searing agony of his forcibly amputated arm, or his lesioned, rapidly warping flesh. He feels nothing, physically, except a kind of claustophobia and

Uh

And... something like wind? Velocity. He has a sense of confused velocity, a pull that tugs along the edges of hazy bewilderment as his awareness grows. He opens his eyes, alarm spreading like fire through his brain.

But when he opens them, he sees nothing. Only blackness, an unfeatured darkness broken only by the visual noise of a probably-delirious mind. Colours that don't exist fading in and out of a featureless pocket of void. He can't hear anything, or even smell anything. No blood. No sweat. No metal. Just blackness, and... nothing.

That's not right. That's not right.

He's still not hungry or thirsty. Or in pain. Where is the pain. Where is the thirst. Where are his legs? His arms--or arm? His nerves, his body. Where is it? Where is it? Where is he??

Every part of him screams that this is wrong. That he should feel like shit. He should be in so much pain. He should be drained, exhausted body and mind and soul. He should be desperate for something, anything to eat. For a mouthful of water, real water.

This isn't right.

And with that, something in him breaks. All the terror, the grief and horror and agony, new and old, now ripping through his psyche like an inferno. No. Not an inferno. An explosion. Just like his mission's violent, desperate culmination, a fiery eruption lighting up every neuron in his tortured brain with full, lucid recollection.

The sub. The blood ocean. The quiet, the heat, that... that thing, Ava, the voices, the light--

All he'd suffered, all that he'd done, every second of fear and anguish and despair and even that final, defiant push of anger that had formed the foundation of his choice. He'd blown up the sub. He'd done that, he'd saved the data, or at least he'd tried. He'd done everything he could to keep it safe. For humanity, for himself, for something to mean anything, just so long as he could choose something, as long as he had any choice at all--

Choice. He'd had--a choice. He'd made--he'd made a choice.

That--

It was his choice--

If he couldn't live. If he couldn't live--

He'd just wanted to live. That's all he wanted.

He didn't, he couldn't have. He couldn't have survived that.

That was the point.

But if he died--

Why is he alive?

Is he alive? He thinks--

He thinks he's alive.

The most terrible, soul-chilling thought of all.

He's alive. So then--

What--

No. No, no, no, no, nO, NO, NO--

He has just enough time to start to really panic. To scream.

Then he hits..... he doesn't know. Something big. Something immovable, and huge. Whatever is, his inexplicable prison of sensory deprivation hits it like... well. Like a meteor.

He blacks out.

---

Meanwhile, from the outside perspective, what just happened is that one of the many Minior falling from the sky made its descent while just fucking screaming--a raw, shrill, animal sound of fear and despair and rage--and then fell silent upon impact with the ground.

Its shell is intact, at least. Mostly.

But. Um.

Maybe... maybe someone should check that out?

2. This one is just funny

drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn

You'll probably hear it before you see it.

drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn

But when you do, it looks like a rock, rolling along the ground. Fast. This thing is fucking fast. The spiky proturbences hit the earth and interrupt its roll, bouncing it as it goes, but it seems unfazed by that.

drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn

But what is it?

It's too small to be a graveller, too armless to be a geodude. It's only when it's a little closer that it becomes clearer--or maybe not.

Because while a minior isn't a particularly surprising sight at the moment, this one's got its rocky shell intact--cracked and broken along several fault lines, sure, but still closed tight around its precious, vulnerable core.

So, depending on how minior-savvy you are, this might be a real puzzler.

Or not.

What's interesting about this Minior--besides the mystery of What Is It--is that every few metres, the rock stops. There's usually a bit of a pause, and the rocks float away from the core for a second, then snap back in place, and it begins to roll again. Maybe in the same direction, maybe not.

Always at top speed. It seems to be really intent on.... uh. On going. Which could be problem, because it really doesn't seem to be able to see where it's going while it's going, and as fast as this thing moves...

Well, look out for your shins, is all that needs to be said.

And if you want to talk to it (and it hasn't crashed into you), good luck catching up!!

At least it makes those stops?

drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn drr-thn--
Edited 2026-03-13 18:50 (UTC)
bladeofnymeia: (well this is a crock of shit innit)

1

[personal profile] bladeofnymeia 2026-03-13 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[The screaming is faint, at first.

Firoza mistakes it for something else, any other ambient noise, until it's very clear that it's not ambient. That it's screaming. And, well, no matter her form, she's always been the type to run towards the screaming rather than away from it. Even if she can't pinpoint where it's coming from except for "the sky", which isn't too helpful - shit's falling from it, apparently Pokemon, but she's not familiar with this species.

And the scream grows louder.

And louder.

And louder, loud enough for her ears to twitch as her gaze locks onto the source - something that is rocketing down from the sky potentially very close to her current location.]


Shit-

[Scamper back, scamper a ways back - and then the impact, she's far enough that she isn't hit but gravel and dirt spray up to hit her, and she spits it out and wipes at her face.

The screaming came to a halt, but. The source of it is just...laying there. Still. Silent.]


...

[Caaaautiously approaching.]

Hello? Is...are you alright?

[Any rational person would feel silly, talking to a hunk of rock that fell from the sky. But when you're the Warrior of Light in the body of a Pokemon, anything's possible. You roll with it. You have to.]
i_can_read: (Dizzy)

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-14 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
[The rock doesn't move. Or respond at all.

And small wonder: it hit the ground with such force that it's ended up half-buried in the dirt inside its crater.

Hopefully it's just knocked out....
]
bladeofnymeia: (:o ?)

[personal profile] bladeofnymeia 2026-03-17 10:03 am (UTC)(link)
[Let's carefully start, uh. Seeing if we can dig around this no longer screaming rock without jostling it? That seems polite. If it impacted the ground well enough, the hole it made would be kind of snug, right? Give 'em as much room as they can to free themselves.]

Please don't worry - I'll have you out in no time.

[Being a little rodent-adjacent creature means digging hole comes naturally now! Even if Firoza doesn't indulge in it often. It's rude to just leave holes around for other people to trip into, after all.]
i_can_read: (Dizzy)

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-20 08:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[Well, that's one thing she doesn't need to worry about--the man inside the rock is blessedly unconscious.

For now.
]

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no_ufo_ending: (curious)

1

[personal profile] no_ufo_ending 2026-03-13 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
By this point, Henry has seen quite a few of the falling star Pokemon. He's noticed the movement to help them recover their shells. It's just another oddity in the wonderful world of Pokemon.

But that one screams like an adult human man as it hurtles toward the earth and Henry can't help but look up from putting a roll of bandages away in his satchel. When Simon makes contact, Henry shrinks together from the sound of it. From the sudden silence.

OH GOD DID HE JUST WATCH SOMEONE (else) DIE???

Shouldering the bag, the Flygon sets his wings to buzzing so they push him forward as he runs toward the impact site. Carefully he approaches the crater and peers down at the mostly-intact Minior. It looks like one of the lucky ones...maybe.

"Hello? Are you okay?" Henry skids down into the dip in the ground and holds a claw above the other Pokemon's rocky surface, wary of the heat that might be rolling off of it. "Hello?"
i_can_read: (Pain)

Trying to make this different from the way I tagged Firoza for variety,

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-14 03:21 am (UTC)(link)
It's not that hot, strangely. Maybe that's why its rock shield is in such comparatively good condition--not burning up while in the atmosphere might have helped. But why didn't this one suffer that when others did?

That's a great question! Unfortunately, no answers are forthcoming.

Regardless, while its rock shell has definitely been cracked in multiple places, the minior sitting in the crater is still fully shielded. It's not even clear what colour its core is.

At least the eerie silence is broken after a few seconds... albeit by way of a low, agonised moan.
Edited 2026-03-14 03:21 (UTC)
no_ufo_ending: (thoughtful)

[personal profile] no_ufo_ending 2026-03-14 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
Henry's breath burns in his lungs as he holds it and listens for any kind of life. His antennae quiver in the low wind. When Simon groans, Henry wheezes out the breath and gasps. It was still alive!

It was time.

Several weeks ago, Henry had a strange dream. Ever since then, the Flygon had possession of a move no Flygon should ever be able to know and that move is: Heal Pulse.

Henry squeezes his eyes shut and holds his paws out before Simon. He imagines using The Force from Star Wars because that is the best frame of reference he's got and also the little guy in the dream looked a lot like Yoda. A haze of pink and purple energy ripples from Henry, washing over Simon.
Edited 2026-03-14 04:36 (UTC)

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seacub: (oh yikes my dude)

2!!!

[personal profile] seacub 2026-03-14 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
Uhhhhh

[There's something to be said about the Minior Mayhem. He had to house one in his helmet- backpack, really- to get it to the clinic for example.

But, most of them, once re-shelled, could....fly? Float?? So, seeing this one rolling around, he gives chase with his stumpy little legs.

And as soon as Simon takes a shell-break (heh), shouts-
] U- ...Uh...d...Do you need help..?

Are...

Are you stuck??
i_can_read: (Surprised)

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-14 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
[Simon is just about to shut his shields again when he hears the rapid footsteps behind him--and then a voice calling out.

A... child?

For some reason, the experience of hearing a child jars him. Something in him lurches--not his heart, or his brain, or even his stomach. Because he doesn't have any of those. But something nonetheless, and he rotates on the spot, the swirling energy pools that are his eyes spinning wide and fast.

He doesn't know why it's a surprise that what he sees is... a little brown lizard on stubby legs, wearing a skull. At first, he looks for the actual child--he does this for maybe three whole seconds before it occurs to him that maybe... he's looking at them. Is that possible? If there are children here... then... uh, wait, why wouldn't there be children? Anyway, if there are children, then they'd be... Pokemon, and of course there are fucking children, he feels so fucking stupid now--

--right, he needs to say something. Fuck. Uh--
]

Are you talking to me?
seacub: ('boy i sure hope nothin bad happens')

[personal profile] seacub 2026-03-14 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Can't wait to tell this guy where he grew up.

Emporio lets the minior have his quiet dilemma though, until at last he gets something to work with.

Namely, a question.
] Yeah.

So far after getting a shell of some kind back, the other Minior were back to floating pretty quick, but... ...you've been rolling around a lot. Are you alright? That's bound to wear the shell down after a while...

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shotinhead: (12;)

B

[personal profile] shotinhead 2026-03-14 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
Now, the thing is, Courier Six - Perrin, to his friends - was used to his route. He had declared himself the mailman, the courier, of this place. He was used to what was weird and what wasn't weird on his route.

And this, well, was weird. Casually, he is keeping up with the rock-- well, trying to keep up, usually catching up when it stopped, wings flapping harder then he's had to use them for a while. And eventually, he couldn't help but speak. In his refined - but with a bit of a gravelly undertone - voice.

"You lookin' for somewhere?"

Honestly, he sounds really chill about all of this. Hey, weird shit happens here a lot, it's fine.
i_can_read: (Determined)

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-15 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
Simon sees the giant cartoon dragon a couple of times, but doesn't really connect the glimpses he gets to the fact that he's being followed--he's too busy taking it all in. There's just so much to see, and all of it--literally all of it--is covered in fluorishing greenery. Grass, bushes, flowers..... uh, plants, fruit. Simon doesn't have a huge vocabulary for plant life. The mere presence of trees plural had been enough to render him speechless at the sight, and to understand, for the first time, what it really meant that trees were not all the same--that there are different kinds of trees, different heights and different textures and different leaf shapes? It's something he knew had existed, once... but that was before he was ever born. He hadn't really grasped it, he realises now.

He'd wanted to, he'd believed in it as much as he could believe in such a miracle as that, as fervently and desperately as humanity could hope for anything, but--

Well, suffice to say that he hadn't really paid much attention to the Pokemon he was passing.

He hadn't seen the dragonite for the trees.

He does, however, figure out he's being spoken to, and tilts upwards--rock shields down--to see the same big orange lizard thing he'd been seeing. Okay. So he was being followed.

He doesn't like that.

"Am I allowed to just look?"
Edited 2026-03-15 02:15 (UTC)
shotinhead: (12;)

[personal profile] shotinhead 2026-03-15 04:36 pm (UTC)(link)
"Course you are!" the Dragonite said, voice a little defensive - before pausing, and shaking his head. "Just seen you almost bumpin' into a bunch of shit. Don't want you to get fucked up if ya ram into a tree or somethin'."

Now, it wasn't because he cared too much about everybody. Or many people, to be honest. But if a Pokemon was hurt, then said Pokemon would likely need to get taken to the Clinic, and he's been there far too much in recent times. "I can leave you to it, though."

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telewarped: (Time to quit stalling)

2

[personal profile] telewarped 2026-03-14 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
Though Shoka hears the Minior long before she sees him coming, the combination of his unpredictable movement and startling speed still manages to take her off guard. One moment, she sees him rolling past her, shell luckily intact, and thinks to herself, Whatever; staying in my lane. The next moment, the Minior suddenly changes his trajectory and comes blindly hurtling straight at her, very much not in his own lane.

Mimikyu don't have shins, of course; if he hits her going at that speed, he could very well flatten all of her in one go. So, acting on instinct, Shoka uses Protect, summoning a shimmering blue barrier before herself.

To Simon's perception, he'll feel as if he's suddenly hit a wall—something solid enough to stop him dead in his tracks—and then he'll hear a voice snap at him.

"Hey! Watch it, loser!"

It's high-pitched and youthful-sounding, but should he look ahead of him, he'll find no girl standing there. Instead, there's a black cat... Or maybe it's a plush toy of a black cat, judging by its painted-on face and curiously upright, limbless body.
i_can_read: (Surprised)

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-15 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
The collision knocks him bouncing backwards, actually. Physics is a bitch. But it's more mentally jarring than physically. He was feeling pretty fucking confident in his navigation, he was checking frequently--in fact, this is the first time he's hit something. And while it's a relief to know it doesn't hurt him like ramming things with the sub--well, except for an injury to his pride--he could have sworn there wasn't anyone there like five or ten seconds ago. Which means they had to have run into his path, right?

That is not his fault.

Either way, he really wasn't prepared to be called a loser, or to find another child. He kind of can't believe this is happening. How many children are just fucking running around unattended? How can people do that? Isn't it dangerous--well, maybe it's not like it was. Maybe it's different? But he can't fathom that kind of world, and if this one is running right into his path and calling him names, then--

"What?" He half-laughs, a little incredulous; he even drops his shields, because if there is one thing Simon doesn't find especially threatening, it's children. "What did you call me?"
telewarped: (My senses slowly fade)

[personal profile] telewarped 2026-03-15 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Did I stutter, loser?" she retorts. "Do you even watch where you're rolling at all, or do you just go around making Pokéroadkill all day every day?"

She wasn't watching him very closely after that first time she spotted him, so it's entirely possible that she wandered into his path without noticing... But she's choosing to ignore that right now.

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he's doing great

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dripdrive: (Espathra_Neutral)

2

[personal profile] dripdrive 2026-03-14 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
As a volunteer at the clinic and a frequent visitor of the Archive, Anasui has approximate knowledge of many Pokemon. Even without the Wish Festival or the meteor shower, Anasui would know what a Minior looks like and vaguely knows their deal. If nothing else, he knows they are a flying type, and the fact one is rolling is... weird.

Anasui is very much not in Simon's way, but after watching Simon stop and start a couple of times, he picks up his pattern of moving enough to deliberately get in his way. However, the second Simon hits his shin, with the grace of a professional football player, Anasui kicks the Minior up into the air in front of him so he can see him face-to-face.

"What's your deal?" If Simon doesn't start floating there and then, Anasui will continue bouncing him up on his knee, just to ensure the weird Minior doesn't escape.
i_can_read: (Determined)

Simon just gets more and more Done with each encounter, huh

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-15 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately, Simon doesn't know how to float. That's kind of the whole fucking problem.

This is the second time he's run into something--or rather, some one, and he was being extra careful to look twice and keep track of where people (Pokémon, whatever) were heading, so he knows this one wasn't there when he looked just seconds ago.

Which is irritating. To put it mildly. And while it doesn't hurt to be bounced like this, he can still feel it. Not very precisely--to Simon, it just feels like the shell is repeatedly being knocked against something, but the direction is unclear. Which is kind of alarming, but it's also frustrating.

He does not drop his shield. Maybe it's spite--okay, there's definitely a bit of spite--but it's more about the practical element, too. He doesn't know how sensitive his 'core' is, and he doesn't want to find out. So, Anasui's answer comes from inside a solid barrier of stone, and muffled accordingly.

The strained note of Simon's vexation is still clear, however.

"I don't know what you're asking."
Edited 2026-03-15 03:35 (UTC)
dripdrive: (Espathra_Neutral)

Basically. Lmaooooo

[personal profile] dripdrive 2026-03-15 01:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Anasui raises an eyebrow at Simon, completely oblivious to why someone would be irritated in this scenario.

"Then your head must be as thick as your shell," Anasui says simply, as he continues to juggle the Minior (admittedly, this is a little fun). "I've never seen a Minior roll before. I'm wondering why you're carting yourself like that instead of flying - it's far more practical and much less humiliating."

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edgewater: parvati being flashbanged with her eyes wide (o_o)

1! played the game and seen the movie so hit me with it

[personal profile] edgewater 2026-03-15 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Parvati's been in and out of the festivities. Not really able to help the Minior (she feels so bad), but she's been doing her best. Passing any she catches onto Pokemon more capable than her. If she had any of her stuff, she could make them some shelter in a pinch. But, well.

As soon as she looks up at the screaming, the screaming Minior in question is alarmingly intact near her feet. "Oh Law, are you okay?!"

The Tinkaton bobs down, trying to gauge whether this one can still talk or not.
i_can_read: (Crying)

I have not played the game, and I do have an HMD so PLEASE hit me up any time!

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-03-23 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
[OOC: so I owe you a HUGE apology. I thought I had tagged this, and I know I wrote the tag, but it may not have gone through and I just DID NOT check. Which is 100% on me, but I did not leave you hanging on purpose.]

The Minior has stopped screaming, at least.

It gives a weak, almost dazed moan.

Simon isn't in pain, which is... confusing. He's too stunned from whatever just happened to coherently put those pieces back together--the same pieces he'd just had, that he'd just held in his mind and put together, forming the picture that had driven him over the edge into breaking, consuming him with the agony of his all-too-human rage and fear and grief.

Whatever just happened--the impact he doesn't remember happening--may have knocked it out of him entirely. Or at least enough to leave him stuck on the something happened, and it was rough stage of recollection and cognition, and not the screaming horror stage.

"Fffffuck me," he manages at last, in a delirious groan.
Edited 2026-03-23 04:01 (UTC)
edgewater: parvati looking warily at something off-camera (Wet cat)

rubs my hands together evilly

[personal profile] edgewater 2026-03-23 09:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ ooc: no worries! i honestly figured you just got overwhelmed by all of the people replying so it's totally okay, shit happens. ]

Parvati, for the moment, doesn't do much more than stand above him awkwardly. This isn't the first time she's encountered someone fallingfrom the sky, at least. But it's her first time seeing the person as they're falling. "Um. Need some help?"

She realises (perhaps too late) that the Minior probably isn't going to process that question very well. But this Minior is still in the shell, at least? Did that concuss him? Oh Law, can a Minior get concussed--

She doesn't know anywhere near enough about medicine, let alone Poke-biology in tandem with medicine, to really investigate that further.

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He's being so normal,

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swordarc: (bottlecap - startled)

1

[personal profile] swordarc 2026-03-29 07:41 am (UTC)(link)
[III is minding his own business when he notices the screaming Minior come crashing towards the ground.

(Well, it's a little hard not to notice the screaming Minior, considering the screaming, but still.)

In any case, when the Minior hits the ground, III decides to get over to it as fast as possible via a quick Teleport hop from where he was.]


Hey, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you? [Force of habit to ask, despite none of the other sky (space?) rock Pokémon being understandable to him.]
i_can_read: (Dizzy)

I AM SO SORRY, the DW notif apocalypse ate you!

[personal profile] i_can_read 2026-04-17 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
[The minior doesn't respond immediately.... but it does respond.

First with a low, throaty, disoriented groan.

Then with a cautious, deeply uncertain voice--muffled by the rock of its shell, but just clear enough to be heard.
]

.... h....hhhhello....?


[OOC: If this is too old PLEASE don't feel obligated to tag it back! I will backtag you forever here if you're up for it, but I also have a catch-all and top level combo up on the main comms if you want to do something there!]