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OCTOBER EVENT PT2

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→ THE BEGINNING

(click to expand - happy early Halloween)

It's on the evening of October 28th when everything quickly descends into madness.

It begins with faint static in the air, gradually becoming louder and louder until it's impossible to ignore, the pattern of cries that was once hidden now audible to everybody as it grows and grows until it culminates in an explosion. The walls of the local bookstore burst outwards, a rampaging Hydreigon within unleashing Hyper Beam after Hyper Beam without any rest in between. Its trainer, an old man, hobbles up to it in a panic in order to ask what's wrong, but the Pokemon knocks him to the ground, ignoring him and continuing to destroy everything in its path while its trainer lies motionless on the ground, blood pouring from his head.

Further down the street, another eruption shakes the city, a group of Galarian Rapidashes slamming themselves against walls and windows until they break through, careening and crashing through buildings with wild abandon. Occupants inside a cafe scream as they attempt to flee, crushed under rubble and trampled by merciless hooves. From the sky, Murkrows and Natus swoop down on residents on the streets, long talons outstretched to claw at any exposed skin and pluck out any staring eyes. All around the city, Pokeballs burst open on their own and the Pokemon rush madly at human and Pokemon alike, disregarding orders or pleads from their trainers and attacking anything within sight in a wild frenzy.

Fires blaze across the city as children wail and adults scream. All the while, the pattern of cries continues...

→ THE RAMPAGE

(click to expand - you're in for a bad time)

Throughout the night, dark, ghost, and psychic-type Pokemon rampage throughout Mango City. Wild Pokemon appear from the outskirts of town and attack anyone and anything on sight, while companion Pokemon force themselves out of their balls and turn upon their trainers. No other types seem to be affected, the other Pokemon just as confused and distraught as the humans as they're forced to run from, defend against, and fight the Pokemon they were once allied with.

While many of the mad Pokemon physically assault those around them, other use innate abilities to wreak havoc. Musharnas emit a dark mist that engulfs entire beings and brings their fears to reality, forcing all those within the fog to face the same delusions. At the same time, Shedinjas steal souls away in their shells and keep them captive in a shared endless nightmare of their worst experiences relived. Similarly, Beheeyems cause those nearby to reexperience their most feared and hated moments, erasing all memory after that moment in order to trap their victims in that vulnerable mindset of the past. Meanwhile, Zoroarks trap their targets within grand illusions that force them to undergo a series of deaths over and over again, causing them excruciating pain and suffering while their physical bodies continue to live. Haunters phase in and out of walls to surprise and lick their victims, sapping years off their life and causing a frigid shivering that won't stop until they wither away, and Gengars loom in the shadows, sapping heat away from its surroundings and causing the small and the weak to slowly freeze to death. Umbreons spray poisonous sweat all over the street, causing people to choke and convulse if they stay too long near the toxic areas, and Cofagriguses drag humans into their coffins and wrap them up as mummies, bound so tightly nobody can hear them scream. No amount of pleading nor bargaining will cause any of them to stop; the only option left is to defeat them in battle, either by killing them or knocking them out.

It'd be kinder to do the latter, but in the heat of the moment, it's difficult to hold back. It's desperate times, after all, as the city streets soon begin to fill with the cold and still bodies of both Pokemon and humans.

→ HELP...?

(click to expand - is anyone even sane enough left to help)

At the outskirts of town bordering the forest, herds of Stantler lead the unaffected and helpless deeper into the forest into an area where the trees are so densely packed that even the shine of the moon can't break through. The only source of light are the small Litwicks that scurry towards the humans, smiling and holding out their little hands. Follow them. They'll keep you safe(?).

Perhaps it's time to abandon the city, where the fires continue to grow and rage throughout the streets, threatening to engulf entire neighborhood blocks. The hospital and Pokemon Center get repurposed to disaster zones as the doctors and nurses struggle to treat their patients while fending off rampaging Pokemon at the same time. Mari's large Steelixes wrap themselves around the buildings to become iron walls keeping the wild Pokemon out, but even their great defense struggles against the never ending attacks.

In the midst of the ongoing disaster, the radio tower remains undamaged and completely abandoned, untouched by the rampaging Pokemon outside. The receptionist has fled long ago, leaving the front doors open but the door to the stairs and the elevator up remaining locked. The tower stands empty and silent, completely free of the static and pattern of cries playing outside, the one place of reprieve from the hell that has descended upon Mango City.

→ MOD NOTES

⬥ Welcome to the Halloween event! Due to the nature of the prompts, please properly warn for any potentially disturbing content in your threads/tags for all players.
⬥ This event is forward dated to the evening and night of the 28th and may last past the 28th if no proper IC measures are taken to stop the rampaging Pokemon. The OOC deadline to solve and fix the disaster will be October 29.
⬥ Please comment to the mod question & investigation thread to report any actions that characters may take to stop the events of the log.
⬥ Have fun! :)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Now that they're not in the midst of horrible memories, it's a little weird seeing Hien without his mask.

Fai raises his eyebrows in surprise when Hien's appearance and voice suddenly change. ]

What you'll eventually become?

Yeah.

[ Gear turning noises are heard again, and Hien's appearance reverts to his usual black hair, strange eyes, but now he has a shadowy arm that looks like it has a wispy monster's maw where his hand should be. ]

A monster. I can only turn my arm like this for now.

[ Oh.

Fai doesn't even know how to react to that, and he just looks down at Mimi in his lap. ]

...Is there any way to stop it?

[ Gears turn and his arm returns to normal. Hien doesn't bother putting the mask back over his face for now. ]

No. It'll happen when all my other selves across every single universe dies, though that will probably be a long time.

[ Hien lies down on the debris, looking up at the sky again. ]

... Just worry about your own stuff. There's no point in wasting energy for the inevitable for me.

Telling me not to worry about you won't stop me from worrying.

[ Sorry, Hien. Fai likes you so he's going to worry!

He's quiet for a moment, still gently petting Mimi. ]

...If you have any questions for me, I'll answer them. It's only fair.

[ Mimi is an absolute purring machine right now while y'all talk about depressing stuff. Hien thinks about it for a moment. After piecing some things together, he thinks he got the gist of what happened in the tower. The castle... he's a little curious about it since he didn't get to see it, but maybe it's better off with Fai doesn't want to talk about it. Maybe his close loved ones died in that castle. Maybe someone made everyone vanish and then they blame Fai again for something he had no control over. He turns his head to look at him... Fai really gets into those kinds of situations a lot, huh. Though these are all just assumptions. ]

Choosing yourself over him... do you ever regret it?

[ Hien has that look on his face, that even though he asked, if Fai says yes, he might do something unpleasant. ]

[ It's happened to him over and over—someone goes insane and wreaks havoc and causes destruction. The common denominator is Fai, and he's come to the conclusion that he's cursed to bring this upon everyone he gets close to.

Fai's seen that look before on Kurogane's face so he acts like he doesn't see it and goes ahead and answers honestly. There's a sad smile on his face as he finally looks up from Mimi. ]

Yes, every day of my life. He should be the one alive, not me.

[ The only reason he still lives is because he owes Fai his life. ]

Why?

[ It's asked a little too fast, a little too soon. Hien keeps looking over at him despite being aware. ]

We went through so much because we couldn't sacrifice the other one.

[ He looks away from Hien now, staring off into space. ]

Before they put us in the tower, we were told if one of us died that they would forget about it. Of course, we couldn't do that to each other.

[ Fai's fingers still in Mimi's fur. ]

We spent all that time in those towers, all for nothing. All for me to pick myself over him. I was weak and Fai died because of that.

[ As long as Fai doesn't pull on Mimi's fur, things are gucci. Hien stops to consider something--there was absolutely no way some kids would be able to win against heavy stereotyping and prejudice that would lead to their possible deaths. Hien understands what Fai probably feels with that, but at the same time, he thinks he's being largely unfair to himself. He knows nothing about the original Fai, but from what he's been told, he-- ]

Even if you picked him over yourself, wouldn't he just go through the same thing you are now? Neither of you wanted to sacrifice each other, so I can't imagine he'd feel better about you dying in his place.

[ He looks up at Hien in surprise. That's... not something he had ever considered. ]

I... I suppose you're right. I had never thought about it that way.

[ It doesn't get rid of the guilt, but that's something he's sure he'll never be rid of. ]

I just wish I had found some other way out, but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried.

[ Hien doesn't need to be a mind reader to understand that Fai is going through a lot of guilt right now. There's a moment of thoughtfulness before he gets up, standing on the debris and walking up to Fai, who's still sitting on the ground with Mimi on his lap. He sits down in front of him and holds his hand. He's not here to inspect it like what Fai did with Hien's a while back, and Mimi's fur must be warm, but there's something different about someone else's touch. Hien is still here without his mask, and he looks over straight at Fai. ]

... You did all you could back then. I'm sure you gave it your all, because you really wanted to save him too. He's not here, but you are. Maybe you're trying to live his life for him by taking up his name but this is yours, not his. So live your life so that he'd be happy for you if he was here.

[ Fai's hand twitches in surprise when Hien takes it, not expecting that at all. Most of the time they've shown any kind of physical affection with each other, it's been in jest, so this is new.

Hien's words are something Fai has longed to hear, even if he would never admit that to himself. Still, it's hard to accept and he stares down at the ground. ]

...I'll think about it. I don't know if I'm ready to do that just yet.

[ He could easily say thank you and leave it at that but he may as well say how he really feels at this point. ]

... Yeah.

[ This isn't the first time he's been told that, but that's fair. People always need time to think it over. It's important to them, after all. All Hien can hope for is that something good comes out of this, and that Fai no longer feels like he's still stuck in the tower. ]

Take your time. I'll be here if you need me, despite everything.

[ His eyes lower to their hands. Hien's hold isn't all that tight, so he slowly withdraws his hand. Things will be okay. ]

Since we're friends.

[ That isn't something he's ever really heard before. There's only ever been one supportive person in his life, and he was careful to not let anyone else get close enough to say those kind of things to him. He's quiet for a moment, but there's a small smile on his face. A genuine one. ]

You're right, we are.

[ It's weird confirming that he's friends with someone... Fai doesn't really have friends. When Hien takes his hands away, Fai finally looks up. ]

That goes both ways, you know. Let me look out for you too.

[ There's a small smile on Hien's face. These really are the expressions that one would usually see behind the mask--too bad he's going to keep wearing it in the future. ]

It's not so bad--depending on someone every now and then. Of course it'll be both ways.

[ It's a shame Hien always wears it. For someone who likes to hide behind a smile, Fai enjoys seeing other people's expressions. ]

I suppose you're right. I'll try to be better at it.

[ Can he guarantee he will depend on anyone? Not really, but he'll try to not let his first instinct be to brush other people aside. ]

Should we go try and help some other people? I don't think I can go rest just yet.

[ Good. Small steps, Fai. Small steps. Hien nods and puts on his mask again after getting up. ]

Let's go. If I can prevent more deaths, I'd be good for the day.

[ Fai gets up, hauling Mimi up in his arms. She's a little heavy, but not too much for him to carry. ]

Me too. Leave the barriers to me!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OCTOBER EVENT PT2

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ THE BEGINNING

→ THE RAMPAGE

→ HELP...?

→ MOD NOTES

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