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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

[ The Musharna does not like fire, so it escapes. It does nothing for the mist though, but the monster attempts to eat Hythlo again. It really does nothing but attack, spew out some uncoordinated messages by invoking emotions, and eat. Perhaps if it wasn't this sort of setting, it would have the potential to be stronger... much more menacing. It makes one more attempt to eating Hythlo by lunging at it, shadowy bits swarming over like a tsunami.

Hien doesn't seem to realize it, but his arm is currently being burned. In reality, there sure is a smell of burning flesh. ]

[High on adrenaline, Hythlo manages to roll out of the way, then dash away madly - direction doesn't matter, what he needs now is time. His subconscious registers the strange burning smell, but it's pushed to the back of his mind when survival takes first priority. He might have burned himself, but some burns are better than having to relive the sheer agony of getting dissolved however many times it might take.

He was never one for fighting, but reviewing concepts was his job, he has a good memory, and he remembers that particular one--a toy of Lahabrea's of sorts, fond of fire that he is... The principle is simple, really, so it shouldn't be too hard to make, but the other details--

Hythlo barely manages to avoid another sweep of the swarming darkness that gouges out deep wounds on his back and side, but once again the pain is almost immaterial, distant. Forget the details, all that matters is the basic mechanism, he just needs to get it done really, really quickly before gravity takes hold proper...

In some strange way, his mind feels clear as ice, despite Hythlo simultaneously being aware that he's probably as delirious as one could be. But the feeling is enough, and he reconstructs the basic scheme of the weapon in his mind, leaps forward, rolls, coming up so that he's facing the monster, concentrates, hisses in pain as what feels like another firework jolts through his arm, pulls the trigger... shoots.

Instantly useless, the barrel and the simplistic firing mechanism clutter to the floor. Hythlo has no idea whether the bullet hit, really--the pain and adrenaline take their toll. His head is spinning, his limbs feel heavy as lead, and he barely has a second to think that he did all he could, before the darkness of fainting takes him.]

[ The gunshot doesn't seem to affect the monster at all, seeing it doesn't react any differently after Hythlo shooting. It eats Hythlo all the same, having him dissolve into the void, and him reappearing in the blazing place like clockwork. In reality, Hien is bleeding. Fun. He was definitely shot, but he can't tell where with how much he's dissociating right now aka I'll leave that for later when I decide because I don't want him dead.

The smell of burning flesh comes to an abrupt end when the gear noises occur in reality with Hien's arm turning into a shadowy entity. ]

[Stronger from his earlier experience of helping Sagi deal with one of the weird pig creatures, Joss wastes absolutely no time when he sees the swirling mist and hears the sound of gunfire. He rushes in without a second thought, his rather beat-up steel rod in hand and Swablu trailing behind him as he looks for the source of the commotion.

It doesn't take very long. He manages to get the drop on it, and by the time he and his Pokémon are done it's obvious the Musharna won't mess with anyone ever again.

What nothing could have prepared him for, however, is the sight in front of him. Hythlodaeus, looking worse for wear, and-]

!!!

[Joss raises his rod in front of him, very nearly taking a step back but unwilling to leave Hythlodaeus alone with his attacker. Although he theorizes the man is an Ascian, he's seen Hythlo fall prey to illusions like everybody else and doesn't think him involved in this situation.

From his shoulder, Swablu emits a shrill, angry cry.]

[ The mist takes a while to disperse, and Joss might see the huge monster go up to attack him like an angry ghost that just saw its target. However, there's nothing but wind that blows past Joss, because the effects are lifted.

Hien's shadowy arm lets out a fierce monstrous roar upon seeing Joss, but Hien himself doesn't see Joss when he should. He stands there, with his head tilted down momentarily. His body doesn't process what the mind wants, and starts walking away from this flaming scene without a word, leaving Hythlo passed out on the ground, and his arm crying for blood. ]

[Even unconscious, Hythlodaeus seems to have a penchant for performance. His long form is reclined the rubble where the blast left him, one hand resting on his breast, the other arm outspread as though reaching for something - perhaps salvation, perhaps the hand of the man whose death has visited his illusions this night. His hood and mask have long been since thrown off, and the purest white of his boundless locks of hair makes a stark contrast to the destruction around and the flames dancing across the room that tint it in red; red as the blood seeping through the wounds on his arms, red as the trickle running down his face from the corner of his soft lips. His eyes are closed, long eyelashes caressing his pale cheeks, painted with gentle streaks of tears. His robes are torn and burned just enough to show some shoulder and chest also.]

[Joss stares at Hythlo's prone form. He thinks he's seen paintings of Ser Aymeric depicted like this.

But never mind that. The monstrous illusion may be gone, but the arm that seemed such bad news back when he fought Hien is still there, and the man himself seems to be nonchalantly walking away from the destruction like a Sunday morning sermon villain. Joss slowly takes steps towards the Amaurotine, trying to keep some safe distance between Hien and himself.]

You. What did you do to him?

[ Hien doesn't say anything. When Joss speaks, Hien is vaguely aware that someone is there, and stops walking. "Oh, you're here. You're going to give Hythlodaeus the final blow, aren't you?" is something he could have said if he wasn't terribly zoning out from the unbelievable mental stress he's having.

His arm acts for him, stretching out and immediately lunging at Joss in attempt to eat his head. ]

[Hythlodaeus is still lying there, but more ephemerally. At least if Joss dies here, he should be close enough to Hythlo to complete the "martyr prophet and his last remaining disciple" painting.]

Edited 2020-10-24 17:18 (UTC)

[Joss leaps sideways as Hien's arm lunges at him. Out of all the things he would rather not do today, two sit at the top of the priority list by a rather large margin. One is dying; the other, leaving Hythlodaeus to die at the hands of a madman.

Unfortunately, these two goals seem quite opposed right now. Were Hythlo smaller, it'd only be a matter of seconds for Joss to pick him up and flee. As it is, the man is about as tall as he is, and lingering near his unconscious body for too long carries the risk of him becoming an innocent casualty.

Joss continues circling around Hien as he thinks, not realizing his opponent's not quite all there. Swablu continues angrily yelling next to his ear. If only there was a way to weaponize her voice-

Wait.]

Swablu. Sing.

[Her yell dies in her little throat as she realizes this is a much better use of her energy, and the next thing that comes out is a sleep-inducing song.]

[ With the sound of the gears turning, Hien's arm reverts to its normal state--heavily scorched and bleeding. Hien gradually becomes grounded to the current situation. Of course, he almost killed a friend here when it wasn't necessary. The mastermind is here too, and if he leaves, Hythlo might as well be in danger, if he isn't in enough critical condition right now. He can't really tell.

He recognizes the pokemon's move, and it's why he gets out the knife and stabs his own burned arm to jolt himself awake. He bites back a scream and throws a pokeball into the flames that are still very much alive, getting that Flareon out again. It looks like it's rather enjoying the fire, because of its Flash Fire ability. It's hard to breathe with the mix of pain and the fires all around him, but-- ]

Burn him to a crisp.

[ This is more important. Flareon shoots Ember right at Joss and Swablu. ]

[The outcome of the tragic duel may yet be salvaged: by the grace of the gods, or perhaps fate itself, consciousness starts to return to Hythlodaeus. A soft sound escapes his lips, almost a moan, and he brings up a shaky hand to his face, long fingers gently caressing the skin, eyelashes trembling as he slowly opens his eyes. The world around him is fire and destruction, the air choking with ash and dust, the smell of hot stone and searing flesh. Like so many times today already, he believes himself back in Amaurot, for where else would one find such painful, pointless despair? Perhaps it would be smarter to sink back into the darkness and accept his fate, but a faint voice at the back of his mind tells him that he yet has duties to perform, and should he fall, let that at least be after he's done everything that he could for his people...

Hythlo tries to raise himself on his elbow, the skin of his bare shoulder glistening in the light of the dancing flames as muscles subtly shift under it to propel him upwards. Yet instead of the distant burning spires what greets his eyes are two familiar figures - Joscelaint's gaunt frame and, further away, the slim form of Hien. He does not yet comprehend the situation, only realizing that his friends are in danger... especially as he sees the flame blossom, threatening to engulf Joss. His eyes widen in shock, the blazes adding ember to the gaze of his golden orbs, and once again simple reaction takes place of thought. Joss is just that little bit too far off for Hythlo to reach him, even should he have the strength to actually pull himself up, make the leap and push the man out of the path of the fire... things that take time neither of them has.

Instead, he slams his palm against the ground, one last mad attempt to jolt his nervous system into action: after the earlier manifestations, this is probably going to almost kill him, but better that than certain death for Joss.

A column of water suddenly erupts in front of Flareon's jet of fire, shielding Joss from the worst of the blast - he will probably get some more superficial burns, whether from fire or hot water, but that's still better than dying. Hythlo can't sustain the manifestation for long, however, and as soon as the biggest blossom of flame is consumed the flow stops, the remaining water simply falling to the ground.

It's probably a miracle Hythlo is still conscious after that, but he still has it in him to try and speak.]

Ru... n...

[He certainly isn't going anywhere anymore, but it's worth it if he could save his friends, even though he has no idea it's each other he'd be saving them from.]

[Joss's eyes grow wide as Hythlo saves him from most of the attack, the sudden burst of water turning into thick, obscuring steam.

It doesn't take him long to decide what to do next

All of the energy he was about to use to escape the fire blast, he instead puts into leaping next to Hythlodaeus, heaving him onto his shoulder as quickly as humanly possible. Swablu, he recalls into her ball; she was more badly burned by the scalding water than Joss was, since unlike him she isn't wearing armor, but her Natural Cure ability should allow her to recover quickly.

With that done, Joss attempts to make his escape, jumping and running from the scene as fast as he can.]

[ Hien has no choice but to wait out until the steam clears, but he has been running here and there in an attempt to find Joss. But when it actually clears, he sees that even Hythlo is no longer there, and he comes to the conclusion that Joss must have taken him. The question of why Joss must have taken him doesn't quite scratch the surface right now with how muddled everything is for Hien in a mental sense, left alone with an unsatisfied killing intent and this hollow, helpless feeling of being unable to protect his friend. He can't follow Joss because he has no idea where he went and he can't chase either, because Hien has lost too much blood tonight and it's actually a miracle that he's still standing without his powers that would help him in this department.

As Joss and Hythlo get further away from the scene, they'll hear a distant, monstrous roar. ]

[Hythlo is barely conscious as Joss slings him over his shoulder, but some measure of fresh air as the elezen sproings away and the distant roar shake him into something approaching awareness. He stares back in the direction of the sound, and Joss might feel him move as he tries to raise his head.]

H-Hien--

[He's not all that sure what's going on, but a part of his mind is certain that he saw Hien in there earlier. Was he safe? Did they leave him to die at the hands of that shadow monster? He tries to struggle feedbly, but his exhausted body refuses to have any of that, so a little bit of squirming is all he manages.]

We can't...

[Speaking, too, is much too much of an effort, and he has to give up almost immediately, staring blankly at the ground and Joss's backside and legs. His brain feels empty.]

[That blood-curling roar cements two things into Joss's mind: one, he was right to flee the scene with Hythlodaeus; two, the strange man is a threat he cannot ignore, and he will absolutely have to tell Rhel about it.

Joss's brain, too, feels empty, and when Hythlo speaks the words barely register to his ears. All he can offer is generic reassurance, the only thing he thinks would be appropriate regardless of what the man meant.]

Hospital isn't far. Chirurgeons will take care of you.

[When his mad run finally takes him to his destination and the overworked nurses relieve him of his burden, he collapses on a flimsy waiting room chair and shakily starts writing a note on some borrowed hospital paper.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OCTOBER EVENT PT2

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ THE BEGINNING

→ THE RAMPAGE

→ HELP...?

→ MOD NOTES

Cw: people eating and being burned

Cw: people eating, some burning, guns

Cw: eating people

cw: animal death

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i blame no playing a catholic elf for this

wow all i said was "tag despite hythlo being unconscious but make it sexier every time"

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i continue to blame no for this. read my harlequin hythlo novel

i am as pure as the coerthas driven snow

I cant just not think of that phrase when seeing an unconscious character now

unfortunately for no hythlo is conscious and thus no longer sexy

he's looking at joss's butt it can be honorary sexy