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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

No, but I can move around more easily if I look like this.

[ It's easy to imply that it's "out of sight, out of mind" mentality, but it's also easy to arrive at the conclusion that he's borrowing other bodies when he turns into one of his past selves. ]

[That is mostly the way Hythlo understands it - that it's either a disguise or a borrowed form, the "real" Hien still suffering from his injuries. He glances at the door. It's shut, and his last checkup was not too long ago, so there would be time...]

... Can you show me how it really is?

[ Hien doesn't answer verbally. Instead, the gear turning noises answer for him, and Hien reverts to his default appearance. He's wearing the same clothes, but it's very clear that something awful happened to his arm from the way it's thickly bandaged from his palm, all the way up to his shoulder. Maybe it's an even bigger surprise as to why Hien doesn't have a cast instead. ]

The next bandage changing is in an hour.

[ He does it himself, seeing that he doesn't look like a hospital patient right now. ]

[Hythlo's eyes widen in horror. Some burns, Hien had said, and Hythlo assumed it would be that, not an entire arm. He reaches out towards it, stopping himself before actually touching the bandages. He just about has the presence of mind to realize that it would just be painful for Hien.]

By the heavens... Was this the mastermind's doing as well?

[ Was it? Hien's mental state was quite awful at the time and he doesn't remember it well--not to mention he was under a delusion that he was an out of control universe eater. ]

I think... something exploded? The building got caught on fire and then my arm got caught on fire.

[ ... ]

But I was too out of it to notice.

[ Yeah, his zoning out was that bad. ]

[Exploded... Hythlo stares at Hien's arm as bits of his subconscious assemble the fragmented memories. He remembers... seeing Hien in the burning building, but that must have come later. Explosion... He remembers... the ravenous shade, the pain in his own arm, the--

It suddenly clicks into place and the horror in his expression grows wilder, deeper, as he stares at his own fingers.]

N-No, I-- by the heavens, Hien, I'm so sorry, I--

[He has to press a hand to his mouth, trying to stop himself hyperventilating. He doesn't know what the damage is like under the bandages, but he feels sick as the horrifyingly leaden knowledge that it was his doing spreads within him.]

[ The cooldown is done, so Hien changes his appearance to his past self again. He also gets out Hatenna, who is... most definitely crying from what she's done under the rampage and from sensing Hythlo's emotions, but she's trying to stay strong. She takes this as her punishment. ]

Soothe him.

[ Oh. Is this... not a punishment? Okay. Hatenna uses Aromatherapy in an attempt to calm Hythlo while Hien reaches out to Hythlo and runs his fingers through his hair and giving him headpats. ]

I'm fine. Like I said, it's nothing that won't recover and I'm used to it. I'm just glad that you're safe and sound, because you're worth it to me.

[Fortunately, between the Aromatherapy and the headpats Hythlo does start to calm down. It's not instantaneous still, but he seems to be better after taking a few deep breaths. Hatenna's presence is soothing, too - it reminds him of Psychea, who is also recovering from the rampage in her Pokeball. If Hatenna lets him, he reaches out to pet her lightly.

Uncharacteristically, though, he feels a little embarrassed by Hien's words. So that's what it's like to be on the receiving end of that, huh.

He stays silent for a short while, evening out his breathing, then closes his eyes and smiles, in a kind of cheeky way.]

I suppose I shall have to concede this round to you.

[Imagine actually explaining what the fuck he's talking about!]

[ Yeah... Hien raises his eyebrow at that, because he has no idea what Hythlo means by that. Hatenna accepts the petting, glad that Hythlo has calmed down and she's no longer crying. ]

Feel better now?

[ That's what matters right now, anyway. ]

... Indeed. Thank you.

[It's the headpat circle, which would be complete if Hatenna could somehow pat Hien.]

That feels nice. I see now why your Pokemon enjoy it so.

[ Hien smiles a little at that. ]

Yeah, I sure am good at it. What did you mean by what you said earlier though? Something about conceding.

[ He's not gonna let that go. ]

[Hythlo grins. Well, at least this is a good distraction.]

The smooth talk.

[Caring about your friends is GAY.]

[ Hien laughs a little. Hythlo, please... ]

Listen... I'm not going to seduce someone who is on a hospital bed. But anyway, I got you something. Wanna guess what it is before I get it out?

[He laughs in response, then folds his arms in a mock-prideful gesture.]

Who said I was seduced? What was that phrase you used? 'Put out'?

[Oh, the present certainly gets his attention though. He looks up, obviously curious. What could Hien have gotten him that Hythlo would be able to guess? Hmmm.

He holds up a hand, curling a finger each time as he counts.]

The mochi ice cream, the song I wanted, the bed from the prison, a piece of your magick-imbued cloak... Tickets to a performance!

[He beams at Hien. One of those has to be right, and Hien never said he only had one try.]

We can go eat all the desserts we listed after they repair the buildings.

[ Hien continues to have the soft smile on his face and he digs his hand inside the cloak that's still hanging off his arm and gets out a very compact and durable CD player considering that they travel/move around a lot, several CDs of various genres, and good quality earphones. One of those CDs includes the song that Hythlo sang back at karaoke that made him tear up. ]

I meant to give it to you earlier, but I haven't had the chance to.

Oh...

[He accepts the gifts carefully, curiously. He's seen a fair bit of local technology at this point, but not always up close. This is new.

He turns the CDs over in his hands, and smiles when he glimpses the name of the song on one of the tracklists.]

... You remembered. Thank you, Hien. I suppose asking how much this cost you would be futile, for you would only tell me I was worth it, hmmm?

[The CD player is more of a mystery, however. Hythlo pokes at it cautiously and startles when one of the buttons makes the player open up.]

Yeah.

[ Here's the blunt answer you wanted, Hythlo. Anyway, Hien gets up from the chair and slightly leans into the bed to show a hythlo how the CD player works. ]

You use this button to open up the player to put a disc inside. Make sure the part with the design is facing up. Then you close the device and hook the earphone into this jack here. These are pause, play, rewind, and skip buttons.

[Hythlo listens attentively as Hien explains the CD player logistics... why don't they just make things work by magic, smfh. He does take one CD for the purpose of practice, though, and has to hold back on the some bone deep instinct to yeet the disc like, well, a discus. It's such an inviting shape.

... Actually. He stares at the disc in his hand, almost ridiculously small in comparison.]

Like cookies.

[Flat... round... colourful...]

Do not eat the CDs.

[ That's the first thing Hien says right off the bat. ]

[He grins, possibly intending for it to be sheepish, but instead it's cheeky, just as you'd expect.]

You cannot blame me, Hien! They do look inviting.

[But it's alright, he's not actually going to bite into one, not after Hien went through the trouble of buying it for him. He puts the disc in the player, making sure to take extra care, closes it, plugs in the earphones after putting them on and presses play. It's maybe a little silly - after all, they had very similar technology back in his world, - but he still feels excited about it. These little things, from his Pokemon to the clothes to the food and now this gift, help him connect to this reality more with each step. It's nice to regain the feeling of belonging, however slow the process might be.

He listens for a while, a content smile on his face, before pressing pause and turning to Hien again, taking off the earphones. His friend came all this way to visit him, and it feels rude to ignore him to just focus on the gift.]

Thank you, Hien. You are a truly kind soul. Would that I had anything to give you in return...

[ Hien has a fond smile on his face as he watches Hythlo try out the CD player. He could have just waited, so he's surprised when Hythlo stops and looks at him. ]

I just want you to be happier, Hythlodaeus. That's all I want from you.

[Okay, just... Hythlo is gonna reach out to hold Hien's hand affectionately.]

Not that much time has passed, in truth... and yet I feel like I can say that it has been quite a while since someone cared for me so.

[He looks down, a sad smile on his face. Gee, Hythlo, it's almost as though living through the apocalypse and knowing everyone you know is dead and you yourself are dead also can be mentally taxing.

He looks up at Hien again, not quite willing to dwell on it too much, despite feeling comfortable enough to. Later, perhaps. But he still wants to give Hien something in return...

Hmmm... now that Hythlo thinks about it, he does remember the one good thing from that night.]

Close your eyes.

Hm? Okay.

[ Hien has no idea what to expect, but he closes his eyes anyway while Hythlo still holds his hand. ]

[Hythlo closes his eyes for a moment as well to concentrate and holds up his other hand. There is a soft, quiet sound that might remind you of a singing bowl...

When it stops, Hythlo gently pulls on Hien's hand, bringing it up as if he wants to put something in it. He does still have the impish streak, though, so what he does first is plant a quick kiss to Hien's hand before turning it over to place something soft in it.]

You can open them now.

[When Hien does, it's the small Rowlet doll Hythlo made for their cemetery tower climb. Much like those first ones, it is extremely soft and cute. Hien WILL die for this doll.]

[ What was that just now--Hien opens his eyes and was about to comment on it but then he sees the little Rowlet doll and whatever words he was going to spew dies out right there. There's a hint of a twinkle in Hien's eyes--those normal black eyes since he's in his past appearance, but that kind of expression seems normal for that sort of face. The doll is so soft and cute... Hien isn't really thinking when he hugs it to his chest immediately and buries his face into it.

It looks like he really likes it. ]

Thank you...

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ THE BEGINNING

→ THE RAMPAGE

→ HELP...?

→ MOD NOTES

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gay baby jail is not the team name its just the bench hien sleeps on

damn das rude as faq

im right and i can say it

its comfortable in jail

Hythlo can confirm

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