teamboba: (Default)
Pokespe Mods ([personal profile] teamboba) wrote in [community profile] pokespe2020-12-03 07:39 am

DECEMBER LOG PT1

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DECEMBER LOG PT1

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OH THANK GOD

(click to expand - the boba shop survived!!)Sandstorms quietly continue to blow across Melona's desert, tinged black with ash carried over from the west where the volcano still intermittently sputters and spits, its hiccups and coughs darkening the sky to the west. Occasionally, a clap of thunder can be heard even as far as Melona's dome, and a shadow can be seen within the ash clouds looming above the mountains. Whispered rumors travel throughout the region, carrying warnings that "The storm is alive," remembering the destruction wrought upon Toran and the volcanic eruption two months ago that had devastated Hami, the town to the northwest. For two months, the heat and the ash had choked the skies over the mountains of Hami, but eventually, the lava stops flowing. Eventually, the skies begin to clear. Eventually, the people of Melona become curious enough— concerned enough— aware enough that their life inside their bubble that blinded them to the plights of the world at large— to start sending small groups out to Hami to see what aid, if any, they might require. The gym leader himself wanted to head the expedition, worried about his friend and fellow gym leader in the neighboring town, but he got yelled at enough for leaving his post during the last month that he reluctantly agrees to remain at the gym. Because, apparently, challenging gyms is very very important to some people, never mind the world being in a crisis and the safety of both people and Pokemon being at stake.

Instead, the desert guides are the ones who lead the way to Hami, knowing the desert and the mountains and are able to carve the most direct path towards the town. Self-sufficient as the townspeople of Melona tend to be, they do not ask for volunteers to join them, but they do not turn down help either, whether from bleeding hearts who want to do everything they can to assist people in need, or those who just want to get to the next town for their badges and ribbons. Like the trek from Mango to Melona, travel to Hami also takes several days of camping, of riding upon Numel through the sand, of climbing mountains and scaling unstable cliffs because there is no well-worn path from the ground to the peak. And nestled in the middle of the mountains, where Hami is supposed to be...

Ash and cinders. A field of rubble. Skeletons of buildings jutting up out of the ground where they are half collapsed and half buried in the ground, flames licking what little wood and scraps of cloth remain and hungering to devoid the new souls that have stepped within their domain. Aside from the rescue team from Melona, there is not another soul in sight, no sound of everyday chatter in the distance nor husks of bodies left charred on the ground. In this town laid to ruin, a single building has been left relatively untouched by the flow of lava that had run through its streets and washed away all its people. The sign hanging above the front door, blackened at the edges, reads: "Hami Boba." Inside, a single worker in uniform can be seen slumped over the counter, who is startled so badly when the door opens that she falls off her stool and blanches as if she'd seen a ghost— which is exactly what she thought, because who else would be here in Hami after everything that had happened? The volcano had erupted two months ago, she explains, all of the sudden without warning and most of the townspeople were forced to leave. Others stayed behind, those with rock and ground Pokemon who weren't bothered by the heat, or those with water and ice Pokemon who were willing to tough it out to battle the lava and the flames in an effort to save their town. This war against nature lasted over a month, and nobody ever came to their aid... But eventually, it became clear that their greatest threat came from the sky, from the ash that fell upon the land like a woolen blanket and smothered all the air, driving the last of the resistance fighters out.

In the end, the only person left in the entire town was her. The boba shop was constructed with the nearby volcano in mind, and there is no lack of things to eat inside the shop when there was only herself to ration for, but the funny thing is... even though she was stuck indoors and was horrifyingly lonely, she could feel a cool breeze pass through the shop every once in a while, and the air remained fresh. It felt as if there were something watching over her, she explains shyly, and there must have been, because she held onto that hope all this time and her patience finally paid off. Her first customers in two months!! Would they like some boba? The store's specialty is Shuckle berry juice boba! The stamps are a little dried out, but you get a cute red Slugma stamp for visiting this shop.

WELCOME TO THE NEW HAMA

(click to expand - it's free to live out here)So, there's that. There is no town, not really. No gym, no contest hall. But the Melona guides aren't satisfied with leaving it at that, so they stock up on all the Shuckle berry juice boba they can carry and continue their search for the town's residents. They offer up Abras to teleport anybody who doesn't want to continue back to Melona, and then split into small groups to spread out across the mountainside, winding around smoldering lava lakes and trudging through paths knee high in ash. Here and there, all across the mountain range, small campsites can be seen. Up on a ledge on the cliffside, a group of people can be seen foraging berries alongside some wild Mankey. Out in the open in a valley, another group of people are seen roasting meat and nuts over several wild Torkoals' backs. At the base of one of the mountains, another group of people and Machop are hard at work breaking large boulders into smaller pieces to build shelter. Rather than having relocated to a single area, the people of Hami seem to have scattered to live in the mountains, welcome enough to the Melona guides and those who accompany them but denying that they need any help or expressing any real desire to reform a central town. There is no need, after all. Everything they need to live on is provided by the land and the wild Pokemon who share not only their habitat, but where to find food and water, and keep them warm and safe through the night. The volcano still grumbles from time to time, the seas around them continue to churn with relentless whirlpools, and sandstorms rage in the east towards Melona. But right now, they're just trying to live day by day.

While there is no main town any longer, the people do come together from time to time in the valley to share resources and spread news, and once a week, they sit together under the stars and hold Pokemon Contests on a stage that is nothing more than a large, wide slab of rock. The gym leader, Tsubomi, specializes in both fire and fighting type Pokemon and honors battles wherever she is challenged. Because of the lack of a gym building, she might need to be tracked down, though she is easier to find than Konoha, often making set rounds from group to group, checking up on the townspeople spread across the mountains. Central to all the campsites are natural hot springs, and both people and wild Pokemon come here to submerge themselves in the steaming waters and rejuvenate after a long, hard day. When the first of the rescue team arrives at the hot springs, two familiar faces are seen: a girl with pink hair and a boy with blue hair. Nanami opens her eyes blearily and pats Minato on the face. He looks up at the group and goes, "Hey. What's up?"

AW NUTS...

(click to expand - you really should have done something about that volcano)A couple nights into the month, a shooting star is spotted streaming across the sky and disappearing into the waters to the southwest.

The ground shakes.

In the dead of night, the sky is lit up with a spew of fire that bursts out of the volcano hundreds of meters in the air, black smoke billowing up into the air in thick clouds, the mountains hacking up ash and molten rock. Screams can be heard throughout the mountain range as lava rushes down the slopes, people trying to grab what little they have left for a second time— though many already have nothing left but their lives. Wild Pokemon flee from the mountains in herds, heading for the desert to face the sandstorms rather than being consumed by flame.

The ground shakes. It cracks.

Desert becomes beach as the sand spills into the water, the cusp between mountain and desert becoming a chasm driven deep into the water as the Hami mountains break away and start sinking into the sea.

MOD NOTES

⬥ For the sake of timelines, the Melona guides first head for Hami on December 3, the volcano erupts on December 5, and Hami subsequently becomes its own island on December 6. Destruction and evacuation can be played out however you want, but the boba shop remains standing in the end. The building is in impeccable condition. Not even the ash sticks to it.
⬥ Please make note of the new investigation form in the toplevel below, involving investigation style.
⬥ The second event log will go up on December 15.
selfconcept: (pic#14357544)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's true that Fai doesn't do this normally, and that's exactly why Hien doesn't have any questions for him. He's... drawing a blank, so he'll just shoot off the first question that pops up in his head. ]

Would you like a cat companion that followed you wherever you went?
partymagician: (52)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's a good enough question for him, and he considers it seriously. ]

It would be nice, but I think I would like a cat that had magic. I lead quite the dangerous life, you know!
selfconcept: (pic#14357531)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
A magical cat... What about a cat that could only heal?

[ Since Fai can't, apparently. ]
partymagician: (42)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
That would be really helpful! But... I hope I wouldn't become too dependent on the cat for healing.

[ That would leave room for slip ups. ]
selfconcept: (pic#14357533)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
... I'm not sure about that.

[ Knowing Fai's self-sacrificing tendencies coming to play sometimes and that's even without healing aspects and such... he's not sure if the healing would make it even worse. It's already bad, in Hien's opinion. ]

Maybe the cat will berate you every time you get hurt.

[ ... Wait. ]

Never mind. You'd like that, wouldn't you?
partymagician: (145)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
[ It is already bad... but it could be worse!! (No, it couldn't).

He narrows his eyes. ]


What makes you say that?
selfconcept: (pic#14394392)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
Because y--

[ Mimi is on the outer edge of the spring and towelwhips the back of Hien's head. DO NOT BE INAPPROPRIATE. Hien scowls. ]
partymagician: (31)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
Mimi, let him say it! Or maybe he could rephrase it?

[ Because he has to hear what Hien says now. He drains his shot. ]
selfconcept: (pic#14357538)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
[ Mimi looks disturbed and towelwhips the back of Fai's head too. How dare you. Do not be appropriate in public?! Hien just squints over at Mimi, wondering when he learned how to towelwhip without hands. Anyway. ]

You like having someone care about you.

[ That's the "nicest" way he'll ever rephrase "you're a masochist" because:

> you're a masochist
> you like being berated by a cat
> that implies the cat cares about you
> you like having someone care about you

Flawless logic.
]
partymagician: (105)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 04:13 am (UTC)(link)
[ Fai lets out a quiet yelp when Mimi hits him in the back of the head. Wow!! They're just having a conversation!!

But what Hien says makes Fai stare at him.

What. It takes his brain a moment or two to see what Hien's getting at. What does berating have to do with caring? ]


It depends on who it's coming from.

[ Time to pour another shot. ]
selfconcept: (pic#14394402)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
What about me?

[ Hien finally drinks his shot because he doesn't want to accidentally spill it into the water. ]
partymagician: (131)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ Fai just looks at him for a moment before shrugging and downing his shot. ]

It's fine coming from you.

[ Hmmm... should he have another one? ]

You remind me of Kuro-tan sometimes. You're nicer, but you can be really direct like he is.
selfconcept: (pic#14475737)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I don't like beating around the bush if I can.

[ He pours Fai another shot. Have fun... ]

What about Itaru?
partymagician: (38)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
[ Thanks for making that decision for him, Hien! Fai looks down at the glass. ]

I don't think he would ever berate me... nothing on Kuro-sama's level, that's for sure. [ A pause. ] I wouldn't mind it.

[ He frowns a little. ]

But I like it more when he offers to help me with things instead.
selfconcept: (pic#14357535)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
[ y'all are so soft... Hien raises the bottle to his lips and chugs the rest. There wasn't much left in the first place, but it's all gone now. ]

Have you ever thought of a domestic life with him? That would be cute, wouldn't it? Peaceful and stuff.

[ Model Husband. ]
partymagician: (150)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 05:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ While Hien's draining the bottle, Fai finishes off his glass. ]

I haven't thought about it much outside of that lie I told you when you came back as a child. It probably would be peaceful.
selfconcept: (pic#14357538)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 10:46 am (UTC)(link)
[ Fai didn't think about it... Hien slightly tilts his head while shoving the empty bottle and cups into the cloak. He'll throw away the bottle later... no littering. ]

Don't you fantasize about anything?
partymagician: (99)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-07 12:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He glances warily at Mimi. He'll keep this appropriate. ]

...No, not really. Should I be?

[ Look, there's no point in him fantasizing about things and giving himself hope. ]
selfconcept: (pic#14355293)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-07 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, like--

[ Mimi strikes again. This time, the smacking is so hard that Hien faceplants into the water.

That's gonna sting...
]
partymagician: (83)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-08 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ Fai laughs, pointing at Hien. He's so lucky he avoided that just a moment ago. ]

Come on, Mimi! I'm sure he wasn't going to say something that bad.
selfconcept: (pic#14475728)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-08 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
[ mimi: x to doubt

Mimi knows more than anyone that Hien can be absolutely crude. It comes with constantly being around him... even when Fai and Hythlo were practically living in the same space. The things he has heard... He will never forget.

Hien grabs the towel that smacked him and throws it at Fai's face. Don't laugh and point!! ... Okay, he can laugh, but don't point. Hella rude.
]

Alright, let's get out of here... you're gonna get all pruny and you're probably gonna say something stupid when--

[ Guess what? There are some NPCs who haven't heard of Hien's previous declaration that Fai was taken, so they're here, crowding around, shouting their confessions at Fai. ]
partymagician: (149)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-08 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ Poor Mimi...

Fai slides the towel off his face, thinking it feels kind of nice. He really should have some water... But that train of thought is paused when there's more people confessing to him.

He'll just use the excuse he should have earlier: ]


Sorry, I'm taken. I'm very flattered, though.

[ It's easier using this excuse when he's drunk. He doesn't feel the need to overthink it. ]
selfconcept: (pic#14475739)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-08 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ Good. No overthinking allowed.

One of them looks over to Hien when Fai says that though and Hien vaguely gets the idea of what they'll say, and honestly? He doesn't want to hear it.
]

Mimi, distract them.

[ How can a mere Flareon distract this crowd of people who are hypnotized by mister totally not a model blond?? Whatever. Mimi will use Baby Doll Eyes and paw at the people who aren't looking at his way.

Meanwhile, Hien grabs his things and hoists Fai over his shoulder since he doesn't trust him to walk in a straight line right now. They're bailing.
]
partymagician: (146)

[personal profile] partymagician 2020-12-08 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ Before Fai knows it, he's being carried and all he can do is just hang limply. ]

Wow... you're just like Kuro-tan sometimes.

[ Since Kurogane carried him like this once. But also... ]

I can walk just fine, by the way.
selfconcept: (pic#14394402)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2020-12-08 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe you can. Maybe you can't, but you don't have a shirt right now and this is a much better way to carry you right now, lest they get charmed by your pecs or something.

[ So like... keep your shirt on, Fai. idk if Hien ever saw him while they were rooming together, but he probably didn't think much of it anyway.

He goes to where everyone should have left their clothes, but he doesn't let Fai down just yet.
]

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