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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.

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[ Joonghyuk-ah, hold his ribbon... Tap, tap. If not, Siwoo will just go back to squishing himself against Minji's side! ]

Doesn't it? [ Dokja reaches out to pinch a cheek, grinning. ] To think we'd get to see such a youthful face on Yoo Joonghyuk.

[ Stop bothering him!! He will hold the ribbon for just a bit before letting it go because it's strange to feel it like actual velvet. Pokemon sure are wonders of this world.

Joonghyuk's eyes round like an owl's when Dokja dares to pinch his cheek— ]

I don't look that different.

[ He still looks like himself! He swats Dokja's hand away in a huff. ]

[ Siwoo seems to beam even if it is only held for a bit.. of course, it also seems to have a knowing look in his eyes. That brief contact allowing him to get a feel of Joonghyuk's emotions. Maybe that's why there suddenly seems to be a calm and soothing aura.

Dokja, on the other hand, merely laughs it off. It's a tame response compared to what Joonghyuk normally does so! ]

So you've seen yourself in a mirror? [ Obviously but Dokja is just being a rat and teasing. :um: ] You don't have the crinkles from frowning so much yet.

[ Oh, Siwoo... You are a good boy, Joonghyuk will admit. However, he isn't sure how a good boy is raised by a complete rat bastard. He seems to calm down thanks to the Sylveon. Minji just continues to look up to both Dokja and Joonghyuk, just thinking this is normal between them.

They always do this. His eyebrows are still knit as he leers at the other man, just not... So intense now. ]

It sounds like you stare at my face a lot, Kim Dokja.

[ Is that the truth? ]

[ Only good children are raised by Dokja, just look at Gilyoung and Yoosung. ..Yeah. Even if it is normal of the pair, Siwoo would like to do his best to keep his owner's emotions contained and have them both calm. Pwease no fighting.

Dokja gawks, blinking once. Twice. Then laughs. ]

You're so full of yourself, Yoo Joonghyuk. [ He hates you. Shut up. Of course everyone gets distracted by such a good looking face? Dokja hates that words don't really do it right too, how do you describe a perfect face-- okay, he needs to stop. By now, Siwoo is back to wrapping his ribbons around Dokja's arms, a clear obvious sign of trying to soothe his emotions. ]

[ Oh? His eyebrows arch as he sees that reaction. He actually didn't expect that since he doesn't really notice Dokja staring at him or anything. But. What if? His gaze follows the ribbons, realizing that Dokja might be having some internal battle over what he said.

Thinking about it, he does get a lot of compliments, but they're worthless. Except for now. ]

You like my face.

[ Don't mind that Joonghyuk approaches and leans in so Dokja can have a better look at his youthful features. Just gaze upon the face you've always admired and purple-prosed about. ]

[ Oh but Dokja does mind? Already leaning away as Joonghyuk invades his precious space, avidly avoiding looking at him in the face as he scoffs. ]

Majority of the time I'm pretty sure I hate it more than I like it.

[ Why the hell are you so smug? ~~who are you trying to impress~~ He refuses to look and admire. He isn't going to ogle any longer. He was looking in the first place because he really has never seen Joonghyuk's face like this before. Other than looking much younger when he was a child, but still.

Siwoo leans against Dokja, caaaalm. Caaaaaalm. ]

[ The ends of his lips quirk as Dokja leans back... Joonghyuk also pulls away, crossing his arms with a smirk still on his face. Minji stays by Joonghyuk's side, merely staring at Dokja to see what he will do. ]

If that's true, then look at me without turning away.

[ He sees that Siwoo has returned to his trainer to comfort him. Oh, he's poking at something, is he? Well, he'll keep needling the other man. If he had lie detection, this would be an easy use (albeit useless, in his opinion), but it wouldn't be as fun. ]

[ Siwoo also joins in the staring. Both children's eyes can be felt on Dokja, pointedly ignoring them as well as Joonghyuk even as he pulls away. Thank you, he can breathe now. He does twitch at those words. The reader rolls his eyes, arms moving to a cross as he forces himself to meet that gaze and looks at him. After a moment, his brow does twitch, but he doesn't look away! He is determined. Also stubborn not to lose.

..He wonders how Joonghyuk looked before everything, that when everything first began on that train, that a youthful looking man without any scars and troubles was likely sitting that day. Was he even close to the kind of monotone anger the man always expresses. Was he always a grumpy bastard? The story never covered those tales, only referencing much later on but not with a lot of details. He wants to know. ]

Happy?

[ ... At least Dokja doesn't need to wonder for too long. Joonghyuk remembers the Demon King of Salvation at the very beginning, though he wasn't a teenager then. Still, he was younger in many ways—naive, fearful, and without the many battle scars.

He gives the other man space as he crosses his arms, frowning again. ]

No.

[ He looks to his shoulder, then to some NPCs that are staring at this spot behind him. They avoid his gaze. ]

They keep looking this way, but say it's nothing.

Figures. [ The reader shakes his head, looking to Siwoo now who peers at the both of them. Don't look at him like that... if anyone is to blame, it's the sunfish punk in front of him. ]

Hm? Oh.. [ Dokja turns his attention over to the NPCs before back at Joonghyuk. He gives a shrug after. ] Well, must be nothing if they don't feel like saying anything.

[ ? It's definitely Dokja's fault. If he wasn't so bothered, then Joonghyuk wouldn't be trying to torment him for once. The NPCs seem to turn away when Dokja looks their way... Minji, however, follows the other man's gaze and.

Her red eyes stay there, still staring. ]

... There's a cold spot.

[ Is it really nothing. Joonghyuk isn't a suspicious person, but. They come from a world with demons and an actual Underworld. ]

[ Siwoo also glances over to follow Minji's gaze and eyes freeze in place once he does. Seeming to have his own attention taken to that particular spot.

Not that Dokja notices, not really looking at the two Pokemon. He's just glancing back to that spot only when Joonghyuk mentions more and he hums. ]

Maybe it's a ghost Pokemon? [ That's only showing themselves to the natives? He squints as if it'll help but. He really doesn't see anything. ]

[ He isn't sure, either, so he squints at the same spot... Don't mind if he grasps at it—it stays cold. Minji doesn't want to get near it, in comparison. ]

Usually, Ghost Pokemon like to reveal themselves for shock factor. I haven't seen it appear at all.

[ With a hand, he gestures Dokja to feel the spot with his hand. ]

[ When Jonghyuk moves to grasp at it, Siwoo's eyes widen and presses closer to Minji. ]

Maybe it's a shy one? [ Listen, he doesn't know what you want him to say? :um: At the gesture he rolls his eyes and brings a hand up to feel and- ..Huh. It is kinda cold. ] Could be an actual spirit come to haunt you.

[ Kai, is that you? :um: ]

[ Minji chitters at the spot, not taking her eyes away from it even when Siwoo presses against her. She does press back to show that she is here and there’s nothing to worry about!

However, Joonghyuk seeing his Umbreon try to put up a brave front is wondering how serious this is. He does want to brush it off and overall his calm demeanor conveys he’s fine. ]

It should go away in time.

[ Right? Please reassure him. ]

[ Siwoo just looks like those cats that stare at nothing with wide eyes and seems frozen on the spot. As if the slightest movement will send them flying. However, Minji does reassure him, even though he doesn't move at all. ]

You think so? If it's like a normal spirit, can't they latch onto someone for years? Maybe even for the rest of their life if they're especially clingy.

[ Nah. ]

... If it haunts me, it haunts you.

[ Don't mind if he comes closer, likewise the chill seems to envelope Dokja as if accepting it. Minji's fur rises on end as she backs up, as if seeing it come over to Dokja.

He sighs as he leans back, grumbling. ]

Everyone has been taking me lightly.

[ Because he's child. ]

That's your problem, not mine?

[ Not that he can hold back a shiver. Siwoo starts making worried chittering sounds when Joonghyuk goes closer to Dokja with it, only seeming to stop when Joonghyuk leans back. ]

I can't blame them. [ You are but baby. Who wouldn't? ]

... Does that mean you won't take me seriously, Kim Dokja?

[ He's still taller than you and he can give that menacing glare you're so familiar with. Murderous intent, gloomy clouds, all of that. ]

When have I ever, Yoo Joonghyuk?

[ Eh, he's use to it. ]

[ He's quiet... Squinting at Dokja. Thinking how to pieces his words properly. ]

Do you want to die?

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DECEMBER LOG PT1

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ OH THANK GOD

→ WELCOME TO THE NEW HAMA

→ AW NUTS...

→ MOD NOTES

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