DECEMBER LOG PT2

[teamboba]

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DECEMBER LOG PT2

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→ DESPITE EVERYTHING, YOU'RE STILL ALIVE

(click to expand - congratulations! congratulations! congratulations!)

The earthquakes cease and the smog slowly begins to clear. It'll be hours before the sky breaks through and the moon could be seen once more, but the fires of the volcano finally calm down and the screams of terror cease, only to be replaced with concerned shouting. Is everyone all right? Where is so-and-so? Is there a doctor nearby? Both people and Pokemon run back and forth, attending to what and who they can.

Although fatalities seem to be low, injuries are high. Some have fallen during their escape while others have been pelted by falling rocks, but nearly everyone is a victim to high levels of carbon monoxide and the thick scattering of ashes. All types of Pokemon pitch in to help - even wild ones - as they try their best to create a shelter for the remainder of the night and escort the young and elderly to the still-functioning boba shop.

No one will be falling asleep anytime soon, however.

→ IT'S TIME TO REBUILD

(click to expand - can we fix it? yes, we can!!)

Throughout the next few days and weeks, the people of Hami try to rebuild their lives once more. They erect campsites and learn how to survive on their new island. Unlike last time, however, help arrives from different parts of Cassava - Toran, Mango, and Melona. Food and water are passed around while additional medical staff tend to the still-injured. Mari and Konoha have also tagged along, relieved that Tsubomi have made it out all right, but saddened by the state of things. The three gym leaders make themselves available to assist where they can, including being free for gym battles, though they may make a face and, in Tsubomi's case, scowl. A little distraction is good, though, and they will eventually relent to a challenge.

As supplies are passed around, volunteers of the support team mention that the HMs for Fly and Surf have been finally located. There were multiple copies held in each city and town's Pokemon Centre for trainers to use, but they've all gone missing earlier that year. No one understands why, but they've managed to find a single copy of each in an old and forgotten box in Toran. With this, everyone can now travel by Pokemon and shorten each day of a trip to an hour, so for a five-day hike, it'll turn into a five-hour flight. Pretty useful, huh?

The HMs are passed around for Pokemon to learn, but with the large amount of people and long line-ups, you'll only have the chance to learn one of the two moves. Choose wisely as they may not be seen for a while again.

→ HO HO HO-LY SHIT

(click to expand - it's already the end of the year!)

Despite the grim beginning of the month, the latter half of December is filled with cheer and joy - even for Hami Island, whose people are making the best out of their situation. Christmas is near and everyone is excited to end this hectic year with smiles. Bright decorations are hung and although Toran is the only location with natural snowfall, ice-type Pokemon artifically create snow for everyone to enjoy. Some are nicer about it than others, as Spheals use Powder Snow to create beautiful gusts of snowflakes in the air while Sneasels use Icy Wind when people are least expecting it, causing hats to go flying and for tinier Pokemon to tumble away.

Little Delibirds wander through all towns and campsites to spread the joy. They give away presents from their seemingly-endless-void-of-a-bag, chirping happily as they hand over either a gift or a bomb. If you're lucky, it's the former and you'll get whatever material present that you've wanted or needed, even if you didn't know it, but if you're not so fortunate... well, at least it's easy to find doctors in Cassava.

But the Delibirds aren't enough to replace a real Santa Claus. Children beg and yell for one, but in the midst of all the panic and fuss over the volcano and Hami's citizens, every town forgot to hire someone to play the jolly ol' man. Oops. Well, be a dear and sub in, why don't you? It's okay if you don't look the part. They'll just shove you into an itchy costume and use superglue for the fake beard. It's okay if it takes an entire night or two for it to come off. You gotta do it for the children, who are more than insistent on tugging on it for fun.

Christmas eventually comes and goes before it's New Year's Eve. Everyone makes preparations for the fireworks show for their respective town and campsite. By the end of the night, the sky is lit with bright and sparkling colours. It's a beautiful end to the year and everyone peacefully goes to sleep that night. Some dream of a better future while others dream of fulfilling their resolutions, but for each isekai'd traveller, they all share one single dream: an out-of-body experience in darkness with a presence that surrounds them.

"What is your deepest, darkest desire?"

→ MOD NOTES

⬥ Congratulations for surviving the year! Your IC gift is learning either Fly or Surf and one item of your OOC choosing. This item may be a canon regain or simply anything else, but regardless of the choice, please comment underneath the proper top-level to get it approved.
⬥ Happy holidays and an early happy new year!

Comments

Mod Questions & Gift Approval

[teamboba]

If you have any questions, please leave them here!

There will be no investigations for this log because only fun and joy are allowed, so please use the following form to get your IC gift approved:

Character: Gift: <b>Character</b>: <b>Gift</b>:

[selfconcept]

Character: Hien Callias
Gift: Leaf stone

[teamboba]

Approved!

[afterword]

Character: Kim Dokja
Gift: Fly

[teamboba]

Approved!

[bythefurry]

Character: Joscelaint
Gift: his fishing rod

[scension]

Character: Sagi
Gift: Pac-Man. he jumps out of the Delibird sack, runs around for a while eating everything not nailed down then eventually wakka-wakkas away into the sunset. will he be back? only time will tell

[nyom]

I - good kids sometimes get presents, others deliver them

[ Efi has a cute christmas dress with a santa hat over her head. Her dragon horns are not hidden by the hat though, and stick out of her head. Her wings were never really attached to her back in the first place despite her being able to fly with them on anyway. She is not a christmas Deerling, but something more like a little christmas fairy as she flies around with a sack. At least it isn't heavy, because she passes out candy. Either that or she makes it rain candy, making the children scream out of delight.

If you're unfortunate, you might get smacked with a candy cane in the face. Hope that doesn't hit your eye. ]

wildcard

[ Hit me up with anything. ANYTHING. ]

i

[partymagician]

[ It sure does hit him in the face, but thankfully it doesn't hurt. Fai picks the candy cane up off the ground, looking around to see where it came from. Almost immediately, he spots Efi. ]

Oh, Efi! You're passing out candy today?

I

[scension]

[What a nostalgic feeling it is for Sagi to narrowly sidestep a candy cane that was about to thunk hook-first into his skull. More importantly, when he looks up to find out where it fell from, it takes him no time at all to recognise the angular-looking wings of the "fairy" up above. Sweet, that saves him hunting her down later. He's not entirely sure he has the right idea of this whole holiday thing, but the gift-giving part is just like everyone having a birthday at once, right?]

May my aim be true... [His mumbling is all the warning Efi is going to get before he raises his voice and hurls a brand-new paper notepad up at her like a frisbee.] Efi, catch!

[Will his aim be true? Who knows. He has a decent throwing arm, but notepads are not famed for their aerodynamics.]

I

[weenwoon]

[The candy cane might hit someone in the face... or Efi can accidentally fly into a very tall Christmas tr--oh, it's mister Hyu, actually. He does have a star on his hood, though, and tiny Christmas lights all over his mask.]

[partymagician]

i - christmas gifts;

[ Around the evening on Christmas day or at any point the day after, Fai will approach your character with a tin! Inside are some baked goods, and if there's a chance your character might've told him what they like, that's what he's made. If not, then he has either cupcakes in both vanilla and lemon flavors and sugar cookies shaped and decorated like Christmas trees.

The moment he spots your character, he'll wave. ]

I have a gift for you!

[ ...Yes, he's doing this later than he normally would. Don't worry about it. ]

ii - new years;

[ Fireworks!! Fai's only seen them a handful of times, so he's excited for the little show everyone is putting on tonight. He even has a couple with him.

He waves them a little in his hand. ]

I'm going to set them off. Would you like to join me?

iii - wildcard;

[ Feel free to hit me up with whatever, including bonus and things before Christmas! I'm always here to do things! ]

Wildcard some time before Christmas

[selfconcept]

[ Did Fai get some belated sickness after eating some suspicious plants? Maybe. Who knows? Either way, I'm here for the cold bonus and Hien is absolutely making sure Fai is resting in the tent. He's not allowed to leave unless out of necessity that Hien made the standards for, such as bathroom needs and so on. He sits next to him, peeling an orange--one of the rations the other townspeople brought. In fact, he has a bunch of fruits with him on his lap. Mimi is curled up next to Fai but on the opposite side, making sure he stays warm. The citrus smell starts overpowering whatever scent is in the tent, because that's just how oranges work sometimes as Hien finally finishes peeling it. His nails aren't long enough for this... ]

Remember when we talked about me possinly being a magician back in the restaurant? A what-if... well, I was actually classified as one before.

[ Also here. He gives the peeled orange over to Fai so that he can eat it, unless he whines about being fed... ]

i

[selfconcept]

[ Ah, Fai-nyan. Hien looks up when Fai calls out to him. It's a day after Christmas and Fai probably came back from something in the afternoon, because Hien has been chilling inside the tent all day, brushing Mimi's fur and... trying to wrangle-control Fluffy, who's actually no longer fluffy. He's a Leafeon now. No more floof... Since he's been in the tent all day, he doesn't have his mask on. ]

Oh, you came back.

[ Hien somehow missed Fai's return. ]

[scension]

[i: why is our bird riding a bird]

[Pokemon as transport makes more sense to Sagi as a concept than half the things people around here use Pokemon for - or did, until he realised that seating doesn't come included with the HM. His Sigilyph seemed enthusiastic about the idea anyway, but where the heck is he supposed to hold on? Its body is a sphere. Only halfway through the trip, he regrets giving it a try.

He still hasn't gotten used to it by the time he returns to Hami, dropping off Sigilyph's back near the plateau where the refugees have been holding contests. He looks very pale - made more obvious by the fact that, for some reason, his own wings and arms are enveloped in a harsh white glowing light.

Somehow, he manages to stumble over to a nearby rock and sit down before he crumples completely. The glow begins to fade after a minute or so.]


[ii: wakka wakka]

[Santa may not be here, but a large, yellow, Santa-sized... thing is strolling around with festively bright red boots and a holiday-cheery smile. Well, around isn't the right word. Wherever he is, he's walking briskly in a straight line, occasionally turning 90 or 180 degrees when he hits an obstacle, making a distinctively videogamey sound - and motoring directly through anything edible in his path. If it fits in Pac-Man's mouth, be it actual food or a snowball or a tentpole or the ugly Christmas sweater you were about to gift to someone else, he's chomping it right out of your hands and continuing ahead.

Unless you're in the vicinity of Hami Island, in which case there's a chance that Sagi will (possibly literally) swoop in, shove whatever you were holding aside and hastily toss a berry over Pac-Man's head to bait him somewhere else.] Go on, get outta here!


[iii: weenwoon bonus]

[It turns out that Pac-Man doesn't make a good substitute for Santa after all. At some point after his airsickness has subsided and the yellow menace has disappeared into the sunset, Sagi gets conscripted into putting on the act for some preschoolers instead - he was a natural choice, he already has a penchant for wearing red. They weren't too careful about gluing the beard onto him, so it's now stuck to the front of his shirt and will probably never come off. It's fine. He has no idea what this tradition is, but it's for the kids, so this is a problem he can deal with later.

A more pressing problem is that he can't seem to actually talk to them. Every time he opens his mouth, a loud, distorted, vaguely trumpet-like noise comes out instead of his actual voice. If you've spent too much time around the FFXIVs, it sounds exactly like Amaurotine. The children who lined up on this rocky beach just to talk to Santa and tell him their holiday wishes have not. Several of them are crying. The presence of Sagi's sour-faced Houndoom, still glowering over the un-stylish Stantler nose one of the Hami locals stuck on him earlier, is doing nothing to reassure them.]

(Did it stop yet?)

[A small, impressionable boy standing in the middle of the line jumps at the even louder alien weenwoon sound that time and runs away in tears despite the nearby adults' attempts to console him.]

(I think we should just leave...)


[wildcard]

[hmu for anything etc etc. pac-man is now roaming free in the game world, you don't have to ask permission to have him show up in any thread including after this log, wakka wakka wakka]

III its time for (points at username)

[weenwoon]

[Hythlodaeus, having exchanged his usual black hoodie for a festive red one with a star on it, as well as tiny Christmas lights now embedded in his mask, is initially drawn to the beach by the sound of children crying - it's very strange to hear during a holiday, and his heart falls as he wonders if something happened, again...

(I think we should just leave...)

An even bigger shock, though, is suddenly hearing the speech of his home. Could it be that--someone else survived, got pulled into this world? He rushes over, anxiety and hope churning in his gut--

--to be greeted with the sight of Sagi and children crying and complaining about the weird noises. It takes Hythlodaeus about a minute, but the conclusion is inevitable.]

(Sagi, when did you learn?..)

[In his shock, Hythlo also slips into Amaurotine. Now there are two weenwooning strangers.]

ii closes my eyes

[rateup]

[ unlike most normal people around, itaru's eyes widen at the sight of that very familiar yellow being eating his way around the island. when sagi comes in to swoop in, itaru manages to dodge it. ]

I-Is that Pac-Man? How did Pac-Man-- Hey, Sagi! How'd you summon him?

[ mr pacman is relentless though, so itaru's got no choice but to dash. come on, lift him in your arms again like last time!! ]

[bythefurry]

I- The Holy See of Fishgard

[ Although Joss has never heard of the word "Christmas," he is very well acquainted with his world's equivalent, the Starlight Celebration. It is, after all, a tradition that originates in his homeland; and though it makes his heart ache with homesickness, this is why he decides to help decorate trees around the various camps.

It's all the usual stuff. Stars, baubles, little wrapped presents, dead fish... Nope, there is nothing unusual hanging from those trees at all.

After the third or fourth tree, though, Joss can't help but stop and silently stare at his bucket of Magikarp, seemingly lost in thought.]

Too warm...


II- Living Shad-ho ho ho

[When a Delibird approaches Joss - the second of the day, the first having gifted him with a nice fishing rod that is similar in every way to the one he has back home - nothing can prepare him for the present the small bird drags out of its bag.

Truth be told, the Pokémon isn't prepared either. Its happy chirps turn into a surprised, strangled squawk when a tall shadow shrouded in billowy smoke springs fully formed from its bag, its enormous greatsword dragging behind it as it makes its way towards Joss... and stands there, as if there wasn't a single thought inside its head.

Which is, probably, because there isn't. Once the initial surprise has passed, Joss is quick to realize this isn't the tired, bitter part of him having taken form again, but rather the shade of it that occasionally aids him in battle. He... doesn't know how, or why, but a quick glance at his Dark Knight soul stone and the suddenly awoken aether within it seems to confirm it: he has, somehow, regained the ability to summon Esteem.

Unfortunately, Joss realizes just as quickly, he can't presently find a way to unsummon it. It would normally naturally fade away once the energy gathered over the course of battle is finally depleted but... Is it because he isn't in combat, and that messed something up? It must be. It certainly can't be because I want Esteem to be around for more than 24 seconds at a time for the duration of this event.

If you encounter Joss today, you might find him accompanied by a tall, pitch black man of indescribable features... wearing a Santa hat, and carrying a Delibird sack in the hand that isn't holding an oversized zweihander. As it turns out, the poor Pokémon left its bag behind when it ran away in terror and Joss, being the good guy that he is, cannot in good conscience let presents go undelivered on Starlight day. Who knows, maybe there's even one for you!]


III- Double Dragon

[When his turn comes to use the Fly HM, he is faced with a dilemma.

He has too many dragons.

This wouldn't have been an issue, just a few weeks ago, but at some point during all the running around he's been doing his little Swablu evolved... and turned into a big, majestic dragonbird. Said dragonbird is now sitting on his shoulder, half smothering him with her newfound size and fluff, and snapping her beak towards the disk as if telling him to pick her. His other dragon, meanwhile, is mostly tilting her head interrogatively. She doesn't care who gets the ability to Fly... but you have to admit her size is much better suited to Joss's large frame. Altaria may be bigger than she once was, but she still isn't enormous.

He's been frozen like this for a while. Behind him, he can hear some of the next people in line grumble about how long he's taking to decide. He anxiously fidgets with the disk.]

Sorry...


IV- Wildcard

[Feel free to combine the above prompts or do something else entirely. Anything goes!]

I+II

[selfconcept]

[ Hien has been walking around the campsite for a stroll and notices something weird with the trees... was it a Cassava tradition to hang Magikarp up on the trees? He asked the locals and they said no.

...

????????????????

A little while after, he sees Joss with a bucket and a shadowy figure with a santa hat and a sack. He has so many things to ask, which translates into Hien just standing there, staring. ]

I+II

[scension]

[Sagi still isn't sure what the big deal is about these trees, nor does he have any preconceived notions about what the decorations are supposed to look like. He's only looking at this one at all closely because he and his Snom got press-ganged earlier into adding sparkly Powder Snow to the trees as a finishing touch. In fact, looking is not what caught his attention at first. He can, uh, smell them. Like the fruit they seem to be some bizarre imitation of, these glassy-eyed Magikarps are ripening.

He gingerly pokes at one fish, and is immediately very glad he's wearing gloves.]

Urrghh, gross! Who would do something like this?

[There's no way this can be an actual kids' tradition, right? Even if you add ice or fake snow to them after the fact, it seems unhygienic... and incongruous. The baubles and tinsel and little trinkets, sure, he can picture himself or anyone else off the street back home wearing those. He would not wear a dead fish.]

Think we should take these down before we get started?

Begone, fish!

...Yeah. We don't want kids trying to eat them first.

[Quest accepted, then. It's at least easy for him to settle into a rhythm, pulling the fish off the branches by their sad little whiskers and dropping them on the ground to deal with later. He's amassed a whole small, slimy pile of them by the time the sound of approaching footsteps makes him turn around. The Snom perched on his head squeaks irritably when he does, shuffling over to keep her balance.]

Hey, Josce-...

[Both of them immediately narrow their eyes. Seeing Joss doesn't come as a surprise; his sad trudging is pretty recognisable at this point from sound alone. The shadowy figure stalking behind Joss with a sword, cloaked in something uncannily akin to black mist... Yeah, that's new.]

There's something behind you.

[Its body language doesn't seem hostile, or else Sagi would already be drawing his own blade - but he's still going to drop the fish he was holding and reach into his pocket for the card in question, just in case. The jolly hat on the apparition does not deter him. Anyone can wear a jolly hat. Villains always wear jolly hats.]

II

[weenwoon]

[Hythlodaeus is rather glad to, for once, participate in something more lighthearted and happy. Unlike his player, the last two months have been rather good for him - between his newfound goal of moving forward, support from both Hien and Fai and now the celebration, Hythlodaeus is a lot more happier with life than he had been at the start of this strange adventure. His own concession to the spirit of the holiday is a red hoodie with a glowing star on it and tiny red, green and yellow Christmas lights now adorning his mask. How does he not get blinded by them? You don't know.

He's obviously not the only person who's made changes to his appearance, though, considering the shadowy knight following Joss around that Hythlodaeus accidentally runs into on turning the corner.

He stares, then thoughtfully bites down on a candy cane in his hand.]

Two of you.

[Well, as far as he can see, it is two of Joss.]

[selfconcept]

[ this is where I make custom top levels for people. If you want one, let me know! ]

Hythlo

[selfconcept]

[ After viewing fireworks for the new year, Hien slept quietly in the tent. He doesn't move around normally, but he's been occasionally turning. It's around noon when he wakes up, because there's no coffee today to help him wake and get through the AM portion of the day. He doesn't want to get out of his sleeping bag, where it's nice and cozy... he doesn't really have anything to do for the day anyway. He turns his head to see Hythlo in the tent for whatever reason. ]

... morning.

[ It is not morning. ]

For yjh

[selfconcept]

[ Backdated to Christmas Eve, because I'm always late. Hien had been getting presents for people, and they've been rather small. He doesn't have too much money and he's frankly tired. There was also nothing in Hami, so he had to make a trip to Mango to get things.

Wherever Joonghyuk is, Hien will run into him and tries to get his attention while getting a small box out of his cloak. It's too bad there's a Leafeon who lightly bops the box out of Hien's hands and it goes flying right at Joonghyuk's head. ]

hythlo

[selfconcept]

[ It's some time around Christmas and Hien has been resting lately. He's gotten small presents for people he favors like little snacks or scarves. Hythlo is one of them and it's pretty easy to find him... ]

Daeus.

[ He holds out a small box. ]

Here, for you.