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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He leans back against the pillows, watching Hien catch the apple in his mouth. Normally he would clap, but he's too tired so instead he just smiles a little. ]

It doesn't. My magic is no good most of the time.

[ Hien stays quiet for a moment before picking up an apple slice and then putting it to Fai's lips. He's feeding him, because he feels like there's a certain weight behind those words. ]

Says a magician who can block stuff.

[ He smiles against the apple slice, more than happy to have it fed to him. ]

The shield is one of the only defensive spells I know. I can blow things up, disintegrate them, freeze them, set them on fire... but it only means something to me if I'm protecting someone.

And not for yourself, huh?

[ After Fai eats that apple slice, Hien reaches to lightly pinch his cheek and tug. ]

[ Fai just lets his cheek be tugged on. He deserves it. ]

Ah, you caught me!

[ A pause. ]

I will start looking out for myself more, I promise. Fai gave me this life. I need to protect it.

[ Oh? Hien looks a little wide eyed at Fai, but then lets go and there's a small smile on his face. He won't ask and honestly, my memory sucks in knowing what Hien knows where... but he's glad about hearing Fai's conviction regardless. ]

Good.

[ He ruffles his hair and withdraws his hand. ]

Protect it well, or you're gonna have a lot of people mad on your hands and not even death will protect you from it.

[ Honestly same...

But Fai had been convinced previously that he killed his brother, so Hien would also notice that there seems to no longer be the sheer amount of guilt that was previously there. He laughs. ]

You're right, I am. [ He sighs, leaning his head back again because he feels kind of dizzy. ] I'm lucky, having so many people that would be angry with me.

[ Yeah, he definitely won't ask how Fai got like this, but Hien is just glad that it's like this at all. He feels happier about it, until he remembers--right, Fai's sick right now. ]

Damn right, you are. I'm glad you realized it too.

[ But his voice softens a bit after. ]

... Why don't you lie down? It looks like you're having trouble just sitting up.

[ He practically pouts. ]

I'm fine. Just a little dizzy... it's nothing.

[ Let him sit up!! He doesn't want to sleep. But he gets another dizzy spell and closes his eyes. Ugh... why does being congested come with being dizzy too? ]

[ Hien gets a small cloth, soaks it in warm water, wrings it out, and then smacks Fai's forehead with it in order to get him to lie down. ]

"Nothing", my foot. Stay down.

[ He reaches to grab the cloth. ]

Ask me nicely and maybe I will.

[ Should he be picking a fight with Hien while he has a bad cold? No. But he will anyway. ]

[ Omae.....................

He doesn't feel like submitting right now though and just puts a hand to Fai's forehead to keep him down instead. He doesn't need your permission!! ]

I can't believe you would treat a sick person this way...

[ He's resorted to whining a little now. But he doesn't make much of an effort to get up, since that would require energy that he doesn't have. ]

This is what dishonest patients get.

[ aka don't blatantly lie in front of his face. Hella rude. Hien sighs though and just brushes Fai's hair out of his face instead, withdrawing his hand. ]

So be a good one and stay in bed. On your back.

[ Fai lets out a dramatic sigh. ]

Fine, fine. I'll stay here.

[ A pause. ]

Just keep me company.

Of course I will. Maybe I'll tell you another story in the meantime.

[ Does he really want to hear it, from how it went last time in the tent with the kids? Maybe something anecdotal would be better. ]

[ Another Hien story... Yeah, Fai isn't sure about that. He's still reeling from the way he told the last one. ]

Tell me about one of the other worlds you've been to.

[ Can't believe Fai's still reeling from Hien's horrible storytelling skills. He looks thoughtful, wondering which world he should talk about that isn't too depressing nor boring. ]

One of the worlds I've been to... Let's see.

[ His gaze shifts to the apple slices on the plate. ]

There was one... where I had to work as an assistant nurse in a hospital.

[ He did pretend to be one in Cassava too, but he didn't tell Fai about that. ]

It was a world where one of my other selves followed through with a path he didn't necessarily want to take, but took it anyway. The good thing though, is that his childhood friend was with him. I didn't know much about medical things myself, but it was just something I needed to remember, and I had no problem with that at the moment.

[ He starts peeling another orange, but it's for himself this time. ]

I didn't think he'd enjoy it, because I never did. Working there requires a lot of mental fortitude. He wasn't necessarily skilled, so he was mostly given simple tasks, but one thing he did know how to do best was talking to patients to make sure that most didn't have such a miserable time while they were there... even though he's a bleeding heart.

[ He eats a piece of the orange. ]

... I guess some things never change.

[ Fai looks over at Hien, listening intently. ]

At least his friend was with him. [ Fai knows all about taking paths you don't want to take. Had the real Fai been there, maybe it would have been more bearable. Although... he wouldn't have had to take this path at all had that been the case.

He smiles. ]

You're right. That certainly didn't change. It's exactly what you're doing with me right now.

What? Taking care of you? I wouldn't even need to be an assistant nurse to do that.

[ He laughs a little. ]

It just... I had a lot of bittersweet feelings about it. His childhood friend, or the one that I used to know... the variation that I first knew, also wanted to be a nurse, said that she'd always take care of me and all that.

[ But then he kinda literally died in her arms. No bueno. He's pretty sure he scarred her for life too by doing that, and after finding out his death was unnecessary, he felt even worse about it.

You can never go back, only forward. No matter how much you want to amend your mistakes, you can only keep going. You can't fix it anyway.

Hien feels his heart grow cold. ]

So I'll just be the one to take care of you guys instead.

[ Ah... bittersweet feelings. At the mention of her being the first iteration Hien knew, Fai starts to feel like this is maybe a bad topic.

He reaches out to put a hand on Hien's arm. ]

I'll take care of you in return.

[ He smiles, and it's the kind that says there's no arguing against that. ]

You've told me about a few worlds you've been to. I feel like I owe you a story about one of the ones I've been through.

[ There sure isn't... Hien gets it though, since he feels the same if it was the other way around. ]

Sure. I want to hear your adventures too. Don't strain yourself though.

I won't!

[ He withdraws his hand so he can lay back against the pillows more comfortably. ]

You know I have no problem talking.

[ Since he talks... a lot. Part of that comes with pretending to be someone he isn't, though, so he has been more quiet lately. ]

I have a few worlds I could tell you about. [ He starts listing them off on his fingers. ] We solved the mystery of missing village children, changed the future of one world, and raced flying cars to get a feather! Which do you want to hear about?

[ Missing village children... It sounds pretty similar to their predicament here, so he wonders if it's anything similar. ]

How about the village children one?

Alright!

[ He shifts around, getting even more comfortable. ]

It was called the country of Jade, and we found ourselves near the town of Spirit. It was really cold and snowy when we arrived, so it was quite the trip to get to an inn. Once we arrived at the inn, we learned of the town's past. The legend told of a beautiful princess who lived in the castle nearby with the king and queen. One day... a bird flew to the princess's window, holding a feather. This feather would grant all sorts of powers to her, should she accept. Naturally, she accepted the feather.

Unfortunately, her parents died shortly thereafter, leaving the princess to ascend the throne. As time went on, her feather seemed to draw the children in the village towards the castle. One by one, they went missing, never to be seen again. Apparently this very same thing was happening again. Quite the thing to walk into, isn't it?

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ DESPITE EVERYTHING, YOU'RE STILL ALIVE

→ IT'S TIME TO REBUILD

→ HO HO HO-LY SHIT

→ MOD NOTES

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