DECEMBER LOG PT2

[teamboba]

(toplevel view)

DECEMBER LOG PT2

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ 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

[selfconcept]

[ Growing children... More like growing furball. Hien looks down at Mimi, who looks away, super huffy because Hien won't let him eat Fai's cupcake. Let him! He sighs. ]

You're so easily swayed.

[ He's saying that to both of them. Mimi looks so offended. ]

[partymagician]

I'm weak. I can't help it.

[ He makes a show of holding out just a small bite to Mimi. ]

Here. Just a bite!

[selfconcept]

[ Hien... is also weak. When Fai holds out the cupcake to Mimi, telling him that he can take a bite, Hien doesn't pull back the fluffball further and just lets him. Mimi doesn't even sniff at first. He just devours the whole thing from Fai's hand. ]

... Oi.

[ Hien stares at Mimi. What the fuck!! ]

[partymagician]

Well.

[ Fai laughs. Honestly, he should have expected that... ]

It seems as if he likes it.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien looks mildly appalled at Mimi, but he looks proud of what he's done as his tail sways from side to side. ]

... Looks like it.

[ Mimi coos in response. He really liked it! He'd like another. ]

Anyway... here.

[ He reaches into his cloak and pulls out a small box, holding it out to Fai. ]

Got something for you too.

[partymagician]

[ Fai's tempted to give Mimi another but he will refrain. For now. ]

Oh?

[ He takes the box, looking down at it in surprise. Fai wasn't counting on getting any gifts at all so...

He opens it. ]

[selfconcept]

[ It's a scarf! It's in a shade of sky blue, but slightly darker and there is a repeating pattern of Snorunts at each end. It also looks really warm. There's also four macarons in there: strawberry, passionfruit, banana, and vanilla.

Hien quietly looks over at Fai for his reaction. ]

[partymagician]

[ He loves the scarf, and the macaron flavors are all flavors he really likes...

Fai looks up and smiles at Hien softly. ]

Thank you, Hien. I love it.

[ He holds up the scarf, burying his face in it. It really is warm. ]

I'll cherish this.

[selfconcept]

Glad to hear that.

[ He smiles back. It's nice to see Fai smile like this and he thinks it's cute when he buries his face into the scarf. ]

I wanted to get something that wasn't so limited to seasons, but that scarf looked like it suited you.

[partymagician]

[ He laughs a little, lifting his head up. ]

Well, clothing meant for cold weather tends to suit me more than anything else. Plus, the color is really nice.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien is pretty satisfied with his present choice now and it really shows on his face. ]

An overcoat would probably look good on you too, so I don't doubt that, mister model husband.

[partymagician]

[ Fai grimaces. He's never going to live that down... ]

You know, I found out that Itaru knows about that now. Did you tell him?

[ Actually, who all has Hien told about this anyway. It's not like Fai doesn't deserve it for a lie like that, but still!! ]

[selfconcept]

Did I...?

[ He slightly tilts his head, trying to think back. Is he feigning ignorance or does he really not remember-- ]

Oh, he might have overheard when I was teasing you about his return or something.

[partymagician]

[ Fai waves his hand. Itaru just mentioned something about being husbands and Fai was way too afraid to press him on it. ]

Either way, I probably deserved it for a lie like that. You were just too curious as a kid and asked so many questions that it all sort of... got bigger than I meant it to.

[selfconcept]

It sure did, huh?

[ Nice going, kid self. Hien finds this pretty amusing, if anything. ]

You're right though--I was a really curious one when I was little. It got me into all sorts of trouble.

[partymagician]

Ah, I can imagine! I bet you were asking all sorts of questions you didn't need to know the answer to!

[ Like the questions that made Fai dig deeper and deeper into the hole he created with that lie. ]

[selfconcept]

Yup. I probably wasn't aware, but I liked seeing the confused look on people's faces and how they struggled to explain things. It was funny.

[ ... Well, that might hold true now, but was he actually like that back then? No. ]

[partymagician]

Is that why you kept asking me about my "hubby"? You wanted to see me struggle to make up more things?

[ Wow. This puts a whole new light on all of that. ]

[selfconcept]

Maybe.

[ No. His kid self was really curious! Mimi has a dead look on his face. Gremlin. His trainer is a terrible gremlin. ]

[partymagician]

[ Fai doesn't believe him, and the look on his face matches Mimi's. ]

You have me beat when it comes to messing with other people, Hien.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien laughs a little and pats his head. There, there. ]

Sure do. I can't lose to a greenhorn like you, after all.

[partymagician]

I'll have you know I'm very good at getting under Kuro-tan's skin.

[ He looks up, smiling a little. ]

I'm still learning the best ways to get to Itaru-sama, though.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien withdraws his hand, smiling a little. ]

Should I take that as a measure of how much you like someone?

[partymagician]

[ He laughs, waving his hand. ]

I don't do it with everyone I like! Just those... two...

[ Uh.

Give him a second. He just fully realized something. ]

[selfconcept]

[ Oh.

Ohhhh??

Hien recognizes that sort of look on Fai's face and his own twists into some sort of amusement and mischief. ]

Just those~ two~? What's that supposed to mean, Fai? Huuuh?