SEPTEMBER INTRO LOG

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SEPTEMBER INTRO LOG

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→ 09/01 The Arrival

「 Welcome to the world of POKEMON 」

"It will come to be. And in exchange..."
You wake up with a start. Thunder rolls across the sky, steamrolling the voices and the fog out of your head and replacing them with mottled grey on white— greyer in some spots than others, and if you're one of the unlucky ones, the greyest leaks cold water right down on your face. Drip... drip... drip... the intervals in between getting shorter and shorter until

SPLOOSH!!

The entire ceiling caves in and water and soggy drywall collapses onto your head, and those of several dozen others sharing this very open, very wet room. Rain pours down from overhead through the large hole in the middle of the ceiling, but the perimeter of the room is a little drier: about a dozen cots line the walls, not enough for the number of people here and so most must pick themselves off the ground. Other than a few curtained dividers now scattered across the flooding floor, the room is otherwise bare. White, grey, and very wet.

"Uh..." The only dry people in the room stand in the doorway: a girl who pulls her hood further over her head to keep the water off her face as she steps in to help the person nearest her up, and a boy who hangs back behind her, hesitant, staring at his feet a little guiltily until he looks up and catches somebody's eye, and he too steps forward to help people onto their feet. They introduce themselves as Chiaki Nanami and Minato Arisato, explain that they've arrived here a while ago in the exact same way as everybody here, and show off the purple and grey bands around their right and left ankles respectively, as if that is proof enough. Your unconscious bodies may or may not have been investigated while you were unconscious, but every person here will find some sort of band tattooed around a part of their body, some with a single pattern and some with two, some matching somebody else's and some unique to their own.

For those who want to hang back and ask questions, Nanami and Minato stick around and do their best to answer them, otherwise, you're free to go out in the rain and get soaked and wonder why this is your life.

→ 09/01 The Surroundings

"Ichi help me think of headings. I am so bad at writing headings" - Card

It's actually not that bad, all things considering. Sure, it's raining all day nonstop, but the rain varies between pouring and sprinkling and is weirdly lukewarm, like a shower that doesn't have enough water pressure and can't get hot enough. Strange creatures called Pokemon roam about the town of Toran, many hiding from the rain and liable to attack when people unexpectedly stumble upon them trying to find shelter themselves, especially the arm-hungry bears who just want to nap under trees, but others are friendly and eager to help people sweep water out of buildings and patch up roofs.

Whether you woke up with one or stumbled across them later, you have your own strange creature too. Be friends. If you don't know anything about Pokemon, there are plenty of elementary schoolers eager to laugh at your ignorance and teach you everything you need to know about catching and training Pokemon, little four-year-old escorts around Toran to show you where to find them in the lake at the center of the island, the surrounding ocean, the patches of grass throughout the town. The ground is perpetually marshy, thick mud and tall grass slowing foot traffic and the spiderwebs of pavement connecting the other structures around town are covered with half squashed, wiggling worms(egments) that are almost unavoidable to step on unless it's during a lighter drizzle when the bird Pokemon are free to swoop down to pick the roads clean. Want to get some experience in Pokemon battling? These literal children will gladly pulverize you to the point of blacking out and take your money or whatever fun little trinkets you have in your pockets.

The building everybody arrived in turns out to be a hospital, with an adjacent building being a hospital for Pokemon- a Pokemon Center- which offers free shelter for travellers but is currently overflowing with people who are stranded on this island, even with so many visitors forced to resort to long term lodging in the town's small inn. Both the hospital and Pokemon Center stand right along the lakeside, water overflowing and nearly lapping against the front steps, which is home to an abnormally large 30-foot long Gyarados. It thrashes about in the middle of the lake and has been scaring all the other wild water Pokemon to the outskirts of the lake, blasting the nearby buildings and berry trees with torrents of water, and lashing out at anybody who tries to approach. Several fishing boats that have gotten too close have been smashed, but a few are left tied to the docks around the lake for braver trainers to use.

Large canopies have been set up over the berry gardens dotting the rest of the lakeside to keep the rain (and the occasional Gyarados hydro pump) from washing off the berries. The trees are tended to by gardeners with their grass Pokemon, and at times Minato with his Yamask covering his face, one black arm wrapped around his neck and the other lazily waving an arm to part the cloud of several hundred Combee buzzing protectively around the boy, trying to keep unfamiliar people away from the beehives as Minato makes his rounds checking up on each of the hives and picking up the fruit that has fallen or has ripened enough on the branches, offering berries to any person or Pokemon who's hungry.

Most of the buildings around town are doing well enough, despite the unending gloomy weather and too many people. The Daycare Center is particularly packed with Pokemon whose trainers are stuck outside of the island and unable to pick them up, and volunteers to help feed and care for the Pokemon are needed more than ever, especially the younger Pokemon who are fussy and upset at being away from their trainers for so long. Even the older Pokemon are a bit worried, and some of the daycare workers whisper about rumors of a pack of wild Drifloon seen around town whenever the rain calms down to a drizzle and luring little kids into the thick fog and getting them lost. There are also whispers about the hospital, hushed words about how it's haunted by the spirits of the deceased and that when a group of Murkrows gather around a patient's window, it's to mark that person with misfortune and death. Several posters of missing children are hung up around the Daycare Center, with the promise of a reward for any information or return of the children, and flyers begging for help to calm the residents at the hospital of their worries about the Murkrows or ghostly sightings.

The Game Corner arcade never knows silence with the constant flashing and chiming of the slot machines and roulette wheels, but don't be fooled with the frequent payouts seen at the machines Nanami and her Mimikyu sit at, because the odds are actually pretty low and the tokens can only be traded in for berries, common items, and Pokemon accessories. There are no windows in the Game Corner, and it is very easy to lose track of time inside— one elderly gentleman in a tophat can be seen at the same slot machine in the corner at all hours of the day, never eating or sleeping or doing anything else but mechanically pulling the lever, unresponsive to the rest of the world around him. He's going to hit the jackpot, he knows it. Just one more pull. One more pull...

The newest building in Toran is the boba shop, freshly painted in bright yellows and blues just before the storm hit and the colors remain bold against the grey sky. The "Grand Opening" sign still hangs above the front door despite opening over a month before, inviting customers inside to try their specialty: milk tea with Combee honey boba balls. Boba is half off for first-time customers, and you also get your stamp card stamped with a lavender Bulbasaur face, unique to Toran's shop. There are eight stamps total to be collected- fill up your stamp card for a special prize! But strangely enough, scattered throughout the town, people of various different ages slump against walls and on the ground, barely responsive and with empty cups of boba around them. They're ignored by the townspeople and despite the unnerving sight of these semi-vegetative citizens, lines to the shop are just as long as ever.

The shop is also currently hiring, for those who would like to fill up their days while there's nowhere to go and make a little $$$. How about it? Join Team Boba today! (:

→ 09/02 The First Meeting

"Hahahahaha" - Ichi

After giving people some time to get settled, later in the evening of the second day, Nanami, Minato, and their Pokemon go around finding people with those mysterious bands marking them as isekai'd strangers to the island, and herd them towards the boba shop to Talk. About why they're all here, about that dream, about where to go from here...

As the group waits for the last of them to arrive, with a round of boba provided courtesy of Nanami and her small Game Corner fortune, chatter around the boba shop paints the same story: a storm has been raging for over a month now, with thunder and lightning, hurricane winds, and whirlpools making travel to and from the island too hazardous, trapping visitors on the island way past their expected length of stay. There are talks of strong Pokemon trainers having headed out into the storm to try and get help from other towns, most of them quickly forced to turn back, and others— whether they were lost at sea or managed to break through— never heard from since. Storms are never this bad here, the people say, they never last this long and they don't ever seem to be... sentient... getting a lot worse earlier yesterday when so many new people were found collapsed around the island and were brought to the hospital, intermittently throughout the past month whenever a trainer tries to leave the island, and the largest reaction from the storm over a month ago when a girl with pink hair and a boy with blue hair were found in the lake and dragged half-dead to the hospital.

The island has been isolated for well over a month now with nobody having any idea what's going on outside, but the arrival of so many people at once can't be a coincidence- it must signify the time for change. When something to this scale happens, people tend to look to the gods, the Legendary Pokemon, but if they're really the cause... it'll take effort from everybody in order to break through the storm to catch the attention of the Legendaries and reach the rest of the world.

→ MOD NOTES

⬥ Welcome to Pokespe! All characters wake up at the hospital by the lakeside and can explore the rest of the island. Players are free to play out Pokemon battles or wild Pokemon encounters, but please let a mod know when catching a new Pokemon so we can approve or decline the capture.
⬥ On the second day, Nanami and Minato will be available to answer questions about what they've found out in the month before everybody else arrived. They will each have an NPC toplevel for those who wish to speak with them, and characters present at the meeting are free to learn about the information shared without needing to thread with an NPC.
⬥To proceed to the next area for next month's log, characters must find a way to travel across the stormy ocean filled with whirlpools and choppy waves. Make sure to mention your efforts on the permanent AC page at the end of the month!
⬥ There are several other oddities and problems around town that characters may choose to help with or investigate, which may or may not help with escaping the island or have ties to the plot as a whole. To investigate one of these areas, please comment to the questions toplevel with a link to your thread so the mods can direct you appropriately.

Comments

[darkdivide]

Arrival
[It's fortunate that Riku's used to being in other worlds. Lately, he's even been waking up in his dreams in a new world. What's not fortunate is that he doesn't recognize anything in this place.

His dreams have been the same for almost a year. A city with towering buildings, the night sky, him searching for Sora and feeling nothing but eyes watching his every move...

This is totally different. As Riku gets to his feet and wipes the moisture off his face, he takes stock of whats around him. All the drenched cots, and the faces and people he doesn't really recognize...

He sighs to himself.] ...Where am I now?

2 B a Trainer (i)
[After the shy little Ralts charms the pants off Riku with a flower gift, the teen is carting the little Pokemon around in his hands. Can't afford to have her get anymore wet and dirty than she already is.

Which draws some snickers and laughing from the kids hanging out in their ponchos in the rain. There's some yelling about Pokebowls and catching Pokeysomethings sent Riku's way, which makes him stop and look at them a little confused.]

Poke...bowls? [...Like the food...?]

(ii)
[Later on, there will be a different set of kids around Riku, with some asking how he got so tall and so thicc. They seem to be excited about teaching someone about Pokemon, and are leading him toward the patches of grass.

Care to follow for a catching demonstration?]

Spoopy Hospital (Investigations)
[After getting more of his bearings and a basic mental map of the town, Riku finds himself returning to the hospital again, spurred on by some of the posters around town. Clearly, this place is having its fair share of troubles beyond the storm.

He's already tried circling around the building to see if these Murkrow were hanging around. Destiny, as he's now given a name to the Ralts, hangs out on his shoulder underneath his umbrella.]

Could this place really be haunted?

Anyone Want a Boba(saur)?
[With so many people from different worlds being dragged into this one, Riku wouldn't miss this meeting.

He hangs out around the wall, arms folded over his chest and listening intently. Destiny shyly hides behind him, clearly nervous about the amount of people and Pokemon in this area.]

A month long storm? This place can't last much longer if this keeps up...

Wildcard
((Nothing else working for you? Hit me up via PM or delphoxes for something else!))

spoopy hospital;

[redigere]

[Naminé trails after him holding her own borrowed umbrella, Rikudee tucked up against her neck for warmth. She's on break from working at the hospital right now. It's a sterile, white building...and in that sense, it feels familiar, despite the negative connotations. It was an easy decision to volunteer there once she knew the staff needed help.

Though admittedly, soothing the patients is only treating the symptoms. In true heroic fashion, Riku had wanted to confront the root of the problem, and she's here now to support him in that in any way she can.]

Rumors sometimes have a little bit of truth to them.

[darkdivide]

[He's not sure he'd agree with her notion of this being a heroic investigation, especially since Naminé is the one volunteering to help. But Riku knows enough to recognize a bad omen when he sees one, and a bunch of birds gathering around a dying person's window? That definitely qualifies.

Besides, fixing up the worlds is a Keyblade Master's duty, isn't it? And that potentially means things like this. Plus... maybe he could use the distraction...]

Yeah... [He sighs out. She isn't wrong, and rumours about death are cause for concern.]

I didn't see any of these Murkrow earlier when I looked. Maybe they have a nest somewhere.

[He turns to her.]

Or maybe we should start inside? Have you noticed anything weird while working?

[redigere]

[She shakes her head.]

Nothing out of the ordinary. But then, I've only been volunteering for a few days.

[And she put all of her effort into cheering up the patients, so she hadn't kept much of an ear out for anything strange.]

I'm sorry, Riku. I can go in and ask the nurses now, if you think it will help. [She pauses, mulls over her words for a moment. It's still a work in progress, trying to be honest and open about her desires.] But since we're already here, I'd rather search outside with you. I don't like the idea of you facing any flock of Murkrows or ghosts by yourself.

[darkdivide]

[He looks at her with a bit of surprise, eventually guessing that maybe she just doesn't want him to be alone out here. It is a different world than what they're used to, and without his magic and Kayblade, he's at a disadvantage against Pokemon.

His expression softening, he nods. If that's what she wants to do.]

All right. We can try to ask inside after. Just let me know whenever you want to take a break.

[And with that he steps forward onto the flooded lawns beside the building. Time to get to work.]

[redigere]

I will. But we've only just started, and I want to do anything we can to help the patients.

[She tilts her head back a little, comparing their location to the building before she gently fluffs Rikudee's feathers, rousing him from his doze.]

Don't sleep, little one. I need you to tell me if you see anything.

[darkdivide]

[That gets an earnest smile out of him. Just a few days in this place and she's already trying to help out. It's pretty inspiring, given what she's been through.]

How is he at flying? Someone said Murkrow are flying-types so we might need some eyes in the sky.

arrival

[compendiem]

Toran.

[ It's a name, if that helps anything, but Minato would be surprised if anybody else in this room recognized it. It's probably not the most helpful answer, though, so he offers something more specific to help orient Riku. ]

You're in a hospital. You guys were out of it for a while... I'm no doctor and can't tell if you're hurt in any way, but if you are, it's a good place to be.

[ It's just soaking wet and missing a ceiling now, but it's a hospital nonetheless. ]

[darkdivide]

[Given how many worlds Riku's been to, it actually does help a little. At least it's not a place he's supposed to recognize, like a sleeping world.]

Never heard of it.

[Reaching up to wring out some of the water and fix his hair, he glances around a little more. With the missing ceiling, the room barely looks like it belongs in a hospital, and Minato looks suspiciously more oriented and in better shape than anyone else here.]

Are you from here?

[compendiem]

[ Him being dry is suspicious enough, let alone the way he doesn't seem surprised at anything- the surroundings, the question. ]

No, I was born in a city called Iwatodai.

[ He's from there too, but "from" suggests a home, and while he's made his home there for the past year, that no longer stands, does it? ]

Moved here a month ago. They found me in the lake, me and Nanami.

[ He points her out too, a shorter girl with a cat backpack helping others to their feet. ]

[darkdivide]

[Another unfamiliar name. But maybe this guy is in the same boat as them? He doesn't sound like he's from here.

He looks at Nanami and watches her as she helps some others out. She doesn't seem at all bothered by the confusion either.]

Moved here? Willing, or are you from somewhere else?

[He's trying to refrain from even mentioning other worlds.]

[compendiem]

I wouldn't say "willingly"... Took me by surprise, actually.

[ Believe him, there was confusion when he first arrived here too, just like anybody else. ]

I'm supposed to be dead, actually. I died. I'm not supposed to exist anymore. So... [ he shrugs ] It's wasn't willing, but I'm not ungrateful.

[ He still exists in some capacity. He couldn't let go of living, in the end. ]

[darkdivide]

[That catches the entirity of Riku's attention, his mouth a thin line. He died and doesn't exist anymore...

Kind of like Sora...]

I'm... sorry. [Looking down and away before collecting himself. Maybe if this guy exists in this world, then there's still some hope.]

Yeah, I wouldn't be ungrateful either. [And after a moment:]

Do you know if anyone else here is also... not supposed to exist anymore?

2b a trainer (i)

[cheesees]

[ Nagisa has been hanging out with the kids for quite a while, so she has learned a few things about Pokemon and how to take care of them. When the kids laugh and yell, she steps forward and looks up at Riku. ]

You must be hungry...here!

[ She offers him a piece of cheese before explaining further: ]

It's Pokeballs. You can catch more Pokemon with them!

[darkdivide]

Uh... thanks?

[The sudden appearance of the cheese throws him off a little (what a strange thing to offer but oh well), but he does take it, albeit a little awkward and sheepishly. The Ralts seems far more curious about the food so he ends up breaking off a piece, awkwardly juggling the Pokemon and the cheese, and gives it to her first.

Nagisa doesn't look like she's from around here either, but that doesn't bother him. She clearly seems to know more about this world than he does.]

Pokemon like her? [And she gives a soft and gentle "Raaal~" as confirmation before going back to nibble on the cheese.]

Do you know how to catch one?

[cheesees]

Yes! There are so many of them...the kid who told me about them can only count to fifty, but I heard there are way more than that!

[ Nagisa declares that with a wide grin, really excited about seeing some new species. ]

I can teach you. I can't fight because my Pokemon hasn't hatched yet...but sometimes if you get lucky, you can catch one without a fight.

[darkdivide]

[Battling seems to be a common theme around here, if the jeers from the kids are any indication. He's not sure if his own new friend would be up to battling. She seems pretty shy and a little meek.

But, if they're going to be here for a while...] Sure. I'd like that.

[cheesees]

Okay, then! We need to find a Pokemon you like. I heard the lake is a good spot if you want a water Pokemon, but a lot of them are also lurking around the town. It's up to you. Oh, and here.

[ Like a good tutorial character, Nagisa offers him five Pokeballs. ]

[darkdivide]

[Nagisa, the cutest tutorial character ever.

Riku just looks at the balls for a moment, unsure if he should really just take them. He'll take two of them, since if feels weird to take them all and to not give her something in return.]

You sure you don't want to keep some for yourself?

Anyone Want a Boba(saur)?

[cicadashell]

[Jiro is sitting on the floor nearby, not paying much attention, but at least he showed up. A Slowpoke is curled up on his lap, chewing on its own tail.]

Build more boats in case the whole city gets flooded out. Problem solved.

[This meeting is boring.]

[darkdivide]

[...Admittedly, the Slowpoke is a little distracting with it chewing on it's own tail like that. And Riku briefly wonders if he should mention something, but Jiro doesn't seem bothered.]

That could work, but it'd only be a temporary fix. But we'd have go make sure not to run out of resources if the rain doesn't stop.

[Among other concerns he has with that kind of plan, but honestly, it would at least be a start to a solution.]

It would be better to find the root of the problem, if there is one.

[cicadashell]

Plant stuff on the boats, raised garden beds and whatever. Then you have food.

[He's mostly thinking of this from a survivalist perspective, but plants would probably die with this much continual cloud cover and rain. It was a bad idea.]

Think it could be a Pokemon? Some big bird up there fucking with the weather?

[darkdivide]

...That could work for a bit.

[Riku does look a little contemplative at that. It's an idea at least. A good back-up plan, but it still feels short-term.]

Could be. Sounds like they're capable of just about anything here. There's always a reason why people look to higher powers and these Legendaries could be something like that.

Whether they exist might be another thing though.

[cicadashell]

Could be demons, the Legendaries. Like yokai.

[He's been thinking of Pokemon as animals, but maybe they're not.]

Maybe it's pissed no one brought it enough shrine offerings.

[darkdivide]

[Riku's been thinking the same sort of thing. So far the only one that's human-like that has seen has been his little Ralts, but even she isn't completely human.]

Maybe. Sounds like you've been in a situation like that before.