FEBRUARY EVENT LOG

[kaisoumods]

February Event
Dominant Element: Fire
Waning Element: Wind

※
The coldest part of winter is now over with! While there's still snow on the ground with the occasional snowstorm, the weather has become much milder. So long as you have a decent jacket, it's not unpleasant to be outside. Perhaps on a romantic stroll, considering the time of year.

Love is in the Air

From the beginning of February, stores are fully decked out with red, pink and white decorations for Valentine's Day. Just about every place has some special sale going on for the day, whether it candy shops selling candy hearts or floral shops being filled with roses or roofing companies desparately trying to convince you that new roof tiles are a romantic gift, really! Restaurants are pulling out all stops to get ready for the romantic holiday, with specials and discounts for any romantic couples - or really, any pair of people willing to pretend to be dating for a discount.

On top of the usual Valentine's day faire, a new drink seems to be all the rage! The Cosmos Canyon will be the newest fad drink found in any alcohol serving establishment in the city. Online, there's many tutorials about how to make the drink, as well as non-alcoholic versions for those too young to drink! Besides the new drink, many florists will be selling glaze lilies among their bouquets. They are a popular flower, seen as a nice romantic flower alternative to roses. Strangely enough, the people around the city act like glaze lilies have always been around, but you can't remember seeing these flowers before.

It's not just the normal shops that have gotten into the holiday spirit. In Undertown, several shops and apothecaries are selling magical products of varying effectiveness that are revolved around love. Aphrodisiacs to spice up the bedroom, courage potions to give you that boost to confess your feelings (some of the cheaper ones smell suspiciously of alcohol), crystal ball readings about your romantic prospects - stuff like that. Some of these products are legitimate, but there's many scams so watch out! If you're looking for something like a love potion, you'll be disappointed, as those are generally seen as taboo and the few shady vendors that do sell the potions will be scams.

Cupid's Arrows

Throughout the month, the spirit vein in the sky will occasionally flicker pink before an arrow with a heart tip comes flying out of nowhere. If a person is hit with an arrow, it will dissipate in a glitter of hearts and they will feel a compulsion to be near the first person they see for the next few hours. The feelings they may feel towards their intended target could be insistent curiosity, an intense need for friendship, romantic, or familial - but whatever it'll be, this person is their new obsession until the effects wear off. The strength of the effects will be based on how lonely the person hit is. The more lonely they are in general, the stronger the effects....

On the other hand, if you find an arrow lying on the ground that hasn't hit a target, characters who pick it up and poke other people with it will hear the people's true opinion about them - unfiltered. Each arrow will allow you to poke up to three people before it dissipates into heart glitter.

The Gate: A New Faction Appears!

On February 15th, a new message from Zodiac is sent out.

SHIFTING GATE IDENTIFIED IN BLUE FISH PARK.
Element Classification: Unknown
Danger Level: A, Hostile Creatures
Designation: Kanto
A new shifting gate has been located in Blue Fish Park. Early reports suggest the realm contains a high population of unidentified animals. Many of the animals exhibit special abilities unseen in Earth fauna. Currently no civilians have been harmed, and the area has been blocked from the public for safety. Zodiac has partnered with P.O.K.E.G.O. and will offer rewards for information and gathered materials. Please visit the Zodiac office in Undertown for more information and equipment.

ETA: Beware of the tall grass.

If you head to the Zodiac offices, you will be greeted not only by the Zodiac customer service, but a new face as well! Professor Willow is a researcher from POKEGO, a group that's well known for their devotion to researching the Spirit Realm for knowledge sake. After the reports of the Helheim Gate last month, Professor Willow decided to come to town and research the unusual paranormal activity in the city. A middle aged man, he's friendly and is happy to talk about any creatures that come from the Spirit Realm, as that's his research specialty. As such, he asks anyone interested to please collect data on the creatures in the shifting gate. Photos, drawings, observation notes, samples -- he'll be happy to accept anything that helps further knowledge.

The Zodiac operatives meanwhile, are much more interested in the material goods this realm has to offer. For those who want low risk work, they'll request for batches of berries to be gathered. For those more daring, they'd like a captured specimen to be brought to them. The more interesting the specimen, the higher the payout. The highest payout will go to anyone that manages to bring them a "large rodent that yields electricity" To do this, they will supply some animal tranquilizers and a net made out of the Hel's bramble gathered last month. These nets are stronger than normal rope, and will withstand most normal attacks and weak magic attacks. Weapons are also available, for anyone feeling the need for extra protection. Finally and most curiously, they'll offer mountain bikes for anyone who wants a faster way to get around the realm. How handy?

Once you're all geared up and ready to go, the gate can be found in Blue Fish Park in one of the soccer fields, which has now been closed off to the general public due to a "sinkhole". It's easy enough to slip past the barricades. The gate itself is newer looking than gate last month, almost resembling an archway you'd find in a park. Warm air emanates from it, in sharp contrast to Kaisou's winter weather. Once through, you'll be treated to a vibrant wilderness, covered in tall grass, beautiful flowers and green trees. The weather is closer to early summer than winter, and the sun feels warm against the skin. Compared to Helheim last month, this place is a virtual paradise.

At least, until you run into some of the dangerous wildlife the message warned about. Scattered all over the realm are creatures not seen on Earth. These creatures will range from harmless and friendly to extremely hostile and dangerous. Attempting to capture any with the net may prove difficult, as they will use their special abilities if they feel threatened. Stepping into the wrong cave could get you a whole swarm of Zubats flying at you, and fishing for Magikarp might incite a Gyrados attack. And much like the Zodiac message warned, wandering through any tall grass patches is particularly dangerous as that's where many aggressive creatures lurk.

However, that doesn't mean ALL the creatures are out to kill you. Depending on your actions, you might have a wonderful time playing with Eevees and other cute critters. Many of these creatures don't have any fear of humans, and will approach on their own or be coaxed over easily. Someone with good animal skills might get to live out a disney princess fantasy, so long as they don't accidentally attract any hostile ones. For those who wish to gather berries, there's thickets and trees full of various types. Gather them for Zodiac, or use them to make more animal friends.

The size of the Realm is immense, with the landscape spreading for miles. One could feasibly spend days hiking through the varying biomes. Forests, swamps, rocky hills, sandy beaches, sprawling cave systems - this place has it all. The easiest way to get around is by using a mountain bike on worn down trails, or with a car if you want to figure out how to drive one through the gate. If someone is really devoted to mapping out the realm, they'll find it's a massive island about 30 miles in total diameter, surrounded by a deep blue ocean that goes on until the horizon.

The Town

As one makes their way across the realm, it's clear no humans live in this place. However, there are the occasional sign that people used to be here, long ago. Broken up cement roads, rusted street signs, a bench that's been completely overgrown by plants. If one heads to the center of the island, they'll find the clearest sign yet: the ruins of a town. Whoever once lived here, it's long since abandoned and nature has overtaken the buildings, reducing many of them to rubble and hollowed out shells.

One building still stands intact at the center of the town. It's unclear what it's purpose is, maybe some type of clinic or visitor center. Inside the building, much of it has fallen into disrepair. However there is half-working vending machine that'll dispense a single pokeball for each person. A half-legible pamphlet nearby will explain that these were used to "catch Pokemon", and that the people here used to do that to have them as companions

Sure enough, these pokeballs still work. If you use one on a Pokemon you've befriended or managed to tire out, it'll capture the Pokemon. This Pokemon will now view itself as your companion, and you'll have an animal friend of your own! Just choose wisely, the pokeballs can't be reused and the machine will only dispense one.

Aftermath

If you return to Kaisou with any pokemon, either in the pokeball or in the net, the pokemon will have most of their powers muted. A Pikachu will cause static shocks, but it won't be enough to actually harm anyone. Professor Willow will be thrilled to hear of any discoveries, and Zodiac will be happy to accept any pokemon or berries you brought back for them. They'll be unable to accept any pokemon you caught in the pokeball, as that pokemon is now magically linked to you. As long as you bring back something, Professor Willow and Zodiac will be happy to pay in cash, the amounts depending on what type of stuff you brought back for them. And once again, failing to return any loaned out equipment will result in being sent a bill of $2000 and a mild curse so anyone who uses your name will call you "THIEF" instead. The curse will last until either pay your bill or set up a payment plan with their office. Returning items after this point will get the bill reduced down to $500 (a late fee, they explain).

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is fire! Anyone with an affinity to the fire element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for wind will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

Players are allowed to catch one pokemon per character for their character to keep! These pokemon will be mostly depowered unless they are in the Spirit Realm, and then they will go back to full strength. Most pokemon are allowed, except for Legendaries and any pokemon that wouldn't normally be found in the wild (so fossil pokemon or mewtwo). If you want to keep a pokemon, please leave a comment here.

Any fights or interactions with NPCs will be handled by the players! Feel free to thread out things however you'd like! If you have any questions, please ask them on the plot questions thread below!

Comments

Event Questions

[kaisoumods]

Got a question? Ask it here!

[suzume_odori]

I gotta ask, because as much as NPC interaction is handwaved, this has a layer of Difference-

What is Professor Willow gonna do if he receives lovingly made, but no less made by tiny hands, drawings of the pokemon from Kanto?

[hootheart]

Since Tiera's a paranormal AU with Wind affinity, would she have been feeling the effects even before the app got installed on her phone? Also, are the Pokemon affected by the elemental dominance/weakness?

Mirabel Madrigal | Encanto | ota

[nonmagical]

[Cupid’s Arrow]

[Mirabel was minding her own dang business when she was struck. It didn't take long for the effects to settle in, and suddenly she finds herself with an intense desire to be around other people. Like, painfully so. And some of those people seemed like they got cuter?

She’ll be following characters around - keeping her distance, but admiring from afar. Kind of like a fangirl following her favorite band. As for her family - there's a noticeable increase in her being clingy and affectionate.]

[We all live in a Pokémon world.]

[Mirabel has heard the warnings about the tall grass. And for the most part, she's avoided it. But as she's exploring and trying to collect Pokemon for Zodiac, she spots a small blue and white squirrel making cute little noises in the grass. She doesn't have a Pokemon to battle it, but surely it's too cute and sweet-looking to be that dangerous...?]

Oh! Hi there, aren't you cute! I don't see what could be so dangerous about you-

[She takes a step in the tall grass. As if on cue, the Pachirisu's cheeks start sparking, and Mirabel is hit with a jolt of electricity. It's sudden and extremely painful, enough for her to drop down to her hands and knees. Okay Pachirisu, you're officially less cute.

Before she can recover, the Pachirisu's cheeks start to spark again, gearing up for another thundershock.]

[Aftermath]

[After catching Pokemon and returning them to Zodiac (though she feels a little uncomfortable doing it... what are they going to do with them?), she's left with one Pokemon companion: a Wooloo with a black, shiny coat. She can be seen petting it, trying to guide it back to the apartment.]

What am I going to do with you...?

Pokemon world!

[whiteshroud]

[You know what, between this and the card incident, Jun is starting to suspect Mirabel is accident prone.

Oh well, he doesn't want her to become fried to death by a squirrel, so he's jumping in. A Sylveon leaps in, standing between Mirabel and the Pachirisu. Jun meanwhile holds out his hand to help Mirabel up.]

You okay?

Pokemon World

[missingache]

[Roxas won't toss a Pokemon in to save the day, just a few berries. Hopefully that distracts the Pachirisu long enough for him to hold his hand out.]

You alright?

[If Mirabel looks up, there's a pair of eyes attached to a completely different mouse type watching her from the collar of Roxas' hoodie. The Dedenne looks happy enough to be there.]

pokemon world

[wedonttalkabout]

[Bruno got a Rattata because...well, of course, he did. He's not so sure about the whole fighting thing and honestly kind of wants to scuttle back to the relative safety of the city. But to do that he needs to round up his respective family members so off in search of them he goes.

He definitely isn't expecting to find Mirabel being electrocuted by...that thing, but it makes his vision a lot clearer now at least. Yay? It wasn't a rat, it was a squirrel!!! He doesn't have the net he saw in his visions, and as much anti-confrontation he is, he's not about to let anything hurt his sobrina. So he's just gonna pick up a large branch nearby, struggling under the weight as he stumbles into the grass to save her. ]

DON'T WORRY MIRA, TÍO BRUNO'S COMING!!!

[He stumbles a bit more before swinging and just...hucking the log at the Pachirisu. EAT SHIT, SQUIRREL!!!

Of course, it sails over the pokemon's head as Bruno slips down from the momentum of chucking the thing in the first place. Anyway, that's how two (2) Madrigals end up face down in the grass getting zapped by an electric squirrel. ]

Zelos Wilder | Tales of Symphonia | OTA

[wilder]

[Catch-all space for the month! Toplevels in the comments.]

Cupid Arrows | OTA

[wilder]

[It's very unfortunate that you happened to be nearby when he's struck by an arrow. If you thought Zelos was loud and in-your-face before, well, you ain't seen nothing yet. An arm will go over your shoulder as Zelos decides it's time to get real close to his new friend]

Heeey there my good pal. Whatcha doing?

[Save yourselves]

Catch 'em All | OTA

[wilder]

[Well, Zelos is glad this realm isn't cold. He's just about done with all this snow and winter. But that's about the only thing he's looking forward to with this job. He's from a world that has plenty of color and sometimes cute monsters, so he's very aware of what a hassle this must be.

He's just inside the gate, surveying a line as he lets out an annoyed sigh]

Capturing these guys are gonna be such a pain. Can't we just bring back their pelts?

Angel Toxicosis | OTA

[wilder]

[It's a normal day, exploring the Spirit Realm and doing their best to fend off Pokemon. Everything seems perfectly fine with Zelos. Trekking across monster-filled terrain is hardly anything new for him. His big mouth aside, he's a pretty useful asset to have.

But then, without any warning, he collapses onto the ground. ]

You gotta kiddin-

[He makes a small pained sound, cutting himself off. A quick check of his vitals will reveal that he's running a high fever despite seeming perfectly healthy all day. Just what in the world was going on?]

Anastasia Fabre | Original | OTA

[nefilim]

[This will be a catchall for starters! Also feel free to throw anything else at me!]

Cupid's Arrows | OTA

[nefilim]

Oh, fuck - !

[Is the outcry of one Ana as she manages an arrow just being aimed at her from... the sky?? It came from the sky. Which looked pink for a moment when that happened. This is fine.

She picks the arrow off the ground and examines with no small amount of suspicion, twirling it between her fingers absently. It doesn't seem dangerous, and the heart tip just makes it seem tacky.]

Is the sky really trying to shoot us now...?

SUZUME | OTA

[suzume_odori]

[LOCKED TO THREE PEOPLE - Arrow Arrow In My Hand,]

[Who is the peskiest in the land? Cupid could arguably be told to have some standards here, not aiming at tiny children wandering to and from school or the park. While settling in, it seems Suzume's nanny wanted to make sure that they could be trusted walking alone anywhere- and was pleasantly surprised when the answer was apparently yes!

...And even more surprised when she started 'floating' (thanks, Hoshi), but at least they could rest easy knowing that there was always a phone and a personal guardian on hand.

It is, of course, off the beaten path from the school that Suzume finds The Arrow. It's a neat looking thing, but she's a not so coordinated nearly-6-year-old as well, which only means one thing.]

Oops.

[Jab....]

[GPS ERROR]

[...Remember how the nanny was able to trust that SOMEONE would be getting home on her own time?

While it's hardly curfew, one can't really ignore when the last phone call says something about 'finding the gate' and ultimately passes out of range. So, those getting supplies at Zodiac might run into a very tired nanny asking if one might just be willing to find a small child before she gets in over her head.

It's fine, she has...some sort of telekinesis punch ghosting going on. It's fine.

As it is, THE CHILD.

Suzume finds it easy enough to scramble past barricades and run right on into the spirit realm of Kanto. Where it is very warm.

Very very warm. Coats and hats are hung up on a branch, and off she goes! Occasionally being....Floated off the ground for a bit before somewhat unceremoniously plopped down onto a different course of travel.

That's weird.

At this point, she won't be found anywhere near the gate, but she seems to be having fun at least? And look-]

There's blue berries, and peachy berries, and- Hoshi there's cherry berries...!

[Arms utterly STUFFED with berries, she's not yet realized she's not 'alone' in the area.]

[CATCH! THAT! DOG!]

[After some more eventual wandering, she's reached the Town. Unlike the pure wilds of Kanto- where not only was she sticking more to less grassy areas, and berry bushes, after being toted through the air enough- the town is free reign. Suzume's shock of red and white via her scarf and hair clip can be seen going in and out of ruinous structures, more rubble than home, before settling more in the central building of the town.

There is also something else here. Don't worry about it.

For now, Suzume is exploring. There's chairs, there's counters, there's machines that don't work, and there's-] OH!

It dropped something...

[Picking up the pokeball that comes out of the machine, Suzume is quick to start twisting the dial on it again.

....] ...Nothing's happening...

[Disappointing! Eventually she can just be seen sitting on one of those chairs, legs dangling as she squints at a pamphlet. Speaking, she's got that covered. Reading...uh.]

...Caaaaaatch...umm.... 'po-ke-mo-n'...

[...There's still something Else in there. Wherever it is, it's very big, and breathing rather heavily.]

[AFTERMATH (VARIOUS PROMPTS)]

[Eventually, the Something turns out to be a massive 'dog'- which is captured rather easily for all the chaos it unintentionally brings. It also insists on taking little Suzume for a ride, which brings a whole other type of encounter for people to have through Kanto as a small girl on a frankly massive canine rushes across the countriside. It's apparently rather strong too- while it steers clear of anything ridiculous (Sorry kiddo, the dog has no intentions of fighting that GYARADOS), it's pretty quick to snap and bite and even unleash some sort of massive roar, spooking anything that comes too close for comfort.

WOW!

...Suzume is definitely getting a talking to once she's out of the gate, but at least for now as she leaves with her coat and things back on and an arm full of berries (and even more berries floating, somehow), she's safe and sound.

...And, well.] Uh oh....

[She's being hauled riiiiight back to Zodiac apparently, and short of anyone who's there for the awkward Live Grounding, there'll be a network comment later.]

[UN: SUZUME - AFTERMATH 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO (VIDEO)]

[There is a somewhat pouty Suzume on the camera.

There is also a frankly enormous dog.]

I'm grounded now....

[How could this happen, why did this happen, etc, etc, oh no,]

GPS Error

[kokaiwanai]

[Good lord. Kakyoin feels bad for the nanny. He did, however, agree to keep an eye out for Suzume as he went into the gate.

Whether or not he gets more than he bargained for has yet to be seen, of course.

Thankfully it doesn't take very long for him to find Suzume, even if she is a considerable way from the gate by this point.]

Having fun?

makima (mastema) | chainsaw man

[overlies]

( a note that makima has regained creepy eyes and a strong supernatural sense of smell! for any smells your character may give off for being human, magical, possessed, etc, feel free to mention it in your tag so i can promptly respond to it! she’ll know ;) )

ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴜʀᴛs
[ valentines only works for couples, and for makima— it’s one of those days that have no meaning. except maybe for store owners that make big bucks off of gifts and chocolate. it still leaves a sour taste in her mouth when she sees puppy eyed couples celebrating or bright red decorations hanging on every store window, even more than when the subtle pang of jealously and loneliness hits when seeing people happily together on a normal day would cause. she simply!! hardly lets it show!! she shoves it back down her gut to ruminate on another day.

because she doesn’t need a significant other to have a family. oh, no she doesn’t. on her rare days off or free hours, makima can be found at shopping street in various café chains, having an afternoon or morning coffee with a stroller right by her seat— lilith, her newborn son, accompanies her on her time off, capturing plenty of doe eyes in the process to say hello and greet him in his furry onesie.

if you aren’t the first to approach her, that’s fine— you might be getting your reason! you’ll feel like you’re being watched. profusely. look up and around, and you’ll eventually catch sight of makima’s wide, saturn-ringed eyes staring holes into you as she sucks on a thick iced coffee straw. she smiles curtly and still fails to break eye contact, waving hello. she’s interested in something about you, looks like.

everything about her energy assertively says come here. ]

ᴄᴜᴘɪᴅ’s ʟᴜᴄᴋ
[ it’s amazing to have a baby, but sometimes makima does need her time off to do her job efficiently, going off to places that aren’t entirely infant friendly. he’s with one of her trusted baby sitters during weekly work hours, and once her night shift ends mid-morning, makima is fit in a blazer, jacket and heels that click from dea headquarters into the parking lot, then her car, then on her way to the closest grocery store, or clothing boutique, or salon, or perhaps the mall. a different place. every day.

she doesn’t enjoy being predictable to others, not in her line of work.

whether walking into the store or on the sidewalk to get in or out, she’s struck by an arrow from high above, and it just so happens . . . you’re probably the first on she sees. ]

ᴀ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇʀ
[ why was she here, and not resting? why was she here spending her time off to run some errands for libra, if all things?

the answer is: her nose. the amount of spiritual energy has heightened her interests to the point that this beacon is a difficult one to not check out. it’s like a slab of meat being sniffed from afar at a barbecue. the first time makima enters kanto, she can’t help but to marvel at the world around her. part of her is drawn to most of the seemingly docile canines, offering a batch of berries to keep them sound and friendly. some might catch her wandering into one of the caves, capped with ice inside— why, because she was attracted to the smell of something ghostly and tracked it.

to which, would become a problem; travelers will hear crashing and howling coming from the cavern holes, and following the ruckus will lead you into a crevice with a ghastly creature, feeling very territorial of makima being there, and now of you. makima, for the record, seems to have been knocked out.

the second time she returns, makima keeps to the more (if applicable) baby-proof edges of kanto, showing lilith around the colorful flora and easily tame creatures by front facing baby carrier. of course, in a dangerous place regardless, she seems to be feeling confident that she’s safe. anyone who approaches will be followed by a menacing shade and intercepted by an aggressive, snarling zoroark that rises from nothing but wisps of cold air, until makima’s voice sounds out from kneeling around about five friendly eevees: ]

They’re fine, Lucy. [ “lucy” is still watching and growling, but, no longer at the ready to attack. ] I hope you’re not alone. It’s dangerous out here, I’ve learned.

A Challenger

[whiteshroud]

[In the end, Jun's curiosity to see what lies past the gate was too strong to resist. However as he walked through the gate, he wasn't expecting to see his cousin there- playing with a pack of canines]

-- Makima? What're you doing here?

Horse | Centaurworld | ota

[crushtheskulls]

[Cupid's Arrow]

[Horse shouldn't be out and about really - too many people being startled at a horse just walking around. But here she is, checking things out, and she stops to look at a shop window before she feels something hit her in the butt.]

Ow! What just-

[She looks around, and then she sees... you. And there's a sudden fondness that she can't seem to force down.]

Hey there... friend.

[Pokemon World]

[Horse hasn't been in this world for very long, but she's already living for it. Running free! Doing whatever she wants! Kicking the crap out of nearby Pokemon that bother her!

Yeah, bringing her here was a mistake.

However! If your character is in danger from a wild Pokemon, they can expect a galloping horse running towards them, and kicking that Pokemon right in the face.]

[Aftermath]

[After her adventures in the Pokemon world, she's brought back a... friend? It's a Sneasel, and it won't stop hanging around her.]

Look, I don't need you hanging around, just go back to your own world!

[The Sneasel just climbs on her back.]

Ughh, you're almost more annoying than Ched!

A...ARROW...

[suzume_odori]

[Well, she was about to try and get one of those arrows honestly. Trying to follow that stuff around doesn't really go well though, especially when one's 'invisible friend' seems determined to put her back on a particular sidewalk.

But this.

This one is big. So big! And!!

Suzume looks around, as if there could be anyone else her size, in front of...This.]

...me...?

[a horse girl is born]

Noriaki (Tenmei) Kakyoin | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure | OTA

[kokaiwanai]

[A catch-all for event starters throughout the month! Top-levels below!]

At the Zodiac Building | OTA

[kokaiwanai]

[After school on the 15th, Kakyoin can be found at the Zodiac building--first talking to Suzume's poor exhausted nanny, then looking over the gear that Zodiac is supplying for this little adventure. Anyone who also happens to be around and looks friendly that looks his way is greeted with a nod.

... And then a question.]

What do you imagine we'll find in there?

[He wants to be sure he'll be prepared...]

Rhel Fashonti | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA

[thaumewturge]

Pokemon

[So. If you happen to be wandering near the ruined town, you might come across something you don't see every day.

A catperson--maybe late twenties?--beating back a particularly persistent Swanna with a very large stick (it's a rod) as it tries to get at the Litwick currently cowering behind said catperson. Or maybe it's trying to get at Rhel's ankles. Same general area, hard to tell for certain.]

No, no, get back Back, or so help I will turn your feathers into a mattress.

[She's already tried her spells and none of them seem to be working, so she's just going to keep beating the shit out of this Swanna until it goes away.]

Aftermath

[Honestly, Rhel trusts this Zodiac about as far as she could throw them, but they did offer her a place to stay and some freelance work and, well...it's better than nothing for now.

So Rhel sits on a bench outside of the Zodiac HQ with her new Litwick on her lap (and the head of a very cute chocobo doll sticking out of her bag), hunched over the smartphone as she looks between it and the manual telling her how to use it with her legs swinging just a little and tail flicking a lot.

She is frowning and is very intent on this, clearly not having a very easy time making the thing do its thing.]

Pokemon

[kokaiwanai]

[... Okay, so. There isn't terribly much Kakyoin can do at this point, but.

There is something he can do, and what he can do is distract the damn thing. Hopefully. (Good grief, as if normal swans weren't bad enough.)

And by "distract", we mean Kakyoin's chucking a berry or two in that direction and hoping for the best.]

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

[whiteshroud]

[Catch all for prompts! Prompts in the comments]

Teleporting

[whiteshroud]

[Are you having a good day? A nice quiet moment where you're relaxing, or having some nice time to yourself? Or maybe you're just sitting down for a meal. What a nice peaceful--

CRASH.

Well wherever you are, and whatever you may be doing? There's a flash of blue light, before a teenager with green hair appears out of nowhere and crashes into the room or in the next room. There's no real amount of grace with where he lands- sometimes above a couch, sometimes in the supply closet. Regardless, it's all done in a clumsy fashion]

- Ah! [he gives a little yelp as he falls] -- Oww, not as planned...

Jun Kurosu (Cross) | Persona 2 | OTA

[onlythankyou]

[we're going to start with a catchall and figure out what we're doing as we go]

Arrows

[onlythankyou]

[There are good times and bad times to stare up into the sky, consumed by the beauty and the glory of nature. Good times include....almost anytime, actually! Bad times include: while crossing the street downtown in a big city.

Jun went through his school day with a box in his hands because a neighbor insisted on giving him cupcakes and he did not get much say in the matter. And then the sky starts doing the thing and while it's beautiful, it's strange and he can't stop staring. Which is bad enough in the middle of the street, but then he sees an arrow fly out of the sky and hit the person next to him.]

Are- Are you alright?! Do you need a doctor?!

[There's honking cars and his hands are full of cupcake box and someone just got shot oh god--]

Amal Vasiya | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA

[thavnairian]

[i. through the gate; concerto]

[Someone is having an absolutely Disney time.

In a lovely forest clearing not far from a clear stream, the soft sounds of a lute drift over the grass and groundcover. Any wanderers will find Amal with his back against a big rock as he entertains the local wildlife with his playing. Spectators can only add to his audience of Eevees, Pikachus, Rattatas, and other Pokemon that enjoy hiding in the grass and trees around town. Most of them appear to be the friendly sort, cute and fluffy and completely harmless (up to a point). Bird Pokemon perch on the rock behind him, and one in particular-- a red-form Oricorio-- appears to be snuggling his side directly.

With a groan and a creak, the rock behind him shifts, one big eye opening and glancing around. Then Onix goes back to sleep.]

What shall I play next...? [To his audience, he poses a question:] Would you like to hear the song about the minstrel's fire?

[The 'mon all peep excitedly. Amal begins plucking another tune.]

[ii. around kaisou; snake oil]

[A red and gold blur leaps out of the derelict subway entrance to Undertown. It's Amal, naturally, and he is running very fast. The reason becomes obvious a few seconds later: there are two large black-dressed goons chasing after him. They're all brawn and no brains, knocking over cones and barriers in their clumsy pursuit.]

Damn, you guys are fast for how big you are! Lay off the speed potions, will you?!

[Behind him, the goons shout in response.] Get back here! Nobody trashes the shop and gets away with it!

[Amal cackles and jumps over a bench. Oh, yes. He's actually enjoying this.] You sure? Because I just did!

[The goons don't have any special powers and can be easily distracted and taken down by anyone reasonably clever or strong, in case someone wants to interfere. And if not, well, it's a great day for a jog.]

Luisa Madrigal | Encanto | OTA

[neverbreaks]

Pokemon World

[ After a few days of taking it easy and exploring the city, Luisa decides it's time to get to work.

And yes, she absolutely knows her family is going to remind her that she doesn't have to work as hard, and she definitely won't. But money was required for...just about everything in this city, and with so many of them coming in lately, she wanted to help support her family. Besides, even without her full strength, she was still pretty tough (just look at the monsters she fought in her labyrinth!). So even if this was a little dangerous, she'd probably be the best one to handle it.

She should be fine. ]

Aftermath

[ So Luisa has a donkey now.

No, not a donkey...what had the professor called it? A Mudbray? It reminded her a lot of a donkey, though. And honestly, it was kind of cute.

And apparently they couldn't take it? So Luisa was allowed to keep it, and now she had a new donkey friend.

Which was...nice, to be honest. Despite how many times the donkeys had gotten out of the barn, she had actually been starting to miss them.

So anyone passing through the city might catch sight of Luisa with her new donkey - Mudbray - friend...meaning they might see Luisa carrying the creature on her shoulder as she walks down the street.

...sure. ]

pokemon world

[nonmagical]

[Really, Mirabel should've learned her lesson the first time she came to this world. But she saw Luisa go off and well... followed her. She doesn't have much of a reason other than knowing how dangerous this world could be and just wanting her sister's company. Luisa gets pretty far ahead of her before Mirabel manages to catch up.]

Luisa, wait up!

Ris Bancroft | OC | OTA

[higanbana]

I: what a horrible day to have a curse

[For anyone who hasn't seen Ris since last month, there's a notable change in her appearance now: she has blood red eyes. Or, rather, eye, since her right eye is so clouded over it may as well be white. And of course, it's not just a change in looks, oh no. She's also blind in that clouded eye, and if her stepfather's word is anything to go by, it's unlikely that's ever going to change from now on.

It's been a process, getting used to this whole suddenly being half-blind thing. She's at least gotten to the point where she feels more or less comfortable going out on her own again, but her depth perception is still a hell of a lot worse than it once was.

So it is that, upon exiting her coffee shop of choice, she very quickly finds herself running into someone else (read: insert your character here) who she could have sworn she had time to avoid before walking straight into them. She quickly apologizes and, after making sure there's not coffee all over either of them (there isn't, her stopper stayed in place, score!), she's on her way.

...Or she would be, if not for feeling something... hit her? Stab her? She's not even sure what she felt in her shoulder just now, but when she turns around, nothing's there.

...Except, of course, the person she just hit. Who suddenly seems very, intensely interesting, and the idea of going back to the condo just to sit around by herself feels... well, painful.

It... wouldn't be a problem if she just... followed at a safe distance for a while, would it? Just to see where they're going? Sate her curiosity? She's small enough that she should be able to hide if she's in danger of being caught, right?]

II: your very own pokemon adventure is about to begin
[Well, after that debacle, Ris finally makes up her mind to venture into the new gate and see what she can find. She's just searching for berries, right? Seeing what the wildlife is up to? She certainly has no intent on catching any electric rats, that's for sure, so she's keeping her eyes on the plants.

And wouldn't you know it, she's stumbled across a bush just loaded with plump, blue berries! Score.

Ris kneels down to start picking them, putting them into her bag, and only stops when she hears some rustling on the other side of the bush. Rustling, followed by cracking.

When she cautiously peers around to take a look, she finds herself face-to-face with some kind of blue and white bird, which is now blinking open large blue eyes to look at her.

It lights up upon seeing her, chirping with a sound that sounds suspiciously like "pip!"]

O-oh! Did you just hatch? Hey there, little guy... I didn't know you were nesting here.

[And now that she knows, she's getting up to her feet, planning to go try to find some other berry bush. Where there's an egg, there's sure to be parents, and she doesn't want to piss off the local wildlife if she can avoid it.]

I'll just be on my way, then. I'm sure your mother will be back for you soon...

[And she's already taking off as she's talking... or she would be, if not for the little plops of waddling feet against the ground following behind her.]

...Oh. Oh, no. Why don't you just go back to your egg, darling? I'm not your mother...

III: the trials and tribulations of parenthood
[Yeah, about that. Turns out the little blue penguin thing (which Professor Willow has, very originally, named "Piplup" after the sounds that it makes) did not take "no" for an answer.

So, now she has a very exotic pet, one that she has no idea how to explain to her stepfather, let alone feed. And feeding it, as it turns out, is not an easy endeavor, because it refuses to let her feed it.

It just turns its nose up at her every time she tries, while simultaneously trying to pull itself into her fridge and rummage through her food every time she opens the door. Ris, for her part, is pretty sure that nothing she has in there is good for penguin digestive systems. She's also just about done with this fickle little monster.

So, she can be found in the park well after the sun's gone down, sitting on the bench near a mostly-frozen-over pond with her arms crossed, looking none too pleased as Piplup forages for itself and looks absolutely delighted.]

Stupid little...

[She's muttering under her breath, but notably, she's still just sitting here and waiting. She's not going to leave it alone.

Every so often, the Piplup falls over, face-first into the snow, while waddling. Looking at the footprints leading over to the bench and the pond will tell a similar story, as well— a set of human footprints, followed closely behind by tiny webbed footprints and the occasional full faceplant into the snow.]

III

[hootheart]

[Tiera is bundled up nice and warm for the snowy weather, with a strange new creature wrapped around her shoulders like a scarf. His flames are flaring up just the slightest, enough to keep her toasty as she wanders, before coming upon Ris and the Piplup. However, her attention goes to the Piplup first. Bending down, she lets out a few chirps of her own. The meaning might not get through completely, but she's basically asking it if Ris is its human.]

Yuu | Twisted Wonderland | ota

[areyuuserious]

Berry Gathering
[Since Zodiac has been providing Yuu an apartment, Yuu figures it's only fair that they do some work for these people--and, well, hey, the prospect of getting paid for doing any work is a novel one.

Yuu can be found gathering berries in the realm--lots of them. They might have overloaded themself, actually? That's a lot of baskets. If someone passes by, Yuu calls out to get their attention.]

Hey, excuse me? I, uh... might need a little help getting all of these to Zodiac. Would you mind?

Time for EGG
[At some point, Yuu wanders further in. Maybe it'd be a smarter idea to not explore the ruins, given the wildlife, but... something draws them in. Yuu finds themself resting in the.... clinic? Visitor center? Whatever it is.

And they find themself dwelling. Brooding, really. They're only shaken out of their thoughts by a sudden nudge from a very pink friend-shaped creature.]

Uh. Hi?

[More insistent nudging, as the creature offers an egg.]

'Kathleen Avery' (Ka Ninja) | OTA/Intro (Includes NetPrompt)

[reallysucks]

[WHO'S THAT POKEMON | CW: reference to a dead body, and blood drinking | Spirit World]

[When Kate woke up, it was in a hospital. Which wasn't exactly what she expected, being honest. She was pretty sure she'd been 'lights out'. 'Out the door'. 'The End'.

Apparently she was close, but not quite. It took a lot of transfusions, she's told- and boy, that's a bill she's not looking forward to sorting out with insurance- but she's alive.

It takes a bit more time to leave the hospital, but she's soon back to work as if nothing even happened.

Almost.

It doesn't take long before whoever came after her in the first place comes after her again. Carefully- alone, on the path from car to apartment, where no cameras see-

And that is where her benefactor's gift comes in.]

Kkkkk...kaaaaaa.... [Wheezing and hysteric laughter is all she can manage after a rush to defend herself ends with blood in her system and nearly none in the body. How did she even pull that off? She...Bit him? Just, bit, drank??

More importantly, she thinks as she panics and stashes the body in her trunk, she's covered on blood herself, and has a dead man on her hands. This isn't exactly a problem she expected to handle for herself. For a few others, sure, okay, maybe, some people just needed to Go. But this!?

Calm down Kate, there's options here right? That app on her phone has something right now even. She remembers it- a message posted on the 15th according to the timestamp, one she looked over and initially determined was some kind of hoax.

Well, before looking out at the sky anyway.

And, being unable to uninstall the app.

And.

Well.

Whatever the hell just happened now!!

Kate drives to Blue Fish Park. Bundles the body in cloth and a trash bag, quietly glad that at least for her trunk, there's nothing left to leave blood traces. Somehow, her trip from car to gate isn't even attracting attention- she can feel a slightly growing hunger as she makes the trip under protection of shadow magic, but she hasn't identified the source just yet.

She just hauls the body, grunting under the weight in the dead of night, and pulls herself through-

Only to choke, gasp, and stumble as her entire body changes.]

K-AK-! [To something entirely inhuman.] Wh- What the hell is this now -ka!?

[The bag thuds beside her. Tensing, she grabs it with now clawed hands and starts making off for the woods instead. Nope. Nope, she can't think about this right now, she can't even dwell on it- She needs to get rid of This first, and then she can panic!

The body is dumped out from sheets and plastic over a small cliff, landing in some tall grass far below. Kate herself moves on to stash the remaining junk under a pile of rocks, one part relieved that disposing gloves isn't in question now and another curious about whether or not there's fingerprinting for claws.

Don't be stupid Kate of course there isn't fingerprinting for claws, that's just.

...Just.] Kkkkkkakakakkakakaaaaaaa...

[The mosquitoid...thing ultimately takes a seat some distance away from the dump sites and gate alike, dragging her hands down her now metal and 'masked' face.] This must be what having a damn night terror feels like -ka...I knew that case was bad news...

[She'll just. Sit there for a while.]

[Return Trip | The Spirit World]

[It's ultimately morbid curiosity that keeps her in the spirit world a little longer. Chasing something that should've been fake was ultimately a gamble, but at least it paid off- she's pretty sure even if anyone Did trace things to 'Kathleen Avery', the trail would go ice cold with no evidence at Blue Fish, and even if she was spotted here, what would anyone say??

A giant mosquito came in with a trash bag!?] KA! I wonder just how many cold cases ended with this place-ka...it'd be any actual investigator's nightmare, kakakaaaa...

[The laughter trails off- she wanders the ruins in silence, and ultimately hunches over with a scowl that can be seen mostly in her eyes.] Kaaaaaa...I need to get home -ka, before I start losing it and talking to myself more...

[It's about as she makes That particular observation, that she hears a sound. Standing rigid, her eyes widen as the scratchy, distorted voice of the woman raises to peal around the area.] KA?! Hey! Show yourself now, -ka!!

[REALITY TRIP | THE MUNDANE WORLD]

[When she came back through the gate, squinting at an odd ball all the while, she was human again.

(The ball was an accident; honestly she didn't want to face the alternative of having one of the various instects floating after her for scraps, chucking it at the tiny thing and preparing to leave it there.

....

A guilty conscience got to her.)

Her changed clothes, her glasses, her somewhat ruffled hair...everything was. Her.

The woman flexed her hands, got in her car, and drove off for her apartment. If she really had to explain where she'd gone she'd simply say a new lease on life made her want to visit and that she hadn't heard about the closure to the public.

Come to think, how had she even gotten through with that closure... ....well. She won't dwell on it for now. Paranoid people got caught. She could focus on her day. On work.

On ordering this coffee-] Short coffee, two sugars,

[And sitting down to enjoy it.

................while also glancing over at anyone ordering more than a Tall for a hair of a second because ugh, ridiculous...]

[NETWORK | IMAGE & TEXT | UN: LOCKANDKEY]

[Without much context, an image of a large bug, but far from a large pokemon, is posted.

Mundane eyes see...a bird.]

What do you see in the picture.

[This has been driving her bananas and dammit this is the only place she's getting a straight answer without going anywhere in person.]

[Network, text]

[big_iron]

[He's squinting at that image for a moment, hm.]

Is that a bug? Never seen one like that before.

[hootheart]

I. Things I almost remember

[Tiera has to drag herself out of bed to do it, but there's something about this place that seems to be...calling to her? She refuses the bike and the weapon, and wanders through almost in a daze, just looking at all the creatures that wander by. Finally, she reaches a bench and just perches on it, crouched birdlike on the seat as she watches several of them wander by. Slowly, she starts whispering their names.]

Rattata...Caterpie...Beedrill...

II. It's you-it's really you

[After a bit more wandering, she finds the abandoned vending machine. Once more memories stir as she slowly pushes the button, depositing one of the balls into her hands and staring at it, before-]

Qui?

[She looks down, and sees a creature staring at her. For a long moment, the two simply look into each others' eyes, before Tiera opens her mouth and begins to sing. It's a strange song, one that sounds more like birdsong than any human music, but as she sings the Quilava steps closer and closer.]

Quil...

[She extends the hand with the Pokeball in it. He gently boops the button with his snout, and is sucked inside. She sends him back out almost immediately, looking down at him, before letting out a soft chirp. He returns it, making his own approximation of a chirp.]

...remember you.