003 - Memories of a False History

[tabularasa_mods]

Memories of a False History State of the World ▲ Locations ▼ Bestiary
OOC ▲ Comments Please refer to the original Event Announcement for more information or to ask any questions you might have! For the disaster prompt, players are not restricted to the versions given, but they are intended to be the most common. Feel free to borrow ideas from the disaster suggestions thread as well!

▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲
The Sound of All Things Bad
The sound comes without warning. What the sound is cannot quite be made out - it is at once artificial and natural, bestial and mechanical, rumbling and roaring and crunching, shattering and crashing and screaming. Everything about it feels like a threat, warning of danger. The cacophony of noise reaches throughout the entire Void, loud and inescapable, the mangling and clashing of different sounds leaving each individual with a different idea of what it could possibly have been. It sounds different to everyone, each person able to pick out a part of the sound that ties to their own fears.

What if...?

How long the sound lasts would depend on how the individual perceives time. It might last for seconds, or it might last for minutes, but once it stops it does not repeat. Where it came from or what it is does not become the slightest bit clearer, and people are left to only speculate.

Disaster
No one can quite be sure what has prompted them to remember that day. It might have been that noise of approaching doom, or perhaps it is seeing the crumbling ruins of Hammerlocke itself. Once a stray memory surfaces, it is easy enough to look into the details and recall in full the vivid memory of Hammerlocke’s destruction - the ‘truth’ of what caused the mountainside city to crumble into ruins, as so many have wondered since their first appearance. Though the memory is clear and detailed, vivid enough to have been witnessed in person, it is out of place and does not belong, and anyone who can recall the events knows it.

Attempting to discuss the matter will soon reveal that while others recall the event with similar clarity, the details vary from person to person. Over time, their own memory changes and adapts, occasionally changing to something new entirely, yet the original is never completely forgotten. Memory is a strange and fickle thing, so easy to influence and manipulate, that the truth is difficult to find.

While memories differ from person to person, there are three particular tales that recur:

From the Sky

Though the sky above did not change from its paper-like blank white, the land grew darker and darker as though cast in shadow. The source of the shadow was clear: above, slowly descending towards the wings of the castle, was... something. Something immense, yet shrouded in crackling storm clouds.

As it continued to grow closer and closer, something in the clouds began to swell. It grew larger and larger, an electric hum of energy in the air, until with a resounding crack it burst and a great shadowy beast fell to the ground, landing with such force that the resulting shockwave shook the earth and tore through the stone buildings, causing so much of the city to tumble in an instant. It moves, and it screeches, raising its head up as the great storm above continues to swell and crackle.

This would not be the only beast.

(Based upon: Meteor, the Lunar Cry, and the Darkest Day)

The Battlefield

It was never clear why the fighting eventually made its way to this defenseless city, but it came without warning. The chaos was heralded only by explosions as the city walls were blasted through by tanks that had somehow made their way along the treacherous and narrow mountain path that simply was not meant for such heavy machines. The thundering explosions and the collapse of buildings could surely be heard for miles, and people and animals alike were quick to flee.

Though they reached Hammerlocke first, the tanks seemed like nothing compared to the enemy. The enormous shadowy monstrosity that swooped in from the sky seemed to be made from far more advanced technology. Even just the one towering machine, as large as the castle falling to ruins beneath its feet as it lands, proves deadly as it fires upon the approaching tanks, blasting them all to pieces within an instant before turning fire on whichever buildings remain standing.

(Based upon: Tanks, and Reapers)

The Mysterious Storm

There had been no way to predict the change in the weather, never mind how destructive it would prove. One moment, everything had been still and quiet, and the next the city was assailed by howling, violent winds and freezing, glittering snow and ice. Though the city was built of stone and had stood the test of time for centuries, it could not stand against these combined forces. The only shelter was underground, for the furious storm was so powerful it could rip through earth, lift up and fling any object in its path with devastating force, shattering windows and toppling buildings.

Propelled by such force, the ice and hail proved destructive in its own right. As the storm froze everything in its path, the hailstones became like bullets and great chunks of ice became missiles. By the time the winds began to grow calm, there was little left standing.

Something about the storm seemed somehow unnatural, but where it came from was anyone’s guess. Some, however, may have spied a vague figure through the tempest, of unclear appearance but its presence somehow threatening.

(Based upon: Weather, El shortage, and Diamond Dust)

Misplaced Memories
Worries about whatever disaster must have befallen the ruined city of Hammerlocke aside, people quickly become aware that memories of the disaster are not the only invasive, foreign memories. How the other memories come to them seems, on the surface, to be very similar: a connected thought occurs, and upon realizing the memory is not theirs, people are compelled to think more about it until the memory is uncovered in full detail. Unlike the memory of the disaster, however, this one quite clearly belongs to someone else. Someone who is here.

On puzzling this out, some might find they have more than one stray memory sitting in their minds. More importantly, however, is the feeling that something from their own memory is missing, and whatever memory is missing feels like it is something important. It could just be their own phone number, or it could be their name, or the face of whoever is most important to them. It could be something small, it could be something big, but all people know is that it’s something important and it’s gone.

There is no clear, immediate answer as to what people can do about their lost memories. With regards to their new memories, however, the path might seem a tiny bit clearer, for surely it seems a bit unfair that they can see into someone’s past in such a manner without their knowing. Perhaps it’s best to talk to them about it?

Although the lost memory is not always the same as the ones borrowed, taking the memory back to its source and prompting them to discuss and think about it proves a great help - as they talk, the invasive memory leaves, a lost memory is restored, and those who succeed are able to tell others the solution.

While the invasive memory is gone, people can still recall having it, and can still recall the details, but they will no longer remember it from the other’s point of view. Perhaps it might change how they see each other from now on?

back to top

code bases by tricklet

Comments

THE EXHIBITION MATCH -- closed to Ahsoka

[rotomphone]

[ the memory starts with cheering.

It’s the sort of cheering that might be a sensory overload to those not used to it - the ever-present hum of an audience of tens of thousands. Every so often a cheer breaks out of the cacophony, to the rhythm of Raihan’s name. The bright stadium lights are what hit the senses next, hot and imposing at first, but relaxing and welcome after a moment.

Raihan sighs, rolling his head around his shoulders in apparent boredom as he scrolls through his phone. The crowd is nothing but white noise now. ]

Geez… leave it to the Champion to leave the great Raihan waiting. If my long-awaited win is by default, my fans are gonna riot! [ he glances to a well-dressed man and the imposing woman standing by his side, raising an eyebrow. ] Hey, Chairman! Any idea where our boy is at?

[ the man simply shrugs his shoulders, and the woman looks exasperated. With a response like that, it’s likely that Leon’s just gotten lost again… which doesn’t bode well. Thankfully, it seems like asking was all he had to do - the crowd begins to roar as the stadium’s cameras pan upwards, where Leon is flying down on the back of a Corviknight. He appears to have a young passenger with him as well… Raihan might not know the story, but it’s probably something heartwarming, heroic, and so very Leon. ]

Bloody show-off.

[ it might sound annoyed, but the smirk on Raihan’s lips shows more amusement than anything. If there’s anyone out there that could appreciate a flashy entrance, it’s Raihan. When Leon lands and turns to face him, he cocks a challenging eyebrow. ]

You’re late, Leon! I thought you ran away with your tail between your legs.

[ “As if I’d shy away from an opportunity to battle my greatest rival!”, the long-haired man replies, tossing off his cape to the delight of the crowd. That’s Raihan’s cue as well, pulling out his first Poké Ball. ]

So you are ready to lose. That’s what I like to hear!

[ the battle that ensues is a marvel to watch from start to finish - Leon and Raihan meet each other tit for tat, reading each other’s strengths and weaknesses in the practiced way that only longtime rivals can. It comes down to the wire between Duraludon and Charizard, brought to their full potential with their Gigantimax transformations. The crowd had been going wild with chants and rhythmic clapping cheers before this, but they’re going balistic now. The titans battle with the cataclysmic might that only Galarian battles can bring, but it ends as it usually does - with Leon as the victor.

Raihan grits his teeth for a moment at the loss as he recalls Duraludon, but it doesn’t last long. He quietly thanks Duraludon for his efforts, and in a snap moment he’s smiling for his traditional post-loss selfie. Once it’s been squared away, he meets Leon at the middle of the pitch to shake his hand and concede defeat. It’s a strong handshake that ends up pulling into a bro-hug, much to the delight of the crowd. There’s still post-match interviews to do, but in this moment, the roar of the audience and the companionship of his rival is all that matters.

but of course, he takes the opportunity to snap another well-angled selfie with the two of them in frame. it's for the fans, you know. ]

[realway]

[ FORGING ➠ I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. ]

[ this memory is wild. energetic, passionate, booming, no one could deny how ramped up every single action and word was. if she concentrates hard enough and closes her eyes, her hands tingle and body chills in recollection. it was a battle, but not a life and death struggle. two rivals with their pokemon (how does she know that word?) ready to give it their all, for themselves, and for a stadium packed full of fans.

she is, inevitably, drawn to the ruins of the only stadium in this land. the size of it is strikingly similar to the one in that memory, though as she gets closer she realizes the two buildings aren't the same. still, it's a good place to ruminate on what she recollects. a battle where she lived in the moment of being one of those trainers, but never felt threatened or afraid. it was exhilarating and fun without the danger factor to get the heart pumping. the trainers were just happy to have a battle, as were the pokemon they partnered with. somewhere, faint in the back of her head, she doesn't think battles are meant to be like that.

her heart aches when she gets inside and sees the true ruinous appearance of a place that should be full of life and color. her steps are drawn to the field, covered in a thin blanket of snow, and she stops in the same spot raihan was in the memory. she breathes in sharp, closing her eyes, trying to remember again.

the woman is going to need to find him, the man who lost. this memory is important to him. ]

[rotomphone]

[ he knows exactly who this memory belongs to, but that doesn't shed any light on the context of its contents. there's a power that he feels surging through him when that focus reaches an apex... he can't put his finger on it, but that mantra that's repeated makes him feel in harmony with it. "The Force"... he's never heard of it himself, but when that strange glowing blade is gripped, whatever it is resonates with him.

it makes him think of home, even if his home is not as he remembers it. he's been wandering the ruins with Duraludon for what feels like hours (but who's to say how long or short it's been, with time being how it is?); Ahsoka will not need to find him. rather, he finds her, walking through the entrance of the stadium to see her standing in his usual spot. ]

Admiring the architecture? [ he asks loud enough for her to hear, approaching with his hands casually stuffed in his hoodie pockets. ] It looks way more impressive in one piece, promise.

[realway]

Ah!

[ the boom of his voice surprises her in the otherwise dead silence of the stadium. she was so sucked into the atmosphere, the ruins of a once great place brought down by... a storm? yes, it was a storm of ice and snow so destructive it turned this place into nothing more than ruins.

she turns around in her place, observing him with only faint familiarity. her body language is not so guarded, but her shoulders are rolled back and her expression riddled with confusion. it's a far cry from how he last saw her, whenever that was. ]

I'm sure it was. A shame the storm destroyed it. [ she breathes in and blows it out, trying to get her bearings. ] You're the Pokemon trainer. I saw you here - or a place much like here.

[rotomphone]

Storm...?

[ it's muttered to himself, perhaps a bit too quiet for Ahsoka to hear. that memory wasn't what he had at all - he had seen destruction come in the form of the Darkest Day... or something like it. they were both definitely false either way, but had the void really given different people different memories?

he does his best to shake it off, mentally. he can worry about that later. ]

That's my trade! [ he smiles, walking closer so his voice doesn't have to reverberate through the stadium ruins. ] It sounds like you saw one of my battles, then. What'd you think?

[ he imagines that a battle might be a little strange to see from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with Pokémon, so he wants to hear her thoughts. it's something else to talk about that isn't the destruction of his hometown, anyhow. ]

[realway]

It was... intense. Crazy. Out of this world?

[ she lists it off, awkward in trying to describe all she saw to one of the people who lives it as a reality. the creatures, pokemon, fought so hard and yet it felt like the trainers were duking it out just as much. ]

You and your pokemon were in sync. Not just you, but the man you battled against. I guess he was some kind of real bigshot huh? The way everyone roared when he came in -- he was cool, but... a little flashy with that cape.

[rotomphone]

[ he can only imagine what a battle would look like to someone unfamiliar with Pokémon, and a Gigantamax one at that - professional battles were intense to watch on a regular basis, but Galar's flair brought something completely different to the table. ]

If you're gunning to be a professional Trainer, you need that sort of sync with your team. It takes work, but it's worth every second. [ his smile grows into laughter when she describes his rival, nodding. ] Yup, that's Leon all right! Flashy doesn't even begin to cover it... he knows how to please a crowd, that's for sure.

[ when his chuckles die down, he has a fond look in his eyes. of course his rival would make an impression in his own memory. ]

Well, we can't battle like that here, but I'm glad you got to got to see it for yourself! [ he gives Duraludon a casual pat on the head, nodding towards Ahsoka as a go-ahead if he wants to greet her himself. after a moment of looking at her in consideration, he makes the move to get closer to her. ] I saw you too, actually. Not here, obviously - it looked like you were putting together this beam sword-thing... Have you got psychic powers, or is that normal where you're from?

[ it's not unheard of in Raihan's world, but a trait that is mostly reserved for lineages that specialize in training Psychic-type Pokémon. ]

[realway]

[ she watches duraludon approach, smiling down at the unfamiliar pokemon. though she can't remember either of them, they both exude a friendly warmth that clues her into their familiarity with her. her hand settles down onto the pokemon's head when it gets close enough for her to reach, the gesture giving her strange deja vu. ]

Beam sword? ...Oh, you mean a lightsaber, right? [ she doesn't remember it, but she knows of it from what parsee clued her in on. ] Truthfully I don't know. My memory is... a lot more scrambled than most people's. I don't remember anything about my life. A girl named Parsee told me about the swords though.

[ and, even in the memory she regained, she could feel... something powerful in her. an energy that she doesn't know the name of, but that lives within her. even now she can feel it brew. ]

I think I must have powers of some kind, but what does that have to do with putting a sword together?

[rotomphone]

I guess so! That name sounds a lot cooler, though.

[ he wants one... even though he's not sure how light would crystalize like that. it's probably some sort of space tech that he's light years (heh) away from being able to comprehend.

that gets Raihan's brow raising, though. there are certainly gaps in his memory, but Leon was so central to them that it doesn't feel like he'd ever left. he has to wonder how much Ahsoka does remember... at the very least, Duraludon will enjoy the headpats. ]

Wait, you don't remember anything? [ it hits him then -but they had played two truths and a lie, right? that means this amnesia has to be new, and that's worrying. ] Dunno... but I heard something in the memory about a "Force", if that helps any.