[Day 0] Odile's 7 Deadly Scumtells Mafia

[Shiny Phantump]

The rise of the sign pulled Morgan’s attention away from the people she was talking to.

“The writing encourages all sexually promiscuous individuals to go to a ‘party.’ Parties generally contain glucose-rich foodstuffs. Conclusion: cake may be provided to successful test subjects.”

Morgan laughed earnestly at the psychic metal crab’s analysis. “I think the sluts part is a joke. Some people just talk like that~”

She hoped so. What she’d been told about ghost anatomy didn’t seem to lend itself to promiscuity. Positive charges, negative charges, none of it sounded like any fun. Not that it really changed much from her human life. She’d head over there anyway, and it chances are nothing would stop her.

There was just one other thing distracting her. The game hadn’t even properly started and people were already picking fights. The distress coming from that direction was more appealing than any ‘glucose-rich foodstuffs’ were. Unfortunately, it seemed to be coming from this guy with his hair dyed green harassing some woman, which meant she probably had a social-moral obligation to intervene. Especially because she’d kinda made eye contact with the woman when the emotional intensity in that direction started ramping up. Made it seem like she looking around for someone to bail her out.

Morgan flew up to the woman and reached out to wrap a tendril around her wrist.

“Hey, c’mon, ditch this jerk. Wanna come see what the world’s worst party looks like?”
@Seren

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Amid an ocean of blood, a greninja got to his feet and took a long breath. In, then out; calm and collected. He was unharmed, and there was no apparent danger... His tongue extended to lap at the blood. It didn't seem to be flowing actively from the open veins of some great creature, at least.

Time to assess the situation.

First, was it possible that this was a lucid dream? Or was it real? Alternatively, could it be both or neither – some induced shared hallucination, a mystery dungeon-like pocket realm...

He shook his head. There was nothing for it but to participate. Conjecture was of no practical use in the present circumstances.

“The writing encourages all sexually promiscuous individuals to go to a ‘party.’ ”

"Or perhaps the sign is advertising the presence of sluts at the party?" he quipped.

Not that he was especially interested in sluts, but if it helped the self-conscious participants to hurry themselves along, then all to the good.

"Shall we go find out?" he suggested, smiling.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Perhaps you're looking to add a little extra spice to your dull life, and being visited by a creepy dream mirage is the way to do it. Or, maybe her taunting lights a fire in you, and you have some sort of reason to prove yourself to her...

A challenge, one that a strange creature had given to him in a dream, and the sense that backing down was unacceptable...

Baraz emerged from the pool with the sensation that he must have had too much maize-wine the previous night. He shook his head to clear it, and found that clarity came more readily than he'd expected. He briefly entertained the thought that someone must have killed an enormous Saint to spill such a great amount of blood, but of course that was nonsense. This was not true blood (he marveled at the way it slipped from his fur as if he wore scraggy-skin). This was a rift, a dungeon, a hole in the world-cloth formed from the bones of a dead god. And the only way out was to surpass its challenges.

The Floatzel surveyed his surroundings, and the strange assortment of mon that had been pulled into the rift along with him. Some wildren, some townie... a strange intuition told him that the gangly bare-skinned mon were humans. Now that was interesting.

His eyes fell on the sign, and though it wasn't the usual Lucre runes, he found himself able to understand it.

"Ha, it seems our host has presented us with entertainment!" Baraz gestured widely, paws facing up. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

He was perfectly aware that dungeons might present visions of false joys, and this did not bother him.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Wallace watched with interest as the gathering grew in number. A Mismagius, a Minior, a Metagross that seemed even drier than Steven's (if that was at all possible.) Even some humans, like himself. At least that meant he wasn't completely hallucinating. Or that everyone didn't see everyone else as a randomly assigned pokemon species for anonymity's sake. You know, like at one of those fancy masquerade parties. (Ohh, now wouldn't that be fun?)

And then the sign appeared, and any lingering doubt that this was a fancy party vanished into thin air. It was gaudy, garish, and absolutely hilarious.

A grin scrawled its way across Wallace's face, his eyes lighting up with overt humor. "I take back what I said about the wine," he murmured to himself as he rose to his feet and followed the sign's direction.

"Or perhaps the sign is advertising the presence of sluts at the party?" he quipped. "Shall we go find out?" he suggested, smiling.

"Oh there's no mystery. There will be sluts present once I get there."

He gave an airy laugh, and winked at the talking Greninja. "I'm only teasing. Sort of. Wallace. A pleasure." The speed-dating introduction was punctuated with the flutter of a hand over his breast that turned into a dismissive wave. "Don't worry, I won't be offended if you forget my name by the end of the night. Happens all the time."

He laughed again, and walked in the direction of the promised party.

 

[Seren]

The sign popped up out of nowhere, as things often did in these settings. Kimiko read it with a barely contained giggle, wondering like the rest whether they’d all just been called names, or if they’d just been promised entertainment. “The heart is a nice touch,” she said aloud to no one in particular.

Morgan flew up to the woman and reached out to wrap a tendril around her wrist.

“Hey, c’mon, ditch this jerk. Wanna come see what the world’s worst party looks like?”

And that’s where the fun ended. Kimiko froze as she felt the eerie sensation of incorporeal touch at her wrist. She didn’t need to look to know what that was, but she did anyway - to find the mismagius that was eyeing her earlier now hovering at her side.

Kimiko yanked her hand back like she’d just been shocked, taking a step back with a startled yelp. “I, uh…” She shot a look back at the sign, biting her lip. It was clear they were expected to go, sluts or no sluts. She started moving in that direction, resisting the urge to flat-out run, or even just jog. “Y-yeah, sure, looks like a good time, huh?”

Wait, that’s not what the ghost had said at all…

 

[Persephone]

Pokémon are generally incapable of reading human languages. Translation would assist them and, perhaps, prompt them to walk to their demise.

“The writing encourages all sexually promiscuous individuals to go to a ‘party.’ Parties generally contain glucose-rich foodstuffs. Conclusion: cake may be provided to successful test subjects.”

 

[Persephone]

Pokémon are generally incapable of reading human languages. Translation would assist them and, perhaps, prompt them to walk to their demise.

“The writing encourages all sexually promiscuous individuals to go to a ‘party.’ Parties generally contain glucose-rich foodstuffs. Conclusion: cake may be provided to successful test subjects.”

The repetition was part of a successfully executed mind game. Metagross do not make mistakes.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Kimiko yanked her hand back like she’d just been shocked, taking a step back with a startled yelp. “I, uh…” She shot a look back at the sign, biting her lip. It was clear they were expected to go, sluts or no sluts. She started moving in that direction, resisting the urge to flat-out run, or even just jog. “Y-yeah, sure, looks like a good time, huh?”

Morgan realized that she’d reversed cause and effect. It wasn’t that the nut job made the woman feel afraid, and she’d looked to Morgan. She’d looked to Morgan, and then felt afraid. The hit of fear she took in from that mistake disambiguated the order immediately.

The membrane of her apparition tingled electric in response to the fear. It was so much more powerful than the annoyance and anxiety she usually subsisted on. For a split second, the two irreconciled portions of her life chafe. One half wanted to do it again, to reach out further, grab her, make her scream. The other was disgusted by every part of this interaction so far and wanted to self-destruct in shame. Then, as quickly as it happened, both sides were forced back together.

Morgan withdrew, giving the woman some space, and laughed it off. “Whoops! Sorry about that. Let’s just…”

Go? Clearly, this woman wanted nothing to do with her. So what why were they both playing at being able to get along?

Morgan decided to lean into it. “You know, Mismagius are, well, the PC word is ‘negative affivores.’ We’re fear-eaters. We could have a great symbiotic relationship, you and I~” she laughed, “I’ll try to keep you alive, and you just… keep doing your thing! Name’s Morgan, by the way. Yours?”

She moves in the direction the sign indicated, grinning and looking like she was beckoning the woman to follow.

 

[Persephone]

Morgan realized that she’d reversed cause and effect. It wasn’t that the nut job made the woman feel afraid, and she’d looked to Morgan. She’d looked to Morgan, and then felt afraid. The hit of fear she took in from that mistake disambiguated the order immediately.

The membrane of her apparition tingled electric in response to the fear. It was so much more powerful than the annoyance and anxiety she usually subsisted on. For a split second, the two irreconciled portions of her life chafe. One half wanted to do it again, to reach out further, grab her, make her scream. The other was disgusted by every part of this interaction so far and wanted to self-destruct in shame. Then, as quickly as it happened, both sides were forced back together.

Morgan withdrew, giving the woman some space, and laughed it off. “Whoops! Sorry about that. Let’s just…”

Go? Clearly, this woman wanted nothing to do with her. So what why were they both playing at being able to get along?

Morgan decided to lean into it. “You know, Mismagius are, well, the PC word is ‘negative affivores.’ We’re fear-eaters. We could have a great symbiotic relationship, you and I~” she laughed, “I’ll try to keep you alive, and you just… keep doing your thing! Name’s Morgan, by the way. Yours?”

She moves in the direction the sign indicated, grinning and looking like she was beckoning the woman to follow.

[Fascinating. Do you have to be the one to cause the fear?]

This could represent a sustainable energy source if properly adapted and harnessed. Further research is required.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Oh there's no mystery. There will be sluts present once I get there."

He gave an airy laugh, and winked at the talking Greninja. "I'm only teasing. Sort of. Wallace. A pleasure."

Matthias, despite himself, felt a rush of blood to his face – which he concealed with his distended tongue. He couldn't recall ever meeting someone quite like Wallace the slut. He found the man... immediately captivating.

"Matthias. Likewise."

...In that it was a pleasure to meet him. Not the thing about being a slut. So far, anyway. (Heaven help him.)

The speed-dating introduction was punctuated with the flutter of a hand over his breast that turned into a dismissive wave. "Don't worry, I won't be offended if you forget my name by the end of the night. Happens all the time."

He laughed again, and walked in the direction of the promised party.

He'd forgotten what humans even looked like, even what his own face had looked like before his transformation... and here one was, talking about... about intimate trysts? Despite himself, he could feel his voice about to hitch in his throat. 'Happens all the time'? Sweet lord.

"Does it really?" he replied, bravely attempting to sound casual. "Do you leave so fleeting an impression? Somehow, I imagine not."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

[Fascinating. Do you have to be the one to cause the fear?]

“Uhh, no. I don’t. I don’t think emotional energy is even necessarily tied to a definitive source. If I were in a dense enough population I could probably filter-feed without issue. But I’ve never lived anywhere like that.”

If not for that earlier comment about sexually promiscuous individuals earlier she’d suspect this Metal- Meta- Metacrab (or what they were actually called) might be a faller. Had they never met an affivore before? “What’s it to you? Never heard about us before?”

 

[Persephone]

“Uhh, no. I don’t. I don’t think emotional energy is even necessarily tied to a definitive source. If I were in a dense enough population I could probably filter-feed without issue. But I’ve never lived anywhere like that.”

If not for that earlier comment about sexually promiscuous individuals earlier she’d suspect this Metal- Meta- Metacrab (or what they were actually called) might be a faller. Had they never met an affivore before? “What’s it to you? Never heard about us before?”

[Research.]

Initiate Ramming. You lunge to the human designated Kimiko and telepathically haul them into the air, claw at their throat.

[Approximately how many kilocalories did this generate? I will also accept answers in wattage.]

 

[Dragonfree]

Gabriel chuckled awkwardly at the sign. "Yeah, uh, I think the host of this dream is just the type who calls everyone that?" Or, at least, he hoped so. If this party actually got weird and sexual he might have to bail, if that was something you could even do in a dream-party.

 

[Seren]

Whoops! Sorry about that. Let’s just…”

The ghost recoiled and apologized as a Kimiko recoiled from her touch. That was… unexpected. Maybe her sudden yelp startled her…? That would be a first.

Her mind first went to what kind of trick is this? But then remembered that she’d once been told that ghosts from other… places than her own may not function the same as the ones she’s familiar with. Perhaps this was one of those cases. “Y-yeah, it’s uh. It’s fine. Totally cool. No problem.” She hoped her mild trembling went unnoticed…

We could have a great symbiotic relationship, you and I~”

…At least until these words filtered through her brain. “No! No, no, there’s no need for that, really. I uh, I’m already in a happy relationship, thank you.”

…

Under her breath, she added, “And I’m perfectly capable of keeping myself alive, thank you very much.”

She didn’t quiet like the idea of following Morgan, but everyone else was headed towards the supposed party, and they were clearly meant to…

Her name. Should she give her name? Wha did she offered a false one? No, but then she’d have to remember it all night, and this was just a mismagius, not like a demon or fae or vampire or whatever creature it was that names held power over.

“…Kimiko. I’m Kimiko.”

 

[Seren]

Initiate Ramming. You lunge to the human designated Kimiko and telepathically haul them into the air, claw at their throat.

[Approximately how many kilocalories did this generate? I will also accept answers in wattage.]

“Hey, what the fuck?!”

And just like that, the ghost wasn’t the concern. At the moment. She was probably enjoying a feast right now, though.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“No! No, no, there’s no need for that, really. I uh, I’m already in a happy relationship, thank you.”

Morgan would’ve flushed, had she still blood. Kimiko was objectively pretty, but that didn’t get the same kind of reaction out of her that her human self would’ve had. She certainly wasn’t trying to insinuate anything that could’ve been construed as slutty. “What the— No! Come on, don’t you know what the word symbiotic means? It’s not whatever you’re thinking! I’m not flirting with you.”

She pulled her composure together. “The only thing I’d yours I’m interested in eati—“

[Approximately how many kilocalories did this generate? I will also accept answers in wattage.]

Only to have it shattered again a moment later. A delightful energy tingled over her entire body, the pearls around her throat glowed as excess energy converted to light. It was the most alive she’d felt since she was human. It was almost overstimulating. She had no idea what to do about it.

“I have no idea! What do you think I am, a fucking voltmeter? I can’t even compare it to food, I haven’t been able to eat anything for energy in this body.”

The last three words were a slip of the tongue, scrambling as she was to come up with a response. One that didn’t even notice she’d made.

She raised two of her tendrils and conjured a will-o-wisp between them. Was she really going to put herself on the line to end this sensation? It wasn’t like Kimiko was about to start liking her either way. But she’d just promised to protect Kimiko, she wanted… something. Respect? Trust? Something made her feel like she had to.

Bloody morals, she cursed to herself.

“Put the— Put Kimiko down, now. This experiment isn’t going to produce any meaningful results.”

 

[Persephone]

[Very well.]

You abruptly release your hold on the human. How far will she fall into the blood? Will it act like the surface of a body of water or will she hit hard ground underneath? There is science to be done.

[Query: “Current” body. Did your previous body consume organic matter and/or electricity?]

 

[Sinderella]

You and your group can't be sure how long you guys walked along. It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. All you can tell is nothing changed for a long while. Nothing got closer, and nothing faded out of view. You all might as well have been walking on a treadmill. That is, until you actually find the "party," which is nothing more than a single red balloon barely hanging on by its dying helium, tied to the back of a white plastic chair that looked to be caked with grime and dirt. No sluts are present aside from those self-proclaimed, so its safe to assume your host was calling you as such and not just indicating any would be present.

Before the disappointment has any chance to set in, you are all bombarded with the sound of trumpeting fanfare. Colorful lights erupt from the blood, accompanied by dozens of confetti canons that begin to pop in quick succession, raining strips of colorful paper upon you. If you look closely, you can see the words SURPRISE BITCHES printed on them. But you might not have much attention left to spare on mere confetti, as a stadium stage has now appeared before you.

The pyrotechnics are one thing. So is the large banner that reads WELCOME TO PARADISE, SLUTS. But what really stands up is the small woman standing among the flying sparks and raining confetti and blaring brass. She's clad in a tracksuit, as black as the matter overhead and lined with a stark purple. Her double braids shake under her maniacal cackling.

"̷̨̛̜̬͈͘͝H̵̢͎̬̻̆O̵̠͉͍̿N̴͉͈̠̈͑͝Ị̵̰͍̻̔Ë̵̮͎͕̮́̎̕E̸͈̋͌E̷̲̙͋͂͘E̴̛̺̳̍̚S̵̟̓͐̇̈S̴̻̝̭̊͝S̵͎̻͒̂Ś̵̫̬̘̂Ş̵͓͎̯́̿͗͘,̸͈̣̾͝ ̵̹̑̐̕Ỉ̴̙͔'̵̢̰͇͊̎̓M̵͍̻͕̂̅̃̈́ ̸̬͙̗͍͐̀̓H̶̛̼̦͠Ǫ̷̺̞̐ͅO̴̧̘̱̔̿̾̕ͅO̶͍̍O̵̹͔͕̽O̷͈̊̑̊O̴̳̍O̴̬̫͍̓̽̽̓M̷̛̤̰͛E̵̢̧͓̦͊͝!̵̖̆͌͌͜"̶̟̝̀̅͘͝

And as quickly as it started, the excitement quiets, leaving her standing in a heavy silence as she waited for reactions. Gasps of fear, stunned exclamations, or, preferably, applause. A lot of work into this, and she expected to be acknowledged.

"Well?" A piece of confetti landed on her bangs, and she blew it off without moving out of her wide stance.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

For a moment, it seemed like Morgan was going to help Kimiko up. Then she flinched and withdrew, remembering that she’d be unwelcome to do so.

[Query: “Current” body. Did your previous body consume organic matter and/or electricity?]

Morgan grimaced. So much for learning to pass as a normal ghost. “Yes.”

That was all she offered. She was content to move towards the ‘party’ in silence. Then she stared silently at the slightly-off seeming woman who, based on her voice, seemed to be the weed girl. She had no reaction.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

WELCOME TO PARADISE, SLUTS.

"Ah, we have our answer, then. It is we who are the sluts. We are also... bitches, apparently. How theatrical!"