bottlecaplogs | Catrina's No Good, Very Grody December And January Catchall!

The tunnels are overflowing with clay and this miserable little turd is gleefully sliding on it, high pitch laughter erupting along the way. Clearly the Spire is paradise to the heinous little booger as Catrina for once starts thinking. This sure did sound a lot like Wormsmas back home.

It dawned on Catrina like a brick to the head, where are all the worm on the strings and what about the classic, The Goose on the Roof!? Clearly it wouldn't be Wormsmas without these essential decorations! Of course, Catrina stops focusing on where she's sliding to ponder this....oh dear...

"GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!" Catrina screeches after her braincells return from lunch break.

Catrina was the new gremlin in the cave as she asks around about a Kris to the other Pokemon there after Mightyena name dropped them earlier. It was a quiet, too quiet day for this booger's likings after she gets a lead from some Eevee after ~~intimidating the information out~~ inquiring about where Kris was. After the back and forth with a side of using the clay as a slippery slide, Catrina FINALLY locates Kris.

...The hell kind of Pokemon was Kris? Catrina looked at them with a perplexed expression, were they some sort of dinosaur llama? Normal Pokemon would've asked politely about what species the other was, but Catrina? That's so funny! Catrina being polite!? No, this little monster marches (well at least close to a march a candle can make) right up to Kris.

"Hey nerd! Heard about yah from Mightyena earlier and recommended that I see yah. What the hell kind of Pokemon are you anyways?"

Kris looks up, lazily nibbling on a garland they were supposed to be stringing up somewhere. They can't exactly look at her, what with the blindness and all, but they have the general direction right. They also have no idea who the hell this is.

It's a pretty rude way to say hello to someone. If it bothers Kris at all, they certainly aren't showing it.

"Dragon type." The garland falls out of their mouth when they speak. They don't bother picking it back up again. Instead, they lean in closer to sniff the air above her. Smells like... melted wax and heat. Hmm. "... I resist you."

Kris resists Catrina? Catrina tilts her head or at least what constitutes for a head to the side. Lifting up an arm, Catrina takes a sniff at herself too, does she offend? No, just the same waxy smell like before, but damn, she thought for sure she'd get a pinecone scent by now. At least she's not made of tallow, that was a far better thing.

"Well shit..okay, I resist you too." She has no clue of the gravity of the words that came out of that mouth.

"Wanna deck the cave out for Wormsmas?" The closest thing to an olive branch to be offered by Catrina.

Meet Kris, CHECK, up next, meet Shoka! Catrina was on a roll with this thing called 'socializing' for sure! Caked in clay and partially melted wax, this little booger went about her way in meeting and interacting with other Pokemon! (Be it good or bad interactions, that didn't matter. Interaction is interaction!)

It took a bit but eventually Catrina would find her way through sliding on that clay, a new indoor sport! Much like Poseidon meeting Odysseus for the first time, it was something else...

"SHOKA OF ORAN BERRY! I CAME TO DO CRAFTS WITH YOU!"

They're pretty sure that's not how resistance works, but they nod anyway. Cool, got it. Double resistance.

"No idea what Wormsmas is." They say it a little too loud and with no intonation, but for once they and their Soul are on the same page. They think on it for a second, tilting their head the other way. "Christmas... but for worms?"

...What was this Christmas the Dragon spoke of? Maybe it was similar to Wormsmas where instead of a giant awful people eating worm it was just some dude name Chris being a jerk got beaten in a game? Catrina certainly had no idea as her mouth opened up to respond.

"It's like a celebration dude where an awful people eating worm called the Woozel Worm that got its hairy ass beaten in a riddle game. I now has to give us gifts instead of carnage each year." Catrina said in a deadpan fashion, her vacant amphibian stare being conveyed perfectly in candle form.

"You know how to make a worm on a string?"

Catrina's shout echoes through the tunnels, startling and sending several other passing Pokémon fleeing before it reaches the ears of one Shoka of Oran Berry.

"What the hell—?"

The cat-shaped Mimikyu swivels around just in time to see an unidentifiable mass of wax and clay hurtling straight toward her at alarming speeds. Unable to tell if Catrina is even capable of hitting the brakes on her clay-slide, Shoka takes the safe route; before contact can be made, she uses Shadow Sneak to disappear into her shadow, then reappears behind Catrina.

"Watch it, loser!"

That's certainly one way of handling a candle as Catrina finally came to a halt on her clay slide. Loser? Did she just call Catrina a loser? She was used to being called a little shit or little witch, but that was a new one. Ironically, it was one of the nicer things to be called in hindsight as Catrina goes to look over the fabled Shoka she's heard about.

"You didn't get plowed over now, did you nerd? Besides, heard from Mightyena you were looking for me before, right? Well here I am now."

Catrina extends her two little wax arms covered in clay as a display of 'clearly I'm the new Bigfoot for Skull Town' gesture. Catrina...weren't you supposed to be doing crafts? Catrina...

"Don't worry about the clay," Mightyena said. "It's completely harmless," she said. Harmless or not, Cedric has decided that the worst sensation in the world might be soft clay squishing between his talons. It's so slimy, and slippery, and how is he supposed to concentrate on making the Spire unbearably merry when everywhere on the ground is-?

"Finnigan's fungus!" This is what he caws out as he desperately flaps out of the line of... fire! Literal candles can be Pokémon, apparently! What next, hopping toothbrushes?

Once he untangles the garland he was holding and attempts to retrieve his feathers that fell - nope, not happening, they're stuck to the clay now, sigh - he hangs one end onto a hook and turns to the purple flame that zoomed past him.

"Some of us are trying to deck the hall, you sliding fire hazard!"

Finnigan's fungus? The Hell was that even?! Catrina gave the squawking bird man a perplex look the best a little fire hazard could give. Looks like the bird didn't take Catrina's sage advice about eating some rocks.

"Dude, you still haven't eaten your rock yet?! You're definitely going to be mineral deficient and lose all your feathers!"

A featherless bird would be hilarious to see though now that Catrina was thinking about...wait deck the hall? There was no worm on a string in sight!

"Shit, that ain't deckin' the halls, you need the fuzzy worms of yarn in many colors to be considered festive!" Catrina waved her two little wax arms to gesture at the lack of Wormsmas decor there was in the cave.

Her question is what makes him register just who this is. Well, no wonder dignity went out the window the moment they collided. He narrows his eyes.

"I get plenty of protein, thank you very much."

Once he realises she's waving, he looks at the green already hung up. "I'm afraid we don't have any yarn. We'll just have to make do with crispy worms of leaves." Surely she doesn't mean actual worms, right? ...Right?

Catrina's face looked like a pug's as she scrunched it up a bit in a molten waxy fashion. This bird doesn't know what Wormsmas is!? Well looks like Catrina is gonna have to teach him the true meaning of Wormsmas!

"Damn, okay I'm dragging your feather duster ass out to make some worms and look for a goose to put on the roof. You can't have Wormsmas without the Goose on the Roof!"

Bigger question, do they even have a knife or booze to offer to the Goose on the Roof to beat up the Woozelworm for them to get more gifts out of?

"Nope," Shoka confirms. "No thanks to you."

She didn't get plowed over, but the threat of getting clay all over her beloved disguise rag was still there!

Before she can say anything more, Catrina moves on, striking a little pose for her. Shoka answers with a puzzled tilt of her disguise-head. "The hell are you—?"

It takes her a moment, but eventually she does manage to recognize Catrina under all the clay. White candle wax, topped with a bright flame; a Litwick. But not just any Litwick.

"Wait. You're the one who..."

The very same Litwick she and Laios chased the trail of for hours, searching at Fireheart's request. Shoka's eyes widen as the ears of her disguise stand straight up in shock.

"What the hell?" How many times is she going to say that before this conversation is through? "We looked literally everywhere for you!"

"The one and the same! Nice to meet yah! Seriously though, I'm so used to being chased off with torch and pitchforks back home before, nice to know people were like looking around for my merry little ass."

Everywhere? Well damn...Catrina looks at her grody little clay caked wax hands in pure wonderment of having managed to do that. Did the pinecones Catrina ate give her super evasive powers?

Don't worry about it Shoka, it's the first thing that comes to mind when dealing with the former wretched and awful amphibian. She really is a 'What the Hell' creature of sorts.

"Hot damn, didn't realize that one. Upside, I'm found now and you get to do some crafts with me like making worm on a string for Wormsmas!"

It should be a joke, but that mention of torches and pitchforks sounds very serious indeed, the way Catrina says it. Shoka only just barely stops herself from asking, What the hell? for the fourth time.

"Uh... huh. Well, you're welcome, I guess... And congrats on not getting snuffed out while you were out there or whatever."

She may not be able to tell Fireheart that Catrina was found (the reminder sends a fresh wave of grief through her), but she can at least let Laios know. She makes a mental note to tell him later (and wonders idly if they could have just missed Catrina because she was covered in clay the same way she is now).

For now, however... Worm on a string?

"Lucky me," she says dryly. "And 'Wormsmas' is...?"

It honestly should've been a joke, but alas it was not. Torches and pitchforks with a side of angry brothel worker that could give Cousin It a run for his money in terms of hair was the norm with this awful candle.

"Thanks, glad I wasn't snuffed out either, would've been boring to go to the afterlife DMV otherwise." She was being sincere....Catrina what the hell!?

What...? Another unfortunate soul that has no clue of the joy (and chaos) of Wormsmas? What will Catrina ever do about this!? Oh she knows damn well what this called for, explain what it is!

"Holy shit, you're like the third person I had to explain what Wormsmas is! Don't worry though, I'm here to tell yah what it is! It's a bad ass holiday celebrating no longer being hunted down by an awful monster worm called 'The Woozel Worm'. We typically make a lot of colorful worm on a string on a fork to decorate with, fun food, storytelling, Goose on the Roof, and gifts! Really fun time."

It's impossible to read their expression, but the way they enthusiastically nod at the follow-up question should convey how much they are already on board with this insane new holiday presented to them. They've already decided this is way more important than the decorating they were supposed to be doing. Mightyena never said not to put up worms on a string, so.

"How many eyes?" The lack of googly eyes is tragic, but they can improvise. They look down at their feet, kicking at some pebbles. Maybe small rocks would work...? They just gotta find good shapes. Hmm.

Catrina has successfully got one Pokemon on board with this absolutely insane holiday. Clearly Mightyena would want worm on a string to be put up on the cave walls, she'll be thrilled to deck the cave walls with them!

"Three eyes, I think I can paint on the pupils for them." Catrina goes to join in for round pebble gathering for the eyes. Alas, googly eyes are not a naturally occurring mineral, if only.

His face scrunches up. First at her choice of words, such crude language directed at his tail - which is not a feather duster thank you (it is) - then at her insistence and choice of... other words. Words that make no sense together in the same sentence.

"What in the EverRealm are you talking about, you overgrown birthday candle?"

"...You eat candles on your birthday? Weirdo." Forget the EverRealm, this bird has been eating candles! No wonder he's not doing too hot!

....Oh no, Cedric never experienced Wormsmas before? Catrina is gonna have to fix that one right away! Time to show the candle eating bird how Wormsmas is done as Catrina recruits Cedric.

"Damn dude, come on, I'll show you how to make a worm on a string for decorating and tell yah the story of Wormsmas! Definitely beats eating candles."

"You don't eat-" No, no, not important, he's not playing that game again.

Nor is he playing this one. He stands firmly in the middle of the hall, wings folded and his head high with indignation.

"I think not. I'm staying right here and donning the walls with exactly what Mightyena provided, thank you."

"...Are you asking to be eaten by the Woozel Worm??? Mightyena clearly got up things to make Wormsmas decor too!"

Catrina felt like she was staring at the feathered version of a certain grumpy green hairball with the concerning ability to shrink or grow his heart at will. Clearly, Catrina will have to ~~kidnap~~ take Cedric on a whimsical field trip in understanding Wormsmas.

"You, You're coming with me to give you a good dose of Wormsmas cheer."

Edited (Strike went wild :x) 2026-01-05 03:24 (UTC)

By the time Catrina has finished explaining, Shoka has gone from confused and slightly annoyed to resigned. Sure—Woozel Worm, Goose on the Roof. Not much point in questioning these things.

"... Yeesh. Torches and pitchforks, and now a whole monster worm? Wherever you're from must seriously suck. Or you're just that unpopular."

Or both!

"Anyways... You're saying that you were making all that noise so you could make worms with me. Do I have that right?"

"I mean, what world isn't seriously fucked over?" Catrina has never once consider herself unpopular...Catrina you're definitely an unpopular wonder...why are you so weird?

It was most certainly both, it can do wonders to a former amphibian for sure!

Catrina's little flame brightens immediately and oh no...she's been won over by Shoka.

"Fuck yeah you got that one right! So, what do you say? You in for some making Worm on a strings to decorate the cave with?"

"Well, I don't think this world's so bad. Even if I did have to fight off a monster worm here too once."

It was only a confused Orthworm, but compared to a Mimikyu, the average Orthworm is massive.

At Catrina's offer, Shoka falls silent, appearing to weigh her options heavily. She's quiet for so long that she seems sure to refuse... But truthfully, she's already made up her mind. She's in a good mood today, and seeing where Catrina is going with all this will be entertaining, if nothing else.

"... What the hell, sure. Sounds like a riot." There's another, shorter pause before she suddenly asks, "What was your name again?"

"Hot damn, was this monster worm eating people too? Just they're the worst things ever."

Catrina doesn't even bat an eyelash(?) when she says it, this was just a normal Tuesday for her.

Such a suspenseful silence this was! Catrina awaited baited breathed at this to see if she'll get a crafting buddy and won't get ostracized! (Okay this wasn't true, Catrina was just sitting there with the blank amphibian stare on a candle's face. This is fine, definitely fine on Catrina's end..)

"Hell yeah! Let's make some worms on a string!" Catrina was then pulled back to reality upon getting asked her name. "Oh shit, right! Name's Catrina Calavera, nice to meet yah Shoka."

Considering his redemption arc after meeting a tiny, sweet child, that grumpy green hairball may have been a decent comparison to Cedric in the olden days. Not that Catrina will know the difference at this particular moment.

"She didn't make a single utter of your so-called 'Wormsmas', so I sincerely doubt it. And since this is her world, not ours, I'm not going to stand here and assume it's remotely like Wormsmas or Wassailia or-"

To be fair, Catrina most certainly isn't a sweetheart child by any definition of the words presented here. No, this was the little horrid sewer gremlin that's been thrusted into the grumpy green hairball's way and got surprised adopted.

"Birdie! Where's your holiday spirit!? I'm takin' yah with me then to make some worm on a string, you're part of the found family unit!" Catrina goes to pretty much yoink Cedric with her for the ill advised Wormsmas decorating...this is going to go well...maybe?

"No? She just thought I was trying to wormnap her kid for some reason."

The (extremely confused) Orthworm just wanted to crush her, not eat her. Shoka doesn't bat an eyelash when she says this either. Two can play at that game!

"Anyways, you're probably gonna have to supply the tutorial on this one, Catrina Calavera. Can't say I've ever made a worm on a string... Or that I even know what that is."

Is it just exactly what it sounds like, or...?

"Well at least she wasn't trying to eat people, that one was a shitty time for all involved."

Upside, Shoka wasn't chased down by the police after one of her familiars stole a whole ass baby...that one is definitely a story for another day...Catrina..

The pug like scrunching of the face comes for Catrina in waxen form as she thinks over how to convey the tutorial given...yeah no normal magic here. OH WAIT! An idea comes to mind as she takes advantage of the clay slide. Catrina draws a pretty easy to follow tutorial on how to make a worm on a string with yarn, fingers (they'll have to hunt down someone for fingers to steal), and making some eyes with painted pebbles.

"It's makeshift as hell, but should work. We just need to steal someone's fingers for it since there aren't any forks here."

Shoka shuffles over to take a look at Catrina's tutorial. It's surprisingly easy to follow (and she realizes that the worm part actually looks a little familiar) and—wait, what was that last part?

"... Fingers. As in actual fingers? Like off a hand?"

She gives her own set of ghostly fingers a demonstrative wiggle.

Over the moon and back, Catrina was thrilled to see that Shoka had the mythical forbidden fingers of lore in the Bay! This was amazing news and perfect for making the worm on the strings!

"Exactly and that's perfect! Shall we make the worm on the string?"

This will definitely make the pom pom balls part easier for the building of the worm on a string! Come on Catrina's lucky stars....

"Oh. You just meant..." She lowers her hand, eyes flitting away in a manner that looks vaguely embarrassed. "Never mind."

She... might have thought for a second there that Catrina meant to include severed fingers in the crafting process. Somehow. How would they even be incorporated? As worm bones?

A-anyway...! Shoka's fingers are more claw than finger, really, but they're surprisingly dexterous and delicate when she needs them to be. They'll work just fine for crafting.

"I already said I'm down, didn't I? So do you already have your own yarn, or...?"

If not, she doesn't mind taking some from her own personal supply. Obtaining yarn in Bottlecap Bay may not be as easy as taking a trip to a craft store, but she has her ways (namely bartering and doing chores in exchange for it, or spinning some from shed Pokémon fur herself after learning how to last spring).

"Well yeah, making pom pots with." Catrina pauses before adding this darling dandy detail: "Though no judgement, heard some folks like eating them like frites. Just add buttery garlic seasonings on it."

Worm bones....a new project for Catrina to add to her little necromancy list of sorts once she's back home and not a candle beast thing.

Those were the most badass looking claws though, Catrina was a bit jealous of that one. Why couldn't she still keep the claws and hand-tail? Maybe even the toxic flesh...nevermind she has acid coat, Catrina is good on that front.

"Hey, had to test yah to make sure you didn't back out on making worm on a strings."

.....THAT WAS WHAT CATRINA WAS FORGETTING! Upside, Catrina ~~stole~~ found a good cord for the body base! "I got a good center string for the worms! You got yarn?"

Cedric lets out a most undignified yelp as a literal candle tugs him with surprising strength in the direction of... somewhere. He hasn't a clue where she's going, but wherever it is, he's positive he won't like it.

Will he ask? No. Instead, he's going to be pedantic. "I already have a family, you insistent illuminant, and unless we're going fishing I have no interest in putting any sort of worm on a string!"

Really, not even fishing sounds appealing in this company, but he'd take it over the adornment of what's rapidly sounding to him like actual live worms.

"Well so do I, but my family ain't here! So we gotta band together as a family unit." Catrina just has that 'don't give a damn' vibe going on and pretty strong as she continues dragging Cedric along.

It's comical in nature for anyone watching, a horrid tiny candle creature dragging along a full sized crow for decorating....Catrina is perfectly okay with this!

Oh joy the end of the tunnel is nigh! Looks like Catrina is taking Cedric out to barter for materials...Catrina...please let the former wizard go...Cat..

"Garlands are worm shaped," they helpfully add, in case she somehow didn't think of that already. They got plenty of those to work with. As for the last ingredient of the perfect worm on a string... they lean down to her level, speaking in a gravely serious tone. "Know where we can get some string."

... but that step can wait until later. Gotta deal with the eyes first.

Lacking both functional eyes of their own and opposable thumbs, Kris resorts to grabbing a mouthful of rocks and rolling them around in their mouth. To test for size and roundness, obviously. They spit the good ones into a gross little pile on the floor.

"Damn, that's a good point and its edible too!" Catrina no...nevermind this booger is sold on being able to eat the garland worm on a string.

....The matter of the sting though...Catrina scrunches her face a bit as she bullies her own braincells into this mythical thing called 'thinking'. The flame brightens a bit as though a lightbulb went off remembering the SINTO quest, "How about we hit up the gift wrapping pile? I think that has string there we could use!"

A new tradition has been founded as Catrina watches Kris on how they test the rocks before trying it herself! It's like jawbreakers, only earthier and maybe a bit metallic tasting. Mineral intaking is happening as a bonus!

Not like that is Cedric's immediate thought, but of course she isn't going to listen so he just groans as her weird waxy hand continues to pull him.

Once he sees they're almost out, he finally chirps up again. "And where do you plan to find this 'worm' on a string, in this bitter cold weather?"

"Silly Birdie, why at the market of course! We're going to town for some Wormsmas supplies!" Catrina's weird little waxy limbs are proving to be a blessing somehow as she continues to take Cedric along for the 'family' decorating.

How she plans on getting the supplies, well....Catrina don't you think about it..DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT IT

"Gross," Shoka replies flatly.

No judgment from Catrina, but plenty of judgment from Shoka, apparently.

In any case, back to the topic of crafting! Shoka snorts.

"Pfft! You showed up here to craft with me, and you don't even have your own yarn? Were you hoping you'd get a chance to steal from my stash this whole time, or what?"

She's still clearly in a good mood; the thought doesn't even seem to offend her all that much. Whether that was Catrina's actual plan or not, it will be a success.

"Either way—hell yeah, I've got yarn. C'mon." With that, Shoka starts to move, guiding Catrina toward the communal den where her aforementioned stash is currently being kept. "Honestly, the worm you drew looks kind of familiar... But it's called something different where I'm from."

Well Catrina's magical skills of assumption saved her semi-melty wax based buns right there as she follows Shoka along for the crafting stash!! Maybe they can make the fabled giant worm on a string...it'd be majestic...

Sure, Catrina has been doing fine in terms of clay but...can you really cuddle a clay worm on a string? Can you really cuddle that!?

...Okay Catrina might be able too, but it's not the same thing.

"Woah, for real? What were worm on a string called where you're from?"

This was news to Catrina, then again, a lot of things have been news to Catrina since arriving to Bottlecap Bay.

They pause their rock-chewing to consider this suggestion. Huh... that's actually a pretty good idea. They were planning to steal from Akechi's conspiracy board, but this works too.

Maybe next time. Their(?) secret emergency string stash...

They spit a few more good rocks into the pile.

"What else do you do for Wormsmas?"

Catrina puts a pause on chewing on a rock to think on Wormsmas, delightfully whimsical Wormsmas~!

"Well we got the Goose on the Roof, a wooden goose that we supply with knives and booze to fight off the Woozel Worm with. We also have these cheesecake bars on a stick that are shaped like stars as well as spice surprise cookies that have candies inside."

Oh boy...this informal keeps on coming and Catrina spares no details!

"There's like the Wormsmas Market that we get fun vendors at along with foods and Storytellers. Downside, have to monitor my older brother, he gets out of hand with the Woozel Worm performer without fail. I think he got arrested once or evaded arrest, I'm not entirely sure which one."

"Mōrā. I've seen 'em in videos a few times. I guess you're supposed to do magic tricks with 'em or something?"

She scurries her way into one of the dens, where a (completely unexplained) cellarette sits with a large, black bag set atop it. And inside the bag... a collection of yarn! It's isn't a huge selection, but there are a variety of colors and textures to choose from.

It was more than Catrina could've hoped for as she checks out the selection of yarns to use for the worm on a string. Cat's pretty engrossed by the amazing sight of it as the rusted gears started to creak from turning in her mind.

"Fun question time, think we can make a giant one and see if we do giant magic tricks with?"

Catrina's No Good, Very Grody December And January Catchall!

...Is there a Goose? *Happy Pawlidays* (Closed to Cedric)

Worms, Peens, and Clay Floored Tunnels! *Happy Pawlidays* (Closed to Kris)

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DIY Worm on a String Gothic Edition!

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Invitation to yoink this loser in your next tag

Catrina is off to yoink a Bird >:3c

TIL: worm on a string is called "Moller" in Japan...or just "magic worm" lmao

OMG Moller....if they make a giant worm on a string, we should totally name it 'Moller'

dear sweet Moller.........

Beloved Moller...shall we have these goobers make Moller? :o

absolutely!

Yay XD Moller is a comin'!

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...Is there a Goose? Happy Pawlidays (Closed to Cedric)

Worms, Peens, and Clay Floored Tunnels! Happy Pawlidays (Closed to Kris)