bottlecaplogs | Dolly's February and March Catchall~

((CW for Memory Loss and Auditory Hallucinations!!))

Having to defend themselves to gather info? CHECK!

Ominous Shadows and flickers of ribbons leading the group deeper into the woods? DOUBLE CHECK!

Now for eerie ringing sounds in the forest....

Definitely what a horror they outpour when the ringing started out in the woods. This bodes well, so totally well, no fear here! Deep breath in, deep breath out, get that light screen up. All good now, it's working...for now....

Over the course of the dread beast called time, it seemed to finally get to Dolly as she starts wandering off course...Dolly get back here! You're too small and snatchable to be wandering on your own!

Edited (grammar attack and needing the CW!) 2026-02-15 18:37 (UTC)

Even when he's as prepared as can be, Cedric can't help but be nervous. He's no stranger to fights, but even with magic he has often been overpowered by enemies - what's stopping that from happening again, when this seems more intimidating than your average Pokémon? Overall, he stays quiet in order to desperately concentrate on something other than that infernal ringing.

That is, until he notices Dolly trailing away from them, taking the Light Screen with her. Shield aside, this is very unlike someone who's usually so good at communicating what she's doing, so he frantically flaps to catch up with her.

"Dolly, where are you going?! We have to stick together or else we'll all get lost!"

The thing about Siffrin is: while they've also been getting affected, they are very familiar with forgetting things, sometimes outright mid-conversation. And they still can't help but try to hide it - out of habit, out of the urge to not be a problem...

In any case, up until now - particularly shielded behind Dolly's Light Screen - they've been managing okay. When in doubt, go along with what everyone else is doing until you figure out what's going on! It does mean they've been been fluctuating in how helpful they're being, taking the lead more actively some times than others, but (they hope) not too noticeably.

It's been getting worse, though. As Dolly starts to wander off, taking away the protection of her Light Screen, they shake their head, ears folded back. Then they bound to catch up to her and Cedric, reflexively.

What were they doing again - oh, right, tracking a Pokemon. They can still see those weird streamers through the forest's shadows, they just need to focus on those.

"Hey, gingersnap - it's to the right."

Dolly stops in mid trot and looks up innocently with the wide Sylveon eyes at Cedric and Siffrin, confused by that.

"I thought it was this way? Weren't we supposed to turn here?"

How odd...how strange. Backing up, Dolly goes to return to the main group of Siffrin and Cedric. There's a moment of Dolly shaking her head a bit, her ears feel off like they've been popped suddenly. Oh well, she's ready and rearing to continue to do...what were they doing again?

...Oh right..track a Pokemon...? Doesn't sound correct...maybe it's the musician, Prince?

Yep, going with that! It felt right..maybe? It's fine, definitely fine, no worries about Dolly here! "Which direction are we going again?"

He stares in disbelief. Why does she seem so out of it? She wasn't like this moments before, what's changed?

Siffrin's statement encourages him to point with a wing for emphasis as he flies ahead to guide her. "Yes, right! Right is right! Can't you see the streamers? We've been following them this whole time!"

Or perhaps her own personal streamers are distracting her? But why?

"Did you not sleep well this morning?"

...streamers? Oh, those streamers. What were they doing following the streamers - no, right, they're tracking a Pokemon.

Siffrin shakes their head again, more noticeably this time. This is weird. This isn't the part of the woods that's usually the most confusing, right...? This is the part of the woods with the anger-inducing... mushrooms...

A patch of which Dolly is right about to walk through while returning to the two of them. Siffrin makes a startled sound that's almost a "wait" but not quite, but they just can't think of a warning that won't take too long to say aloud. So out of instinct they dart toward Dolly, dodging around the mushroom patch and yanking her off the ground by the looser fur at the back of her neck and shoulders.

They don't exactly make a habit of scruffing people, or even of much physical contact, so they overestimate how heavy Dolly will be and nearly overbalance by putting too much force into it. Fortunately, even with their own disorientation, they still have their sense of balance and manage to stay on their feet.

But having a mouthful of fur does mean they can't actually explain themself. "Mmph."

Up goes a Dolly in the scruff, a soft 'eep' sound coming out of her from being startled. Upside, Dolly is saved from the dread rage mushrooms! She is such a tiny Sylveon though as she gets carried back to the group.

Deep breath in...deep breath out...there we go, Dolly is getting herself grounded from the surprise scruffing. She looks up to Cedric though to finally answer him.

"I don't think anyone has slept well ever since the Grumpearl malfunction...that wasn't very ideal to go through. I still have the pearl imprisoned in the Poffin jar."

Dolly was definitely planning on treating herself to either PokePuffs to Poffins once this was completed...whatever this was anyways...Oh right hunting a musician in the woods.

Dolly's "Eep!" causes him to turn around and see... well. Sylveon are scruffable, he supposes, but it still feels strange witnessing it in the flesh. It's a bit unorthodox, but he's silently grateful for Siffrin taking such initiative.

The mention of the Grumpearls, however, makes him flap more aggressively. "Oh, don't remind me! What a mess! Had to clean up my whole bed after the last one!"

Is it just him, or is the ringing getting louder? That's probably why he raises his voice as he adds, "L-let's keep going! I can see the streamers now, just follow my lead so we stick together!"

"Mmph," Siffrin responds. Which seems to be them agreeing.

They trot after Cedric readily enough, though it shortly becomes more and more evident that after every burst of ringing they're slowing, looking around in confusion - and then catching sight of Cedric and racing to catch up, trying to act as if there's nothing wrong.

...it's probably most noticeable to Dolly, still being carried, but then again - is she actually going to remember that in between ringing sounds herself?

The ringing continues to grow. Finally, one round of it breaks through Dolly's Light Screen enough that Siffrin outright stops, letting go of her. They fold their ears down, wincing, and squint their eyes shut. When the ringing settles and Siffrin opens their working eye again, their gaze darts between Dolly and Cedric, confused.

What were they doing...? Are they supposed to be staying here with Dolly, or following Cedric?

Woah what was going on with Siffrin? Dolly between noticing and forgetting, wasn't paying attention as the Light Screen breaks....DOWN GOES DOLLY! She tumbles a bit from the sudden drop before looking up...

Wait, why was there an awful ringing sound!? Is this an Edgar Allan Poe interpretation gone wrong!? Dolly wished the sound cancelling head phones were here as she starts trying to cover her ears to make it stop. Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop....

Soon as the nightmare fuel sound settles...Dolly looks between Siffrin and Cedric, completely confused....What were they supposed to do again??

Sweet Mac Lir, her ears were ringing big time...So much ringing...

"...Are we supposed to stay here or go somewhere else?"

Cedric has been muttering to himself to try and ignore the ringing - but he can't ignore that noise he just heard, so he stops again, turns around, and-

Wait, why did Siffrin drop Dolly? Why is her Light Screen gone?

And why are neither of them moving?

"But, you two were just following m- oh, what's wrong with you both? You're acting like you've completely forgotten why we're here in the first place!"

Siffrin... refrains from flinching this time, out of practice. They teeter between the urge to be apologetic (but don't say sorry, they're not supposed to say sorry, they're just supposed to do better) and the urge to get defensive and bite back at Cedric with a distraction.

"We're..."

Their eye catches on a fluttering streamer. Right! See, they do remember why they're here!

"- following streamers." (Why...?)

The bells ring again, even more loudly, and Siffrin braces themself against it. But as the sound ends, their expression goes confused all over again.

"....I thought it was a rogue musician?"

And...damn it here comes those bells again! Hahahahaha! Dolly definitely is wanting her PokePuffs after this is done! What a terrible Edgar Allan Poe loving musician this was! Does the old poet and gothic romantic writer injustice!

Once the ringing was over...Dolly was back to square one of forgetting what they were doing, following the streamers. Clearly it was a rogue pop idol of some kind in the woods, maybe hunting them all for sport.

Curses and drats with a side of tinnitus, this was not a very fun trip to the forest at all and Dolly had no clue why as she looks right back at her two teammates.

At this rate, Dolly might as well accidentally learn Baby Doll Eyes..

"Were we about to head back?"

Edited (typo :x) 2026-02-17 05:09 (UTC)

Dolly's question is the last straw for him. "NO, WE ARE NOT HEADING BACK!"

Why are they acting like this? They're acting like how he felt when Vor came to Enchancia and put them all under-

Oh. A spell would explain this immediately. Or, more likely here, a Psychic-type move. And for what feels like the millionth time, he laments not having his wand in this wild Pokémon world. Which means all he can do is identify the source and stop it from affecting...

He suddenly caws loudly, reminiscent of his Astonish move but not directed at anything in particular. "The bells! Both of you, cover your ears or sing loudly or whatever you can think of to stop listening to that accursed ringing!"

Huh? Sing? They don't know what to sing, and the thought of just busting out singing solo - not as part of a crowd - feels terrifying, though they wouldn't admit to it aloud. But -

They remember something else.

It's time for ~~a running gag to suddenly become useful~~ a thing they haven't done in a while, what with their relationship with Laios still getting felt out again. They've kept the muscle memory (Craft memory? electric memory?) for it, though.

Siffrin sparks up, clearly doing something with their electricity. At first there's just a loud electronic tone, possibly even worse than the bells - then it turns into a tune. A very simple one, but a tune anyway!

There was no way in the Stellar Sea Dolly was singing...no offense but she's stage shy and is often a one person performance! Upside, Dolly opted to go wrap her feelers around the ears, keeping them covered when....

The One Shinx Electrical Band began.

Sweet karmic justice for Edgar Allan Poe's work has prevailed! TAKE THAT ROGUE FOREST POP IDOL AND ENJOY THAT WELL EARN TINNITUS! If Dolly could laugh, she would, but right now, she's just trying to save herself from more loud sounds.

Dolly looks up at Cedric since he's running the team for the what the next move will be or if they wait out the battle of the bands?

Cedric visibly flinches when Shinx sparks out that noise. How do they do that? And why does it remind him of that supposed "metal music" Catrina inflicted upon him? Oh well, as bizarre as it sounds, they certainly can't hear the ringing anymore, so he'll take it!

He relieves his uncertainty with a victory caw and starts flying with more gusto. "Follow those streamers!"

And just when he starts to feel droplets. Uh oh. Please don't have that be an omen. Instinctively, he flaps faster. "B-before the rain catches us first!"

Looks like it's Cedric's turn to take the lead! Siffrin keeps close after him as they keep buzzing away at their makeshift "song" - they're finally starting to put together that it's the ringing sounds that were making them so disoriented, so they continue with it even though it makes focusing on where they're running harder.

(They don't actually hear what Cedric's saying, but they don't need to, to follow...)

They don't think anything of the rain at first - just an occupational hazard of being a little creature in the woods - but as the trees start to thin out, their eye widens in familiarity. Are they coming up on the Downmoor? How did they get all the way over here? They can still see fluttering streamers caught on the sparser trees, though, so they must still be on the right track.

Siffrin resigns themself to getting really wet. With any luck it'll slow down whoever they're following, too...

But as the rain intensifies, another realization hits them. They cut off their noise for a moment to call up to Cedric frantically: "Get down!"

With eerily good timing, a lightning bolt strikes a dead, scorched tree right next to them with a loud, crackling sound. For a moment it's on fire - then the rain puts it out.

The 'Get down!' from Siffrin managed to reach through Dolly's ear wrappings and remembered that age ol' very terrible advice a certain cartoon turtle once gave about nuclear warfare as she duck and covered. She avoids getting smoked and crushed by the lightening from Heavy Downmoor as the tree comes crashing down.

Yep....The Bay is proving to be a murder island of sorts..double bonus on there...

Thankfully the ribbon ear wrap is proving pretty effect in preventing more tinnitus from kicking in! Sure her fur is now wet and intensifying that baking spice scent, but it's better than well you know...being FRIED BY LIGHTENING!?

Better news, Dolly is remembering she's tracking a Pokemon now rather than some weird forest dwelling pop idol...

"Is everyone alright?!" That was the one thing on Dolly's mind after Heavy Downmoor does what Heavy Downmoor does best! Dolly was thankfully very ready to give out some Bippitie Boppitie Boops of healing.

He tries to not be discouraged as the rain comes down harder, but his feathers aren't appreciating the wet at all. Is the water weighing him down or is he just tired? Whatever it is, his flapping is starting to slow.

Which is probably why he's not ready when he hears Siffrin's warning. He even takes a moment to ask, "Down? What f-?" before spotting the giant flash alarmingly close to him. As he caws out in shock (no pun intended), he forgets to keep flapping and plummets to the ground. He acknowledges gravity and attempts to flap again, but he still makes a satisfying plop sound when his body hits the mud.

He's very wobbly as he pries himself out and takes a few minutes to answer Dolly's question. "Wha, ih- I'm not burnt to a crisp, so I'm just swell!" He does not look swell. He's still shaking the mud off his cape, his feathers puffing up to a comical degree.

"Does this rain seem sudden to anyone else? I feel like I'm in Heavy Downmoor, not the Northern Forest."

There seems to be a pause in the ringing... or maybe the rain is just drowning it out, for now? Siffrin tentatively stops their noise-generating. They let out a silent relieved breath to see Cedric on the ground, and both him and Dolly unzapped. (If muddy.)

"We're on the edge of Heavy Downmoor," they confirm. "Whoever we're following must have... circled around...?"

That's quite a big circle, though! You'd think they would have noticed - or maybe not, with the ringing making them forget every few minutes...?

Siffrin's hat and cloak are weather-resistant, thanks to Shoka's hard work in making them, but raindrops drip off the edges of the brim. Siffrin's been in the Downmoor a lot; there's not much point in shaking off, you're just going to be soaked again half a second later. But they can't resist flicking water off their tail anyway.

...Yeah no, Cedric definitely isn't alright or okay. Would he need to be Bippitie Boppitie Boop? Well only time will tell once their footing is better. That and the much needed bath once this quest was over.

"Must have...do you think Streamers is still in the woods or gone else where?"

Then again with the lightening...being in the woods would be a bad idea...so maybe another place to shelter in? The bigger question though, where? Where would this Pokemon be at to shelter immediately in?

"Cedric, I think it's a good idea to be on foot for now, can you walk alright after the landing?"

The confirmation makes him pause. This is Heavy Downmoor? But isn't that quite far from the Northern Forest? That would be a big circle, arguably much bigger a circle than how long they've been moving... right? Or has the ringing affected his perception after all?

Nono, he can't distract himself with such a detail now - not when he senses, knows that their target is still close.

"Yes, it's up ahead! I can feel it! We must keep going!"

Having said that, he abides by Dolly's suggestion and doesn't fly up again. Instead, he steps forward... rather lopsidedly with one foot. Either he's limping or the mud's making the ground too uneven; at this moment, it's hard to tell which.

Whichever it is, Cedric says insistently, "Thank you, I'm sure I'll be fine." Whether that's true or not is left to be seen.

Siffrin eyes Cedric's odd gait... and decides, after a moment, not to mention it. If he says he'll be fine, he doesn't want to be pressed on it, right...?

They do drift a little closer, in case they need to scoop him up. (Probably not like how they scruffed Dolly, though. Do birds even have a scruff?)

Up ahead, meanwhile, is the answer to Dolly's thoughts about shelter: a rocky outcrop that rises up to a mountain, with several cave entrances yawning wide in it. Between the pouring rain and Cedric's insistence that he can feel it up ahead, it's the only place their quarry (of the non-rock kind) could have ended up.

Underneath Siffrin's cloak, the fur along their spine bristles up. Ugh. They recognize the maw of that cave, and... really? It had to go in there?

"...it must have gone in the cave with those weird crystals."

The movement had Dolly concerned as she goes into monitoring mode for Cedric. Sure, it could be the mud, that's a sensory thing Dolly wasn't going to delve into.

So, keeping close to Cedric is a good idea even though Cedric could potentially air lift the tiny Sylveon with ease...

Then of course....the answer smacked Dolly in the face upon seeing the cave. Rain be damned, Dolly was puffing up a bit at it. Something didn't feel right about it..she hadn't been there before...what was with this area..?

Dolly was already mentally calling it 'Goblin Town', it just gave that vibe off strongly.

"Great, cave wait to go inside. We're definitely going to be rocking it.."

Thanks...good going Dolly, puns at a time like this...

How They Clang, and Clash, and Roar! (Ringing Risk closed to Siffrin and Cedric :3c)

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delivers the Dolly scruffing

The Dolly has been Scruffed!

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