GIVE ME PROM OR GIVE ME DEATH

[indigo_league]

So you’ve gotten on the ferry, piloted by a man loudly proclaiming himself to be Captain Garfield and won’t this be fun everybody? We’re going to a party! Hope you all like boundless enthusiasm for boating, because this guy and his trusty Rattata (who will be collecting everyone’s fees, pay up or you don’t get on!) sure do love this and want everyone to know it. Finally, through caves and up rivers, there it is, shining in the dim evening light: The Elite Four’s Mansion (and blessed freedom from Captain Garfield). It looks amazing! Bunk down for the night and get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow? It’s party time.



KEY:

• BLUE areas are where the bulk of the party's events will be located! As you can see, the festivities will be taking place largely outdoors. Some of the landscaping is a little different than what longterm residents might remember-- again, this WAS the site of a pretty epic battle between Teams Aqua and Magma at one point! All the same, in two years, you’d think they’d have wrapped up most of the work… there’s a lot of large-ish dirt piles and general disarray in the grounds outside the main yard, although the main grounds are still tidied up and decked out pretty heavily for the garden party. There’s even a little gazebo set up where you can have pictures taken of you, your date, and/or your Pokemon! The gazebo smells a little like fresh paint and plywood, but the paint is at least probably dry! There’s also an indoor ballroom for the more fancy red-carpet dancing, but in general, most of the activity will be happening outside.

• GREEN areas are where guests will be staying overnight! Unfortunately, you'll be sleeping-bagging it up, since there's a limited number of bedrooms in this house and they all either belong to Claire, the rest of the Elite Four, or are reserved for guests who are regrettably way more important than you. That much is the same as always-- Bruno really doesn’t want anybody digging through his underwear drawer, guys. He never has.
All that said, the green areas are where you'll be given space to leave your possessions, claim some sleeping room, and generally crash for the night once the festivities do you in.

• RED areas are RESOUNDINGLY off-limits to guests! There’s a lot more blocked-off doorways than there were in the past, and if asked about them, the staff will inform you that the mansion is under heavy remodeling and to please move along! What do you want to look at a bunch of sawdust and exposed wiring for anyway! Stop being nosy!
For everybody’s safety, there will be some staff stationed near the various restricted areas to move people along and make sure nobody wanders where they shouldn’t.


• AREA A is the designated Indoor Ballroom area, for the people who prefer the classy elegance of a formal red-carpet gala over the more whimsy outdoor garden party atmosphere in the back. There's a big skylight and lots of space to move around! … But the hardwood floors are looking a little scuffed, and there doesn’t seem to be the usual array of tasteful artwork on the walls anymore, even though you can still tell where a lot of the frames used to be hanging. There are some red banners strung up over most of those empty spots, and although don’t quite match the decor and they’re a little on the cheap side, they certainly make it look like a sweet party! Overall, though, a little more upscale than the shenanigans going on outside, for the people who'd rather that kind of thing.

• AREA B, as some of the more bookish types will remember, is the Library/Gallery! A long-time favorite of visitors, it’s usually a nice haven for people who are a little partied-out but not ready for bed, or who just want to dig into the Elite Four’s personal collection of books and research. SADLY, this year it would seem the door is blocked off! Remodeling in there too, huh? What a shame. :(

• AREA C is...well, the Parking Lot. Normally it’s spotless (no cars!), but this year it looks like they didn’t really have time to clean up, as there seems to be a lot of litter lying around. But more importantly, this is where you take your Pokemon battles if you simply gotta get your battle on; keep it out and away from the house, please, and try not to make too much of a mess. Skirmishes, sorties, and sparring will be tolerated here and here alone. Don’t be that person, guys!

• AREA D … is the Elite Four’s trophy and commemoration room, and it too seems to be shut off to the public. :( Awwww.

For all other information about the Prom and the venue, head on over HERE!

Comments

[garbagechild]

A: EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER THE PLACE

<sub>[Why does ANYBODY invite Wrath to parties? It's a miracle anyone was even able to stuff him back into his little purple suit.]

[Wrath is pretty much on top of the world, and THANKFULLY is doing most of his running around outside. Largely because with so much stuff blocked off and him not being able to get into it while any non-Rockets are watching, the outside is just. More INTERESTING.]

[Aka: full of things for him to hide behind and jump out at people from.]</sub>

RAAAAAW!

_{[A tray of reheated seafood appetizers goes clattering to the stony floor as a fellow Rocket grunt in disguise one of the manor's staff drops it in surprise at Wolverine Prince's sudden appearance.]}

"Stop attracting attention, will you?!"

_{[--the Grunt hisses, swatting at him as they bend down to clean up the mess, but Wrath is UNAFFECTED and already tearing off to wreak havoc somewhere else, with his Zubat fluttering behind him.]}


B: ROCKETS ONLY

Pssst.

Pssssssst!

Um!

_{[Wrath has sidled up to one of his team-mates, (thankfully) keeping his voice lowered. He might be a miniature living whirlwind, but he knows he's supposed to maintain his cover.]}

I keep seeing people trying to go upstairs and Grunt Fred left his post.

Should I stop 'em?

[11121_assumption]

Walter leaned down when Wrath sidled up beside him, Darkness keeping a watchful eye for anyone who might be watching or attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation. He considered Wrath's options, then spoke lowly to him.

"No. If you were in their shoes, you would be attempting to go upstairs too. If you must, go with them. Monitor them while acting like them. Direct them away from anything sensitive. And report- no. I'll make sure our superiors are aware of Fred."

Mother damn you Fred.

[garbagechild]

Wrath tilts his head a little as he considers Walter's words. Truth be told, he never thought of that. And in fact, even as he's trying to think about it now, he can't totally wrap his head around it. Wrath is just plain not good at putting himself in any shoes but his own. ... And sometimes not even that. He hates wearing shoes.

But Walter is a smart human, most of the time. He probably knows what he's talking about.

"All right. But what if they don't listen to me?"

He has no personal qualms about straight-up attacking people, but the admins had made it clear that they were to avoid starting fights before the 'reveal' at all costs. And even though Wrath now knows that the 'punishments' given to disobedient or disappointing Rocket grunts are peanuts compared to the sorts of reprimands he's used to, he'd still rather not get on the naughty list.

[11121_assumption]

For Walter, it's not putting himself in anyone's shoes. It's knowing Wrath and his behaviour. He's sure that if the labs were open to all Rockets and not locked by certain clearance codes, Wrath would be down there just to see what it was like. Had this Prom been actually held by the Elite Four, he's also certain that Wrath would have found a way to break into their restricted areas by now.

"Then leave and inform one of the 'staff'. They can deal with it from there." Walter hadn't experienced Team Rocket's punishments yet. Given he was used to the Order's disciplines, he wasn't keen to push his own or anyone else's luck with them. "Keeping yourself out of trouble is the most important thing."

Darkness nodded. "Yes." He knew how Walter cared for this rough young boy. That, and he didn't want his own little comet (Blackout) to get into trouble because of Wrath.

[garbagechild]

WELLP.... that's true.

Wrath is a curious one.

It's just difficult to conceive of why people might be suspicious of a lack of curiosity... since he himself knows good and well what's behind those doors, so of course he's not curious!

Wrathlogic.pdf.

But he nods, accepting Walter's wise words.

"Okay. I'll stay out of trouble."

And with that, he goes scurrying off up the stairs to stop some nosy trainers. HOW WILL THIS PAN OUT?

[11121_assumption]

Walter watched him go. He battled with himself for several long moments. Wrath could handle himself. It wasn't his business to ensure his safety, especially when it could land him in hot water as well.

He reached up and pet Darkness as he gathered himself. Then returned to the party thoughtfully.

Wrath would be fine.

[garbagechild]

Totally!










Until about twenty minutes later, when a small youth in a purple suit comes scurrying back down the stairs and into the crowd at a rather frantic pace.

As soon as he locates Walter, he latches onto the older Rocket's sleeve, tugging.

"Um, there's a problem."

[11121_assumption]

Immediately he's alert, half-crouched and leaning down to Wrath's level. Darkness crouched on his shoulder, tensed and ready to take flight. "What's happened?"

He's definitely reporting Fred for this.

[keep_surviving]

[Diana has half a cheap eclair in her mouth when she snorts. Grunt Fred. Who the hell was called Fred anymore?]

He's probably off to make out with Grunt Daphne.

[She gives the kid a smirk.] I think you should give them a scare. That might stop them going places they shouldn't.

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Grunt Fred definitely sneaked off to make out with Grunt Daphne.]

[Wrath, however, blinks owlishly up at Diana for a moment. Because while he has (... sort of) learned the meaning of several important words such as 'flirt', 'date', and 'kiss', he's not familiar with 'make out'.]

[But the second part of what she says gets a big, toothy grin out of him. It's the exact OPPOSITE of the advice he'd gotten earlier from Walter, and he's gotta say, he likes this more.]</sub>

Can I?

I'm good at that!

_{[THERE ARE ALREADY IDEAS PERCOLATING IN HIS AWFUL LITTLE BRAIN]}

[keep_surviving]

[That's because adults have lame ideas.]

Sure you can. What are they gonna do? Tell you how to have fun at a party?

Heh, I bet you are Peanut.

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Scaring people IS how Wrath has fun at parties!]

[And he looks pretty excited to have been validated by a team-mate-- until he tilts his head at her quizzically.]</sub>

I'm not a peanut. I'm a Homunculus.

_{[HE DOESN'T SOUND OFFENDED. Just informative! He's never been called a peanut before.]}

[keep_surviving]

Which is a what exactly?

Well, tell me your name and I won't have to call you peanut again.

[garbagechild]

A Homunculus is the reviled result of a person committing the greatest of alchemical taboos: human transmutation. We are the damned afterbirth of an attempt to revive a human being from the dead. My name is Wrath, for those of us who survive are named for the seven deadly sins, an outdated reference to a pitiful human religion that grasped piteously at an understanding of the universe without ever realizing that the cosmos is cruel, unfeeling, and knows no difference between right and wrong.

... But you can call me a peanut if you want!

_{[HE SMILES ENCOURAGINGLY! She's nice. c:]}

[keep_surviving]

[The word 'afterbirth' make her skin prickle uncomfortably and she swallows to try and bury the sickness rolling about in the pit of her stomach.

The rest is, honestly, kind of hard to follow.]

... Right. Well, Peanut it is then.

[She smiles back a him.]

A

[exeggutorhead]

[Luckily for both Wrath and the hurried Grunt, Envy wasn't close enough to actually hear the exchange. But he was close enough to see what happened.]

[And you know, given the...state of things, and the not being allowed to go places, Envy's feeling like that leaping out was one hundred percent deserved and also hilarious. He reaches down to try and catch Wrath's arm as he sprints by--not hard, just enough to maybe slow him down enough to say:]

Ha, nice one back there!

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Oh hey! It's brother!]

[Wrath grins up at Envy in that way only Homunculi do with one another.]</sub>

Scaring them just doesn't get old!

_{[To think there had once been a time when Wrath frightened people entirely by accident and wouldn't dream of doing it on purpose. But like a dog getting its first taste of blood, it was all downhill from the moment Envy got hold of him. GOOD WORK BIG BRO!]}

[exeggutorhead]

[DAMN RIGHT HE DID A GOOD JOB. SCARING PEOPLE IS A GREAT HOBBY.]

Never. Hey, I bet you could scare that same guy again when he comes back around. He looked jumpy.

[garbagechild]

Oh, he is!

<sub>[This statement could mean two things: 1, that Wrath has already scared this person more than once at this party. Which is both probable and hilarious.]






[Or 2. Wrath knows this person's demeanor already because he works and lives with them in a Team Rocket base.]

[Guess which it is.]</sub>

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy guesses.]

[But he guesses the wrong one. Why would Wrath already know some resort staffmember?]

Ha, how many times have you gotten him tonight?

[...]

If he comes back around, I wouldn't mind helping. Bet he wouldn't expect that.

[garbagechild]

Three!

<sub>[Wrath states this with great pride.]

[And while he's not sure it's a good idea to start recruiting non-Rockets to join in his harassment of Grunt Wilbur... Envy's so good at scaring humans.]</sub>

How would you do to scare him?

_{[If they were sitting down, Wrath's chin would be in his palms right now.]}

A

[rocketralph]

<sub>[Doop de doo, Ralph is all about the prom tonight. It feels so nice not to have the weight of being a Bad Guy pressing down on his shoulders. He didn't have ANY mission at this party except for enjoying himself!]

[He wanders over to the questionable gazebo with all of its gaudy dressings and considers asking the skittish noodly guy for a photo to remember the day, but there's a small line. He's got no problem with waiting. He hangs back at the rear of the line next to a table displaying some really ugly punch bowls that may or may not have been made by some of the rockets kids at school.]</sub>

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Sniff sniff, what's that stench?]

[Ugh, it smells like a traitor out here!]


[Ralph is absolutely impossible to miss in the crowd, and Wrath recognizes him instantly. Nobody else has a frame quite like that.]

[Wrath's eyes narrow, a nasty little plot forming in his head.]

[They've all been warned against picking fights-- anything that could POSSIBLY clue the unsuspecting guests in to the fact that they're being bamboozled is a risk, and FORMER Rockets more than anyone else are dangerous on account of being most likely to see the signs of a Team Rocket scam in the works.]

[So he can't confront his ex-ally openly... but he can certainly make sure his photo is ruined.]

[HE SCOOTS INTO THE BUSHES DIRECTLY BEHIND THE GAZEBO TO LIE IN WAIT]</sub>

[rocketralph]

<sub>[First there are a couple who are trying so very hard to get their Rotoms to stay still for the picture. Then there is a person with a colorful Chatot in a little bow. And then it is Ralph's turn!]

[He steps up to the--wait. No. That's. A bad idea. He eyes the gazeebo with worried brows and opts for just having his picture taken in front of it. He straightens up his clothing, folds his hands neatly in front of him, and smiles.]</sub>

[garbagechild]

Okay, hold it...

_{[The photographer gets the camera all ready, and--]}

--REEEEAAAEEEAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

<sub>[With the most horrifying sound his tiny vocal chords are capable of producing, Wrath ERUPTS from the bush directly behind Ralph.]

[The flash goes off.]</sub>