The Contest Spectacular!

[indigo_events]

Who: Everyone attending the Contest Spectacular! (For more information about this event, check out the info post here!)
Where: Celadon City
When: January 18-20
Log:

It’s finally here… the Contest Spectacular! The whole city of Celadon has been bustling ever since the preparations for the contest began, but now with the addition of all the contestants, their friends, and the general crowds, the town is downright packed. Hotel rooms booked en masse (good luck getting into that big fancy one near the casino-- thank Arceus there's plenty of others!), the Center stuffed with younger trainers who are short on cash but couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the first ever Pokemon Contest in this region, and generally even more foot traffic than usual.

But nowhere is it moreso than in Celadon Center, where massive, colorful tents have been erected. Pink, orange, yellow, green, and blue! There's no missing what they're for-- enormous banners advertising the Contest Spectacular fly from every corner. The streets surrounding the square are packed as well-- food carts and merch stands line the sidewalks, eager to snag a bit of the glory. Teeny tiny portions of hoity-toity restaurant food usually too expensive to buy are being hawked to passersby right alongside Pokeblocks and Poffins of varying quality, in case your Pokemon need a treat (or a little extra oomph before the show starts!). In addition to the stands selling gobs of Hoenn contest celebrity memorabilia (contest nerds might recognize figures such as Contest Idol Lisia and her Altaria, Ali, featured quite prominently!), Celadon City's many fashion boutiques and clothing lines have gotten first dibs on available space, so any contestants still looking for an outfit for themselves or their Pokemon is in luck, because there’s absolutely everything you could imagine for sale if you find the right stall. Opportunistic photographers (some official, some... not) have also swooped in to set up booths with rentable costumes and fun backgrounds, for anyone who isn't performing but wants some cute souvenir pictures of their Pokemon being a contest star anyway.

But of course, for eager audiences and contestants alike, the real attraction lays within the tents themselves. Audience members will have to wait in line for the shows to officially begin at noon on Friday, but for those who entered the contest themselves, well, that's another story entirely!

Stages of all kinds have been arranged to suit most every type of act that’s been submitted, from the more traditional wooden stages to huge tanks to little fields (the oodles of hardworking staff making all of this possible are making good use of moves like Grassy Terrain!), and the Contest Hosts’ voices can be heard presenting acts and cracking jokes about said acts almost all day long.

After registering but before checking into their lodgings (prepaid rooms at the ritzy Celadon Hotel! Lucky you!), contestants and their Pokemon will be shown behind the scenes and made familiar with all the utilities at their disposal-- small refreshments, makeup stalls, a selection of props to make use of (although, as the harried-looking staff will tell them, bringing your own unique items is really the best way to stand out!), lights, camera, and of course action! Unsurprisingly, the entire back workings of the Contest is a flurry of activity-- it's a lot of people, Pokemon, and equipment to manage; and in true, bombastic Hoenn style, there are bright lights and flashy colors everywhere you look! But contestants will still find that no matter how busy or frantic they are, the staff will still find time to help them out with special requests or technical requirements for the act. It is, after all, their job!

But ultimately, the act is on you and your Pokemon. Don't get stage fright now-- the curtain's going up any minute!

~*~

[IMPORTANT: Please submit your contest entries here! For all other activities, feel free to make your own top-levels!]

Comments

[pikapikajankenpo]

I see a couple over here!

[Picking up one after another, she counted it out.] Five, six... Cecil, are these plastic beads or metal beads?

[paladinlost]

Glass beads, actually! ...Which is why I'm hoping no Pokémon steps on them; the shards might be dangerous.

[He offers Yayoi the jar of red beads. It clinks pleasantly as it moves.]

Should there ever be another similar contest, I'll have to remember to use jars with lids.

[pikapikajankenpo]

[Depositing the beads into the jar, she made a face.]

If they were metal beads, I could get Pikachu to magnetize them with a quick burst of lightning. As it stands, we're going to have to do this normally.

[paladinlost]

...Correction: I'll have to remember to use metal beads in lidded jars. That would make this much easier, truly.

[Oh well. Hindsight, and all that. Ah, there's another glint near the wall.]

I don't suppose you know of any Pokémon that can somehow sniff glass out?

[pikapikajankenpo]

Not off the top of my head. [She picked up a few more beads with some careful hunting.]

If we had a Pokemon that could do that, I wouldn't worry so much if I drop a glass or something. I'm sure there's some Pokemon out there that are really good at searching for things though.

[paladinlost]

One with Pickup as its ability, perhaps. Alas, I've not thought to catch one. Something else to remember for next time.

[He squints at the red bead jar.]

No more than a dozen of these left, I believe. Plus a handful of green ones.

[pikapikajankenpo]

Hmm...

[Releasing Pikachu, the Raichu looked at the pair curiously, floating in place.]

Pikachu can you help us pick up these beads? Use psychic so they won't roll away.

"Chu!"

[paladinlost]

Do you think that will work? Not that I don't trust your talents, of course.

[That last sentence, he addresses directly to Pikachu. If it's possible, surely he can do it.]

[pikapikajankenpo]

Having another set of eyes, especially from above should be all right. Right?

"Katchu! Pikaaaaaaaaaa....!"

[Glowing with energy, small beads began to roll out of their hiding spots as she extended her mind to search the area.] "Pika!"

[paladinlost]

[Cecil looks both delighted and impressed by the display. He reaches towards one of the beads with his right hand.]

Goodness, that's even more efficient than I'd hoped. You could have given Eblan a run for her money.

[pikapikajankenpo]

"Pika!" [Pikachu seems super proud of the fact as Yayoi grinned.]

She's been working on the whole telekinesis thing for a while now. Normally, we use a different style while battling but this is more precise.

[paladinlost]

It's perfect for spring cleaning, too. I don't suppose you'll rent your services when the weather turns milder?

[The offer is mostly teasing, as his grin shows.]

Even the battle-oriented version of this skill must be impressive to behold.

[pikapikajankenpo]

We'll see.

[She's grinning at that as she laughs.]

We usually stick to electric attacks, but there's something just amusing about a Raichu using psychic.

[paladinlost]

Unexpected typed attacks are always a delight. Why, imagine if she could also use Ice Beam, Flamethrower or Surf! Nothing could ever stop her, and the look of shock on your opponents' faces would be wonderful to behold.

[He knows that all too well, with his Clefable's extensive moveset.]

[pikapikajankenpo]

I've been saving up for a Grass Knot TM actually, so there's one. But yes, imagine that... it might make the next few battles easier if I knew stuff like that.

[Pikachu looked excited at the prospect as she levitated all the baubles towards Cecil.]

[paladinlost]

An excellent choice against those pesky Ground-types.

[Cecil knows he should be adding the floating beads to the jars immediately, but first he takes a few moments to poke them. Just like a Float spell, truly...]

And potentially a secret weapon for a future contest, too. That would certainly get the crowd's attention.

[pikapikajankenpo]

Exactly. There's a lot of TMs I'm saving up for to be honest. Pikachu is my front-liner after all.

[Pikachu looked pleased at that statement as she lets Cecil poke her work.]

It would! I didn't really have many flashy moves this time, so I wanted to give it a miss... and sort of measure up my competition. [She grinned a little.]

[paladinlost]

Believe me, you'll not regret any of those purchases. Especially if you intend if you ever intend to battle your way through the Elite Four or other such high-levelled team.

[His fingers linger a few seconds longer... before he scoops the closest bead with the matching jar. Much more fun than picking them up by hand.]

And was the competition up to your standards?

[pikapikajankenpo]

Yeah, I've almost maxed out my team, but versatility is needed. So the other TMs, in bulk if possible.

[She grins at that.]

Definitely. I'll have to train the kids in that sort of performance later. They looked excited to watch it.

[paladinlost]

I hope that excitement will lead to inspired and creative displays of talent. We're hardly about to run out of original acts, of course, but I look forward to seeing their efforts.

[Plink plink, goes the jar as he moves it from bead to bead.]

[pikapikajankenpo]

Definitely. I'll be sure to give everyone a experience they won't forget this time. Count on it!

[paladinlost]

I certainly will! I'll even sit in the front row, to witness it properly.

[pikapikajankenpo]

Thanks Cecil, and I'll root for you too if you decide to participate!

[paladinlost]

I might. To no one's surprise, it turns out that choosing one act among the ones prepared by your team makes the others jealous and more determined to participate next time.

[pikapikajankenpo]

[Yayoi laughed at that as Pikachu nodded.] I guess Pikachu agrees with that statement. But we'll see what happens!