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

[guiltyeyes]

[ She's so determined that she would drag him across the ground if he fell anyway.

They buffet tables are where the poodle is off to and once he reaches one, he paws at the ground. ]

Does he like food?

[bertall]

_{[Just grab his ankles and haul ass. It's the only way.]}

That's... honestly how I met him. He ended up inside of my backpack and ate nearly all of the food I brought with me, plus an Everstone.

_{[He's not sure how a Trapinch got all the way into the forest from the desert, but Doodle was his from that day on.]}

He'd probably eat an entire grocery store if he could.

[guiltyeyes]

A friend of mine would like him. She could eat a whole grocery store too. [ And yet Hanamaru never gains weight by some small miracle. ]

I dunno if I should ask how he ate a rock.

[ Diamond is sticking his head under the table cloths, yipping and growling all the way until he gets a hit. ]

... I don't want Diamond to eat him.

[bertall]

They've got jaws strong enough to crush boulders, but... I'm not sure either. I never, uh... found it, if you know what I mean.

<sub>[Eventually, there's a sharp half-squeal half-squawk and a series of frantic clicks, followed by a sharp snap.

Doodle doesn't bite Diamond directly, but he is going to hold tight to some loose fur. He was given a frighten! What is this big hairy thing!?]</sub>

[guiltyeyes]

Well, I--

[ Oh, none of that sounded good. ]

Diamond?? [ With all the yelp of an alarmed mother, Mari squeaks for her poodle. Her poodle emerges with a very On-Trend hairclip on one of his ears.

He is UNHAPPY but returns to his trainer and her friend with a defeated GRRRR... ]

Hey~ Lookit that! Good boy, Diamond!!!

[ yet Diamond is Not Impressed at all. He marches right over to Bertolt and sits down.

BARK. ]

[bertall]

<sub>[Oh.

Oh, gods. It's Doodle versus Galliard all over again.

Though at least his Tyrantrum had thicker fur-slash-feathers on his bottom jaw and under all of that was some pretty thick skin. Poor Diamond only had fur.]</sub>

O-Oh.

<sub>[HE'S SORRY, DIAMOND... Here, let him just sort of.

Grab Doodle and pry his jaws apart. Come on, drop it. Let go. Open--]</sub>

S-Sorry, he... uh... H-He must've gotten scared.

[guiltyeyes]

[ If Diamond's coat wasn't LIKE a diamond, they would have more problems.

Mari pulls her hands to her chest to let Bertolt pry the bug off of her dog. Good Lord. ]

I'm just happy Diamond didn't try to eat him. Good boy, Diamond. Just give Doodle's dad a second here...

[ Diamond looks like he could care less, shaking his head a few times to try coaxing Doodle off. ]

[bertall]

He's been inside of a Tyrantrum's mouth before. Whatever Diamond could've done wouldn't have bothered him any.

<sub>[Doodle, come on.

Kneeling down to tuck Doodle under his arm properly, he's able to use both hands to pry at his jaws. One, two, three-- There!]</sub>

C-Can I make it up to him somehow?

[guiltyeyes]

[ Diamond gives one final shake of his head that rattles his furry coat all over his body. Without anything else to be done with Bertolt, he pads back to Mari and plops himself onto her feet. His work here is done and he expects berries later. ]

He doesn't look too bothered. [ She noted and lifted one leg to pat Diamond's head with her foot. ]

He likes snacks. Maybe get him a cookie or something after the show. I'm sure he'll forgive you for it, haha!

[bertall]

_{[He gives Doodle a gentle scolding 'tap' to the nose with the tip of his finger, earning a delighted chirp and a playful snap to the air.]}

I've, uh... I've got some stuff I made back in my hotel room if he'd want something from there. It'd have to be after all of this, though.

_{[Bertolt lifts Doodle into his arms properly so he can brush off any dust from his tiny Trapinch-sized suit, his brows furrowing a bit. He'll definitely have to clean him up a little better back in the changing rooms, but he should be okay for right now.]}

My Arcanine likes it well enough, so I think he might like it too.

[guiltyeyes]

We can always get together later and you can give it to him~

[ Taking out her ball again, Mari poofs Diamond back into it before stuffing it back into her dress. ]

Now that you've got Doodle back, I guess you guys should get to work with practicing...

[bertall]

I'd... I'd be okay with that.

_{[The thought of practicing makes his gut twist itself into a knot, and he looks down at Doodle. What is he going to do with you, little dude?]}

...I guess, though. Uh... Do you want me to walk you back?

[guiltyeyes]

[ keeping him contained is a thought ]

Only if you want to.

[bertall]

_{[But look at that face! Who could hide such a cute face from the masses?]}

I wouldn't mind. Plus, uh... It might make Spinel feel better if you came back with someone instead of by yourself, right?

[guiltyeyes]

I think Spinel is more interested in taking a nap. Good thinkin' though.

[ forget holding hands, she's got him by the arm. ]

How polite, too!

[bertall]

_{[Arms, hands, either way it works! Though really, linking arms is probably the most secure. It's totally not sappy and romantic like out of one of weird books.]}

I-It's also a big place. You probably know it a lot better than I do by now, but... You know.

_{[Courtesy! At least knows the way back to the water stages.]}

[guiltyeyes]

[ help, she's hugging it. ]

An Idol has to know her performance facility inside and out~

That reminds me: Have you ever been to Celadon before or are you one of the people who's visiting for the contest only?

[bertall]

_{[help him. somebody, find him.]}

Ah--?

_{[That's something he's actually confident in answering!]}

Y-Yeah! I've been all over Kanto and I've spent some time here before, but I wasn't here for too long. I'd like to come back here properly one day and take in the region at my own pace, but I've been wanting to go to Blackthorn for over a year and now that I've actually gotten there... I don't want to leave it just yet.

[guiltyeyes]

Blackthorn...? That's a goofy name for a town. [ So is Palette Town but who cares. ]

What's so great about over there? It sounds pretty dark and spooky~ The name is like a sick metal band. [ She kicks one leg out, jostling the two of them in the process with a punch in the air with one arm. ]

BLACKTHORN~ The latest punk rock sensation!!

[ Mari, cool it. ]

[bertall]

It's actually pretty quiet. Er... When it's not full of tourists, I mean. Right now there's still a lot because it's also a ski resort and things like that, but it's nowhere near as bad as the Sevii Islands. A-And it's pretty mountainous too, which is nice.

_{[The sad thing is he doesn't know too many other bands or genres. He found one radio station on his pokegear and he hasn't changed it in months.]}

[guiltyeyes]

[ WHAT A LACKLUSTER RESPONSE. ]

A ski resort, you say~?

Have you ever been skiing?