Come alive, come alive!

[indigo_events]

Who: Everyone attending the Contest Spectacular! (For more information about this event, check out the info post here!)
Where: Olivine City
When: August 17th-19th
Log:

With summer getting ready to turn into fall, what better way to send off the warm weather than another Contest Spectacular?

For the past six months, Johto has been clamoring for a chance to host an event of its own, and after the booming success it had in Kanto, the organizers were all too happy to bring the magic even further west. In the end, Olivine City received the honor-- not only because it happens to be one of the top summertime tourist spots in the region, but also because it's the major port where ships from the Sevii Islands come in... and boy is that port ever decked out for the occasion!

Banners and flags fly from every mast, and the marketplace normally devoted to fish, fish, and more fish has been transformed into a colorful whirlwind of Contest Spectacular merchandise and attractions. Like last time, there are photoshoots and rentable costumes, as well as swag featuring the likenesses of the Hoenn contest champions. But among the unfamiliar faces, those who were around for the Kanto Contest may notice some familiar ones... an adorable plush Rattata with a bell attached to the tail, brightly-colored skull-print stationary featuring a punk-rock Popplio with its flippers crossed coolly, and a big cozy flannel with faux-Bunnelby fur lining, to name just a few! ... There's even a chunky robot action figure with a top that pops off to reveal that it's being piloted by a plastic Trubbish, with spoon accessories (this one's really popular with the Youngsters). This last one is, notably, not "official" Contest Spectacular merchandise... but that isn't stopping vendors from selling it by the dozens.

This time, in addition to the mountains of swag, there are also booths and rings set up for games and miniature competitions available to attendees! There's a grassy little racetrack for Rattata and other rodent Pokemon, an eating contest featuring a makeshift conveyor belt and as much fresh sushi (locally caught prepared!) as long-tongued Pokemon can gobble up, and of course the ever-popular Magikarp Jump, which manages to not only draw a crowd but get people really riled up. While the only prizes are cheap ribbons, the games are a great way to pass the time and make your Pokemon feel like a star even if they're not entered in the Contest proper!

Also of note are the bright white tents set up every few blocks or so-- that's right, the Aether Foundation is here! Even with the enormous success of the Kanto Contest, sponsors were needed to make the next one even bigger and better, and the Aether Foundation was more than happy to fill in. Their tents offer free water, sunscreen, and even little granola bars for any trainers or Pokemon who find themselves getting thirsty in the summer sun. Invariably, the Aether agents are friendly and helpful, although like any charity sponsors at a big event, they're also happy to talk your ear off about their mission and environmental cleanup work on the Sevii Islands.

But of course, it all comes down to the main event...

An enormous tent just like the one back in Celadon (albeit altered to be more suited for sunny beach weather than a cold Kanto winter!) has been erected in a large open area near the base of the Lighthouse, with easy access to the beach for anyone looking to swim or sunbathe while they wait for the category they’re looking forward to. As before, stages suitable for all types of Pokemon have been arranged, from the typical wood main stage, to tanks for water types and sandy arenas for enthusiastic fire types. Schedules for what contestants will be where and when are posted almost anywhere you turn. If you're lucky, you might even spot Anne and Liz making the rounds to sign autographs and chat with contestants. They're as busy as anyone else, though-- with the big tent more open to the elements than the one in Celadon, it's clearer than ever how much work goes into these things!

One thing's for sure, the bustling audience expects big things, and the organizers are determined not to disappoint!

The lights are on, the music is starting, the show is about to begin! BREAK A LEG, EVERYONE!

... Not Literally!

~*~

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

Comments

[maybeitsmabelline]

Contest Category: Beauty
Trainer: Mabel Pines
Pokemon: "Diamond" (Onix)
Move: Rock Polish

Costume:
Mabel is dressed in what was most likely part of a kid's fairy costume at one point but she's left out the wings and made some new additions to the outfit. Stars decorate the head band and seem to shimmer in the lights of the stage while several more stars of various sizes decorate the under-layer of the skirt portion of her dress. She's also opted for flats instead of sandles to make it easier to perform.

Diamond was tricky but Mabel did her absolute best! A flower crown that may have once started life as a wreath rests around the point on the Onix's head, shimmering much like the stars decorating Mabel's headband. White ribbons with faint star patterns that gleam in the light are carefully braided around Diamond's body, flowing with her natural shape and winding all the way down to the tip of her tail where a bauble hangs in the shape of a crescent moon with two stars.

Act:
The duo take the stage in darkness, though it's hard not to see the looming shape of the Onix as she slithers out from the wing, and Onix curves herself around Mabel who stands center stage. The music starts as the lights come up, tinted shades of blue with a few white lights in the mix to illuminate the stage just right. The Onix moves first, curling around Mabel in a slow circle that makes her body seem to shimmer faintly in the light until she starts to stretch out across the stage revealing Mabel who twirls then hops after Diamond in mock-ballet steps (she's not formerly trained and she doesn't dare try!!), keeping time to the music as she reaches out to touch the Pokemon's side with a sad look on her face. Diamond lowers her head sadly then dips to the stage, allowing Mabel to climb up onto her back with practiced--a lot of practice!!--ease, only to rise back up as the chorus starts for the first time.

She starts to coil at center stage again and lifts herself high with Mabel on her head as the lights brighten as less blues are used and more whites flick in here and there as if stars were gleaming around them. Mabel stretched a hand up towards one right above her, reaching for one light in particular--

only for the chorus to end as Diamond sags back to the stage, Mabel sinking to her knees on the Pokemon's head.

Diamond starts to slither downstage again as Mabel slowly climbs to her feet, both of them swaying to the music though the little girl stumbles and flails briefly--comically--only to recover and strike her pose as Diamond stops at the edge of the stage. The Pokemon lowers her head and Mabel hops off rather ungracefully only to strike a pose the next moment and spin away from Diamond as the Onix slithers and spins carefully towards the other side of the stage. Each reach the wings and pause without going out of sight completely, the lights going back to all blue as the verse trails towards the chorus again.

Both look up, Mabel pointing while Diamond simply turns her head up, and white lights flicker about above them more prominently now, twinkling like millions of stars on a clear night. Mabel smiles brightly and prances out to center stage as Diamond slinks out to meet her, rumbling merrily as she twirls around her trainer then straightens up tall like she had before--only this time Mabel was in the center of her coils with a hand lifted towards the ceiling.

"Diamond, use Rock Polish!"

The twinkling lights stopped as the Onix rumbled and used the move, a single light above the Pokemon shining down on her as the stage went mostly blue again. Her entire body seemed to glimmer like a thousands stars all on it's own and she began to slowly twist again, Mabel disappearing from view as Diamond stayed in place like a music box ballerina on a peg. Using some well placed extra ribbons and skill from practice sessions, Mabel scaled Diamond out of view of the crowd as her Pokemon spun and just as the music came to an end she reappeared on the Onix's head doing a mock-pirouette as Diamond stopped moving and the blue lights faded leaving just a spotlight on the pair.

Once the performance was over Mabel collapsed in a giggling pile of frills and ruffles on top of Onix's head, hands thrown up with a loud whoop of joy.

"We did it, Diamond!"

Sorry to everyone for the answering roar of joy she gets. It's kind of loud.