victory_road | GHOST TRICK PART ONE: Festival Log!

august 13th

[ Rhys is absolutely, positively miserable. To be honest, he doesn't want to be here right now. The second he gets some food in his belly and a little breath of air or two, he's off to the next town. There's too much going on for him to have a clear mind, and doing anything like "enjoying himself" is virtually impossible.

The festival would be nice, otherwise. It was busy, there was some...pretty cool entertainment, he'd say. There are ghosts popping up every now and then, and when they do it scares the every loving crap out of him. For the past few days, Rhys has been on edge. He wanders around to buy things like food, but he doesn't purchase a rental, nor does he play games or watch the group of Kimono Girls. He can't enjoy any of that with how he's feeling right now.

He also might seem...distracted. He's keeping an eye out for Handsome Jack, because their last conversation went very, very badly. The next time he might meet his old boss will probably be the last, because he'll be dead. He's scanning through the festival, but he's not looking for friends or festivities.

Have fun with him otherwise, though! ]

august 15th

[ It's the last day, and has Rhys enjoyed himself? Not once!

The bonfire's going on now, glowing brightly in the night sky. There's a big group of people dancing away, but Rhys prefers to stay...not near anybody, to be honest. He just sits nearby with his knees to his chest, watching halfheartedly.

Rhys has eaten once, maybe nibbled twice on food today. There's way too much stress going on for him to enjoy anything. Jack told him to go right to Goldenrod, but with all this going on it was kind of impossible. Basically, he's procrastinating.

If he hears anybody nearby, he'll probably pipe up a little bit. From the way he talks, it's obvious that whatever has been going on with him has made him lose sleep. ] Some party, huh?

August 14th

[Oh boy! A festival right after he gets there? Dipper doesn't really have any ancestors or Pokémon to appease, but it's a festival! It meant food, fun, maybe new people he can meet. Or it could be a complete disaster like that one festival back home and the time shenanigans.

At least there's no pig for Mabel to win here.

The Kimono girls were boring to watch. Men and women were wearing Japanese clothing. But where was the paranormal stuff that should be happening with a festival like this? The first day here seems like a complete bust. At least the food was good, and his Eevee, Tyrone, seems happy to be here with his trainer. Let's skip to a little while later...]

Oh come on!

[Angry, technically a teenager is yelling at the scoop in his hand. He's tried several times to get a Goldeen out of the pool because a water type would be great to have in his party! Yet every time he tries, the scoop breaks. He really, really wants this fish!] It's like this game is rigged!

[In the evening he can be seen just wandering around with his Eevee beside him taking in more of the sights. Everything was starting to look the same and he was desperate to find something to amuse him. Kids and their short attention spans.]

August 15th
[It's the last day and Dipper does not look pleased. This festival was awful. Don't advertise dead people and ghosts and then not have anything to show for it. This video game world was really disappointing.

The Bonfire would come later. He was on a serious ghost hunt now. There was no way Dipper was leaving without a ghost Pokémon! He'll be wandering around town and checking out any dark and spooky alley he comes across.]

Come on, ghosts. Stop hiding!

Edited 2016-08-13 20:28 (UTC)

August 13th

Yukata Rental:

Snake felt rather ridiculous dressed in his camo Yukata. What on earth would Kaz say? He'd probably laugh at the guy. Yet, he wanted to get involved and absorb the festival atmosphere. Besides, it felt rather comfy and light. Lots of air around the all important parts of his body too. You didn't wear underwear with these things, right?

Because he wasn't wearing any right now.]

Hngh. It's not as bad as I thought.

Test your Strength:

[Snake had to try out the Test your Strength stand. Why not? He had good upper body strength and wanted to see how easy, or not, the whole showing off your strength thing would be. The old soldier saw that one was for Pokémon and one for humans. Huh. None of his Pokémon were strong enough to do it. He wondered if he could impress anyone by lifting the weights.]

Anyone else want a go?

Anywhere!

[Feel free to bump into Snake wearing his Yukata and looking rather lost and ridiculous.]

August 15th:

Bonfire and Bon-odori dance:

[Over the past two days or so Snake had actually enjoyed himself. He had soaked up as much of the fesitival as he could and had seen quite a few others do the same. Now, it was dark and the bonfire was alight. He found himself staring at the flames of the burning fire and almost felt as if he could see ghosts or spirits of those long dead come out from the ashes. It was just an illusion, right? Then, he noticed the dancing. What the hell? He had to dance? He watched people walk up and begin to dance. He wasn't Japanese, so didn't have to do this, right?]

I can't dance. You've got to be kidding me.

[He sighed and wanted to walk away but would someone make him dance and actually enjoy himself at doing it? Good luck.]

Edited 2016-08-13 20:30 (UTC)

[August 13th - Goldeen Scoop Shenanigans]

[A festival Jane's never heard of before is definitely something she'd be at - and considering the rest of her paradox space traveling party has come, she's here too. The traditional outfit is a must, even with it being a little awkward for her (it feels like a robe, is this really appropriate?), but the hat is grounding, and if one were to follow her, it doesn't seem like she has a set destination, preferring to look at everything there is to see.

She does, however, find herself stopping just in front of the Goldeen Scoop game, watching with increasing confusion as children and adults alike try - and fail - to scoop up the relatively large Water Pokemon with those small paper paddles.]

Is...is anyone actually expected to win this?

[August 14th - Test Your STRENGTH]

[Now a bit more comfortable in a new city and strange celebration, Jane's participating in a few of the available games. This one in particular seemed quite funny to her, though, and most of the locals raise their eyebrows at the young lady who rolls up her yukata sleeves and takes the mallet in hand, raising it up and...

DING

...Holy shit, she got the weight to hit the bell. Jane looks quite satisfied with herself, but - that had to be a fluke, right? You should definitely check to see if it's a fluke, or try the game yourself. There's no way a girl like that could have enough mangrit to win a strength game, right?]

[August 15th - Wildcard]

[For the last day of the festival, feel free to bump into Jane anyplace! She'll either have Dinah or Poirot out with her, sharing bits of any food she might buy or consulting them on a souvenir, or even just resting as they watch the Kimono Girls dance. Anyplace is fair game!]

Edited 2016-08-14 01:40 (UTC)

August 13th - 14th

A. Food Stalls

[The festival is literally just like the festivals Komasan would watch countless times when he used to guard his shrine. It's...a little overwhelming, actually, to finally be a part of one. And like an actual one this time! Not like, say, a night club, because that was awful. It's been awhile since something here really truly made him feel like he was home, so of course he's going to go all out.

A yukata is a must, Komasan's is pretty much what you'd expect. Traditional, a very dull yet pleasing dark blue, the name of the game is all about blending in. On the other hand, Noko is decked out in one of the most vibrant patterns you can think of, and it's amazing that Komasan could find something like that tailored for snakes. So even though Komasan might blend into a crowd, the beautifully dressed Dunsparce on his shoulders might work against him. He's also joined by his oversized Drifblim, who looks bored out of his mind. He knows it's a ghost thing and all, but he doesn't really feel like enough souls are being stolen here...

Shiro also floats nearby his trainer, but thankfully he doesn't have to worry about being nibbled on because Komasan's already carrying two cones of soft serve, one in each hand. Despite apparently being good to go, he'll occasionally look over at other people, a spot of drool dripping from his mouth.]

Ah...are you gonna eat all of that, z-zura?

B. Test Your Strength

[As Komasan's team expands, he honestly feels a little bad that some of his Pokemon haven't been getting as much attention as they deserve. As such, there's a lot of rotating going on as he makes sure everyone is having a good time. In this case, he's letting his little baby girl Kokoro, a Timburr, have at it at the strength games. As always, Noko and Shiro are always close by, but there's also two gigantic Arcanine that follow him around. One the standard majestic tiger-orange, the other an obnoxious highlighter yellow. They all watch as Kokoro smacks the machine with her plank of wood.

With every hit, Kokoro has to stop and flex her arms, but she won't be fully satisfied until she can get the bell to ring.]

...You're gonna break it, zura.

[Komasan says in mid-clap, although he doesn't sound worried. More like he's just stating the obvious. Kokoro doesn't seem to mind, she wants it to break.]

August 15th

C. Dancing

[Again, Komasan's plan is to go all out, which means dancing is absolutely mandatory. ...For everyone. Anyone who looks like they're wallflowering about might get rushed by some guy and his Ludicolo. Personal space no longer exists, there are no apologies.]

Eh... What are you doing?! Don't you wanna dance, zura?

[Kappi looks more eager to get strangers involved than her trainer does, a whole event just for dancing! What's wrong with you people?! Get out there!]

| August 13th |

[While Cloud had seen and attended his fair share of festivals--especially when he was younger and still living in Nibelheim--they hadn't been anything quite like this. There was so much going on and so much life and energy to everything! Most of the time he would have expected something horrible to be on the horizon, since that's just how it seemed to go most of the time, but...for some reason he found himself actually relaxing and just enjoying what there was to see.

They had arrived early in the morning and, after checking into wherever it was they had decided to stay, Cloud had been unable to help himself. With Buster and Gongaga in tow--as usual--the blonde had set out to explore the town a bit to get his bearings and once things started?

He's going to be checking out everything the festival has to offer.]

This..is a lot harder than it looks. [It's muttered to himself as he stares down at the Goldeens he'd been trying to scoop, Gongaga chirping happily from his spot beside the blonde, front paws resting on the edge of the booth as he tries to reach for the scoop with his tendrils. Cloud is quick to hold it up and away with a soft snort as Buster churrs softly from behind in annoyance.] I'm not sure you're allowed to try, buddy.

| August 14th |

[On the second day of the festivities Cloud can be found watching the shows going on, settled down with Gongaga in his lap, both of them munching on some treats that had been purchased. For once Buster is resting in his pokeball and, unbeknownst to Cloud, his meinfoo is out and running amuck.

Aka she's in the process of trying to steal things from people before darting back to her master. She hasn't strayed far from him but is definitely trying to keep out of sight of the blonde for the most part--but she won't hesitate to let out some loud noises if anyone grabs her.]

| August 15th |

[The night of the bonfire finds Cloud settled off to the side watching everyone dancing, a faint smile on his face as he does. Dancing really isn't his thing so he's doing his best to avoid it for now, content to just watch and enjoy the warmth of the fire.

Beside him, Gongaga has a tendril wrapped around Cloud's noibat Chaos and is attempting to make the other dance--the noibat looking thoroughly unimpressed--while his flabébé Aeris twirls about through the air with happy little noises.

Even if their master won't dance, his pokemon sure will!]

(Feel free to make up a prompt too! Someone needs to make Cloud dress us..;D)

AUG 13th
[The commotion is... it's strange. He's not used to being surrounded by so many other human beings. They're everywhere, and for a long while, he is pressed safely in a corner. Watching. Fighting the urge to note every escape route. He'd probably have stayed there, if not for the Aron tugging him by the pant leg into the festival. Only to let go, and dart off.]

Hey!

[He'll. Take off after the little guy, in a fit of dad-like concern.]

[AFTERWARD...]

[Afterward, he'll warm considerably. Because it almost feels normal. It almost feels like being a real person again. The Aron has moved to his shoulder as he roams around, occasionally pausing to look at a booth, or try some food.]

[He'll actually try the STRENGTH test, though. And may accidentally dent the bell on the human machine.]

... sorry.

AUG 15th
[Okay, so the responses to his original message hadn't been kidding. There were ghosts here. A lot of them. One minute he's watching the dance, and getting dragged in by an excited local, and the next...]

[The next he's face-to-face with a dark, grinning face and stumbling back a bit. While his Aron scuttles forward, trying to puff itself up. It's got this, Shiro, stay calm!! Someone please explain battling, he forgot to read the manual.]

[... when that matter gets settled, he'll go back to watching the dance. Do you yank him in to join?]

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[August 13th, arrival]

_{[It was a long flight from Pewter City all the way back to Ecruteak, but Heather barely waited long enough to dump her luggage in the hotel room (which is really nostalgic, actually...) before running right back outside to gallop through the fairgrounds like a freaking five-year-old and ogle all the attractions going up. It's been ages since she's been to a proper carnival and BOY HOWDY IS SHE ALL ABOUT THIS.]

[If anyone wants to intercept the wild blond scarecrow running around with a freshly-minted Boulderbadge pinned to her collar (because Of Course she's gonna show it off), they'll have to catch up with her first.]}

[August 13th, evening.]

Aw, c'mon, big guy!

You should give it a go!

_{[Amid the general cheerful chaos of the nighttime festivities, Heather can be found by the Test Your Strength! game, trying to encourage a Feraligatr three times her size to try the Pokemon one. Said Feraligatr is making indecisive crooning noises and wringing his giant hands.]}

What're you moaning about, you're plenty strong! Look at me, I got like the second-highest setting and that's with these arms. _{[She makes a show of flexing her lanky arms, which honestly aren't too shabby in the muscle department, but ripped they aren't. Then she drops them, heaving a sigh.]}

Jeez, Zilla, there's like three really buff-looking Clefairies in line behind you who want a go, so make up your mind already!

[August 14th, afternoon]

_{[Those Kimono ladies sure do have stamina to be cranking out these performances hour after hour.]

[Heather's mostly been interested in checking out the stalls and doing some long-awaited shopping with her Gym money (including, apparently, renting a yukata to wear), but she happened to pass by the stage as one of the performances was beginning and stopped to watch. Under one arm is Cheryl the Eevee, partly tucked into rented garment's big open sleeve, an unusual luxury considering the fact getting Heather to actually wear sleeves is no easy feat.]

[As the dancers and their colorful Eeveelutions whirl and pirouette about the stage, Heather tears her eyes away for a second and looks down at her own little brown fox, giving her arm a little jiggle.]}

... So when're you gonna evolve, huh? Any time soon?

_{[Cheryl chirps serenely, rubbing her head on her trainer's wrist, and Heather chuckles before turning her attention back to the stage.]}

You take after me too much, y'little procrastinator.

[August 14th, evening.]

_{[FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS SHE'S BEEN SEARCHING, AND SHE'S FINALLY FOUND IT.]

[THE ONE.]

[The sign proclaims it to be a limited edition Orange Island (tm) SHINY GYARADOS plush. It's eye-searing lime-green and grapefruit-yellow and the cheap-plastic eyes are sewn onto two completely different parts of the head, which incidentally is a slightly different shade of green and seems to be a re-dyed Huntail plush head and not an actual Gyarados one. It has Lapras flippers instead of proper fins, and the trident-like horns on its head only have two points.]

[Heather grins up at it with a fist full of stall tickets.]}

I'm gonna win that for someone special.

13th - On With The Show

[Guess who love love LOVES the Kimono girls? DRACULAURA DOES. But she's kind of enjoying the show way too much - anytime the girls pause, or it looks like the show could be over, she's automatically on her feet, clapping loudly.]

Whoo-hoo! That was fangtastic! Do it again, do it again! You ghouls are GORGEOUS!

15th - Dance Dance Revolution

[After dressing freaky chic, Draculaura is enjoying the bon-odori dance. But it's sooo lame to do this alone.

Which is why when she spots you, she is going to GRAB YOU BY THE ARM and drag you along.]

Come dance with everyone! It's sooo much fun!

Edited 2016-08-14 17:28 (UTC)

( August 13th )

a: goldeen scoop
[While walking all around the place (honestly, she would run instead of just walking, but it's not that easy in a yukata and the geta sandals she rented some time before), Kaori has spotted many different attractions. Some of them she's familiar with, with some of them she isn't, but it makes things way more interesting. Not to mention festival snacks that come in all shapes; the ones looking like ghost type Pokémon are especially...intriguing. However, before she has a chance to try the Swirlix Candy or Haunter Ice Cream herself, something else draws her attention.

Namely, the Goldeen scoop booth. There are many people in the line, but it's not too much of a problem as she can watch others trying their best to get one. Well, not just watch—she's cheering them on, too. But then, a few minutes later, it's finally her chance to obtain one! Kaori crouches down next to the pool, watching the Pokémon floating in the water or swimming around in circles.]

I wonder which one I should go for...the smallest one, the biggest one?

[While thinking out loud, she's both examining the net and keeping an eye on the Goldeens. She could certainly use some advice.]

b: test of strength
[Apparently, her next stop is the test your strength machine. Upon further observation, she's quick to realize there's not just one machine, but two: one for people and one for Pokémon. And Kaori happens to know one Pokémon which would love to test her strength, and compare it to Kaori's, if possible—her Jigglypuff. That's why she's released from her Pokéball shortly after.]

Wait a moment, I've got my hammer, but what about you...

[Who needs a hammer with arms like these. Jigglypuff surely doesn't waste time and simply slaps the lever. It doesn't go up high enough to make the machine ring, but still, it's rather impressive.]

H-How I'm supposed to win?!

[Jigglypuff's smug smile definitely helps getting the puck up, but it's nowhere near the Pokémon's score.]

No fair...I guess Pokémon versus Trainer matches are pointless. But maybe you'd like to try?

[She makes an eye contact with you...]

( August 14th )

d: kimono girls
[She happens to be around in a time of emergency—one of the Kimono Girls is missing and if no one finds her before the scheduled performance, it'll become a huge problem. No performer wants to disappoint their audience, after all! Kaori understands that better than anyone, so she offers her help immediately...

...but trying to find a girl wearing a kimono among people who are mostly wearing kimonos as well isn't going to be an easy task. The only clue she has is that the Kimono Girl took her Espeon with her.]

E-Excuse me!

[Not afraid to poke complete strangers, Kaori approaches you with a serious expression on her face.]

Please, focus! Did you see a girl in a full make-up, wearing a kimono and walking around with an Espeon? This is really important!

d: wildcard
[She's going to be all over the place, so if there's anything else you'd like to do just hit me up!]

[August 13th - Goldeen Scoop]

[After spending time with friends and training up for gym battles, Jimmy's absolutely estatic to see a festival like this to get to enjoy. It feels like it's been a long time since the last one of this kind (maybe the Halloween Festival?) but it doesn't matter now. He even goes the extra mile to get himself a Yukata to wear before getting his team together for some fun.

At the Goldeen Scoop stall, Jimmy can be found standing near the edge of the pool with a small net in hand. Standing next to him is a Breloom who looks very nervous with a net of his own in his claws, peering down into the water at the Goldeen swimming around.]

See, Spore? All you gotta do is scoop 'em up- it's super e-e-easy---!!

[Jimmy says this as he scoops one up of his own to show him...though it doesn't go very well as the Goldeen wiggles, slaps Jimmy in the face with her tail, and plops back into the water. The Breloom's tail sweeps the ground as he looks up at Jimmy, then at the water...then back at Jimmy again. He keeps moving the paddle towards the water before jerking it back up again, just barely breaking the surface and causing the Goldeen to swim away.

What if he hurts them though...]

[August 14th - Test your Strength]

[Jimmy and two of his Pokemon are comandeering the test your strength game at the moment. Some of his other Pokemon watch from the sidelines as they eat some treats he'd bought them from one of the food stalls, his Manectric sitting among some smaller Pokemon of Jimmy's, namely a Chatot perched atop his head, a Grovyle seated on the ground eating cotton candy, and a Herdier curled up at his side.

On the Pokemon side of the strength machine, a Floatzel is flexing his arms and whipping his tails, shooting the occasional look over his shoulder to the Lopunny standing next to him who looks severely unimpressed. After a moment of showing off, Lucky steps up to the machine, turns on his heel, and slams his tails down onto it. The weight rushes up to the top and- Ding!

Honey huffs and tosses her head before shouldering past Lucky, rolling her shoulders and looking up at the machine. With absolutely zero hesitation, she winds up and slams her paw down on the machine, causing the weight to whizz up in a blur.

DI-TONK!!!

Now Jimmy's other Pokemon are snickering from the sidelines as Jimmy can be seen rushing over to his Lopunny's side, looking up at where the weight had gotten a little...lodged up near the bell after she hit it so hard.]

Holy cow! Lucky, did you see that!?

[What? Sorry Jimmy, this Floatzel is sort of hovering a few feet away now, trying to look his best like he wasn't completely shamed by the Pokemon he was trying to impress.]

[WILDCARD]

[Jimmy's going to be in Ecruteak for the duration of the festival, so feel free to come up with something if you have a different idea!]

[August 13th - Food Stalls]

[It seems like it was a good time to come visit Ecruteak for a while, given the festivities going on currently. It's a nice change of pace as well as a distraction from the new library that has literally comsumed Kaneki's life, if anybody has been wondering where he vanished to for seemingly forever. He's rented a Yukata for himself (and even went to the trouble of trying to tie a little bow around Rikki's neck, one she promptly tore off) and has been wandering around the festival ever since he got here with Maka.

Right now, though, he can be found near one of the food stalls purchasing Taiyaki for himself and his Pokemon. Rikki's on his shoulder as usual and Hide is walking at his side like a toddler, as well as a Yanma and a Flaaffy close by. That would be all, except...

If you're walking past, you might notice the head of something peering quietly out of Kaneki's bag, watching you as you walk by. It's a pink and yellow something that doesn't really resemble any normal Pokemon...but no, it actually is. It's just a very young Dunsparce that must have hatched very recently, a shiny one with vibrant pink skin.

And she's staring at whatever food thing you have in your hand, desperately giving you puppy-snake eyes over it.]

[August 14th - Kimono Girl Performance]

[Kaneki hadn't gotten around to watching any shows yesterday, but he decided to today. It's relaxing to watch and his Pokemon seem to enjoy it as well, even though Kaneki's Smeargle and Flaaffy keep getting up so they can dance along with the music together. It's innocent enough, at least until anyone happening to be sitting nearby has a Smeargle barreling into their legs, followed up by Kaneki quickly moving over to draw him up into his arms.]

Hide...you have to be more careful. I'm sorry about that.

[WILDCARD]

[Kaneki's going to be in Ecruteak for the duration of the festival, so if you have another prompt you'd like to do feel free!]

Mask Stall

[While Joker, as a man from Victoria era England, is pretty far away from anything even close to the customs of Johto.... While in Rome, right? It's all in good fun. Although, when he'd been told that men traditionally dress in dark yukatas, he'd outright laughed.]

[And that's why, for anyone going near the mask stall, they can find him in a flashy little number that's half rainbow and half night sky, one sleeve flapping emptily. All of his main team are out, chattering in pokespeak and pointing at various masks. With his good hand, he lazily waves at them.]

Calm down, calm down, you'll all get somethin'. [He pauses, noticing someone nearby.] Ah, sorry. We in yer way?

Goldeen Scoop

[See Joker.]

[See the Goldeen Scoop.]

[See a very very soaking wet Furret. He is half the Pokemon he should be without all his fluff.]

[Joker sighs, trying to keep them out of the way of adults and kids trying to play the game.]

Alright, so, that was a mistake we aren't gonna repeat, are we?

Bonfire

[Throughout the dance, an unlikely pair are standing out: Invidia the Zoroark and Avari his sparkling shiny companion. Their movements are utterly graceful and in time perfectly with the music. Feel free to end up dancing alongside either of them and distract the two foxes from making eyes at each other.]

[Alternatively, staying on the outskirts on the dance, Joker gives a small laugh and turns to whoever is near him.]

Bet ya that ya can't match up ta 'em. I know I can't, but I got an excuse.

[He grins and shrugs his empty shoulder socket.]

Edited 2016-08-15 00:27 (UTC)

Cork Gun Game

[Despite the fact that Johto is a completely different place, Dee seems to have dressed up just as easily as any native. In a black and red floral yukata and her usually messy hair tied in a neat bun, something about her simply seems to belong. For a bit, she just wanders around the festival because that's how you do, but eventually one can find her at the game stalls. She's weighing a cork rifle in her hands, humming.]

Hey, how good a shot are you with these kinds of things?

[Yes, she's talking to you, possibly random stranger.]

Food Stalls

[Don't be fooled, Dee is absolutely enjoying a Haunter Lick ice cream, but.... as she's crouched over in a small alley that's between the stalls, she seems to be talking to someone.]

C'mon, now. This is a day to celebrate you guys. Don't be shy about it.

[Feel free to peek over her shoulder and find a Gastly hiding in the shadows, who immediately disappears once they realize someone else is there. Dee makes a disappointed noise.]

Lantern Float

It's nice and peaceful, isn't it?

[Despite holding a gently glowing lantern in one hand, Dee almost seems to have appeared out of nowhere as people line up to send off lanterns. She smiles to the person she's snuck up on, almost in a familiar manner.]

august 13th;

[ There's absolutely no way that Minako would pass up the opportunity to attend a festival, especially when she had been complaining that she had missed the former opportunities for festivities prior to her arrival in Johto, and naturally she's dressed up in a yukata - it just wouldn't be the same without one.

The first night she can be found making her rounds through the stalls and either scarfing down as much food as she could possibly manage without causing herself harm or playing some of the games, such as the Goldeen Scoop or Test your STRENGTH. For anyone who approaches, Minako will flash them a cheeky grin and give them a thumbs up. ]

august 14th;

[ The second night, Minako can be found at the Kimono Girls' performance, watching them intently with admiration in her eyes. However, there's just a hint of jealousy masked behind her expression. These girls were far more elegant and ladylike than she was, and while it was no fault of theirs, she couldn't help but feel insecure about her own femininity - just a bit. She sighs, shoulders rising and falling with the action. ]

august 15th;

[ It's the final night, and Minako's had more than a great time. The festival here was well-orchestrated that she almost feels as though she were back at home, and she is a little saddened that it's about to come to an end. That just means she has to enjoy the final night the best she can, doesn't it?

Minako can be found among the people dancing at the bonfire, and while she does, she keeps an eye out for any faces that she recognizes or even doesn't recognize that may be wallflowering it up. She'll step out of the line to walk over to them, offering them her hand and a bright smile. ]

[ And for those who do say no, she'll most likely end up pestering them the entire time until they agree. ]

[a - august 14, hanging around]
[This is definitely not the type of festival Tim's used to, though honestly, it's been a long time since he's been at any type of festival period. It wasn't ever really his thing in the past, but... man, after everything he went through before he got to this crazy world, he could really use a break.

So he's basically available all around the place, checking out all the different stands. And yeah, especially checking out a bunch of the food stalls, because this looks actually pretty good? Better than he expected from this place.

Worthy of note is his Ditto, which has taken residence on Tim's shoulder. With so many people around, there are obviously a bunch of different Pokémon too. So every now and then, the Ditto will glow white and transform into whatever it sees around. Heck, maybe it'll see one of yours and transform into that.

Hope it's nothing too heavy or else Tim's shoulder's gonna be in for a not-so-fun surprise.]

[b - august 14, games]
[So... alright, let's actually try some of these games, huh? The first one Tim looks at is the Test Your STRENGTH one. He actually stops and just... stares at it for a long time. Is it even worth trying, really? It kinda looks like he wants to, but also like he doesn't think he should.

Jeez, if he's just gonna stand there, what's the point, right?

Later on he's at Goldeen Scoop, actually... trying his hardest. There's a pretty impressive look of intense focus on his face. Which... makes it all the sadder when the scoop, predictably, breaks.]

Aw, wh-- Oh, this game is so rigged...

[And yet, he's still trying another time. Someone's being awfully stubborn.]

Ugh, c'mon...

[c - august 15, bonfire]
[Well, it seems like every culture out there just loves a good fire. And hey, he can get behind that. The dancing... not so much, he's absolutely not doing that. But he's all about taking it easy for a bit, just... sitting and watching the flames.

But of course, then there are the ghost types. The first time one of them pops up, almost right in his face, Timothy lets out a rather undignified yelp. He handles others popping up later a little better, but uh... Yeah, he's looking awfully nervous and jumpy for the rest of the evening. Look, he's new to this and it's freaky, okay?

At least... the fire is still nice? There's... that.]

[d - wildcard]
[Or just... catch him wherever during the festival, it's easy enough to find Tim hanging out anywhere in Ecruteak. Here's hoping you weren't looking for Handsome Jack, because oh boy, do you have the wrong guy.]

8.13 -- Yukata Rental

[ This takes her back. Asuka hasn't seen a summer festival since she was a little girl; they didn't exactly have big affairs like this in Germany, after all, save for the huge one in September, and that one wasn't quite her speed anyway. Watching people get drunk off their asses was never really her idea of a good time...but the sight of stands and yukatas and yakisoba fills her with a bit of nostalgia for a world she hasn't been a part of for years.

...It's a stupid sentiment, she can't help but think to herself. Days like these have been dead for a long, long time, not unlike the people they're meant to venerate. They're dumb little celebrations meant to bring peace of mind and not much else. But something about the atmosphere as a whole kind of tugs at the strings of her hardened heart, so, against her better judgement, she decides to make the trip out. And as long as she's here, she figures, she might as well go the extra mile and dress up for the occasion.

The color she picks out is one she's unflinching on; red or bust, as far as she's concerned. But what sort of design should she wear...she normally wouldn't be caught dead sporting anything pink, but, she has to admit that sakuras aren't a bad look on her...it's only after about a half hour of deliberation that she decides to bite the bullet and go for it.

Of course, after that whole affair is over and done with, the girl has a bit of trouble tying the obi, even with poor Happiny trying her best to help out; it's a bit hard to get a good knot when your hands are stubs, after all! ]

Happiny, it can't be that hard..! It's just a bow...

[ She says that, but the poor thing is obviously having a bit of trouble! The Playhouse Pokemon, in any case, is wearing a tiny yukata itself, with a bit of yarn wrapped around itself for an obi; it'd be weird if her Pokemon was left out of the fun, wouldn't it? ]

8.13~15 -- Food Stands

[ What Asuka undoubtedly missed the most about these whole affairs was the food; the shaved ice is a pretty nice treat, considering how hot it's been, but her favorite, of course, is candied apples, and she's got an entire bouquet of them sticking out from between her fingers. Her Happiny is gladly tagging along and munching on a couple of them herself, but she's pretty much going to be constantly travelling to and fro to hoard as many as she can. It helps that you get an extra one free if you manage to beat the vendor at rock-paper-scissors whenever you try for one, and Asuka likes to think she's pretty good at it...and she's not above bragging over it, either. ]

Hah! That's another win for me! Don't tell me you're going easy on me now...

[ ...For someone so adamant that she's older than she looks, she's certainly acting the age one would think she is... ]

8.14 -- Games

[ As much as she hated to admit it, Asuka had enough fun on the first day of the festival that she decided to come back the next day for round 2, which was pretty fortunate, since she managed to find the games today; and if there's one thing that Asuka enjoys, it's tests of skill. The cork rifles, obviously, are her go-to; she's a fantastic shot, and though the corks don't have much firepower behind them, she knows how to aim the gun just so that the big prizes will topple over. It shouldn't be so surprising that such a skilled marksman is getting so many big stuffed animals...of course, though, she's a little embarrassed to be covered in them. They're kind of ruining her image, as much as she had wanted to flaunt them as if they're gold medals or something of the sort...

...Towards the end of the day, she'll start to pass a few off to some kids when she thinks no one is looking. She'll be awkward as hell about it, but, at least her intentions are decent? ]

L-look, I just need the space, okay? If I keep hanging onto these, I'll get my candy apples stuck to them...

[ Or, well, that's one of her many excuses. She'll hang onto the red ones, and maybe a pink one or two...

She's not even going to try the test of STRENGTH, but, the Goldeen Scoop seems appealing...if a little bit frustrating. Poor Asuka's impatient, and she's trying to go for the biggest ones, so, she'll stumble over trying to pick them up quite a few times, mumbling German curse words each time...a little help might be appreciated, though she certainly won't be happy about it. ]

8.15 -- Bonfire

[ The ghost Pokemon make for a bit of a creepy atmosphere, but, Asuka'll watch the fire and the performance anyway. ...From a distance. She'd rather not be bothered by seeing anyone she knows, because God forbid someone asks her to dance, but, looking at the flames and feeling the warmth is kind of nice, admittedly.

It doesn't mean she's not open to being pestered, as much as she'll grumble about it. But she'll go out of her way to avoid it, for sure! ]

[13th - Arrival]

"Hahh... hahh... we made it!"

Guess who was too cheap to pay for transportation and hiked all the way in here? Ochako, accompanied by her swablu, Chiru, set out days before so she could make it now... and she's still late to the festivities, arriving in the evening. Despite being obviously worn out, she looks pretty pumped, already dressed for the occassion. She even throws up a fist in excitement.

"Yeah, let's win this thing!" Were festivals things you won?

[13th-15th - Games]

Apparently, they were - and Ochako intends to do just that.

"Girlie, maybe you'd like to try out the ring toss two stalls down-"

"I ain't leavin' till the top row's cleared out!" With an unusually intense expression, Ochako is at the shooting gallery - and making a killing apparently, a pile of prizes already stacked up besides her. The poor shopkeeper is trying to convince her not to put him out of business, but she's too busy claiming all the most expensive prizes...

Similar sights can be found at the ring toss, Goldeen Scoop - even the Test Your STRENGTH machine is being tackled with unusual ferocity.

[15th - Bon-odori]

After a weekend well-spent amassing and subsequently re-selling her prizes, Ochako is as happy as a clamperl - and eager to at least spend the last evening taking it easy. She's joined the crowds around the bonfire, happily dancing, and even has Chiru out dancing with her as well. Expect a lot of smiles your way, even if - especially if - you're not joining in as well.

"Hey, come on! You should dance too!"

August 13th - Wandering

[For the first day of the festival, John is mostly content to just wander around. He's not sure what to make of this whole "reflecting on the dead" thing, and he isn't going to get into celebrations until he's sure that he doesn't have to do any actual reflection. Because of this, he is pointedly not wearing a yukata; instead, he's just in his normal god tier garb.

He's a bit surly and skeptical in the morning, but as the day goes on and John blows way too much money on unhealthy carnival food, he seems to be in better spirits. (heh.) He's definitely happy to find a buddy or two to wander around with, though, no matter the time of day.]

August 14th - Carnival Games

[If the first day had been about spending too much money on food, the second is all about spending too much money on the games. He starts his tour with the Goldeen Scoop - of course he's going to play a game with a real life Pokémon as a prize! If you happen to walk past him, however, you might hear some curses as he slaps down more money for the next scoop, even though he's already dripping wet. Lady luck is not with him tonight.

The Ursa-Ring Toss proves to be equally difficult, but John refuses to give up until he is the proud owner of his own giant Teddiursa. He's losing Pokédollars pretty quickly. He should probably be stopped, but he's not going to come to that conclusion on his own.

The only game he doesn't seem to be having any trouble with is the Test your STRENGTH, earning him a "ding" and a prize after one go. John has had plenty of practice swinging hammers around before.]

August 15th - Ghost ~~Busting~~ Hunting

[As the festival has drawn on, John has noticed something strange happening. Shapes flickering from the corner of his eye, strange things floating around. It isn't until the last day that he realizes what he's seeing. This is a day to honor the dead - there's really only one thing they could be. Ghosts.

Only they're Pokémon. But if anything, that makes it better - he won't even need fancy proton cannons to catch them! Just a regular ol' Pokéball.

John's skirting the edge of the festival with a Pokéball in his hand and Casey trundling alongside him, ready to catch any ghost Pokémon that might appear. He's being pretty blatant about it, though, so it's unlikely any self-respecting ghost Pokémon is going to let itself be caught by him. Maybe he could use some friendly advice?]

Catch all, 13-15!

[The entire theme of the festival is one that almost gives Lust pause. She's really had enough of death and loss and the reflecting on both. But Envy and Heather are coming for the weekend, and it feels like it's been ages since she's seen either, not to mention everyone else she hasn't seen in person in months or however long.]

[She's sometimes beginning to wonder if she simply possesses that common human trait of abhorring change.]

[Regardless, she's out and about and actually enjoying herself for the full length of the O-bon celebrations. After seeing to a bit of personal festival business alone, anyhow. She's done her hair up and rented a lavender and black yukata, to match the event. Guttle is at her feet, and her Glameow is draped over her shoulders.]

[Lust can be found all over the festival, taking part in nearly every activity offered - the games, the food, the dancing. Or occasionally simply resting off to the side, needing a break from all the excitement. On the final night, she can be found at the bonfire - and will likely encourage your character to join her in the dancing.]

The 13th, General

[It's been a hell of a...however long it's been. Jack's been a busy man, hardly on the Network the way he usually is, barely keeping up with people beyond necessary conversations that have something to do with his numerous plans. The shit, as the old saying went, was about to topple into the fan.]

[He'd been enjoying not having to scramble here. Not having to rush things. He hates rushing, that's how mistakes get made. But it's fine. It's cool. He's got this...]

[And PR is so important. So he makes the time to put in an appearance at the festival. He's got Doom Boner on a leash, and if one pays attention, a disgruntled looking Trubbish can be seen following Jack around. He's mostly just checking out the various stalls and attractions, not caring much about the festival itself. At the start, he's wearing his trademark Hyperion sweater and a pair of jeans, his pocket watch hooked to his belt instead of a lapel.]

14th - games

[This whole set up is almost Pandoran. The carnival games are the type he'd think of when he thought of clan celebrations - not that he thinks about that often. Why would he? Like he cares what a bunch of savages do. Did? Does that stuff even still happen?]

[Again, it doesn't really matter. But the games, they're all the kind that require expert aim and timing and everything else. Which...hey, whaddya know? Handsome Jack has. But there's no point if there's nobody to show off to, so he's just going to kind of hang around until he's got an audience...]

15th - Bonfire

[By the time the bonfire rolls around, Jack has been badgered into an appropriate outfit. He doesn't really care that it's technically a woman's yukata, his one stipulation was it had to be black and yellow. And he could stash his flask in it.]

[He's not about to dance, but he'll sit and watch and drink and smoke and try to ignore the freaky ghost Pokemon that keep drifting over.]

August 13
[It's a festival! A festival!

Yotsuba has been to a few festivals in her life, but seldom one this big. She's taking in the sights (and maybe taking out her tiny wallet now and again) as she wanders, dressed in a bug-decorated yukata, and altogether enjoying herself immensely.]

August 14
[Today's the day to play games! The games aren't too expensive, and Yotsuba makes a point of working in every town she stops in now that she's "grown up," so it doesn't really put a huge dent in her funding to play a couple of fair games and maybe buy some food.

Is she any good? Not really. But she's earnest, that much is true.]

August 15
[It's been a long three days, and Yotsuba is starting to slow down a little. But she's not too tired to make one last visit to the festival, for the bonfire celebrations and to scour the stalls for souvenirs to give to the people she has met and cares about. If you've run into her before, you'll probably be receiving a small toy at some point on this day!]

15th

[Maybe Vaughn would have attended this festival for enjoyment purposes under different circumstances, but as it stands, he's only here because he'd seen the announcement about it just before he got his brand new PokeGear cracked. With his comms down for the past few days, he'd figured a gathering from over the entire region was a better place to search for his friends than a huge patch of forest between two strange cities.

He arrives late, just barely finding his way from a shuttle in time for the bonfire, and his focus is more on scouring the crowd with Skagbait's help than the festivities. Maybe if he gets lucky, they had the same idea as him and he can find them or be directed to them by someone who recognizes them. If not, well... His wallet isn't sure how he's going to get back to Cherrygrove.

It takes about five minutes of searching the streets before he gets desperate enough to start approaching people.]

Uh, excuse me. I'm looking for a couple of people. Have you seen them? Tall skinny guy, great hair, looks like a toddler could beat him up, and a short buff lady, very angry, looks like she could beat up the Superdevil.

[Flattering. But accurate.]

August 13 - Test Your Strength

[He lives in town, so it's not like Ryner has any excuse not to check out this festival thing, especially when Rose hears about it and excitedly insists on going. And, well, despite it being a pain to get up early for a day of festivities, he can't say he regrets letting Rose drag him along.

Even as he stands there, with a tired expression, as Rose cheerfully stands in line to ding that bell with that hammer. The Joltik in a tiny top hat sitting on his head doesn't look quite as tired, but still looks curious as to why.]

We all know how hard you can Pound, Rose. Do you really need to prove it...?

["Clefairy~" That would be a yes.]

August 14 - Food Stalls

[No festival would be complete without dango. Full stop.

Elfy might be happy with Swirlix Candy (Ryner has a twin today, because the Ditto has been on good behavior and so as long as that continues and Elfy agrees to wear a sign informing strangers that he's the Ditto in the partnership he's allowed to do his thing today), but Rose insists on trying every single kind of dango available. Which, at a festival, is a lot of dango.]

Haa, just don't blame me when you get sick later...

[he says as if he couldn't have just said no to the Clefairy's dango spree, sighing as he sits next to a very happy Rose pigging herself out on dumpling snacks and a very happy Elfy nomming on sugar fluff.]

August 15 - Dancing

[Tonight, Ryner has somehow been convinced to rent one of those fancy yukatas for the duration of the dance. Marian has also gotten one that's Yamask sized, and not to be outdone, Rose has dressed herself in one as well.

So you could either run into a Yamask who's shyly looking for a dance partner, or a Clefairy who's just sort of dancing on her own without a care, or if you want to catch Ryner, he's over by the food table. Dancing is not something he cares about, thanks, he's just chaperoning.]

rhys - ecruteak

Dipper Pines - Ecruteak