Costume: The worst of winter is probably over, but the name of the game today is still a snow theme. Skadi and Vixen are both bundled up in powder blue cable-knit sweaters. Both have deep blue scarves around their necks and blue wool knit legwarmers on their back legs. They also both have blue bows tucked into their hair next to their left ears. Aside from Vixen being smaller and having longer bangs (they cover her eyes, it's precious), they match perfectly.
Ford is wearing the same exact cable-knit sweater. It's almost like he has a family member he loves dearly who is incredibly good at sweater-making and whose opinion he needed here because lord if he knows how to dress 'cute'. He's exchanged the usual tactical pants and boots for crisp light blue jeans and brown lace-up shoes. He's forgone the leg warmers, unfortunately, but Mabel did manage to talk him into putting a tiny blue bow on the left earpiece of his glasses. He's not going to be in the spotlight for this much so it's fine.
Act: For once there's no complicated prop setup; it's just Ford and Skadi on an otherwise empty stage. This is very outside of Ford's wheelhouse but his compulsion to be the best at everything means he has to do every category at least once. So here he is.
"Good afternoon. I'm sure you all remember Skadi--"
There are some pronounced whoops from the audience. Yes, the crowd remembers her. Skadi puffs up a little, pleased by the recognition.
"Yes, good. So you're all well-aware that Skadi is an excellent dancer. Today she's going to show you that she's also an excellent artist. Skadi, go ahead."
Skadi steps forward, but before she can actually do anything Vixen careens in from off stage in a way that was definitely not rehearsed at all. She tries to stop herself halfway across the stage, trips over her own scarf, skids, and bonks right into the larger Ninetales. Her bow and scarf are skewed and one of her legwarmers is scrunched around her ankle. It looks like she just now threw her costume on offstage. This, too, was totally not at all rehearsed or on purpose. Wink wink.
"It looks like someone would like to join in. Skadi, do you mind…?"
Skadi shakes out her tails and nods, clearly unbothered. Vixen scrambles to her feet. She's still stepping on her own scarf. It's fine.
"Well then! Have at it." He steps back and to the side, his part done. The only way doing a Cute entry would possibly work was if he had minimum involvement in the actual act. He's a lot of things but capital-C Cute isn't one of them.
This leaves the two fluffy foxes center stage. Skadi tips her head up and the stage begins to turn white under a Powder Snow. Skadi immediately sets about sweeping it up into a nice neat pile with her tails. Vixen does the same, though her pile is a lot smaller and a lot less orderly.
It becomes apparent very quickly that what Ford meant by 'art' was 'snow sculpture'. Skadi works diligently, nudging the snow around with her snout and paws and tails. Her control over it is frankly impressive for a creature with no thumbs. Vixen is less… uh… skilled. She's clearly trying to emulate everything Skadi is doing, but she keeps tripping over her own scarf and having to blow her hair up and out of her eyes to even see what she's doing. She is definitely not hamming it up at all (yes she is).
In no time at all two snow sculptures take shape. Skadi's is a proud Ninetales that looks an awful lot like herself. Vixen's is a lump that might have a smaller lump that might be an ear on top if you squint. They both take a step back from the sculptures and tilt their heads in opposite directions in a way that was totally not also rehearsed. Hm. Needs something. Skadi turns to Vixen and then nods her head at the sculptures as though to say 'you finish it'.
Vixen makes a very big show of thinking, even walking in a complete circle while she ponders, and then she blows her hair out of her eyes again. She's got it. She opens her mouth and fires an Aurora Beam at the two sculptures, rendering them rainbow and shimmery under the stage lights. Yeah. Now they're perfect. That's art, baby!
i heard you like foxes
Trainer: Stanford Pines
Pokemon: "Skadi" (Alolan Ninetales)
Move: Powder Snow
Pokemon: "Vixen Sharp-Ears" (Alolan Vulpix)
Move: Aurora Beam
Costume: The worst of winter is probably over, but the name of the game today is still a snow theme. Skadi and Vixen are both bundled up in powder blue cable-knit sweaters. Both have deep blue scarves around their necks and blue wool knit legwarmers on their back legs. They also both have blue bows tucked into their hair next to their left ears. Aside from Vixen being smaller and having longer bangs (they cover her eyes, it's precious), they match perfectly.
Ford is wearing the same exact cable-knit sweater. It's almost like he has a family member he loves dearly who is incredibly good at sweater-making and whose opinion he needed here because lord if he knows how to dress 'cute'. He's exchanged the usual tactical pants and boots for crisp light blue jeans and brown lace-up shoes. He's forgone the leg warmers, unfortunately, but Mabel did manage to talk him into putting a tiny blue bow on the left earpiece of his glasses. He's not going to be in the spotlight for this much so it's fine.
Act: For once there's no complicated prop setup; it's just Ford and Skadi on an otherwise empty stage. This is very outside of Ford's wheelhouse but his compulsion to be the best at everything means he has to do every category at least once. So here he is.
"Good afternoon. I'm sure you all remember Skadi--"
There are some pronounced whoops from the audience. Yes, the crowd remembers her. Skadi puffs up a little, pleased by the recognition.
"Yes, good. So you're all well-aware that Skadi is an excellent dancer. Today she's going to show you that she's also an excellent artist. Skadi, go ahead."
Skadi steps forward, but before she can actually do anything Vixen careens in from off stage in a way that was definitely not rehearsed at all. She tries to stop herself halfway across the stage, trips over her own scarf, skids, and bonks right into the larger Ninetales. Her bow and scarf are skewed and one of her legwarmers is scrunched around her ankle. It looks like she just now threw her costume on offstage. This, too, was totally not at all rehearsed or on purpose. Wink wink.
"It looks like someone would like to join in. Skadi, do you mind…?"
Skadi shakes out her tails and nods, clearly unbothered. Vixen scrambles to her feet. She's still stepping on her own scarf. It's fine.
"Well then! Have at it." He steps back and to the side, his part done. The only way doing a Cute entry would possibly work was if he had minimum involvement in the actual act. He's a lot of things but capital-C Cute isn't one of them.
This leaves the two fluffy foxes center stage. Skadi tips her head up and the stage begins to turn white under a Powder Snow. Skadi immediately sets about sweeping it up into a nice neat pile with her tails. Vixen does the same, though her pile is a lot smaller and a lot less orderly.
It becomes apparent very quickly that what Ford meant by 'art' was 'snow sculpture'. Skadi works diligently, nudging the snow around with her snout and paws and tails. Her control over it is frankly impressive for a creature with no thumbs. Vixen is less… uh… skilled. She's clearly trying to emulate everything Skadi is doing, but she keeps tripping over her own scarf and having to blow her hair up and out of her eyes to even see what she's doing. She is definitely not hamming it up at all (yes she is).
In no time at all two snow sculptures take shape. Skadi's is a proud Ninetales that looks an awful lot like herself. Vixen's is a lump that might have a smaller lump that might be an ear on top if you squint. They both take a step back from the sculptures and tilt their heads in opposite directions in a way that was totally not also rehearsed. Hm. Needs something. Skadi turns to Vixen and then nods her head at the sculptures as though to say 'you finish it'.
Vixen makes a very big show of thinking, even walking in a complete circle while she ponders, and then she blows her hair out of her eyes again. She's got it. She opens her mouth and fires an Aurora Beam at the two sculptures, rendering them rainbow and shimmery under the stage lights. Yeah. Now they're perfect. That's art, baby!