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: Celadon City
When: February 15th-17th
Log:



Valentine’s day may be just past and most cities are relaxing back to normal after all the romance. But in Celadon City, the holiday hype wound up as a lead-in to the month’s main event: the return of the Contest Spectacular!

After Olivine had the honor of hosting in the summer, Kanto’s rainbow city has been eager to draw the event back and truly establish the new tradition. Not that it took much convincing to get Hoenn’s Contest runners back on board—not to mention the Aether Foundation’s assistance as well. They’d heard the city had had an on-and-off issue with pollution, so of course they’re here to supervise and ensure Pokemon safety!

Lusamine having the opportunity to judge more beautiful Pokemon is simply a perk to coming, of course.

Anne and Liz have returned as well, wouldn’t miss it for the world. They’re growing very fond of hosting for this new and interesting region, not to mention getting to meet all the people from entirely different worlds! Whenever they can grab a moment of downtime, they can be spotted out and about with their Plusle and Minun, and are eager to chat people up and hear their otherworldly stories. Just no questions about results!

As for the city itself... Celadon is always flashy, but they really pulled out all the stops this time.

Pink, red, and white tents and booths fill the streets between the towering green-glassed buildings. The fashion center of Kanto apparently didn't get the memo that the fourteenth was over and instead decided on having more hearts, more Luvdisc-themed decorations, and MORE cherry lollipops.

The Aether tents blend right in with the other lovey-dovey colors-- this time they're there to pass out hand-warmers and sanitizer, pamphlets about PokeRus and how to best avoid passing around germs. They're friendly as always (although there seem to be even more of them this time than there were back in August), but Celadon City made sure that there's far more to see than some geeks in white. Now that the Contest Spectacular has two massive successes under its belt, more people than ever want to get in on it.

It seems that every bakery in town came together to outdo each other, and extravagant sweets and pastries are being sold and sampled out at every turn. The usual photobooths and costume-rental stands (that, cough, are definitely not advertising from local fashion companies that want you to stop in and BUY the outfits from their boutiques later...) are present as always-- and the mini-games from last summer are back too!

One booth is surrounded by a near-constant crowd-- manned by a shiny Decidueye and his nervous-looking Trainer-- the regal owl Pokemon is signing copies of his newly-published self-help book-slash-autobi"owl"graphy ("Owl I Want Is You: Memoirs of a Hopeless Romantic") with one of his own quills.
And of course there's the official Contest stalls bursting with merch from the previous contests-- including (but not limited to) colorful additions like:

a sparkling necklace whose beads form the shape of an Onix (EXPENSIVE... but so stylin'!)

a clunky (but very popular with the Youngsters) action figure that transforms into a lumpy Tyrantrum if you follow a bunch of complicated steps

a short newsstrip-style graphic novel about the action-packed adventures of a crime-fighting Wailmer

a VERY dapper line of Joltik-themed bowties and cuff-links

a dainty music box containing a tiny ballerina Eevee figurine that spins when opened

a set of "Ink Blasterz (tm)"-- Octillery-themed squirt guns that come with packets of (nontoxic) black dye so that you and your friends can ruin your neighbor's drying laundry even more once summer rolls back around

a set of gleaming opalescent d20's in a Sableye-shaped box, complete with two hollow holes on the lid where the eyes should be where you can stick two of them!

a floppy green Deino doll that, when switched on, tumbles chaotically around the floor and emits growling noises.

But for those worn out on capitalism the shameless merchandizing, this year the real centerpiece of the outdoor attractions is a temporary but still impressive greenhouse erected in the plaza outside of the main tent. Gym Leader Erika and her underlings have worked throughout the month to feature the fruits of their labor (no pun intended) in the Celadon Gym, and the Greenhouse is a great place for a relaxing respite from the cold, slushy February streets outside. Visitors can learn all about exotic flora and even purchase potted Berry trees, houseplants and bonsais raised by the Celadon gym trainers themselves!

~*~

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

Comments

[Merch]

[badluckbabe]

I'm honestly surprised this stuff turned out so well. Have you done this sort of thing before?

[Jinx appears with Miss Fortune and Mr. E in tow, the two occasionally making fierce eyes at one another as part of their act in case anyone's watching. Miss Fortune seems so pleased with the merchendise she starts mimicking the poses.]

[Merch]

[keep_surviving]

Well, the first time you entered I got a few shirts made up. But apart from kinda knowing where to get this done, not really.

[Dare yips at her and turns into Incineroar again to mirror her movements.]

Re: [Merch]

[badluckbabe]

[Miss Fortune clearly loves this imitation and makes her muscles ripple from one side to the other showing off her expert control. Jinx meanwhile passes Diana some money and helps herself to a pokegear charm and a shirt.]

We can hang out for a bit and try and help you drum up business. I'm sure she wouldn't mind the attention. Even if Mr. E seems a little over it all.

[Mr. E comes slinking up behind Jinx trying to stay out Miss Fortune's line of sight lest she try to drag him into another showdown. He's still exhausted from the show.]

[keep_surviving]

[Diana passes the money back with a wink.] No charge for the talent~

[Dare claps then tries to mimic her but doesn't do so well while Diana chuckles.]

Poor guy needs a break. Don't you guys get a break room?

[badluckbabe]

Ooo thank you~ Well I'll have to use the money I saved to take you out later then.

[She'll take the money back but wink at Diana radiating confidence]

We have access to a green room but I figured it would be better to get out here and meet with the fans before they leave.

[Miss Fortune laughs proudly at being able out muscle her imitator and sticks out a fist for a respectful fist bump.]

[keep_surviving]

Check you out being all humble and down to earth.

[Dare returns the gesture, then shifts back to his regular form and does a few excited jumps while yipping.]

[badluckbabe]

Don't get used to it. We'll be back to our showboating prideful ways soon enough. So long as you're still around to keep my ego in check though I think it'll work out fine.

[Miss Fortune scoops up Dare and strikes another pose pointing high and roaring to get the attention of the others in the area. Soon enough fans are flocking over to get a photo or buy some merch. Jinx slips closer to Diana to try and help deal with the sudden influx of customers.]

[keep_surviving]

I don't think it's your ego we have to worry about here.

[She nods towards Miss Fortune before having to busy herself with customers.]

Oh, you're just gonna swamp me down with work like this, huh?

[badluckbabe]

Think of it as good luck. We haven't been earning as much cash in battles as we used to after all! Gotta break even some how.

[Jinx takes a breath and calls out to the fans rushing forward trying to help manage the group.]

Line up! Line up! Come on now don't shove we've got plenty for you fortunate enough to see our heroic victory today!

[She uses her longer arms to try and keep people from just grabbing at merchandise without providing payment first. Meanwhile Miss Fortune acts as a sort of living wall to force people to line up along the side of Diana's set up, picking up smaller fans and holding them high for photos.]

[keep_surviving]

Uh huh. Well, maybe you can start a performance biz to keep us in the green?

[Diana is now limiting people to one of each item because her stock is already limited.]

Think you can get her to sign some of these shirts and pics so I can charge a little more

[badluckbabe]

Well I was a circus orphan for the first few years of my life. I don't see why I can't try and work some of that into our usual traveling.

[She nodded at Diana's request and released Hex from her pokeball to help deal with the customers while she went to get Miss Fortune's attention. Hex despite lacking hands was surprisingly deft with her wings.]

Yo champ! Wanna sign some of this gear for your loving fans?

[Miss Fortune sniffed and roared trying to express that she was having more fun interacting with the fans directly. Jinx looked dismayed and coughed.]

They'll cherish these autographs and use them and the photos to inspire even more people to shoot for the stars champ!

[This seems to get through Fortune's ego and she purrs setting down some kids and lumbering over to pick up a marker and show off her surprisingly nimble fingers.]

[keep_surviving]

So, you're a circus kid. That explains a lot.

[Diana rolls her eyes at Miss Fortune and pulls out a large ink pad.]

Here. Use your paw. It's quicker and cooler looking.

[Dare has now turned into a Honchkrow and is mocking Hex by copying her.]

[badluckbabe]

Yeah? I do fit a few too many of the stereotypes don't I?

[Miss Fortune's eyes light up at the ink pad and she roars taking the job with gusto. Soon Jinx has to use her own swift reflexes to keep switching out shirts and items so Miss Fortune can slap her ink paws down on the items leaving hasty but surprisingly clear autographs.]

Not too fast! If you light them on fire we lose money!

[Hex seems amused by Dare and puffs out her chest preening and praising how beautiful the new form was.]

[keep_surviving]

Definitely.

Hey, don't break the table, it's a rental. Don't make me take the ink away.

[Yes, yes, Dare agrees, he looks great. Look at him saunter around and swagger.]