victory_road | Come alive come alive

Come alive come alive

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!]

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For anyone entering the Contest Spectacular, please reply to this comment with your entry using the template provided!

Edited 2019-02-16 05:07 (UTC)

After the contest

[Ray is over the moon after the contest, no matter what others thought about it, he was proud of what he's done. Sure, winning something would be great, but he got to show off one of his great Pokemon and that's all he wanted to do.

So after checking out the shops (and buying a bit too many things from the stalls- hey how could he resist a Joltik bowtie?!), you can find himself relaxing in the greenhouse, holding up Doppel and gushing at them.]

You did so good out there! I'm really proud of your performance!

[Doppel makes a cheerful bubbling sound, clearly pleased with themselves.]

Minigames

[Of course Ray was going to take full advantage of the minigames offered here. After all he came all the way from Goldenrod just for this event he's going to have fun with it! Even though he doesn't have a lot of Pokemon that would work for the event, he still finds a few games to try out.

... None of them go great but still.

Starchild the Cleffa attempts the Clefairy Says game, but is quickly disqualified after using Flamethrower on the teacher when they bop her on the head.

Doppel does try out the Rock Harden game but gets disqualified for literally transforming into a rock.

Finally, Scooby the Gastly seemed interested in doing Snooze War, but is unfortunately still slightly terrified of pretty much everything and ends up running away at least once as the pendulum swings towards him.

But on the bright side, his fear is actually a bonus because he's way too terrified to fall asleep and ends up winning a few rounds on that alone.]

Wildcard
[If there's anything else you wanna do with Ray, please let me know!]

[Kazuki and Sticky the Slurpuff are chilling out in the lobby of the Contest Hall. They haven't bothered to change out of the costumes they wore during their round, and while Sticky's toque is still sparkling clean, Kazuki is covered in chocolate batter and drool. His expression is bright though, and it's obvious that any irritated looks he may have given Sticky during their bit were rehearsed. It was inspired by their very own kitchen mishaps when they were first learning how to bake, but Kazuki could never be mad at Sticky for pursuing his passion.]

[They're both greeting anyone who wants to talk or give them congrats on a job well done. Kazuki likes to get feedback from his audience after any kind of performance, so he's really enjoying engaging with the crowd and other contestants.]

ooc: Wildcards are also totally welcome! Feel free to use any of the prompts above, I'll make them work!

[Backstage]

[Once more, Cecil is here to help anyone with costume- or prop-related difficulties! Need something repaired? He's your man! He's equipped for any potential problem, with his thread and needle, his glue, his duct tape, his reserve of glitter that a wild Pidove just snatched and dispersed all over the place- oh dear.]

[Merchandise stalls]

Shadowbind, where are you? Please come back! Excuse me, have you seen a shiny Sableye by any chance?

[At some point during the festivities, Cecil's beloved Sableye has disappeared! What could have happened to her? Has she been stolen, kidnapped, seduced away by some knave? Has she chosen this day to reject her domasticated life and return to the wilderness?

...Actually, she's just looking at those pretty dice with interest, but being around so many people is so stressful that she hides beneath the table every time someone walks by. The poor thing.]

[Wildcard!]

[If you ~~build~~ tag it, he will come!]

[Contest Hall]

[Performing in the contest itself hadn't sounded like something Shoto really wanted to get involved in but the opportunity to go had been there so hey, why not? It was a chance to travel and see some people he'd gotten to know while he'd been in this place--in person rather than over the network--and his team seemed pretty excited about the entire thing.

All of the performances were extremely fun to watch and Shoto found himself enjoying it more than he expected to, hanging out and watching as many of them as he could.

And while Shoto isn't necessarily the type to approach people and congratulate them on a job well done, his Pokemon sure are.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself bombarded by a shiny Chimchar, a Bergmite and an Ivysaur that are extremely excited about your performance. Their embarrassed trainer isn't far behind of course--]

Sorry, they really wanted to congratulate you.

[Mini Games!]

[When not watching the performances, Shoto and his crew decided to take some time to work on mastering a few of the oddly entertaining games present around the grounds. In particular, Shoto and Macaque (his shiny Chimchar) had gotten quite good at 'Clefairy Says!' which is where they were currently, getting ready to start another round--their third in the past hour!

Think you can beat them?]

[The Greenhouse]

What do you think? This one's nice..

[Shoto tilted his head as he looked at one of the small bonsai plants but jerked as a vine gently bapped his shoulder. The young man glanced down at the Ivysaur at his side, Deku shaking his head and motioning to a different one.]

'Saur!

This one? [Picking up the one Deku seemed fond of, Shoto looked over the small bonsai that wasn't quite as full as the others but..there was definitely something unique about it.] You sure?

Ivy-saur! 'Saur!

[Shoto smiled and handed the plant to Deku who was more than happy to take it with his vines, the Pokemon toddling over to where the woman running the stand was unaware that someone was coming around one of the tables.]

Deku watch--

[Sorry about that Ivysaur to the legs, friend.]

[Wildcard!]

Want to do something else? Hit me up! I'm down for anything!

Edited 2019-02-18 14:38 (UTC)

[ sizing up the "competition" ]

[ jack, being a late entry, spends time watching the other competitors to get a sense of what they're doing. crybaby doesn't seem to realize she's the pokemon of choice, and she's just excited to see all these pokemon doing what they do best!

his three dogs, bandit, scout and dixie, are also watching with him. they're the first three noses that you might meet if you wander near jack as a performer.

jack calls them back before he speaks to your character. ]

Sorry, they're excited to meet new people.

[ greenhouse ]

[ jack's taken his pokemon to look at the greenhouse. looking at all the plants has a slightly wistful expression on his face, wishing he could pick something up to take with him. with no solid place he's staying right now, though, he knows that's a bad idea.

however, crybaby is having a grand old time sticking her face into flowers, coming out with her face covered in pollen, and sneezing. considering she's sitting on dixie's back, it causes dixie to sneeze, and then scout, and then bandit...

until the whole group of them are sneezing, and jack starts urging them away from the offending plant. ]

[ free play at carnival games ]

[ feel free to hit jack up at one of the carnival locations! maybe bandit is giving his best at dig dig dig, despite being a rock type. dixie and scout are both having fun with ekans hoop hurl or run rattata run.

and, well, who thought a pint sized skitty could eat so much at sushi go round? ]

Edited 2019-02-18 18:12 (UTC)

[ post-performance ]

[ post his performance, marco seems to be gathering his nerves behind stage. viola is prancing around him in a circle, even as he tries to check on her burns. lucia seems shamefaced, but she's also easily assuaged with petting from marco or anyone else who wants to give her attention. ]

[ watching the show ]

[ before their turn (and after, once cleaned up), marco is watching all the other acts go on with an interested look. perhaps more enraptured is viola, who is practically standing up in her seat to get a better look. even if this is competition, she seems to have a good nature about losing. at least if she loses, it's to people who are damn good at it! ]

[ wandering the garden ]

[ if they're not watching the performances, marco can be found in the garden the rest of the time. he loves seeing so much greenery on display, and takes his time examining flowers and even purchasing some seeds, perhaps for a certain venusaur friend of his.

viola accompanies him, as always, but he has the rest of his entourage out. enjoy spotting a furret sticking his face into flowers, a growlithe and a litten up on their hind legs peeking at red orchids, a trumbeak hanging out on marco's shoulder... or yours, and grooming your hair into a suitable fauxhawk. last but not least is sushi, who is...

stealing any food people are leaving unattended, resulting in a lot of shamefaced returning from marco. ]

Before the show
[Before her act begins, Yuuko will be backstage, trying to make sure her Pokemon will be ready. Unfortunately, Killian the Zoroark seems to be suffering a mild bout of stage fright, since he's crouching in a fetal position while Yuuko tries to comfort him. Meanwhile, Biellmann's distracted by how he good he looks in a crown, preening himself while looking at a nearby mirror.]

Killian, it's going to be okay. We got a lot of practice in yesterday. You'll be fine.

After the show
[After their act, Yuuko and Killian have changed out of their costumes (Biellmann refuses to remove his crown) and are sitting in the lobby of the Contest Hall. Now that it's over, she's trying to give Killian some extra reassurance.]

See, what did I tell you? You did a great job, Killian!

Greenhouse
[Yuuko's used to the cold, what with living in Mahogany Town and basically growing up at the skating rink back home, but even she needs a break from winter weather sometimes. That's why you may find her at the greenhouse with her Tsareena, Ina. Ina's had trouble adjusting to the winter in Mahogany, so being surrounded by all this lush greenery is good for both of them.]

Ooh, Ina, look at these ones! Aren't they nice? [Yuuko points out some spectacular-looking flowers nearby. Ina merely nods and closes her eyes, trying to take in as much of the warmth of the greenhouse as she can.]

POST PERFORMANCE
[Following their damp debut, Shadowmaru and his Frogadier are toweling off backstage. The pokemon less so than the trainer. Both are liberally covered in glitter, as well as water.]

[Watch your step. You may be in the way of far-flung droplets as Shadowmaru towels off his hair. Which is still purple. And still ridiculous.]

Well! That went well. Don't you agree?

STALLS
[And then, you can find the robot-turned man browsing the shops. Focusing mostly on anything shiny or purple. The Onix-shaped necklace especially attracts his attention.]

How fantastic... wouldn't it look nice on you? [He's asking this of the Frogadier who just looks skeptical.]

[Maybe later you can catch him watching the Rattata races. Casually betting on them. That's not illegal, right?]

DURING / AFTER PERFORMANCES
[Do you know this idiot? If so, when you perform, you can absolutely expect him to be holding up another sign. Is it the same sign? It looks like it. This, combined with the rainbow hair look, is kind of painfully obvious in the middle of a crowd.]

[Afterward, however, he'll come jogging up to anyone he knows, beaming. No matter how well the act went.]

That was great! You really had something up there!

STALLS
[Yeah, guess who saw the Bruce Whalis Comic and immediately picked one up. This guy, that's who. In fact, he picked up a few copies. He is casually standing near the stall, reading it over. And laughing.]

This is great...

[It's perfect for Lance.]

[He can also be found, his Aggron in tow, idly browsing some of the other stalls. Picking up little things for the others. And maybe a treat for his pokemon. Feel free to stop him and cage a snack or something of your own.]

[Before the show]

Galliard, come on--

_{[Behind the stage in an area big enough to accommodate both an Aggron and an oversized, larger-than-life Tyrantrum, Bertolt can be found perched on top of said Tyrantrum's back and fussing with a large, red piece of cloth.]}

The sooner this is tied, the sooner you can show off! Just-- _{[Galliard shakes his back, nearly knocking Bertolt off but instead sending him face-first into the thick ruff of feathers]} --Sit still, please!

_{[The Aggron? Oh, he's living for this and those growls can only be considered laughter. Why, why can't he use the Pokegear for pictures? CURSE HIS LACK OF PROPER THUMBS.]}

[After the show]

_{[This time wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking, but putting himself out there like that certainly doesn't get any easier. At least it's over now and he can focus on cleaning both of his Pokemon up! But where did that rag go...]}

Ah! Excuse me, have you seen a towel that looks like something chewed the corner off? I thought I left it back here, but I think someone might've moved it.

_{[He can't wipe all of that dust and dirt off of his Aggron with a tiny washcloth or his bare hands!]}

[Merch Stalls + Games]

_{[After getting everything squared away from their performance, Bertolt let his Aggron and Tyrantrum take the lead and poke their noses into a few of the merchandise and food booths to see what new foods the contests had to offer. Many seem thrilled to have Galliard here, and every so often they're stopped for some fans to snap a quick selfie or two with the big "scary" dinosaur and the Aggron.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your view), at some point the Tyrantrum sees you and gently boops you in the back for some attention. Are you another person who wants a picture? He's gotten lots of those tonight!]}

Sorry about him, he's, uh... He's harmless, I swear. He's just really into this sort of thing.

[Wildcard!]

_{[Hit me up with anything else!]}

[Merch - Custom Cool Cat]

[Diana's decided to set up a small stall with a few custom pieces of merch on them. Small, simple things, a few mugs and badges but mostly shirts. They're average in quality but they're also cheap so you can't complain.

It's all mostly modeled around Jinx's star Ms Fortune, who returned this year for her second contest. Pictures of the shiny Incineroar adorn most of the objects, though a few sport an occasional white silhouette or Ms Fortune's name.

Diana herself is wearing one of the shirts with a posing, snide looking Incineroar and the words '#swagger' printed beneath. With her is Dare, her Zorua, who's trying to attract attention by switching between the stages of the Litten evolution line and imitating the poses on the products.]

[Games]

[She'd only stopped by the games for a quick look. But soon she was building up an impressive stack of points on Ekans' Hoop Hurl and finds herself unable to pull away from rotating around each one.

At her side stands a little girl with wild hair, watching her intently. Actually, it's just Dare again, which may explain why they're so silent.

Both Diana and her apparent mini-me are totally engrossed in whatever game they're playing at this moment. Break her concentration at your own risk.]

[Wildcard]

[Wow me!]

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CONTEST ENTRIES

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After the Contest

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