victory_road | GET YOUR TOWELS READY, IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN

Wingulls wheel and dive in the salty springtime air of Olivine City's harbor, as white as the gleaming sides of the ship moored directly below. The S.S. Aqua isn't an infrequent visitor in the slightest, but this time it's for a very special occasion! Colorful banners stream from the sides, each one proudly declaring the word PROM in glittery font.

The boarding starts around noon on Friday, and the sight of the huge ship alone is enough to get many people and Pokemon swept up in the party atmosphere. The captain is even there when the ramp is rolled out, wanting to welcome each otherworlder onto the boat personally with a hearty handshake and (mentioning he's a renowned 'people reader'), a recommendation on what part of the cruise he thinks they'll like best based solely on a glance. Weirdly enough, guests might find that he's usually right!

Unsurprisingly, it takes a good long while for everyone to get on board and accounted for, which leaves each guest with plenty of time to find their rooms, dump their luggage, let their Pokemon out to stretch their legs a little, and finally head back to the deck to wave goodbye to the harbor as the SS Aqua heads out onto the open water.

IT'S FINALLY HERE, THE BEST TIME OF YEAR!

For the next three days until it makes its way back to shore on Monday, the lucky cruisegoers can live it up as much as they want. And, as the captain boasts over the announcement system once things are underway, the S.S. Aqua and its staff truly are the hosts with the most-- not even Gorgeous Resort has as much variety as this!

THE ATTRACTIONS

FIRST OF ALL, THE ROOMS!

Each room is fitted with either one or two king-sized beds, making them perfect to share with partners or friends, along with a wide-screen TV, dimmable lights, and fancy bathrooms. With little soaps that have "Please Steal Us!" printed into them.

Depending on whether they're exterior or interior rooms, they may or may not have porthole windows and balconies on the outside.

Check out the "Mood" channel on your TVs, you won't be disappointed.

GET YOUR SWIM ON @ THE WATER PARK

Possibly the first thing about the ship that most people notice (because it's noticeable from a mile away) are the set of pools and waterslides (proudly titled the Winged Mirage Pools) on the very top deck. It's about as wild as it gets while staying within the acceptable safety level for being pools on top of a huge boat. Each pool has its own set of waterslides that turn and twist to your heart’s content, so be mindful of your fellow guests rushing out to drop in on the fun!

Lifeguards are stationed and well-equipped to keep watch over patrons, and will do their best to keep the pools’ populations separated according to the ship’s rules. It would be unsafe, after all, for a small Pokemon to be bowled over by a group of rowdy folks playing water volleyball, or some similar incident.

The Articuno Pool is limited to human swimmers only! It has a small cold-water jaccuzi on the side, and the mosaic tile laid down looks quite similar to deep arctic ice. Pokemon are allowed in the vicinity of the pool but not within the pool itself.

The Zapdos Pool is special pool just for small to medium sized Pokemon to enjoy! It is staggered in two “tiers” and features greenery and water properly calibrated to suit even the pickiest sea Pokemon’s taste. Humans are allowed to supervise their Pokemon, but are asked to not interfere with the many Lifeguard Starmie on duty.

The Moltres Pool, flanked by two warm jacuzzis, is where people and small Pokemon are allowed to swim together! The water is calibrated carefully to be safe for all swimmers, and while it is expected for swimmers to get a little rowdy, Pokemon larger than their trainers are asked to refrain from cannon-balling, for the safety of everyone around them.

IT'S NOT PROM WITHOUT DANCING!

For the main dancing action, you’ll want to go to the Nido-King and Queen Ballroom. There, you can get down and funky with friends and your roster alike in your nicest prom duds to tunes spun out by a live DJ, who will happily and eagerly take your song requests. Don’t be shy, bust out those moves you’ve been holding onto all year!

For those of you who might prefer an all-night techno thump to your dancing, the Porygon2 Discotheque will keep you up and about long into the wee hours of the morning. Featuring actual Porygon2 assisting their DJ trainer, you’ll have their ill mixes and projected lights guiding you into perpetual party heaven.

AND IT'S NOT A PARTY WITHOUT FOOD AND DRINK!

Food is plentiful on board, nowhere more so than Wailord’s Bounty, a buffet operating round the clock to make sure all guests have the chance to fill their plates with delicious morsels whenever they want. While there’s plenty to go around for people and Pokemon, cruise staff do ask that Munchlax and Snorlax are not brought into the buffet. There have been... incidents.

For those looking for fine dining in the evening, look no further than The Mother-of-Clamperl. Slightly fancier than the other areas of the cruise, guests are expected to be dressed somewhat nicely. No showing up in flip-flops! Wear a dress shirt and have some champagne!

Somewhere in between on the fanciness spectrum, The Shiny Corsola may look like a gaudy bar, but lurking in that sparkly, shimmery haven is a smooth nightlife scene with all of the fancy liquor and exquisite jazz you could ever want. The jazz is live, by the way - the Jazzypuffs play an ever-rotating set for your listening pleasure, setting the mood for a sweet, sexy, relaxing night away from the hustle and bustle of cruise life.

AS FOR NON-AQUATIC RECREATION...

The Radical Croconaw Cove is the dope place to chill for preteen and teen promgoers, ya dig? Chock full of tubular snacks and stocked with retro video games that are the bomb-diggety, this is the off-the-hook zone to get your chill on! There’s also some board games too, for you tabletop nerds who want to squeeze a session in.

If you’re after live entertainment, Sudowoodo Centerstage has all your needs covered. Live comedy? Check. Sketches and skits performed by an ever-rotating cast of human and Pokemon actors fresh from Unova’s Pokemon Musical stage? Check! Opportunities for open mic performances by guests? Oh, honey, that box is done CHECKED! That’s right, guests of all species are encouraged to come on up and belt out that Lady Gardevoir cover that’s been stuck in their head, or perform in any other way! the only limitation is that guests are asked to keep Pokemon moves involved to non-destructive ones. After all, this is a cruise ship, not a Contest! And renovating a ship stage can be pricey.

While Goldenrod and Celadon have their Game Corners, the SS Aqua has the Mystery Egg Arcade, welcoming all ages to come and earn technicolor tickets via timing, chance, sharp eyes, and steady hands! Your first twenty tokens are complimentary, the rest shockingly reasonable in price (the equivalent of twenty-five cents per token), and the prizes you can glean are, while not the usual battle items or rare Pokemon, still very nice! Everything from well-made toys to good quality candies to the usual arcade bits and bobs like whoopie cushions and harmonicas, tiny parachute plastic figurines and paper finger traps...it’s all here, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg in tickets to win it, either!

For those looking for more intellectually stimulating pursuits, the Mantine Maritime Library offers a decent selection of reading materials, all seafaring in nature. From glossy photo spreads of underwater expeditions to reproductions of nautical journals from early sailors in Johto and Kanto history, this place has...well, not everything, but enough to whet your academic appetite.

What cruise ship is complete without an awesome rock wall to climb? Shuckle’s Challenge is specifically for humans, and any Pokemon that can’t learn Rock Climb or similar moves. It’s a test of ability and will, and the top of the rock wall offers a grand prize - the most spectacular view of the open sea on the entire ship.

Colorful and cheerful, Phanpy’s Putting Green is exactly the kind of kid friendly minigolf experience you could come to expect from the Pokemon world. Springy green turf adorned with figurines and obstacles depicting various baby Pokemon in play, it’s a hit with little children as much as it’s amusing for all ages to play a round or two together.

No ship is complete without a place to get in some rigorous physical activity, and The Rink is the perfect place to do so! Fitted with colored spotlights, this arena is fitted with all sorts of sports stuff that shifts throughout the day. For a few hours, it’s a basketball court, then, poof! It shifts to tennis, or racketball, or even a roller skating rink! And in the evening, it is of course open to Pokemon battles! Feel like hosting an impromptu tourney in your friend group with your best partners? This is the place to do it!

...And oh, don’t worry. We didn’t forget the most essential cruise amenity of all. Shuffle board courts can be found where you least expect them, and are always maintained by at least one friendly-looking elderly staff member willing to show you or your Pokemon the ropes. It’d be criminal not to make sure everyone has access to this timeless and treasured activity!

AND ONCE YOU'RE DONE PARTYING HARD...

Rejuvination is the core to the SS Aqua’s Max Revive Spa Center. Equipped with saunas, mineral soaks, and fancy mud masks, you’ll feel like a new ‘Mon once you emerge from their pampering. There’s even a special Trainer and Pokemon massage package for those of you who would like to try and improve your bond with one of your partners. Does it work? Only one way to find out...

While they may not have a specific name, the outdoor deck lounges can be found most everywhere on the outer decks, offering peaceful views of the ocean and any land in the distance that the ship might pass. These decks are awesome places to work on your tan or read a book or chat with a friend without disturbing others or being disturbed, and hold wonderfully atmospheric aesthetics for anyone looking to spot breaching sea Pokemon or take pictures.

[Feel free to toplevel to your heart's content! For more information about the event, check the infopost over here!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Monsters coming out of a portal? It sounds like what's been described to her by others. What else Newt says is... both familiar, and unfamiliar.

"You wanted to keep surviving. I don't think anyone would want to do all that alone, if they had a choice. Protecting your pokemon... isn't the only way of handling things, but I can imagine why it would seem that way, when you hadn't been here for long." Annie scratches at her cheek before letting her hand fall back down to her side. "Do you feel safe in this world these days?"

"No, some of my pokemon got mad at me but we made up afterwards when they realized I was just really scared."

And that's...a good question.

"I think so. I'm still scared of a lot of things and I can't hatch pokemon eggs myself because eggs scare me. And some of the pokemon look like the monsters from back home but....I think I'm getting better at not being afraid all the time."

She nods, more acknowledging what Newt's saying than anything else. "Takes a lot to get there," she says, because it does, and she's not sure there's ever a place where you're entirely unafraid, not unless you're someone special in that way. "Still, you have people who can hatch eggs for you so you don't have to, and your team to fight the pokemon who look like the monsters back home, if you come across them. Does that help?"

If not with the nightmares or the way hearts beat faster when something sends you back to the places your nightmares were born out of.

Some things scar too deep.

"Yeah, some people have done that for me. It's really nice of them. And...it helps having my team. We protect each other, like a family."

Her...third family at this rate. Lost one to aliens and the other to this place pulling her away from them. No one is going to take this one from her.

"Also some pokemon eat bad dreams, so now I don't wake up screaming so much."

"Right. Dream Eater, isn't it?" One of the moves she'd studied once Puck ended up in her care, and she feels like had been mentioned around Shiro. She's not sure, but it seems like something he might benefit from too, if he felt the same way.

Annie closes her eyes for a moment longer than a blink would take. "It's good to hold on to your family." About the one thing that she herself has done, even a dimension away from the man who may or may not still be alive. "Making more where you are... that's a skill not everyone has. It's good you've found family here, too."

Lute might be family. Heck, most her pokemon might be, if she lets them, but she still holds her heart in reserve. There's too much she'll do for family.

"Yeah, and they like eating bad dreams too."

Otherwise Newt wouldn't let them eat hers. They're...really bad.

She nods.

"Family is important. That's why I never have a pokemon on my team if they don't want to be there. It wouldn't be fair."

Non pokemon wise. It also helps that half the people here try to adopt her. Meanwhile she pretends her second family is the only one that mattered and has many, many issues around her first family that she just...doesn't talk about. .....healthy.

Like eating bad dreams, huh? She knows it's true, and she still won't entertain the idea for herself.

"I know the feeling. Even with the one who was left with me after their original trainer was sent back to their home dimension. No one deserves to be tied to something they don't believe in."

Who talks about family issues? No one, because that's for people who have trusting relationships with therapists, which no one here has. Hah!

This world needs a really stubborn, friendly therapist.

"They don't. That would just be mean. That's why I ended up trading a pokemon I accidently caught, with Armin. They wanted to go with him and his pokemon was okay coming to live with me."

And she doesn't make him fight either, he's just learning to not be afraid of her pokemon. ...actually half her pokemon are therapy pokemon at this rate, as well as family.

"Was it a water type?" Idle enough curiosity, but with Armin's leanings here, it would make sense.

Therapy pokemon are valid and important and if anyone here says they have not even one, they are probably deep in denial.

"Yeah! It was a Poliwag."

So very much water.

"I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I asked Shiro who got me and Armin to talk."

Annie has to pause and drum up a mental image of what a poliwag looks like—she's fought one or two before, in trainer challenges.

"Sounds like something Shiro would do. Who'd you end up taking on from Armin?"

"An Eevee. His name is Phobos. He doesn't like crowds of people or fighting and he's really scared a lot. But I know what that's like and my pokemon helped me. So now he's got a safe place to live and we can help each other not be scared of things all the time."

Newt is also apparently a therapy person for some of her pokemon.

Therapy is a two way street on so many pokemon teams. In the end, it's a good thing, having those support networks, and having them stretch between teams and trainers as well.

"Sounds like he ended up with a good partner." Kinder than what Annie had Lute adjust to, for all she doesn't invite him to fight when he refuses. Jaeger might be eager for it; Lute never has been. "Even here, not everyone needs to fight. Whole careers are built around avoiding it, including ones that have nothing to do with seeing eggs."

She nods.

"Yeah, like that new one I found. They're scared all the time too and don't like to fight. But that's okay because the rest of my team is really good at fighting."

"Mm. A good team is there to cover each other." Something she'd been both good and bad at. Teamwork was learned, not natural, for Annie.

"Including mapping out escape routes. Speaking of, if you haven't checked out the life boats, the smaller ones that are easier to launch are down toward the stern."

Teamwork was alright for Newt once she got over her utter terror of being here and away from her new family and didn't slip back into feral survival mode. The people here helped with that.

"Really?"

Yes good.

"Thank you. I'm going to go see them then. Just in case."

Annie nods, and belatedly, gives Newt a thumbs up.

"Good scouting to you."

GET YOUR TOWELS READY, IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject