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

[indigo_events]

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!]

Comments

[pkemeter]

Denver allows Ray to grab onto him, but he gets jostled by the Golisopod diving into the water. Egon clings to Denver's "ears", trying to keep himself on his back. Once Peter hoists himself up onto Denver's shell, things have started to get a little crowded. For once, Denver doesn't cast any judgmental looks towards any of them or scoff.

"Are you alright, Venkman?" Egon shouts over the storm. "I believe something beneath the water may be aggravating Lugia. If we try to get closer and investigate the source, we may be able to deal with it and calm the creature!"

Egon tries to urge Denver forward, but all Denver does is swim in wide circles, trying to avoid being tipped over by the waves. No way is he getting near that!

[ghoststanning]

Ray awkwardly climbs up on Denver, still grinning like a complete moron who didn't just jump into the ocean in the middle of the storm.

"I think at least trying to talk to them could be a good idea! Even if it doesn't solve everything, it should probably give us an idea of what's going wrong!"

Ray pauses, the excitement from the storm and water gods subsides when he realizes that they... aren't going anywhere.

"Hey Denver, could you help us get near Lugia please?"

[neverstudied]

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Absolutely perfect. Can we go home now?" Venkman clings tightly to the handholds on Denver's shell, glancing around in the water around him.

Alfred's there, of course- noticeably shaken and concerned, but willing to come along- albeit reluctantly- to watch over his trainer. He may be the lowest level Pokemon here, but he's a big guy, he can at least carry someone to safety if they get thrown off.

Roach looks like he's regretting everything. His smaller legs kick frantically to keep him afloat, and he's on the verge of panic, but he's too loyal to leave Venkman's side. For now.

And then there's Luca, who's already swimming off in Lugia's general direction. She turns back to wave at the group and call for them to catch up.

Three water Pokemon willing to carry three idiots, but with one fatal flaw- none of them know Surf. So, Venkman turns to Denver, shouting a little to be heard over the raging storm.

"Alright, look, sweetheart, I know you hate this, but think of it this way- we get swept off to sea by this storm, get knocked off of you, there's a good chance you'll never have to deal with us again. And I don't mean we'll die, I mean we'll wake up somewhere God knows how far away from you and you're free to live your life away from us and chill out, retire by some island somewhere.

But if you do return us to that boat right now, I promise you, Ray will design dumb little outfits for you and force you to wear them and post pictures of you wearing them online, and you'll never be able to pretend to be too good for us ever again. So get swimming."

[pkemeter]

"You know we can't go home until the path is clear for the boat," says Egon, regaining his balance and leaning against Denver's neck for support. "So you're stuck with us in the meantime."

Denver seems to pause for a moment, considering Venkman's words. He doubts Ray's ability to actually carry out this threat, but he's not willing to risk his dignity for this. A mortified expression appears on his face as he lets out a huff, trying to swim towards Lugia.

Tries being the keyword here. The Lapras tries swimming forward, towards Lugia, but it seems like he's just getting pulled further away. His fins splash against the surface in frustration as he casts a glance towards his riders, as if saying, "I swear it isn't me!"

Egon frowns, glancing across the water. It quickly becomes abundantly clear why Denver isn't moving anywhere.

"Oh, that's bad," Egon says, his tone quiet and almost fearful.

For the Ghostbusters can see that Denver has drifted into the edge of one of the whirlpools and is slowly but surely being pulled into the center.

[ghoststanning]

"Oh no," Ray has almost no fear of death, but seeing the whirlpool actually makes him stiffen up for a bit as the realization hits him that this was a bad idea.

In desperation, he starts shouting at Lugia, hoping to get through to them.

"We just wanna talk! I promise we mean you no harm; we just want to help!"

He has no idea if this would work at all, but he has to try something before they all drown.

[neverstudied]

"Ohhhh, boy."

This isn't good. Luckily, Venkman has a whole goddamn crew of water types in the water with them. Roach chitters nervously as he wraps his giant claw hands around Denver's neck, pinwheeling his other legs through the water in an effort to help drag Denver free from the whirlpool. Alfred swims underneath Denver and tries to push him up and away from the whirlpool. Luca...

Well, Luca can't do much. She's tiny. And also she's really making good use of that head start, darting through the water and kind of completely missing the fact that her trainer is in trouble.

As for Lugia itself, it barely hears Ray, and tilts its head, it catching sight of the intrepid group of idiots out of the corner of its eye. ...What is wrong with humans.

[pkemeter]

Denver strains as he tries to push against the current, but even with everyone's help, he can't seem to drag himself from where he is. He's getting tired, especially after swimming for so long with so much weight on his back. The Lapras lets out a bray of distress--half out of the fact that he's being dragged into a whirlpool, and half because he's going to die with these idiots on his back like some sort of commoner.

Something seems to pop up on the edge of the ship deck in response to Denver's call for help--something round and orange. Standing over the railing is Egon's Trapinch, Riley. Denver calls out again, more panicked this time. Riley seems to hesitate at the sight of the water. What does he want him to do, exactly?

An idea suddenly hits her, and she wiggles her little butt and dives right into the water. A distressed expression appears on Egon's face.

"Riley! Stop!" Egon sounds genuinely panicked as he fumbles through his bag for her containment unit. "She can't swim, she's a Ground type--we have to get closer!"

[ghoststanning]

"Lugia please!" Okay, Ray's going to try shouting louder "If you just let us listen, I'm sure we can help!"

He is however stopped from his attempt of yelling at Lugia when he sees Riley jump into the water and he almost instantly panics. That's their baby!

"Riley, get back here, please!" Ray bends down and attempts to reach out to her without falling into the water himself. "Just... if you see my hand grab on to it or bit it or do whatever you can to get back on!"

[neverstudied]

Venkman winces, glancing from Riley to the various water Pokemon. Roach and Alfred are working double-time to try to keep them out of the Whirlpool, so neither of them can help. And Luca's too far away-

Still, Venkman whistles for her, getting the Squirtle's attention. She glances back and sees, oh shit, they're all like, about to drown. Luca immediately begins to paddle her way back. Whether or not she'll be able to reach Riley in time, though...