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

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

"Weird stuff" is ... really putting it mildly. Last time, we were attacked.

[He pauses, taking a moment to get some water for himself.]

Things... came out of the sky. They weren't pokemon. Nothing we could do... nothing stopped them.

[She'll raise an eyebrow at that. People left out the, you can't fight them part. That makes things a bit harder, even for someone used to fighting giant monsters.]

I guess I don't have all the information. Non pokemon creatures that couldn't be fought. How were they gotten rid of?

The only things that bothered them were those weird... Null pokemon. Those, and a legendary bird. It showed up to bail us out at the last minute.

[He'd been up close and personal with it. The one good thing coming out of that fight, those few moments with the massive creature.]

[The feeling of security that came with it.]

A null pokemon?

And that was nice of the bird. Did it have a reason or was it somehow just nearby?

Yeah. They look kind of like... weird dogs with metal helmets?

[Something like that.]

I have no idea. It didn't speak to anyone. Not like we could understand.

I don't think I've seen one of those before. Where can you usually find them?

[Still, very new here.]

It just showed up, helped and left?

I have no idea. You might want to ask Ford Pines or Heather Mason. They're the only people I know of who have one.

[He's seen more. But Ford and Heather are the people he knows best so far.]

Yeah. That's exactly what it did.

I'm curious now. So I might. Besides it might be good to have a pokemon that can go against whatever these things were.

[She's still in that curious of all pokemon in general stage and if some of them are stranger then others....might be worth checking out. Also that last bit.]

So, legendary pokemon. I've only read bits and pieces about them so far. Does anyone know how many there are?

I never got a chance to really talk with them about the things. It was way ... way too crazy.

[And he'd basically collapsed and slept for twelve hours after his Aggron's mega-evolution adventure.]

Someone must. I've heard of a couple birds. And a couple summers ago, there were Legendary Dogs? Causing a whole lot of trouble.

It sounds like it.

[Lots of attacking monsters you can only fight with one type of rare pokemon.]

Birds and dogs so far. So are they their own type of pokemon or just a really advanced or evolved version of ones that are around the areas?

From how everyone talks about them, it sounds like they're their own thing. A whole other category.

[His shoulders flex, rolling backward in an attempt to loosen his muscles.]

Armin might know more. He had a more personal run-in with one of the dogs.

I wonder what they do in this world.

[She's starting to get reminded of the monsters that guarded the vaults on Pandora. Only smarter it seemed.]

He did? I'll have to ask him about that. They sound like something worth knowing about.

[Also she's curious and likes to find answers.]

No idea. I've never been one to study the pokemon I'm not either working with or battling.

[Maybe that's not a great strategy. But. It's worked so far.]

He did -- I think it stole his tea kettle?

Really?

[Maya may be a vault hunter but she's also the vault hunter who showed up just to find information.]

Super powerful creatures that don't fit into the same mold as the ones running around here, sound like exactly the sort of thing I want to know as much about as possible.

You never know when someone will try to use a giant uncontrollable unknowable creature to destroy things after all.

[Hey, Jack.]

.....or maybe not if they're stealing tea kettles. ...Yeah, I'm going to ask him about that.

To be honest, they don't show up that often. It's almost easy to forget about them from time to time. Like those dogs. They haven't popped up since that summer.

[They'd been suspiciously quiet, now that he thinks about it. And besides the last prom, none of the others had shown themselves.]

I don't think anyone can use them. I've never heard of anyone even trying.

... Yeah, I'd talk to Armin for sure.

Maybe someone tried once and it went horribly....and was also somehow lost to history. That makes less sense after I started.

We've got giant vault monsters on Pandora, I guess they remind me of these legendary things. ....and also people tried to control them, so in my mind it would be something to worry about.

[Also people in her universe just try to control powerful creatures and beings they don't understand, see, her life and Angel.]

I get what you mean... but wouldn't it make more sense if that kind of thing was more widely known? You'd think they'd make it some kind of cautionary tale.

[Something like that.]

It does seem like we should be thinking about. But no one is? Not that I've ever seen.

That's true. Even Pandora had legends to scare people and this place should have better records.

[Most places should have better records.]

That's....almost a relief. Some things you shouldn't try to control.

Maybe it does, and we've just missed them. Like I said, it hasn't been something I've had on my mind.

[He hadn't even known about the legendary pokemon until that fire a few summers back.]

I agree. Completely.

Well, I've been needing a new research project here. I might as well look into it.

[She is still semi bitter about being taken away from the one place that might have had answers she'd been looking for her entire life. ....she's getting better about it but still somewhat bitter.]

I'd definitely hit Armin up on that one. If he hasn't looked into this already, then he'd know where to look, at least.

[Man, she should talk to Pidge, too. There's someone who could absolutely relate to her on that.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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

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