[Open] Are you ready? Here we go!

[rollstoseduce]

Who: Everyone and their wallets
Where: Cianwood City
When: Evening of June 21st
Summary: It's an auction! Time to drop some money ~FOR CHARITY~
Rating: Let's say PG-13 just in case.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Alright, here is how this will work: each date/item/egg will have its own top-level! Please reply to it only once, every following comment should be replying to the last bidder, keeping it in one thread. Auctionees are welcome to threadjack with reactions from their characters, of course! Chat with the public, fight among yourselves, etc! I'll freeze the threads and call the winners the morning of June 29th, so you have a whole week to bid! And yes, everyone is absolutely welcome to make their own top levels for this little event, no matter if you are an auctionee, a bidder or just an observer, for the before, the during or the after event, everything goes. All top levels are ready now, so feel free to go ahead and post! :)


Enjoying the solstice festivities, everyone? Those who go for a walk on the beach a few steps away from the festival will notice that a corner of the Cianwood coast has been reserved for something else. Well, two something else, actually.

The first one is a charity booth with the Helping Hand logo on the tablecloth. Three NPC volunteers will be there since early in the morning, handing out pamphlets with tips and contact information, offering their guidance to any Team Rocket victims, and taking any extra donations people may have for them. There's a money box and everything!

The other one... well, is freaking huge. And hidden under a huge canvas cover, which doesn't come off until the festival is over. When the sun finally sets, a pink glow (that many may recognize as a Pokémon using its Psychic-powers) raises the canvas and throws it away, only to reveal...



We know, we know. Your eyes can't believe what they're seeing - it is, indeed, that beautiful. And you're allowed to take selfies on this lovely stage after the auction is over if you drop a little something in the donation box!

Speaking of the auction... the show is starting now. The lights are turned on and, after everyone has taken a sit on one of the hundreds of chairs that were decorated to match the theme, a soft tune starts playing from the speakers as a person makes their way upstage. It's Jaskier, wearing a blue outfit he's commissioned specially for the occasion together with sparkly jewelry and-- is that a bite mark on one of his shoulders? Yes, and a golden mic in his hands. If you've been wondering why Riegfried and Soy have chosen him to host, well, this probably answers that question.

A slow melody isn't being played just for the sake of it - the bard is, of course, singing along. A little something he's also written especially for today.

"♫ In the distance a lonely bell / tolls a solemn beat / for a weary stranger / who has lost a foothold / on life’s road that’s steep / but with a helping hand / they can get up to their feet again ♫"

The song isn't too long, but the message is clear as day. Just because Jaskier is determined to have some fun tonight and tease the hell out of bachelors and bachelorettes, it doesn't mean his wish to help isn't sincere. He just needs to be incredibly extra about it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to express my deepest gratitude to you for being here tonight. Team Rocket has had an impact in most of our lives - mayhap you've come because, like me, you've seen a loved one hurt by their nasty greedy hands. Or perhaps you were a victim yourself. Whatever the reason, you're here to help - with your coin, of course. But not only that: we shall also show Team Rocket that we refuse to be dragged down by their nefarious plans! Let's help, dear public, by not giving up! By keeping our spirits up! By having fun!" He grins as he raises a hand with as much flair as possible. "And to that I say: LET THE SHOW BEGIN!"

Show? What show? Jaskier, this isn't a show, what are you-- never mind. More lights are being turned on and the slow, sweet tune has changed into an upbeat, catchy song. Attendants will quickly notice that Jaskier won't be hosting this auction by himself: two of his Pokémon will be helping. Buttercup the yellow Florges -who is wearing the accesories from the prom contest- will walk in the auctionees arm in arm while keeping up her Petal Dance (because, as we all know, everyone has a secret desire to be in a shojo manga). If you win one of the date auctions, then Buttercup will throw one of her flowers at you. Keep it safe! Meanwhile, the one in charge of bringing and holding up the items and eggs will be Poppy the Swoobat, who is sporting a very cute bow on his fur. Bidders that win these auctions will be approached by this very affectionate bat so he can drop the items on their laps and heartstamp their cheeks as thanks.

Host ready! Participants ready! Wallets open! It's time for a~

BIDDING WAR

Comments

(frozen comment) Re: Date Auction #13: Scorpia

[uncutetomboy]

"1500," Akane calls out, immediately. She is not going to let any creeps take home Scorpia. If Scorpia goes home with anyone, it's definitely going to be her.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

"10,000!"

Steve isn't actually bidding to win here, though he wouldn't complain about hanging out more with Scorpia. Mostly he just wants to make sure she gets a good price on her auction.

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

Akane's eyes narrow. She's definitely not going to let Steve Q Palchuk win Scorpia. She remembers prom last year. She remembers your creepy, ghost-impersonating, inside-walls-peeping ways, Steve P.

(Akane. No. He'd got lost in a secret passage. He wasn't trying to actually spy on people. He was just stuck.)

"50,000!" she shouts.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

Steve has no idea about her thought process, which is probably for the best. As it is he thinks this is just a bit of friendly competition.

"75,000!" he answers quickly, shooting Scorpia a thumbs up and a wink.

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

Was that an actual verbalized growl that just came from Akane? Surely not. "150,000!"

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

Surely not! Steve is apparently still oblivious to the reason she's so incensed, putting it down to determination to win rather than anything to do with him.#

"Woo!" Steve pumps his fist in the air before calling out to the stage "Go Scorpia!"

With that he turns to high five his bidding rival, grinning broadly.

"Dude, that's awesome. Scorpia's gonna be so excited to raise so much."

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

"I'd pay twice that much to make sure nobody creepy takes her home," Akane says in a brittle voice.

She however allows the high five.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

Well. He was going to leave it there, but he's never been one to back down from a challenge. Especially not now he's finally clocking on that she's calling him creepy. He stares at his hand in confusion, and maybe slight betrayal at the loss of his previously perceived comradeship.

"Oh, yeah?" he challenges, a slight edge in his voice now. "Then why don't put your money where your mouth is? Uh..." Crap. How does math work? He does some counting on his fingers, mouthing whatever nonsense his mental math is giving him before calling out another bid. "250,000...?"

By some miracle that's actually a fairly logical bid if he wants Akane to pay double for her date with Scorpia, but he sure didn't get there by anything other than sheer luck. This came out a lot less cool than he wanted.

(frozen comment) This is your own fault, Akane. You could have won her with half as much

[uncutetomboy]

Look. Akane already distrusts teenage boys on principle and the whole thing where she thought you were a ghost when you were stuck in the secret passage during the castle prom and then decided you were a peeper really didn't help things. But honestly, the whole teenage boy thing really would have been enough to make her suspicious. Akane Tendo has issues.

"300,000," Akane says, folding her arms in front of her. "I meant what I said. Scorpia's important. And she doesn't like boys that way."

And she saw the way you used to look at Scorpia, Steve Palchuk. You weren't subtle.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

Oh. Well. That's hurtful. Like he needed salt rubbing into that wound. His cheeks heat up, kind of mad that she's taking all the fun out of this.

"I know that. I don't even like her like that anymore," he huffs, dropping his voice to a harsh whisper. That's... a lie, technically, but it's not like it makes any difference either way. He's suddenly feeling a lot more defensive than he did when he started bidding.

"Scorpia's my friend, and I know she likes to help people. That's why I'm bidding so much on her. You're just lucky I got robbed last year, otherwise I could bid a whole lot more on her."

Would Steve Palchuk bankrupt himself just to spite someone who pissed him off? Probably, honestly. He's still kind of tempted to push further with what he has left.

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

"Well, I didn't know that," Akane says, lowering her voice to meet his. "And there's plenty of boys who refuse to believe you when you tell them you're not interested. How was I supposed to know you weren't one of them?"

Akane spent weeks fighting through hordes of boys every morning who thought they could win a date by defeating her in battle. Something like that leaves a mark on you.

In Akane's case, she just plain expects boys not to listen when you tell them you're not interested.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

"Why wouldn't I believe her? Scorpia's not a liar."

Honestly, Steve's oblivious to how common that problem is. In his mind if you strike out, you move on. Back home most of his interest in dating had been largely performative rather than any real desire to date the girls he'd been with. Scorpia is probably the first person he's met that he's genuinely been upset to have been turned down by, but if he tried to change her then she just wouldn't be Scorpia. It sucks to be him, but he's not that kind of stupid.

As for Akane... he's starting to think there's a reason she's acting so defensive of Scorpia. She might not have thought he was subtle about his feelings, but she's not so smooth either. She can't be if even he's starting to pick up on it.

"You know, if you like her you should just tell her. She put herself up for this. She doesn't need you to protect her. It's pretty cruddy of you to keep outbidding people you don't think are good enough if you're gonna pretend that's the only reason why."

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

"I— that's not—" Akane stammers, turning beet red all of a sudden. "I just—"

She looks away from him, scowling. "Fine," she says. "For whatever reason I want to be the one spending the day with Scorpia and— and— going to the park and having a picnic and things. Because I really like spending time with her."

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

"Ha!" Suddenly he looks very smug. "Yeah, you do. Who doesn't like spending time with Scorpia?"

No one. That's who. Anyone who says otherwise is objectively wrong.

"But you should tell her the reason. Someone like Scorpia? It's only a matter of time before someone else starts crushing on her, and if you don't tell her maybe they'll beat you to it."

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

"Somebody already did," Akane grumbles, still not meeting his eye. "I just got lucky that he was a boy."

You. She means you.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

Wow, rude. He's just trying to help her. He narrows his eyes.

"Yeah. Exactly. If I was a girl you'd have already missed your shot."

Is it a bit presumptive to think Scorpia would definitely date him if he was? Maybe, but it's not like it changes anything now. Let his ego have this.

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

"I know," Akane says, irritably. "I do, okay! But it's not that simple. Connie could come back. Or I could disappear. I know how much it hurts when someone you care about vanishes from this world."

She doesn't want to inflict that pain on anybody else.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

"None of us know what's going to happen, if someone's going to leave, or if they'll come back, so it's better to just go by what's already there. If you don't do anything you're going to lose without even trying."

Who is this person and what have they done with Steve Palchuk?

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

It's... really thoughtful advice, Akane thinks with surprise. Like something she'd expect from Dirk. Not from Steve Q Palchuk. Has she misjudged him all this time? Or sometime in the last year or so, did Steve P finally grow up?

She looks up at him, finally, confusion and embarrassment written all over her face. But for once not any hostility.

"Not here," she whispers. "I can't here. Not... not in front of everyone."

But on the date...

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

Don't get used to it, Akane. He's back to looking smug, and gives her a nudge with his side.

"That's fair. Just don't make me regret letting you win this," he warns her. What will the consequences be if she lets him down? Even he doesn't know yet, but he'll figure it out if he has to.

(frozen comment)

[uncutetomboy]

Akane blushes, looking over at Scorpia. "I won't," she says, softly.

(frozen comment)

[breakyourlife]

"Yeah. Make sure that you don't."

He sounds casual enough, but there is definitely an underlying hint of seriousness in his tone. Akane isn't the only one who wants to look out for Scorpia here.

(frozen comment)

[rollstoseduce]

"300,000 going once... going twice... Sold!" Jaskier indicates the winner with a flourish. "To young lady going through a bit of a crisis!"

Buttercup the Florges takes a flower from her, er, mane and throws it at Akane. Perhaps a gift for your date, mmh?