Goldenrod City Christmas Market

[indigo_league]

Who: Everyone
Where: Goldenrod Christmas Market
When: December 1st - December 31st
Summary: Ah, Christmas time! A time of joy, family and... commerce?


Like every year, the Goldenrod Christmas Market is opened on December 1st by a Santa (not the Santa, but certainly a Santa) with a merry Ho-Ho-Ho and a jolly tinkle of sleigh bells. And like every year, the stalls are stacked to the brim, overflowing with everything you might wish to buy this Christmas season. Every few stalls, the items make way for hot food and drink -- waffles, hot chocolate, cider, you name it and you can most certainly find it.

New this year, however, is that the stalls are not just manned by people native to this world. For the first year ever, Otherworlders have also had the option of setting up a stall, whether for the entire month or just for a few days. So if you have a special skill, a knack for crafting, or simply a lust for poke-bucks, why not come join the festivities and maybe make a little extra money?

Comments

A Krampus-Like Trick

[loveisadagger]

[Around the areas just outside the Christmas Market. Loki decided to play a little trick on the patrons. After talking about his plan with his little Zorua who seemed all for playing this game along with his Impidimp. Loki would hide nearby so no one can see while his pokemon go with his scheme.

Just nearby an alley an Impidimp would give a cry to try and get an attention from someone. And once they follow the Impidimp, they'd find themselves jumping in fright as what looked like a giant blue and quite monstrous Grimmsnarl. Who would leap out at the unsuspecting trainer and roar in their face. Making them run and drop whatever they had on them.

Once they were gone, the Grimmsnarl would turn back into Zorua and snatched them items to give back to Loki's hiding spot. Honestly so far so good, all was working according to plan. As Zorura and Impidimp giggled at each other, grabbing the lost items and running back to Loki as they handed him the treasure. Loki reached out in a proud smile toward his partners as he petted their heads.]

Glorious, you guys were amazing. I am so proud of you! Remind me to give you both extra treats tonight.

[They both hopped up and down happily. Jumping into his arms for snuggles and licked his cheeks in kisses while he chuckled. Honestly, this was quite wonderful, it felt good to have such lovely creatures work for him and were happy to do it. A great change of pace from what he was used to back home.]

[nastyboy]

It is quite a clever trick, truth be told. Certainly not what the average resident of Goldenrod would be used to dealing with, both with the average level of Pokemon about the place, and the kind of Pokemon expected in Goldenrod, or the surrounding routes.

The problem comes when the pair try this trick on a man passing by with his arm full of bags from the market. Maybe Loki senses what a bad idea this is, on account of it being a blond with an eyepatch.

It's definitely clearly a bad idea when, after following the sound with a concerned and furrowed brow, his first reaction to a Grimmsnarl suddenly popping out of the darkness is to take a swing at it.

Whops.

[loveisadagger]

[As while their little plan worked for a while on some unsuspecting guests, Loki's arrogance began to cloud his judgement more as he wanted to press their luck more for dropped items. Seeing a man with an arm full of bags made it most intriguing for this fallen God. Loki gave a bold smirk and encouraged his Zorua to go out to jump scare this new victim. Letting her run out and transform into the giant blue Grimmsnarl, roaring to cause fright.

Unfortunately, that backfired quite literally as she was punched in the face. Making out a very different noise from the monster, which was a surprised squeak as it bounced back from the punch. Rubbing the bruise nose with a whimper and transformed back to her original Zorua form. Loki involuntary made out a cry as he covered his mouth. Trying to stay hidden, shoot he hadn't counted on this! Impidimp sweated nervously with him against the wall.]

[fearinahandfulof]

[If Cassandra had come from any other world, she might actually have been fazed by this. Alas, she has not. (It would probably also help if she hadn't known Entrapta and her pokemon, most notably the Impidimp she started with, but it's not like Loki's Zorua would know that.)

As it is, she merely stares hard at the "Grimmsnarl" for a moment, and then shrugs.]

I guess that was a nice try?

[Cassandra's starter, meanwhile, simply looms as much as a Very Sparkly Silvally can loom.]

Jane Crocker | Homestuck | OTA for all of December

[cyan_maid]

[Stalls available to people like Jane? Oh, that's...

...

That's definitely something to keep in mind for next year. This year, she's really not in any shape to do something like that. But she keeps it tucked away for later to think about, when the thought of gingerbread and hot drinks might make a good marketing tactic for her gym and investigative services.

As it is, the Christmas Markets are Jane's favorite place to shop at this time of year. She likes putting thought into her gifts and picking up local products for baked goods, so she strolls through at least twice a week. You're likely to run into her almost anywhere, and please do! There is a sort of quiet melancholy air to her behind the instant smile she offers to the world, one that the Audino accompanying her seems all too attuned to, for how keenly it sticks by her side. Maybe you run into them having a snack break or perusing a particular vendor?]

[nastyboy]

[If Jane is perusing the various stalls, well, it's almost inevitable that at one point she'll come across a tiny and plain little stall where Dimitri is situated. He honestly doesn't expect to make too much money here... But if he can at least pay off the amount that it took to get the stall, that would be enough for him. Anything else is just extra.]

[For all that it's a bit chilly, that doesn't seem to bother him much at all as he patiently passes the time by carving various little wooden figurines to place along his table. Then again, it's probably hard to feel bothered by the cold when there's a giant Emboar at his back, warm even discounting the flames coming from his face.]

[Gabby perks up from behind the counter, and waves at Jane when she sees her, earning Dimitri's attention.]

Oh! Jane, it is good to see you. I was hoping that you would drop by the market.

[heartofalioness]

[As it happens, sometime after the tenth, Allura is just about to approach a bakery to pick up treats for her Pokemon- all trotting at her heels, including a shiny Floatzel that certainly wasn't there at the harvest party- when she catches Jane out of the corner of her eye, lifting an hand and nodding her head.]

Jane! Good evening. How have you been?

[She makes sure to keep that question short and without any awkward clauses about Halloween.]

December 11th, all day

[paladinlost]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Cecil's very special, one-day-only Christmas stall, where you can find delightful handmade gifts for all your loved ones!

...As long as your loved ones have very basic and specific tastes, of course. Available products are as follows:

- Egg pillows! Square and colorfully patterned, these little pillows are stuffed with carefully harvested fur from various Fire-types to keep your eggs all nice and cozy.
- Knit scarves! Made with the softest, fanciest wool available on the market; probably sold at a loss. Every scarf is striped in two or three colors, but he also sells one (1) rainbow-striped scarf that's slightly over three metres long. Don't ask if you can buy a second copy; he'll cry.
- Knit hats! Made with the same type of wool as the scarves, but generally in a single color each. The exception: five (5) Mog-shaped hats, ideal for people who like their pompoms big and eye-catching, or for people who want to make their friends suffer.
- Embroidered drawstring pouches! Available in various sizes (the biggest model can hold an entire egg!). The fabric used is very sturdy, the stitching is well done, and the embroidery... Look, it's a new hobby, he's doing his best, who cares if that Magikarp looks like it got run over by a car?

Come by to grab a few things and chat!

[nastyboy]

Dimitri also has a stall at the market, although it's nothing particularly impressive. Just various little wooden figurines of various Pokemon. Maybe one day he'll have made a figurine of every single Pokemon out there! You know, until the next generation.

Sometimes he makes enough that there's no worry about selling out for a short while, and so those are the times when he goes to browse the market himself for any gifts he can succeed in getting for his own beloved group.

It's initially the eyecatching rainbow scarf that gets his attention... But as he wanders closer with Gwin the Altaria bobbing behind him, the egg pillows soon have him riveted. "Oh!" he exclaims when he lays his hand upon them. "I did not even stop to consider there would be pillows made with eggs in mind..."

[rollstoseduce]

Jaskier's table will be right next to Kiri's twice a week the whole month, starting on the 10th. He'll be bundled up in his blue cloak, playing his ukulele when he is alone... which isn't often, to be fair. When his boyfriend isn't around, making him company or bringing more inks, Jaskier is surrounded by his Staryutube fans asking for selfies and just chatting. It's quite obvious Jaskier loves the attention and encourages them to stay for as long as they can.

Available products:

Mudbray and Galarian Ponyta eggs. They cannot be shiny, but they do have some eggs moves.

Limited special physical editions of his books, which usually are only sold digitally (The Collected Works of Jaskier Volume I - The Poetry and The Collected Works of Jaskier Volume II - The Lyrics). Only available this month. The cover is still the same though, and they also bring illustrations by Leonardo Da Vinci (who is thanked in the acknowledgments). They have chapter headers and quote frames in this style, plus the occasional flower doodle. Jaskier will sign the first page with a little message for the buyer, their name included. (These ones show up starting on the 15th.)

Quills! Made from Flying-type Pokémon feathers. Available feathers to choose for your quill: Talonflame, Swanna, Chatot, Oricorio (all four forms), Toucannon, Staraptor, Corviknight, Noctowl, Murkrow, Swellow, Pelipper, Unfezant (both male and female), Spritzee, Farfetch'd, Galar Farfetch'd (shiny and common), Pidgeot, Fearow, Cramorant, Hawlucha, Mandibuzz, Decidueye, Blaziken, Delibird, Drampa, Rufflet, Archen.

Inks! Mixed by a master alchemist (aka Geralt) using berries and leaves or powders provided by Grass-types.

Buttercup enamel pin.

Wood bookmark. On one side, there's a quote from one of his songs (Love run, love run, love run / For all the things you wished you’d done / Run for all you know that’s coming / Run to show that love’s worth running to), on the other side there's a buttercup design in this style and gold paint.

If you want to know the detailed content of his books or just a general idea of what your character could know of him through his Staryutube channel, check his business page.

[dreamsofahero]

Broadly speaking, there's not much of interest to Sion in the Christmas Market. He has little use for knickknacks, and rarely has any interest in indulging in fancy baked goods. Still, it doesn't hurt to come have a look, especially lately when he could probably use whatever small changes of pace he can get. One doesn't simply come out of a funk like he'd been in just the other month without needing to put effort into retaining some sense of normalcy.

That said, something at Jaskier's booth does indeed catch Sion's eye. Or to be specific, the combination of the item and the fact that it's clearly made by a fellow otherworlder.

"Might I have a pair of those for the gym's library?" he asks, gesturing towards the books. No, he did not bother to take the time to even read the titles before asking. "We have a section set aside for works by people from other worlds, but it's still rather sparser than I'd like..."

[bestswordmaster]

Felix waits to visit Jaskier's table until there's no crowd there - which means he waits until almost closing time, which is annoying as hell, but that's Jaskier for you. At least he had a chance to look at what else the Market had available and make some plans for gifts, and at least Inda had fun shopping and sampling Pokesnacks.

Now, he approaches Jaskier with a shiny Tsareena at his side and looks over the table for a moment. "I want a quill. And some ink."

[averageineverything]

[Someone is enticed over by the collection of books. In fact, this little man seems even more interested when he witnesses Jaskier signing a copy for someone.

... Maybe his nervousness makes him hang back until the other customers have cleared off, even if it takes a minute. But sooner or later, a young boy will approach the bard's table sheepishly.]

Um, excuse me, sir... Did you write these?

[heartofalioness]

[Some time after the whirlwind that was the house party, Allura went to the holiday market with the others to accomplish the other thing she'd been saving up money for: buying Christmas presents. And of course giving her vendor friends her patronage is certainly a plus.]

Good evening, Mr. Jaskier. How goes the market so far?

[necrodentia]

Rainer, herself dressed in a pretty pink peacoat with Marowak skull shaped buttons, recognizes Jaskier's signature blue cloak from across the way, and decides to head over to see what her friend is selling. She has to wait a good minute or two for his legion of fans to clear out after pestering him for autographs, but she just laughs as finally there's a break in the crowd and she can get close.

"Wow, you really are a rockstar, aren't you?"

[chirpier]

[ yachi is bundled up for the cold and accompanied by her mimikyu— snug in a holiday scarf and cute little vest. did ghosts need it? no, but tsubaki liked to be a part of things. knowing that she's being cared for and treated kindly makes her world, even though she's shy around, well. everyone. a single claw from beneath the mimkyu's costume holds yachi's shoulder to keep from falling, its fake head drooping to the side while her true eyes darted around the christmas market. the buttercup pin, to say the least, is what catches tsubaki's interest and gets her to float right to the table's top while the owner is busy with fans.

meanwhile, yachi follows suit— halting and bringing her hands slowly upward into a quiver to keep from, like. screaming. galar ponyta eggs. inhale. exhale. don't squeal. don't make a scene. don't buy twenty. ]

I already have one, I already have one . . .

[ it's too bad (or good, for jaskier's wallet) yachi's brain wants to, infact, take twenty. ]

Around Dec 13 onward

[shiningkindness]

[ After hearing about the market from someone at the holiday party, Fluttershy had asked to be dropped off at Goldenrod in order to take a look around. There were certainly a number of stalls that she would like to take a better look at, but she had also been interested to learn that they could open up their own stalls.

And, after taking a bit of time trying to gather the courage, Fluttershy was eventually able to ask and had a stall for herself set up. Her table was set up for a few hours during the day, displaying her articles of knit goods. She hadn't had a lot of time to make anything too elaborate, but there were colorful knitted scarves and simple accessories, such as headbands with bows or flowers, that could be worn by people and Pokémon alike, as shown by her own Pokémon helping to model some of the items. She also had a selection of egg cosies: some were designed like hats for the eggs to wear, decorated with the same bows or flowers as the headbands, and some were made like a simple bag with a strap for easy carrying.

In between helping people who might want to take a look at the offered goods, Fluttershy could be seen knitting additional items to sell. She might even be willing to knit something custom, if someone wished to ask. ]

[floatsaway]

[Now that things have calmed down a bit with, well...everything, Ochako finally decided it's time to head back to Goldenrod and get her affairs in order. She really doesn't intend to stay in the City much longer and vacation with the boys in Cianwood where it's warmer for a nice, long while, but...she also really does want to challenge Whitney and get her third gym badge as well. Ochako finally feels like she's ready and trained up. Plus, she has a fairly decent strategy, too. Or so she hopes, anyway.

But, in classic Ochako fashion, she's distracted from all of those thoughts as her focus shifts when the Winter Market opens up. She only means to spend a few minutes browsing, but...well, minutes turn to hours quite fast, and she's currently looking over some scarves and headbands at Fluttershy's stall with a huge smile. This time around, instead of one of her so-called "cute" Pokemon, the rosy-cheeked brunette is followed by, erm...w-well.

This big boy.]

Uwaah, look at how cute these are! Gyoza-chan, do you want a scarf? Or maybe a bandana to go around your head like a real street fighter!! I bet if we ask nicely, the Miss here can get a cool looking one for you. [The grizzly Pangoro grunts, shifting the bamboo leaf stalk around in his mouth, then looms over his tiny Trainer to peer at the goods.]

[loveisadagger]

[Deciding to take a break from the little prank Loki was playing outside the market, he decided to let himself roam the market in disguise as his other less suspicious persona Luka. Moving through the crowd he browsed some booths in idle curiosity. Mostly seemed intrigued about the festive atmosphere and captive scents through the market.

However, a familiar face captured 'Luka's eye, it seems that young lady Fluttershy had a booth of her own. He couldn't help but give a small smile about that. Ofcourse, her booth had very homely items for sale, it's fitting for someone who has gentle nature. Approaching the booth, he gave a bow of his head before speaking.]

Fluttershy, what a pleasure to see you here.

I see you have a hand for knitting such cozy accessories.

[necrodentia]

[ Rainer has spent the whole day at the Christmas market, shopping for Candlenights gifts for friends, and treating herself to a new Pokemon egg or two. She's got her Rotom, Buzz, inhabiting her wheelchair, and her Pachirisu, Patches, draped across her shoulders, curiously sniffing the air.

Together, they come across a stall selling lovely knit goods, and Rainer turns to Patches to ask, ] Say, do you think we should buy a couple of those cozies for our new eggs? Don't want the little guys getting too cold!

[ Patches nods her agreement, so Rainer turns her attention to the stall's shopkeeper, her smile widening when she sees who it is. ]

Oh, Fluttershy, hey! Did you... did you knit all these yourself?

[fearinahandfulof]

Cassandra's honestly not sure why she's even at the Christmas Market this year. It's not like she has anyone to really buy for anymore, outside of her Pokémon; all of her friends are gone now.

Still, she's here wandering the stalls, if only for something to do besides mope. Blade, her Silvally, pads alongside her, sparkling brightly under the Christmas lights, while Lythie the Murkrow perches on her head. That makes it a bit hard to buy gifts for them, but they'd insisted.

[talkyourwayout]

(ooc: Defaulting to prose, but I'm happy to match brackets!)

Louie has a stall where he's selling hot chocolate. He was conflicted, on planning this. On the one hand, his uncle did instill some work ethic in him over the past few years, and Louie wants to sell a quality product. On the other hand... Effort.

What he ultimately decides to do is bulk-buy some cocoa mix and prepare a lot of that, but he's stepping up the flavor game. He's done research, but he was mostly able to draw on the memory of past winters - when your nerdy brother is also a bit of a foodie, you pick up on some tricks.

So, with Lexington the Rapidash helping him keep things warm, Louie is touting an array of hot chocolate options. There's the classic, of course, but he's also utilized flavored syrups, spices, even nut butters! He'll be calling out to everyone who passes his stall, encouraging them to get a drink to warm them up while they shop.

[epitaffio]

For once, Doppio is just browsing without an ulterior motive; after what happened last year, it probably wouldn't have been a great idea to try some sort of independent stunt. So when Louie calls him over, it's with genuine interest that Doppio approaches.

He has plenty of reason for it, too. On a cold day like this, some hot chocolate can really hit the spot.

"This is some impressive stuff! Did you make them all yourself?"

[necrodentia]

Rainer has a lot of shopping to do, and plans to spend the whole day at the market. She's wrapped up in a pink peacoat with Marowak skull shaped buttons, but even then she can feel the chill! So when she comes by a stall selling flavored hot chocolate, of course she's going to stop by!

"Mmm, these all smell delicious! Let's see... What flavor do you recommend?"

[shiningkindness]

Some of the additional flavor dressings seems to have gotten the attention of a Fletchinder, sporting a knitted orange bow tie, who swoops down and lands on the edge of the table, looking at Louie with a curious tilt of the head and seems to be trying to figure out what it can sneak away without being caught.

He doesn't seem willing to leave either, until the Ember Pokémon's attention is drawn by the approach of a pink-haired figure. "Ignatius!" she says, reaching out for the bird to perch on her arm. "You shouldn't bother other people."

Turning to Louie, she offers an apologetic smile. "I'm really sorry about that. Ignatius really loves food."