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

[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..."

[paladinlost]

Making lovely figurines could be proof that Dimitri has good taste, but expressing interest in Cecil's oldest creations is instead proof that he has excellent taste. Cecil stands up to greet him, a Delibird clinging to his back.

"Yet it's such a simple concept, is it not? I had the idea to make them when I found myself with far too many eggs and far too much Arcanine hair simultaneously."

He picks up the nearest pillow, a dark blue square decorated with pale crescent moons, and pats it with pride.

"I'm still looking for a way to get rid of the wet dog smell when they are drenched, but as long as they remain dry they'll keep your eggs warm and cozy."

[nastyboy]

So there is a wet dog smell when they are made, well, wet. Dimitri keeps that in mind. It may be a problem for some of the water Pokemon Grant has, like the Wooper, but also... Dimitri doesn't think the Wooper are really going to be a part of the breeding pool?

Honestly, it's just going to be Kent and Truffle's eggs filling up Grant's closet, all the time, forever, apparently.

"Is there any other sort of thing that one would have to keep in mind?" Dimitri asks, leaning forward to inspect the moon pillow with a clearly sparkling eye. Moons, just like Claude's crest... "For example, what to do if one wants to wash it?"

[paladinlost]

Such is the problem that comes with his usual stuffing material, sadly. Cecil's fingers tap the pillow as he thinks.

"For a quick cleaning, a wet rag that's been wrung properly is fine. That'll not be enough to cause issues."

From his spot on Cecil's back, Tellah the Delibird makes a gesture that's as close to a thumbs up as a bird can get. That technique works, really! But then his trainer's expression turns terribly serious.

"If an in-depth cleaning is necessary, you can put it in a washing machine, but you must absolutely put it in the dryer immediately after, preferably with a scented product. Wait too long, even by mere minutes, and it starts to smell. Air it out to dry, and it starts to smell. Swift, decisive action is necessary."

[nastyboy]

Oh my. Dimitri raises an eyebrow at the serious instructions regarding the indepth cleaning. In fact, even as Cecil speaks, he digs through his pockets so that he can get his Gear and begin henpecking the instructions into a notepad program. If he leaves it to himself, he fears that he will forget...

"The smell truly becomes that bad?" Dimitri asks. "I did not know that fire types had such a difficult problem... Is it just when the fur is clipped from their body, or is bathing them just as much of a problem?" Dimitri's primary fire type is an Emboar, after all, and that does not involve so much fluffy fur. There is his Pyroar, but, well...

Cats prefer to groom themselves. This is especially true for large fire cats.

[paladinlost]

"The issue occurs most striking with Arcanine fur... which, as it happens, is the warmest, fluffiest of the lot. It most certainly occurs when the fur is still attached to the body, too."

Is that the voice of a man who has had to wash his dog far too often? Perhaps. It matches well the face of a Delibird who was present during those baths, if nothing else.

"Of course, a live Arcanine can simply dry itself quickly with its own Fire-type moves, and so can a Houndoom or a Ninetales. I've yet to find a way to add such a setting to my pillows, and I must admit I've not been trying particularly hard to do so."

That is probably a joke. Probably.

[nastyboy]

Arcanine fur is the most problematic... He sees. Perhaps that is something he should warn Claude and Felix about, if they are not already aware of the issue themselves. Possibly Claude would be, but Felix? Harder to say.

Either way, Dimitri smiles a bit at that last comment. "Even if the fur could survive, I imagine the cloth covering it would have some objections."

[paladinlost]

"And what a shame that would be! Every month, a different group composed of my Pokémon visits Celadon's best fabric store to select new patterns. Only the prettiest and most visually interesting are selected, after a vigorous discussion."

Strangely enough, coming out of Cecil's mouth, the words 'vigorous discussion' sound very much like 'all-out brawl'. The magic of careful emphasis!

[nastyboy]

So his Pokemon go to pick the patterns! Dimitri nods along, fascinated and yet understanding completely. For something like this, where eggs would be cradled and kept cozy, obviously those who would be parents (or are maybe already parents themselves) would have the most important opinions.

Although... "Things do manage to stay intact around them during such vigorous discussion, I would hope?" Yeah, he can understand that careful emphasis.

[paladinlost]

Both Cecil and Tellah at that question, though perhaps for different reasons; Cecil looks terribly uncertain, while Tellah resolutely refuses to meet anyone's eyes.

It takes more seconds than it should before Dimitri gets his answer.

"...They've yet to be banned from the store and the owner has never asked me to pay for damages, though they do bring plenty of money along."

That's a... maybe?

[nastyboy]

...Dimitri quietly resolves to never let most of his Pokemon go do things on their own without firm adult supervision.

"I see," he says, after another stiff and awkward moment of his own. Dimitri glances back down at the pillows, trying to distract himself with wondering what damage such arguments could cause. "Cecil, you breed, yes?"

Could have been put in a slightly less awkward way, but, listen. It's. fine. Cecil gets what he means.

[paladinlost]

It's a good thing Cecil does get what Dimitri means, because otherwise this conversation would most likely have imploded. Even more than the fabric shopping sprees.

As it is, he just winces slightly, because trying to explain his relationship with Pokémon breeding in general is an absolute nightmare.

"My Pokémon curse me with an overwhelming number of eggs once a year, yes. I also do some deliberate breeding for Gym challengers and special requests. Do you need either tips or a specific species?"

[nastyboy]

"Yes, so I have heard... I did not purchase any egg at the time, if I recall correctly-" And he might not be, who knows, not Dimitri! Not with his memory that he finds more than a little questionable. "-but I was aware of the rather... immense post that went up."

He thinks it may have broken his brain more than it already was, quite frankly.

"I was simply curious on how many of these pillows you would recommend to a clutch?" Dimitri gestures to another one, not wanting to just pick it up and parade it around when he hasn't bought anything yet. "My lover is a breeder, and we seem to deal with... regular eggs from a pair of our own companions."

Pigs just cannot be stopped.

"I was wondering what a good number would be to get..."

[paladinlost]

"That would depend on the species involved in the clutch and whether or not the eggs will be stationary."

Someone with a weaker moral compass would, perhaps, immediately estimate the highest plausible number and suggest it. Cecil merely closes his eyes and takes a few moments to think about it.

"If you plan to leave the eggs at home, you can fit five on a set of four pillows placed in a square formation. It's a somewhat tight fit, but they'll be stable and warm right until they hatch."

Eyes open once more, he grabs two pillows and hums. Immediately, Tellah slides off his back and settles in front of him.

"If you plan to transport them... it'd be one pillow per egg, ideally. That said, if you only keep eggs in a bag and if they can be placed horizontally in a secure manner, you could pile up three, with two pillows to separate them."

As he speaks, he puts his left hand on the counter, palm up, and sets the first pillow upon it. His Delibird quickly lets himself drop on top of the pile, barely reacting when Cecil's right hand presses the second pillow down. Ta-da! A three-egg sandwich.

[nastyboy]

This is why he knows that he can trust Cecil with the goods that he sells. That kind of careful consideration is exactly what Dimitri is looking for, and he pays close attention to what Cecil suggests. He knows that Grant occasionally goes traveling with them, although they all haven't done as much since their gym challenge has hit a slight delay, but... How many eggs does he really take with him? Dimitri never thought it was too many...

"My Munna, and my boyriend's Swinub, both seem to be regular partners," he muses, "so perhaps quite a few pillows would not be bad, since I do not think Grant carries many with him... The home is truly better for such a thing. Would it be a problem if I bought too many, however?"