It's prom time, baby

[indigo_league]

This year, transport arranged by Riegfried and Soy will deliver everyone to the Sevii Islands -- a short trip for some, a longer journey for others. Either way, at around eleven AM, everyone who was interested in joining will have been gathered at a cheery cafe, fully reserved for the event so people have somewhere to sit and wait while the rest arrive. All bags will be taken by the couple's employees immediately upon arrival, with the promise that Trainers will find them waiting for them on the ship.

At eleven, Soy checks a pocket watch, then he addresses the crowd.

"Welcome all! Riegfried and I are so happy to see so many of you here. It heartens us greatly to see you trust us again with the hosting of this event. Please be assured that everything in our power has been done to prevent a repeat of last year's catastrophe, and we've worked closely with the League to ensure that everyone involved in this project is trustworthy. Now, if you'll follow me."

It's just a short trek from the bright little cafe to the ship's mooring. Or such is what all will be told as they walk. Riegfried and Soy lead the possession, coming to a momentary halt as the gathered Trainers crest a small dune. There, they both sweep off their top hats, giving deep and theatrical bows as they gesture towards a small, private bay where not one, not even two, but three airships lay moored along a pier, waiting for everyone to board.






"Welcome to Prom."

THE ITINERARY Inside their rooms, every visitor will find a short itinerary for this prom trip. There is also a small map, which shows the route they will fly to get to the mentioned island. Of course, considering the route is entirely over water, it is not the most useful thing. There is also a second, more useful map, of each of the three ships and where the various amenities can be found. Friday, 12PM - Lift off Saturday, 3PM - Island arrival Sunday, 8PM - Prom Monday, 5PM - Scheduled return Breakfast hours - 7:30AM - 9AM Lunch hours - 12AM - 2PM Dinner hours - 6:30PM - 8PM Small meals and drinks can be requested between these hours! THE FLEET Tyrantic The largest of the three ships, the Tyrantic will be the entertainment centre and hub during this trip. Of the three ships, it’s the only one with a top deck where characters will be able to take in the spectacular view and bask in the sunlight as we travel. Standing at the prow, you’ll really feel on top of the world, watching the ocean pass beneath you! Do mind the railings, please! We wouldn’t want anyone to fall off. Inside, Riegfried and Soy have tried to provide as many amenities as possible within the limited space, including: A small library – For anyone looking for some peace and quiet, this is the place to go. A few large windows let in plenty of natural light, and the shelves are stocked to the brim with various adventure and exploration novels. Leather armchairs are scattered around the room, giving readers a comfortable place to curl up. And when night falls, a variety of lamps bathe the room in a soft, yellow light, mimicking that produced by candles or oil lamps. A bar – Yes, for anyone old enough to drink (and the attendants will be checking!) Riegfried and Soy have provided a small bar with complimentary drinks. Take a seat at one of the small tables, or perch on one of the leather barstools and allow yourself to be poured a scotch. Perhaps you can share a story or two with the other adults hanging out here. A casino – Care to place a little wager? Or sit down for a hand of poker? Perhaps even test your luck at the Wheel? It seems Riegfried and Soy drew some inspiration from the Goldenrod City Game Corner, and have provided everybody with a chance to place some bets. Please note that betting in the casino does cost actual pokebucks, but the House is also rich and generous, so your odds are pretty good. And the attendants will make sure to herd you out before you can lose all your hard-earned cash. Every prom attendant also gets one (1!) complimentary spin on the Wheel for a chance to win incredible prizes. Make sure to claim yours! A ballroom – Naturally, no prom can be complete without one of these. The ballroom takes up the entire aft portion of the ship. The room itself is towering, easily spanning two decks. Two staircases lead to a balcony section over part of the dance floor where those who would like to sit down can find some tables and chairs available to them. The curved back wall of the ship is nearly entirely comprised of large windows that prevent the room from feeling cramped. Unlike previous years, there is no balcony portion available, though if your characters would like a bit of fresh air, they can always climb up to the top deck. Mary Celebi The Mary Celebi likely won’t be where your characters spend most of their time, but it is rather important as this ship houses everyone’s sleeping quarters. Due to the limited space abroad the ship, there are only two types of rooms available: single rooms, clearly meant for, well, a single occupant, and rooms with a double bed, meant for two. The bathrooms are somewhat small but contain all the essentials (shower, toilet, sink, and some storage). Every double room will have its own bathroom, and every two singles will share one bathroom between them. Oranguru Medan The smallest of the three ships is the Oranguru Medan, and even then, only half of it will actually be accessible to characters. In the accessible part of the ship, you can find a large dining room where characters can take their meals, as well as a small infirmary for anyone who might find themselves in need of some Drampamine to combat air-sickness. In addition to caring for human needs, the infirmary also has a small set-up for healing Pokemon and a PC where characters can switch their party if the need arises. But why would the need arise, certainly nothing ever goes wrong during Prom! The rest of the ship houses things like the kitchens and storage areas. Characters will be kindly but firmly shooed away from these. Please, the cooks are working very hard and don’t need anyone getting in the way. And the hold has nothing more exciting than potatoes. You do NOT need to check the kitchen trash cans for items. Each ship will also contain a warp pad room, allowing people to warp between the different ships. Why, were you expecting zip lines? A tight rope walk? Please. THE ISLAND As mentioned on the travel itinerary, early in the afternoon, characters who are hanging out on the deck of the Tyrantic will start seeing a small speck in the distance -- a small speck that grows and grows until it becomes a rather cute looking island. The island is not particularly big, and from what can be gleaned, there are no houses or other structures on it. Instead, the island retains all its natural splendour, with plenty of greenery and an inviting beach. It's the perfect location to moor down at (the ships will remain in the air, but a plank will be let down so people can depart, and for everybody to stretch their legs. There is only so much space on these ships, after all! While the ocean waters are probably still a bit too cold to go swimming, the beach gives a nice opportunity to go for a stroll and perhaps collect a few seashells. The meadow and forests are perfect for people who'd love to go on a bit of a hike, and if you are the kind of person who is always on the look-out for a new friend to add to your roster, why not go and see if you can find one of the island pokemon? Available Pokemon Beach/Ocean Krabby, Clauncher, Wishiwashi, Pyukumuku, Mantine, Barboach, Bruxish, Finneon, Corsola, Cramorant Meadow Bellossom, Petilil, Cherubi, Butterfree, Oricorio (all styles), Cutiefly, Kecleon, Tropius Forest Aipom, Spinarak, Pikipek, Trumbeak, Nincada, Chatot The level range for these pokemon is lvl 5 - lvl 25 THE DANCE Despite the shenanigans Saturday evening, on Sunday evening, Prom will commence as planned. Of course, Riegfried and Soy understand if you aren't in much of a dancing mood after having dealt with three rather unfriendly birds, but on the other hand, isn't successfully handling three legendary pokemon worthy of a small celebration? You've met a challenge that few will ever meet in their lives and you have bested it! Surely that deserves some exuberance. Also, the band was already paid for anyway. So, for all those who are still interested in dancing and merriment, the big doors of the ball room will open on Sunday evening, admitting all within. For an airship, the room is relatively large, ornate and almost toweringly high. The ground floor is obviously set up for dancing, though there is also a small podium. Twisting staircases allow access to a balcony section about the dance floor where people can take a break, sit down at one of the many tables, and even get some refreshments from the banquet table. However, it's not the dancefloor or the fancy balcony that will be the star of this evening. About half an hour after prom has formally started, there is an actual live band climbing onto the stage. With painted faces and elaborate costumes Steam Powered Girafarig is here to provide your entertainment for the night. (And then quickly re-negotiate their contract, because nobody told them they'd be dealing with angry poke-gods here) However, that's not the final surprise Riegfried and Soy have in store for their guests. Once Steam Powered Girafarig completes their set, and the hour slowly starts crawling towards midnight, they invite everybody to the upper deck of the ship to witness a spectacular display of Fireworks, painting the dark sky with a wash of colour.

Comments

Shinobu Tsukuyomi | OTA

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Friday

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

I. Pre-flight

Shinobu is honestly not feeling any particular desire to participate in Prom this year. Part of that has to do with the history of the event; another part is that Claudia's recent departure is still weighing on him terribly. But much of it - and he is not remotely proud of this - is due to Riegfried and Soy's involvement. He knows it's not personal, but the two of them have an almost uncanny knack for lighting on concepts for their gatherings that manage to hammer on one or more of Shinobu's own triggers. It's not their fault, but it's still hard not to hold a grudge when it keeps happening.

Which it hasn't so far, much to Shinobu's (pleasant) surprise, though admittedly the weekend is still young. He's still not sure about any of this - an airborne Prom does not seem like the best idea given how things always manage to go wrong somehow - but in theory it's not a horrible idea. In theory.

Of course, once he gets a gander at the ship names, that thought goes straight overboard. Logically, he knows that this is not any version of Earth he knows, and that even if it was, events that happen on one version are not required to happen on all, but between the one that evokes the Titanic and the two that evoke separate ghost ships, he's not sure Riegfried and Soy could have chosen three more poorly named airships if they'd tried - and frankly at this point, he's not sure they didn't.

II. In-flight

Accordingly, Shinobu is slightly jumpy once they're in the air, unable to properly calm down and relax. He spends a fair amount of time exploring the ships, making detailed maps of them in his head just in case. (He's relieved to note that while the sleeping quarters are a bit overly kitschy, they're at least not designed to evoke love hotels this time.) The reading material in the library is not quite to his taste, but if nothing else it seems true to their hosts.

Much of his time onboard is spent accompanied by his Glaceon, Angel Snow, who keeps an ever-vigilant eye on her trainer lest he be overwhelmed by something onboard one of the ships. She's been around for Riegfried and Soy's events too, after all; she's seen how they tend to mess with Shinobu's head.

On the plus side, he's not avoiding anyone, but... well. He's still a bit jumpy. A bit.

III. Island

This is all very nice, and very idyllic, and - to Shinobu - very foreboding. Shinobu is no Fatemaker or talecrafter, but he's been around enough of them to pick up a few concepts here and there, and this all feels like one big prelude to - not disaster, necessarily. Difficulties. Or, as Taetae would say if she were here, Bullshit.

Maybe he's wrong. He'd like to be wrong. Surely, one Prom has to go right for once sometime, right?

Riegfried and Soy, of course, can't tell him much about this uninhabited island in the middle of nowhere, and the Pokémon who live here can't tell him much either. He thanks them anyway and returns to exploring, or at least to stretching his legs. Still, he tries to be careful about where he goes while they're here.

In-Flight

[crystalmaster]

[Radley sees him and goes over.]

Hey. You look about as thrilled to be here as I am.

[He chuckles darkly.]

How did we end up doing this?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

We're gluttons for punishment?

[crystalmaster]

It seems so. In my case I thought maybe I could help if something goes wrong, but ...

[He shrugs.]

Who knows.

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

[Shinobu sighs.]

It probably depends on what goes wrong. The last Prom was largely Team Rocket's fault, although there were several cases of possession as well. But not everything that happens is Team Rocket's doing.

[crystalmaster]

Yeah, I heard about that. So whether they attack or not, something will probably go topsy-turvy. How many of these things have you been to?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

[He grimaces.]

For me, it's just been the one, but I know people who've been to more.

[crystalmaster]

I wonder what possesses people to keep going.

[He chuckles.]

Has there ever even been a peaceful one, I wonder?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Gluttons for punishment? Or if you'd rather be nicer about it, hope springing eternal.

Though in some cases, I suspect people expect things to go wrong and hope their strong Pokémon teams will put them in a position to help. I know mine had to fight a few members of Team Rocket last year.

As far as I've heard, there hasn't been one yet.

[crystalmaster]

They keep thinking there'll be a nice one, huh?

That's good you could help. That's pretty much my mindset too, that and just worrying about friends I've made here.

[He laughs.]

Why doesn't that surprise me?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Or hoping, anyway. Surely Prom has to beat the odds one of these times, right?

[That's a rhetorical question. Shinobu is personally of the opinion that even if Prom does beat the odds at some point, something else will probably go wrong to compensate. But then, narrative tropes can be Very Serious Business in his world.]

That's more or less my mindset at this point, too.

[Of course, now Claudia is gone, so he has one less person to keep an eye on.]

I'm not sure we could take it if there was one, assuming some kind of chaos didn't break out somewhere else to compensate.

[crystalmaster]

Yeah, we'd probably all be so worried that something would happen that we couldn't relax.

[He's amused by the succeeding cynical thoughts, but part of him isn't so sure it couldn't be true.]

Oh, so Prom going wrong is such a building block of this world that if it actually went right, the world might implode if something else didn't screw up somewhere?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Probably.

I have no idea if that's true, but I also come from a world where narrative tropes can be... tricky... to deal with, so I admit my perspective is a bit skewed.

[crystalmaster]

... That must be quite a world.

[He's not sure what else to say on that matter until knowing more how Shinobu feels about his world, although he's definitely thinking that doesn't sound like a place where he'd want to live.]

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

[That gets another grimace.]

Anything that has to do with the Gentry - the True Fae - is... complex.

[crystalmaster]

They're the ones causing all the trouble?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Oh no, they're not causing anything close to all of it. It's just that they're a lot closer to eldritch monsters than, say, any of the Fairy-type Pokémon here. And while some of them know very well what they're doing, a not insignificant number of them... don't. They're attracted to art, and music, and stories, but they don't necessarily get them, and that often goes badly for the people they kidnap.

[crystalmaster]

... I see.

[He doesn't, really.]

They kidnap people?!

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

[He may be better off.]

Often, though reasons vary.

[crystalmaster]

That sounds awful. Do the people get free?

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

Sometimes.

[crystalmaster]

[Radley can sense this is a touchy subject and decides he should drop it.

[Evie decides to help. She dances around with happy chirps and gets Evan to run around with her.

Radley chuckles.]

It's nice that in this world we have cuties like these.

[un_oiseau_rebelle]

[Angel Snow, who as ever is hovering nearby, coos her agreement.]

Yes, it is. Even if some of them would rather not be considered as such.

[See also: Kirin and the Terror Twins.]

[crystalmaster]

[Evie wonders if Angel Snow would like to play and stops dancing to ask.]

Yeah. Mine seem to know they're cute, especially Evie. They're great company. I don't know if I could stand being here alone.

[He already had far too much of being alone back home, after he was disowned. He never wanted to repeat that experience again.]