THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

[indigo_league]

You arrive before the sun sets over the shining sea, a little before 5 o’clock. A fleet of Corviknight taxis descend near the entrance of the castle, slowly setting their passengers on the ground and allowing them to depart. The golden rays of sunshine illuminate the edges of the castle, casting long shadows and making it take on a rather ominous appearance. Better hop to it–you wouldn’t want to miss the Halloween party, now would you?




WELCOME TO THE HALLOWEEN FRIGHTFEST!

Riegfried and Soy greet you at the entrance of the castle. Riegfried is dressed as a Zubat, toting a blue-and-purple cape, a cute hat with giant ears, and plastic fangs. Soy is dressed as a midnight Lycanroc, wearing a dark red suit and wielding a pair of fuzzy white paw gloves. They welcome you warmly, assuring them that they’ll be well taken care of here. Perhaps you’d like to get something to eat, first? Or maybe you’d like to look around at what games and delights they have to offer! Or, perhaps you’re here to perform in the Contest Spooktacular. The choice is yours!

(If asked about the previous attendants of the castle, Shieldbert and Sordward, Riegfried and Soy will exchange looks and explain that they had been…well, very politely asked to leave and not to come back to Kanto, under threat of legal action.)

EXPLORING THE FESTIVAL The Ball Room The old castle ballroom has been outfitted with spooky decorations and all manner of electrical equipment--all the necessary things to put on a good contest! Most of the furniture has been cleared away, save for a central stage for people to perform. At the beginning of the night, before the actual contest takes place, a costume catwalk will take place! Costumed guests will be encouraged to get up on there and strut their stuff. Don’t have a costume? Don’t worry! The attendants will usher you to a very big walk-in closet for you to pick out an utterly fabulous get-up. All from Riegfried and Soy’s personal collections, of course. They wouldn’t want someone to miss out on a chance to show the crowd what they’re made of! This is also the time for characters to register for the contest. After a few hours or so, an announcement is made informing people that the contest spooktacular will be taking place shortly, and for people to make their way to the ball room. The lights dim and a distant, pre-recorded bone-chilling cackle is heard. Who knows what sort of spooky scary things you’ll be seeing tonight? The Outer Courtyard For those wishing to get a breath of fresh air away from the festivities or to explore the activities the festival has to offer, look no further than the courtyard. Nestled safely within castle walls, a large fountain (certainly too new to have belonged to the original castle) stands at the center of the courtyard, the water gently cascading down over the marble figures of two nondescript and crowned humans, one holding a sword, the other a shield; wide-open doors welcome characters further into the castle. There are a plethora of spooky carnival games that have been set up along the perimeter of the courtyard. They’re definitely rigged, but maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll win that giant Mareep plush. One booth seems to be garnering quite a bit of attention–Bobbing for Applins. If you manage to grab an Applin with your teeth, you get to keep it! Just be careful you don’t bite too hard…. The Stables To the west lie the stables, with a sign posted that reads “HAUNTED HAYRIDE!”. The comforting smell of hay and wood hangs in the air. Instead of the Galarian Ponytas and Rapidashes that previously graced this area, there are a bunch of Mudsdales lounging, waiting for their turn to pull the cart. Outside, there is a scrawny bearded man perched on top of a Mudsdale, patting it on the neck and giving it reassuring words. A nearby cart filled with hay bale seats lies vacant, ready to be pulled alone. Fancy a little ride around the outside of the castle to see the sights? You can watch the sunset over the ocean, and maybe spot a few rare Pokémon! Heck, if it’s dark enough, you could even be so bold as to hold hands with someone else on the ride! Who knows what you’ll find out there? Of course, you could always just hang out with the horses. Nobody’s gonna stop you. The Kitchens To the east lie the kitchens, and what kitchens they are! Characters will be able to smell the delicious aroma of a variety of sumptuous courses being prepared for the festival. Officially, the guests are asked not to enter the kitchen, as to not to disturb the many cooks working there. Unofficially, there are not exactly any guards, so if you really wanted to sneak in, you probably won’t get stopped. The Dining Room Adjacent to the kitchens awaits a large dining room. Tables have been set up in long rows with plenty of room for all with some to spare, and once someone sits down, almost as if by magic, they will soon find one of the waitstaff at their side, presenting them with an extensive menu. Order as much (or as little) as you like! The chefs will have it ready for you in a flash. Many of the menu items seem to be…well, puns. Perhaps you’ll be interested in some Crobat Monsieur, a croque monsieur decorated like a Crobat? Or perhaps a spot of Pumpkaboo Pie? Perhaps a nice cup of Coffee-grigus would do the trick. (Rest assured, no Pokémon have been harmed in the making of any of these delicious selections.) The Inner Courtyard The Inner Courtyard looks…well, different. All the plants seem to have been temporarily removed from this area (as evident by the dozens if not hundreds of potted plants along the outside), and it’s quickly obvious as to why. A haunted house has been set up inside of the courtyard, the temporary walls obscuring the horrors that lie within. The door to enter is slightly ajar, and you hear strange and eerie noises inside. Was that howl from a person, or from a Pokémon? And what about that clanking, shuffling sound? The hairs on the back of your neck begin to stand up. Dare you enter? Fright and fun both await you. Feel free to make up what terrifying attractions are inside the haunted house. At the end, an attendant will present you with a photograph of you and your friends inside the haunted house. Ahhh, treasured memories. The Library It looks like the books were removed from the library with the departure of Sordward and Shieldbert. Perhaps they couldn’t be without their personal collection. Nevertheless, it seems that someone else has taken an interest in this room. A woman with frazzled, gray hair and gigantic spectacles stands near the entrance, a slightly unhinged grin on her face as she welcomes you inside. You see, her name is Dr. Espa–she’s a paranormal investigator, and she needs your help to study ghosts! No, no, not Ghost Pokémon–she wants to track down Bill’s great-great-great-uncle, and any other ghosts that live within these halls! The doctor–if she can even be called that–has a wide variety of pseudo-scientific equipment on hand, including spirit boxes, dot projectors, EMF readers, temperature gauges, and more. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to wander into the deepest, most haunted sections of the castle and report back to her on whatever you find! If you weren’t already motivated by the pursuit of knowledge, she’ll also offer you a reward of 2000P for any evidence that you find. She’ll…accept any evidence, really. Is she a staff member, or just a regular woman with a keen enthusiasm for ghosts? It’s hard to tell. Riegfried and Soy certainly don’t know who she is. The Tower Not all of the towers have undergone restoration, but the grandest, largest of them has. It will take some real stamina to climb all these stairs, but if they do, characters will be rewarded with a stunning sight. From the tower’s high vantage point, it seems the entire Kanto region is on display in the incredible view. The ocean stretches out along the horizon, but closer to home, characters will be able to behold wild forests and cliffs, the green lush routes of Cerulean Cape itself and millions and millions of stars twinkling up overhead. The Rocky Beach The main attraction outside of the castle is a small stretch of rocky shoreline accessible just outside the main courtyard and down a surprisingly sturdy set of stone stairs. It looks like a group of people have set up a nice, warm bonfire on what little strip of sand they can find--perfect to stave away the chilly waterfront breeze. Why don’t you help yourself to a cup of warm cider and sit by the fire for a bit? If you’re done making your clothes smell like smoke, you could also comb the beach for interesting trinkets. Shells, whole or broken, peek out between smooth pebbles and the rare piece of sea glass, and at low tide clumps of seaweed lay draped over the craggy outcroppings. Nothing is stopping you from fishing or poking around in the shallows for Pokemon, but you're more likely to find an interesting souvenir than a new friend... And all the rest... Beyond those sparkling rooms and done up corridors lies... the rest of the castle. The parts of the castle not quite done with their renovations are roped off, but nothing is stopping guests from exploring if they so wish - especially if they are interested in finding those rumored lost treasures or traps. While the rest of the castle shines, these parts of the castle feel almost haunted. Dust and derelict dominates the rooms, old broken furniture covered in dingy white sheets and creaking doors adding to the atmosphere. Did the eyes of that painting just move? Why is there a weird draft coming from that wall? What was that strange ominous creak coming from behind you? Are there any dungeons? Wait, did you just hear someone crying in a far off room? Jeez, no wonder they say this place is haunted.

---

AVAILABLE POKEMON Naturally, this wouldn't be a Pokemon Prom without some Pokemon to catch! All catchable Pokemon range between the levels of 10 to 30. The Pokemon in the castle mostly haunt the unfinished section, but feel free to have the occasional encounter in the renovated sections too! Castle Impidimp; Gastly; Haunter; Litwick; Lampent; Duskull; Shuppet; Sinistea; Misdreavus; Yamask; Dreepy; Honedge; Doublade**; Dusclops**; Mimikyu**; Polteageist***; Gengar***; Courtyard Venonat; Venomoth; Drifloon; Phantump; Pumpkaboo; Murkrow; Rookidee; Zubat; Hoothoot; Woobat*; Noibat*; Rocky Shore Galarian Corsola; Binacle; Staryu; Wimpod; Frillish; Krabby; Relicanth*; Wimpod*; Kingler**; Jellicent**; Slowking***;

---

TRICK OR TREAT! Near the entrance of the castle is an old man dressed in dark, heavy wool clothes with a mysterious gleam in his eyes. He holds an oil lamp in his hand, waiting for those to approach. If you get close enough to speak to him, he’ll ask you a question. ”Halloween’s not over ‘til you’ve got yourself a good haul of candy. How do you feel about a little bit of…trick or treat?” He’ll regale you with an old tale about the castle grounds. You see, the castle was built by a relative of Bill (you know, the Pokemon storage system inventor?), but no one has lived in it for years and years because it is haunted. Though previously only haunted by the ghost of Bill’s great-great-great-uncle, the recent human activity in the area has caused droves of Ghost and Dark-type Pokémon to flock towards the area and take advantage of this newfound source of fun. Those who attended Prom 2020 would remember that trainers were allowed to search for hidden treasures among the secret passages and strange traps. This year, however, the search will be a…little different! Instead of trying to find treasures, your characters will be exploring the labyrinthian hallways and secret passages to find tricks…or treats. Feel free to explore those abandoned halls and ruins for these supposed long-lost treasures. Better check for hidden rooms and passages behind old bookcases, trap doors covered by thick dust-riddled carpets, and perhaps even a hidden vault or two in the castle basements. Players are free to go absolutely wild in coming up with secret passages and hidden secrets for their characters to find. Let us know in your comment where your character will be looking! As characters explore, they will have a 50/50 chance of encountering either tricks or treats! A character that rolls a treat will have a generally positive encounter with a Pokémon, who will likely lead you to great treasure and sweets! Conversely, a character that rolls a trick will probably be pranked by a Pokémon. Characters will not be able to catch the Pokémon they encounter, unfortunately–they’ve gotta scare the other guests, too! In both cases, characters will stumble upon a random assortment of sweets and ghost-related items, including but not limited to rare candies, Alcremie pastries, poffins, and other consumables! Characters may also find a rare, unique item that may be sold for about 5000-6000P or kept as a memento. In order to allow for an element of surprise, every character that wants to participate in trick or treating is allowed to comment once to a special RNG comment to find out exactly what they will encounter. Each treasure will consist of somewhere between two and four items, the exact number of which will be left up to chance. For any questions, please refer back to the previous OOC post.

Comments

[desirestruth]

I'll certainly give it a shot.

[She pauses to consider this.]

Perhaps I should see if any of the towns have knitting supplies, but that might be difficult to keep up on the road...

[lectus_thermae_et_ultra]

[Lucius takes off the long wrapping of cloth that makes up his toga, leaving him in a simple tunica, and arranges it in his hands to form a kind of cloak.]

I'm afraid I don't know how you came to be here, but I do know that you seem quite frightened and that you're soaked-through.

[Kneeling to be on their level, he holds the toga out to her in such a way so that she can drape it around herself.]

Here. Use this to warm yourself, or you'll catch your death of cold out here.

[lectus_thermae_et_ultra]

Rome's borders stretch across myriad lands with all manner of people, so I can safely say that not every Roman resembles me.

[He thumps his fist to his chest before continuing.]

I can say that I do hope they keep the same spirit burning within them though. The fourteen virtues help firm a people who are stalwart and industrious, so I can only hope to be an example of their value.

As for the game though, I'm inclined to lean towards the latter of your summaries. The game didn't seem all that challenging, so perhaps others are having issues simply because the activity is outside of their scope of knowledge.

[thetombkeeper]

[He opens his mouth to say something and stops again. Okay, yeah. Every Roman is like him. Can't convince him otherwise.

How the hell did they fall into obscurity if everyone was like this? Should've paid attention to history better.]

You sure are an example...

[Hmm. What other games can he test Lucius's insane skills at? Marik, stop using him for your own entertainment.]

Hm. Come on. I see another game that could be fun.

[There go the Gengar trio, marching off to the another game stall. Oh, right. He should probably look to see if the man's actually following him. If he is, the teen has led him over to an archery game. Shooting is one thing, archery is another. Surely this will be difficult for him!]

Looks like you just need one bullseye to win a prize at this stand. Think you can handle a bow and arrow?

[scalpelofmarmora]

Yes, I think I will. After we eat.

[Foudre and Trunti both happily point out what they want by pawing at it. Irkut points at what he wants and squeaks]

Seems they have decided.

[scalpelofmarmora]

I don't think that it is. I think it does as well.

[He had learned medicine for a reason. It had unfortunately proven useful to the Blades to have him undercover on one of the Galra ships as a medic. Here, he could take care of different creatures, let them enjoy life as they wanted, and help them train if they wanted to as well]

That's good. I think she would like that.

[Considering how happy Trunti looked at receiving the silent praise in the way of gasp and a head pat, she definitely seemed to feel comfortable around Haunter]

[smallshot]

[There's a lot she could say to that, but a lot she couldn't. Since getting here, since everything back home Gabi had been trying really hard not to hate though. So she didn't hate Eren because hate was bad. It'd caused too much.

Not only that, she had a very good reason to be upset. Because she was Gabi, so she pointed at her still scowling face.]

I'm a hundred, no a thousand times cuter than that guy.

[Hello, yes. He is stinky uggo. Priorities.]

[smallshot]

I was looking around the castle for pokemon...

[smallshot]

[Sniffs, puffing her chest up. Yes, she's very proud of herself for that grand achievement. Bask in her majesty.

One day she'd learn. For now, she was smug.]

[candyapplechild]

[ Chip is a whole grown-up now! That’s like, the coolest thing ever! So obviously, Eri is quick to follow him around in her own Misdreavus-themed witch costume. He’s an adult now, after all! They can take care of themselves! Probably!

Which means she also follows along when they “sneak” into the stables. Something that Eri is admittedly a little apprehensive about, but she can’t say she isn’t interested in seeing the other horse Pokémon! Considering how the only other one she knows is her own Rapidash. ]

Whoaaaaa… they’re so big…!

[ Being Mudsdale and all, that’s a given, but compared to the small Eri? Whoa… it’s a good thing they’re all so gentle, bringing their heads down for Eri to pet their massive noses. ]

[crystalmaster]

Oh. Hmm. Is there any particular one you wanted? Maybe there's some in a less precarious area.

[crystalmaster]

Yeah, they sure have.

[The waiter took their orders and set off to tell the cooks.

Some of his Pokemon studied the water glasses. Cosmo was able to drink hers like a person, as was Elliott. The Eevees finally started lapping water from the glasses like cats.]

[schachmeister]

[Armin blinks, then burst out laughing.]

Okay, okay, you got me there. You are certainly a lot cuter than Eren. [An amused, slightly nostalgic look.] Eren always did have that slightly constipated look.

[smallshot]

[Gabi remained serious, deadly serious. She's watching you motherfucke- oh wait, she's appeased. She crossed her arms, lifting her chin as she started smirking.]

I know right? I think his face was stuck like that.

[Gabi...you saw him like... 3 times.] And his titan was creepy, Falco's was way cooler. [Because it could fly and had big claws, and a big serrated beak.]

[schachmeister]

[The laughter quickly leaves Armin's voice and face.]

Falco has a titan?

[Oh, that's-- Armin hadn't known that. And he certainly cannot judge Falco for that, not when he is set to inherit a titan himself from what Jean has told him. But he has also been told about the limitations that places on a person's body. If Falco has a titan he won't ever get very old will he? A very sobering thought.]

[outofsynth]

"That does sound more like a cat."

Not that Min is an expert on cats or foxes. Then again, his own fox-like Pokémon is decidedly different from how he's always imagined foxes.

"I guess you can't always go by real world animals here."

[crystalmaster]

"Yeah, Pokemon seem to have traits of more than one kind of animal," Radley says. "The way Eevees dance around is kind of dog-like."

[outofsynth]

I am.

[He isn't, but for once manages to sound sure of himself despite feeling otherwise.

Min eyes Usi suspiciously, clutching Echoes a little closer to his chest. Thankfully the little bat is too excited to be playing a game to notice his trainer's anxiety. His wings are stretched out ahead of him to grab at the game before they even reach the stall. Once they do, Min makes sure to keep enough distance to stop him actually grabbing the plastic Psyducks floating in the water. He still has to pay. And show Echoes how to use the stick to hook them out. It shouldn't be too difficult, as long as he pays enough attention. Or at least that's what he hopes.]

I mean... it probably is, but it's mostly a game of chance. Some of the ducks will have prizes, but most won't. It just depends on how badly they decided to stack the odds against us. I've got enough money we should manage to win something at some point.

[outofsynth]

Oh, so they just resemble the soldiers? I can see that. Especially in a group like that.

Alexander the Great's actually one of the most famous guys in history. They even made a movie about him back in the 50s.

[A beat.] Do you know what a movie is yet?

[They're common enough Min feels like he probably does, but... he is from a really long time ago.]

[outofsynth]

[Marik has a Goomy, and yeah... he can admit that that evolution line is cute, but he still can't imagine getting up close and personal with any of them. This guy's a braver man than he is.

His own pair of Pokémon are still clamouring for the best spot of the view, and he's happy to let them occupy each other. It gives him a minute to take time for himself.]

I like the quiet. Never been much of an outdoor guy before this place.

[It's not like he dislikes it. It's just most of his hobbies have been inside, and that's where he found his comfort zone. Though it does occur to him now that he's not exactly being quiet himself right now.]

We don't have to talk if you don't want. I don't mind if we just sit here a while.

[outofsynth]

[Ah. He barely knows his grandparents, but he can understand pressure from family members. He nods with a thin lipped smile.]

My parents were like that until recently. Sometimes it's hard for family to accept they don't always know what's best for you.

[Things are still sort of weird between them, but accidentally disappearing for months at a time and not having any kind of reasonable explanation you can give them isn't exactly reassuring. He can't really blame them for worrying now, but at least he can go off and do his own thing. Before the train he'd never been brave enough to stand up for what he really wanted.]

Olivine sounds nice. I caught the train over to Kanto once I got to Goldenrod, but it would be nice to see it someday. Is Mira your friend?

[outofsynth]

Yeah. Guess not.

[He taps out a few more notes, then abruptly stops. That's probably insensitive. The silence no matter how short feels heavy, but he has absolutely no idea what the right thing to say here is. Apparently stock sympathy phrases won't cut it, but he doesn't have any better ideas.]

School sucks, huh?

[Yeah, no, that was not any better and he sincerely wishes he could take it back.]

[outofsynth]

[Min looks around unhelpfully before pointing towards the corridor behind him.]

But that's a dead end, so I wouldn't go back there.

[outofsynth]

[He gives him a bit of an odd look, but honestly... he'd rather that than he get it wrong, so he refrains from commenting. Even though he could point out that Doppio isn't exactly a common name where he comes from and he didn't make it weird.]

You can look me up if you think of anything.

outer courtyard

[woofdad]

Y'know, somehow, Grant is not surprised to find this is what Chip has been up to while he's been wandering the party to check in with them.

He leans in to watch as the attendant gets set up again - then the Wooper in his arms leans over even further, and he adjusts to make sure it doesn't just tumble out entirely. "Any luck so far?"