victory_road | THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

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THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Chenzira does his best to slowly choose what he feels like might be a good duck and delicately hooks it on to the stick. His precision has even Usi behaving himself as he watches intensely.

He draws back the duck and... it's... a winner!

Marik laughs far more lightheartedly than before, giving his Yamask a ruffle to the top of his head.]

Very nice! You got a winner on the first try!

[Chenzira smiles shyly and bows his head.]

You wanna go again or does Echoes want to give it a try?

[He realizes that's a pointless question because the Yamask will always put others ahead of himself. So he offers the stick and quietly makes a sound similar to the Noidbat's name. Vowels are easy to mimic. Consonants not so much.]

[Even if the Yamask had wanted another go, Echoes is reaching out for the stick. Min takes it, and starts helping the little Noibat with his grip.]

Thanks, Chen.

[He's a little surprised at how close Chen gets to pronouncing it, but that would probably be rude to comment on, right? Echoes definitely needs a lot of help supporting the weight of the stick, but Min tries not to let him realise how little he's actually bearing... or how much of the controlling Min's doing. He seems happy enough to believe he's doing all the work himself, and with a bit of awkward fumbling since Echoes keeps trying to twist the hook the wrong way the two of them manage to hook up... another winner.

Min doesn't mind a bit of beginners luck in this case. It's nice to see Echoes so pleased with himself.]

Good job, Echoes. Are you gonna let Chen have another go?

[There's some resistance as he tries to keep hold of the stick, but Min manages to convince him to relinquish his grip and since he has just won he doesn't make too much fuss.]

[Chen wouldn't have found it rude, he'd have just hid his face bashfully. That's just the kind of little guy he is. Marik's been trying to teach him how to speak since shortly after he arrived. And if ever there was a person to teach a pokémon to speak clearly and deliberate, it's him. (Lord help everyone if Usi picks up on it more. He's already got the cackle and "fool!" down.)

Marik's face is hurting from grinning so much but it's well worth it. He's having a lot of fun even just watching like this.]

Very nice!

[The Yamask would not have minded at all if Echoes had wanted another go. He's obviously enjoying it and it's keeping him mostly well behaved. That was there goal, wasn't it? But Chenzira accepts the stick, bowing his head in thanks, and gets ready to snag another psyduck.

No prize this time. Chen still manages a smile, holding the stick back out to his new friend.]

Aww, Chen... You're such a good sport. ["... Aahh?"] You should be proud of yourself! [Oh noooo... He hides his face behind his mask. Too nice of compliments...!]

[It's toothrottingly sweet, but you won't catch Min complaining about it. To be able to relax this much, without having to think about Team Rocket, or that he can't go home, or that his team is still weaker than most here? It's nice. It's really, really nice.

Echoes whines when Chen's catch turns out to be a loser, but soon forgets about it when it's his turn again...]

Don't be embarrassed, Chen. He's right.

[As though he doesn't suck at taking compliments himself. But it's not about him! It's about Chen, and how great he's being.

Echoes tugs on his sleeve to bring his attention back to the game. Min sighs, but with obvious fondness as he helps Echoes with the stick once again. With a bit of patience they're able to hook another Psyduck... a loser, much to Echoes dismay.]

Hey, it's okay. We'll just try again in a minute. Right, Chen? It's your turn again anyway.

[Chen is a fantastic example, and Min's very grateful he's here.]

[Should he ever voice any of those concerns, Marik may be able to help with some of it. Not the whole missing his home world but the other things, yes. Or at the very least, keep his mouth shut. You don't just switch off the crime lord perk magically. It takes time.

Chenzira peeps out a bit from behind his mask up at Min, mumbling something incoherent. Marik chuckles and pokes his cheek.]

See? I'm not the only one who thinks so.

[Mumblemumble fidget with mask. Oh, but it's his turn... so he rests his mask on his tail and accepts the stick again. Another dud.

The blonde gives Chen a pat on the back as Usi waddles closer. There's got to be a gimmick here that they can exploit... He picks up the discarded ducks and looks them over while Chen hands the stick back to Echoes.]

... I think I jinxed them. They're having my luck now. We've got to win them more prizes though... Hmm...

Edited 2022-11-18 02:56 (UTC)

[Min is definitely not at crime lord level, and if he ever reached that point the world would be a very strange place indeed. But he weirdly gets it now. How someone can become trapped in that kind of life. Before this place he would have brushed off claims of not having a choice as a weak excuse.

He shrugs at Marik's comment before he takes the stick back, not wholly surprised by their recurring failures. It had seemed like they were getting far too lucky in the first place.]

The odds are still against us, even if they aren't as bad for this game. I'm sure we can win them something eventually.

[Echoes peeps, apparently taking offence at the suggestion that the trainers are the ones doing the winning here. He still hasn't caught on to just how much of the work Min's doing.

This time the duck is finally another winner! See? Echoes does know what he's doing!]

[Marik nods. They've got to win stuff for their pokémon, even if it means wasting a small chunk of money. It's the principle of the thing! (And his ego.)

When Echoes pulls a winning duck, the teen grins.]

There we go! You're getting the hang of it!

[Chen claps his hands then motions for Echoes to try again. You can do this!]

No, you should--

[Min doesn't even get to finish trying to push the next turn back on Chen. Echoes is tugging rather forcefully on the pole, and Min sighs, giving in.]

Okay, okay... but you get the next two, Chen.

[Miraculously, it's another winner! What kind of beginners luck is this, Echoes?]

[Chenzira gets it. The purpose was to get Echoes happy and he's having fun, so he doesn't mind giving him an extra turn if it makes him happy!

The Yamask smiles and accepts the the stick back, then tries his luck. A win and a lose.]

Nice! We've got a pretty good amount. How many more tries do you want to go for?

[Marik's asking Min and Chen mostly. Chenzira gives a shrug. He's fine with whatever! Maybe... he's only got three fingers on each hand so he can't-Oh. Wait.

A one and a zero!]

Ten more. That sound good to you, Min-Gi?

Mm-hm.

[Min nods at that, happy to go with that. It's not like the turns take that long, and their Pokémon are still enjoying it. He'd thought maybe Echoes would get bored, but it seems to be holding his attention nicely.]

Do you want another go, Chen?

[Echoes cries out in protest at that. It feels like it's been forever since he had his last go.]

[No point in asking him. He's already had two turns! A third would be unfair. Chen shakes his head and hands the stick back to Echoes.

Marik smiles down at his Yamask.]

Why don't you two do five and five? Echoes goes for five turns then Chen. Unless Echoes wants to finish off with bang and let you go first?

[He looks over at the Noibat.]

This way your turn will seem really long once Chen's done with his.

[Echoes looks strangely like he's considering the proposal, staring thoughtfully at the stick he's been handed. Min doesn't expect him to actually go for it, but... after a minute he offers the stick back to Chen with a small squeak.]

Wow, Marik. How did you know that would work?

[Colour him impressed!]

[Even Chen's surprised, taking the stick back and bowing his head.

Marik's smile widens into a grin. Looks like he hasn't lost his touch completely even if he's just using it on pokémon.

... He's also a spoiled brat so he knows that's how he'd want the game framed to make it seem like he's getting more out of it.]

Let's just say I know how to make enticing proposals.

[Poor Min's probably learning far more than he wanted about the teen in one evening.

Out of the five tries, Chen's able to score them three more wins. He hands the stick back to Echoes and wishes him good luck!]

[Min stares for a moment, lost for words. Marik really does have a dark side when it comes to games, huh?]

Okay...

[Yep. Definitely nailed that response. Thankfully Chen taking his turn serves as a good distraction, so he doesn't feel the need to ask for further elaboration. And then, of course, it's Echoes turn:

Two losses, followed by a win, another loss... then finally a win. Min breathes a sigh of relief on the last one, knowing that will be what Echoes remembers.]

That wasn't too bad. We got quite a lot of them.

[Nine, in fact. It's very good, but part of him is disappointed it isn't an even ten. That feels like it would've been a more satisfying number.]

Edited 2022-11-23 22:47 (UTC)

[Just a bit. Marik raises an eyebrow at Min's response, unaware that he's being weird again. It's not like he said he was good at manipulation or something. (It was indirectly.) Maybe he's just getting burned out from the game?

When the two pokémon finish up, the blonde looks over the winning psyducks and taps his cheek in thought.]

Nine of them. Five prizes for Echoes, four for Chen? Unless we try for a tenth...

[Chen blinks and waves his hands dismissively. They don't need to go to any extra trouble...!]

[Min looks at Chen before answering. Does he want an extra prize...? He feels bad taking the majority, but he's also fully aware that Echoes will start to kick up a fuss again if he tries to decline that.]

If you're okay with that... Chen gets to pick first, though. That's fair, right?

[He looks down at the Noibat, frowning slightly just in case he thinks to protest.]

[They've already got plenty of prizes tonight. Chen's more than happy with what they've got. Getting to choose first though... That's quite an honor. He wouldn't have minded if Echoes had gone but since Min suggested...

He motions with his hands at Marik, explaining with gestures and gibberish which prize he wants. The blonde stands up, collecting their four psyducks, then moves to stand next to where the prizes are. He receives a glowstick from the attendant and hands it to Chenzira. Chen examines it happily.]

Good choice. Your turn, Echoes.

[Echoes looks in total awe of the glowstick, so Min initially expects him to pick the same thing. He does have him look over the other prizes just in case, and it's just as well he does.

Ultimately, he ends up picking a cheap plastic keychain... in the shape of a Yamask.

That is. Extremely sweet. Min flips it around to show Chen and Marik before he lets Echoes actually grab his prize.]

I thought for sure he'd go for a glowstick.

[Chenzira's eyes widen in surprise before covering his face with his hands. Oh nooo.... Echoes is a good boy and Chen's very honored he chose that as his prize.

Marik laughs and reaches out to give Echoes a pat on the head. Usi snickers from next to them.]

That's really sweet. You've made Chen blush!

I think he really likes Chen.

[Usi he's more conflicted about... on the one hand he did give him candy. On the other, he's mean and tormented him with candy.

But! The important thing is he has a good prize and he will cherish it always! He waves the keychain at Chen, reminding him that it's his turn to pick. His sharing skills really are improving tonight.]

He's hard not to like.

[Usi is a shitbird. About the only people he isn't like that with are Kaiba and Fluttershy because they've been there since he was a Gastly.

Chen mutters something into his hands before slowly uncovering his face. Oh...! Right. Another prize. Um... he picks another glowstick but this time...

He gives it to Echoes. For being such a good sport and a good friend!

Marik's face hurts from grinning so much. This is too cute. Chenzira is precious in every way and is going to be absolutely pampered after this.]

That was really nice of you, Chen.

[The Yamask mutters again and his trainer nods, still not fully understanding him but he gets the jidst.]

He wanted them to match.

He is.

[And then he somehow gets even nicer! Echoes squeals, clutching the glowstick close. He almost wriggles himself right out of Min's grip in his excitement.]

You didn't have to do that, Chen. He's already got the extra prize. [He taps the back of the Noibat's head lightly] Why don't you pick out something for Chen now, Echoes?

[He feels the need to prompt him. Echoes is sweet, but he's not sure that would occur to him by himself yet. He still needs a bit of encouragement, but he does seem to really like the idea of finding a prize for Chen. He takes a long time to pick this time, eventually settling on a stress ball in the shape of a Cyndaquil. When you squeeze it the flames come out of its back!]

[The ghost crew and their trainer watch as Echoes decides on a prize. What he does choose has Chenzira tear up a bit. Sure, he's given all sorts of things all the time by Marik and Kaiba but to receive a gift from someone outside the family... a new friend...! He considers it a true honor. The Yamask accepts the toy and gently squeezes it.

It's perfect. The Pokémon Gods know he doesn't do well when stressed and the texture of the toy feels soothing to squeeze.

Marik chuckles softly as Chen holds up the toy to better show his trainer for a moment, who then turns back to Echoes to thank him multiple times.]

You want to keep that in my pack while we're traveling for safe keeping?

[Nodnodnod. He needs to pick out a prize again. This time... a fluffy Zubat keychain made from a pompom...

... for Echoes.]

Chen...

[Marik reaches over and ruffles his headcrest.]

Are you just going to pick out everything for him?

[Mmn! Nodnodnod.]

You really don't need to do that, Chen.

[But Echoes loves it! He is running out of room to hold onto things, but when Min tries to take them off him for safe keeping he just clutches them close. His new toy is a bat! Just like him! And now he wants to pick again...

He picks out exactly the same keychain, waving it at Chen for him to take. They can have matching prizes again!]

At least I didn't need to tell him this time...

[Who knew a carnival would have so much opportunity for positive influence?]

[Likewise, most of the prizes are going to need to be carried by Marik and Usi.

Chenzira gladly accepts the gift. That's two things that match with now! They need to keep up this trend. Uhh... How about a Voltorb bouncy ball then? He offers it to Echoes.]

Chen's a good influence. Not even Usi can disobey him completely.

[Which is true. In Usi's mind, Chen's at the top of the pecking order. He's Marik's original pokémon after all and he sees how he can affect their trainer.

Plus seeing that look of disappointment in the Yamask's eyes is enough to take a few years off of your life. It's pretty powerful.]

THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

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