Prom 2023 - Back to the Falls!

[indigo_league]

What’s this? There’s glitter in the air. What’s this? There’s dresses everywhere.

Oh right. It’s Prom time.



From the afternoon on, on Friday the 7th of April, your characters will all be arriving at Tohjo Falls via the transport arranged for by Lance. He did end up borrowing a few of those Corviknights from the JKBA, but there are also several of you who will find themselves flown to the Falls by one of Lance’s Dragonites or Charizards. Please give them a poffin if you are able, they are all very good boys and girls.


Your characters will be set down on a tiled driveway (more like flyway, Ha) in front of an impressive-looking villa. Those who have been here before might note that the villa has gotten a bit of a renovation and an update. Turns out that when Team Rocket kidnaps you and keeps you captive in your own home for several weeks while wrecking the house and digging Arceus knows how many basements beneath the house, you might be entitled to some compensation.

And from the looks of things, Lance and co used that compensation to turn their little vacation home back into something where they can relax in peace.

After you arrive, you’ll be greeted by Lance or one of the other Elite Four members, who will give you a quick run-down. You are free to explore the house and surrounding area at your leisure. Please respect their privacy and do not go into any of the locked rooms. You’ll find your accommodations behind the house, so feel free to head there and unpack. Oh, and, there will be a little announcement later, so if you could be in the dining room for that, that’d be stellar.

Well, off you go!




WELCOME (BACK) TO THE FALLS

THE SIGHTS The Villa As mentioned by Lance and Co, parts of the villa are off-limits to guests. Not to worry, there is nothing nefarious hiding there this time. It's just that those rooms are the Elite Four's private quarters, and they'd rather not have people go through their underwear drawers! Other areas that are off-limits include the kitchen, but this is just for practical reasons; wouldn't want to get in the way of the cooks preparing lunch and dinner. Still, even with these off-limits areas, there is still plenty to see. Library On the upper floor, there is a decently sized Library for anyone who needs a bit of peace and quiet. The books within are part of the Elite Four's personal book collections. There are a lot of books related to each members' preferred Pokemon type, as well as a very sizeable collection of books on Pokemon Battling, strategies and counter-strategies, in addition to a good number of autobiographies from famous (former) gym leaders and Elite Four members. Their books aren't all business though! There is also plenty of fiction available, as well as non-fiction related to the Elite Four's personal hobbies. The books are not marked, so it's hard to tell which book belongs to which E4 member, so have fun trying to figure out who added the books on glassblowing to the collection, and to who the knitting books belong to. Gallery Also on the top floor is a gallery that contains the many prizes each Elite Four member has won over the years, as well as some interesting artefacts they've found during their lives. Ever wanted to see Lance's first badges? Or perhaps Bruno's weightlifting trophies? And wow, looks like Will participated in some contests back in the day! Okay, those things probably aren't worth hours of visiting, but there is also a collection of photos of various legendary pokemon, as well as some items related to them, such as a feather that is said to have belonged to Ho-oh, a scale that was left behind after Groudon and Kougre fought and could it be true? One of Hoopa's hoops itself? Fascinating! Dining Room Obviously where characters can dine. Unfortunately, the dining room itself is not big enough to fit all characters at once, so they've also set up some tables outside among the tents, and people are asked to check back if there is no space. When not in use to have dinner in, the room is left open and available to anyone who'd like to use it. Ball Room Now that prom night is finally here, your characters may enter in what was previously forbidden. Yes, beyond these doors lay a mysterious land of, uh... tables and a dance floor. Listen, there is only so many ways you can describe a ballroom, okay! There is a central floor where people may dance if they so desire, and around that spot, plenty of tables and chairs have been set up for you to rest your tired dancing feet at. Though there is no big dinner served at prom, there are staff flitting around with refreshments and canapes and, fitting the style of the villa, tapas. There are, of course, also flutes of champagne and wine and other adult drinks. Note the emphasise on adult, there. Don't expect to con these waiters into giving you something if you are underaged. (instead, try and find a trusted, untrustworthy adult friend. It's okay. We won't tell your mom. Pool Outside, of course, is the pool. This hasn't changed that much from previous visits here. It's... well... it's a pool! What more can we say? It's a good place to have some fun and play around, but if you are more into relaxation or perhaps even catching some rays, there's also plenty of space around the pool with plenty of deck chairs available to you. It is still only April, so to make sure nobody catches pneumonia in the pool, the water has been heated. Please do not heat the water further. You know what we are talking about! The Accomodations Those who have visited before may remember that the Villa doesn't exactly have enough bedrooms to house all promgoers. In fact, there have been years where you just kipped on the floor in the garage-like area. Maybe Lance is trying to match the standards set by previous organisers. Maybe there was a little extra money left over after the renovations to plurge, but this year, you won't be expected to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag! Instead, behind the Villa, beyond the pool area, there is a field of tents. And these aren't your basic little travelling tents. These tents look pretty luxurious. True, you will still be sharing them with a few others, but at least you'll be sleeping in something like a regular bed. There are also some chairs and benches dotted around the area, where you can sit and relax, as well as a few open tents that have tables and benches inside of them where one could eat breakfast or dinner. (And, of course, there are tents available too where you can take care of the, ah, less glamourous needs of the human body. No need to bring your own TP either, it will be provided!) The tents house four people each. If you, for whatever reason, want to cram more people inside, Lance will be a little startled but will allow it. If you try to grab a tent all to yourself, Lance will give you a very disappointed look. The Surroundings If your character isn't the type to hang out for hours by the pool or spend their entire Saturday already getting ready for prom, why not go exploring a bit? The area around Tohjo Falls is normally off-limits to people, after all. This might be your only chance to see it. (unless we come back again here next year) While exploring, your character has the option of trekking into the forests behind the villa or descending into the cave that houses the waterfalls this area has been named for. Wild pokemon can be found in each area, though please be careful! As few people visit this location, the pokemon here are very unused to humans. Please always bring a strong pokemon with you when you go exploring! And who knows, if you keep an eye out, you might run into an unfamiliar pokemon or two... Forest (lvl 20-45) Charjabug, Corvisquire, Venipede, Sizzlipede, Fletchinder, Greedent*, Whirlipede*, Nincada*, Flapple**, Appletun**, Talonflame**, Ninjask**, Shiinotic**, Sprigatito**, Centiskorch***, Vikavolt***, Corviknight***, Trevenant***, Scolipede*** Cave (lvl 20-45) Sandshrew, Woobat, Rolycoly, Noibat, Roggenrola, Aron*, Glimmet*, Sandslash*, Rhyhorn*, Carkol*, Noivern**, Swoobat**, Boldore**, Fuecoco**, Lairon***, Rhydon***, Glimora*** Falls (lvl 20-45) (Fishing/Surfing) Qwilfish, Staryu, Arrokuda, Wishiwashi, Finneon*, Skrelp*, Lumineon*, Relicanth*, Starmie**, Overqwill**, Quaxly**, Seadra**, Gyrados***, Barraskewda***, Dragalge***, Kingdra***

---

THE ANNOUNCEMENT


Once everybody has arrived and has been given some time to unpack, it's time for the announcement Lance has been teasing. What is this unique opportunity he mentioned? Will this have anything to do with prom itself? Has Lance conned us all into attending a Tupperware party?

In any case, you all gather in the dining room. The Elite Four is gathered at the front of the room, Lance taking the center stage. Will is standing next to him. For a moment Lance just glances out over the crowd, as if checking that everybody is here, before he clears his throat and begins.

"First of all, let me say that I am very happy to see you all here. It's been a few years since we last were able to greet you in our home, and here is to hoping things won't end as badly as last time.

But that is not what this announcement is about. Rather, there is going to be some changes within the Elite Four. Changes we'd like to make you a part of.

A few months ago, Will announced to us that he will be stepping down from his position as Elite Four member to--" Lance seems to pause for a moment, looking at Will, "--pursue opportunities elsewhere!

Of course, we cannot leave his spot unoccupied, so in the last few months, we've been hard at work vetting and narrowing down the choices for who will replace him. And finally, we've been able to narrow it down to just two remaining candidates. It's been a struggle, let me tell you! We've had so many qualified and incredible trainers who wanted to join us, but we believe we've found the best two.

And that is where you come in!

As I said, we have been able to narrow down the field to two final choices. And what I'd like to offer you this weekend, is an opportunity to take an active part in deciding who gets to be our newest member. You all, after all, have proven over the years that you not only care about pokemon, but you've also grown to care about this world, often helping us out when situations were dire. We believe you, as much as anyone, have a right to determine the future of this region.

In just a moment, I'd like to introduce you to our two final applicants. I can already assure you that they are both excellent trainers, and very skilled battlers, as well as individuals who we believe we can rely on in a bad situation. What we'd like if for you to cast the final vote on who takes over Will's position.

Throughout this weekend, they will make themselves available for questions. Please ask them anything you wish to know, and please also discuss the manner among yourself if you wish. Whichever person you choose, know that we already feel we could work and depend on either of them. At the end of this meeting, we'll distribute voting slips to everyone. These cannot be replaced, so please hold onto them, and once you've made your choice, please submit them to the vote box in front of the Ballroom before the start of the dance. Then, during the party on Sunday, we will reveal who will become our newest members.

Now, I've said quite enough, so let me introduce you to our two final applicants--"

The dining room doors open, and two figures stride in, walking to the front to join Lance and the other Elite Four members.




"Please welcome Bede from the Galar region and Malva from the Kalos Region"

---

Not sure what is going on? Why not check out our prom FAQ

Comments

[thetombkeeper]

Good Gods, Sion. When Marik's done nursing his headache he does indeed watch. Even Chen stops what he's doing and watches, slightly slackjawed.

The two of them look at the stack the older man presents them for a moment before returning their attention to him.

"T-Thank you. Have you and Ryner been collecting books and the like since you started the gym...?"

[dreamsofahero]

"Oh, we've had a private collection since well before then, actually."

If anything the gym library was partly an excuse to buy more. After all, Sion's the kind of person who used to break into the library after hours as a kid, while Ryner decided the best thing to do while in prison was request dozens of books for a massive research project.

In other words, they're both giant nerds.

[thetombkeeper]

"Really?" He perks up more. "When did you start collecting?"

Nothing wrong with being a nerd. Marik's needed to study and the like and while he was younger, he wasn't particularly interested in the stuff but as he's gotten older, he tries to research subjects that truly catch his attention. (Or seem like they're further his plans in whatever he's working on art the time.)

[dreamsofahero]

"Aside from occasional odds and ends we'd picked up anyway, mostly once we acquired a house, which was about two years prior to opening the gym."

It's very possible that the need for a place to keep what they'd already acquired was a factor in deciding to get a house, for that matter.

[thetombkeeper]

A good reason to get a house. That's partially why he got his yacht. Started getting too much stuff but also wanted to live by himself. He'll eventually get around to having a house built in Lavender once his dealership has been in business for a while.

"How long did it take you two to beat the League and start the gym anyways? If you don't mind me asking."

I hope you appreciate me looking up these dates... XD

[dreamsofahero]

"Ah, well, I completed challenging the gyms a little under seven months after my arrival, which was rather slower then than is possible now with the warp pads available. Which was about two and a half years before Ryner and I acquired the house, and a bit under four years before we were even able to challenge the Elite Four. Since Ryner hadn't completed the gym circuit himself yet, and it seemed more prudent to only make one trip there, we didn't actually challenge them until about five months later."

And yet Sion was still the first. Which perhaps says something about the preparedness and ambitions of everyone else.

"Once that was done, however, we were able to open the gym about three months later."

To put in another way, the main thing that slowed Sion down on his challenge was that he couldn't do it any faster. Though the reason it took them so long to get a house is a whole other matter.

I do XD Thank you

[thetombkeeper]

Marik listens with his mouth agape as Sion recalls the two's journey. Of course all of it makes an impact but there's one singular detail he hones in on because the teen is lazy.

"... There weren't warp points?"

Because that's what's important, right?

"That's still really impressive...!" He says, eyes wide with wonderment. "You two traveled even during the winter? What made you decide to start a gym?"

Sion's been here a loooooong time

[dreamsofahero]

"There weren't. Of course, we could drastically reduce travel time by bringing multiple flying types at once, which we did to traverse Victory Road, but it did take a bit of planning to be efficient about it.

"And traveling during winter isn't too difficult if you're properly prepared and supplied."

Not that Sion ever liked it, mind.

"As for a gym, it was offered as a possibility from the start when challenging the Elite Four was opened to us, so it seemed a reasonable option to aim for if we intended to challenge them anyway. Especially seeing as the freedom in designing the gym and its theme would allow us to offer things no other place here did."

Like the library.

[thetombkeeper]

"That must have been a pain for when you wanted to go back to locations you'd already made it to..."

Mind you, that's how it's done in the real world but again: Lazy.

"I can't stand the winter. Never dealt with that cold of temperatures before coming here so I... just kind of sat around most of that season." Gods, he wasted a lot of time.

"They offer that much freedom? That's really cool... I had wondered about that but never looked into it... How difficult is it defeating the Elite Four?"

[dreamsofahero]

"It did tend to require quite a bit of planning."

Of course, he's from a fantasy world that lacks modern technology, so it wasn't any worse than what he was already used to.

"If you've been to many of the Indigo League gyms you'll notice they're all quite different from each other, so it should probably be no surprise that the Aurora League is similar.

"I think the greatest difficulty was the fact that you had to plan for going up against so many different opponents with just one team. Therefore the planning is vital, and whether the battles themselves go well or not depends on how well you've prepared."

Trying this again while not multitasking sob

[thetombkeeper]

Marik nods. Even going back from Island Four and Goldenrod or Vermillion is time consuming and needs a bit of planning.

"I haven't, actually. I've only completed three of the main gyms... and then visited yours to borrow the workout gym a few times," he crosses his arms and leans back in his chair slightly. "Do thy E4 members generally use just one type or do some of them change it up?"

*pats*

[dreamsofahero]

"They typically stick to one type, but what's considered to fit within that can be... broad. For example, Charizard and Gyarados are often considered 'dragons' despite not actually being dragon type. And not to mention they often use Pokemon with two types to help cover weaknesses."

Much like the gyms, in other words, especially the elite teams.

thy, the* /headdesk

[thetombkeeper]

"That makes sense to include similar things especially if they started out with only a few discovered types." Which has him wondering. "Fairy's one of the more newer ones... How many were there when you and Ryner first arrived?"

and then I was just. braindead on Sion tags for a bit XD

[dreamsofahero]

"Of types? There were seventeen, the only one not present at the time was fairy."

And even at that, fairy has now been a thing for... a number of years now. Even though some Pokémon getting their types retconned was a very weird thing to experience.

You're fine!

[thetombkeeper]

Marik counts on his fingers, mentally going over the types. Chen looks at his own hands and mimics him for a bit before returning to attempting to read.

"Really? I'm surprised they were all discovered besides that one," he says after he finishes counting. "That reminds me... Did you get a new pokémon for the holiday?"

family from out of state was in town so!

[dreamsofahero]

"Apparently they had all been known for some time, if I recall... But then again, when fairy types appeared, they were largely treated as having been around all along."

Ask Ryner about the retcons sometime. You'll get a rant.

"Ah, you mean of one of the new species? I did, yes."

i hope you had a good time!

[thetombkeeper]

Oh, that sounds annoying. The expression on Marik's face says it all. More evidence of the weird game world mechanics on display there. It hurts his brain. Ugh. "... Of course they did."

He huffs and shakes his head.

"Yeah, one of those. Which one did you end up getting?"

I did! My niece was delightful as always :3

[dreamsofahero]

The less said about that subject the better, really. It only leads to headaches and frustration.

"A ghost-type dog called Greavard."

Because of course Sion got another dog.

Aww. X3 I'm glad to hear it!

[thetombkeeper]

As do most things in this world if you stop to think about it too much.

"Ah...! I think my friend Ryou got one of those too."

The blonde looks around sheepishly. He's been mostly keeping this under wraps and has only told a few people but he trusts Sion enough so...

"I wound up getting a Cyclizar. They're like... a motorcycle as a lizard pokémon. They're fantastic."

it'll be months before I can see them again so had to hang out while we could!

[dreamsofahero]

Sion's been here a decade. There's a reason why he often tries to... discourage people reading too far into certain things. It's for their own good, really it is.

"Oh?" Sion raises an eyebrow at that description. "As in... like something you can ride?"

He only knows about motorcycles from his time in this world, he's having a little trouble imagining how that works as a Pokémon.

/nodnod I'm glad you got to spend time together!

[thetombkeeper]

Marik's gotten to the point where he finds it better to stick his head in the sand and try to remain ignorant of some stuff.

The teen nods his head enthusiastically. "Yes! The pokedex says they can get up to seventy miles per hour. It's one of the most freeing sensations riding one..."

Boy really, really likes his motorcycles. That's something that will always bring out the child-like, good side of him no matter what.

toddlers are cute... especially when they're someone else's >D

[dreamsofahero]

Sion does like knowing things, the problem is people obsessing over them. It's somewhat counter-productive, is the thing.

"Interesting. I've ridden a number of swift Pokémon before, but I don't know exactly how they would compare."

Like Arcanine. He's done a few bits of racing with his Arcanine. It's amazing what a burst of Extreme Speed can do.

this is very true

[thetombkeeper]

"If you'd like, I can let you ride Chafu sometime before prom ends. There's plenty of fields and long stretches of land for him to drive on. He's the best I've got, knows how to get up to speed without feeling overwhelming, and can stop on a dime!"

Look at how excited he is, Sion.

[dreamsofahero]

That does earn a chuckle.

"I don't know, from the sound of it, you would like to do more riding, yourself."

[thetombkeeper]

Marik rubs the back of his neck nervously. "I mean, yeah. But I want to share that with others too. It's such an incredible experience..."