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The Indigo League ([personal profile] indigo_league) wrote in [community profile] victory_road2025-02-17 08:13 pm

Swinub Scurry

Who: Everyone!
When: February 21st-28th
Where: Blackthorn City
What: It's the Swinub Scurry!
OOC Info: here!


Race day dawns bright and early on the 21st. In Blackthorn City, residents are bustling before the Winter sun is fully risen, completing setup for the veritable sea of Swinub-themed stalls and decorations that has been sprouting up throughout the week. The extra advertising has sparked peoples’ competitive spirits, and there’s also an ocean of handmade posters and signs cheering on specific racers.

Understandably, the majority of signs are for locals… but if any characters showed up earlier in the week to sign up, and had their Pokemon out and about, they may have picked up some fans! Is that a cute handmade doodle of their Pokemon hanging off a nearby balcony?

Speaking of racers - anyone who’s stayed in the town since at least last night, or arrived sufficiently early in the morning, will be invited to a complimentary breakfast! It’s simple and traditional, but there’s plenty to go around - rice and miso soup for everyone, and a vast spread of side dishes, including pickled and cooked vegetables and deep fried tofu. This food may be shared with Pokemon, though there’s also lots of high-vitamin Pokemon food specifically available!

Race sign-ups remain open until noon, when racers will be expected to gather up at the starting line - coincidentally, right in front of the big main event stage. As they harness up their Pokemon and double-check their sleds and supplies, the organizing committee for the event will be giving a speech. 30 minutes later, a loud whistle from the committee lead heralds the start of the race, and everyone will be off!

(Glance to your right as you pull away from the crowded stage area - that’s definitely Gym Leader Clair watching!)

Out on the trail, racing trainers and Pokemon will quickly be struggling, but more with the wilderness than with each other! While trainers with less than six Pokemon harnessed up are allowed to bring a regular team to deal with wild Pokemon, trainer battles are off limits during the race. There’s more than enough to worry about as is!

(That’s not to say there aren’t one or two racers willing to stoop to sabotage, provided they see an opportunity where they think they won’t get caught.)

The trail is marked with red streamers on trees and rocks, but they’re few and far between, and there’s intermittent snow showers that make visibility low. Trainers were provided with a map at the race’s start, but this isn’t the city - you better hope you can interpret contour lines and similar-looking landmarks. It’s easy to get lost! These aren’t the nice, trampled-down paths of routes - trainers will find themselves having to dodge around trees, bounce over rocks, and cross frozen streams and rivers! Speaking of frozen rivers… careful, the slushy weather earlier in the month left some of those with a more fragile layer of ice than others…

On top of that, the wild Pokemon out here are higher in level than on the routes! Trainers will find themselves having to fend off large, dangerous Pokemon like Beartics, Lycanrocs, Cetitans, and Hisuian Braviarys.

And then there’s figuring out when to rest. Any veteran racer will tell you it’s a bad idea not to let your Pokemon have a break for at least a few hours, no matter how much stamina you think they have. Dealing with the wilderness takes a lot out of you. (Every race, there’s someone overconfident enough to think they can just keep going… who then ends up staggering into the finish well behind the pack, their Pokemon completely wiped.) But… do you push as far as possible before resting, and hope you can keep your lead? Or do you rest early, and hope to breeze past everyone else while they’re taking their break?

Back in town, the festivities will have kicked into full swing! Food stands abound - in particular, given the weather, there’s endless options for warm bowls - rice porridge (particularly in the mornings), ramen, udon, oden, stew… But for those who don’t want something soup-adjacent, they will find plenty of other treats, like mochi cakes grilled over a charcoal fire, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with both savory and sweet varieties.

There’s stands with souvenirs and traditional crafts, too - do you want a textile with a Piloswine pattern? Of course you do. There’s lots of options for accessories for your Pokemon - woven collars and bandannas, scarves… and clothes for you too, if you’re so inclined! There’s little wooden and ceramic Swinub charms - rub their noses for luck - and various wood and papercraft objects. One particularly large stand seems to be doing a thriving business in traditional Spinarak silk soap!

On and around the main stage, there’s always something going on. During the day, there’s a constant stream of updates and commentary, with several large screens streaming video from race officials following the race on flying Pokemon. But there’s more: every day of the race has a few additional events on a small side stage, like a panel with former racers talking through their experiences, or a Pokemon performance.

As it begins to get dark, activity will slow down… but even in the wee hours of the night, the stage will stay open with the next shift of commentators, albeit with a much more sleepy, relaxed atmosphere. (Absolutely no loudspeakers, people are trying to sleep.) Some brave and selfless stalls will stay open all night with hot drinks, and tiny local bars so small they only seat a handful of guests offer a warm, friendly place to stop and relax well into the early hours of the morning. Even Blackthorn City’s onsen is kept open well into the night, offering a steamy soak to people and Pokemon alike.

In the early afternoon of the 22nd, the very fastest racers will start showing up at the finish line! They’ll be met with cheering, as will every racer that arrives afterward - it’s a Swinub Scurry tradition that every racer must be welcomed back enthusiastically, no matter how long it takes them. Yes, even in the middle of the night. (There’s a reason the finish line is located at the edge of the city.)

Trainers and Pokemon will be dragged back to the center of the festivities and brought inside to warm up and enjoy another complimentary meal. They’re expected to stick around the city until the race is officially over - they want their medal, right? - but they’re otherwise free to enjoy the celebration around town! They may have to suffer through occasional excited crowds when they’re recognized, though people will let characters go if they beg off by saying their Pokemon are tired or hungry. On the other hand, being recognized at stalls might mean getting offered some small treats and goodies on the house - particularly for those who performed well in the race!

Shortly after sunset on the 23rd, the race will finally come to a close when old man Junzo comes placidly trundling in with his full pack of Shuckle. The cheers for him are… lackluster, to say the least, but he seems entirely unbothered. At this point, all the racers will be called to the stage, with anyone who completed the race presented with a medal, anyone who participated offered the option of taking a Swinub egg (assuming they didn’t get caught cheating)... and the top three winners particularly hyped up and praised! Hope you wanted to be on TV?

But that doesn’t mean the festivities are over! While the intensity will ramp down over the week, and the stage and performances will have shut down after the 23rd, the stalls and extended local business hours won’t close down until the 28th.
senorita_perfecta: (Conversation)

[personal profile] senorita_perfecta 2025-03-23 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Quite the dilemma, isn’t it? Perhaps there are some stuff in here with a price that we could afford to get for our Pokémon.
senorita_perfecta: (Default)

[personal profile] senorita_perfecta 2025-03-23 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
“Wow! These scarves look really lovely,” Isabela notes as she manages to arrive at the scarves stall, “I’m starting to notice that Evie is wanting to get at least one of them today.”

“Spheal, Spheal!”

Snowball finally manages to stop with some assistance from Félix while Carmen and Antonio regroup with her, meanwhile the Spheal gleefully stares at the scarves, admiring the colorful prints with starry eyes.
crystalmaster: (Default)

[personal profile] crystalmaster 2025-03-23 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"They sure are," Radley says. He chuckles at Evie's cute antics and holds up a scarf for her. She rubs it in delight.

"It looks like they even have a Spheal one," he soon notes.
loopsiedaisy: (🌑 Head and heart)

[personal profile] loopsiedaisy 2025-03-24 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
[Meeple bugles loudly and affirmatively.]

[Loop confirms:]
Apparently. I don't think I'm getting a choice.

[They sound instantly more exhausted, but also, amused. It's a little funny.]
loopsiedaisy: (🌕 Made up a story you were my friend)

[personal profile] loopsiedaisy 2025-03-24 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
[Hmm. Loop keeps scanning the screens, which are indeed mostly showing teams settled down for the night. None of them look like Scar...]

[...hang on. There's at least one team still moving.]
...is that two humans pulling that sled??

[In fact, it's the team that has a Gardevoir and a Gallade. Loop's never encountered one of those Pokemon close up, though, so it's an easy mistake to make from a video taken at a distance!]

[Fleuirk is very pleased. After a moment of thought, she starts piling up and digging around in the snow. Is she... trying to make a little bed like Ice Age's? Maybe!]

[She'll probably want to show it off once she's done, but for the moment Ice Age has an opportunity to return to dozing uninterrupted!]
Edited (oop forgot icon) 2025-03-24 01:41 (UTC)
epitaffio: (oh god not the knives)

[personal profile] epitaffio 2025-03-24 05:54 pm (UTC)(link)
UH-- Uh...

[SWEATING. M-Maybe he should just eat, too...]
seacub: (AND NOW A PIPE TOO??)

[personal profile] seacub 2025-03-25 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Hmmmm...

[He's a bit nervous but...] We'll have to be ready in case any sparks catch the tent but that should be fine. We're only looking for enough room to drive the stakes, so aim near....

[He moves over, starting to mark a few spots.] ...Here we are. Fortunately, we need to stake a bit from the tent for stability anyway.
seacub: (:])

[personal profile] seacub 2025-03-25 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
I'll say- people really forget how much snow we get over the winter... ...or even just how much more the north gets at that time.
phoenixwiz: (When He Smiles)

[personal profile] phoenixwiz 2025-03-25 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Good idea. It doesn’t hurt to make sure to be ready for any emergency at a moment’s notice. I might need to bring out of my water Pokémon to put the fire if needed.

Arc, Arc!

(Godric barks cheerfully as he promptly runs to melt the snow in the marked areas. He is being mindful to not accidentally set off fires as he melts the marked snow with Ember.)

Great work, Godric. Now we should get the tent set up in no time.
senorita_perfecta: (Conversation)

[personal profile] senorita_perfecta 2025-03-25 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
“Spheal, Spheal!” Snowball happily bounces up and down in sheer delight upon seeing the Spheal scarf, possibly conspiring to convince Isa to buy one right now.

“Wow! That is terrific,” Isa smiles at the sight of the scarf before she turns around to see Snowball just begging her to buy the scarf, “Oh: so you want me to buy the scarf today as it has Spheals on it, right?”

“Spheal!”
crystalmaster: (Default)

[personal profile] crystalmaster 2025-03-25 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Eevee-vee!" Evie cheers encouragement for the Spheal scarf.

Radley chuckles at that cuteness and looks through the other scarves, finding one with all the Eevee family. He pulls it out for a better look. "This is cool."
shiningkindness: (127)

[personal profile] shiningkindness 2025-03-26 10:58 am (UTC)(link)
I hope so. All my Pokemon are so good and deserve a nice present now and then.

[ As if she doesn't give them so much love and attention already. ]
shiningkindness: (389)

[personal profile] shiningkindness 2025-03-26 11:03 am (UTC)(link)
"It really was a great experience, and I enjoyed it a lot."

The request for her PokeGear number surprises her a bit, but with a smile she nods. "Oh yes! I'd be happy to."
calisugarfiend: Cali whistles a merry little tune (Whistling Cali)

[personal profile] calisugarfiend 2025-03-26 04:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Cali happily goes to trade numbers with Fluttershy, she truly does enjoy making friends, "Awesome! I'm excited to work at the Pokemon Center, it's going to be amazing."
senorita_perfecta: (Smiling)

[personal profile] senorita_perfecta 2025-03-26 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah exactly. Guess we’ll just keep trying to find something that would be both affordable and great for our Pokémon to keep.

(Félix also nods in agreement as he stretches his wings to relax them a bit.)

Noi, Bat! Bat!
phdepression: (o_o)

[personal profile] phdepression 2025-03-27 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
Holy smokes, she has an actual face. She looks... about young as Jotaro expected but it's still a little surprising to see.

"So not human and a biohazard... must have been rough..." Jotaro said, accepting the new information in stride. "Sounds like you would have been on your own a lot, huh?"

Crank nods. "Well, as long as you're with JoJo, we'll look after ya. JoJo may be a breeder but he's plenty strong. Trains us as much as any other trainer would!" Not really but Crank believes so! Jotaro has been training him in particular for a couple of gyms...
phdepression: (a smile?????)

[personal profile] phdepression 2025-03-27 07:00 am (UTC)(link)
[Jotaro snorts, amused himself.]

Well, at least I don't think your Pokemon will let you miss the start of the race. Go sleep. I'll see you on the racecourse. You'll need it. It doesn't look like a particularly easy one.
phdepression: (o_o)

[personal profile] phdepression 2025-03-27 07:13 am (UTC)(link)
[Probably a good idea. Better than letting the food get cold or even stolen by his Pokemon. Jotaro finishes his food and goes back to checking on his Pokemon. His Revavroom is now licking the bowl with his tongue and his Litwick is cosying up next to the fire. His Cetitan has dug herself into the snow to sleep while his Espurr is still looking at Doppio curiously with her big old eyes.]

...You going to try do any racing during the night?
calisugarfiend: We have the first time look at Humanoid Cali without her Mask looking nervous. Please do not make her go out in public without her mask (HUMAN CALI)

[personal profile] calisugarfiend 2025-03-27 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah it was a bit rough, my Moms were worried about accidentally exposing my generation to it if rough play happened and a bipedal thylacine would cause too much of a stir. I had only my parents to socialize with up until I was given the okay to go for High School and then med school until graduation." Cali explained as she placed her mask to the side, also yeah it is shocking to see Cali's face :o

Sweet Sixteen nods in return, for once is relieved to hear that as..yeah Magikarp can kick his little apple butt into the next region, "Thanks and lucky, Cali here doesn't battle much like I said, so I'm not much use for battle at all should something comes crawling out of the woodworks, like that white zoroark from during the festival, a real piece of work."
exeggutorhead: (HEHEHE)

[personal profile] exeggutorhead 2025-03-27 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Envy knows Wrath is a quick study, both from back in Amestris and here. And...it's nice, showing his little monster brother a new trick for the first time in a long time. And not an evil one, either! Mostly! Envy doesn't count mild scams as evil.

The matter of fact statement that their old sorts of distractions 'aren't allowed here' gets him to laugh. NO...NO THOSE CERTAINLY AREN'T.

"Nah, nothing like those. This is all about keeping people from watching what you're doing too close, so she'll hop around or do big gestures, be real friendly to people when they're first coming up...stuff to draw people's eyes. Lilith is actually around too, her job is to come over in a human disguise every so often and make the game look really easy."
outofsynth: (all is blank)

[personal profile] outofsynth 2025-03-28 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
What?

[For a moment Min-Gi is thrown, but he's been here more than long enough to place the Pokémon quickly even on. That makes more sense. And he doesn't have to report anyone for what would probably be extremely inefficient cheating. He sighs in relief.]

It's a Gardevoir and Gallade. They're psychic-types.

[Ice Age actually remains awake by choice, though doesn't offer any help to the other Pokémon. Her large claws might be able to make quick work of the task, but she's comfortable where she is. And Fleuirk did wake her up.]
outofsynth: (all is blank)

[personal profile] outofsynth 2025-03-28 12:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah. And it's not like they have the road structures they do back where I come from. We don't go anywhere new when the weather's bad, but I get that's tougher when you first get here and don't have many options.
epitaffio: (boss i'm trying to sneak around)

[personal profile] epitaffio 2025-03-28 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[For his part, Doppio... doesn't seem to mind the staring contest with Jotaro's Espurr? If anything, he has an easier time holding eye contact with her than with her trainer; only Jotaro's voice seems to make him snap out of it.]

Huh? Oh, uh...

[Doppio's Arcanine isn't quite asleep, but he does seem pretty comfortable by the fire, like Jotaro's Litwick. Meanwhile, his Zweilous' two heads seem to be taking turns keeping watch and just sort of... lying there, alternately.]

Maybe not... It kinda looks like I've pushed 'em hard enough already.
no_ufo_ending: (stoned)

[personal profile] no_ufo_ending 2025-03-29 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Henry is suddenly there in his towel. He hasn't been listening in on the conversation because he's been too busy gazing lovingly at the large white egg in his arms. When his toes reach the edge of the water, he presents his prize to the other boys with an uncharacteristically wide smile on his face.

"Envy! Scar! I bought a baby seal!"
Edited 2025-03-29 03:09 (UTC)
exeggutorhead: (lol u gais)

[personal profile] exeggutorhead 2025-03-29 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
Envy blinks at Scar, who is clearly attempting to shrink into a sphere while insisting that he is not nervous.

This is...honestly not an unusual thing to happen within the sharkhaushold but c'mon Scar hide it a LITTLE better. Envy is debating whether or not he should tease him about it when A DISTRACTION arrives!

Envy perks up immediately oh thank god best friend is here now there's somebody to talk to who isn't having a mystery crisis for some reason. Maybe Scar will relax NOW.

"...woah, that egg is huge. Ha, Guttle's gonna have competition!"
Edited 2025-03-29 03:32 (UTC)

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