⇨ ALOLA

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE.
When: Day 73 - Day 87
Where: The islands of Alola.
What: The Carnival arrives at its next touring location, a series of tropical islands inhabited by a species of animal called Pokemon and their trainers!
Warnings: Pokemon is pretty PG-rated.

IT'S A POKEMON WORLD↴ Alola is broken up into four different islands, with a number of unique points of interest. Boats can easily be rented in order to get between the islands, or you can just pay for the fair of a scheduled trip. If you can prove you have the skills for it, you can also call on a "Ride Pokemon" - that is, either a Charizard or a Lapras that will fly or swim you between locations. ► POPULATION: Though the islands appear very small as an abstraction in the actual games, that doesn't hold over into the actual reality of it. When interacting with the different locations, imagine that they are about as big and spread out as they would be in real life. It's about on the same scale as Hawaii is on earth. Ignore any wikis that say the population of each island is like 200 people, because that's just adding up all the scripted NPCs, and there are realistically more than six houses per town. ► AMENITIES: Even if they aren't overtly listed on island maps, it can be assumed that all towns and cities will have basic amenities - that is, places to eat, place to go to the washroom, places to buy souvenirs, and the other things one would expect in a tourist heavy area. You can also buy malasadas pretty much anywhere. ► POKECENTERS: You'll be able to find a Pokecenter in pretty much every town - a Pokecenter is a public building in which Pokemon Trainers can rest and get their Pokemon healed. Think of it like free international Pokemon healthcare. You can also buy Pokeballs here, as well as potions and other healing items for later use. ► AETHER FOUNDATION: A peace keeping organization that shelters Pokemon from harm and abuse. If you kill/maim any Pokemon or otherwise act violently in public, they will come to try to take you down with their Pokemon. They also are the main force working against Team Skull. MELEMELE ISLAND↴ [MELEMELE DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU KOKO] [WIKI LINK] ► TRAINER SCHOOL: A full fledged for young, aspiring Pokemon Trainers! Students go here to learn about Pokemon care and battling before setting out on their own journeys. It would be sort of weird for an adult to show up here, like it would for an adult to try to attend an elementary school, but you can probably learn some of the basics just from touring the facility. ► HAU'OLI SHOPPING DISTRICT: The biggest shopping district on Melemele, you can do a lot here, from eating out to getting your hair dyed. A lot of shops are, unsurprisingly, completely Pokemon focused - but there are some that aren't, too. There are also some very nice beach fronts nearby. ► BERRY FIELDS: Berries come in a lot of different types and have different effects when used. Mostly, Pokemon love to eat them, regardless of what type they are. This is a big field of them, most of which are free to take if you catch them when ripe. ► TEN CARAT HILL: The secluded interior of a small mountain, filled with some rare types of rock Pokemon. You have to be able to bypass the left overs of some recent rockslides to get in. ► TRIAL SITE: There is only one trial on this islands, which is the Normal type trial. All you have to do is fight a bunch of Pokemon ferrets, and then fight an even bigger Pokemon ferret that thirsts for your blood. It's not so bad. AKALA ISLAND↴ [AKALA DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU LELE] [WIKI LINK] ► TIDE SONG HOTEL: A big ass hotel near the port - if you want to stay on Alola overnight, this is a pretty good place to go. It isn't too expensive, and is also rather nice. ► DIMENSIONAL RESEARCH LAB: Alola, on occasion, has been the site of various dimensional breaks (haha) in which extraplanar creatures called Ultra Beasts have crossed over. There isn't much information about these beasts, but they are something that are being actively studied. Characters who are nerds might find some of this information interesting. ► HANO GRAND RESORT: The inevitably big, fancy resort that tends to take route in touristy places like this. If you actually pay to spend some time there, you can enjoy all the things you'd expect to find in a fancy resort, except with way more Pokemon. There is also a fancy, secluded beach for resort goers only. ► BATTLE ROYALE DOME: A battle area in which 4 trainers fight each other all at once, with teams of there Pokemon. The trainers here are mostly quite expert, and you need a team of three Pokemon to play, so player characters probably won't be able to participate. However, you can still come to watch, if you like seeing a bunch of colourful monsters slapping each other around. ► PANIOLA RANCH: A large ranch that keeps a lot of Pokemon that resemble earth farm animals. You can leave Pokemon here to stay for a while if you need a break from the strains of trainer life. Quite often, however, your Pokemon will end up getting knocked up and leave you with another egg to care for. ► TRIAL SITES: Brooklet Hill is a lake filled area that contains the Water Trial. You have to fight a bunch of schooling Wishiwashi, and then an even bigger schooling Wishiwashi to win. Wela Volcano Park contains the Fire Trial, where you must climb to the top of the dormant volcano, and spot the difference between a series of ceremonial island dances. Then you gotta fight a team of Marrowaks and a giant Salazzle. The Lush Jungle contains the Grass challenge, in which you have to find a series of rare organic ingredients in order to brew something that will lure out a giant Lurantis. ULA'ULA ISLAND↴ [ULA'ULA DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU BULU] [WIKI LINK] ► MALIE GARDEN: A nice big garden to hang out in and chill. Also, there are Pokemon there... and also, Pokemon battles? There's really no end to it. ► MOUNT HOKULANI OBSERVATORY: Up at the top of the local mountain, you can go see a space observatory. Like most things in Alola, it's like a regular observatory, except with more Pokemon, since some Pokemon just straight up come from space. You can take a bus up here, but you can also hike if you want. ► HAINA DESERT: A shitty desert in the middle of the island. Mostly only good for if you want the kinds of Pokemon that live in shitty deserts. ► ABANDONED THRIFTY MEGAMART: A Megamart, but haunted. Extremely haunted, filled with the kind of ghost Pokemon that would actually kill you. You have to take a bunch of pictures of ghosts on your way through here if you want to beat the Ghost Trial. ► PO TOWN: The ramshackle remains of the town that Team Skull have taken over. It's completely walled off from the rest of the world, and is pretty terrible. No point in going in there unless you're fighting crime, in which case you can expect to get challenged to Pokemon battles by a lot of Team Skull knuckleheads. ► LAKE OF THE MOON: A huge, round temple thing in the middle of nowhere. It's used to praise a legendary Pokemon that existed years ago, but there presently doesn't seem to be anything around except cool architecture. ► TRIAL SITES: The Observatory contains the Electric Challenge, during which you have to fend off various kinds of electric grubs, before eventually taking on a giant Vikavolt. The Abandoned Megamart must first be cleared before challenging the Ghost Trial officially, at which point you will have to defeat a powerful Mimikyu. PONI ISLAND↴ [PONI DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU FINI] [WIKI LINK] ► SEAFOLK VILLAGE: A village made of nothing but houseboats and other water fairing homes. It's the only major town on Poni Island. ► ANCIENT RUINS: Most of Poni Island has been reduced to ruins, over time. Not many people live here, relative to the other islands, but there are a lot of abandoned buildings from when they apparently used to. ► VAST PONI CANYONS: Most of the island is comprised of canyons, caves, and valleys filled with particularly strong Pokemon, and also a lot of fight-hungry Pokemon trainers. Most of them will want to fight you as soon as they see you, since they are there mostly to train, but they will back down if you tell them you're not a trainer. Though, at that point they will strongly urge you to go home, because it's too danger for anything other than the strongest trainers. ► ALTAR OF THE SUN: A matching altar to the one found on Ula'ula, except this time dedicated to a legendary Pokemon of the sun. If you play some magic flutes here at the right time then apparently a giant lion might show up, but there's no way to be sure. ► TRIAL SITES: The only Trial here is the Grand Trial, which is a fight against the leader's ground type Pokemon. You may also get lucky and have the Fairy Trial's kahuna deign to fight you, with her fairy types, if she randomly wanders into your path. Both of them are very strong, and are not advised to challenge for new trainers.

Comments

Sora | ota | why did this take me two weeks

[destiny_key]

Week 1 - Melemele Island

Trapped under the umbrella still, Sora is getting the full Pokemon Moon experience; which is to say, he's doing most of his traveling at night, and sleeping during the day, much like a traditional vampire. He's well aware of the irony and he hates it.

For the most part, he's just chilling during this week, wandering around the island and exploring at a leisurely pace. Early on, he finds a Shinx and, following his tradition of making party members out of pets, decides to keep it and name it Sparky. No one ever said he was good at naming things.

Maybe you'll find him on the beach, staring out at the ocean. More than anything, this place reminds him of his home.

Day 79-80 - Carnival Grounds

Finally, finally, during the evening of Day 79, Sora finally manages to get to a point where the Ringmaster can rip out the vampire and bring him back to life. It hurts, and it leaves him exhausted, but he's human again. Alive. He sometimes holds a hand up to his heart to make sure it's still beating.

He spends the next day curled up with Sparky in his trailer, resting and trying to fix his sleep schedule. Might be a good time to catch him, if you've been trying to track him down.

Week 2 - Akala Island

Now that he's no longer a vampire and it's no longer snowing on a tropical island, Sora is absolutely tickled to be able to be out in the sun and allowed to do whatever he wants. Without the stupid umbrella.

He's in his element here, with the islands and the sun, and he's loving it. He wants to see everything, now that he can, and when he's not working the carnival (as it is show week, after all), he's out with Sparky and anyone else who'd like to come along, enjoying the taste of the sea in the air. You'll find him anywhere on Akala this week, trying to soak it all in.

Day 84 - Brooklet Hill Water Trial

Sora's never one to back down from a challenge, and this is no different. Well, it's more of a test of Sparky than his own combat skills, but still. As soon as he's let go from his Carnival duties for the day, Sora races to the site of the Water Trial and excitedly waits outside for the trial to begin, chatting to anyone else who seems to be waiting outside with him.

"Hey there! Are you gonna try this trial too?"

Traveling

Sora will welcome any travel companions who'd like to come chill out at any time. Or maybe he'll join you instead. Either way, it's nice to not be alone, right?

Wildcard!

(Come at me, bro!)

Week 1

[whattaprick]

"Nice view, isn't it?" The witcher pops up more or less out of nowhere, his new dragon-like tail lashing lazily as he crunches through the sand. Unlike Sora, he doesn't have his Pokemon out, though there are three Pokeballs clipped conspicuously to his belt. His changes mark him clearly enough as a member of the Carnival, visible to other workers; in the dimness of twilight, the rune-like fae marks inscribed on his collarbone glow a dim amber.

[destiny_key]

Sora looks around at the voice, looking up at the rather tall man who has appeared beside him. He's sitting cross-legged on the sand, Sparky napping on his lap, his umbrella closed up and sitting beside him. He doesn't need it, now that the sun's set.

"Hehe, yeah. It's pretty peaceful," Sora replies, looking back out at the darkened sea. His own freckles sparkle dimly in what's left of the light, eyes glowing their own dark blue. He recognizes Lambert well enough, though he doesn't think they've spoken much before.

[whattaprick]

In turn, Lambert recognizes Sora as one of the turned Carnival workers, though he can't very much say that he's really spoken to him either. Lambert came into the Carniival when it was under the ocean; though it's left its mark on him -- a scattering of luminescent spots across his shoulders and the nape of his neck -- he didn't have much of a chance to do more than explore before the got dropped into the Celebration.

And all the hell (figurative and literal) that followed after it.

"Not bad for a vacation. Think I'd drive myself crazy if I had to live here, though."

[destiny_key]

"Really? I think I could live here."

Sora doesn't look at Lambert when he speaks, only continues to watch the ocean. The night vision afforded to him by his vampire powers has its uses, and he can see out to the horizon with little difficulty. In the distance, he can see just a little spot of the next island over.

"But, I think I'd get lonely by myself."

[whattaprick]

"Too quiet," Lambert confirms. "Playing with these things is fun and all--" He waves a hand at the Pokemon in Sora's lap as he speaks. "--but it's not the kind of place for someone like me."

He elects not to elaborate further on that statement, but shrugs, stating what he thinks is the much more immediate problem with the idea of Sora living here.

"It's also got a little too much sunlight for a vampire." At least of the kind Sora's been turned into. "Can't be much fun only enjoying it half the day."

[destiny_key]

Sora doesn't answer for a long moment, for once taking the time to think before he starts to speak.

"Well, I've got an umbrella," Sora starts slowly. "And I'm out during the day, sometimes."

He pauses.

"And it... reminds me of home."

[whattaprick]

"Home, huh?"

Can't say he relates to that feeling, never really having a home in the first place, but he knows that kind of thing is important to other people. You know, ones with good memories of where they come from, not being raised as contracted killers and put through excruciating torture.

"What about it reminds you of that?"

[destiny_key]

"Everything, really," Sora chuckles sadly. "I'm from an island, kinda like this one. With less Pokemon, hehe."

He closes his eyes and tries to remember his island. The details are fuzzy, but he can still remember the ocean, and his friends, and the breeze. With his eyes closed, he can pretend he's still there.

"I haven't been home in a while, even before the carnival."

[whattaprick]

"I think one world with Pokemon is plenty," Lambert says, firmly. Considering the kid looks likely to talk for a while, he's already considering ways to make a graceful exit, but... what the hell. Why not humor him?

He finds a relatively clear patch of ground and drops down to take a seat, absently scratching at the base of a horn.

"Why's that?"

[destiny_key]

Sora opens his eyes again, looking around at Lambert, and then back at the sand. It's a long moment before he answers, though it's far from the first time he's had to answer this question.

"Back home, I'm... a hero, I guess. I travel to all sorts of different worlds, trying to keep people safe, and I'm really the only one who can. Ever since I got the Keyblade, I've been traveling, but I've only been home once in all that time."

[whattaprick]

"A hero, huh?" Lambert says, slowly, like he's making sure he heard that correctly. He isn't sure of the kid's age, but he's pretty sure he looks a little young for all that, though physical age is certainly no indicator of anything. Sorceresses are proof enough of that. But really, the 'hero' concept is the weirdest part to grasp about that.

"Can't say I've ever met a hero before." He can't help being a bit of an ass about it, sorry Sora, but he lightens it up with a smirk at least. "That something you chose to be yourself, or does this Keyblade have something to do with it?"

He has no fucking idea what a Keyblade is, but he's familiar enough with magical items -- and the inevitable results of using them -- that he knows what one sounds like when he hears it.

excuse u im AT LEAST 12

[destiny_key]

Sora looks over at Lambert again, studying him, before seemingly coming to the conclusion that he's trustworthy. How he came to that conclusion is anyone's guess, but he nods to himself and stretches out his hand in front of him. In it, a shining Keyblade appears, lighting up the beach for a split second.

"Well, I definitely wouldn't be where I am without the Keyblade," Sora replies softly. "I guess I don't hate it. I've gotten to see a lot of worlds and make a lot of friends because of it. And I like helping my friends."

A pause.

"But sometimes I wonder... if it would be easier without it."

SORRY FOR LATE REPLY i couldn't decide how to respond to this forever

[whattaprick]

How and why Sora decides that Lambert is trustworthy is a mystery, but as he's not a mind-reader, all he can respond to is the sudden appearance of a weapon, of some kind, seemingly out of thin air. Except it looks less like a sword and more like a ...

Well. A key, for one.

"If you have to ask, the answer's probably 'yes,'" Lambert answers with automatically, staring at the Keyblade with undisguised interest and curiosity and, well, a fair amount of incredulity. He rests a hand over his wolf's medallion, trying to see he can detect any magical properties to it, because something like that just screams of magic.

"What is it?" he says finally, for lack of anything else to say. Because seriously, there are a hundred questions that spring to mind, but starting from that seems the best idea at this point.

LMAO nah i'm late af too

[destiny_key]

Sora giggles for a second, not entirely sure how truthful Lambert's answer was supposed to be. It's still kinda funny, either way.

As for the Keyblade, it's one of the most powerful magical weapons in existence, at least where Sora's from. If Lambert's trying to detect magical properties, well... they're practically dripping off the thing. Yet, Sora seems immensely comfortable with it, able to hold it up with no problem despite it being solid metal.

"The Keyblade," Sora repeats. "It's a weapon for fighting the darkness. And other stuff, I guess."

Week 2/Wildcard

[hippocarnival]

[While Sora is wandering anywhere on Akala Island, Yuya is lingering around the Dimensional Research Lab right along the travel path. He's leaning against the wall reading a brochure, no doubt put together to stop so many curious tourists from constantly bothering the researchers.]

This is more common than I thought...

[destiny_key]

[Sora's only wandering by, really, but he's pretty sure this guy is from the carnival. Moreover, they look to be about the same age. Maybe he should say hi?

Sora goes up to Yuuya, and leans against the wall beside him, grinning. Couldn't hurt to be nice, anyway.]

What is? More common, I mean.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya perks up--and he's sure Sora has to be from the Carnival, because the people native to Alola all look quite normal.] Uh--

[He holds out the broucher in offering.] Just this dimensions stuff, like invasions and going between them.

[destiny_key]

Well I mean, isn't that kinda what the Carnival does anyway?

[Sora laughs at his terrible joke, and takes the brochure, looking it over. Looks like it's common to this realm in particular, too.]

Huh.

[hippocarnival]

Well, yeah. But it's not just the Carnival! I didn't even know other dimensions were even a thing until recently, and now it happens here too. [He frowns.] At least the Carnival wants to make people smile.

[destiny_key]

That's true. But I guess all worlds are connected in some way or another, even if it's by stuff like this.

[Some patented Sora Advice for you there, Yuuya, but perhaps don't take it to heart.]

I'm Sora, by the way. I don't think we've met. Are you new?

[hippocarnival]

[All connected, huh... he hopes that doesn't more invasions.] I'm Yuya! I just joined a few days ago as an acrobat. What about you?

[destiny_key]

Me? I've been here...

[He stops and has to think for a minute. Time gets all messed up in his head, nowadays.]

...Two months? I think? I'm a patch, though.

[hippocarnival]

What's a patch do?

[destiny_key]

We go out in the crowds and make sure the customers are happy, make sure fights don't break out, stuff like that.

I dunno if anyone else does it, but I also just kinda... help out in general? Like, I help Carly with costumes a lot. And just kinda whatever anyone needs doing.