this is the run, we are invincible

[domeinion]

[The days are here, and the Battle Park is all done up for the show. Banners with a weird shield-like symbol announce the Dome-tide tournament, and everything is organized in an orderly fashion. Everyone who signed up will be directed to their place and given a free water and name tag, and spectators will get a program detailing all the matches and locations.

The prizes are... well, something that a weird nerd would think are good prizes. First prize gets a Nugget, second a bunch of EXP candy, and third and fourth get literally just 30 Ulternian Poké Balls each. She had to be talked out of giving you textbooks.

select your team, b yourself, and have fun!]



[HOW IT WORKS

The bracket was seeded with characters who were signed up on the thread linked above for the month's plotting post! Since there were 10 teams and thus four people would have had to play an extra round, I gave those slots mainly to people who signed up multiple characters. You can find the bracket here with all the results, which were done via RNG.

The matches can be threaded out on the post in their toplevels according to the RNGed results, or can be skipped, depending on player preference. There will be a toplevel for rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, and another for general spectating.

ICly, this runs on the 12th, but backtags until whenever are fine as always! This is a player-run event, so if you need anything, let me know!]

Comments

[domeinion]

One of your Pokémon, right?

[She takes some of the popcorn herself and gives a quiet nod.]

You did a good job out there. I'm a little out of practice myself facing higher-level opponents these days. But it's fun, isn't it?

[red_berry]

"? Ah. No." Red starts looking around, trying to find the other Red somewhere in the crowd. When he fails to find him, he just turns to Alice and says "My opponent." The two Reds have nicknames for each other!

He nods to the second statement with a slight smile. It is fun! It's a shame he lost in the first round and all his Pokemon didn't get to battle, but he'll make it up to them some other time.

[domeinion]

Oh! [She brightens.] That makes sense. He is strong. I think you did well too, though. It wouldn't have been nearly as fun if it weren't for everyone who loves to battle. Nor as effective at community engagement!

[red_berry]

"Mm," Red nods in full agreement to everything and takes some more popcorn.

Oh, but the semifinals are starting, with Gold's match against Ash. Red sharpens up, focusing his eyes on the match, and gets ready to take pictures.

[domeinion]

[Alice turns her attention there as well, noting Red's immediate draw to the match.]

Gold is surprisingly into this, isn't he?

[Or maybe just into money.]

[red_berry]

Red nods after some delay, too focused on the match to notice Alice was talking to him. (He heard what she said, it just took him a while to digest it and realize it was aimed at him.)

"He likes money," Red says. After watching Gold battle and seeing his Pokemon, Red's certain it's the Gold from his world. Knowing that, it's pretty amazing seeing him this small, so Red takes a lot of photos while he can.

[domeinion]

He's honest about it, then.

[She laughs and looks down at the match.]

I suppose it's a good thing I didn't go with textbooks or something else I would have liked. But a Nugget is traditional. [Mostly because Helixians keep tossing them out.]

[red_berry]

"Mm. About it," Red agrees, very specifically, because Gold is not honest about many things.

Textbooks, what? Red side-eyes Alice for a moment, before turning his attention back to the match.

[domeinion]

What? Studying is interesting!

[She groans and props her head up in her hands.]

But the competition is more important than the prize. At least to me. Then again, this is all for a holiday no one here celebrates, so having something people want is important...

[red_berry]

Red glances at Alice. There's a lot of things he could say here, like 'a Pokemon competition should have Pokemon-related prizes' or 'people who like Pokemon battles may not be into studying' or 'your interests aren't universal.'

"...Then have a studying contest," is what he ends up saying instead, turning to focus on the battle again.

[domeinion]

[Alice groans and just watches the battle.]

I think that's just called "school," Red.

[red_berry]

Red pauses. Does he mean a school? No, there's a fundamental difference between a studying contest and a school. He shakes his head.

"No textbook prizes," he says. His logic makes perfect sense to him.

[domeinion]

Okay, fair.

[She gives up and keeps her eyes on the match, though she smiles a little after a while.]

They're both really into this. Who do you think will win?

[red_berry]

He takes a moment to analyze the match, frowning slightly.

"...the other guy." He's forgotten Ash's name, unfortunately. Though he's cheering for Gold, he can't see the tide of the battle turning in Gold's favor. The Gold from Red's time might've been able to do it, but this one is still inexperienced.

[domeinion]

Oh, Ash! You'd like him. He loves to battle. [Alice takes a handful of popcorn.] He told me once it was his dream to be the strongest in the world. I guess that's the same as you, isn't it?

[red_berry]

"Mm," Red nods. He'd met Ash once before, and they did get along well. The mention of his dream has Red pause and look at Alice, though.

"Huh? No." It's a good dream, but Red can't say he shares it.

[domeinion]

Oh? I suppose I just assumed since you love to battle. What is your dream, then? If you feel like sharing.

[red_berry]

Red... hesitates. He doesn't have a big, grand dream like becoming the strongest, not right now. His old dream of becoming the Champion was already fulfilled years ago. But... he does have a small dream. Should tell Alice? She wouldn't laugh, would she?

After a moment, Red opens his bag and starts going through it wordlessly. He then takes out something and hands it to Alice without looking at her.

...It's a wedding magazine, aimed at future brides, full of wedding ideas and photos of decorations and dresses.

[domeinion]

[Alice blinks. She flips through it, looks curiously at the dresses and decor, tilts her head at an article about stupidly expensive honeymoon options, and carefully closes the book and hands it back.]

Really? --Oh, sorry, I shouldn't ask. It makes sense. Lots of people have that kind of dream, after all. And it sounds like something that would really make you happy.

[red_berry]

"Mm," Red nods, taking the book and putting it back in the bag. It's always a bit embarrassing to tell somebody that, but it's good to know Alice took it well. "It's... a dream," he says with a shrug. He doesn't even have anybody he's seriously interested in dating at the moment, so it's a distant dream.

With that said, he focuses his attention back to the match.