[center][sub][h2]P R O J E C T N O U V E A U[/h2][/sub][/center][indent][indent][indent][hr] [hider=Pilot][indent] [color=2e2c2c][sub].[/sub][/color] [color=#ffd2e0]You won the instant your name crack-boomed through the stadium compounded with raucous, standing, screaming applause that amplified to millions in this little space. Everything broke into phosphorescence and sensation. You come to at the halfway tone. The audience is at it now and these old-coot enthusiasts take on an animal temper, red faces in a popcorn rain as they demand for anything, any closure, from the Pokémon steadily circling one another on the field. On the opposite side, your opponent has gone pale, pacing with her arms crossed under each armpit, her foundation starting to run. Sweat sticks to your brow from the packed-in heat alone; there is no effort to make. Before, there was a strict, professional facade, but it is all genuine now. You can't call yourself confident, simply consigning to a destiny earned in that earlier sweat, that blood, and those tears. Desperation gripping your opponent, mirrored in their dumbstruck Granbull — jaw hinged, panting — she orders all-out offense. Milotic has out-maneuvered it the course of the battle, but Granbull’s mouth jumps and glows with Thunder Fang as if that desperation is all it needs. Milotic unwinds before the charge, oscillating her body in a series of arcs. A steady, sanctimonious dance like temple roofs at sunset; like blood-red [i]torii[/i] gates; like water meant for baptizing. She becomes much bigger than herself. Bigger than the battle with Granbull so that it questions its coordinator much as the girl, biting a gloved hand, questions herself. A high-frequency whine rings through its head as if affirming, yes, there is no hope for you, Granbull. Confuse Ray leaves it inert. Someone hammers it in: "Dumb mutt!" The sidelines are livid, a ceaseless thunder. A hundred voices, a thousand voices, a million voices. A vacuum of varied consciousness, each one fighting the next to be heard, your name tantalizing on the tips of the collective tongue. You know now is when art begets passion. This is when nothing else matters but the end. Your command is hoarse, like a whisper. Milotic twinges but snakes forward all the same. She wants this to be over too. A basic maneuver, Wrap, has Granbull in a choke hold — it gives a weak struggle — then in a death lock — it tries to flail and fails. You darkly wonder if it's too dazed to remember to breathe. The screams from the void are incomprehensible and raw. Your opponent's shoulders shake. She covers her mouth, horrified. Milotic's eyes gleam in apology, her body one big muscle and refusing to relent as the Granbull's gasping goes wet with drool and choking — this is barely audible above the din. Yet, it is evident there is no technique to this ending. No integrity, either. Just glory and something akin to a mercy forced-forfeit, though not quite. For once, you have no handle of your own composure when Granbull's one free arm thumps the earth in truce, it tumbling free just as the bell calls time. They say Pokémon and their coordinators exist on one wavelength. Milotic's head writhes back in a low moan unfettered by ovation and confetti-poppers. And you feel it deep, whether a wave of conscience or otherwise— "Oh,” is all you can say and you sob as you fold to your knees.[/color][/indent][color=2e2c2c][sub].[/sub][/color][/hider] [hr][right][img]https://i.imgur.com/l2faRGZ.gif[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/mPq2GQi.gif[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/wKJQLdw.gif[/img][/right] [h3]Ｐｉｔｃｈ [color=#68256c]__________ [/color][/h3] [color=#ffd2e0][b]Ｕｎｄｅｒ[/b][/color] the pseudonym [color=#cc984d][i][b]Schro[/b][/i][/color] would present an article in the [i]Rogue-Prog Gallery[/i] fine arts zine, “The Death of Art.” As that title anticipates, the article is a great dressing-down and deconstruction of the culture surrounding Pokémon coordination. [i]Schro[/i] attacks the [color=#cc984d][b]Pokémon League Affiliation[/b][/color] and their act of hosting public-entry contests on the Hoenn and Sinnoh continents; in his words: "...the precise undoing of all fundamentals to the coordinating practice... the ultimate show of Pokémon-person affinity reduced to the brutishness of organized battling which the art developed to contend." Of course, this isn't new criticism. Public-entry contests targeted the training demographic with a low bar for entry, a promenade of Pokémon onstage at once. Pop analysts came running to expose the exploitation and vapidity of having Pokémon in funny clothes dance-monkey-dance before a crowd. The arbitrary winner of it all would get a little pocket change before moving on to the next badge. It was so lucratively popular, invading the niche of contest halls with competition so newfound and total, a good amount closed indefinitely. If the [color=#cc984d][b]PLA[/b][/color] wanted to take contests from the public eye, they were doing a thorough job of it. Once-famous coordinators either sold out to Trainer recruitment efforts and corporations or slithered down to the underground with everyone else. Coordination became majorly, socially unaccepted. [i]Schro[/i] concludes, "Modern coordinators pronounce the authority of a toddler throwing a petulant tantrum. That which is bold, that which is spectacle, that which challenges its onlookers, can only be found in the battling sport." The suggestion ignited the contest underground in furor, outrage, and despair, a sprinkling of death threats or two in classic artist melodrama. But in the end, that statement was earnest. Thus came the combined response of the coordinating community: "Something ought to be done about this." We live in an age where government sterilizes and stomps out personal expression and culture wherever it distracts from the League Challenge. Coordination has come to represent more than it ever has before. Though each region has its own history, there is a unifying drive to see more coordinators succeed. Less cutthroat flagrancy, more [color=#cc984d][b]troupes[/b][/color] popping up to sponsor new talent. A plethora of pocket-lined connoisseurs support the art, not to mention profit and opportunity go hand-in-hand. It starts in two places. The first is a reality talent show that ran for three seasons on the [color=#cc984d][b]H-SEN[/b] (Hoenn-Sinnoh Entertainment Network)[/color] starring Poke-idols competing for a music deal when that market was hot. The second is a coordinating tradition, an “encore” between the Grands Finals winners from throughout the discovered world. Subsidiary to H-SEN, [color=#cc984d][b]Joji Entertainment[/b] (Joji-Ent),[/color] recycled the Idol Stars formula and reapplied it to coordinating, an untapped market. Six coordinators from six-ish regions: Tohjo (the combined Kanto-Johto); Hoenn; Sinnoh; Unova; Kalos; Alola. There are nine phases and there are three rounds to each phase as standard. Points accumulated across the several weeks of show-nights will spell a winner — of a million dollars. And a pact with the most affluent, highly-esteemed, and historically-relevant of the coordinating troupes, one know in curt reverence as [color=#cc984d][b]the Gallery[/b].[/color] The show’s pilot was conducted with random applicants, broadcast over radio at first until the final round with [color=#cc984d][i][b]Meredith Makepeace[/b][/i][/color] and her Milotic squeezing victory free from their rival in almost un-comely fashion. H-SEN executives demanded, in that moment, [b]'Nouveau'[/b] get a real-life, full-cover TV airing — in their words, it was indescribably intense, something the masses needed to see to believe. Now, with a budget, a fleshed-out cast of performing powerhouses, and a purpose, [color=#cc984d][b]'Idol Stars: Nouveau'[/b][/color] enters, stage right, ready to send its contestants globe-trotting through nine seminal locations in pursuit of victory. Whether these coordinators are Grand Finalists or among the many niche, slept-on talents fighting for foothold in the underground cacophony, they will represent a revitalization of art and culture and the bond between people and Pokémon. Though that all might be lost on these executives. Perhaps [b]'Nouveau'[/b] is the future, or the final nail in the coffin. Whatever happens next… you’ll have to tune in! [color=#68256c]__________________________________________________________________________________________[/color] [center][sup][i][color=#666666][b]A Pokémon contest, reality show RP hosted by Karkinos[/b].[/color][/i][/sup][/center] [table][row][/row][row][cell][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559451989201911811/kqueen.gif[/img][/cell][cell] [color=2e2c2c][sub].[/sub][/color] [center][sub].*[/sub] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559429667954884618/Accessory_Crown_Sprite.png[/img] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [sub]*.[/sub] [sup][b]Style[/b] ✦ [abbr=Players respond to GM prompts.]Call & Response[/abbr] + PvP [b]Genre[/b] ✦ Fandom — Action, Character Drama [b]Size[/b] ✦ Small; exactly [i][b]6[/b][/i] [b]Content Level[/b] ✦ Medium-Low[/sup] [sup]*[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559431376231858178/Accessory_Glass_Stage_Sprite.png[/img] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]* [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cs6RL0MzS0][color=#ffd2e0] [i]We poffin off, we lit like Flare Blitz[/i][/color][/url][/sup][/center][/cell][cell][/cell][/row][/table] [center][sub].*[/sub] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559455859357253642/Accessory_Wealthy_Coin_Sprite.png[/img] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [sub]*.[/sub][/center][H3]ＦＡＱ [color=#68256c]__________ [/color][/h3] [hider=You need something, princess?][color=2e2c2c][sub].[/sub][/color] [indent][indent] [b]Q[/b]: For registration, should I put my race? [b]A[/b]: You're a runner? ...oh. Uh, I haven't seen a document in my lifetime that's ever asked for that. Usually we just want to to know what region you're from. Not saying you can't speak a tongue aside from [i]Gimmish[/i] or roughly what you mean — it just isn't an "officially recognized" sort of thing. You get it. [b]Q[/b]: I'm so nervous! Do I look okay? [b]A[/b]: Sur— [i]Ohh,[/i] salvation [i]what happened to your face?[/i] You're like a supermodel but roughly... fleshy... blemished... Can a person even look [i]too[/i] realistic? At least get a fake ID picture, you're gonna break peoples' minds! [b]Q[/b]: Hey, how does Galar fit with the “six/seven regions” shtick? [b]A[/b]: An ordinarly-ordinary Thursday. Time: afternoon. A wormhole roughly 250 kilometers wide opened in the stratosphere above an unidentified body of land — it being around that size, the hole seized it, and within the span of three hours, roughly, we could no longer detect any evidence of that landmass ever existing. Erased from space-time. Oops. [b]Q[/b]: Okayy, but what about… Holon? Or Orre? [b]A[/b]: Not recognized within the PLA. Probably took issue with the deal or somethin’. Their loss; not that there’s many things living between them, roughly, to lose. [b]Q[/b]: What kind of Pokémon can't my partner(s) be? [b]A[/b]: Any “exclusives” or “legendaries” or “mythics” the PLA has in custody plus any it hasn’t roughly proven exist. If you heard it in a folktale, if you’ve never seen another one of its kind, if it’s a Pokémon part of the emergency confiscation list, if it has a ‘UB’ classification. And you know what numbers to dial if you see someone with Jirachi or Nihilego on their belt. [i]7-5-1. [/i] ...what do you mean, “you know the law—” Kid, I’m an officer, not a fucking ballerina or whatever you do. “Pokémon that are banned from registration to the Idol Stars: Nouveau competition,” let’s see… “Any Pokémon scaling above thirty feet”— hope that Walrein’s a runt. Looks like that’s it, really, as long as she’s trained. [b]Q[/b]: So I can mega-evolve my Pokémon? [b]A[/b]: Jeez, you have to be top-bill to have that kind of access, kid. Keystones are, roughly, priceless — actually, make that [i]literally.[/i] If it weren’t for the background check, I would have to assume some black market, though guess it’s no surprise if you’re here. Mega-evolution has some pretty well-recorded side effects; I don’t know how they interact with the contest business. Isn’t performance all about… poise? But if you know what you’re doing, I guess no one can stop you from at least trying. [b]Q[/b]: What makes for a good appeal? [b]A[/b]: As if I’d know. I guess it’s with any job — it’s roughly 40% how qualified you are, 50% how much your bosses like you. Add 10% for how you… carry yourself. Like, I don’t think you in all your tights and [i]burgundy[/i] can go out before the panel and narrate the whole performance. [i]“My Sylveon leaped beautifully through the air, landing with such perfection that was never, ever experienced before!”[/i] You can never get away telling people how to feel. Do your best, and if your chops don't measure... sycophancy runs you miles. [color=2e2c2c][sub].[/sub][/color][/indent][/indent][/hider] [center][sub].*[/sub] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559432546341879838/Accessory_Spotlight_Sprite.png[/img] [sup]✦[/sup][sub]✧[/sub][sup]✦[/sup] [sub]*.[/sub][/center][h3]Ｅｘｐｅｃｔａｔｉｏｎｓ [color=#68256c]__________ [/color][/h3] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559419762023727105/1199px-ORAS_Contest_art.png?width=644&height=471[/img][/center] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559439004613869569/Accessory_Blue_Barrette_Sprite.png[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][color=#7d7d7d][b]Write [i]beautifully![/i][/b][/color] Practice basic roleplaying etiquette, i.e. avoid god-modding and the like. Use consistent English spelling and grammar. Employ some creative-writing skill in your posts so other players have substance to which they can respond.[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559438836460158987/Accessory_Pink_Barrette_Sprite.png[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][color=#7d7d7d][b]Have [i]a-cute[/i] timing![/b][/color] Get posts up within ten days of each other and event posts (appeals, primaries) within [abbr=This can be disputed.][i]five[/i] days of being first asked.[/abbr] You will relinquish control of your character if you don't warn of a longer absence.[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559438949567692801/Accessory_Red_Barrette_Sprite.png[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][color=#7d7d7d][b]Keep it [i]cool![/i][/b][/color] Contribute to a sense of out-of-character community (within your boundaries). Be conscientious if your behavior excludes anyone else or if it is needlessly argumentative. Avoid assuming what the GM wants or talking in her stead. Finally, if you take personal issue with another player, you need to tell the GM through private means.[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559439064684560385/Accessory_Yellow_Barrette_Sprite.png[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][color=#7d7d7d][b][i]Tough[/i] it out![/b][/color] Even if they do something you disagree with,you have to always incorporate others' ideas. This includes referencing posts before your own and taking the initiative to ask other players if you're confused by something they write.[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/559319168177012737/559439118233239562/Accessory_Green_Barrette_Sprite.png[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][color=#7d7d7d][b]Follow these [i]clever[/i] hints:[/b][/color] (A) Read others' sign-ups; (B) Don't copy-paste exact lines of dialogue; (C) Address sensitive topics in a way that respects the tone of the RP; (D) Ensure each post has some new idea or development in it; try to avoid filler.[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [hr] [/indent][/indent][/indent]