Oops, did I say I promised to have another chapter out by the end of spring break? I probably shouldn't have promised that... Whatever chapter 3 is here
New Character Casting
Kennen Lintberg: Megumi Ogata (Kurama from YuYu Hakusho, Jun Misugi from Captain Tsubasa, Emeraude from Magic Knight Rayearth, Sailor Uranus from the original Sailor Moon series, Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion,Yugi Mutou from Yu-Gi-Oh!, Ayato Naoi from Angel Beats!, Makoto Naegi from the Danganronpa series, Ken Amada from the Persona series, She-Hulk from Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.)
Battle 003:
~The Fruits of Intellect~
"Eat up boys, it's on me!"
On their way towards Saffron City, Āsā and Jenny had found a Nanab Berry tree, and decided to stop by the tree and pick some of the berries off of it for a feast. Of course, they invited their Pokémon to share the berries with them.
"So this is all of your Pokémon, Jenny?" Āsā remarked. "This is the first time I've seen them all in one place, and I didn't even know you had a Corpfish."
Jenny giggled. "I guess you're right huh? Well, let me formally introduce you to Corpy, Mawy, and Corsy!"
"Well, Āsā held out a Nanab berry that had been cut in half, gesturing for Corpy, the Corpfish to take it. "You better stake your claim on some Nanab now, before Zorro eats it all!"
[CUE OPENING 1: Because You Are You by Aqua Timez; Sequence detailed in chapter 1]
Hey Mito do you know an even better way to to eat Nanab berries? The Growlithe shook its head in response to Zorro's question.
Well, they say you gotta have it...uh... what was it called... Flabébé? Whatever, it doesn't matter! So when you heat it in a pain, the fruit carmelizes into a sweet candied amber! That's when you get the good shit!
The thought made Mito drool just imagining it.
Wait, couldn't Mito use one of its fire attacks on a berry to warm it? The logic was sound in Mito's mind. However, Mito had already eaten two entire berries, and there was no way her trainer was going to let her have another large one. Zorro, however, still had one whole Nanab berry in its paw. Mito knew what she had to do. No matter what she was going to try Nanab foster, even if she had to take her friend's share. The flames of gluttony built up inside Mito's heart, and were beginning to spill out as an ember, targeting the Nanab in Zorro's hand.
Mito, what are you doing? Why are you looking at me like that? Wait, no you can't just heat it and expect it to Flabébe you have to add a special drink to it don't do this think of the children think of me!
Words could not reach the Growlithe, completely consumed by its gluttonous desires. It used Ember on the Nanab berry, still in Zorro's paw.
Āsā quickly bolted his head when he heard Zorro's loud yipe. His face filled with terror as he saw the flaming Nanab berry fly out of its paws and right into the Nanab tree, which instantaneously went ablaze the moment the berry collided with it, quickly falling into ashes.
As the ash Āsā realized that behind it was a boy wearing glasses.
The boy with the glasses looked up towards the sky as the last of the ashes fell. A single tear flowed down his cheek. "It's a terribly day for flames."
The boy's name was Kennen Lintberg. Kennen was smaller than most people his age, barely passing as 4 feet tall. His large and pointy nose held up his sky blue-framed glasses. His hair was a clean bowl cut which, excluding his bangs, fell to his ears. The hair at the front of his face was cut back to show his forehead. Kennen was wearing a simple long sleeved V-Neck with a bird insignia on it and beige cargo shorts.
"I'm so sorry we should have been watching them more closely," Jenny apologized.
"Why are you apologizing?" Kennen huffed.
"Huh?"
"I can tell those are his Pokémon." with this accusation Kennen pointed directly towards Āsā. "You know, ,you really do seem like someone who would let this happen, you know. Your unkempt appearance says everything. Now, because you couldn't keep them under control, a tree that was supposed to be for everyone is now for no one."
"Unkempt?" Āsā retorted. "Please, tell me one reason why I should listen to a midget?"
"Why, you! Just wait until I reach my growth spurt!"
"Ooh, feisty little midget. Look, I'm sorry that my Pokémon couldn't restrain themselves, but those Nanab berries weren't very good, anyhow. You're not missing out onmuch."
"That's not the point! The matter of fact is that you burned the last standing Nanab tree this side of Mt. Moon! You're a bioterrorist!"
"What? You're kidding me right? You have to be?" Kennen shook his head, to Āsā's dismay. "Aw shit..."
"Look, I can get past not getting to have an, but the fact that you just burned down a local treasure is too much to bear! The Lintberg family has a proud history of protecting threatened plants! I'm going to turn you in to the police!"
"Now now, little guy, let's calm down for a sec and think of a rational way to solve the prob-"
"Why, you! Just wait until I reach my growth spurt! Then you'll see who's a little guy, bioterrorist!"
"Kennen, you're a Pokémon trainer aren't you?" Āsā quipped.
"Now what are you on about, bioterrorist?"
"I can tell from that fire in your eyes. Yes, you have the fighting spirit of a strong trainer. How about we just settle this with a battle. If you win, you can turn me in to the tree police."
"Āsā!" Jenny interjected. "Do you really think that a Pokémon battle's going to solve this? Do you not have any idea how everyday life works? I'm sorry about him, he's eaten one too many Nana-"
"I, Kennen of the Lintberg family accept your challenge bioterrorist!"
"Are you frickin' kidding me!?"
Āsā and Kennen had moved to a slightly larger clearing nearby for their battle. In the center of their meadowy battlefield was a left over decomposing tree trunk.
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you my name. It's Āsā. Āsā Patrion. Anyways, do you have any preferences for our battle?"
Let's make this a 2v2. My Sunkern is still recovering from a tough fight."
"Hmph, if you say so. I'll finish this with one, either way." Āsā chuckled.
"Why, you! I'll make you eat those words! Get 'em, Watchog!" Kennen revealed a lanky buck-toothed critter with yellow stripes on its coat that were practically in the shape of a vest. Watchog stood up straight, its discomforting glare pointed straight at Āsā like daggers.
"Pokémon, go!" Āsā released a Growlithe onto the battlefield.
"Watchog use Hypnosis to finish this quickly!" Watchog's "vest" began to glow a radiant yet hypnotizing light. However, Āsā's Pokémon seemed to be unaffected by it.
"Use Fury Swipes!"
"Watchog use Detect!" Watchog's eyes focused on its opponent, and as it went for the first strike, Watchog maneuvered directly around the attack. This left a perfect opening for Watchog to rebound with an attack. "Super Fang!" Watchog pierced its fangs into its opponent's skin, carving through it as Watchog dashed past.
After getting hit by the attack, the Growlithe poofed into a small cloud of smoke. "Got 'em! Zorro use Feint Attack!" The Tricky Fox Pokémon burst out of the cloud and struck Watchog from behind with a downward jab, sending the Lookout Pokémon bouncing back slightly.
"I knew something was fishy when Hypnosis wouldn't go through..." Kennen mumbled as he drew out his Pokédex. Āsā also took his own Pokédex out of his pocket.
Zorua: The Tricky Fox Pokémon. To protect themselves from danger, Zorua hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokémon.
"A Watchog?," Āsā taunted. "Really? How dull."
"Why, you! I could say the same about your Zorua, having to resort to shady tricks in order to gain the advantage!" Kennen barked.
"Well, now you're just hurting our feelings, I don't think I'll be able to go easy on you anymore, after that."
"I don't need you to go easy on me, jerk! Watchog use Super Fang!"
"Zorro, just dodge it and finish this poor thing off with Feint Attack." Āsā said with a tone of pity. Zorro dashed far out of the attack's direction, and dashed back behind Watchog to bash it back into the ground. The Watchog fainted.
"Didn't I tell you I'd finish this with just one Pokémon, little buddy?"
"Why you! Taillow, show them Watchog's pain!" Kennen called upon a small navy blue, red, and white bird to assist him in battle. The Pokémon was feinting false strikes repeatedly in an effort to show how tough it was.
"Taillow use Aerial Ace!" Taillow took a dive and sweeped Zorro away with the sheer momentum generated by the swan dive. It was a critical hit.
"Zorro you good?"
I'll be fine.
"Good. Then let's go in for a Fury Swipes!"
"Not on our watch! Taillow use Quick Attack!"
Taillow swept back around Zorro faster than the human eye could see and pounded it with its wings. This attack also landed a critical hit. Zorro's body momentarily seemed like it would collapse from the attack, but the Tricky Fox was able to recalibrate itself before it could faint.
"Zorro! What's the deal! Why are they dealing so much damage?"
I don't know for sure, but it feels like they're landing one critical hit after another.
There's no way he'd get that lucky, Āsā thought. Unless...
"He, you're real cheeky Lintbug," complimented Āsā, "I thought your Tailow was just egging us on earlier, but it was actually using Focus Energy, wasn't it?"
"Why, you, it's Lintberg!" Kennen shouted."And yes, it seems like I can't get anything through you, now can I?"
"Not something that simple, no. But I give you points for trying. Zorro use Feint Attack!" It vanished in midair and reappeared behind Taiilow, bringing the Tiny Swallow Pokémon down with him as he succumbed to the force of gravity. "I can tell you're a really smart kid, Kennen. You would have probably screwed me over from the very beginning if it wasn't for the fact that Watchogs are quite common where I come from, so I was able to send out my dark-type Zorua in anticipation of the possibility of the rat knowing Hypnosis. Then, you were able to sneak in a Focus Energy right in front of my face."
"Taillow use Aerial Ace!" Taillow began to sweep around for the dive.
"Use Incinerate to torch it as it comes towards you!" Zorro gave a huff and blew flames in front of it, flames that the Taillow had no way to avoid flying into. It collapsed in the flames and fell to the ground. The battle was over.
"What I'm trying to say is, you've got the brains for this, Kennen. You just need to train your Pokémon to have the strength to match it." Āsā gave Kennen a firm handshake.
"Why you," Kennen blushed. "you better plan on having another battle with me when we meet again, then I'll beat you for sure!"
"Ha, keep telling yourself that kid!" Asā scoffed.
"Although I think you're forgetting about the reason we had this fight in the first place!" Kennen snapped with shade.
"Oh yeah, about that..." Āsā trailed off as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a crescent shaped fruit. "I saved one of these, so you can just throw it into a hole on the ground or something and it'll sprout in a couple of weeks, give or take."
"Why didn't you bring this up in the first place?" shot Jenny.
"I forgot I had it in there, that's all."
Āsā definitely had known it was in there the whole time.
[CUE ENDING 1: Asterisk by Orange Range. Originally from Bleach.]
This time, the paper is sky blue, and the background is orange.
NEXT TIME:
BATTLE 004: INVISIBLE CORNER
I'm legitimately surprised that I was able to finish this chapter in a somewhat timely manner, honestly. I'm just going to address the elephant in the room and talk about the design process for Kennen. I knew I wanted a geek. So I made a geek. The insignia on his shirt is supposed to represent a Swellow, And yes, he's named after a character from League of Legends.
Kennen is one of the first of the semirivals I'll be introducing. Although they will show up at multiple points in the story, overall they're not going to necessarily have too much attention on them. Both of the main rivals I put in the opening, so expect to see them more often, maybe even having a whole story arc to themselves, we'll see.
Oh yeah, I guess this ended up being shorter than the chapters have been so far. Anyways, please leave reviews. I'd honestly say that's more important than following the story.
Next time, Saffron City!
