Thank you for your patience folks, enjoy the chapter!
EDIT: Had a reader point out that I forgot to list the team before the chapter. Thanks to Gaddyboy for the reminder!
Current Team:
Ogrim- Golett
Dart- Beedrill
Cleo and Lacy/The Twins- Doduo
Chapter 14: Charging Forward!
The first thing I notice about Vermillion City is the traffic. The Pokémon World is something of an ecological utopia, with cars and trucks tending to take a back seat to bikes, public transit, and travel by Pokémon. I've seen vehicles since I was brought here obviously, but not in nearly the same quantities as when I was living in Canada. With Vermillion being a major shipping hub for Kanto though there's a lot more traffic coming in and out on the roads, with cargo trucks in particular being a common sight.
The second thing I notice is the smell in the air. Despite what I just noted about the traffic, the air around Vermillion smells clean… in a fishy, port city sort of way. Salty, but not actually smelly. The air and water around Vermillion are remarkably clear for a city that sees so much traffic, and so the city manages to keep the feeling of a location half its size. The sparkling waters of the bay and the salt in the air bringing to mind old childhood memories of visiting my grandparents on the coast, waking up and looking out the window to see the ocean stretching out in the vast distance. The nostalgia this brings has me thinking fondly of this place before I've even reached the city proper.
The third thing I notice is the stadium. As I emerge from the woods north of the city I can see it standing tall over everything around it; it's easily the biggest building on this end of town. From what little I've heard it's something of a recent addition to the city, funded by Gym Leader Surge himself after he bought up a large plot of land that had been sitting unused for years.
Seeing the Vermillion Pokémon Stadium in person has me feeling anticipation and nerves in equal measure. If everything goes smoothly in the next few days I'll be battling there soon. My first tournament as a professional Pokémon Trainer. Am I really ready for this? I know this is supposed to be for rookies, but this still feels like a big step to be taking.
The buzzing of my Pokégear distracts me from my thoughts. I look to see a text from Koga of all people.
Stadium west entrance. One hour.
Huh… I guess I've been summoned. But that would mean…
I look around my surroundings and eventually notice a speck of purple circling in the far distance. Ah. His crobat. I suppose that explains how he knew to message me.
The knowledge that a member of Kanto's Elite Four just casually sent out one of his strongest Pokémon to watch the roads for me to arrive should be unnerving. But instead I just find myself feeling eager again. My pace quickens as I head towards the outskirts of the city. Whatever Koga's planning for me, I want to find out as soon as possible!
It takes me some time to find the bus route I need to take to the stadium, but I still manage to arrive with five minutes to spare. Despite busting my ass to get there early though, I'm not even close to being the first one to arrive.
"Yo, Ben! Long time no see!" Keith waves as I approach. The ninja looks relaxed as can be despite dangling upside down from one of the ticket booths at the entrance. His knees are hooked over the roof in a way that doesn't look at all sufficient to hold him up, but he shows no sign of slipping.
"Hey Keith," I call back in greeting. I then turn to the other members of our group, who thankfully chose to spend this reunion oriented properly, "Axel, Sara. How are you all doing?"
"Quite well, thank you," Axel nods.
"All good on my end!" Sara grins, "Though I guess you knew that already, since we just ran into each other like a week ago."
"What!?" Keith lets out an affronted gasp, holding a hand to his chest, "You two have been meeting in secret? And here I thought what we had was special, Ben! Does our fated rivalry mean nothing to you?"
"Yeah, I can't even pretend to take that shit seriously while you're hanging upside down like that," I reply with a roll of my eyes, "What are you doing that for anyway?"
"Oh, you know. Just keeping my skills sharp," Keith replies.
"I would think that rather than dangling from rooftops like a mankey you might wish to practice more useful skills instead," Koga's voice calls out. I and the others jump in surprise as the man seems to appear in our midst out of nowhere, "Perhaps begin with your powers of perception."
"Master Koga!" Keith yelps in surprise, his shock affecting him enough that starts to slip off the roof. He flails for a moment, but it proves insufficient to stop him from tumbling to the ground. Rather than hitting his head though he falls into a roll and bounces to his feet so seamlessly I can almost believe the maneuver was intentional.
Koga gives Keith a long look, but chooses to continue as if the outburst never happened, "Welcome to Vermillion Stadium. This will be where Surge holds his rookie tournament in several weeks, as you well know. And I'm sure you have also surmised that I intend to have the four of you compete." He looks around at the four of us, and upon seeing us watching on resolutely he nods, "I am pleased to see you understand what I am expecting from you. But I warn you now, your performance will be judged harshly. You have all been seeded."
That gets a reaction out of us. Being seeded in a tournament like this means a level of attention on us well beyond the other participants. We look to each other uneasily, before Sara speaks up, "You mean to say that we're participating in this tournament as your representatives?"
"I do," Koga replies, "As trainers who have worked to earn my sponsorship you have already been held to standards above the average trainer of your level. A tournament such as this has only rarely been attempted, and often fails to draw sufficient attention due to the lack of draw there is in watching a rookie trainer perform compared to a competition such as the Pokémon League. It was Surge's idea to use your status as my students to draw in the crowds, as he has no rookie trainers of his own to serve in such a role."
"So I guess that makes us the money-makers for this whole thing, huh?" I frown, "No pressure."
"Indeed," Koga responds dryly, "Though there will be other seeded trainers, you are all to be the primary draw. As compensation for this role, your participation in the qualifier rounds will be kept to a minimum. Each of you will only have a small handful of battles to win to ensure your position in the final thirty-two trainers in the tournament proper."
"How will the battles be conducted?" I ask, "I'm assuming since this is a rookie tournament we won't be fighting any six on six battles…" I eye my belt warily. If I'm wrong in that assumption it's going to mean a shitload of work in the next few weeks.
"You assume correctly," Koga replies, to my relief. "The qualifier rounds will be single Pokémon battles, as will the first two rounds of the actual tournament. The quarterfinals will be two against two, then the semifinals and final round will be three against three. Though Surge has stated a desire to, as he put it, 'go big or go home' in regards to the final match, so depending on who participates the rules may be changed."
Not a concern for me, unless I see a sudden addition to my team in the coming days. Not impossible, but certainly unlikely. My team has gaps, gaps which I'm well aware of, but I don't feel any serious rush to fill them yet. Unless something comes along that really impresses me I don't want to be rushing to get a new Pokémon up to par with the others right before a tournament.
"Now then," Koga continues, pulling my attention back once more, "As the top four seeds, you will be placed in such a way that you will not battle each other until the semifinals. Keith, you will be first seed, as you have kept the fastest pace since passing my exam. Then will come Axel, then Sara, and finally Ben as the fourth seed."
Keith looks tempted to poke fun at me at that, but Koga doesn't give him a chance to interject, addressing me first, "My daughter has told me enough of what came of your last attempt at a third badge. She has also informed me that you have wasted no time in taking measures to prevent a repeat of this failure."
The word 'failure' feels like a bit of a slap in the face, but I don't let myself dwell on it. When I meet Koga's eyes I feel nothing but determination, "I will not fail this time. You can be sure of that."
Koga assesses me for a moment, then nods in satisfaction, "Very well then. Surge has informed me that you have already booked a battle with him for tomorrow. I look forward to seeing how your conviction will bear fruit."
"If you don't mind, I'd be interested in watching as well," Axel says.
"Looking for a chance to check out the competition, huh?" Keith grins, prodding Axel with an elbow, "How devious! Count me in."
"Sounds like fun! When's your match, Ben? We can all come cheer you on!" Sara smiles at me.
"Nine AM. First slot of the day," I reply.
"We'll be there!" Keith smiles eagerly. The others agree immediately, though Axel doesn't look particularly enthused about the time.
Koga clears his throat pointedly, and our attention snaps back to our sponsor. He nods in approval and continues speaking, "On that note, I have made arrangements for the four of you to make such coordination easier for you all. Keith, Sara, Axel, once we are done here, you will go check out of your rooms at your respective Pokémon Centers. Instead, the four of you will be staying there," He points across the road from the stadium, to a large hotel. "The Port Bay Hotel. Until the tournament is concluded you will have exclusive access to the suite."
The four of us stare blankly at the hotel for a moment. I'm hardly an expert, but even to my untrained eye that is clearly not a low quality place. Keith breaks the silence by summarizing my thoughts rather succinctly, uttering a stunned "…Whoa."
"Consider it motivation for your future endeavors," Koga replies, looking stoically amused at our reactions, "To the four of you this might seem luxurious, but the best trainers frequently stay in far better accommodations. Indeed, for members of the Elite Four or the Champions of a region the power of their reputation will see the finest of resorts all but paying them to stay."
"You really think we can reach that level?" Sara asks, turning back to Koga.
"I chose to sponsor you all because I believe that potential exists in all of you," Koga replies without hesitation, "Whether you live up to that potential however, remains to be seen. As far as I'm concerned all of this, both the pressure and the reward, will serve to introduce you to a taste of the lifestyle you could see should you go all the way as trainers. It is not just pressure, and not just luxury. It is experience. And experience, both good and bad, will only serve you going forward. Remember that, and this tournament shall prove valuable to you regardless of what happens in the coming month."
As the only member of our little group who hasn't had the time to set up in a Pokémon Center room, I'm able to check out the suite well before the others. And it is magnificent. Easily number 2 at least on my list of best suites I've stayed in (a list which now has a grand total of two locations).
Well, objectively speaking it's more like staying in a really nice apartment. The novelty of the average suite in my experience is amplified a good bit by the fact that you're staying in such a nice place while travelling around. That extra level of freedom tends to add a lot of enjoyment to staying in such a place. But since I've basically been living out of the tiny rooms they give you at Pokémon centers or sleeping in tents for the past month that little bit of luxury goes a long way.
And the fact that I get first pick of the rooms is another lovely little bonus. The one I pick has easily the best view of the bay in the distance, and I let myself take some time to relax and watch as cargo ships and smaller fishing boats move about in the water.
Then, since I don't expect the others to show up for a while yet, I decide to make use of the room's video phone. I haven't spoken to any of my friends back in Unova since leaving Fuchsia, making do with text messages instead. I never have been good at keeping in touch with people, but I want to make an effort for those three. After everything they did for me they deserve at least that much.
Unfortunately with this being a rather spur of the moment thing, I don't have much luck with Cheren or Bianca.
Cheren is unsurprising; the ludicrous amount of work he and his team puts in to keep up with Hilda is a bit of an open secret amongst our group. The guy has been training like a man obsessed since before I even met him, so most of our correspondence has been through text. And even then he only tends to respond during meal times. When he tells me he has no access to a video phone I just consider it par for the course.
Bianca's response though… that worries me. Primarily because there isn't one. The girl leaves me on read. Which is not great in general for a guy who's always secretly panicking about social interaction like me, but is also just completely unlike her. She's been busy before. But never so busy that she can't spare the time to tell me via text. After how our last face to face talk went I feel like this is a bad sign.
And adding to the strangeness is Hilda who, despite being typically the most busy of the group with all the pressure the Unova League is putting on her, tells me she'll be at a video phone in two minutes. And then calls the number I gave her in less than half that time. It prompts a bit of hurried running back and forth across the room from me since I had been trying to use the time I thought I had to get myself something to drink.
After a few moments though I do manage to get my drink back to the phone and answer, somehow not causing a mess despite my haste. The video feed connects and I see her standing a distance back, arguing with a woman at the entrance to the room she's calling from. The woman has a tiny frame with a head of blonde hair so thick and long even I think it's excessive. Towering over her is a large gothitelle, whose eyes dart towards me for a moment before seeming to dismiss me as unimportant.
"I don't give a damn what you want right now, you hear me?" Hilda snarls, barely audible due to her distance from the microphone, "I said I'm done for the evening and I meant it!"
The woman says something in response, but unlike with Hilda I can't make out a word she says. She speaks with a quiet confidence, her posture self-assured in a way that tells me she's entirely used to getting what she wants.
"Tough shit," Hilda snaps back, "As of five minutes ago it's my night off. Now piss off before I decide to take tomorrow off as well!"
The woman bristles, and while her voice still doesn't carry she's screaming 'You can't do this!' with every indignant inch of her posture.
"Watch me," Hilda replies, reaching for her belt and releasing a bisharp. "Paris, I want you to stand outside this door until I come back out to get you. And if this twit or any of her psychic types try to bother you or try to get in you have my permission to literally kick their asses."
The woman gives an uneasy look towards Paris, her gaze lingering on his very sharp feet. After a moment though she collects herself, glaring at Hilda again. Once more I don't need to hear her to understand what she's saying: whatever this is, it isn't over. But she and her gothitelle leave all the same, allowing Paris to march into the hallway and Hilda to close the door.
Once the door is closed Hilda seems to deflate. She looks back towards the phone, sees me watching awkwardly, and groans loudly. "Hold on," She calls, moving back to the phone. She practically collapses into her seat, takes a long, deep breath, and gives me the best smile she can manage, "Hey Ben. Sorry you had to see that."
"Was that… Caitlin? From the Elite Four?" I ask, looking back towards the door.
"Yuuuuuup," Hilda drones, looking an unhealthy mix of exhausted and pissed off, "And take it from me: all those rumors about what a stuck-up bitch she is? They're underselling it."
I haven't heard any such rumors of course, not being from this dimension. But telling Hilda that feels like a bad call, and honestly? That was a pretty damning first impression. "I could tell," I reply, amused in spite of everything, "She was practically oozing snootiness. Did my call… interrupt something?"
"Yes," Hilda says, a malicious grin on her face, "It interrupted one of the Unova League's stupid coaching sessions. Coaching sessions which I am completely fed up with, in case it wasn't clear. So you know, thanks for that."
"Hey, always happy to make life difficult for a scummy government official on a power trip. Not that I've ever had the pleasure," I shrug.
"Well, you have now!" Hilda jokes, "So, what else is going on in your life these days?"
"Oh, not too much…" I trail off immediately realizing that the answer which had been my default to that question for years before I ended up in this world doesn't remotely apply these days, "Actually there's a shitload to report. Haven't talked to you in like a month. Uhh… what was the last thing I texted you about?"
"Oh geez," Hilda winces, pulling out her Pokégear and tapping away at it, "There's been lots of stuff, but the last thing I really remember was… I think it was something about you getting your second badge? Yeah, there it is. I'm sorry Ben, I do look at your texts when I get them, but things here are… stressful. I'm not really retaining a lot of the news you send me."
"Hey, don't worry about it," I smile reassuringly, "I know you've got a lot going on over there. Way more than I do, that's for sure. What was the last thing we talked about face to face?"
"I think… geez, I think it was back when you caught that doduo. Everything after that has been either text messages or stuff I'm hearing second-hand from Bianca," Hilda groans, tugging at a stray lock of hair in frustration, "I think I'm starting to hate Pokémon training. I really do."
I frown at that, shifting uncomfortably in my seat, "If you don't want to hear me talk about that stuff…"
"No! I want to hear about it! I really do!" Hilda says, a hint of desperation in her voice, "Listening to you talk about this stuff is like, the closest I can get to experiencing a normal Pokémon journey right now. I need more normal in my life!"
"Alright then, normal journey stuff it is!" I declare in a dramatic tone, "Prepare yourself for the most average of average stories one can imagine! I'll start by telling you all about my first gym battle…"
Hilda proves to be as good as her word, taking in every bit of my recap like a woman finding water in a desert. She eagerly comments on every moment of the play-by-plays of my battle that I give her, chimes in with helpful advice when I talk about my training, and laughs at my overly dramatic telling of what it's like walking around Kanto.
I know she said as much, but the poor girl really is starved for normalcy right now. Even basic travel has become something of a novelty to her in the past few weeks. Apparently the Unova League has basically bullied her into staying at their headquarters so they can prepare her to fight Team Plasma.
"Alder's been trying to talk them out of it, but he doesn't have enough pull anymore," Hilda explains when I question her, "He's still a strong trainer, but his team still has a big hole in it from when he lost his starter, and it shows. The gap between him and the Elite Four is a lot smaller than it used to be. And a lot of the folks who deal with the more business minded side of the Unova League want him out. When he disappeared last year it caused some big problems for a lot of people."
It's a sobering confirmation to a lot of my own suspicions on the matter. The Unova League wants Alder out. And unless he can somehow manage to beat Reshiram and stop N, that's not likely to change. No, the Unova League seems to be betting on Hilda instead, and it's becoming increasingly clear that whether she wins or loses against N her situation won't be great.
But she doesn't need me to tell her that. So instead I just continue telling her about my journey, all the way up to today's events. And when I tell her about the tournament Hilda becomes visibly confused.
"Two and a half weeks? You're sure about that?"
"Positive. Koga just got done talking to us about it like fifteen minutes ago. Why?"
Hilda gives me an odd look, "Because that's the same time that the Unova League starts, Ben."
"Oh…" I nod in understanding. After a moment I jolt, realizing this is something I should have known as both a 'native Unovan' and as Hilda's friend, "Oh! Uhh, shit, I'm sorry. I guess with everything going on lately I lost track of things."
"Fair enough," Hilda concedes, "Though I expect you to be watching my battles whenever you have a chance. This may not be happening the way I wanted it to, but it still means a lot to me."
"Yeah, of course," I nod eagerly, "I'm looking forward to seeing you kick ass. I imagine it'll be all over the TV…" I trail off, realizing at last exactly what had Hilda so confused.
"Yeah, you think it's weird too, right?" Hilda leans forward, "Why would a guy like Lieutenant Surge host a tournament for rookies at a time when he'd have to compete with the Unova League for attention? It feels like he's setting himself up for failure. There's no way he didn't know. He's a Gym Leader. One who started training in the Unova League, no less!"
"Yeah, that… I can't imagine what he's aiming for, but that has to be intentional," I muse, "Maybe that's why he's working with Koga?"
"I dunno…" Hilda looks unconvinced, "Koga's a big name in the League, bigger than some Champions even, but he's not big enough to compete with one of the biggest sporting events of the year, is he?"
"My gut says no, but on the other hand I don't actually know how well these things spread outside of their home regions," I reply, thinking it over, "I've had people tell me that Unova is very… distant, compared to some regions in the League. It's possible we only get attention from die-hard battle fans outside of Unova."
"If it's true then that's seriously embarrassing," Hilda grimaces, "The Pokémon League has always made a point of controlling what time of the year each region holds its League Tournament so that nobody is competing with each other for attention. If nobody outside of Unova is even watching us then what's the point?"
"Stopping anyone from arguing about it, I imagine," I point out, while pulling out my Pokégear to do some quick fact checking, "Even if a region isn't drawing an international audience to begin with, if they have another region they can point to and say 'they're stealing attention away from us,' it could cause all sorts of political bullshit." I find a website listing international view counts for the different Leagues and can't help but wince, "Though I think Unova might appreciate having a scapegoat right now, because according to this their international viewership has been dropping for years."
"How bad is it?" Hilda asks.
"Out of all the regions affiliated with the Pokémon League we're second to last. Slipped below Kalos as of last year and we're barely beating out Johto," I say.
"Crap. Johto's a freebie, they've been trapped in Kanto's shadow for as long as anyone can remember!" Hilda groans, "No wonder the Unova League won't leave me alone. They're probably hoping a fresh face will draw attention."
"Wouldn't surprise me. Alder's popularity is the lowest it's ever been, thanks to his little sabbatical. And right when the Unova League is trying to figure out how to deal with that, along comes a young, attractive prodigy with natural talent, the brains to pass a Tier 5 exam while still travelling, and if Team Plasma is to be believed, a Legendary Dragon in the near future. I'd bet they're desperate to have you."
Hilda goes a bit pink at that, scowling at me, "I have never had such mixed feelings about being called attractive before."
"Sorry, but it's true. You're welcome and you have my condolences," I shrug, "Nobody likes to admit it, but marketability is a big part of being Champion. Probably the biggest part, honestly. Battling ability is minor in comparison. Once you have a job like that there's a whole region actively working to stack the odds in your favor anyways, so being good is practically optional."
"I think Alder mentioned something similar once," Hilda grumbles, "You hear all this from him?"
"Nah, I just have a very cynical outlook towards all things political that makes it easy to see past all the bullshit they like to feed people," I shrug, "Plus I did a lot of reading up on professional Pokémon battling while I was with you guys."
"Well, I can't say it isn't true. Especially now. The more I've been training with the Unova League the more I start to feel like these guys were hired for fame or money rather than skill," Hilda says, glaring off into the distance. "The only one I see training on a regular basis is Marshall, but I'm pretty sure Aspar and Dust are strong enough to deal with him on their own. Shauntal and Grimsley only seem to care about their hobbies, and Caitlin only seems to care about pestering me."
"Huh… guess it's true what they say. Never meet your heroes," I say glumly.
"Yeah… hasn't really been what I expected either," Hilda frowns.
The two of us sit there in silence for a moment, before I remember that I was trying to draw her attention away from the Unova League. What should I talk about instead? Koga? No, after all this talk about how shitty working with the Elite 4 is that could come off as bragging. That thing Janine was telling me about the other day? Fascinating bit of history but I'm not confident enough to bring a topic like that up in regular conversation.
Her team? Yeah, that could work. If talking about her Pokémon isn't a happy topic for her then shit's really gotten bad. "So…" I venture awkwardly, "I noticed that your pawniard-" I stop talking for a moment, a sound distracting me away from the call, "Uhh, hold on, I think somebody just came in the door."
I lean back in my seat, peering around the corner to see Keith walking in. He looks over in my direction and waves cheerfully, "Yo Ben, how's the suite?"
"Pretty nice, dude!" I reply, grinning in his direction, "After weeks of camping and cramped Pokémon Center rooms this is a hell of a change of pace."
"Awesome! You claim a room yet?"
"Second one on the right. The rest are still fair game, so help yourself." I nod towards the door in question, then let my chair fall forward and turn back to Hilda, "Sorry about that. One of the others just got here."
"So I heard," Hilda says, a sad smile on her face, "I guess I should let you go then, huh?"
"What? Nah. It's just Keith, he can entertain himself just fine without me. I can just let him walk on his hands or crawl through the vents or whatever the heck it is ninjas do when they're bored."
"We've got a pretty big TV so I think I'll just stick to that, thanks," Keith says from right beside me, making me jump in alarm, "Building's too new for me to fit in the ventilation anyways; you gotta find a real old building in this day and age to get big enough air ducts for a person to squeeze into. So tell me," He says, leaning in next to me with a shit eating grin showing even beneath his mask, "Just who is this?"
"Hey there, name's Hilda!" Hilda announces, looking amused by the development, "I'm a friend of Ben's from Unova."
"Ben!" Keith gasps dramatically, "We leave you alone for half an hour and already you're using our shared space to chat up your lady friend back home? Such scandal! I can hardly fathom it!"
"Scandal, huh?" I reply, amused in spite of myself.
"Oh yes, the greatest of scandals," Keith shakes his head sadly, "That you could be hiding a secret girlfriend all this time without telling us. What happened to our bond of trust, Ben? What happened to our most sacred brotherhood?"
"Girlfriend?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah, that's us alright," Hilda says with a smirk, "I just couldn't wait any longer to talk to him now that we can't have our daily make-out sessions anymore. The loss is just too much to bear."
The sarcasm is just veiled enough to throw me off, leaving me blinking in surprise at the screen. Hilda grins cheekily at my reaction, giving me a wink that does nothing to help my recovery.
Keith is similarly surprised, but to his credit he recovers far quicker than I do, "What a tragedy, to see such shameful neglect running rampant in what was once a healthy relationship!" He throws an arm over his eyes dramatically and lets out a blatantly false sob.
"Uh huh," I reply dryly, "And when's the last time you called Janine again?"
Keith deflates like a balloon, "Uh, hold on now…"
"Janine as in the Gym Leader?" Hilda asks, looking to me for confirmation. At my nod she bursts into laughter, "Wow, now that's a real scandal!"
Keith stammers for a recovery, but as per usual he has no defense where Janine is involved. "You know what, I think I'm going to go unpack," he mumbles, waving weakly, "Nice meeting you Hilda." Ladies, gentlemen, and others, that is what the pros call a critical hit.
Hilda and I chat for a while longer after Keith makes his retreat, but once Sara and Axel arrive she excuses herself. "I've got my first real night off in ages; I'm running a hot bath and listening to music for the rest of the night!" she declares with a broad grin, "Good luck with your battle tomorrow!"
"After what happened last time, I will take all the luck I can get," I nod, "Take care of yourself Hilda."
"Right, right," Hilda says casually, "I'll talk to you-"
"Hey." I cut in firmly, "I'm serious, okay. Take care of yourself. What the Unovan League is pulling here is bullshit, and I don't want to see you hurt because of it. Don't brush off your health for the sake of these people."
Hilda stares blankly at that, visibly taken aback by my tone. After a moment though she rallies and gives me a weak smile, "I'll try, alright? Just for you."
"For Cheren and Bianca too. They don't want to see you hurt by this any more than I do," I say firmly.
"Right… You're right," Hilda's smile broadens just a bit at that, "I can't go letting all my friends down, can I?"
"Damn right," I grin at her, feeling relieved now that she seems to be taking my words to heart.
"Thanks Ben, I needed this. Good luck in your tournament," Hilda grins, "I'll try to keep an eye on your matches."
"Back at you. Have a good night off."
"Good night!"
I sit back in my seat as Hilda disconnects the call, then look to the rest of the room. Keith and Sara are chatting in the main room, both trying very hard to act like they weren't listening to the end of my call. And Axel is… taking a shower, by the sound of things.
"Hey, so… everything alright with your friend?" Keith asks, giving me a concerned look, "Sounded like things were… sketchy on her end."
"Yeah, just… tournament stress," I say, not wanting to talk about Hilda's personal issues to somebody she doesn't really know, even if I don't think Keith or Sara would blab about it. Seeing that the two of them aren't quite convinced though I throw in a little bit more, "She's competing in the Unova League this year."
I'm pretty sure the others overheard enough to know I'm not telling anywhere close to the whole truth, but they no better than to pry."Oh, really? You think she'll do well?" Sara asks, taking the excuse and running with it.
"Honestly, she's probably going to dominate," I say frankly, "Only guy I can see giving her a hard time is another friend of ours, Cheren."
"Geez, you know some real big shots, huh?" Keith jokes.
I have to stop and think on that a moment. Because now that he mentions it, there's a lot of truth to that. Everyone I know now is either a big shot, or likely to become a big shot. My social circle in this world is small, but it's pretty fucking stacked. Is this normal for professional Pokémon trainers? Or have I just been lucky. I'm inclined to say it's just luck, but on the other hand pursuing Pokémon training as a professional naturally introduces you to most of the biggest names in the different regions you visit. I have to wonder what the reasons for that are, because I'm quite sure it's intentional.
"You planning on pulling your head out of the clouds there?" Sara asks bemusedly.
"Sorry!" I snap out of it, smiling apologetically, "I was just wondering, how normal is it for Pokémon trainers to gather a lot of big connections like this during their journey? I've only been a trainer for a couple of months, but look at me. I'm sitting in a penthouse paid for by an Elite Four member calling up the future Champion of Unova!"
"You're really that confident in her?" Keith blinks in surprise, before shaking his head, "Not the point, right. I would say making a lot of connections like this is common for any talented trainer. That's why so many people go on journeys, you know? Even if you don't go all the way, a training journey can still be worth it for trainers if you can impress even one important person along the way. You may only get one gym badge before you have to drop out, but if that gym leader is willing to vouch for your character it can still open a lot of doors."
"That was honestly one of the biggest reasons I started training in the first place," Sara nods along, "I never expected to actually be good at it, I just needed a good job and knew that having some success as a trainer would give me a leg up over any competition. If Koga hadn't announced his contest when he did, there's a fair chance I would have quit training already and started looking for something more stable. Earning his sponsorship opened up a lot of options for me."
"How very practical of you," I grin, "And here I am just training for the sake of chasing my childhood dreams."
"An artistic way of saying 'This is my midlife crisis'," Keith jokes.
"Pretty much!" I laugh along.
"Well, I'm glad it's working out for you," Sara says, "It's honestly cool to see somebody your age setting out and making a name for themselves as a trainer. Most trainers your age are either long-established pros or just hobbyists."
How easy it is to forget sometimes that I'm practically an old man by the standards of this profession, "Well, we'll have to wait and see how cool you think it is once I'm done schooling you kids in this tournament."
"Fat chance of that, mister fourth seed!" Keith teases, "You've got a ways to go to catch up to the rest of us."
"Just wait until tomorrow," I say confidently, "I doubt I've fallen nearly as far behind as any of you think."
The Vermilion Gym is very utilitarian in design, little more than a glorified warehouse. The interesting thing about it comes not from the gym itself, but from the grounds behind it. Most of the property owned by the gym is dedicated to a training facility of sorts, one that looks heavily influenced by Surge's background in the Unovan military.
Out of all the Leaders in Kanto Surge is known for having the most trainers under his control, but he doesn't accept anybody below a certain skill level. There's typically only three types of trainers who Surge takes in: retirees, Pokémon Rangers, and those looking for a permanent job with the Pokémon League. The retirees are usually just looking to stay sharp, and tend to serve the actual leadership positions beneath Surge, helping him manage his trainers along with any local incidents that require his attention. The Rangers are usually looking to push themselves for the sake of ranking up with the Ranger Union, working to live up to the standards of what is often considered the most physically demanding job in the world. And those looking to work for the League are usually sent by the League themselves, with those who pass the training earning the job of Ace Trainer and working directly for the Elite Four and Champion.
Obviously, I am not at the level required of Surge's Trainers. So my exposure to this training ground for Kanto's best comes strictly through a chain link fence as I approach the aforementioned warehouse. If I want to see everything this place has to offer I'll have to return once I get good.
But I hate extreme physical exercise so I'll probably pass on that. Sorry Surge, but my memory of your place of business will always be this shabby empty looking building.
The receptionist is a woman with a buzz cut sitting at a desk that looks built to withstand heavy gunfire. She has her feet, clad in combat boots, kicked up when I enter, and barely spares me a glance as I walk in, preoccupied with a tablet in her lap. "You Ben?" She grunts as I walk in, eyes flicking between me and my roommates.
"That's me," I reply.
She taps at something on her tablet and then jabs a thumb over her shoulder, "Right, you've got the space closest, just go stand in the big white square on the floor. Good luck and all that. As for the rest of you, I assume you can find the audience seats on your own. "
The audience seats are a set of basic bleachers taking up a whole wall of the warehouse, serving as the only real thing of note in the building other than the reception desk and the white lines painted on the floor.
"Alright, let's go get comfortable!" Keith says, heading for the bleachers.
"Good luck!" Sara says, shooting a smile my way before moving to follow.
Axel just nods my way, looking a bit groggy. Turns out the big guy isn't much of a morning person.
I've barely taken my place when Surge comes into the arena from the opposite side. He's a big guy, probably a good half foot taller than I am with a powerful build that shows even from across the battlefield. The guy grins at me as he takes his place, lowering his sunglasses a fraction as he looks me over. "So you're the last of Koga's rookies this year, huh? Pretty old compared to the others, aren't you?" He calls out, his voice easily carrying.
"I get that a lot," I shrug casually, pushing my voice to carry in return. I'm already missing the headsets the other gyms have been giving me. That isn't to say I'm struggling to be heard, but I can already tell shouting everything is going to get old real fast.
Surge nods, getting right down to business, "Alright, so here's how it's going to go: we're keeping this nice and simple. One Pokémon each. Winner takes all. I'll be using this guy," He pulls out a Poké ball and releases a raichu, "sorry for bringing out the big guns rookie, but I need to know you have what it takes to make a good showing in my tournament."
Big guns indeed. Surge gets associated with electabuzz and electivire a lot since they favor a fighting style that seems to suit the burly lieutenant, but anyone who's done their research (or played a certain video game series back home) can tell you his raichu are always his heaviest hitters whenever he sends them out. Their extreme agility and pure electrical power can end a battle in moments if you aren't properly prepared for them.
Of course I have an easy answer to such a foe. "Ogrim, you're up!" I call out, sending my starter to the field. Dart's not going to be happy he's missing another gym battle. But even putting aside Ogrim's electrical immunity he'd still be a better fit for a match like this. Dart doesn't have a lot of moves that can deal with a Pokémon as fast as a raichu without time to set up traps, and he can't win the endurance battle he'd need to ready himself. Electric attacks are not something you can easily dodge; their speed is way too far above other ranged attacks. Usually your best bet is to just tank them and counterattack. And that's where Ogrim shines.
"Go! Go! Golett!" Ogrim calls out eagerly, pumping his arms in the air.
"Yeah Ogrim! You got this, man!" Keith shouts from the bleachers. Sara follows up with a loud whistle.
"Golett go go! Go golett go!" Ogrim waves to the others excitedly, then turns back to face his opponent.
"Doesn't look like much of a fighter," Surge comments, raising an eyebrow, "Not much of a game face."
"Famous last words," I reply coolly.
"Hah! Maybe so!" Surge grins, "Let's find out if your golett is as green as it acts! You ready to go?"
"Bring it on."
"Good answer! Let's jump right into it then! Raichu, let's start out with quick attack!"
"Intercept with bulldoze!"
Alright, looks like we're starting off with an information war, of sorts. Surge isn't a fool. He knows that golett has a serious type advantage, but I'm sure he's also well aware that the extent of said advantage is conditional. Ogrim is inherently immune to electricity, but his immunities to normal and fighting attacks requires special training because of his body composition. No doubt Surge is starting with a normal move to try to test for that training. I still don't have that training of course, I don't know the first thing about how to teach somebody to walk through walls. But if I can keep him guessing it could keep him uncertain, maybe give me an opening later.
Ogrim is following along with that ideal well, sending out waves of earth to cut the raichu off, denying a straightforward path to reach him. By this point Ogrim can use the move as easily as breathing, letting him hold the raichu off easily.
"Your defense isn't bad, rookie!" Surge calls out, looking unbothered so far, "Any mon is going to have trouble advancing through those attacks… as long as they stay stuck on the ground at least. Raichu, launch!"
"Rai rai!" the raichu yells eagerly, coiling his tail underneath him and springing himself through the air.
"Armor, tank, grapple, then sustained shade!" I reply immediately.
"Golett!" Ogrim calls, body flashing silver as he uses iron defense to bolster his body and face the raichu's attack head on. The raichu grimaces as his charge is met with much more resistance than he expected. He staggers back, wincing from the impact of crashing headlong into a 90 kilo automaton bolstered by steel type energy. It isn't a long pause by any means, but it stops the raichu enough for Ogrim to close in, arms spread wide.
"Back up raichu!" Surge calls out, then grimaces as he remembers the ground behind raichu has been churned up by bulldoze attacks. "Cancel that! Drive them back! Brutal swing!"
Damn, Ogrim can't possibly avoid that now! "Don't hesitate bud! Push through!" I shout encouragement, knowing that our best path forward is to take advantage of this opportunity and make sure the raichu gets hurt more in the coming exchange.
Raichu snarls in the face of Ogrim's approach, lashing out with a tail shrouded in black energy. It slams into Ogrim's side, but the little guy barely stumbles, letting the attack bounce off of him and closing his arms around raichu.
"Yeah! Go Ogrim! Hug of death!" Keith cheers from the sidelines.
Not too far off from what I ordered, all things considered.
"Golett!" Ogrim shouts in determination. The air around the two Pokémon grows dark and hazy as Ogrim starts to blast the raichu with night shade at point blank range. Raichu winces as the attack hits him, but when Ogrim sustains it as I asked he starts to shout in pain instead, squirming desperately to escape my little buddy's grip.
"Focus up Raichu! Use brutal swing again!"
"RAAAAAAIIII!" The raichu bellows in determination, his tail lashing at Ogrim's back like a whip. The assault quickly proves too much for Ogrim to handle, and he's forced to release raichu in order to fend the assault off.
"That's the way! Now blitz him! Don't let him find his footing!"
"Fight back Ogrim! Don't let them get any momentum!"
Unfortunately Ogrim proves the loser of this exchange. The raichu's attack is simply too fast and too wild to compete with. The electric rodent swiftly becomes a blur as it dances back and forth around Ogrim's attacks, striking back with a constant barrage of punches, kicks, and tail swipes. Despite Ogrim's best efforts he quickly starts to fall back, lashing out as best as he can but always missing by the smallest margins. The melee is brought to a decisive end when the raichu stamps its foot and calls a tangle of grass to sprout from the ground and wrap around Ogrim's leg, toppling him.
"Crap! You good bud?" I call out.
"Goleeeeett," Ogrim groans from the ground, rolling backwards to escape.
"Let's see if we can't fix that!" Surge snaps, "Don't let up, raichu! Keep after him and knock him down again! As many times as it takes!"
Surge seems to be planning to finish this as quickly as possible. Can't say I blame him. The man excels in rush down tactics that overwhelm the opponent and deny them any chance to fight on their own terms. Fortunately Ogrim is no stranger to fighting under these conditions.
"Can't knock us over if we decide not to get back up, can you?" I say with a grin, watching as raichu's next assault turns into a chase as Ogrim just keeps rolling away.
The raichu scowls as it chases, able to easily keep up with Ogrim even as he rolls at top speed, but not able to properly attack him. He lashes out with his tail as he runs, but Ogrim's high speed rotations prove enough to deflect the appendage. At one point I see it try to use grass knot again, but the attack is simply flattened without any visible effect.
"Alright, this is getting us nowhere!" Surge snaps irritably, "Back off and use swift!"
The raichu complies immediately, stepping away to blast Ogrim with a barrage of energy stars. To my surprise, this seems to have a visible effect on the little dude, knocking his rolling off course and forcing him to correct. "Huh, this guy still hits hard, huh?" I muse, watching as Ogrim wobbles about under the attack. I had thought we were wearing him down more than that. Looks like I'd better bust out the surprise attack. "Alright Ogrim, enough running! Charge him head on and get ready to start swinging!"
"Gooooo!" Ogrim cries out, his voice sounding strangely distorted by the spinning. The little guy turns towards raichu, aiming to roll right over him.
"Head on assault! Now we're talking!" Surge grins eagerly, "But it won't be enough to save you. Raichu, slow its roll with swift and dodge while he's recovering!"
The raichu complies immediately, hitting Ogrim with another barrage of energy stars that once again sends Ogrim wobbling. Ogrim cries out in pain, spinning wildly out of control even as the raichu runs to the side. And that's when Ogrim pulls out the move I've been practicing with him for the past week, by extending his arm mid roll and firing a bulldoze attack next to himself while moving.
"What!?" Surge yells in disbelief, removing his sunglasses and staring in disbelief. I hear similar calls of surprise from my friends in the bleachers as well.
And if they're surprised by what Ogrim just did, the raichu is blown away. Quite literally. The rolling bulldozer attack doesn't have much in the way of accuracy, but it makes up for that with power, along with the surprise factor. The wave of dirt is made much stronger by pushing Ogrim's momentum into it, and so the raichu is sent tumbling about in a wave of dirt. The attack only stalls it for a moment, as the raichu quickly pulls itself free, shakes the dirt off, and leaps out of the way of Ogrim's second pass. This time the bulldoze attack misses, but Ogrim still manages to smack the raichu's toe while rolling past, sending the electric rodent spinning through the air. When Ogrim comes in for the final blow, raichu is too dizzy to put up a proper fight. He barely manages to get to his feet, stumbling like a drunk, even as Ogrim bears down on him at full speed.
Surge recalls his raichu seconds before the attack hits. "Not bad, rookie. Not bad at all!" He calls out, watching with approval as Ogrim rolls back into a ready position and uncurls in front of me, "No way would raichu have stayed standing after a hit like that! Looks like you two have earned yourself the thunder badge."
Ogrim throws his arms up in the air and cheers at the declaration, "Golett let go golett! Go! Go! Golett!"
"Go! Go! Golett!" Keith and Sara echo the cheer, with a bemused Axel quietly joining them in the fist pump.
"You were fantastic, Ogrim," I declare, walking up to my starter and patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, you two did good," Surge says, "Now get over here, I want to talk to you for a minute! You and your rookie friends can spend time congratulating each other once you aren't wasting mine. Not like I have a lot to spare right now."
A bit rude of him, but it's true enough that he's an even busier man than usual right now, so I jog across the field towards him, Ogrim waddling along behind me as fast as he can.
"That's more like it," Surge nods as I walk up to him, "Right, first thing's first, here's your badge." He lobs a thunder badge my way and smirks as I almost fail to catch it, "Reflexes could use some work there, rookie. Now, tell me about that trick you pulled there near the end."
"Pretty simple, really," I shrug, looking down at Ogrim, "Show him an arm spin, little buddy."
"Golett!" Ogrim salutes me, then starts whirling his arms like a fan. Surge lets out a low whistle as Ogrim's arms start to practically buzz through the air.
"See, the thing about golett is, they don't have real joints like organic Pokémon do," I explain, "If you're looking for something to compare how their body works, the closest thing would be, like, an action figure or something. Their arms can do this practically infinitely."
"Which means you can also do the opposite and hold them still while the rest of the body spins," Surge nods in understanding, "I get it. That's a neat trick."
"Not as easy as it looks though," I nod, tapping a toe on the ground to signal Ogrim he can stop spinning, "Ogrim and I have pretty much been only practicing this for the past week. It takes a lot of focus for him to hold his arms steady while the rest of his body is spinning. And even more to actually launch an attack while doing it."
"I saw," Surge says, looking thoughtfully at Ogrim, "only reason you hit me the first time was because I wasn't expecting it. Still, you saved that secret weapon of yours until the perfect moment and did everything you could to capitalize on it. And that earned you the victory. Looks like you got a good head on your shoulders, rookie!"
"Thank you, sir!" I reply, straightening up in response.
"Don't mention it," Surge waves a hand dismissively, then looks over his shoulder, "So, what did you think?"
I look behind him, feeling a bit confused. The only other people in the building that I can see are my friends in the stands and the receptionist at the front door. Is Koga watching us from the shadows, maybe?
But no, it's not Koga at all, I realize, as a grey hand reaches up from behind Surge and grabs him by the shoulder. A Pokémon with two tough looking arms connected to a rugged grey body pulls itself up onto Surge's shoulder, where it perches like a second head. A geodude, I realize. One which was apparently watching our entire battle.
"Dude," the geodude grunts, staring at me from beneath thick dark eyebrows.
"Alright then," Surge nods, then looks back to me, "You know what this guy is, don't you?"
"Geodude, obviously," I reply immediately. Then, upon seeing Surge raise an eyebrow at my answer, I quickly continue, "The Alolan variant of geodude. A rock and electric type found mostly on… I think it's Ula'ula island?"
"Not bad at all, rookie," Surge nods in approval. He makes to speak before pausing, "Hold on, before I continue, have you caught any new Pokémon since you fought Sabrina? Any electric types in particular?"
"I've still just got the three,"
"Alright, that means I can make this offer without the risk of breaking any laws. Good. So here's the deal: I bought this geodude from a breeder in Alola, thinking I'd try adding him to my team. Only problem is, we're not compatible."
"Not compatible?"
"That's what I said. We don't get along at all when we try battling. We're both too stubborn, you see," Surge explains, shrugging his shoulders, "One of the perils of buying a team member without getting a chance to get a feel for their personality first. Now, it ain't exactly a deal breaker. I'm sure the two of us could figure things out given enough time. But with everything else I've got on my plate these days I figure it's going to take way longer to smooth things over between us than is fair for him. So I've been looking for a good trainer amongst all my challengers."
"And you're choosing… me?"
"Don't get a swelled head here. You're the sixth trainer I've asked. I considered all three of your friends over there too."
"They turned you down?" I glance back at the others.
"Guinness turned me down, since he had an electric type already and didn't want a second. McLain also has an electric type and can't train a second since she's only got a tier 2 license like you, so I didn't ask her. And as for Baxter…" He smirks as the geodude makes an unpleasant face, "Well you can see for yourself."
"Huh…" I look up at the geodude thoughtfully, "It's true that I'm probably overdue to expand my team… but I'm not sure this is the best time to be adding members…"
"Tell you what, rookie," Surge interrupts my train of thought, "You're gonna be staying in town for the next few weeks because of the tournament, right? So how about you take him for now, spend some time together, and see how you get along. If you decide it's no good at any point between now and when you leave Vermillion you just transfer ownership back and I'll keep looking for a good match."
That's… certainly a convenient option to have, but it doesn't really change the base issue. If I decide to take the geodude in then it will mean a loss of time I could be spending training the Pokémon that are already definite members of my team. Even if this only ends up being a short term commitment, I have a lot of short term planning that needs doing already. So hearing that I can change my mind about bringing this guy on isn't really helpful.
If I add this geodude to the team, I need to do so with the intention of making him a proper member. Anything less would be a waste of everybody's time. If I let myself half-ass it because I know I can change my mind later then it's just going to hold everyone back. So I need to take a moment to think this over properly.
First of all, what can a geodude bring to the table? There's two big answers to that question, and both of them are genuinely compelling. First is defense, obviously. At the moment the closest thing I have to a physical wall on the team is Ogrim, but while he's far from frail he can't stand up to the level of physical punishment a Pokémon like geodude can handle.
The other big thing that a geodude can do is more compelling to me though: ranged attack power. Geodude and its evolutions can throw a punch better than you'd expect, and their tackling moves are devastating. But they also have a ton of options for ranged combat too by means of mastering every possible iteration of the classic strategy 'throw a fucking rock at the enemy as hard as you can.' And the Alolan variety of geodude has taken that talent to the next level. If I decide to take this geodude on, I could eventually have a mobile artillery cannon on my side in Pokémon form. And that's just a badass idea no matter how you look at it.
"I think I can come up with a good role for him on the team," I say, mind finally made up, "As long as you two are sure about this."
"Seems like a good call to me!" Surge laughs, crossing his arms and smirking down at me, "You've still got your doubts rookie, I can tell just by looking at you. But believe me: you two should get along just fine."
"Is that so?" I raise an eyebrow, looking up at geodude, "And you? Are you feeling confident as well?"
Geodude doesn't answer immediately, instead meeting my gaze and just… staring at me for a while. At first I think he's remaining silent because he's not all that interested in Surge's plan after all. But eventually I realize his intent: he's sizing me up. That intense frown on his face isn't just for show: geodude knows what he wants from his trainer, and he wants to know if I can meet his expectations.
Considering he's apparently already rejected a gym leader of all people, I can't help but feel like this bodes ill for me.
But in spite of my doubts, geodude seems to find something in me that Surge was lacking. He nods in assent, then drops to the ground and bounces up to me, still giving me that same intense expression. When he speaks his tone sounds curt, almost business-like, "Geo dude geo geodude."
"Well… alright then," I nod back at geodude, "I look forward to working with you."
"Dude," geodude replies, his stony expression cracking the faintest hint of a smile at that. He then bounces over to Ogrim and offers a hand to my starter as well, "Geodude geo geodude."
"Golett go golett!" Ogrim replies cheerfully, shaking geodude's hand eagerly. Geodude seems a bit taken aback by the enthusiasm Ogrim shows, but takes it all in stride.
"Well I guess that's getting off to a good start then," Surge comments, pulling a Poké Ball out and scanning it with his Pokégear.
"Honestly, that part was a given. Ogrim gets along with everyone," I shrug.
"Suppose he does seem like the type," Surge replies, tapping away at his Pokégear. After a moment he hold the Poké Ball out to me, "Alright, get your Pokédex and scan this."
I do so, and my Pokédex calls out with its electronic voice, "Registration complete. Transfer of ownership confirmed." It then follows up with an electronic tone that sounds like something out of the games. What a nice little dose of nostalgia.
"And that's that!" Surge exclaims, spreading his arms wide, "Right, so if you two decide you hate each other's guts or something then let me know. You can get the number for my front desk there on the way out so you can contact me. And with any luck I'll be seeing you two battling together in my tournament soon."
"Thank you sir," I nod respectfully to the Leader once more, but he just waves me off.
"Don't sweat it Rookie, you're doing me a favor here by taking him. One less thing for me to worry about now. Alright, now that that's sorted I'm outta here. Got a bunch of shmucks in suits I need to meet with about this stupid tournament. So you and your rookie friends can clear out of my gym and go do whatever it is rookies do." And with that he marches back out the way he came, not sparing any of us another glance.
"I wonder how much of that attitude of his is just him being influenced by the time crunch he's under," I comment idly, watching the man vanish out the back door.
"If by 'influenced,' you mean 'dramatically improved,' then yeah, he's pretty influenced," Keith jokes from next to me, having ninja'd his way over while I wasn't paying attention, "He wasn't nearly this busy when I battled him, and honestly? His attitude was way worse. I think he's just acting better now because he doesn't have the time to act like an asshole." He frowns at the door Surge just left through for a moment, before turning back to me with a dazzling grin, "But forget about him! You two did a great job! We should celebrate!"
"I'm game," I nod to Keith, then to the others as they make their way over to us, "We can commemorate my slow ass finally catching up to you three."
"As well as to welcome your new team member," Axel comments, nodding to geodude, "I'm glad you were able to find a suitable partner, geodude. I'm sure you and Ben will achieve great things together."
"Geo," geodude replies shortly, looking a little uncomfortable with being addressed. I guess hearing something like that from a trainer who already rejected you must be a bit awkward.
"I have high hopes, yeah," I say, looking down at geodude with a grin, "That said, there's gonna be a lot to do if we're gonna be ready for the tournament. You ready to put the work in?"
"Geodude!" geodude replies firmly, meeting my gaze. There's an intensity in that expression, and I'm not just talking about those comically oversized eyebrows. I'm starting to think that 'intense' might just be his default personality setting.
Well, considering I've got some very intense weeks ahead of me, I suppose that can only be a good thing.
New team member acquired! I hope you're all looking forward to seeing what this guy can do! Or, if you're one of the folks who get mad every time I put a Pokemon on the team that you don't think is cool enough... get fucked, lol. I hope the presence of this geodude causes you uncontrollable rage. I didn't add a geodude to the team to piss people off of course, my team plans have remained the same since well before I started posting. But I'd be lying if I said the idea of people throwing their hands up in rage at the presence of a geodude on my team didn't bring a grin to my face.
All that being said, while I told you all that I had Ben's whole team planned out from the start back in chapter 1, I can't actually guarantee I won't swap some mons out later in the fic. I don't know if I'm going to buy Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, since Sword and Shield and the Sinnoh remakes disappointed me severely enough that I've lost a lot of faith in the series. But if there's a mon I like enough from the new games there are a few spaces on my team that I am open to revising. Not any of the mons I've already written in though. Don't care how many uncultured fools out there complain about doduo, I like those mons and the twins are staying. Doduo and dodrio fucking rule.
Now, for some discord news! We have a new link! Apparently some people were trying to fuck with the server, so the mods had to ban their sorry asses and shut the old invite link down. I'll go back at some point and try to replace the link in the old chapters to prevent confusion, but know that the old one does not work anymore! If you're planning on using this one... just don't be a shit, okay?
NEW LINK: discord .gg/u89gs745fn