Chapter 9
~A Tale of Two Trainers~
-A Children's Story, Part: 1
Once upon a time, there were two Pokémon Trainers who lived in Violet City, named Eric and Ashley.
They were Rivals.
Ever since they were little and in diapers, Eric and Ashley would compete with each other to see who was the best. In school, Ashley did a little bit better than Eric. But in sports, Eric did a little bit better than Ashley.
It was a fierce competition.
One day, they challenged each other to go out into the wild and catch the strongest Pokémon they could find. Then, they would come back into town tomorrow and have a battle to see which one was better.
Ashley found a magnificent Bellsprout. Its head was golden and its leaves vibrant and green.
It was a good Bellsprout. A credit to its kind.
But Eric had found a good Pokémon too. A bright eyed and eager little Wooper. Its skin was smooth and its smile as big as the sun.
He caught it with a Net Ball.
Lake of Rage, North of Mahogany Town.
Oh man Pryce is pissed.
Like really pissed.
Allow me to briefly recount the ways.
He's pissed about me finding the Swinub he didn't want to offer. He's pissed that I told him that that's the one I wanted or no deal. He's not happy to find out the secret was Ancient Power this whole time and that I had already given him everything he needed. He's positively fuming that this means some of the adult Piloswine he employs in the Gym may not be able to evolve at all.
And to top it all off? He's just been informed by the League that they expect him to lead a panel of moderators for this tournament that's just north of his town. Please note. I didn't say they asked him. I said they expect him. He's been 'voluntold' that he's doing it.
So that's what? Five? I did say I was counting.
A slight whine of electrical feedback buzzes along the air. 'Bogden and Viktor, please report to Battle Field No. 6.' A woman's voice echoes through the loudspeaker. 'I repeat. Bogden and Viktor, please report to Battle Field No. 6. Your match will begin in 10 minutes.'
It's barely past breakfast and already the place is swarming. I joked before about 'missing the memo' and not seeing the posted notices that this event was happening, but now I'm no longer joking. It really seems like everyone knew this was happening except me.
There's a fleet of food trucks, some League sponsored, some private business. There's Berry vendors, Item sellers, and a stand where you can try your hand at making Pokéblocks. A carnival barker is on a little soapbox shouting that he's looking to trade a Primeape for a Seadra and there's a score of construction workers setting up energy barricades in the place the Top 8 are eventually going to duke it out.
I've been to tournaments before, I've said that way too much, but this particular event almost feels more like a state fair from back home. 'Like god damn, there's even a petting zoo for the kids. Sentrets, Hoppips, Poliwags, Zigzagoons and the like. They even have a pair of Eevees in there.'
When the League sponsors something, they don't fuck around.
"Bradley! Bradley over here!" a female voice shouts over the crowd, her arm waving high up in the air.
"Bradley, my man." a chill masculine one joins her. "Whazz up my dude?" he speaks, offering me a fist bump as I approach.
Clarissa and Ronald. Two other Gym Trainers who worked in Mahogany under Pryce. Or I suppose in their case, still do. I spoke to them both briefly before setting out on my journey after first waking up, though with Bradley's memories in my head it really does feel like I've known the two of them for years.
Ronald's a bit of a classic 'stoner' personality. Very laid back and 'take it easy' kind of guy. The difference between him and the Bradley of before is that Ron here can actually afford to be that way. He was the best battler in the Gym besides the old man himself, and he gets his work done quickly and efficiently.
'Like bruh it's just good time management.' A memory of him speaking to Brad hangs in the mind. 'The sooner I get this squared away, the sooner I can go back to mad chillaxing ya feel me?' The figment points his finger up like some wizened philosopher. 'The true lazy man works hard, that way he can go back to being lazy as soon as possible.'
Clarissa on the other hand is a bubbly, busy busy bee. Always looking for some new work to do. She's also a bit of a know-it-all Hermione Granger style. But she means well! When she brutally dissects everything an opponent did wrong post-battle after beating them, it really is because she earnestly wants them to do better next time.
"Hey guys. Long time no see." I complete the fist bump. "You both get done with your first matches yet?"
"You know it my dude." Ronald confirms, gesturing with a hand to indicate smooth sailing. "Dewgong cleaned 'em up easy peasy. No worries."
Clarissa sighs. "I lost." she admits dejectedly. "Who even uses a Corsola with Hustle anyway?" she crosses her arms in a huff. "Natural Cure is obviously the better ability. Or if you're lucky enough to find one with Regenerator? Even better. How was I supposed to know my opponent was using a sub-optimal build?"
'Lyle and Bradley, please report to Battle Field No. 3.' The fairgrounds loudspeakers ring again. 'I repeat. Lyle and Bradley, please report to Battle Field No. 3. Your match will begin in 10 minutes.'"Well, that's my cue." I pop off a two-finger salute at my forehead. "Wish me luck guys. We'll catch up later."
Slicked up red hair. Hot rod flames on both his pants and jacket. Crimson tinted sunglasses and an arrogant 'bad boy' attitude that's just begging for a punch in the face.
'Maybe I'm not Ground at all? I must secretly be Psychic.' I muse to myself as a joke. 'Did I not just talk about hypothetically fighting a Fire-specialist yesterday?'
"Sup' lamewad." Firebreather Lyle starts off with, tossing his first Pokéball up and down in his palm with a cocky smirk. "How many Badges you got anyway?"
I raise an eyebrow. 'Lamewad? What is this 5th grade? Dude, you're an adult. Actually…no. Just no. Don't engage.' "Four." I answer simply.
"Hah!" he stops playing with his ball and snaps it into his grip. "This'll be easy then. I'm at six! After I win this tournament I'm gonna roast that old fart Pryce and then make it all the way to the Conference!"
The referee buts in. "Trainers! Are you ready? In three...two...one...begin!"
"Ma Ma."/"Melt him down, Flareon!"
Flareon: Lv. 40
Nature: Mild
Potential: C
Ursaring: Lv. 58
Nature: Serious
Potential: A
"Scary Face, Ma Ma!" A ferocious glint shines in Ursaring's eye as soon as she hits the field. One that travels outward and seems to strike the Eeveelution like a physical force. To the 'mon's credit though, it does recover almost instantly, showing that if nothing else it's well trained.
"Ha! A status move!" Lyle mocks. "You're never gonna win like that! Flareon! Let's start cooking with a Fire Spin!"
"Flareon!" With a small shake and a rustle of its fur, tiny embers of light launch themselves from Flareon's oversized tail to seed the ground around the Normal-type. In all of a blink, a wall of Fire erupts around her, seemingly penning the she-bear inside.
"Just makin' sure you can't run..." I mutter under my breath, starting to feed a little trickle of energy to Ma Ma through our bond. Just a couple drops. It wouldn't do to exhaust ourselves so early in the day. "High Horsepower!"
Ursaring roars. A savage primal bellow that announces how uncaring she is of this supposed obstacle. With claws shining in brown-orange energy she bursts through the flames at high speed, absolutely unconcerned about the injuries it puts on her feet.
Based on Lyle's expression, we apparently weren't supposed to do that. "Force it to back down! Lava Plume!"
"Flare!" Fire begins to slosh in the fire fox's tiny mouth. It's less gaseous, less airy than normal fire. This is an attack with some mass behind it. "Flare!"
The molten slushy strikes Ma Ma right in the sternum.
She doesn't care.
The charging mountain bear smashes into the Fire-type with a weight nearly six times its own and...there's really not much more to say about that.
"Flareon is unable to battle! Trainer Lyle, please select your next Pokémon!"
Ma Ma flinches a little and then glances down at the golden ring on her torso. A paw lifts up to irritably touch a large red spot left by the Lava Plume and her fur bristles angrily. 'Oh? They managed to land a Burn...that's pretty unlucky.' My grin turns a little too villain-like. 'For them.'
There were a number of bear safety rhymes back on non-Pokémon earth. Probably the most widespread and well-known of which was 'If it's brown, lay down. If it's black, fight back. If it's white, say goodnight'. Which, by the way, is not foolproof advice. For one quick example of something wrong with it, black bears -the species- are very capable of having brown or cinnamon colored fur, but I digress.
Here on Poké-earth we have sayings about bears too.
"It's like we're trying to status an Ursaring here."- Ranger Association phrase meant to describe feelings of disapproval for a plan or event that is considered daft, poorly thought out, foolhardy, or just generally all around ill-conceived.
Ursaring can have one of two Abilities. Well, three if we count the Hidden one like what Grundy has, but those popping up are normally mathematically negligible so we're not gonna talk about that here.
Anyway. Two Abilities. Guts and Quick Feet. Both trigger upon the user being inflicted with a status ailment. The first boosts Attack. The second Speed. They even negate the physical stat cutting effects of Burn and Paralysis respectively.
It's considered a poor idea to status an Ursaring in the wild because 1). You probably shouldn't be somewhere where there are wild Ursaring in the first place and 2). You have no idea which Ability it will end up being and you might get caught unexpectedly off guard. If off guard was spelled 'm-a-u-l-e-d'.
Just to go on record though if you don't recall my conversation with Morty, Ma Ma has the first one.
"Trainer Lyle!" The referee speaks again. "You must select your next Pokémon or I will issue an official warning for slow play."
The Firebreather snaps from his stupor. "Houndoom! You're up!"
Houndoom: Lv. 42
Nature: Modest
Potential: A-
'Oh wow.' Color me impressed! Not just an A-ranker but it's also got one of the best natures for that species. More Special Attack, less Physical. That's a good Houndoom!
It's a real shame that that's not gonna matter.
"Dark Pulse!/Facade!" Lyle's eyebrows shoot to his hairline at the simultaneous orders. 'Oh ho! So he does have an idea of what's about to happen! Looks like there is a brain between those ears!'
"PROTECT!" he pivots immediately.
Facade. Technical Machine move No. 42. Move: Physical. Type: Normal. Base Power: 70. Effect: This move's Base Power is doubled if the user is Paralyzed, Burned, or Poisoned.
70 x 2 = 140.
140 x 1.5 (Guts Ability) = 210.
210 x 1.5 (STAB) = 315.
Now obviously I don't know if all that math is exactly the same here. There's not enough public data on Ability buffs or Same Type Attack Bonuses for me to be sure.
But the fact does remain...
This shit's about to hit harder than Explosion.
Between the sixteen level difference and the last second order change not giving Houndoom enough time, Ma Ma rips through the Protect like it's made of paper mache.
And with Physical Defense as its worst stat, that very good A-ranked Houndoom has no choice but to fold like a cheap suit.
Lyle starts to panic as he withdraws his ace. "Ninetales! Get some distance!" he orders, throwing out his last hope.
Ninetales: Lv. 37
Nature: Naive
Potential: B
The elegant fox Pokémon lands on the field with both deftness and grace. And then she's off! Sprinting along the edges of our circular arena like a spirit of the wind.
Meanwhile Ma Ma irritably paws at her Burn again.
'Hmm. Options.' We don't have a way to boost our Speed to catch this Ninetales. And without direct eye contact Scary Face won't work. Earthquake would be good here but that's something Ma Ma's still working on. She does have Bulldoze figured out, though unfortunately that's much lower range. Its power falls off pretty hard at a distance. If our opponent's smart he'll try to play keep away and just let the Burn wear us down.
'Which I think this Pokémon could do despite the lower level.' We could switch to Vlad? His skill set could clean this up pretty quick, though I am planning on leading with him in Round two. I'd rather he be as fresh as can be.
"Ma Ma," I intone, deciding on a course of action. "Go take a nap."
The grizzly immediately bends down to start tearing into the earth with Dig. She's not as quick in the technique as the actual Ground-types on my team -with K. Rool in particular being scary fast- but you'd be hard pressed to find any other Normal-types out in the world as proficient about it as her.
"Extrasensory!" The Ninetales drops out of its sprint and swivels in Ma Ma's direction with hackles up and eyes glowing blue. The Psychic-type move travels faster than a Fire one would and succeeds in nailing my Ursaring in the back while she's still above ground.
Ma Ma roars lightly in annoyance but then successfully disappears. Once she's deeper she lets her eyelids go shut and begins to Rest.
Something Lyle is very aware of. Only heaven knows how he was able to decode my incredibly cryptic intentions behind the phrase 'go take a nap'. "Ninetales!" He takes a step forward and swings his arm out. "Flamethrower quick! Fill that hole with fire while it sleeps!"
'And thus he unknowingly makes the worst possible choice.'
Fun fact: Ma Ma does know Sleep Talk but that's not a plan I like to go with. Too uncertain. Too risky. It's a gamble you should only make when you really have no other options. Instead we're going a little more meta today.
Since I'm not planning on using Grundy in this tournament, -because if I can't win without him, then I don't deserve the trophy- that frees up my one Held Item slot that I'm allowed to use for each Round. Of course, I didn't know about this event until the last minute, so my Item choice is rather last minute too.
I needed something quick, cheap, and effective.
So I went with the tried and true, infamous, and really-should-be-used-more-here-on-Poké-earth strat...of Resto Chesto.
Ursaring's paw snaps out of the ground to catch Ninetales by the throat the second the fox is above her makeshift den. The Fire-type tries to cough out its Flamethrower but with a bear's hand on its windpipe, it's a weak anemic little thing.
A rejuvenated and no longer Burned Ma Ma emerges from the earth, hefting Ninetales up high in its grip. She pulls her other arm back...
"I concede!" Lyle blurts out, getting both Ma Ma and me to pause. "I- I concede." he says again, sagging as the life seems to drain out of him.
Huh. Well I guess that's Round 1 done.
How about that?