guardians_song (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
guardians_song) wrote2013-10-13 10:55 pm
guardians_song) wrote2013-10-13 10:55 pm
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Pokemon Blue Nuzlocke Time! (Part 14.5)
Syaoran returns to Viridian City!
Syaoran: H-how?! Aren't you the Aide?
Aide: Kid, I've never seen him in person. He hustled in recently, but with a whole lot of unsavory sorts acting as his bodyguards. Couldn't catch sight of him through that wall of muscle. Not that I'd want to - With his underlings like that, you think I want to go sleep with the Magikarp?
Syaoran: Worse than Sabrina?!
Aide: Okay, I wouldn't go THAT far.
Aide: Though maybe I'm lying, and there are some Fighting-types around too. >_>
((Yeeeeeah, guess how THIS Gym is going to turn out?))
((Syaoran returns to the Pokemon Center to avoid any embarrassing Dig-gone-haywire incidents.))
Syaoran: I just entered the Gym! D:
Cooltrainer: Ahahaha.... Whoops?
Syaoran: Do you OFTEN whip your Pokemon?
Cooltrainer: Ah, they like it.
Syaoran: TMI! TMI!
Syaoran: The power of not beating your Pokemon?
Cooltrainer: Ah, stop hatin', ya brat! Our Leader will beat that outta ya!
Syaoran: ...You realize that your POKEMON will be fighting these battles, not you, right?
Blackbelt: Stop talking sennnnnnnnnnnnnse! RAWR!
Wormtail: I'll say. You realize that Mr. Machoman here was beaten up by a butterfly?
Monarch: A PSYCHIC butterfly, I'll have you recall!
Syaoran: ...So why are you a Gym Trainer rather than signing on for a record label? (:V)
Man: Too mainstream!
Syaoran: Protip: beatings don't aid harmony.
Man: It's all part of my hardcore whip-metal aesthetic. Ask Rhyhorn. What do you think, Rhyhorn?
Rhyhorn: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
Man: See?
Syaoran: Do you?
Man: ...No, but that's beside the point!
Syaoran: Hello, totally useless item!
Cooltrainer: With a whip!
Syaoran: D: TMI! TMI!
Cooltrainer: I wonder if he'll ever realize that I keep intentionally losing to all these Trainers...
Syaoran: D8 TMI!!!
Syaoran: As opposed to Mr. "Your Fate Rests With Me".
Blackbelt: Shut up!
Syaoran: Yes, and you deserved it.
Syaoran: Sure. You "carelessly" threatened my Pokemon, did you?
How did you intend to carry through with that, anyway? Did you plan to steal them and beat them up after you defeated me?
Tamer: H-hey, c-come on -
Syaoran: Something's not right about this Gym. The high proportion of Pokemon-abusers just isn't normal. In fact, I'd think it was against League regulations, wouldn't you?
Tamer: *panics* Come on, kid, you won, lay off -
Syaoran: (...I was going to have a talk with the Gym Leader, once I got to him. And if that didn't work, I was going to report this entire place to the authorities. It seemed an investigation into Viridian's mysterious Gym was long since due.)
Syaoran: o_o Shouldn't you have trained them?
Man: Oh, stop talking sense...
((WARNING: Plot that I forgot to insert contained below. Sorry - completely forgot about the Nido-plotline until I saw the Nidoking screenshots below.))
Syaoran: ...If I may ask. Where did you get that Nidoking?
Cooltrainer: ...None of your business. But once I got it, I trained it long and hard. It doesn't have to answer to you.
Syaoran: ...On my visit back home, I received some tapes from a certain battle at Silph Co. A Nidoqueen who was amongst my companions identified the Nidoqueen she saw there as having identifying marks she remembered from a certain Nidorina who had long since gone missing from the Route 22 clan. There was also a certain Nidorino who had gone missing. And several other Pokemon from the Viridian era, and from...
Now, I called up the Warden of the Safari Zone during my investigation of those tapes, and he commented that Safari Zone had been suffering a great deal of illicit poaching during recent years, preying upon the Rhyhorn and Kangashkan populations in particular. And I remember a certain Mt. Moon operation, during which criminals might have obtained Moon Stones aplenty. I'm not entirely saying you know anything, but -
Cooltrainer: I - how do you know all of this?! I - look, kid, I'm not mixed up in any -
W-wait! Are you - Silph Co. tapes - Y-you're the kid who took on -
Syaoran: *nods*
Cooltrainer: I - Kid, I was just a Grunt! I - I got a Moon Stone from that operation, sure, but this Nidoking's just an ordinary Nidoran who grew up- I ain't got any special -
...Kid, just - just go on ahead and fight the Gym Leader. Maybe you'll find the answers there. His Nidoking and Nidoqueen are somethin' special, I'll agree. Maybe... Well, you'll see. Just... go on. You've beaten everyone else in this Gym, after all, so maybe...
Syaoran: ...Ready, everyone? I don't know what's ahead, but...
*pulls out pad of paper* I have the descriptions. Queen Aria confirmed that her mother is almost certainly the Nidoqueen Giovanni used at Silph. Whoever this person is, he might have her father - and goodness knows how many other poached Pokemon. From what the Warden said, Team Rocket's been distributing rare and powerful Pokemon to its higher-ranking officers extensively. It's our sheer luck that most of the administrators were in Johto when we performed the raids on the Game Corner and the Silph corporate office, or we might never have made it to Giovanni.
Of course, this is assuming the Gym Leader is linked to Team Rocket, and not just one of the many people who've benefited from their black-market schemes. If he's not a Rocket, we might be able to talk fairly to him about the sleazier Trainers in the Gym. If he is... well, he isn't going to be objecting, unfortunately. However it goes, we'll be prepared. Right?
Reservoir: Right!
Syaoran: !!!
Syaoran: (...Giovanni just stood there, smirking at me. He seemed not at all perturbed to see me, and showed not the slightest shred of guilt over being recognized as who he was.
That one Trainer who admitted to being a former Grunt - ha! I wouldn't be surprised if all the Trainers in this Gym were Rockets in plainclothes! I was almost certain that he had both Queen Aria's mother and father... I wished I had her with me to deal out justice to Giovanni in person, but her strength was insufficient for the sort of Trainers that we now battled. She had agreed that she would be satisfied with justice by proxy. Reservoir, with his mighty powers over water, would now serve it to Giovanni in her place.)
Syaoran: (The strength in his body, the cunning in his eyes... It seemed it had served him as well in a legitimate career as it had in his criminal life.)
Syaoran: (...I wondered what desires could drive a man to what he had become when he already had success of which others could only dream in his legal life, but I supposed the traditional answers held.
Greed. Power-lust. Malice. Some desires could not be met by an honest life in any decent society. And so, those who chose to let that rule them turned to crime.)
Syaoran: (...I'd never let that happen to me.
Shaoron... but I didn't know what had happened to Shaoron. Something... I half-swore something wore his flesh and spoke with his mouth, but was not him.
...
...It wasn't the time to think of that now.)
Syaoran: (I advanced towards him, ready for battle...)
Syaoran: You were holding back before?
Giovanni: Grr...
Syaoran: Don't make me laugh! You're not the greatest anything, monster!
Giovanni: We'll see about that, brat!
Syaoran: I may face the darkness, but I'll prevail!
Giovanni: We'll see about that...
Giovanni: Eh?! Don't lie down on the job, you stupid beast!
Syaoran: What matters is the will to win! And how willing do you think your Pokemon are to win for your sake - you, who's mistreated them from the moment they fell into your hands?
Giovanni: Ha! Some are more willing than others! Isn't that right, Dugtrio?
Syaoran: ?!
Ambassador: You - why do you fight for this man?
Dugtrio: Not all colonies agree with your colony's pathetic desire to better all beings, Vermilion Ambassador. Ours values strength, speed, and dominance above all. By siding with the great Giovanni, master of humans, we gain a valuable alliance. For who shall stand in Team Rocket's way, once this little brat is crushed for good?
Ambassador: Fool! He'll only use you in the end, like he uses all the rest!
Dugtrio: Aaaah, but your sort shall be the most used. And isn't that what truly counts in matters of the strong and the weak? Those who degrade, and those who are degraded?
Ambassador: ...Such depravity...
Syaoran: And you'll be far more poorly paid for your wrongdoing than you anticipated! Go, Reservoir! Show them what their "valuable alliance" has earned!
Reservoir: Next?
Syaoran: ...Queen Aria's mother. Do you remember anything?
Giovanni: Ha! So this is the mother of that pathetic Nidoqueen you carried at Celadon? A pity you didn't bring the daughter here - I would have taken pleasure in having the parent enforce discipline upon the child!
Syaoran: ...I know you would have, fiend. Madam - do you -
Nidoqueen: ...Rrrrrrrrrr...
Giovanni: I doubt she remembers her own name. I don't subscribe to your childish leniency in letting slaves retain any self other than what I choose to assign to them. She was a Nidorina of above-average power - that is all I care about with her, and so that is all the importance she has. Now, Nidoqueen, break that Blastoise's shell!
Syaoran: You think it will be that easy?!
Reservoir: ...Aria's a friend of mine, even if we haven't had the chance to talk much these days. I'm sorry about this, on behalf of your daughter, but... it's what must be done.
Giovanni: Rrgh... You stupid failure!
Syaoran: You think it's the Pokemon that failed? And not you?
Syaoran: Let me guess - Queen Aria's father?
Giovanni: *sneers* He was the mate of the Nidoqueen. Beyond that? I know nothing, and do not care.
Syaoran: You wouldn't, would you?
Giovanni: Pokemon are nothing beyond statistics and the techniques they use. Once one opens up a Fissure, your beloved Blastoise will be lost, and all your precious bonds will be as nothing!
Syaoran: Pokemon without the will to fight can't do anything, powerful though they may be. Your Kangashkan's fury was what powered it, not its muscles alone. Without that-
Giovanni: Oh, that thing... I got rid of it long ago. It was useless to me, failing as it did. And its type was incongruous with a Ground-type Gym Leader, besides. Once I returned to this Gym, it was no longer needed.
Syaoran: !!! What did you do to it?!
Giovanni: Ha... as if you care about a foe's Pokemon.
Syaoran: ...That you don't understand any of that... perhaps that's your great failing, "greatest Trainer" or not. You may raise them to high levels, but that's not what matters with Pokemon.
Giovanni: Heh, whatever you say, brat. You'll be singing a different tune soon...
Giovanni: WHAT?! How?
Syaoran: Haven't you noticed?! All your Pokemon collapse with a single strike! They have no will to fight for you, Giovanni! This is your greatest showing as a Gym Leader - and they haven't even touched Reservoir! You can beat Pokemon into submission all you want, and put them through the most brutal training, but it will all mean nothing in the end if they refuse to fight for your sake when the time of judgment is at hand!
Giovanni: I will not suffer preaching from a child! Rhydon, take out this insolent tortoise! Drill through its flimsy shell! Teach it the true meaning of pain!
Syaoran: You haven't been listening at all, have you?
All the power in the world means nothing...
Syaoran: ...if a Pokemon isn't willing to use it.
Giovanni: H...h...ha ha ha... ha ha...
Syaoran: ...And you won't be sneaking off this time. My Pokemon have you surrounded, and they know your tricks. Your Trainers are all defeated within the Gym, and we came in fully healed - they can fend off any cronies who try to ambush us.
Your time is up, Giovanni.
Giovanni: ...Heh... my humiliation was complete. I'll never listen to you, brat, but... I'll admit that perhaps you have some talent I lack.
I'll wish you luck on the Pokemon League challenge, at least. The Elite surpass me - they always have. I was never worthy of their ranks, no matter how hard I tried. Lorelei, Bruno, Lance... even that old hag, Agatha. Time after time, they crushed me without even the appearance of effort.
...Perhaps that's why I...
...Well, the time is past for regrets. I'll go quietly, if not betraying my subordinates. The Kanto Rockets may be crushed, but I have faith in the Johto branch. My Administrators are capable warriors in their own right. Perhaps they'll surpass me?
...I was only ever a Trainer. Never a Master. My rank amongst Trainers was always my greatest pride... but, at the same time, my greatest shame...
Syaoran: ...
((...But he runs off, you say?
...HAHAHAHAHAHA! NOT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR THE FISSURE TM!
I discovered that accidentally, by the way, but I figured I might as well make the Giovanni-doesn't-disappear result a plot point. It's too good to pass up. XD Besides, it provided an opportunity to wrap up the Team Rocket plot, and therefore to reclaim Queen Aria's parents in the long run. I'm getting ahead of myself, but if and when I do an Epilogue, it should be mentioned there.))
Syaoran: ...Wait, how did Shaoron defeat Giovanni before me? And why didn't Giovanni acknowledge that it had occurred, if that did happen?
Syaoran: ...There's something not right about this...
Aide: I - I - Gah! That explains a lot, but - a-am I going to get arrested?! I never did anything, I just stood by the door, and - Aah!
Syaoran: Don't panic - only those who can be shown to have collaborated knowingly in criminal activities will face charges. I'm just standing around here until LEERSPEAR returns from his mission of sending word to all the Leaders and police forces, all right? Once the Trainers recover a bit of their Pokemon's strength, I'm going to be in deep trouble unless I already have reinforcements by that point.
Aide: I - I guess... J-jeez. This isn't what I... I mean, I thought being an aide was a reputable job... This wasn't what I was expecting...
Syaoran: (Sabrina, surprisingly, was the first to show up - "my messenger" hadn't reached the city yet, she explained, but she had a sensation that she was needed here. An hour of meditation and some careful teleportation were sufficient to arrive at the designated destination, apparently. She helped to subdue some of the Blackbelts who were getting ornery, as well as some Grunts found hanging around the area. It turned out that the Gym had a vast underground complex - suitable for the "Ground"-type Gym, I suppose - and it merited a lot of investigation. Once her own Trainers began trickling in, they began conducting exactly that.
...I suppose Giovanni would have used that as an escape route if my Pokemon hadn't been at the ready. How many confrontations with the League had he escaped using his trickery? I would never know...
Koga came second, having used Fearows in the area to Fly his ninjas to Viridian City as quickly as LEERSPEAR had flown to Fuchsia. His trainees revealed secret compartments within the Gym itself with shocking speed. They fared the worse in battles with Ground-types, however, and so joined forces with Sabrina's Psychics to both root out and defeat Giovanni's underlings...
Brock arrived third, but with the Pewter City Police in tow. He explained that rounding them up had been the entire delay, as his own Rock-types were too weak to properly counter Giovanni's forces. The officers, however, were at least able to legally haul defeated Trainers off the scene and confiscate their Pokeballs while they were in custody. Giovanni himself, however, required a conference of the Leaders to pass judgment upon him.
Surge came barreling in fourth, having charged through the route by Diglett's Cave as fast as he could. Useless against Ground-types, he at least, like Brock, had brought as many police officers as his city could spare. And those of Giovanni's Trainers who used Fighting-types were as vulnerable to his shocking assault as any other Trainers. Sabrina and Koga's people welcomed his aid...
Blaine sent word that he would come as soon as ocean travel could be arranged. Misty staggered in long after Surge, having had to take an even longer route than he had; Erika would arrive a day later, extremely bedraggled from the long journey from Celadon. The four Gym Leaders who were present, however, were more than sufficient to restrain Giovanni.
I gave my testimony to the police and was at last released, finding all of Viridian in a stir. Strangely, though, this was a day when all the conspiracy theories were right.
It isn't often that you find out that your Gym Leader's the head of Team Rocket.)
((Behold Syaoran, holder of all eight badges! Being his chatty self, however, this isn't all.))
Reservoir: Syaoran?
Syaoran: ...
...
...
I have... a bad premonition.
Friends, let's... train a bit more, shall we? I feel...
We're not yet ready to take on the League. Just... call it a feeling.
((And so we go off to the abandoned Mansion, as the highest-level spot we can currently access.
Note: I chose L43, Yulong's current level, as the level required of everyone save Yulong, who would be grinded up as far as the Pallet-Cinnabar Swimmers would take him. This was because Yulong might be on Alakazam-duty, and I feared that Alakazam.
Rightly so, as it turned out, but that's all I'll explain for now. Let's save that for the fight, shall we?))
LEERSPEAR: Hm... To have come so far from such paltry beginnings.
Wormtail: ...Hard to believe I started as this pipsqueak little mouse, isn't it?
Syaoran: First Pokemon I ever caught, Wormtail. Don't ever forget that.
Wormtail: ...I was, wasn't I? Huh...
Syaoran: And, of course, you, old friend. You've always been a force to be reckoned with, and now so more than ever.
Reservoir: Eh. You're making me blush.
Monarch: Ah... I've truly become a cultured fellow, haven't I? I've seen the world, met quite a lot of people, done ever so many things...
And no one would ever think to call me the slow one in the classroom again!
Wormtail: Still holding a grudge over that?
Syaoran: I'm proud of all of you, friends. But there's two things I have to do before moving onward...
Pokemon: Eh?
Reservoir: Ha! So I can chill beverages now, eh?
Syaoran: *laughs* Yes, but it will also help you against Grass-types...
Reservoir: ...Don't we have LEERSPEAR for that?
Syaoran: ...
...
...Just in case something goes wrong. That's all.
LEERSPEAR: ...
Syaoran: ...
The League is a hard place. Even the mightiest Trainers find themselves daunted.
It's just... preparations. ...I want to make sure we have a fighting chance under the worst of circumstances.
((WHOOPS! Wrong TM!))
Yulong: ...Hm. So now I can wield the power of the heavens as well.
((Had severe worries about needing to Potion-stall the Alakazam.
Seriously, that is the single-deadliest Pokemon on Gary's team. His Gyarados is strong but weak to electricity, and his Exeggcutor (not present in this run, obviously) and Arcanine are crippled by bad movesets. The Rhydon is a joke to any Water-or-Grass-type, and the Pidgeot is nothing much to speak of. His starter can be deadly, but at least can be countered by an Electric-wielder [if Blastoise], a Water/Rock/Electric-wielder [if Charizard], or Flying/Fire/Psychic-wielder [if Venusaur] without issues. Bonus if the counter outspeeds them.
Alakazam, however? Extremely hard to outspeed, has a ridiculous ~25% critical-hit ratio, carries the Special stat from ****... and has Recover if you can't deal over 50% of its health bar consistently. [Yes, I know, it Recovers most of it anyway. But at least you can wear it down with repeated attacks if it heals over 50%.] Plus it gets STAB on both Psybeam and Psychic, which will either confuse your Pokemon [and thus thoroughly mess it up if it has a high Attack stat, like most any physical counter to the beast] or lower its Special [and thus edge it closer to the coveted OHKO-on-critical Alakazam loves] with a 10% chance - and with its power, it will likely force you into hanging around long enough for that 10% chance to hit if you Potion-stall.
This thing frightens me, and it will continue to frighten me when I enter the Elite Four. I'll grind up to L55 for the League, but I'm not sure if that will be enough against L60 Alakazam. Thing's a hellbeast. You really never learn to appreciate the terror of enemy sweepers until you're doing a Nuzlocke, you know that?))
Syaoran: Use more sunscreen! Waterproof variety!
...
Syaoran: Um... Maybe you shouldn't have stopped to have a Pokemon battle, then? :D;;
Syaoran: ...From a sleazy salesman? :D;;
Syaoran: N-nothing, sir... E-except I'm not trying to be judgmental, but...
Syaoran: D: But you d-
Cue Ball: GET LOST!
Yulong: ...*sigh* Sorry, comrades, but you do need to evolve in times to come.
Magikarp: *croaking* ...we're not worthy...
Syaoran: Do you know what a Gyarados EVOLVES from?
Fisherman: No, what?
Syaoran: -_- A classic excuse...
((As you can see, Yulong's done quite well for itself. Just look at that Attack! *starry eyes* And that Special!
...In all seriousness, remember that Special. That should tell you something about Alakazam when the fight hits.))
Syaoran: D8
Syaoran: ...I'm creeped out... D:
((Preparations for Victory Road. You'll see. >_>))
Syaoran: ...Route 22...
Where I caught Queen Aria, and...
...
That dream...
...Say, everyone? I - just be careful.
Reservoir: That premonition you had?
Syaoran: ...It's stronger than ever. But there was also a dream -
Everyone? Are you ready?
Pokemon: As ready as we'll ever be.
Syaoran: Then - let's go.
(I rounded the corner, only to find-)
((My dream?! Again?
But the dream did not remain a dream...))
Syaoran: ...
Syaoran: ((Darkness spiraled outwards, devouring-))
Syaoran: ...gah...
Syaoran: ...
No.
You know something?
Whatever you are, whoever you are-
I'm not afraid of you.
I braved Pokemon Tower. I faced off against the cruelest Trainer in the land - thrice. I've weathered whatever the world has to throw at me.
No matter whatever darkness you command, my friends are greater than that. I have faith in them.
Syaoran: Grah!
Now, whatever you are, show your-
Shaoron: Ha ha ha! You really believe all that nonsense about your "friends", don't you?
Don't get your hopes up, Syaoran. You're just a pathetic child from a pathetic town. Your delusions of competency end here.
Wormtail: Delusions, eh?
Reservoir: Delusions, you say?
Shaoron: DELUSIONS! And I'll show you that with my next -
Shaoron: ...Heh...
Ahahahahahahaha! A battle between the draconic fish of legend! And so evenly-matched, too! Oh, this ought to be a good one to see! Haven't you recorded the tales of their rampages in your Pokedex, Syaoran? They'll make a ruin of the entire nearby city! So much for your heroism, Syaoran! We'll make a mockery of that for the world to see -
Yulong: No. For I have been taught a technique that your fellow has not, and one that will bring a speedy end to this match.
Shaoran: Eh?!
Yulong: Behold the power of heaven.
Shaoron: Grr... You insolent...
Syaoran: This match is hastening to its conclusion.
Shaoron: Yeah - the conclusion for you!
Enough fooling around! Alakazam, come out! Humiliate this little brat and all his boot-licking companions!
Syaoran: (Boot-licking?)
((Did I say I never get tired of this animation?
Yeah - except when it's being used against me! D:))
Shaoron: Hahahahaa! This is the weakness of humans and their pets! This is the greatness of the Psychic type! Crush him with your mind alone, Alakazam!
Syaoran: The weakness of-?! Reservoir, hang on!
((This must have been taken mid-animation, because Reservoir clearly has less HP in the next screenshot. Either that, or he followed the healed-back-to-full HP with a critical Psychic... D:))
Reservoir: Ugh... Syaoran, there's no way I can hang on against him. One good Psychic, and I'm done for...
Syaoran: Yes... and there's only one Pokemon here with more Special durability than you have.
Yulong... come out. It seems you're our only hope.
Shaoron: Hahahaha! You think you HAVE any hope? You're done for already! You're just holding the line, and coming closer to slipping behind it with every passing moment!
((Must have come in on a Recover. I don't know - this battle was so nightmarish I may have blocked out the memories thereof. D:))
Syaoran: YULONG!
Shaoron: HA! So much for your trump card, Syaoran! You're just a loser, for all your defeats of lesser Trainers, and you'll lose at Pokemon League as well! If you ever got there, that is! I'll see to it that you don't!
Syaoran: We're not... done for... yet...
Shaoron: WHAT? No!
Syaoran: Yes! Thank you, Yulong! THANK YOU!
Yulong: It was... my pleasure...
((I am genuinely unsure what happened here. Obviously Yulong went for the kill after that Psychic, but he only lost 56 HP - i.e. Alakazam only hit him with one Psychic between full recovery and final shot. Did the final Bite critical? Obviously, I didn't pay as much attention as OMGOSH I SURVIVED, but... hm. Very strange thing there. Not that I'm complaining, mind...
Also, that 123 Special took 130 points of damage on a critical. 123 Special. Highest number on my team. But then, that's not so strange when you have a Special-demon with STAB on a 100-power attack with a 25% critical hit ratio zooming in on any creature unlucky enough to fight it. With no chance for resistances, don't you forget about that part.
Do you THINK that Gen-1!Alakazam was maybe just a LITTLE overpowered?
I later figured out that Hypno, with its relatively-high Special, resistance to Psychic, and ability to use physical attacks worth a darn, MIGHT have been intended as a counter. But that's just absurd, since most people would not raise a Hypno just to counter a single Pokemon on Rival's team. I mean... it's possible. But not likely. And it's still ridiculous that the only effective counter to a Psychic-type is a Psychic-type.
Besides which, that critical-hit ratio is absurd no matter how you slice it.
Thank heavens for Dark-and-Steel-types in later generations, that's all I'm saying.))
Shaoron: BLAST IT! Venusaur, take down this -
LEERSPEAR: Leafy greens are an essential part of any bird's diet.
Syaoran: And my friends' skill had nothing to do with it?
Shaoron: You - I would have crushed you if I'd taken greater care - Gah! Blast you! I am inferior to no mere brat of mortal caliber!
Shaoron: Heh... heh heh heh heh...
Syaoran: I need more practice?
Shaoron: Sure! You really think you would have beaten me if I hadn't slipped up? You're just a child, meddling in things he doesn't understand at all!
Syaoran: Who, and what, are you?
Shaoron: No questions, loser!
Syaoran: ...
Reservoir: Syaoran?
Syaoran: ...
...
...
...Shaoron... he always considered himself the "true" Trainer-to-be from Pallet Town. He was arrogant, yes. He was rude, overbearing, pugnacious...
...But this isn't him. It as much as admits it isn't him.
It's not his Alakazam, either. It started earlier than that.
...
...Cerulean. Blaine spoke of it, too.
...There was something in that city. Something wrong.
...Shaoron got to there before I did. And he always liked poking around in places where he shouldn't have been.
...
...
...I wonder...
...
...What got into him in that place?
((Pictured: At LEAST four Hyper Potions used up in that battle. Possibly more - dunno if I had any Hyper Potions before that.
I honestly wonder if you're supposed to have a high chance of losing in that battle. Rival's dialogue only makes sense if you're supposed to have suffered a loss or near-loss. Rhyhorn and Growlithe are Water-fodder, Exeggcute is probably the same if it's present, and Pidgeot got smacked down by a Raticate a few levels below it. That means you're either supposed to suffer causalities against Gyarados - highly possible, if you don't have an Electric-type move at hand - or against the starter - again, highly possible without a counter, but one would think you had a designated starter-counter by now - or -
Yeah, I think that Alakazam is genuinely meant to be a Special sweeper. It would be better if Growlithe/Exeggcute was already evolved, so that the difficulty was more even, but I guess that's the way they preferred it. ))
Syaoran: ...And now...
All right, everyone, here we go!
((Next time: Victory Road!
...And school probably mandates that I not update for a day or two after that, but when I do, it will probably be with the end of the game.
Don't worry, the Shaoron subplot will get wrapped up. I made it fairly obvious what's going on already, but Syaoran doesn't have full context and so doesn't know what everyone else can guess.
Must say, this update is much text-heavier than I guessed. I suppose because I'm feeling well. XD Either that, or it's because skipping over large segments of irrelevant junk actually made me more talkative when I was inspired. Whatever works, I guess. It's good to see I haven't lost my desire for narration.
I continue to be worried about the League, but such is life. I'll be grinding. So long as Yulong, Monarch, LEERSPEAR, Ambassador, and Reservoir can keep themselves together, I may be all right. (With Wormtail providing high-attack hits in a pinch, of course.)
Well, nothing to be done about it but update, work on real life, and wait for a good time to play the grinding-to-L55 segment pre-Elite-Four on Victory Road. The Elite Four have a lot of cheese on their side. Syaoran has a relatively-full pocketbook and Pokemon that have been with him from the very beginning. [Sorry, Sky Terror. LEERSPEAR's Attak and Speed have served me very well, so you weren't rotated off the team in vain.]
If a L55 Clefable can do it, he sure can. ;)
Let's go on to the League!))
Syaoran: H-how?! Aren't you the Aide?
Aide: Kid, I've never seen him in person. He hustled in recently, but with a whole lot of unsavory sorts acting as his bodyguards. Couldn't catch sight of him through that wall of muscle. Not that I'd want to - With his underlings like that, you think I want to go sleep with the Magikarp?
Syaoran: Worse than Sabrina?!
Aide: Okay, I wouldn't go THAT far.
Aide: Though maybe I'm lying, and there are some Fighting-types around too. >_>
((Yeeeeeah, guess how THIS Gym is going to turn out?))
((Syaoran returns to the Pokemon Center to avoid any embarrassing Dig-gone-haywire incidents.))
Syaoran: I just entered the Gym! D:
Cooltrainer: Ahahaha.... Whoops?
Syaoran: Do you OFTEN whip your Pokemon?
Cooltrainer: Ah, they like it.
Syaoran: TMI! TMI!
Syaoran: The power of not beating your Pokemon?
Cooltrainer: Ah, stop hatin', ya brat! Our Leader will beat that outta ya!
Syaoran: ...You realize that your POKEMON will be fighting these battles, not you, right?
Blackbelt: Stop talking sennnnnnnnnnnnnse! RAWR!
Wormtail: I'll say. You realize that Mr. Machoman here was beaten up by a butterfly?
Monarch: A PSYCHIC butterfly, I'll have you recall!
Syaoran: ...So why are you a Gym Trainer rather than signing on for a record label? (:V)
Man: Too mainstream!
Syaoran: Protip: beatings don't aid harmony.
Man: It's all part of my hardcore whip-metal aesthetic. Ask Rhyhorn. What do you think, Rhyhorn?
Rhyhorn: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
Man: See?
Syaoran: Do you?
Man: ...No, but that's beside the point!
Syaoran: Hello, totally useless item!
Cooltrainer: With a whip!
Syaoran: D: TMI! TMI!
Cooltrainer: I wonder if he'll ever realize that I keep intentionally losing to all these Trainers...
Syaoran: D8 TMI!!!
Syaoran: As opposed to Mr. "Your Fate Rests With Me".
Blackbelt: Shut up!
Syaoran: Yes, and you deserved it.
Syaoran: Sure. You "carelessly" threatened my Pokemon, did you?
How did you intend to carry through with that, anyway? Did you plan to steal them and beat them up after you defeated me?
Tamer: H-hey, c-come on -
Syaoran: Something's not right about this Gym. The high proportion of Pokemon-abusers just isn't normal. In fact, I'd think it was against League regulations, wouldn't you?
Tamer: *panics* Come on, kid, you won, lay off -
Syaoran: (...I was going to have a talk with the Gym Leader, once I got to him. And if that didn't work, I was going to report this entire place to the authorities. It seemed an investigation into Viridian's mysterious Gym was long since due.)
Syaoran: o_o Shouldn't you have trained them?
Man: Oh, stop talking sense...
((WARNING: Plot that I forgot to insert contained below. Sorry - completely forgot about the Nido-plotline until I saw the Nidoking screenshots below.))
Syaoran: ...If I may ask. Where did you get that Nidoking?
Cooltrainer: ...None of your business. But once I got it, I trained it long and hard. It doesn't have to answer to you.
Syaoran: ...On my visit back home, I received some tapes from a certain battle at Silph Co. A Nidoqueen who was amongst my companions identified the Nidoqueen she saw there as having identifying marks she remembered from a certain Nidorina who had long since gone missing from the Route 22 clan. There was also a certain Nidorino who had gone missing. And several other Pokemon from the Viridian era, and from...
Now, I called up the Warden of the Safari Zone during my investigation of those tapes, and he commented that Safari Zone had been suffering a great deal of illicit poaching during recent years, preying upon the Rhyhorn and Kangashkan populations in particular. And I remember a certain Mt. Moon operation, during which criminals might have obtained Moon Stones aplenty. I'm not entirely saying you know anything, but -
Cooltrainer: I - how do you know all of this?! I - look, kid, I'm not mixed up in any -
W-wait! Are you - Silph Co. tapes - Y-you're the kid who took on -
Syaoran: *nods*
Cooltrainer: I - Kid, I was just a Grunt! I - I got a Moon Stone from that operation, sure, but this Nidoking's just an ordinary Nidoran who grew up- I ain't got any special -
...Kid, just - just go on ahead and fight the Gym Leader. Maybe you'll find the answers there. His Nidoking and Nidoqueen are somethin' special, I'll agree. Maybe... Well, you'll see. Just... go on. You've beaten everyone else in this Gym, after all, so maybe...
Syaoran: ...Ready, everyone? I don't know what's ahead, but...
*pulls out pad of paper* I have the descriptions. Queen Aria confirmed that her mother is almost certainly the Nidoqueen Giovanni used at Silph. Whoever this person is, he might have her father - and goodness knows how many other poached Pokemon. From what the Warden said, Team Rocket's been distributing rare and powerful Pokemon to its higher-ranking officers extensively. It's our sheer luck that most of the administrators were in Johto when we performed the raids on the Game Corner and the Silph corporate office, or we might never have made it to Giovanni.
Of course, this is assuming the Gym Leader is linked to Team Rocket, and not just one of the many people who've benefited from their black-market schemes. If he's not a Rocket, we might be able to talk fairly to him about the sleazier Trainers in the Gym. If he is... well, he isn't going to be objecting, unfortunately. However it goes, we'll be prepared. Right?
Reservoir: Right!
Syaoran: !!!
Syaoran: (...Giovanni just stood there, smirking at me. He seemed not at all perturbed to see me, and showed not the slightest shred of guilt over being recognized as who he was.
That one Trainer who admitted to being a former Grunt - ha! I wouldn't be surprised if all the Trainers in this Gym were Rockets in plainclothes! I was almost certain that he had both Queen Aria's mother and father... I wished I had her with me to deal out justice to Giovanni in person, but her strength was insufficient for the sort of Trainers that we now battled. She had agreed that she would be satisfied with justice by proxy. Reservoir, with his mighty powers over water, would now serve it to Giovanni in her place.)
Syaoran: (The strength in his body, the cunning in his eyes... It seemed it had served him as well in a legitimate career as it had in his criminal life.)
Syaoran: (...I wondered what desires could drive a man to what he had become when he already had success of which others could only dream in his legal life, but I supposed the traditional answers held.
Greed. Power-lust. Malice. Some desires could not be met by an honest life in any decent society. And so, those who chose to let that rule them turned to crime.)
Syaoran: (...I'd never let that happen to me.
Shaoron... but I didn't know what had happened to Shaoron. Something... I half-swore something wore his flesh and spoke with his mouth, but was not him.
...
...It wasn't the time to think of that now.)
Syaoran: (I advanced towards him, ready for battle...)
Syaoran: You were holding back before?
Giovanni: Grr...
Syaoran: Don't make me laugh! You're not the greatest anything, monster!
Giovanni: We'll see about that, brat!
Syaoran: I may face the darkness, but I'll prevail!
Giovanni: We'll see about that...
Giovanni: Eh?! Don't lie down on the job, you stupid beast!
Syaoran: What matters is the will to win! And how willing do you think your Pokemon are to win for your sake - you, who's mistreated them from the moment they fell into your hands?
Giovanni: Ha! Some are more willing than others! Isn't that right, Dugtrio?
Syaoran: ?!
Ambassador: You - why do you fight for this man?
Dugtrio: Not all colonies agree with your colony's pathetic desire to better all beings, Vermilion Ambassador. Ours values strength, speed, and dominance above all. By siding with the great Giovanni, master of humans, we gain a valuable alliance. For who shall stand in Team Rocket's way, once this little brat is crushed for good?
Ambassador: Fool! He'll only use you in the end, like he uses all the rest!
Dugtrio: Aaaah, but your sort shall be the most used. And isn't that what truly counts in matters of the strong and the weak? Those who degrade, and those who are degraded?
Ambassador: ...Such depravity...
Syaoran: And you'll be far more poorly paid for your wrongdoing than you anticipated! Go, Reservoir! Show them what their "valuable alliance" has earned!
Reservoir: Next?
Syaoran: ...Queen Aria's mother. Do you remember anything?
Giovanni: Ha! So this is the mother of that pathetic Nidoqueen you carried at Celadon? A pity you didn't bring the daughter here - I would have taken pleasure in having the parent enforce discipline upon the child!
Syaoran: ...I know you would have, fiend. Madam - do you -
Nidoqueen: ...Rrrrrrrrrr...
Giovanni: I doubt she remembers her own name. I don't subscribe to your childish leniency in letting slaves retain any self other than what I choose to assign to them. She was a Nidorina of above-average power - that is all I care about with her, and so that is all the importance she has. Now, Nidoqueen, break that Blastoise's shell!
Syaoran: You think it will be that easy?!
Reservoir: ...Aria's a friend of mine, even if we haven't had the chance to talk much these days. I'm sorry about this, on behalf of your daughter, but... it's what must be done.
Giovanni: Rrgh... You stupid failure!
Syaoran: You think it's the Pokemon that failed? And not you?
Syaoran: Let me guess - Queen Aria's father?
Giovanni: *sneers* He was the mate of the Nidoqueen. Beyond that? I know nothing, and do not care.
Syaoran: You wouldn't, would you?
Giovanni: Pokemon are nothing beyond statistics and the techniques they use. Once one opens up a Fissure, your beloved Blastoise will be lost, and all your precious bonds will be as nothing!
Syaoran: Pokemon without the will to fight can't do anything, powerful though they may be. Your Kangashkan's fury was what powered it, not its muscles alone. Without that-
Giovanni: Oh, that thing... I got rid of it long ago. It was useless to me, failing as it did. And its type was incongruous with a Ground-type Gym Leader, besides. Once I returned to this Gym, it was no longer needed.
Syaoran: !!! What did you do to it?!
Giovanni: Ha... as if you care about a foe's Pokemon.
Syaoran: ...That you don't understand any of that... perhaps that's your great failing, "greatest Trainer" or not. You may raise them to high levels, but that's not what matters with Pokemon.
Giovanni: Heh, whatever you say, brat. You'll be singing a different tune soon...
Giovanni: WHAT?! How?
Syaoran: Haven't you noticed?! All your Pokemon collapse with a single strike! They have no will to fight for you, Giovanni! This is your greatest showing as a Gym Leader - and they haven't even touched Reservoir! You can beat Pokemon into submission all you want, and put them through the most brutal training, but it will all mean nothing in the end if they refuse to fight for your sake when the time of judgment is at hand!
Giovanni: I will not suffer preaching from a child! Rhydon, take out this insolent tortoise! Drill through its flimsy shell! Teach it the true meaning of pain!
Syaoran: You haven't been listening at all, have you?
All the power in the world means nothing...
Syaoran: ...if a Pokemon isn't willing to use it.
Giovanni: H...h...ha ha ha... ha ha...
Syaoran: ...And you won't be sneaking off this time. My Pokemon have you surrounded, and they know your tricks. Your Trainers are all defeated within the Gym, and we came in fully healed - they can fend off any cronies who try to ambush us.
Your time is up, Giovanni.
Giovanni: ...Heh... my humiliation was complete. I'll never listen to you, brat, but... I'll admit that perhaps you have some talent I lack.
I'll wish you luck on the Pokemon League challenge, at least. The Elite surpass me - they always have. I was never worthy of their ranks, no matter how hard I tried. Lorelei, Bruno, Lance... even that old hag, Agatha. Time after time, they crushed me without even the appearance of effort.
...Perhaps that's why I...
...Well, the time is past for regrets. I'll go quietly, if not betraying my subordinates. The Kanto Rockets may be crushed, but I have faith in the Johto branch. My Administrators are capable warriors in their own right. Perhaps they'll surpass me?
...I was only ever a Trainer. Never a Master. My rank amongst Trainers was always my greatest pride... but, at the same time, my greatest shame...
Syaoran: ...
((...But he runs off, you say?
...HAHAHAHAHAHA! NOT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR THE FISSURE TM!
I discovered that accidentally, by the way, but I figured I might as well make the Giovanni-doesn't-disappear result a plot point. It's too good to pass up. XD Besides, it provided an opportunity to wrap up the Team Rocket plot, and therefore to reclaim Queen Aria's parents in the long run. I'm getting ahead of myself, but if and when I do an Epilogue, it should be mentioned there.))
Syaoran: ...Wait, how did Shaoron defeat Giovanni before me? And why didn't Giovanni acknowledge that it had occurred, if that did happen?
Syaoran: ...There's something not right about this...
Aide: I - I - Gah! That explains a lot, but - a-am I going to get arrested?! I never did anything, I just stood by the door, and - Aah!
Syaoran: Don't panic - only those who can be shown to have collaborated knowingly in criminal activities will face charges. I'm just standing around here until LEERSPEAR returns from his mission of sending word to all the Leaders and police forces, all right? Once the Trainers recover a bit of their Pokemon's strength, I'm going to be in deep trouble unless I already have reinforcements by that point.
Aide: I - I guess... J-jeez. This isn't what I... I mean, I thought being an aide was a reputable job... This wasn't what I was expecting...
Syaoran: (Sabrina, surprisingly, was the first to show up - "my messenger" hadn't reached the city yet, she explained, but she had a sensation that she was needed here. An hour of meditation and some careful teleportation were sufficient to arrive at the designated destination, apparently. She helped to subdue some of the Blackbelts who were getting ornery, as well as some Grunts found hanging around the area. It turned out that the Gym had a vast underground complex - suitable for the "Ground"-type Gym, I suppose - and it merited a lot of investigation. Once her own Trainers began trickling in, they began conducting exactly that.
...I suppose Giovanni would have used that as an escape route if my Pokemon hadn't been at the ready. How many confrontations with the League had he escaped using his trickery? I would never know...
Koga came second, having used Fearows in the area to Fly his ninjas to Viridian City as quickly as LEERSPEAR had flown to Fuchsia. His trainees revealed secret compartments within the Gym itself with shocking speed. They fared the worse in battles with Ground-types, however, and so joined forces with Sabrina's Psychics to both root out and defeat Giovanni's underlings...
Brock arrived third, but with the Pewter City Police in tow. He explained that rounding them up had been the entire delay, as his own Rock-types were too weak to properly counter Giovanni's forces. The officers, however, were at least able to legally haul defeated Trainers off the scene and confiscate their Pokeballs while they were in custody. Giovanni himself, however, required a conference of the Leaders to pass judgment upon him.
Surge came barreling in fourth, having charged through the route by Diglett's Cave as fast as he could. Useless against Ground-types, he at least, like Brock, had brought as many police officers as his city could spare. And those of Giovanni's Trainers who used Fighting-types were as vulnerable to his shocking assault as any other Trainers. Sabrina and Koga's people welcomed his aid...
Blaine sent word that he would come as soon as ocean travel could be arranged. Misty staggered in long after Surge, having had to take an even longer route than he had; Erika would arrive a day later, extremely bedraggled from the long journey from Celadon. The four Gym Leaders who were present, however, were more than sufficient to restrain Giovanni.
I gave my testimony to the police and was at last released, finding all of Viridian in a stir. Strangely, though, this was a day when all the conspiracy theories were right.
It isn't often that you find out that your Gym Leader's the head of Team Rocket.)
((Behold Syaoran, holder of all eight badges! Being his chatty self, however, this isn't all.))
Reservoir: Syaoran?
Syaoran: ...
...
...
I have... a bad premonition.
Friends, let's... train a bit more, shall we? I feel...
We're not yet ready to take on the League. Just... call it a feeling.
((And so we go off to the abandoned Mansion, as the highest-level spot we can currently access.
Note: I chose L43, Yulong's current level, as the level required of everyone save Yulong, who would be grinded up as far as the Pallet-Cinnabar Swimmers would take him. This was because Yulong might be on Alakazam-duty, and I feared that Alakazam.
Rightly so, as it turned out, but that's all I'll explain for now. Let's save that for the fight, shall we?))
LEERSPEAR: Hm... To have come so far from such paltry beginnings.
Wormtail: ...Hard to believe I started as this pipsqueak little mouse, isn't it?
Syaoran: First Pokemon I ever caught, Wormtail. Don't ever forget that.
Wormtail: ...I was, wasn't I? Huh...
Syaoran: And, of course, you, old friend. You've always been a force to be reckoned with, and now so more than ever.
Reservoir: Eh. You're making me blush.
Monarch: Ah... I've truly become a cultured fellow, haven't I? I've seen the world, met quite a lot of people, done ever so many things...
And no one would ever think to call me the slow one in the classroom again!
Wormtail: Still holding a grudge over that?
Syaoran: I'm proud of all of you, friends. But there's two things I have to do before moving onward...
Pokemon: Eh?
Reservoir: Ha! So I can chill beverages now, eh?
Syaoran: *laughs* Yes, but it will also help you against Grass-types...
Reservoir: ...Don't we have LEERSPEAR for that?
Syaoran: ...
...
...Just in case something goes wrong. That's all.
LEERSPEAR: ...
Syaoran: ...
The League is a hard place. Even the mightiest Trainers find themselves daunted.
It's just... preparations. ...I want to make sure we have a fighting chance under the worst of circumstances.
((WHOOPS! Wrong TM!))
Yulong: ...Hm. So now I can wield the power of the heavens as well.
((Had severe worries about needing to Potion-stall the Alakazam.
Seriously, that is the single-deadliest Pokemon on Gary's team. His Gyarados is strong but weak to electricity, and his Exeggcutor (not present in this run, obviously) and Arcanine are crippled by bad movesets. The Rhydon is a joke to any Water-or-Grass-type, and the Pidgeot is nothing much to speak of. His starter can be deadly, but at least can be countered by an Electric-wielder [if Blastoise], a Water/Rock/Electric-wielder [if Charizard], or Flying/Fire/Psychic-wielder [if Venusaur] without issues. Bonus if the counter outspeeds them.
Alakazam, however? Extremely hard to outspeed, has a ridiculous ~25% critical-hit ratio, carries the Special stat from ****... and has Recover if you can't deal over 50% of its health bar consistently. [Yes, I know, it Recovers most of it anyway. But at least you can wear it down with repeated attacks if it heals over 50%.] Plus it gets STAB on both Psybeam and Psychic, which will either confuse your Pokemon [and thus thoroughly mess it up if it has a high Attack stat, like most any physical counter to the beast] or lower its Special [and thus edge it closer to the coveted OHKO-on-critical Alakazam loves] with a 10% chance - and with its power, it will likely force you into hanging around long enough for that 10% chance to hit if you Potion-stall.
This thing frightens me, and it will continue to frighten me when I enter the Elite Four. I'll grind up to L55 for the League, but I'm not sure if that will be enough against L60 Alakazam. Thing's a hellbeast. You really never learn to appreciate the terror of enemy sweepers until you're doing a Nuzlocke, you know that?))
Syaoran: Use more sunscreen! Waterproof variety!
...
Syaoran: Um... Maybe you shouldn't have stopped to have a Pokemon battle, then? :D;;
Syaoran: ...From a sleazy salesman? :D;;
Syaoran: N-nothing, sir... E-except I'm not trying to be judgmental, but...
Syaoran: D: But you d-
Cue Ball: GET LOST!
Yulong: ...*sigh* Sorry, comrades, but you do need to evolve in times to come.
Magikarp: *croaking* ...we're not worthy...
Syaoran: Do you know what a Gyarados EVOLVES from?
Fisherman: No, what?
Syaoran: -_- A classic excuse...
((As you can see, Yulong's done quite well for itself. Just look at that Attack! *starry eyes* And that Special!
...In all seriousness, remember that Special. That should tell you something about Alakazam when the fight hits.))
Syaoran: D8
Syaoran: ...I'm creeped out... D:
((Preparations for Victory Road. You'll see. >_>))
Syaoran: ...Route 22...
Where I caught Queen Aria, and...
...
That dream...
...Say, everyone? I - just be careful.
Reservoir: That premonition you had?
Syaoran: ...It's stronger than ever. But there was also a dream -
Everyone? Are you ready?
Pokemon: As ready as we'll ever be.
Syaoran: Then - let's go.
(I rounded the corner, only to find-)
((My dream?! Again?
But the dream did not remain a dream...))
Syaoran: ...
Syaoran: ((Darkness spiraled outwards, devouring-))
Syaoran: ...gah...
Syaoran: ...
No.
You know something?
Whatever you are, whoever you are-
I'm not afraid of you.
I braved Pokemon Tower. I faced off against the cruelest Trainer in the land - thrice. I've weathered whatever the world has to throw at me.
No matter whatever darkness you command, my friends are greater than that. I have faith in them.
Syaoran: Grah!
Now, whatever you are, show your-
Shaoron: Ha ha ha! You really believe all that nonsense about your "friends", don't you?
Don't get your hopes up, Syaoran. You're just a pathetic child from a pathetic town. Your delusions of competency end here.
Wormtail: Delusions, eh?
Reservoir: Delusions, you say?
Shaoron: DELUSIONS! And I'll show you that with my next -
Shaoron: ...Heh...
Ahahahahahahaha! A battle between the draconic fish of legend! And so evenly-matched, too! Oh, this ought to be a good one to see! Haven't you recorded the tales of their rampages in your Pokedex, Syaoran? They'll make a ruin of the entire nearby city! So much for your heroism, Syaoran! We'll make a mockery of that for the world to see -
Yulong: No. For I have been taught a technique that your fellow has not, and one that will bring a speedy end to this match.
Shaoran: Eh?!
Yulong: Behold the power of heaven.
Shaoron: Grr... You insolent...
Syaoran: This match is hastening to its conclusion.
Shaoron: Yeah - the conclusion for you!
Enough fooling around! Alakazam, come out! Humiliate this little brat and all his boot-licking companions!
Syaoran: (Boot-licking?)
((Did I say I never get tired of this animation?
Yeah - except when it's being used against me! D:))
Shaoron: Hahahahaa! This is the weakness of humans and their pets! This is the greatness of the Psychic type! Crush him with your mind alone, Alakazam!
Syaoran: The weakness of-?! Reservoir, hang on!
((This must have been taken mid-animation, because Reservoir clearly has less HP in the next screenshot. Either that, or he followed the healed-back-to-full HP with a critical Psychic... D:))
Reservoir: Ugh... Syaoran, there's no way I can hang on against him. One good Psychic, and I'm done for...
Syaoran: Yes... and there's only one Pokemon here with more Special durability than you have.
Yulong... come out. It seems you're our only hope.
Shaoron: Hahahaha! You think you HAVE any hope? You're done for already! You're just holding the line, and coming closer to slipping behind it with every passing moment!
((Must have come in on a Recover. I don't know - this battle was so nightmarish I may have blocked out the memories thereof. D:))
Syaoran: YULONG!
Shaoron: HA! So much for your trump card, Syaoran! You're just a loser, for all your defeats of lesser Trainers, and you'll lose at Pokemon League as well! If you ever got there, that is! I'll see to it that you don't!
Syaoran: We're not... done for... yet...
Shaoron: WHAT? No!
Syaoran: Yes! Thank you, Yulong! THANK YOU!
Yulong: It was... my pleasure...
((I am genuinely unsure what happened here. Obviously Yulong went for the kill after that Psychic, but he only lost 56 HP - i.e. Alakazam only hit him with one Psychic between full recovery and final shot. Did the final Bite critical? Obviously, I didn't pay as much attention as OMGOSH I SURVIVED, but... hm. Very strange thing there. Not that I'm complaining, mind...
Also, that 123 Special took 130 points of damage on a critical. 123 Special. Highest number on my team. But then, that's not so strange when you have a Special-demon with STAB on a 100-power attack with a 25% critical hit ratio zooming in on any creature unlucky enough to fight it. With no chance for resistances, don't you forget about that part.
Do you THINK that Gen-1!Alakazam was maybe just a LITTLE overpowered?
I later figured out that Hypno, with its relatively-high Special, resistance to Psychic, and ability to use physical attacks worth a darn, MIGHT have been intended as a counter. But that's just absurd, since most people would not raise a Hypno just to counter a single Pokemon on Rival's team. I mean... it's possible. But not likely. And it's still ridiculous that the only effective counter to a Psychic-type is a Psychic-type.
Besides which, that critical-hit ratio is absurd no matter how you slice it.
Thank heavens for Dark-and-Steel-types in later generations, that's all I'm saying.))
Shaoron: BLAST IT! Venusaur, take down this -
LEERSPEAR: Leafy greens are an essential part of any bird's diet.
Syaoran: And my friends' skill had nothing to do with it?
Shaoron: You - I would have crushed you if I'd taken greater care - Gah! Blast you! I am inferior to no mere brat of mortal caliber!
Shaoron: Heh... heh heh heh heh...
Syaoran: I need more practice?
Shaoron: Sure! You really think you would have beaten me if I hadn't slipped up? You're just a child, meddling in things he doesn't understand at all!
Syaoran: Who, and what, are you?
Shaoron: No questions, loser!
Syaoran: ...
Reservoir: Syaoran?
Syaoran: ...
...
...
...Shaoron... he always considered himself the "true" Trainer-to-be from Pallet Town. He was arrogant, yes. He was rude, overbearing, pugnacious...
...But this isn't him. It as much as admits it isn't him.
It's not his Alakazam, either. It started earlier than that.
...
...Cerulean. Blaine spoke of it, too.
...There was something in that city. Something wrong.
...Shaoron got to there before I did. And he always liked poking around in places where he shouldn't have been.
...
...
...I wonder...
...
...What got into him in that place?
((Pictured: At LEAST four Hyper Potions used up in that battle. Possibly more - dunno if I had any Hyper Potions before that.
I honestly wonder if you're supposed to have a high chance of losing in that battle. Rival's dialogue only makes sense if you're supposed to have suffered a loss or near-loss. Rhyhorn and Growlithe are Water-fodder, Exeggcute is probably the same if it's present, and Pidgeot got smacked down by a Raticate a few levels below it. That means you're either supposed to suffer causalities against Gyarados - highly possible, if you don't have an Electric-type move at hand - or against the starter - again, highly possible without a counter, but one would think you had a designated starter-counter by now - or -
Yeah, I think that Alakazam is genuinely meant to be a Special sweeper. It would be better if Growlithe/Exeggcute was already evolved, so that the difficulty was more even, but I guess that's the way they preferred it. ))
Syaoran: ...And now...
All right, everyone, here we go!
((Next time: Victory Road!
...And school probably mandates that I not update for a day or two after that, but when I do, it will probably be with the end of the game.
Don't worry, the Shaoron subplot will get wrapped up. I made it fairly obvious what's going on already, but Syaoran doesn't have full context and so doesn't know what everyone else can guess.
Must say, this update is much text-heavier than I guessed. I suppose because I'm feeling well. XD Either that, or it's because skipping over large segments of irrelevant junk actually made me more talkative when I was inspired. Whatever works, I guess. It's good to see I haven't lost my desire for narration.
I continue to be worried about the League, but such is life. I'll be grinding. So long as Yulong, Monarch, LEERSPEAR, Ambassador, and Reservoir can keep themselves together, I may be all right. (With Wormtail providing high-attack hits in a pinch, of course.)
Well, nothing to be done about it but update, work on real life, and wait for a good time to play the grinding-to-L55 segment pre-Elite-Four on Victory Road. The Elite Four have a lot of cheese on their side. Syaoran has a relatively-full pocketbook and Pokemon that have been with him from the very beginning. [Sorry, Sky Terror. LEERSPEAR's Attak and Speed have served me very well, so you weren't rotated off the team in vain.]
If a L55 Clefable can do it, he sure can. ;)
Let's go on to the League!))