Chapter 8

[fullmoonstory]

Okay everyone! If we're going to try to do this then we need some real practice!

[Estelle is in the outskirts of Ecruteak. The gear is sitting on a rock nearby, and Chingling (exempt from training because of its 'age') has just bounced on all the right buttons to make it record.

After several minutes it's clear Estelle really has very little control

Comments

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

[Athrun is headed out to do some training himself, but stops when he sees Estelle and her Pokémon.]

...Do you mind if I give you a hand?

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

[a quiet sigh]

That would probably be best. I was really hoping we would be able to get ourselves together.

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

All right, I'll see what I can do. Let's focus on one at a time for now, so pick one and call all of the rest back.

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

All right. [Estelle taps her chin while surveying her Pokemon, finally calling back all of them except Teddiursa (and Chingling, who just likes to watch.] There.

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

This one's a timid one, isn't it? As I recall, it was standing against your Pidgeotto.

I think I know what the problem was there -- the difference in strength was too great. I'm going to suggest taking it down to Route 37 and train against the wild Pokémon there. If you'd like, though, I could join you and we could battle them in Double Battles.

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

Are you sure? If you're busy, I know we'll be okay...

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

Start out on your own if you're feeling confident, then. However, if progress is still too slow, give me a call and I'll help out. I think Koffing is close to evolving, so I'd be more than happy to bring him along.

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

Ah...I'm not feeling too confident but with enough practice I think we can do anything!

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

All right. Well, let's move on to the others.

The Houndoom and Pidgeotto...were they just not listening to your commands?

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

Oh, Raven was listening! He's very good at following directions. [not like the real-life Raven at all...]

I don't think Lambert really...wants to listen to me. He used to belong to Yuri.

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

If that's the case, then the best course of action would probably be to prove your worth to him. The best way to do that would be to get some more gym badges, but...well, that leads to a circuitous problem, so we can't do that.

Either you'll have to be more stern with him, or give him a goal to strive for.

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

In order to do that I think I'd have to go back to Azalea Town, first. ...I've been thinking about it, but I don't want to just leave all of you and maybe not catch up again.

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

I'm not so sure the Hive Badge would be enough. I think you'd really need the Fog Badge.

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

But I think I need Lambert's help for that.

[Action]

[shieldofjustice]

Not necessarily. I know for a fact that Pidgeotto can learn attacks of types other than Normal. Gust, Twister, and Wing Attack will all work, and they won't be able to harm him with Ghost-type attacks.

And let's see...

[Athrun pulls out his Pokédex and fiddles with it.]

Sunny should be able to learn a Dark-type attack, Fling. Ghosts are weak against Dark-type attacks, and Sunny's a Normal-type.

And... Teddiursa learns a couple Dark-type attack moves, too. So if you train the rest of your team enough, you've got a fantastic set to take on Morty.

[Action]

[fullmoonstory]

...I suppose we could. I hope that's going to be enough.

I don't want...to hold you all up, when you're ready to go. [and she doesn't want to suggest that she just stay behind, either.]