Bout 008 (Video/Action): A sharp difficulty curve.
On the morning of May 21st, Chie Satonaka decided to challenge the Goldenrod Gym. It was a very spur-of-the-moment thing. She'd just leaned into the breeding center and said, "Hey, guys, I think I'm gonna go hit the gym. Anyone wanna come watch?" So she'd gathered up a few of her friends and made the trip over. She hadn't done any research on Whitney's team and their abilities, or even asked anyone what to expect.
This would come back to bite her.
"Yo! Champ in the making!" a bushy-haired man said as Chie approached, Hitmonlee at her side and the rest of her current line-up following close behind. "This Gym is home to Normal-type Pokémon Trainers. I recommend you use Fighting-type Pokémon."
Chie and Bruce looked at each other, and Chie smirked. She didn't need anyone to tell her that. She was still learning type advantages, but there was one she'd memorized a long time ago: Fighting > Normal. "You wanna handle this, Bruce?" The Hitmonlee just grinned with his eyes and nodded, ready to attack.
... And indeed, once they made their way to the leader of the gym, the first two rounds were embarrassingly one-sided. Bruce had the type advantage and the level advantage, and Whitney's Girafarig and Clefable were knocked out in one shot each. "Oooh, you won't get away with this, you mean old tomboy, you!" Whitney fumed. "Go, Miltank! Use Attract!"
That was where things started to go haywire. Bruce's guard was down, and the Miltank managed to slip that move in before he could strike. Not knowing what it did, Chie ignored it when Bruce seemed unharmed, pointing dramatically. "Finish it off, Bruce! Hi Jump Kick!"
And Bruce... froze up, hearts in his eyes. How could he possibly attack that vision of loveliness? His trainer must be mad, to command him thus. He walked forward, holding out a hand to his newfound love... and was promptly hit with a Zen Headbutt for his trouble, which sent him reeling.
Naturally, Chie's jaw dropped. "Bruce! What the heck are you doing?! Attack her!"
Bruce shook his head. Unthinkable! Surely there was still a chance to win this glorious beauty over. He approached her again... and was rebuffed with a fierce Stomp.
"Didn't you know?" Whitney laughed cheerfully. "Attract makes Pokémon of the opposite gender fall in love! Isn't it just perfect for a cutie like me?"
"You're kidding me. Snap out of it, Bruce!" Chie was practically ready to start pulling her hair out.
At this point, a new challenger entered the fray. Suzuka Gongen sprung from her Pokéball unbidden, floating past Chie at top speed. On the battlefield, she stopped and spun, hand lashing out in a ringing slap --
Across Bruce's face. He staggered back, glaring at the Froslass angrily. "Hit, Hitmon?!" he snapped.
"Froslass! Fros, Fros!" Suzuka Gongen growled back.
The argument went back and forth, rising in volume, until they were screaming at each other, Suzuka Gongen lifting her hand again, Bruce beginning to lift one foot off the ground --
And a shrill whistle cut through the gym, freezing everyone in their tracks. The two Pokémon turned to see Chie, face tight with anger as she stomped toward them. "I dunno, maybe I forgot to mention, but we're supposed to be fighting her!!" she snarled, pointing across the battlefield at Whitney. "What is wrong with you two?!" The pair ducked their heads shamefully, Bruce tracing an embarrassed circle on the ground with a toe. That wasn't enough to placate their trainer, though -- she was already lifting a pair of Pokéballs. "In your balls, both of you!" Chie snapped. "You can come out when you've cooled your heads a little."
Once Hitmonlee and Froslass were safely tucked away, Chie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Sorry about that. I don't know what's the matter with them!"
Whitney, who had watched the whole exchange with startlement plain on her face, let out a nervous laugh. "Nah, that's okay! Should we call it a draw for now so you can figure it out?"
"No way!" was the immediate response. "My team's not down and out yet! Just gimme a sec here..." Chie ran through the rest of the team she'd brought. Goldie was ten levels below the Miltank, Yosuke and Sandy were both at risk of getting Attracted too... Which left one obvious choice. "Come on out, Shadow!"
Chie's Banette leapt from her Pokéball, grinning evilly at the cow across from her as she readied herself. Chie's grin was nearly as wide. "Ha! You can't Attract her, and she's immune to Normal-type attacks! Whaddaya have to say to that?"
Whitney giggled. "One word: Scrappy. Miltank, use Body Slam!" Her Miltank leapt across the battlefield and landed on Shadow, practically flattening her.
"Oh, come on!!"
"Ready to admit defeat?" Whitney asked, batting her eyelashes cutely.
"Rrrrrr... Like heck we are!" Chie retorted. "You can do this, Shadow! Hit her with everything you've got!" Shadow was clearly as determined not to lose as her trainer, rallying with a fierce cry of, "Banette!!"
The battle turned truly fierce then, Shadow and Miltank trading unrelenting blows back and forth, both refusing to give up any ground. But finally the Miltank leapt with another Body Slam... only to be met with a powerful Sucker Punch from below. She tumbled to the side, landing in a heap, tried one last time to push herself to her feet... and collapsed, finally defeated.
"Yes!" Chie pumped both fists in the air. "Shadow, you are a life-saver." The Banette leapt up into Chie's arms for a hug.
And Whitney, as usual, fell to her knees and broke down crying. "We were so clo-ho-hose... Waaaaaaaahhh!!"
Chie would've ordinarily been more sympathetic, but it had been a long, frustrating fight, and she honestly just wanted to leave. "Look, can I just have my badge already?" she groused, rubbing her temples.
"Sniff... Here you go, you... big meanie..."
"Finally." Chie sighed, Shadow following behind her as she walked across the field to pick up her Pokégear. She managed to smile a little as she flashed the badge at the camera:
...and then shut the feed off.
[OOC: Badge approved by the mods, of course!]
This would come back to bite her.
"Yo! Champ in the making!" a bushy-haired man said as Chie approached, Hitmonlee at her side and the rest of her current line-up following close behind. "This Gym is home to Normal-type Pokémon Trainers. I recommend you use Fighting-type Pokémon."
Chie and Bruce looked at each other, and Chie smirked. She didn't need anyone to tell her that. She was still learning type advantages, but there was one she'd memorized a long time ago: Fighting > Normal. "You wanna handle this, Bruce?" The Hitmonlee just grinned with his eyes and nodded, ready to attack.
... And indeed, once they made their way to the leader of the gym, the first two rounds were embarrassingly one-sided. Bruce had the type advantage and the level advantage, and Whitney's Girafarig and Clefable were knocked out in one shot each. "Oooh, you won't get away with this, you mean old tomboy, you!" Whitney fumed. "Go, Miltank! Use Attract!"
That was where things started to go haywire. Bruce's guard was down, and the Miltank managed to slip that move in before he could strike. Not knowing what it did, Chie ignored it when Bruce seemed unharmed, pointing dramatically. "Finish it off, Bruce! Hi Jump Kick!"
And Bruce... froze up, hearts in his eyes. How could he possibly attack that vision of loveliness? His trainer must be mad, to command him thus. He walked forward, holding out a hand to his newfound love... and was promptly hit with a Zen Headbutt for his trouble, which sent him reeling.
Naturally, Chie's jaw dropped. "Bruce! What the heck are you doing?! Attack her!"
Bruce shook his head. Unthinkable! Surely there was still a chance to win this glorious beauty over. He approached her again... and was rebuffed with a fierce Stomp.
"Didn't you know?" Whitney laughed cheerfully. "Attract makes Pokémon of the opposite gender fall in love! Isn't it just perfect for a cutie like me?"
"You're kidding me. Snap out of it, Bruce!" Chie was practically ready to start pulling her hair out.
At this point, a new challenger entered the fray. Suzuka Gongen sprung from her Pokéball unbidden, floating past Chie at top speed. On the battlefield, she stopped and spun, hand lashing out in a ringing slap --
Across Bruce's face. He staggered back, glaring at the Froslass angrily. "Hit, Hitmon?!" he snapped.
"Froslass! Fros, Fros!" Suzuka Gongen growled back.
The argument went back and forth, rising in volume, until they were screaming at each other, Suzuka Gongen lifting her hand again, Bruce beginning to lift one foot off the ground --
And a shrill whistle cut through the gym, freezing everyone in their tracks. The two Pokémon turned to see Chie, face tight with anger as she stomped toward them. "I dunno, maybe I forgot to mention, but we're supposed to be fighting her!!" she snarled, pointing across the battlefield at Whitney. "What is wrong with you two?!" The pair ducked their heads shamefully, Bruce tracing an embarrassed circle on the ground with a toe. That wasn't enough to placate their trainer, though -- she was already lifting a pair of Pokéballs. "In your balls, both of you!" Chie snapped. "You can come out when you've cooled your heads a little."
Once Hitmonlee and Froslass were safely tucked away, Chie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Sorry about that. I don't know what's the matter with them!"
Whitney, who had watched the whole exchange with startlement plain on her face, let out a nervous laugh. "Nah, that's okay! Should we call it a draw for now so you can figure it out?"
"No way!" was the immediate response. "My team's not down and out yet! Just gimme a sec here..." Chie ran through the rest of the team she'd brought. Goldie was ten levels below the Miltank, Yosuke and Sandy were both at risk of getting Attracted too... Which left one obvious choice. "Come on out, Shadow!"
Chie's Banette leapt from her Pokéball, grinning evilly at the cow across from her as she readied herself. Chie's grin was nearly as wide. "Ha! You can't Attract her, and she's immune to Normal-type attacks! Whaddaya have to say to that?"
Whitney giggled. "One word: Scrappy. Miltank, use Body Slam!" Her Miltank leapt across the battlefield and landed on Shadow, practically flattening her.
"Oh, come on!!"
"Ready to admit defeat?" Whitney asked, batting her eyelashes cutely.
"Rrrrrr... Like heck we are!" Chie retorted. "You can do this, Shadow! Hit her with everything you've got!" Shadow was clearly as determined not to lose as her trainer, rallying with a fierce cry of, "Banette!!"
The battle turned truly fierce then, Shadow and Miltank trading unrelenting blows back and forth, both refusing to give up any ground. But finally the Miltank leapt with another Body Slam... only to be met with a powerful Sucker Punch from below. She tumbled to the side, landing in a heap, tried one last time to push herself to her feet... and collapsed, finally defeated.
"Yes!" Chie pumped both fists in the air. "Shadow, you are a life-saver." The Banette leapt up into Chie's arms for a hug.
And Whitney, as usual, fell to her knees and broke down crying. "We were so clo-ho-hose... Waaaaaaaahhh!!"
Chie would've ordinarily been more sympathetic, but it had been a long, frustrating fight, and she honestly just wanted to leave. "Look, can I just have my badge already?" she groused, rubbing her temples.
"Sniff... Here you go, you... big meanie..."
"Finally." Chie sighed, Shadow following behind her as she walked across the field to pick up her Pokégear. She managed to smile a little as she flashed the badge at the camera:
...and then shut the feed off.
[OOC: Badge approved by the mods, of course!]