Since it looks like we'll be taking the time to do a bit of training I'd like to know Daemon Hunter how many TMs Violet can afford at present, and if you want us to specify what we're looking for when taking the action.
For that, Violet can currently afford 3 TMs at this time and it'll be followed by a second vote on what TMs you wish to purchase.
On that note, as it looks like voting has died down. Looks like Week 23 is when you'll challenge the gym. Which does allow for some fun training arcs in the meantime. That and the small possibility of other fun encounters.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Jul 22, 2024 at 9:58 PM, finished with 8 posts and 7 votes.
[X] Week 23 - Taking a few days to prepare, you would face the attendant next week then Sabrina the week after. It would allow you to train some of your Pokemon beforehand.
[X] Week 22 - Choosing to face the gym almost immediately, you will have to face the attendant then Gym Leader Sabrina within the same week. You could do it, but it would take the entire week.
[X] Week 23 - Taking a few days to prepare, you would face the attendant next week then Sabrina the week after. It would allow you to train some of your Pokemon beforehand.
After dinner, Violet, Willow, and her parents spent a few hours touring Saffron City with the most energetic trainer in the group showing off some of the sights. Most of them Violet had already seen when she first visited the city, so she was more quiet than usual. It was also getting late, and she had spent most of her social battery at this point.
Her parents must have realized it, as they said they had to rest for the night despite not being tired. Violet appreciated it, even if she now had a social introduction to prepare for.
Walking towards Willow's home, Violet was glad that her friend could talk for the two of them. Talking at length about her parents, some of her favorite sights, and how she loved Sabrina's battling style to the point that she was saving the Saffron City Gym for her last badge. Violet was mostly quiet, occasionally asking a question or two here or there.
Approaching Willow's home, Violet looked over it, her eyes trailing across the townhouse. It appeared smaller than her home in Celadon, but that was likely due to the location rather than anything else. Homes in a city were likely far more expensive.
As the two trainers approached the door, it immediately banged open as what appeared to be an older version of Willow ran out. "Willow! It's been so long, how have you been? How long are you staying?"
"Great! I've seen so many cool Pokemon and people, I'll be here for a few weeks, not sure how long." Willow replied entirely unfazed at the sheer exuberance on display.
"And you must be Violet, I hope Willow isn't dragging you around too much," Violet felt like a deer in headlights as she suddenly understood how exactly Willow became the way she was. "How has your journey been? I heard you have a Dratini, how did you two meet? It must have been quite the day."
"Uh…" Violet eloquently explained, glancing at Willow for help.
"She's like dad," that wasn't what Violet expected, but Willow's mother seemed to understand as she let out an understanding sound.
"Well then dear, you should come in and wash up," Willow's mother pivoted on her heels like a dancer holding the door for the two girls. "We have a spare room upstairs, feel free to unpack. We'll have dinner in a few minutes."
Willow walked in first, followed by a notably more hesitant Violet who forced herself to address the other woman in the room. "Th-thanks f-for having me."
The older woman gave her a soft smile, "It's nothing dear, it's the least I can do for one of Willow's friends."
Violet didn't respond, giving a slight nod before turning towards the stairs, only pausing slightly when she noticed Willow chatting away with her father in the kitchen. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that Willow was speaking while her father was mostly listening and occasionally responding with short sentences. …she really was like Willow's dad.
After unpacking her stuff, which took just a few minutes, Violet took a brief shower in the attached bedroom. Then she took a few minutes to just lie down in bed to relax. It had been a long day of socializing with multiple people. She could handle one-on-one interactions easily as evidenced by continuing to enjoy her time with Willow. Group talks were another matter, and now she had to deal with what could be described as a doubling of Willows.
…Tetsuya could never meet Willow's family. She couldn't imagine having to deal with three high-energy individuals at once.
Eventually, Violet was forced to continue socializing. Although knowing Willow, she probably could have just asked if she could have dinner later. But she knew her friend would be sad as would Willow's parents. So eventually, Violet slowly walked downstairs where Willow and her mother were now chatting with each other and occasionally dragging Willow's father into the conversation.
The dad was the one who saw her first, giving her an understanding look followed by a slight nod of the head.
Violet responded with a similar nod before glancing towards Willow and her mother.
Willow's dad shrugged his shoulders before smiling slightly. Then he glanced at Willow and then at Violet with an inquisitive look.
This time Violet shrugged, before thumbing Dratini's Pokeball.
While it was nice to have a nonverbal conversation as an introduction, it couldn't last forever. And eventually, she would be noticed by the distracted mother-daughter pair. "H-hello Willow's mom. Hi, Willow's dad."
"Oh please dear, call me Aunt Hazel." The older woman said, "How has your journey been? Willow has told me quite a bit about you."
The exuberance on display was less than the introduction at the door, something that brought Violet some relief. Now that she was at a more manageable level, Violet didn't feel as intimidated. "It's been good." She said softly. "I've seen a lot of nice places."
"The caves?" Willow's father entered the conversation for a moment.
Violet nodded, thinking back to her first adventures in them. "Cerulean City has some nice ones. And the Rock Tunnel is well known."
"Oh?" Aunt Hazel interjected. "Do you have any other places you plan to visit? I know a fair few around Kanto."
"Let me tell you about some of them," Willow added, beginning to explain a few of the places her mom recommended.
The rest of the night proceeded in a similar manner. Willow and her mother talked the vast majority of the time and repeatedly directed questions at Violet. Every now and then Willow's father would add to the conversation, but he was more comfortable listening rather than talking. During the talk, Violet learned a fair bit about Willow's family. Her mother was a background dancer for a few artists and her father was an engineer for Silph Co that had been working on alternate versions of the Pokeball.
Eventually though, Violet did feel the urge to sleep, which left her to plan the following week.
The 22nd Week, Pick 1
Pokemon Actions
[-] Catch a fifth Pokemon - Now that your team has its core members, a fifth and sixth member would be useful and have more possible options. However, it's still quite early for that. Locked.
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills. Several of them are near breakthroughs so training would help considerably.
[] Buy and Use TMs/HMs - You're a big enough trainer to afford TMs and HMs for your Pokemon. You should take advantage of it when you can.
[-] Train with Willow's Pokemon - While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other. Unfortunately, Willow is busy this week.
[] Review Past Battles - You were so close to beating Flynn, and some of the tricks he tried are giving you ideas. Going over your past battles may help with that.
Battling Actions
[] Challenge New Trainers - Now that you and your Pokemon have developed, fighting a few trainers in rapid succession would be easy.
[] Challenge an Experienced Trainer - Some trainers in the area have two badges, beating them may be a good experience.
[] Look into the Surge in Wild Pokemon Encounters - A lot of trainers have reported being attacked by Eevee on the outskirts of the city. One of the gym attendants was dispatched but hasn't been seen since.
[X] Challenge a Saffron Gym Attendant - You need to face one of the attendants before you're allowed to face Sabrina. The gym is oddly tense for reasons you don't know.
[-] Challenge the Saffron City Gym - Gym Leader Sabrina is one of the more intimidating trainers due to her psychic powers. But she is also an extremely experienced leader with a reputation for having her challenges be notably harder than the norm.
Exploration Actions
[] See the Sights Inside the City - There are a number of interesting attractions in Saffron City. You saw a fair few last time you were here, but far from all.
[] See the Sights Outside the City - With Diglett Cave nearby, it could be fun to spend a few days exploring the cave system and see what interesting locations and Pokemon are within.
[] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Saffron City is a large metropolis with a number of rather unconventional places to explore. See what you can find.
Traveling Actions
*You plan to face the Saffron Gym soon. You can't leave just yet.
Social Actions (For socials, it's assumed you keep up a basic level of contact through text, choosing a social means I write it up)
[] Meet your parents - Your parents are currently touring the city, mainly the places you already visited. While they would understand if you were busy, they would appreciate it if you joined them.
[] Meet Tetsuya - An old childhood friend of yours, the two of you drifted off recently. He has decided to try and figure out what is with the surge in Eevee but first plans to train his Pokemon.
[-] Meet Willow's Family - You're currently staying with Willow's family but they are rather busy with Willow who is herself busy visiting people she knows in the city. It'd be awkward to join her.
Alright, I'll be calling the vote here. It looks like buying TMs and HMs wins. I will say that I am slightly surprised at how many people voted for two options here, but approval voting works well enough so I'm fine with it.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Jul 24, 2024 at 10:34 PM, finished with 7 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Buy and Use TMs/HMs - You're a big enough trainer to afford TMs and HMs for your Pokemon. You should take advantage of it when you can.
[X] Meet your parents - Your parents are currently touring the city, mainly the places you already visited. While they would understand if you were busy, they would appreciate it if you joined them.
[X] Buy and Use TMs/HMs - You're a big enough trainer to afford TMs and HMs for your Pokemon. You should take advantage of it when you can.
The first step before facing the gym was simple for Violet. It involved using some of the money she had earned from beating two gyms to purchase TMs. There were so many moves that could prove instrumental to her Pokemon, with Dratini, in particular, certain to benefit from various Dragon-type moves. Not to mention the sheer utility Pineco would gain from learning how to use hazard moves like Stealth Rock.
And that didn't even get into some of the most powerful moves such as Hyper Beam or Steel Beam. Those would admittedly be harder to find, even in Saffron City. They were significantly rarer due to the power those moves had. Not to mention they had to be built to higher quality standards due to the complexity inherent to such strong moves. Nonetheless, Violet had time to search high and low for TMs and HMs, managing to slowly locate nearly every move her Pokemon could learn.
The only exceptions were Giga Impact, Draco Meteor, and Solar Beam. Those were sadly unavailable for her due to some sellers restricting their moves to trainers with 4 or 6 badges. She did find other similarly powerful moves elsewhere, but those three were only found in those specialty shops. Albeit a few of the more accessible shops did admit they sometimes had them in stock, usually when there was a slight excess and the specialty stores elected to sell them to stores intended for less experienced trainers.
Regardless, after managing to purchase three TMs for her Pokemon, Violet approached the Saffron City Gym, carefully studying it before actually entering.
Gym Leader Sabrina specialized in Psychic Pokemon which synergizes well with her psychic abilities. A powerful trainer capable of occasionally defeating a member of the Elite 4, her gym is known for refusing to accept one or two-badge fights. Additionally, there have been complaints about the difficulty of her three and four-badge fights, with an investigation currently underway to determine the truth of the matter.
Her attendants were the main method by which the gym interacted with the city itself. Sabrina rarely intervened in matters, but when she did, it was almost always due to some sort of disaster. As such, there was a disconnect between the city and the gym, which was further stressed by the presence of the Fighting Dojo which was trying to become an official gym.
Violet mentally cycled through her list of Pokemon, trying to figure out who she would use today. She'd been using Chansey and Magnemite a lot recently, and the latter had grown considerably from their battle with Flynn. However, Pineco had the type advantage and Dratini was raring to go himself. All four would be used against Sabrina, but for the fight with the attendant only one could be used.
Stepping into the gym, Violet wasn't given a single moment to prepare before she was immediately greeted by a gym attendant. "A three-badge fight?"
Violet blinked, looking the attendant up and down as she processed his question. The man in front of her appeared to be in his 50s and had four Pokeballs on his belt with another two floating above his shoulders. Looking around the room, she spotted an odd pad towards the right of the room and curiously enough no doors. Then there was a set of statues welcoming trainers that seemed to have an odd pattern of dots split among the two. "Ye-yeah."
She wondered how he knew that. Which caused the attendant to smirk. "Find your way to the gym leader, and you earn the right to challenge her." He gestured towards the pad before his eyes narrowed. "Be ready to fight the moment you enter."
Immediately grabbing Pineco's Pokeball, Violet mentally prepared herself for what was to come. Perhaps it would be a gauntlet, perhaps she'd simply fight another trainer without being able to prepare. She likely could have found out more through online searches, but she was also very willing to face off against the gym blind. She would learn more from it this way. "Alright, we can do this."
Violet stepped forward onto the pad and entered the gauntlet. At this moment, she was quite glad her Pokemon had learned a few new moves which would prove useful in the days to come.
Pick 3 TMs
Move
Agility
Blizzard
Body Slam
Brick Break
Bug Buzz
Bulldoze
Calm Mind
Charge Beam
Charm
Chilling Water
Confuse Ray
Dazzling Gleam
Dig
Disarming Voice
Dragon Dance
Dragon Pulse
Dragon Tail
Drain Punch
Drill Run
Earthquake
Eerie Impulse
Electric Terrain
Electro Ball
Endure
Facade
Fire Blast
Fire Punch
Fire Spin
Flamethrower
Flash Cannon
Fling
Focus Blast
Giga Drain
Grass Knot
Heavy Slam
Helping Hand
Hydro Pump
Hyper Beam
Hyper Voice
Ice Beam
Ice Punch
Ice Spinner
Icy Wind
Iron Defense
Iron Head
Light Screen
Metronome
Outrage
Poison Jab
Pounce
Protect
Psychic
Rain Dance
Reflect
Rest
Reversal
Rock Blast
Rock Slide
Rock Tomb
Sandstorm
Seed Bomb
Shadow Ball
Skill Swap
Sleep Talk
Snowscape
Spikes
Stealth Rock
Steel Beam
Stomping Tantrum
Stored Power
Struggle Bug
Substitute
Sunny Day
Surf
Swift
Take Down
Tera Blast
Thief
Thunder
Thunder Punch
Thunder Wave
Thunderbolt
Toxic Spikes
Trailblaze
Venoshock
Volt Switch
Water Pulse
Waterfall
Wild Charge
Zen Headbutt
Alright, I'll be calling the vote here. Looks like Outrage, Stealth Rock, and Flash Cannon win, notably helping out a fair few of your Pokemon in terms of strength.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Jul 26, 2024 at 6:42 PM, finished with 13 posts and 9 votes.
Edit: So, you do manage to get through the gauntlet that the Saffron Gym offers, with Chansey, in particular, carrying the team thanks to stall letting them rest up. Magnemite's stamina causes some issues, but while Dratini has some issues getting used to Outrage, he, Pineco, and Chansey do enough to get through the gauntlet. Although at the end of it, everyone is very banged up. With Pineco in particular being at 1 HP due to using Explosion at the end.
Violet stepped into the first room and was beset upon by a Slowpoke. Its Headbutt was absorbed by Pineco's Protect which led to a Disable from the Water/Psychic Pokemon. Violet then ordered Pineco to go on the offensive, utilizing Bug Bite to devastating effect. Just as her opponent used Disable once more, the shy trainer quickly swapped to Magnemite, taking advantage of the moment before ending the fight with Thunder Shock.
The attendant adjusted his coat, letting a second Pokeball float upwards followed closely behind by a third. "A good start," he complimented with an expression that conveyed a faint level of praise alongside disinterest. "But how long can you keep it up?"
A second Slowpoke emerged, but this one was far less interested in removing Violet's options. Instead, it began to use Curse, providing Violet just enough time to have Magnemite be as aggressive as possible. Back-to-back Sparks followed, the trainer correctly realizing that Slowpoke was simply too slow of a target to evade the telegraphed blows. At the end of the exchange, Magnemite still stood, albeit mildly injured from the curse.
Then a third Slowpoke emerged, and Violet sighed. "There's six of you, aren't there?" It was a simple deduction based on what she had seen of the room's size. When compared to the gym's exterior, they could only fit a total of 9 of these rooms within it. Of which one was the entrance and another two would be needed for the official arena.
"You'll find out soon enough," the attendant said, trying to hide an amused expression at what was clearly her statement. Realizing her assumption was wrong, Violet begun to mull over the possibilities even as she continued the battle. There were not six attendants ready for her, but was it more or less?
The third Slowpoke charged Magnemite, absorbing a Spark before a Headbutt knocked Magnemite backwards. Then a second one followed while the Magnet Pokemon tried to regain their bearings, leaving Violet to hurriedly switch in Chansey who easily absorbed the blow. Unlike prior battles, however, Violet didn't use her to stall. Instead, she ordered the Egg Pokemon to "Sing!"
Slowpoke fell asleep, and Magnemite was too good to miss a target that was stationary.
After beating the first room, Violet stepped onto the available platform, causing her to be teleported to a room with another Psychic trainer. This time, she was faced with a Kadabra.
"Dratini! Don't let him move!" The Mirage Pokemon emerged from his Pokeball with a battle cry, immediately using Wrap to grapple the Psi Pokemon. Kadabra attempted to use Ally Switch only for Dratini's Thunder Wave to distract him at the critical moment. The second time, they were able to do so, only for Dratini to immediately use the same sequence of moves on Mr. Mime, causing the attendant no small amount of frustration. With both Pokemon paralyzed, Violet then had Pineco swap in and use her type advantage to ensure victory. Even if she took a few blows in the process.
The third room contained a woman in a garb she recognized from the Pokemon Tower, which had her own guard immediately as a Haunter was placed face to face with Chansey. What followed was a literal two hour long battle where Violet ensured her remaining Pokemon were healthy. The Egg Pokemon herself swapped between Disarming Voice, Life Dew, and Sweet Kiss (after maximizing the effect of Charm). In full honesty, Violet felt a little bad about it, but this way she ensured her Pokemon were ready for the rest of the fights.
The attendant clearly didn't like her reasoning based on the glare she received after Haunter finally fainted.
A single Slowpoke was in the next room alongside his shirtless trainer. That caused Violet pause before she forced herself to ignore it. Unleashing Magnemite once more, she was a little disappointed to see so many Slowpokes in the gym. She bought the TM for Flash Cannon for a reason, but hadn't used it once so far!
The fight ended in her favor, but Magnemite was clearly flagging, their stamina not up to par with where she needed it to be. Nonetheless, they had defeated multiple Pokemon thus far so Violet didn't complain about it.
The fifth fight was against a psychic who had four Pokeballs ominously floating around her, and Violet knew how to start this fight off. Letting Pineco be hit by the opponent's Mr. Mime, she used Stealth Rock to ensure she had an available Hazard. After which, Pineco was replaced by Magnemite who at last used Flash Cannon to absurd effect as the super effective move struck the ill-prepared Barrier Pokemon.
A Gastly emerged next only to find itself facing a Chansey and swapping out to Slowpoke. And Violet forced yet another switch when Magnemite came into the battle. The psychic attendant gave her a look that conveyed both frustration and praise even as she swapped to her last Pokemon, Kadabra.
Dratini emerged next for Violet, forcing his way through an utterly brutal Psycho Cut to land the first of three Outrages. The first struck Kadabra, the second a Slowpoke guarded by Reflect. And the third caused Slowpoke to faint even as Yawn ensured Dratini fell asleep then and there.
The rest of the fight with an injured Kadabra and Gastly was easy, with Pineco handling the former and Chansey the latter.
The following hour-long fight gave Violet enough time to check on her Pokemon, and chat briefly with the attendant who was more amused at the fight lasting as long as it did.
The last room was a triple battle that Violet solved through the use of Pineco. A mere second after she stepped into the room, Violet spotted the three trainer waiting for her. And crucially, there wasn't a single Ghost Pokemon among them.
"Pineco," she didn't even have to give the order. The Bagworm Pokemon was already using the move she asked for. "Self-Destruct."
Finally, Violet had made it to the end of the gauntlet where the gym leader sat on what she could only describe as a throne. Looking down on her, Sabrina's lips didn't move but Violet could clearly hear words being spoken.
'We will battle in six days, prepare.'
The 22nd Week, Pick 1
Pokemon Actions
[-] Catch a fifth Pokemon - Now that your team has its core members, a fifth and sixth member would be useful and have more possible options. However, it's still quite early for that. Locked.
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills. Several of them are near breakthroughs so training would help considerably.
[] Buy and Use TMs/HMs - You're a big enough trainer to afford TMs and HMs for your Pokemon. You should take advantage of it when you can.
[-] Train with Willow's Pokemon - While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other. Unfortunately, Willow is busy this week.
[] Review Past Battles - You were so close to beating Flynn, and some of the tricks he tried are giving you ideas. Going over your past battles may help with that.
Battling Actions
[] Challenge New Trainers - Now that you and your Pokemon have developed, fighting a few trainers in rapid succession would be easy.
[] Challenge an Experienced Trainer - Some trainers in the area have two badges, beating them may be a good experience.
[] Look into the Surge in Wild Pokemon Encounters - A lot of trainers have reported being attacked by Eevee on the outskirts of the city. One of the gym attendants was dispatched but hasn't been seen since.
[X] Challenge the Saffron City Gym - Gym Leader Sabrina is one of the more intimidating trainers due to her psychic powers. But she is also an extremely experienced leader with a reputation for having her challenges be notably harder than the norm.
Exploration Actions
[] See the Sights Inside the City - There are a number of interesting attractions in Saffron City. You saw a fair few last time you were here, but far from all.
[] See the Sights Outside the City - With Diglett Cave nearby, it could be fun to spend a few days exploring the cave system and see what interesting locations and Pokemon are within.
[] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Saffron City is a large metropolis with a number of rather unconventional places to explore. See what you can find.
Traveling Actions
*You plan to face the Saffron Gym soon. You can't leave just yet.
Social Actions (For socials, it's assumed you keep up a basic level of contact through text, choosing a social means I write it up)
[] Meet your parents - Your parents are currently touring the city, mainly the places you already visited. While they would understand if you were busy, they would appreciate it if you joined them.
[] Meet Tetsuya - An old childhood friend of yours, the two of you drifted off recently. He will be at the gym to try and challenge Sabrina in the next few days. You could meet him before that.
[-] Meet Willow's Family - You're currently staying with Willow's family but they are rather busy with Willow who is herself busy visiting people she knows in the city. It'd be awkward to join her.
Alright, I'll be closing the vote here. Looks like training up your Pokemon wins, and you'll be getting quite a few stat increases for them. Additionally, here are some moves that they've learned:
Pineco learned Curse at D++/C--
Pineco learned Spikes at E++/C
Chansey learned Heal Pulse at C+
Magnemite learned Magnet Rise at D++
And for the stats, I'll just put them in spoilers due to this representing a fair few gains that have gone unrealized until now. Due to this, some of them are close to evolving. And by some I mean all.
*Dratini improves Health to C-*
*Dratini improves Stamina to C*
*Dratini improves Attack to B--*
*Dratini improves Defense to C*
*Dratini improves Speed to C++*
*Dratini makes progress towards B-- for Evasion*
*Dratini improves Outrage to C-*
*Dratini improves Thunder Wave to C++*
*Pineco improves Health to C*
*Pineco improves Stamina to C*
*Pineco improves Attack to C*
*Pineco improves Defense to B-*
*Pineco improves Special Attack to D+*
*Pineco improves Evasion to F++*
*Pineco improves Self Destruct to B--*
*Pineco improves Rapid Spin to C+*
*Pineco improves Stealth Rock to C-*
*Chansey improves Health to S+*
*Chansey improves Stamina to A++*
*Chansey improves Attack to F-*
*Chansey improves Defense to F-*
*Chansey improves Speed to C--*
*Magnemite Improves Health to C-*
*Magnemite Improves Stamina to C--*
*Magnemite improves Evasion to D*
*Magnemite improves Flash Cannon to C*
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Jul 29, 2024 at 9:34 PM, finished with 8 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills. Several of them are near breakthroughs so training would help considerably.
[x] Review Past Battles - You were so close to beating Flynn, and some of the tricks he tried are giving you ideas. Going over your past battles may help with that.
[X] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills. Several of them are near breakthroughs so training would help considerably.
The very first thing Violet did to prepare her Pokemon was to spend a day at the Pokecenter. All of them were injured and exhausted (even Chansey). And trying to train them in those conditions was cruel at best. Instead, she was responsible and spent the next day ensuring they rested and healed properly while she sketched out their training plan for the next five days.
Dratini had grown from his various battles, but there was room for improvement in several areas. Muscles had developed across his body, and his scales were slowly growing harder and stronger. His movements grew faster and more fluid, he began to track where attacks would land before they were even thrown. But he had yet to fully break through. Dratini was mainly held back by his moves, although Outrage certainly helped. Penciling into her journal, Violet made plans to improve his use of Thunder Wave as well as ensure several good habits were ingrained into her oldest friend.
Pineco was the next Pokemon whose training she began to plan. She was an interesting one, as the Bagworm Pokemon was improving in nearly every area, but hadn't truly managed to achieve a notable improvement. Violet hoped to give her that through an intensive training regiment. A combination of dodging drills to improve her evasiveness and Rapid Spin, serving as a target for other Pokemon to improve defensibility and sturdiness, as well as a tiring series of endurance workouts to improve her general approach to battle. There was far more to it as well, with continuous applications of Stealth Rock alongside attempts to have her learn more advanced moves such as Curse and Spikes.
Chansey's training seemed somewhat mean to Violet, involving her use as a target for Dratini's Outrage. At this point, the Egg Pokemon seemed to act as the main target of the team in all sorts of battles, which left Pineco in an odd place. However, Chansey was more complicated to train due to her Stamina already being so high. Not to mention her skill at physical combat was almost nonexistent. Improving her speed was the easiest avenue, but Violet was more interested in trying to teach Heal Pulse. She was sure Chansey was close to understanding it, and it would be a major help for team battles. But it would take time and effort to learn.
Magnemite was the last Pokemon on her list, and quite frankly, the one she could do least for. They had recently been in a training match, so their habits and skills had been largely improved. However, the gauntlet had served to improve Magnemite's Stamina and endurance, allowing him to fight longer and harder. Violet's main idea for improvement mostly focused on Flash Cannon and unpredictable evasive patterns. While Magnemite would never be a hard target, she could at least make him a nonstationary one.
Saving her notes, Violet sent a few texts to her friends and family before falling asleep. She had a lot to do and not even a week in which to do it.
*Pineco learned Curse at D++/C–*
*Pineco learned Spikes at E++/C*
*Chansey learned Heal Pulse at C+*
*Magnemite learned Magnet Rise at D++*
*Dratini improves Health to C-*
*Dratini improves Stamina to C*
*Dratini improves Attack to B--*
*Dratini improves Defense to C*
*Dratini improves Speed to C++*
*Dratini makes progress towards B-- for Evasion*
*Dratini improves Outrage to C-*
*Dratini improves Thunder Wave to C++*
*Pineco improves Health to C*
*Pineco improves Stamina to C*
*Pineco improves Attack to C*
*Pineco improves Defense to B-*
*Pineco improves Special Attack to D+*
*Pineco improves Evasion to F++*
*Pineco improves Self Destruct to B--*
*Pineco improves Rapid Spin to C+*
*Pineco improves Stealth Rock to C-*
*Chansey improves Health to S+*
*Chansey improves Stamina to A++*
*Chansey improves Attack to F-*
*Chansey improves Defense to F-*
*Chansey improves Speed to C--*
*Magnemite Improves Health to C-*
*Magnemite Improves Stamina to C--*
*Magnemite improves Evasion to D*
*Magnemite improves Flash Cannon to C*
The week was intense to say the least. Eight hours of training daily for four days was exhausting for everyone, especially Magnemite and Violet. Even Chansey felt winded at the end of the week, but by Arceus, it was worth it.
Everyone had grown considerably from the experience, with everyone hitting harder and faster. Pineco learned both Curse and Spikes, Chansey learned Heal Pulse, and Magnemite even learned Magnet Rise. All of her Pokemon were close to evolving based on a visual examination, with the local Nurse Joy agreeing with her assessment.
As she slowly began to make her way to the gym, she reviewed what changes she had made to prioritize and deprioritize certain moves for her Pokemon.
Dratini did have the option to improve their use of Leer, even if Violet thought its use was situational.
[] Reduce Thunder Wave from C++ to D++ for Leer
[] Reduce Water Gun from C++ to D++ for Leer
[] Reduce Dragon Tail from C-- to D++ for Leer
[] Reduce Outrage from C- to D++ for Leer
[] Keep Leer at D++
Pineco could have done something similar with Tackle, but due to her understanding of Rapid Spin and Bug Bite, it likely wasn't worthwhile.
[] Write-in moves for Pineco to swap in or out.
Chansey on the other hand, had so many known moves that Violet had given up on listing all the options available to her. Instead just shortlisting a few ideas.
[] Leave Chansey's moves as is
[] Write-in moves for Chansey to swap in or out.
Magnemite was the last on the list for Violet, and they had improved their usage of Spark, although it was largely not worthwhile.
[] Write-in moves for Magnemite to swap in or out.
Alright, I'll be closing the vote here. The changes have been updated in your Pokemon's character sheets. As for the fight with Sabrina, this will be a 4 vs 4 fight, with both trainers having a limit of 10 switches each. No potions or items are allowed for this due to being a three-badge fight. As for your fight with Sabrina, that'll start in the next update. And here's the Pokemon she'll be using at the start.
Health: C++
Stamina: C
Attack: C-
Defense: D++
Special Attack: A+
Special Defense: B+
Speed: A--
Evasion: B++
Moves
Confusion: E++
Disable: D++
Kinesis: D++
Teleport: B--
Psybeam: C
Reflect: C++
Ally Switch: B--
Psycho Cut: D++
Recover: C++
Drain Punch: C+
Trick Room: D++
Special Skills
Inner Focus
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Jul 31, 2024 at 9:55 PM, finished with 7 posts and 3 votes.
[X] Reduce Water Gun from C++ to D++ for Protect
[X] Raise Spikes from E++ to C in empty C rank move slot
[X] Reduce Tail Whip from C- to D++ for Disarming Voice and reduce Heal Pulse from C+ to D++ for Protect
[X] Reduce Gyro Ball from C to D++ for Protect
Violet was ready for the battle. Stretching her arms and legs to get her blood flowing, she took a moment to distract herself from the fight with Sabrina and checked her messages. Willow sadly couldn't make it due to prior commitments. Tetsuya however was actually at the Saffron Gym where he was talking to an attendant about the problematic Eevee south of the city. And lastly were her parents, who had sent her a picture of themselves at the gym.
She was as ready as she could be, having trained all her Pokemon in a variety of moves. Every one of them knew Protect now, which would be very useful in any fight. Especially thanks to her eyes. Chansey even had an option for Ghost Pokemon, although she doubted Sabrina would have them in a three-badge fight.
Violet had an idea of what the fight would involve based on little snippets she had heard from Willow and others during her time in Saffron City. Sabrina would likely open with a Kadabra and have them trade back and forth with a Mr. Mime, ensuring a degree of synergy that'd make them especially dangerous thanks to Baton Pass and Encore. The other two Pokemon were harder to predict, even if Violet suspected one was a Slowpoke just based on the sheer number she'd seen at the gym.
The fourth Pokemon she had no idea what it would be. She knew Sabrina had a Jynx and Venomoth, along with multiple Abras. Violet had thought about the question deeply but eventually, she had to face the fact that she simply couldn't predict the fourth Pokemon with any degree of certainty.
At least she didn't have to worry about an Alakazam. Who would use a Pokemon that powerful for a three-badge fight?
Entering the gym 20 minutes early, Violet took a look at the arena before her, ensuring she understood the landscape they would fight in. It was standard in terms of size, although it was enclosed by four walls making it much harder for flying Pokemon to act. Frowning, Violet wondered if that was allowed, as the arena did seem to place Pokemon that relied on space for their moves or evasion at a disadvantage.
More interesting to the shy girl, however, was the battle taking place in the arena, where a Kadabra faced a Butterfree. However, based on what Violet saw, she didn't think the trainer knew what they were doing when they challenged Sabrina to what seemed to be a one-badge fight.
A Kadabra that knew Psycho Cut was almost certainly not appropriate for a starter gym battle. However, based on what Violet knew, she didn't think the Saffron Gym accepted one or two badge fights. Turning from the one-sided battle to the trainer, she swiftly understood why as soon as she opened her mouth. "Stop screwing around Butterfree! Giga Impact!"
Violet glanced at Sabrina who was doing an admirable job keeping the irritation off her face. Reanalyzing the fight, the shy trainer believed she understood what had happened. The trainer that challenged the gym was likely new but had been able to either purchase or find the rather powerful TM. After which she likely managed to force a gym challenge by just using Giga Impact to break down the walls of the gym. Glancing at the far wall which connected to the back of the gym, Violet took a few seconds to locate the mismatched paint that signaled how she made her entrance. In full honesty, it was a clever solution to the gauntlet, even if it was clearly intended to train trainers for the actual gym challenge.
'A good analysis.'
The words whispered in her mind, and Violet snapped her gaze directly at Sabrina. The gym leader's eyes momentarily flickered to the shy trainer before Kadabra defeated Butterfree. Forcing herself to relax, Violet began to think about how Sabrina being able to read her mind would affect the fight.
While the gym attendants focused on resetting the arena for the next battle, Violet looked at the monitors on the walls which displayed the audience. Locating her parents and Tetsuya, she gave all of them a brief wave before turning back towards Sabrina who was now staring her down.
Tilting her head, Violet looked at the four Pokeballs floating around the gym leader in a circular pattern. Glancing back and forth between them, she tried to figure out what Pokemon was each one. It was an impossible task, but she had to try. Sabrina knew what Pokemon Violet had brought with her while Violet was mostly blind on that front giving her a slight advantage.
Getting the distinct impression that the gym leader was analyzing her in response, she allowed a smile to creep onto her face. This was going to be an interesting battle no matter what happened. Already beginning to plan for a Kadabra, Violet mentally tried to decide which of the three strategies would work best. Either ensuring hazards with Chansey and Pineco, trying a feint with Pineco, or gambling on Dratini's Outrage could work. And the last could be supplemented by setting it up using a few deceptive attacks.
As she was focused on planning, her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as one of the four Pokeballs orbiting Sabrina slowly made its way to the arena. Settling into the air, it opened in a flash of light revealing an Alakazam. That … that didn't seem appropriate for this.
Two of the gym attendants tried to hide facepalms at the sight, while Violet frantically tried to reorient. This was about to be a far harder fight than she initially thought.
'Hmm, so not teaching him Hyper Beam was for the best.'
Violet didn't know if that was a joke or if Sabrina genuinely thought that was fair for a three-badge fight. Either way, she now understood why this gym had the reputation it did.
Health: C++
Stamina: C
Attack: C-
Defense: D++
Special Attack: A+
Special Defense: B+
Speed: A--
Evasion: B++
Moves
Confusion: E++
Disable: D++
Kinesis: D++
Teleport: B--
Psybeam: C
Reflect: C++
Ally Switch: B--
Psycho Cut: D++
Recover: C++
Drain Punch: C+
Trick Room: D++
Special Skills
Inner Focus
Violet's Thoughts: A Pokemon more suited for a four-badge fight, Alakazam's understanding of Recover makes him extremely difficult to put down. Drain Punch makes him versatile while Reflect helps alleviate his weakness to physical attacks. Being able to switch out at will also complicates matters especially if Sabrina decides to abuse her psychic powers to read Violet.
Violet's Perceptive Trait Kicks in!
Alakazam will begin with Reflect unless Magnemite or Chansey are used. In which case he will instead use Drain Punch recklessly. If Chansey puts him to sleep for long enough, Sabrina will switch to one of her other Pokemon. If against Dratini, he will begin using a combination of Psybeams and Recovers, using Teleport to switch to Mr. Mime should Dratini use Outrage. Against Pineco he'll keep his distance and utilize Psybeam, attempting to avoid allowing a super effective Bug Bite. If Pineco uses Stealth Rock he'll switch to Mr. Mime and utilize Calm Mind before Mr. Mime using Baton Pass to bring back Alakazam.
For the start of this battle, Sabrina will avoid reading Violet's mind and will only do so if she loses two Pokemon before Violet loses any. Should she lose three Pokemon before Violet loses any, she'll utilize everything she knows as a gym leader to fight, even if at that point it'd be too late.
Utilize Sing and Life Dew. While Alakazam is asleep, switch to Pineco and lay down several hazards. Should Sabrina switch to Mr. Mime, switch to Magnemite. Otherwise reassess.
[]
Send out: Dratini
Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)
Use Thunder Wave before faking Outrage, follow this up by switching to Magnemite who will use Flash Cannon recklessly. If that doesn't work, switch with Chansey to attempt to put Alakazam to sleep.
