Alright, I'll be calling the vote here. It looks like Team Rocket has quite a bad day with 14 of their 18 Pokemon immediately fainting when a preteen sends out a Forretress to just explode in their faces. Of those present, only D gets a chance to try and get away, and while she does do a lot better than expected, she does end up being caught off guard when Violet's Umbreon decides to pull out the big guns and just use a Hyper Beam to the face while coordinating with Starmie to prevent an intercept from D's Nidoking. V on the other hand is not so good at dodging and just falls flat on her face trying to avoid Magneton.
Umbreon using Hyper Beam did mean that Willow wasn't able to pile drive D sadly. She was about to do so if Umbreon missed.
Round 1 Chansey: Chansey used Protect (DC1: Autosucess). Chansey protected herself and Forretress
Round 1 D: D returned Golbat, Houndoom, Nidoking, and Jolteon to their Pokeballs.
Round 1 V's Golbat: V's Golbat focused on avoiding the incoming attack.
Round 1 Forretress: Forretress used Self Destruct (DC1: 56). All Grunt Pokemon fainted! Forretress lost 99% of her HP (1%).
V's Golbat: Golbat attempted to mitigate the damage (DC45: 5). V's Golbat fainted!
V's Houndoom: Houndoom attempted to mitigate the damage (DC100: 88). V's Houndoom fainted!
V's Nidoqueen: Nidoqueen attempted to mitigate the damage (DC95: 12). V's Nidoqueen fainted!
V's Pikachu: Pikachu attempted to mitigate the damage (DC95: 12). V's Pikachu fainted!
V's Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet attempted to mitigate the damage (DC90: 58). Wobbuffet fainted!
*Forretress improved Self Destruct to B- from B--*
*Chansey improved Protect to C++ from C+*
Violet sent out Dragonair, Magneton, and Umbreon
Willow sent out Starmie, Umbreon, Bronzor, and Heracross
D sent out Golbat, Houndoom, Nidoking, and Jolteon
D: (DC60: 86). D avoids Dragonair's Wrap and begins scaling the outcropping rapidly.
D: (DC70: 100). D avoids Willow's Umbreon's Quick Attack and continues scaling the outcropping.
D: (DC85: 86). D avoids Heracross' Aerial Ace and continues scaling the outcropping.
D: (DC65: 63). Violet's Umbreon uses Hyper Beam which Nidoking attempts to step in front of.
Starmie: (DC15: 57). Nidoking is intercepted by Starmie's Hydro Pump and Nidoking faints.
D is hit by Umbreon's Hyper Beam and faints.
V: (DC85: 8) Magneton uses Thunder Shock. V is hit and is paralyzed.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Sep 6, 2024 at 8:38 PM, finished with 16 posts and 8 votes.
[X] Deploy Forretress and Chansey - Of the trainers present, only D has the reaction times needed to properly respond to a sudden self-destruct. Having Chansey use Protect can help ensure it goes off properly.
[X] Deploy Forretress and Chansey - Of the trainers present, only D has the reaction times needed to properly respond to a sudden self-destruct. Having Chansey use Protect can help ensure it goes off properly.
Violet threw a set of two Pokeballs over the lip of the outcropping before beginning to climb over it alongside Willow. A feral grin formed on her face as Forretress and Chansey appeared in front of 5 Rockets and 18 Pokemon, both of them already in the process of using their moves.
The only one to react fast enough to do anything was D, who was already in motion before Forretress' Pokeball had opened. Rapidly juggling her Pokeballs, she returned all of them before sprinting for the cliff face.
"Forretress," Violet spoke for the sake of appearance rather than actually ordering the Bagworm Pokemon. "Remove them."
A thunderous explosion echoed through the mountains, a rolling sound that heralded the defeat of 14 Pokemon. A cloud of dust rose into the air, only broken by D breaking through the edge of the cloud and nearing Violet and Willow. "Why is it you again?!" The Rocket said with a snarl, causing a trill of fear to crawl up Violet's spine. Barely managing to stop herself from stepping backward out of reflex, Violet instead unleashed every one of her Pokemon. Next to her, Willow did the same.
In a feat of acrobatics more fitting for a Pokemon, D dove between Dragonair and Bronzor. Deftly avoiding the former's attempt to wrap his coils around her, the Rocket rolled to her feet before beginning to rapidly scale the same outcropping that took Violet and Willow nearly 10 minutes to climb. "Umbreon!" Willow shouted, "Stop her!"
Willow's Umbreon went from standing still to a dead sprint within an instant. Using Quick Attack, the Moonlight Pokemon darted forward in a perfectly aimed attack to where D should have been. However, the Rocket abruptly kicked off the outcropping, giving her just enough leverage to use her other leg to divert Umbreon's attack into the wall. "Heracross!" Willow called out as Violet took a moment to assess the situation.
Bronzor was preparing a ranged psychic attack at the moment, although his focus was on V the other conscious Rocket. Spotting the sprinting individual, Violet narrowed her eyes. "Magneton, Thunder Shock." A burst of lightning flowed from Pokemon to human, and V let out a shrill shriek as the attack struck her. "Good aim," Violet stated approvingly as Magneton hummed in contentment. It seemed that some humans were acceptable targets.
Violet's Umbreon meanwhile was in the middle of an animated discussion with Starmie who appeared to be listening intently. Deciding not to intervene in that, as it appeared to involve the two attempting to coordinate a set of attacks, Violet turned back towards D as she attempted to decide if Chansey could help. Before being utterly surprised by the sight in front of her.
Willow had started following D down the cliff, taking a pathway that was somehow more aggressive than the Rocket's. While the acrobatics involved weren't as impressive, where Willow lacked skill she made up for in pure speed. It seems that some of the training her Pokemon did had worn off on her.
Having already scaled a third of the outcropping, D was leaping from foothold to foothold when Heracross made his move. Using his wings to dive towards the Rocket, he quickly closed the gap only for D to whisper a curse and step into empty air. With too much momentum built up to make that drastic of a course correction, Heracross was forced to slow down and land on the cliff face while D used one arm to release all her Pokemon and the other to slow her descent.
"Scatter you little shits," the Rocket growled over a well-hidden tone of endearment. "Nidoking, you're my shield."
The Drill Pokemon roared before looking up, eyes narrowing as Umbreon charged his Hyper Beam. Positioning himself to guard D as she ran, Nidoking was certain they would manage to escape. Then he was struck by a Hydro Pump from Starmie, the super effective move taking him by surprise and causing him to faint. And without the guard at her back, Umbreon had a clear shot. However, he did have to adjust his aim when D attempted to backflip over the beam.
D's other three Pokemon briefly hesitated before Golbat took charge and ordered them to stick to the plan. Having managed to gain enough distance, they were free to run into the forest.
Willow meanwhile reached the bottom of the cliff and huffed. Looking up at Violet's Umbreon she shook her head in a mixture of approval and disappointment. "I wanted to be the one to catch her," she pouted.
Violet gave her an amused expression before turning to Umbreon. "Well done Umbreon."
Using their rope to tie up the captives, Violet and Willow were forced to wait a few hours before the authorities could arrive. And during that time, the Rockets slowly began to wake up. "Don't you idiots dare say a word," V snarled with vitriol. "If you had just shut up and done what you were told we would have been gone days ago."
"I told you to set a lookout," one of the grunts replied with a thunderous expression. "Look at what happened cause of that. We got jumped by two preteens!"
"Like anyone would listen to someone still stuck as a grunt at 30," D snarked, causing the grunt's expression to fall. "Congrats, you had one good idea. Tell me, who was it that said we didn't need a backup team?"
"Well-" One of the other grunts spoke up only for all three of the others to turn towards them.
"Shut up!" They said simultaneously as Violet and Willow turned towards each other, a silent conversation occurring between the two as they witnessed the Rockets turn on each other.
"We wouldn't have needed backup if we had a lookout," the grunt redirected the conversation back to D and V.
V snorted at that, "Sure…" she drawled. "You think we could have managed that fight if one of us had been patrolling?"
The grunt opened his mouth before pausing. "Maybe?"
"I'm teaching everyone Protect after this," D growled under her breath, stealing a wary glance at Forretress who returned it with a happy smile.
"Why is it always you?" V directed towards Violet. "Did no one teach you to mind your own business?"
"She'd need friends for that," D said maliciously, clearly trying to hurt her emotionally.
"As if the two of you know about friendship," Willow growled. "I can guarantee the other three Rockets will turn on you the moment you're in prison."
V snorted. "Not if they know what's good for them." She directed a glance towards the grunt that she had been arguing with who returned the glance with a snarl.
"You all really need to learn to shut up," said the third grunt who hadn't said a word until now. "Because of your big mouths, they know we fought something."
"Someone," the second grunt corrected. "Something implies it was a Pokemon, not a group of trainers."
The third grunt gave the second grunt a murderous expression that Violet wondered if they learned from Mean Look. "I was trying to misdirect them, you idiot!"
"Can you hit him for me?" D directed towards Willow almost pleadingly. "I'll be nice to your friend next time we fight if you do."
For a moment, Willow appeared tempted before Violet gave her a look.
The 30th Week, Pick 2
Pokemon Actions
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills, but they can see some improvements through practice.
[] Spend Time with your Pokemon - Now that you're back in your home city, it may be nice to spend some time at the beach where you met Dragonair.
[] 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- While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other.
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.
[] Challenge the Celadon Gym - While this would normally take longer, you are skilled enough to take on the gym with ease. Willow is doing the same thing this week.
Exploration Actions
[] See the Sights Inside the City - There are several interesting attractions in Celadon although you have seen many of them before. Still, it may be fun to revisit them.
[] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Celadon City has a lot that you can explore, some of them have been on your list to visit for years. Try and explore them.
Traveling Actions (Must be taken either this turn or the next)
[-] Leave the City - It's about time you decided to head out. There are a few cities that you want to travel to. Not to mention quite a few adventures to have. Opens travel sub-vote.
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)
[] Spend Time with Your Parents - Your parents do expect you to spend some time with them while you're here. You should do so at some point.
[] Check on Team Rocket - You're a bit curious as to what Team Rocket was up to. You should be able to ask Officer Jenny thanks to your participation in battles against the Team.
[-] Call Tetsuya - Currently Tetsuya is in the wilderness and out of contact.
Round 1 Chansey: Chansey used Protect (DC1: Autosucess). Chansey protected herself and Forretress
Round 1 D: D returned Golbat, Houndoom, Nidoking, and Jolteon to their Pokeballs.
Round 1 V's Golbat: V's Golbat focused on avoiding the incoming attack.
Round 1 Forretress: Forretress used Self Destruct (DC1: 56). All Grunt Pokemon fainted! Forretress lost 99% of her HP (1%).
V's Golbat: Golbat attempted to mitigate the damage (DC45: 5). V's Golbat fainted!
V's Houndoom: Houndoom attempted to mitigate the damage (DC100: 88). V's Houndoom fainted!
V's Nidoqueen: Nidoqueen attempted to mitigate the damage (DC95: 12). V's Nidoqueen fainted!
V's Pikachu: Pikachu attempted to mitigate the damage (DC95: 12). V's Pikachu fainted!
V's Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet attempted to mitigate the damage (DC90: 58). Wobbuffet fainted!
*Forretress improved Self Destruct to B- from B--*
*Chansey improved Protect to C++ from C+*
Violet sent out Dragonair, Magneton, and Umbreon
Willow sent out Starmie, Umbreon, Bronzor, and Heracross
D sent out Golbat, Houndoom, Nidoking, and Jolteon
D: (DC60: 86). D avoids Dragonair's Wrap and begins scaling the outcropping rapidly.
D: (DC70: 100). D avoids Willow's Umbreon's Quick Attack and continues scaling the outcropping.
D: (DC85: 86). D avoids Heracross' Aerial Ace and continues scaling the outcropping.
D: (DC65: 63). Violet's Umbreon uses Hyper Beam which Nidoking attempts to step in front of.
Starmie: (DC15: 57). Nidoking is intercepted by Starmie's Hydro Pump and Nidoking faints.
D is hit by Umbreon's Hyper Beam and faints.
V: (DC85: 8) Magneton uses Thunder Shock. V is hit and is paralyzed.
Alright, I'll be calling the vote here. Spending time with Pokemon wins while the other is tied between training with Willow and Checking on Team Rocket.
1 - Training with Willow 2 - Checking on Team Rocket
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Sep 9, 2024 at 9:30 PM, finished with 12 posts and 8 votes.
[X] Spend Time with your Pokemon - Now that you're back in your home city, it may be nice to spend some time at the beach where you met Dragonair.
[X] Check on Team Rocket - You're a bit curious as to what Team Rocket was up to. You should be able to ask Officer Jenny thanks to your participation in battles against the Team.
[X] Challenge the Celadon Gym - While this would normally take longer, you are skilled enough to take on the gym with ease. Willow is doing the same thing this week.
[X] Spend Time with your Pokemon - Now that you're back in your home city, it may be nice to spend some time at the beach where you met Dragonair.
[X] Check on Team Rocket - You're a bit curious as to what Team Rocket was up to. You should be able to ask Officer Jenny thanks to your participation in battles against the Team.
After a few hours of waiting, a group of 5 individuals from Celadon City arrived to pick up the Rockets. Led by Officer Jenny, they asked a few questions on how Violet and Willow defeated them as well as if they knew what the criminals had planned. Without much knowledge, the two girls simply mentioned that the grunts admitted to fighting other unknown trainers and that they had seemingly accomplished their objectives.
The rest of the trip to Celadon City was far less interesting as Officer Jenny offered to drive them the rest of the way. Willow looked at Violet, clearly interested in the officer. After spending a second to think it over, Violet nodded her head giving her rival approval to agree for both of them.
"That was wild, huh?" Willow broke the silence a few minutes into the drive. Sitting in the backseat of the squad car, Violet noticed Officer Jenny's eyes flicker towards the rearview mirror before subtly pretending not to pay attention. "I mean, taking out 14 Pokemon in one move, that's crazy."
Violet gave a smile at that, subconsciously moving her hand towards Forretress' Pokeball. "Team Rocket isn't the most professional group out there," she quipped.
"Tell me about it," Willow replied. "They spend the entire time arguing, it's like they've never worked together."
Officer Jenny briefly looked at the two through the mirror, clearly having more information on the topic. Catching Violet's eyes looking at the mirror, the head of Celadon's police force added her thoughts to the conversation. "That's because they haven't, this was a group of two cells operating together."
"D-do you know what they were doing?" Violet hesitantly asked, curious about what the Rockets were up to.
The police officer frowned in thought, debating whether or not to tell them. In the end, a combination of factors seemed to make her decision for her as she began to explain. "How much do you know about the Teams?"
"They're regional criminal groups, right?" Willow replied. "Team Rocket is in Kanto and Johto, and other regions have their own Teams to deal with."
"While Team Rocket is in Kanto and Johto, the groups often disagree." Officer Jenny began to explain. "There's still tensions between the regions after the war 15 years ago, and some of that bleeds into the Teams."
"W-was it an in-internal conflict?" Violet asked, trying to fit the pieces into place.
"It's what we suspect," confirmed Officer Jenny. "The Kanto branch was pretty surprised that Lieutenant Surge's gym was attacked, and according to Gym Leader Giovanni, it seems the Johto branch organized it. One of his attendants was able to find a temporary base in the mountains with signs of battle."
At the mention of Giovanni, Willow grumbled. "Is that why his gym is always closed?"
"He's rather busy," quipped the officer with a slight smile on her lips. "He's one of the few gym leaders to get actionable intelligence on Team Rocket. Even Sabrina has struggled with that."
"She's still way cooler than him."
Officer Jenny let out a laugh, "I won't deny that."
"S-so, it was an ego thing?" Violet asked, thinking that there was something more to this than just ego. "I-it seems short-sighted."
"There's very few members of Team Rocket that think long-term," the officer began to clarify. "It's difficult to improve or rise through the ranks, with openings only opening due to arrests. The most likely reason for this was the Kanto branch being annoyed at the Johto branch muscling in." Nonetheless, as she spoke, Officer Jenny began to frown at the explanation growing less and less convincing to her.
"I-is that what you think?" Violet directly asked, causing an expression of surprise to cross the officer's face.
She glanced in the mirror, an approving look crossing her face. "You're surprisingly observant." Officer Jenny commented. "I've talked to some of my family, and I'm not so sure it was as simple as Giovanni thinks. Why would the Johto Team be acting in Kanto when they have so many issues at home? The trainers there aren't weak by any means and have been giving Team Rocket all sorts of problems recently."
"It would be strange," Willow added with a thoughtful look on her face. "Maybe it was another Team?"
"That's what I suspect," Officer Jenny said, hiding an expression of worry well. "And we already have our hands full with Team Rocket."
As they continued to drive towards Celadon City, the two trainers continued to converse with Officer Jenny and learned a good bit about how Team Rocket operated. The organization seemingly had a diverse set of revenues thanks to its large variety of cells. Gambling and white-collar crime were their most lucrative sources of revenue, although both Violet and Willow felt their eyes glaze over when Officer Jenny began to explain the intricacies of tax evasion. Thankfully the officer noticed this and switched to talking about what the Team spent money on.
It was mainly absurdly complex projects and acquisitions, with the temporary conquest of Silph Co being one of them. While they were defeated by a single young trainer, they had managed to download all technical data related to Pokeballs and were using it for nefarious purposes that Officer Jenny refused to discuss. Additionally, they used to have a massive budget for attempting to capture or locate the Legendary Pokemon Mew before abruptly canceling the program. The League also suspected a notable sum of money was spent on shadow training schools for some of their operatives, with D and V being suspected graduates of the program along with the more infamous duo of Jessie and James.
The last major topic covered how Team Rocket managed to be so secretive yet large in scale, a topic which Officer Jenny admitted greatly frustrated the League. Multiple gym leaders had attempted to root out the team in the past, with only Sabrina and Giovanni having any measure of success. Seemingly able to operate with full knowledge of what the Pokemon League's covert groups were doing, espionage and counter-terrorism activity against Team Rocket had proven nearly impossible. A few gym leaders had even shifted towards a more reflexive approach, ceding the initiative to Team Rocket but preparing notable forces to respond. While a few, namely Surge, Sabrina, and Giovanni had been arguing against this, the lack of success of their approach had allowed it to grow more and more popular over time.
From there, the conversation began to shift once more, this time to Willow asking Officer Jenny about what the Jenny family was like, causing her to begin playing coy. Realizing that the officer was about to begin teasing the two of them with misleading answers, Violet began to plan her outing with her Pokemon.
Rather than heading to her home first, Violet instead headed towards the beach where she met Dratini years ago. Wishing Willow good luck in her search for a fifth Pokemon, she walked over to the coast as the sun began to sink lower in the sky. Arriving an hour or two before sunset, she let out a nostalgic sigh before releasing all her Pokemon.
Dragonair let out a happy cry, before diving into the surf. Before Violet could properly introduce the area, he began to splash water everywhere, causing her other Pokemon to scatter to avoid getting wet. All of them were too slow to avoid the spray, although Umbreon immediately began to retaliate with much smaller splashes of his own.
Wiping the water away from her eyes, Violet let out a short laugh. "I see you missed this place."
Another spray of water was her answer as Dragonair visibly beckoned for her to get into the water with him. Preparing their old games once more, he seemed excited to play.
Mentally accepting the fact that the Dragon Pokemon would undoubtedly win nearly all games now that he had evolved, Violet nonetheless had a nostalgic smile on her face. "Alright, alright," she teased, walking into the ocean. "Let's return to old times then."
Ducking down to avoid the worst of Dragonair using his bulk to practically create a wall of water, Violet dragged her hand through the ocean creating a small splash that nonetheless hit her target. In response, a playful Dragonair began to coat his tail with dragon energy causing Violet's eyes to widen.
"Wai-" was all Violet got to say before Dragonair used Dragon Tail on the water, causing a literal wave to form. A few seconds later, a now thoroughly soaked Violet stood up, spitting saltwater and sand out her mouth. Glaring at a sheepish Dragonair, she checked to make sure she still had everything. Calming down once she realized she still had her hat, she crossed her arms and stared as Dragonair grew more and more worried. Slowly, Violet realized what she had to do. "Chansey," she said with a teasing smirk. "You're on my team now."
The Egg Pokemon let out an amused sound, quickly walking over and puffing herself up. Dragonair in contrast looked between the other three Pokemon only to find Magneton and Forretress chasing each other around while Umbreon immediately shook his head. The Moonlight Pokemon thought it would be far more fun to avoid getting involved in this.
Standing still just long enough to let Dragonair squirm under her gaze, Violet turned to whisper a set of instructions for Chansey. Hearing her oldest companion try and take advantage of her turned back, she immediately threw herself and Chansey into a spin as the latter used Protect to handle the surge of water. "Alright Dragonair," Violet said, her tone challenging yet teasing. "Did you think you could get away with that?"
The Dragon Pokemon gave a small, nervous trill, his earlier confidence waning. Violet meanwhile darted forward, feinting an attempt at kicking water into the air to bait out a Protect from Dragonair. Hiding behind Chansey when he retaliated, the trainer replied with a lunge forward, deliberately remaining low to send a large splash toward her oldest companion.
A moment later, the Egg Pokemon followed, swinging her short arms to send a weaker spray of water right at Dragonair. Squeaking in surprise, his Protect went up a second too late, only managing to stop a deliberately quick splash from Violet. Darting behind Chansey once more, Dragonair's attack was met by Protect again.
Violet grinned as Chansey continued their battle alongside her. Reading the Dragon Pokemon's movements was easy thanks to her eyes and experience with him. Stepping out from behind Chansey, Violet cupped her hands, throwing water directly into Dragonair's face.
Blinking water out of his eyes, he was helpless to avoid Chansey's follow-up. Another spray of water struck him, causing his scales to glisten in the evening sun. Shaking his body to remove some of the water, Dragonair eyed his opponents with a smile that was both playful and determined.
Violet and Chansey returned the smile with their own, both of them happy that the Dragon Pokemon had accepted the challenge. "Don't expect me to go easy on you." Violet declared a moment before their game continued.
The 31st Week, 1 Locked, Pick 1
Pokemon Actions
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills, but they can see some improvements through practice.
[] Take Chansey to a Dance Hall - Chansey has expressed an interest in dancing before. Spending some time with her on a dance lesson would make her happy.
[] Spend Time with your Pokemon - Now that you're back in your home city, it may be nice to spend some time at the beach where you met Dragonair.
[] 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- While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other. Not to mention Willow had a rather odd adventure in the city that ended with her finding a Minun and knowing where a Plusle is.
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.
[] Challenge the Celadon Gym - While this would normally take longer, you are skilled enough to take on the gym with ease. Willow is doing the same thing this week.
[] Take a Walk Around the City - Taking a walk around the city should result in a rather peaceful day. Surely nothing can happen that would drag you into a battle? Especially when passing by a secondary Pokecenter that's holding the Rockets until Sabrina can interrogate them.
Exploration Actions
[] See the Sights Inside the City - There are several interesting attractions in Celadon although you have seen many of them before. Still, it may be fun to revisit them.
[] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Celadon City has a lot that you can explore, some of them have been on your list to visit for years. Try and explore them.
Traveling Actions (Must be taken either this turn or the next)
[-] Leave the City - It's about time you decided to head out. There are a few cities that you want to travel to. Not to mention quite a few adventures to have. Opens travel sub-vote. Locked until the gym is beaten.
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)
[X] Spend Time with Your Parents - Your parents expect you to spend some time with them while you're here. They do have an outing prepared this week.
[-] Call Tetsuya - Currently Tetsuya is in the wilderness and out of contact.
[X] Take Chansey to a Dance Hall - Chansey has expressed an interest in dancing before. Spending some time with her on a dance lesson would make her happy.
Arriving at her home after over half a year of travel made Violet realize just how much she had changed. A few months ago she would have hesitated to ring the doorbell. This time, she walked up and rang it, albeit still with a tremor of nerves.
The last few days at the beach had been incredibly fun, but it also reminded her of why she generally only spent a few hours there. Now her clothes had what felt like pounds of sand stuck all over as well as smelling faintly of sea salt. Thankfully they had dried so she wasn't leaving a trail of water behind her. Violet was so glad she paid extra for shoes that dried quickly.
"Violet, it's so good - ." Her mom opened the door, an expression of excitement and pleasure quickly morphing into shock and judgment. Violet practically squirmed under her gaze. "...how long were you at the beach?"
"A few days," she admitted reluctantly, wringing her hands nervously. "I, uh, we had fun."
"Go upstairs and wash up," her mother ordered, grabbing Violet's bag for her and all but pushing her towards the showers. "And don't forget to rinse the salt out of your hair!"
After a lengthy shower during which Violet remembered why she liked shampoo and conditioner, she came downstairs where her mother had prepared a small snack for the two of them. "Is … is dad at work?"
A flash of guilt could be seen in her mother's eyes. It was rather common throughout Violet's childhood for her parents to be busy with work. Both of them were doctors at a large hospital where they worked long hours. At times it felt like they were avoiding her. "He'll be back soon," her mother explained. "We have something planned for later, so don't get too relaxed at home."
"Really?" Violet pitched her voice carefully, trying to sound curious while masking her disbelief at the prior statement. Both her mother and her father would make that promise all the time, even if they knew it wasn't true. "What is it?"
Bringing a hand to her lips, her mother simply replied. "It's a secret."
The next day, the three of them drove out to a lakeside park a short distance from Celadon City. As they arrived, Violet could smell a mixture of fresh water and pine trees.
"I've wanted to come here for years," her father said with a fond smile, giving her a pat on the head. "I thought you may be more used to the wilds these days."
Violet carefully didn't mention that much of her journey seemed to be spent in cities rather than traveling. There was just so much more to do in large population centers.
Her mother, meanwhile, was setting up the blanket closer to the lake near a few other groups that had similar ideas. Groups of Pokemon were present, most with trainers with a few wild ones for good measure. The three of them settled on a rhythm for the moment, her mother pulling out the food, her father setting up the chairs, and Violet abusing her privilege as a child to stare at the lake.
"Violet," her father said, grabbing her attention. "I have a story you may find interesting."
A glimmer of amusement was in his eyes, and Violet knew there was only one way to respond. Exaggerating her expression of curiosity, she slightly turned towards him to listen.
"A few weeks ago, a trainer gave a show at one of the beaches down south, he had this incredible team with a Gyarados."
Violet let out a thoughtful hum, that was a promising start, but based on her mother's annoyed look, she was wary of where this was going.
"So," her father continued, "this trainer starts talking about how well-trained Gyarados is and claims he'll be showing off some incredible tricks." He leaned forward. "And do you know what happened next?"
"Gyarados didn't listen."
"Gyarados didn't listen," he nodded his head empathetically. "Then I turned to your mother and said …" he trailed off gesturing towards Violet's mom.
An annoyed look was turned his way before Violet's mom sighed. "...he didn't have the scales for it."
"..." Violet replied eloquently before raising a judgemental eyebrow at her father. "That was awful."
Her father grinned, awfully pleased with his lame joke.
The next two days were spent in a similar fashion, just heading to smaller landmarks nearby and spending time with her parents. While entertaining and good for Violet, she now found herself filled with nerves as she had to choose what dance hall to go to. Having promised Chansey an opportunity to attend one, she had no way to back out.
Pick 1
[] Celadon Ballroom - A stylish venue that mainly hosts formal events, the dances here are far more traditional and mainly focused on classical styles. Chansey would likely find it easiest to dance due to the pace even if she hasn't thought about it, although Violet will almost certainly be the youngest person present.
[] The Starlight Pavilion - A more modern venue by the ocean, it's rather popular due to the large dance area. Generally focused on socialization, it's good for discussions alongside spending time on the dance floor. Violet would find it the least stressful, although Chansey likely would prefer another location.
[] The Steps - Attended mainly by young trainers, The Steps holds high-energy dance parties almost nightly. While it would be loud, it does have good reviews from trainers that have never danced before. Violet is rather apprehensive about it, even if Chansey is intrigued.
Alright, looks like you're taking Chansey to the Celadon Ballroom and leaving with Blissey. As for stat changes that result from this, they are as follows:
Attack F- to F
Defense F- to F
Special Attack E+ to C
Special Defense B to B++
Speed C-- to C-
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Sep 13, 2024 at 9:14 PM, finished with 19 posts and 10 votes.
[X] Celadon Ballroom - A stylish venue that mainly hosts formal events, the dances here are far more traditional and mainly focused on classical styles. Chansey would likely find it easiest to dance due to the pace even if she hasn't thought about it, although Violet will almost certainly be the youngest person present.
[X] Train with Willow- While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other. Not to mention Willow had a rather odd adventure in the city that ended with her finding a Minun and knowing where a Plusle is.
[X] Challenge the Celadon Gym - While this would normally take longer, you are skilled enough to take on the gym with ease. Willow is doing the same thing this week.
[X] The Steps - Attended mainly by young trainers, The Steps holds high-energy dance parties almost nightly. While it would be loud, it does have good reviews from trainers that have never danced before. Violet is rather apprehensive about it, even if Chansey is intrigued.
[X] Celadon Ballroom - A stylish venue that mainly hosts formal events, the dances here are far more traditional and mainly focused on classical styles. Chansey would likely find it easiest to dance due to the pace even if she hasn't thought about it, although Violet will almost certainly be the youngest person present.
Violet stepped into the Ballroom alongside Chansey. Both were wearing dresses they had bought the previous day while shopping with her parents which had the Egg Pokemon smiling from ear to ear. Violet on the other hand wished she could have waited a few weeks for a masquerade ball. She didn't even know that was a thing!
Instead, the Celadon Ballroom was hosting its weekly event where a series of classical songs would be played for the participants. The tickets had been surprisingly cheap, although they did come with the caveat that one needed to know ballroom dancing. And so, Violet and Chansey had to spend a few days preparing for the occasion.
At first, the Egg Pokemon hadn't been sure what to think of it. Her idea of dancing was based more on the high-energy, modern styles that were more popular among trainers. If Violet hadn't been trying to find a dance style that suited Chansey's frame, she would never have even considered ballroom dancing. It was for this reason, however, that the Egg Pokemon took a liking to it. Violet hadn't even realized that Chansey had been feeling self-conscious about being unable to keep up with high-tempo moves.
The practice itself had been a struggle for Violet, even if Chansey was able to learn the basics rather quickly. The trainer on the other hand had a much harder time of it, lacking much of the rhythm needed for it. Nonetheless, while her dancing was far stiffer compared to Chansey's, often focusing on a single move before awkwardly transitioning to the next, it was at least passable. And most importantly, it wouldn't interfere with Chansey during the dances.
Now in the Celadon Ballroom itself, Violet took a moment to listen to the soft hum of classical music and observe the dancers. Mostly older couples dressed in expensive attire, Violet wondered if she should have sprung for more expensive dresses. She knew that her parents would have paid for it, but then she'd have felt bad. Smiling nervously, Violet caught more than a few appraising glances directed her way due to the combination of her age and her choice of a partner (although she did spy a few other Pokemon present as well such as a Blaziken and Gothitelle).
Easily the youngest person here by at least a decade, Violet felt Chansey's hand brush against hers. Grabbing it for reassurance, she could feel the Egg Pokemon smiling at her. Forcing herself to focus on the dancing rather than what others may be feeling, Violet felt a knot of tension within her slowly begin to unwind.
Momentarily feeling confident, she led Chansey further into the ballroom, finding a spot near the edge of the dance floor where they were relatively out of the way. Deciding to take the plunge, she whispered, "Ready, Chansey?" Her voice momentarily wavering as she tried not to think about making a mistake.
Chansey gave a cheerful cry, eager to show off. Violet heard the suppressed sound of amused laughter coming from an older individual before it cut out entirely. Beginning to follow the rhythm, Chansey guided her through the simpler steps of the waltz. Avoiding the fancier moves that some of the other dancers were doing, Violet instead focused on the Egg Pokemon as they continued into a set of steps that flowed together with surprising grace.
She couldn't help but giggle as she attempted an awkward but passable attempt at a spin. Chansey was also clearly having fun, eyes lighting up with delight as the hours passed. Slowly, both of them began to improve, the elegant sways and turns blending together as stilted practice was replaced by natural grace.
*Blissey improves Dancer from C+ to C++*
As the hours of the night began to pass, Violet and Chansey left the ballroom. Both were tired but happy, with the event being exactly what the Egg Pokemon wanted. "This was fun," Violet said simply, resting a hand on Chansey's head as she spoke. "I wasn't sure about it, but it was good."
Chansey gave a sound of approval, still giddy over how the night had gone. For a moment, her gaze drifted towards the night sky where stars twinkled above.
Violet simply responded by giving her a pat on the head. "I assume you and Dragonair will be asking me about contests?"
The Egg Pokemon smiled and gave an amused chirp as a subtle glow began to surround her body. The glow began to intensify, as Chansey's features began to shift both in appearance and in some parts color. Pink turned to white, curls began to form, and what appeared to be proto-wings began to appear. Then the light faded, and a Blissey stood where Chansey once was.
The 32nd Week, Pick 2
Pokemon Actions
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills, but they can see some improvements through practice.
[] Spend Time with your Pokemon - Now that you're back in your home city, it may be nice to spend some time at the beach where you met Dragonair.
[] 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- While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other. Not to mention Willow just defeated Gym Leader Erika.
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.
[] Challenge the Celadon Gym - While this would normally take longer, you are skilled enough to take on the gym with ease. Willow is doing the same thing this week.
[] Take a Walk Around the City - Recently a notable jailbreak occurred which freed several Rockets; another one is suspected to be planned aimed at more elite members. Surely a walk around the city wouldn't result in you encountering this?
Exploration Actions
[] See the Sights Inside the City - There are several interesting attractions in Celadon although you have seen many of them before. Still, it may be fun to revisit them.
[] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Celadon City has a lot that you can explore, some of them have been on your list to visit for years. Try and explore them.
Traveling Actions (Must be taken either this turn or the next)
[-] Leave the City - It's about time you decided to head out. There are a few cities that you want to travel to. Not to mention quite a few adventures to have. Opens travel sub-vote. Locked until the gym is beaten.
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)
[] Spend Time with Your Parents - Your parents enjoy spending time with you and would like to have fun with you.
[] Call Tetsuya - He just arrived in Fuchsia City and has some interesting stories to tell about what he found during his travels in the wild.
Alright, I'll be calling the vote here, seems like earning your 4th badge and training it is. In this case, Violet will be challenging the gym first then training with Willow. As for how it goes, it's as follows:
Dragonair defeats Tangela but is poisoned in the process.
Erika sends in Bellossom, Violet sends in Forretress. Erika sets up Grassy Terrain, survives the first Bug Bite, gets Moon Blast hit by a Protect, repeats it then faints to Bug Bite.
Erika sends in Jumpluff, Violet sends in Magneton. Erika Protects against the first Flash Cannon, Jumpluff falls to the second.
Erika sends in Victreebel. Violet sends in Blissey. Victreebel slowly gets beaten down by Blissey via Echoed Voice and Life Dew.
Erika sends in Venusaur, Violet sends in Umbreon. Umbreon eats the Giga Drain and switches to Forretress who explodes. Venusaur then faints.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Sep 18, 2024 at 5:10 PM, finished with 12 posts and 9 votes.
[X] Challenge the Celadon Gym - While this would normally take longer, you are skilled enough to take on the gym with ease. Willow is doing the same thing this week.
[X] Train with Willow- While it would be nontraditional to train with your rival, both of you have unique skill sets that could complement each other. Not to mention Willow just defeated Gym Leader Erika.
