Alright, looks like Violet is going to be investigating the signage. This will make for some interesting times.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Apr 26, 2024 at 12:48 AM, finished with 9 posts and 8 votes.
[X] The Signage - Pineco is rather fixated on the sabotaged sign, and Violet knows someone messed with it. Perhaps you can go out of your way to check on the signs present? You feel as if this is just a small part of a much larger plan ...
[X] Bond with Magnemite - Your newest companion is going to be a bit more complicated than everyone else on the team. You should lay down expectations, both for yourself and for them.
[X] The Signage - Pineco is rather fixated on the sabotaged sign, and Violet knows someone messed with it. Perhaps you can go out of your way to check on the signs present? You feel as if this is just a small part of a much larger plan ...
Violet had been underground for two days now. Walking between marked intersections, the young trainer grew more and more nervous as the number of incorrect signs grew. It wasn't that they were simply flipped or fallen, no, it was that the signs were outright wrong in most cases. Moreover, at one point Violet found a sign that shouldn't even exist. One that pointed trainers into a flooded section of the cave.
She did what she could to correct the signs. Taping notes to the signs themselves warning trainers of the risks at play. Moreover, she found a few such paper notes written by other trainers who had realized the danger. And at this point, Violet knew there was a larger conspiracy at play.
There wasn't any other explanation. Someone out there was planning something, and they didn't care who would get hurt in the process. Violet sent a message to the authorities warning them of it, and it seems that the Kanto League had tasked Misty, the closest gym leader, to investigate. Moreover, they had received a few other reports from concerned trainers exploring the Rock Tunnel, and for the moment only trainers with at least one badge would be allowed in the area.
Partially relieved that there was a plan in place, Violet briefly chatted with Chansey and Magnemite, introducing the two Pokemon together. The Magnet Pokemon was still a bit of a brat, oftentimes grabbing something from Violet until she noticed. However, that behavior was somewhat mitigated by Chansey who was capable of somewhat moderating their temperment. While Violet would have likely managed it better, she wasn't able to provide her latest companion with the attention needed for such an act while she was also in the middle of an investigation.
She had a limited selection of clues. The first clue was that the new signs were all made of similar metal, uniform fonts, and standardized phrases. To Violet, this indicated that it was a large conspiracy, and she had her suspicions that it was Team Rocket. No one else had the resources for it (well, apart from Johto, but tensions had calmed down since the Kanto-Johto War). The second clue was spotting someone involved in the alteration of signs.
It occurred during what would have been night, as even with the relatively short stay, Violet's circadian rhythm was already off. And so she started to awaken at odd hours in the night. During this continued exploration, she heard the distant sound of tools being used and made her way over. Violet expected it to be a trainer trying to set up camp, what she didn't expect was to see someone in an all-black uniform tampering with a sign.
"Hey!" Violet yelled out, throwing out three Pokeballs at once. Dratini, Chansey, and Magnemite emerged, while Pineco remained in her Pokeball, ready to be thrown where she was needed. "What do you think you're doing?!"
The young trainer expected the saboteur to turn around and glance at her, perhaps fight with a Pokemon. What Violet hadn't expected was for them to immediately dart away, sprinting through treacherous terrain at an outright dangerous speed. Seeing this happen, Dratini chirped, instructing Magnemite to follow his lead.
Both Pokemon unleashed Thunder Wave, one notably more polished than the other. However, unexpectedly the saboteur kicked off a wall of the cave, backflipping over one of the electric bolts before tumbling forwards and avoiding the second. The motion was eerily familiar, and Violet's eyes narrowed. "So it was Team Rocket."
Seeing the red R on the across the torso gave it away, but the other clue was the movement to dodge a Thunder Wave. Until now, Violet had only seen one person manage it. "Of course, you're here," D growled out even as she continued sprinting through the cave system, swiftly escaping before Dratini and Magnemite could attack once more.
Realizing what was going on, and understanding that trying to find anyone in a cave system as expansive as the Rock Tunnel would be a doomed effort, Violet elected to begin making her way out of the cave system.
[] Lavender Town - A town home to a significant population of Ghost Pokemon, and one that hosts several radio stations, this is the normal exit most trainers take.
[] Silver Town - A town surrounded by mountains and forests, it contains some unique attractions such as a small Contest Hall. It is a somewhat used exit from the Rock Tunnel.
[] Saffron City - A non-traditional exit from the Rock Tunnel that would require a trip through the sewers, Violet has already been to Saffron City, although there is still a fair bit to see.
Alright, I'll be calling the vote here. Looks like a trip to Silver Town is in order. And you do avoid the more dangerous encounter table as a result.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Apr 27, 2024 at 9:04 PM, finished with 9 posts and 9 votes.
[X] Silver Town - A town surrounded by mountains and forests, it contains some unique attractions such as a small Contest Hall. It is a somewhat used exit from the Rock Tunnel.
[X] Lavender Town - A town home to a significant population of Ghost Pokemon, and one that hosts several radio stations, this is the normal exit most trainers take.
[X] Silver Town - A town surrounded by mountains and forests, it contains some unique attractions such as a small Contest Hall. It is a somewhat used exit from the Rock Tunnel.
Making her way to Silver Town, Violet felt a tension within her that she hadn't experienced before. There was something about the possibility of being in the dark with someone she knew wished her ill that made her uneasy. Saying as much to her Pokemon got her a range of responses. Dratini chirped and tried to comfort her, and now rested around her neck ensuring he would be ready to act in a moment's notice. Pineco was more subdued, acknowledging the risk but also pointing out that Violet could easily handle it. Chansey meanwhile seemed to think about it for a bit before saying that Dratini could take care of it. And lastly, Magnemite seemed to find the whole thing overblown, sure there was danger, but that just meant there was an opportunity for adventure … and to mess with people that deserved it. Both were good.
Thankfully, the walk towards one of the cave exits was without excitement. Besides a brief moment where Violet verified that another few signs were altered, she had started to see fewer tampered signposts as she approached the Silver Town exits. She surmised that was due to Team Rocket focusing on ensuring the main routes between Lavender City and the Power Plant were as hard to traverse as possible. By comparison, the Silver Town route was more treacherous, with narrow corridors and multiple snaking pathways that made it tedious to traverse.
But her efforts were rewarded as she exited the cave to the bright afternoon sun. Squinting after being in the dark for so long, Violet decided to wait for a half hour before trying to hike down the mountain. And her patience was rewarded.
Staring down the forested mountains, Violet saw Silver Town below her in its entirety. With a Contest Hall and a small crowd around it, a series of multi-story apartment buildings, and what she thought were generic offices, the small town was truly scenic. Deciding to spend the afternoon camping near the overlook, she let out all four of her Pokemon so that they could appreciate the landscape alongside her.
It was times like this that made her travels worthwhile. Sending a picture to her two friends and family, Violet took a few minutes to chat. Finding that her parents were very happy that she was out of the dark cave, and asking if she planned to arrive in Saffron City soon. Tetsuya was a bit more animated, claiming that he had figured out a few new tricks and he'd earn his second badge soon. And lastly was Willow, who proclaimed that she would be challenging Misty once more before she left Cerulean City.
Having fulfilled her social obligations for the week, Violet looked down on the town and wondered what she would do.
The Twelfth 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 quite early for that. Locked.
[X] Bond with Magnemite - You haven't spent dedicated time with Magnemite yet, it's time to fix that. While they get along with Chansey, they do still have a few problematic traits.
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are good in a battle, and each has unique skills. Training for a few days would help them grow.
Battling Actions
[] Challenge New Trainers - Now that you and your Pokemon had developed, fighting a few trainers in succession was doable.
[] Challenge an Experienced Trainer - Some trainers in the area have a badge, beating them may be a good experience.
[] Participate in a Contest Battle - You don't want to do this, the sheer level of attention would be nerve-wracking. But Dratini really wants to …
Exploration Actions (New)
[] See the sights in the Area - Silver Town has a few unique attractions such as the Contest Hall and a few desolate forested pathways. Exploring these areas will be fun.
[-] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Exploring the cave system north of Silver Town is something you could do. Just … at a later date. Locked.
Traveling Actions (Can Take 1 of These Only)
[] Travel to Saffron City - Backtracking to Saffron City would let you think about challenging Sabrina. However, your parents would drive to visit you, and you would have to meet them.
[] Travel to Lavender Town - A town famous for its ghost Pokemon, it's also now the site of a large mobilization of trainers due to a local emergency. If you head out now, you could make it.
[] Travel to Vermillion City - A popular seaport for Kanto, frequented by visitors and merchants from Johto. There are a number of regular ferries in the city.
[] Travel towards Fuchsia City - A longer trip that would be spread over weeks, heading south would keep Violet away from civilization for longer than she has been before.
[] Travel to Write-in - There are many locations in Kanto one could take a direct route towards.
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)
[] Call up your parents - Your parents are rather worried about you due to some news about the Rock Tunnel.
[] Call Tetsuya - An old childhood friend of yours, the two of you drifted off recently. He appears to have figured out a few things about Pokemon and battling.
[] Call Willow - The trainer you recently defeated, she seems fun if exhausting. She just barely lost to Misty, having defeated two of the three Pokemon in the fight.
Alright, I'll be calling the vote here. Looks like calling the parents wins. That'll be fun, it means you get to have some additional context to the start of a hell of an operation by Team Rocket. That and it's just a fun option for me to write.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on Apr 29, 2024 at 11:50 AM, finished with 9 posts and 9 votes.
[x] Call up your parents - Your parents are rather worried about you due to some news about the Rock Tunnel.
[X] See the sights in the Area - Silver Town has a few unique attractions such as the Contest Hall and a few desolate forested pathways. Exploring these areas will be fun.
[X] Travel to Lavender Town - A town famous for its ghost Pokemon, it's also now the site of a large mobilization of trainers due to a local emergency. If you head out now, you could make it.
[x] Call up your parents - Your parents are rather worried about you due to some news about the Rock Tunnel.
Reading through the messages from her parents, Violet recognized that they were scared and worried. A part of her whispered they should say it, rather than implying it and hoping she picked up on it. But it was nothing new, people were annoying in that sense.
Pressing the number for her home, it rang once before being picked up instantly by her dad. "Violet?" He asked worriedly. "Are you out of the Rock Tunnel?"
Violet nodded once as she responded, "Yeah, I sent you pictures."
"That's good," she heard a sigh of relief from the other side of the phone. "It's not safe there anymore, Team Rocket has been meddling in that area."
The shy girl felt herself freeze, bringing her free arm to her chest as if hugging herself. Should she tell her dad she was involved in that? Of her battles with Team Rocket. "I-I heard."
She didn't do any of that, if she did, her parents would take a train to Silver Town immediately. Regardless of how it would affect their careers. "It's good to stay informed, have you been reading the articles I've sent you?"
Violet blushed red, her dad's articles were … Well, they were sometimes useful. But she found them dull and dry to read. She much preferred articles targeted towards Pokemon trainers rather than normal adults, they were always more exciting. "Sometimes?" She asked more than said. "I liked the ones about the Cerulean Caves."
"I'm glad." She heard her dad's smile through the phone. "You caught your Chansey there didn't you?"
She nodded, flushing red as she realized what she just did. "Ye-Yeah." She stuttered. "She's nice and likes dancing."
Chansey gestured for the phone and Violet briefly extended it so her voice could be heard through it. With an exclamation of "Chansey," the Egg Pokemon clarified that she was a very good dancer.
"Hello to you as well," her dad said, clearly not understanding what Chansey said, but unwilling to ask for clarification.
"Is mom there?" Violet asked instead of pressing her dad on his incorrect assumption. People didn't like being corrected, she learned that long ago. Even if they would thank you for it, their eyes and tone always gave away their annoyance.
"She is," her dad said, not picking up on Violet trying to shift the conversation. "Let me just …"
Violet heard her dad walking around their house, calling for her mother. After a few seconds, her mom came to the phone. "Hi, mom."
"Violet," her mother greeted. "Are you going to be headed to Lavender Town? It's very dangerous there."
"What's happening in Lavender Town?" Violet asked, she'd heard of a trainer mobilization in the area and was strongly considering going. But information was sparse and her searches on the internet had produced little beyond it being related to Team Rocket.
"It's terrible Violet," her mother began. "Team Rocket is attacking trainers in the Rock Tunnel daily, and the league is gathering forces to respond."
"O-oh," she said simply. "W-well, Gym Leader Misty was headed to the other side of the tunnel, she should be there now."
"Good," she heard a sigh of relief from her mother. "She's a good trainer, maybe not the best in the league, but certainly good enough to handle this."
"Willow said she was traveling with her," Violet added abruptly. She had only learned of it recently when her rival stated she would make sure her second gym badge would be the Cascade Badge. And so, when she had learned Misty was going to the Rock Tunnel to secure it, Willow decided she would go with her.
"Are you thinking of heading to Lavender Town?" Her mother asked disapprovingly, making Violet tense up.
"I was going to be spending time with Magnemite," Violet deflected, glancing over at the Magnet Pokemon, who had perked up the moment she mentioned their name. "They're … unique."
"Violet…" her mother trailed off, having noticed the attempt at deflection. "You aren't thinking of going to Lavender Town, are you?"
"I'll be safe," Violet curled in on herself, hating this conversation with a passion. "I-I've beaten Team Rocket twice now."
"You know that's not what I'm worried about," her mother stated, understanding the level of perception Violet was capable of. And the shy girl didn't have a reply to that. Her parents were worried about her, and chasing after a Team was dangerous. But she couldn't just let Team Rocket do as they wished without consequences. And while it might be arrogance, she could make a difference.
"I-I can make a difference," Violet said with quiet conviction. "I-I'm a good trainer."
Her mother let out a long sigh, causing the shy girl to freeze up and sweat. She hadn't been this nervous in her gym battle with Misty, not when fighting Team Rocket, and not when traversing the Rock Tunnel. It was only when one of her family members felt she had given the wrong answer that she felt like this. "Just-" Her mother cut herself off, thinking better of whatever she was about to say. "I … I know you can make a difference Violet. But your father and I care more about you than anything else."
Violet remained silent, not wanting to speak as some of the tension drained from her. "Thanks," she murmured.
"We love you, Violet, I know you can hear the truth in my voice." Despite herself, a small smile flickered onto the shy girl's face. She knew it was true. From the pitch of her mother's voice to the nearly imperceptible emotions coloring her words, Violet knew above all else that her parents loved her dearly. And even if their love could feel suffocating at times, she knew that they tried.
"I love you too," Violet said as she hung up. Letting out a breath, she looked over at her Pokemon, where Dratini lay napping, Pineco was critiquing Chansey's dance moves, and Magnemite looked at her with a bored expression.
The Magnet Pokemon hummed mischievously as Violet narrowed her eyes, realizing what they were about to do.
"Don't-" The word was scarcely out of her mouth before Magnemite used its natural magnetism to grab a random metallic object from her bag and forcing her to chase after them. Regardless of what she did after this, it helped distract Violet from the tense phone call she just had.
Now she just had to figure out how to handle Magnemite and their … everything
[] Set Boundaries - Allowing Magnemite's mischievous behavior in more productive manners will mean they remain a constant source of challenge for Violet. But also that they will be the happiest. Dratini likes this option.
[] Temper Magnemite - Trying to teach Magnemite how other people feel when they mess with them won't be difficult. For all their faults, Magnemite doesn't like inflicting suffering. Teaching them how to predict consequences would be fairly straightforward. Pineco likes this option.
[] Write-in
Hence, Dratini, Pineco, and Magnemite evolving at pretty much the same time with Chansey most likely being within the same general ballpark. Look on the bright side though if we pick up something like a Skarmory, and Heatran for our last two slots they won't need to evolve at least.
Both of those would definitely be interesting Pokemon. And due to it Taunt Skarmory reminding me of it, you'll be able to start teaching TMs to your Pokemon after you get your second gym badge.
Telepathic Pokemon would be interesting. Violet would be a little intimidated by it, but it opens up a good bit more exploration for the Pokemon you have.
On that note, looks like Setting Boundaries wins. I do enjoy being able to have Magnemite be a little shit every now and then. It'll definitely spice things up.
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on May 1, 2024 at 9:27 PM, finished with 17 posts and 8 votes.
[x] Set Boundaries - Allowing Magnemite's mischievous behavior in more productive manners will mean they remain a constant source of challenge for Violet. But also that they will be the happiest. Dratini likes this option.
[X] Temper Magnemite - Trying to teach Magnemite how other people feel when they mess with them won't be difficult. For all their faults, Magnemite doesn't like inflicting suffering. Teaching them how to predict consequences would be fairly straightforward. Pineco likes this option.
[x] Set Boundaries - Allowing Magnemite's mischievous behavior in more productive manners will mean they remain a constant source of challenge for Violet. But also that they will be the happiest. Dratini likes this option.
"Magnemite," Violet began, absentmindedly adjusting her hat, "do you want to do something?"
The Magnet Pokemon looked at her suspiciously, humming a nonchalant, ambiguous response that was hard to call an actual agreement or disagreement. Instead, it came across more as waffling.
"Well, I was pretty busy in the Rock Tunnel with the signs…" Violet hesitated, "And I haven't gotten to know you yet."
Magnemite visibly tilted in the air, as if wondering how complex they were at heart. Letting out a confused hum, the Pokemon's words caused Violet to sigh.
"You're not just a prankster," Violet explained. "You had a group in that cave, they got along with you for reasons beyond messing with others."
The Magnet Pokemon disagreed and showed their disagreement by grabbing a random object from Violet's belt using their magnetism. Then it hummed, explaining that no, that's exactly why they got along. They messed with each other as much as they messed with others.
Violet glanced down, recognizing that a rather smug Magnemite was now in possession of her survival knife. This was going to be a much harder conversation than she initially thought. "Magnemite," she said with disapproval in her tone, "I believe you did prank your friends as well. But … there were lines you didn't cross, weren't there?"
The mischievous Pokemon shook their body, indicating no, there were no such lines. They just did whatever came naturally to them. If there was something that would be fun for the group, they'd do it.
Violet gave a smug smile. "Oh? Is that so?" She said as if Magnemite had just proved her point.
They looked at her with extreme suspicion, very slowly nodding yes. That was so.
In a manner more fitting for Willow than it was for Violet, the shy girl twirled a finger through her hair, never dropping her smug smile. "You said fun for the group, not fun for you~"
Magnemite tried to play it cool as if that was just a slip of the tongue or Violet not understanding the context. But the young trainer was nothing if not perceptive and caught the telltale signs of the Pokemon trying to shift the conversation.
"So you do care," Violet teased, finding a newfound confidence when it came to Pokemon that she didn't know she had. "Just remember that some pranks won't be fun for the group. There are some lines you shouldn't cross."
The Magnet Pokemon grumbled, saying that it knew the difference between pranks and bullying. One was funny, the other was just mean.
Violet agreed, but there was more to it than just that. "I know you're not mean Magnemite, otherwise you wouldn't have fought Dratini one on one. But sometimes people think they're being funny when they're just being mean." She'd seen it before, other kids calling her mute or calling the new kid weird. Some of them were trying to be mean, but others were doing it to draw them in with humor never realizing that words could cut deeply. And trying to bring that up after the words were said usually made people irrationally defensive.
Magnemite didn't seem to grasp her meaning, humming at her with a confused expression. How could a prank intended for fun be mean?
Violet knew how to respond. Bringing out her phone, she began surfing the Internet, bringing up a prank channel. "Some other people think the same." She pressed play, letting Magnemite take it in.
It took a few minutes for the so-called prank to unfold, during which a rather annoyed Magnemite hummed angrily, calling the hosts idiots and fools who had no understanding of what pranking meant. But it seemed to get Violet's point across, and over the next hour, the two of them discussed what boundaries could and couldn't be crossed.
There would be no pranks in dangerous situations or in Pokemon battles, nor would there be any actual theft. Both of which Magnemite would have agreed to before the conversation. But now the Magnet Pokemon would also avoid pranks that'd cause some degree of public response or embarrass someone heavily. They still didn't quite understand embarrassment as a concept, or at least didn't internalize it. But at this point, they were well enough behaved that Violet could trust them.
The Thirteenth 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 quite early for that. Locked.
[] Bond with Magnemite - While Magnemite is better behaved, and has been improving, it may be worthwhile spending time to accelerate their empathic growth.
[] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are good in a battle, and each has unique skills. Training for a few days would help them grow.
Battling Actions
[] Challenge New Trainers - Now that you and your Pokemon had developed, fighting a few trainers in succession was doable.
[] Challenge an Experienced Trainer - Some trainers in the area have a badge, beating them may be a good experience.
[] Participate in a Contest Battle - You don't want to do this, the sheer level of attention would be nerve-wracking. But Dratini really wants to …
Exploration Actions (New)
[] See the sights in the Area - Silver Town has a few unique attractions such as the Contest Hall and a few desolate forested pathways. Exploring these areas will be fun.
[] Explore Unorthodox Locations - Exploring the cave system north of Silver Town is something you could do. Even if it would be scary.
Traveling Actions (Violet will take one of these automatically this turn)
[-] Travel to Saffron City - Backtracking to Saffron City would let you think about challenging Sabrina. However, your parents would drive to visit you, and you would have to meet them.
[-] Travel to Lavender Town - A town famous for its ghost Pokemon, it's also now the site of a large mobilization of trainers due to a local emergency. If you head out now, you could make it.
[-] Travel to Vermillion City - A popular seaport for Kanto, frequented by visitors and merchants from Johto. There are a number of regular ferries in the city.
[-] Travel towards Fuchsia City - A longer trip that would be spread over weeks, heading south would keep Violet away from civilization for longer than she has been before.
[-] Travel to Write-in - There are many locations in Kanto one could take a direct route towards.
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)
[] Call up your parents - Your parents were very happy you called, but they would enjoy further talks with you.
[] Call Tetsuya - An old childhood friend of yours, the two of you drifted off recently. He is headed back to Celadon City when it became clear the Viridian City gym wasn't reopening anytime soon.
[] Call Willow - The trainer you recently defeated, she seems fun if exhausting. She is heavily involved in Electricville, having become embroiled in Team Rocket's largest operation since their takeover of Silph-Co.
Alright, I'll be closing the vote here. I'll have an update out tomorrow. As it is, I think I'll be shifting my update schedule so that I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday rather than every other day.
As it is, due to the vote being tied, time for a d2
1 - Magnemite
2 - Contest
Scheduled vote count started by Daemon Hunter on May 3, 2024 at 11:51 PM, finished with 10 posts and 7 votes.
[x] Bond with Magnemite - While Magnemite is better behaved, and has been improving, it may be worthwhile spending time to accelerate their empathic growth.
Alright, looks like it's a contest battle. Thankfully for me, it'll only be a single update long due to a combination of inexperience with the subject and Violet's nature not going that well with it. That being said, Dratini is very happy and does learn quite a bit from it, as does Violet and your other Pokemon.
[X] Participate in a Contest Battle - You don't want to do this, the sheer level of attention would be nerve-wracking. But Dratini really wants to …
Violet shuffled nervously, thinking through the routine Dratini and her had worked on over the past few days. It was rough, unpolished, and more than a little haphazard. She involved Chansey in the process as well, which helped refine some of the dance steps in between, but Violet couldn't help but feel clunky and awkward whenever she practiced.
She didn't want to join the Contest Battle, but Dratini had looked at her with such pleading eyes … And then Chansey joined in. Violet had glanced at Pineco and Magnemite for support, but the former was just amused and the latter hummed and hoped it would be recorded. Violet immediately blushed at the realization that it almost certainly would be. By Arceus, she'd have to send footage of it to her parents! They'd be ecstatic to see it but it would be mortifying.
Violet's initial plan was to finish integrating Magnemite into her team, but at this point, she was committed. After signing up for the Performance Stage, she couldn't back out anymore. Slapping her face with both hands in an effort to psyche herself up, Violet forced a deep exhale. "It'll … it'll be alright." She whispered to herself, wishing that she could start the performance off with Dratini at her side.
The Contest Hall was smaller than she expected, with only around two hundred members in the audience. Pokemon Contests had yet to take off in the Kanto Region, being far more common in other regions. Silver Town was one of the rare exceptions, being largely subsidized by income from Contest Battles outside the region. But the organizers weren't willing to give up on spreading this type of battle to Kanto, and as such had been conducting a long advertising campaign which was slowly beginning to have some success as revenue had been increasing over time.
Violet looked up as the first participant began their performance, and almost immediately regretted it. There are special Pokeballs for contests? She should have done more research instead of asking the Pokemon Store if they had anything for contests. Maybe they weren't offered in Kanto? Forcing herself to pay more attention, Violet blushed as she realized her initial thoughts were incorrect. The Pokeball was normal, it was just stylized. She must have been more nervous than she thought if she missed that.
Taking a calming breath, Violet shrunk in on herself, trying to make herself seem smaller. Her heart raced in her chest, her palms grew sweaty, and it grew far harder to concentrate on the performance in front of her. Violet's mind kept going towards worst-case scenarios. What if she tripped and embarrassed herself? What if she froze up on stage? She was going to freeze up, wasn't she? Someone glanced at her and said something vaguely soothing before their turn was up. She wasn't really paying attention.
Violet suddenly flinched backward, feeling a sharp gaze upon her. Broken out of her waking nightmare, she heard Dratini call out to her worryingly.
"When … when did …?" Violet clammed up and blushed, realizing that most of the room was trying and failing to stealthily watch what was happening.
Dratini forced himself into her lap, curling around himself and rubbing her hand trying to calm Violet down. Don't worry, he seemed to say. Everything was going to work out.
The shy girl looked around her, then to the contest currently active. There she saw a Fearow actively using Sunny Day and Rain Dance to create a mist-like effect to enhance the beauty of its various aerial maneuvers, all the while their trainer and Pokemon moved in tune with the music. How was it going to work out if that was her competition?!
Violet suppressed a yelp as she felt an electric shock from Dratini who was looking at her with a cross expression. She was a great trainer! And his best friend! Sure she may not have been in a Contest Battle before, but neither had he. Right now, Violet was her own worst enemy. So what if they didn't win? He didn't care about winning here (not yet anyway), he just wanted to show off. But, if she wasn't ready, they could do it another day.
The shy girl blushed at the praise, just as the audience burst into applause as Fearow's performance ended. She felt her nerves ease up, she could rely on Dratini for this. Even if she froze, he could carry the performance for her. Unknown to Violet, a genuine smile appeared on her face, as she uttered three words from the very bottom of her heart. "Thank you Dratini."
She was up next and decided that this time she wouldn't worry about starting to contest off with Dratini in his Pokeball. That would be for next time when the two of them would be better prepared. Today … today this was just for fun.
Violet thought it was a beautiful routine. There was raw, unfiltered passion in Dratini's performance. Despite her oldest companion's pep talk, her performance was still stilted and hesitant, but it was leagues above what she had feared. Dratini opened with a Leer, forcing the audience and judges to look at him as he segwayed into an undulating pattern using a series of altered Wraps to move vaguely in tune with the music. Then Violet shifted the moment, calling for the Mirage Pokemon to use Thunder Wave and Twister, causing an indoor storm in the arena that crackled ominously.
It wasn't a performance anyone would have expected from Violet or Dratini. It was intimidating, direct, and blunt. The moves Dratini knew suited it well, but compared to some of the other participants, it wasn't at the level needed to secure a pass to the second round.
For their first performance, it was excellent and well-managed, but the judges voiced their criticisms as well. While they acknowledged that it was well-choreographed for an amateur, they explained that it lacked an introduction, beginning with Leer was a bold move that was too aggressive for the moment. Moreover, the use of Wrap, while creative, had several timing issues, with the judges indicating that Dratini and Violet should have synchronized their dance moves during this moment better. Lastly, the indoor thunderstorm did present a spectacle, but it didn't flow with the rest of the performance. Moreover, there were elements that the duo could have added to spice up the performance more. Perhaps Dratini could have used Thunder Wave during the undulating Wraps for instance. They were good suggestions and ones Violet would have to take into account in the future.
For now, however, she was feeling a little restless. And felt the urge to head to other areas.
*Dratini improves Defense to C-*
*Dratini improves Speed to C*
*Dratini improves Leer to C+
*Dratini improves Showmanship to B--*
*Pineco improves Health to C–*
*Pineco improves Bug Bite to C-*
*Pineco improves Watchful to B-*
*Chansey improves Charm to C++*
*Chansey improves Echoed Voice to B--*
Traveling Actions, Pick 1
[] Travel to Saffron City - Backtracking to Saffron City would let you think about challenging Sabrina. However, your parents would drive to visit you, and you would have to meet them.
[] Travel to Lavender Town - A town famous for its ghost Pokemon, it's also now the site of a large mobilization of trainers due to a local emergency. A series of battles have occurred, with Team Rocket being pushed back through the Rock Tunnel, but the trainers are being held off by a blockade near Electricville.
[] Travel to Vermillion City - A popular seaport for Kanto, frequented by visitors and merchants from Johto. There are a number of regular ferries in the city.
[] Travel towards Fuchsia City - A longer trip that would be spread over weeks, heading south would keep Violet away from civilization for longer than she has been before.
[] Travel to Electricville - It's unorthodox, but there are alternative routes to Electricville as well. Violet's trip to a peak that could see Electricville and the Power Plant helped show this. Heading directly there to help out with the Pokemon emergency would also allow Violet to see Willow once more.
[] Travel to Write-in - There are many locations in Kanto one could take a direct route towards.
