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A Journey of Two, a Pokemon Story

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Kanto Week 22 Part 1 - Enter the Gauntlet
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    • [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
     
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    • Kanto Week 22 Part 2 - The Gauntlet
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    • [X] Outrage
    [X] Stealth Rock
    [X] Flash Cannon

    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.
     
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    • Kanto Week 23 Part 1 - Training and Growth
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    • [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.
     
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    • Kanto Week 23 Part 2 - Sabrina's Opening
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    • [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.

    []
    Send out: Pineco
    Stance: Turtle (-30% chance to dodge, -25% damage taken)

    Use Stealth Rock, then switch to Magnemite before using Flash Cannon recklessly. After which, reassess.
    []
    Send out: Chansey
    Stance: Turtle (-30% chance to dodge, -25% damage taken)

    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.
    [] Write-in
     
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    • Kanto Week 23 Part 3 - An Incredible Start
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    • [X] An Uncomfortable Situation
    Send out: Pineco
    Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)

    Turn 1: Use Stealth Rock.
    Turn 2: Use Spikes.
    Turn 3: Feint using Spikes again but use Bug Bite instead.

    If Mr. Mime attempts to stay in rather than using Baton Pass to get Alakazam back in then swap with Magnemite who will use Flash Cannon Recklessly. If one of Stealth Rock or Spikes doesn't succeed use Bug Bite Recklessly instead of Aggressively, if neither succeeds use Self Destruct Recklessly, if Bug Bite misses then feint going for another Bug Bite but use Self Destruct Aggressively if both hazards succeeded, and Self Destruct Recklessly otherwise instead.

    It wasn't a great situation, Violet mused. Buying time to think by slowly pulling out Pineco's Pokeball, she had an idea of what would be needed.

    Any plan that didn't involve preventing an Alakazam boosted by Calm Mind from remaining was doomed to fail, and so that had to be her first priority. Tossing Pineco onto the field, Violet loudly told her what was needed, "Pineco," she forced out, pitching her voice so both the audience and Sabrina could hear. "As soon as the battle starts, use Stealth Rock."

    The gym leader clamped down on her reaction, flicking her eyes to one of the Pokeballs Violet could tell there was a faint grimace. Good, that meant her assumption of the fourth Pokemon being a Bug-type was accurate. Glancing at the attendant who had begun the countdown, her mind raced as she tried to determine what was best.

    Dragon Tail was her first idea, timing it carefully so that Dratini could force a switch just as Alakazam hit. Considering the Psi Pokemon's frailty, a crit may even knock him out of the match. Letting a hand drift towards his Pokeball she then recalled teaching Dratini Outrage for this very reason. A single hit with that would remove Alakazam from play. But what if he missed?

    There wasn't a good backup in that situation, and it'd force her to improvise while facing a buffed Alakazam that could one-shot everyone besides maybe Chansey. A second before the battle began, Violet was still trying to figure out a plan.

    Then she heard simultaneous sounds, one of which was much louder than the other. "YOU GOT THIS VIOLET!!!"

    Flinching at the sheer volume from Tetsuya, Violet glared at the display before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Turning towards the second sound, she locked eyes with Pineco who had voiced her confidence in handling the Pokemon before her. Both trainer and Pokemon nodded simultaneously as a plan fell into place within both their minds at once.

    "Let the battle begin!" The attendant declared as a red light turned green. Immediately Pineco jumped into the air, throwing out dozens of floating rocks into the air while Sabrina switched in Mr. Mime.

    "Spikes," Violet intoned in a serious voice, her mind focused entirely on the Barrier Pokemon as she waited to see what he would do. As expected, Mr. Mime closed his eyes and concentrated, allowing a field of thorns to coat Sabrina's side of the arena. Then the Pokemon opened his eyes which glowed with power.

    "Keep it up Pineco," Violet said as she pitched her voice oddly. To a stranger, it would have sounded nervous, a very understandable situation thanks to Mr. Mime mining a bow, exiting the stage using Baton Pass, leading to an extremely dangerous Alakazam returning to the field.

    Buffeted by Stealth Rock and wincing from the Spikes, the Psi Pokemon appeared to be bursting with Psychic energy. Loose rocks floated in the air at will, Violet's hair stood on end as her skin began to crawl with goosebumps. Her throat turned dry as Alakazam stepped forward, attempting to avoid being struck by a second set of Spikes.

    Yet, it was all a bluff on the part of Violet and Pineco. The Bagworm Pokemon shifted, turning the use of Spikes into a lunge as her mouth glowed with Bug-type energy. Too late, Alakazam shifted trying to close the hole opened in his guard by the cunning feint.

    With a thunderous crash, Pineco struck the Psi Pokemon, tearing into his frame with the super-effective move. Alakazam bounced once, landing in a heap on the floor as the power gained from Calm Mind vanished.

    Struggling to stand, the Psi Pokemon managed to use his arms to force himself into a crawling position before the damage truly claimed him. Falling to the ground, Alakazam's eyes glazed over as he fainted.

    And on the other side of the arena, Pineco began to glow a blinding white as her body began to morph. Her frame seemed to almost split, pine bark turning into a white ceramic while a strip of red appeared in the middle. Four protrusions emerged from the red strip as the Pokemon grew taller, stronger, and heavier.

    When Violet blinked the stars from her eyes, she saw a Forretress where Pineco once was and grinned widely. This battle was hers to lose!

    *Pineco evolved into Forretress*
    *Forretress improved Health to B*
    *Forretress improved Attack to B*
    *Forretress improved Defense to A-*
    *Forretress improved Special Attack to C*
    *Forretress improved Special Defense to B--*
    *Forretress improved Speed to D--*

    Health: C
    Stamina: C
    Attack: D++
    Defense: C-
    Special Attack: C++
    Special Defense: B+
    Speed: C++
    Evasion: B–

    Moves

    Mimic: E++
    Baton Pass: B--
    Copycat: D++
    Encore: C+
    Guard Swap: E++
    Pound: D++
    Power Swap: E++
    Quick Guard: C++
    Wide Guard: F++
    Confusion: D++
    Role Play: D++
    Protect: C++
    Recycle: E++
    Psychic: C
    Calm Mind: B–

    Special Skills

    Soundproof

    Violet's Thoughts: A fast Pokemon whose evasiveness when combined with Calm Mind makes them very hard to face in extended battles. He cannot be allowed to set up. Starting off already injured does help, however.

    Violet's Perceptive Trait Kicks in!

    Mr. Mime will use a Stand-off stance throughout the fight and will do whatever he can to avoid entering a close-ranged fight. He will use Calm Mind twice before switching to an Aggressive stance and using Psychic.

    If Forretress stays in and uses Spikes in Round 5 and 6, Mr. Mime will use Protect instead of Psychic due to expecting her to use Self Destruct in Round 7.

    If Magnemite switches in during Round 4, he will forgo using a second Calm Mind and rely on staggered alternations of Protect and Psychic to try and win the ranged duel assuming Magnemite uses Flash Cannon continuously. During this fight, he'll use an Evasive stance.

    []
    Send out: Forretress
    Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)
    Round 5: Spikes
    Round 6: Spikes
    Round 7: If Spikes failed once, use Spikes again. Otherwise, use Curse.
    Round 8: If Mr. Mime's Protect works a second time, use Curse. Otherwise, use Self Destruct. Repeat as needed.
    []
    Send out: Forretress
    Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)
    Round 5: Bug Bite
    Round 6: Bug Bite
    Round 7: Self Destruct
    []
    Send out: Magnemite
    Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)
    Round 5: Thunder Wave
    Round 6+: Thunder Wave if it missed, otherwise use Flash Cannon
    [] Write-in

    Round 1 Alakazam: Mr. Mime switches in for Alakazam.
    Round 1 Pineco: Pineco used Stealth Rock (DC30: 48). Pineco laid a field of stones!

    Round 2 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Calm Mind (DC15: 75). Mr. Mime's Special Attack increased from C++ to B-.
    Round 2 Pineco: Pineco used Spikes (DC30: 74). Pineco lays a trap of thorns on the field!

    Round 3 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Baton Pass. Alakazam took his place. Alakazam's Special Attack is now S–. The rocks hurt Alakazam. Alakazam loses 13% of his HP (87%). The thorns dig into Alakazam. Alakazam loses 13% of his HP (74%).
    Round 3 Pineco: Pineco feinted Spikes (DC??: ??). Alakazam fell for the feint! Pineco used Bug Bite (DC50-15=35: 36). Alakazam lost 74% of his HP (0%). Alakazam fainted!

    Sabrina sent out Mr. Mime. The rocks hurt Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime loses 13% of his HP (87%). The thorns dig into Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime loses 13% of his HP (74%).

    Pineco evolved into Forretress!
     
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    • Kanto Week 23 Part 4 - A Perfect Second Round
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    • Send Out: Magnemite

    Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)

    Round 4+: Supersonic until it hits, Thunder Wave until it hits, and then Flash Cannon

    Feint Flash Cannon when going for Supersonic, and Thunder Wave. Take a breather during the turns where Mr. Mime uses Protect. And, swap to the Reckless stance when using Flash Cannon.

    Violet looked at Forretress then let herself glance down at Magnemite's Pokeball. Forretress could almost certainly win this on her own, a single use of Bug Bite may even be enough to defeat Mr. Mime. But in this moment, Violet was riding the high of a flawless fight. "Forretress," she said with confidence, "take a breather for the moment."

    The Bagworm Pokemon looked at Violet and then back at her opponent. With a confident shrug, she conveyed the message that she could win this, but if Violet was sure then Magnemite could have a turn. Forretress' expression then turned slightly smug as she wondered if she could have swept the gym on her own.

    Violet smiled at her friend's confidence before finally making the switch. Throwing Magnemite onto the field of battle, she lowered her voice to give him orders. "Add some feints and fakes at the start, I know you're good at it." The Magnet Pokemon appeared excited and almost missed Violet's next words. "Alright, Magnemite! Let's win this thing!"

    Mr. Mime cracked his knuckles, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders in a very human manner. In response, Magnemite simply changed the frequency of their hum, tilting back and forth in a facsimile of stretching.

    Then the battle resumed once more, Magnemite charging up a Flash Cannon while Mr. Mime stood there utterly unconcerned. Briefly closing his eyes, the Barrier Pokemon used Calm Mind while Violet ordered, "Supersonic, don't let him see straight."

    A wave of noise crashed into Mr. Mime, causing him to step back and open his eyes. While too late to disrupt his prior move, Violet could see the clouded confusion in his eyes whilst he stumbled ungainly on his feet. Instinctively trying to use Psychic, he held up a hand miming the move, only to lose control of the building energy which quite literally blew up in his face.

    "Thunder Wave," Violet ordered, unwilling to squander the advantage to which Magnemite momentarily pretended not to hear it, instead gathering both Steel-type and Electric-type energy at once.

    Mr. Mime on the other hand waved the dust away from his face, a serious expression covering his face as Sabrina gave him orders. Taking a series of unpredictable steps, he prepared to use Protect after Magnemite's attack. Hoping to dodge the first and then block the second, the Barrier Pokemon's plan stumbled after the Magnet Pokemon abruptly stopped gathering Steel-type energy.

    Having expected the use of Flash Cannon, Mr. Mime's brain momentarily locked up, leaving him vulnerable despite mental orders from Sabrina to move. A wave of electricity flowed from Magnemite to the Barrier Pokemon, locking up limbs and halting all attempts to act.

    "He's going to use Protect," Violet observed, understanding the movements used by the Barrier Pokemon. "Hold off for a moment."

    Magnemite held back for a moment, taking a moment to breathe as a panicked Mr. Mime acted to defend himself despite being unable to move. Instinctively using Protect, the Barrier Pokemon was distracted by the electricity coursing through his veins causing the move to simply fizzle out.

    A second later, Mr. Mime tried to use Psychic once more, as Sabrina hoped that a brief ranged duel would allow her Pokemon time and space to recover. Unfortunately, the paralysis proved too much as Mr. Mime's locked-up limbs prevented him from doing more than writhe on the floor.

    Magnemite, on the other hand, felt a little bad for what they were about to do. One Flash Cannon fired, causing Mr. Mime to roll across the floor. Another desperate attempt at Psychic failed, leaving Magnemite with a clear and easy target.

    They fired their second Flash Cannon of the match and Mr. Mime fainted.

    Violet smiled in response as the crowd watching went wild. Sabrina's gym had one of the highest win rates in Kanto which made every trainer that challenged her an underdog. To have said underdog knock out two of her Pokemon without taking a single hit was absurdly rare and the crowd was loving it.

    Sabrina, however, was not. Despite dampening her emotions below a psychic wall in her mind, the gym leader seemed to think the fight had been too easy for Violet. Glancing over at her attendants, Sabrina briefly frowned at the memory of their prior conversations. While they gave good advice, she shouldn't have listened to them previously. She should have gone all out against this trainer from the start, but now it was likely too late. Restricted to only a Slowpoke and Butterfree against an array of hazards, Sabrina would be facing an uphill battle.

    Forcing her thoughts to grind to a halt, the gym leader calmed herself down in a manner superficially similar to the use of Calm Mind in Pokemon. Gazing into the mind of the trainer before her, Sabrina looked down in the real world while perusing some of Violet's thoughts. It wasn't complete mind reading, but for a fight, it was enough.

    Her attendants gave her a look, trying to silently convey the idea that it wasn't acceptable to implement strategies used against the Elite 4 against a trainer with two badges. Sabrina supposed they had a point. She'd restrict herself to mind reading. At least for now.

    Health: D++
    Stamina: D++
    Attack: D
    Defense: D++
    Special Attack: B--
    Special Defense: C
    Speed: A
    Evasion: A++

    Moves

    Bug Bite: E++
    Gust: E++
    Harden: E++
    String Shot: C+
    Tackle: F++
    Supersonic: D++
    Confusion: E++
    Poison Powder: B-
    Sleep Powder: D++
    Stun Spore: D++
    Psybeam: C++
    Whirlwind: B--
    Air Slash: D++
    Safeguard: C++
    Substitute: C++

    Special Skills

    Tinted Lens

    Violet's Thoughts: A glass cannon, Butterfree is fast, agile, and hits hard. Whirlwind allows her to cycle through problematic Pokemon while Poison Powder places a needed time limit on the battle due to her poor stamina. At range, Supersonic and Psybeam are her usual go-to. She cannot survive in close range, however.

    Butterfree will use Whirlwind which will replace Magnemite with Dratini. She'll then use a series of Psybeams due to being too weak to absorb a hit but will use a Substitute if she gets a chance. If Dratini uses Thunder Wave, she'll use Safeguard. If Dratini uses Protect, she'll take a moment to rest.

    Should Violet switch to one of her other Pokemon, Butterfree will adapt her strategy. Against Magnemite she'll open with a Reckless Psybeam, against Chansey she'll use Poison Powder, against Forretress Substitute. After which she'll begin using a series of Psybeams as needed. If Magnemite uses Thunder Wave, she'll use Safeguard.

    Butterfree will switch freely between Evasive, Aggressive, Stand-off, and Reckless stances based on what is most useful for her at that time thanks to Sabrina's guidance.

    []
    Round 9: Magnemite aggressively uses Thunder Shock

    Dratini's Stance: Full Defensive (+15% chance to dodge, -50% chance to hit, requires a Skilled Trainer, takes a turn to switch out of)

    Round 10: Thunder Wave
    Round 11+: Twister repeatedly until it hits
    []
    Round 9: Magnemite aggressively uses Thunder Shock

    Dratini's Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)

    Round 10: Thunder Wave
    Round 11+: Twister repeatedly until it hits
    []
    Round 9: Magnemite aggressively uses Thunder Shock

    Round 10: Switch in Magnemite

    Magnemite's Stance: Aggressive (-5% chance to dodge, +5% chance to hit)

    Round 11: Thunder Wave
    Round 12+: Repeatedly use Thunder Shock
    [] Write-in

    Round 4 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Calm Mind (DC15: 29). Mr. Mime's Special Attack increased from C++ to B-.
    Round 4 Magnemite: Magnemite feinted with Flash Cannon. Mr. Mime saw through the feint! Magnemite used Supersonic (DC60: 77). Mr. Mime was confused!

    Round 5 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Psychic (DC25: 16). Mr. Mime hurt itself in his Confusion! Mr. Mime lost 8% of his HP (66%). (DC75: 89) Mr. Mime snapped out of his confusion.
    Round 5 Magnemite: Magnemite feinted with Flash Cannon. Mr. Mime fell for the feint! Magnemite used Thunder Wave (DC20: 64). Mr. Mime was paralyzed.

    Round 6 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Protect (DC25: 8). Mr. Mime is paralyzed!
    Round 6 Magnemite: Magnemite took a moment to rest.

    Round 7 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Psychic (DC25: 18). Mr. Mime is paralyzed!
    Round 7 Magnemite: Magnemite used Flash Cannon (DC20: 31). Mr. Mime lost 42% of his HP (24%).

    Round 8 Mr. Mime: Mr. Mime used Psychic (DC25: 4). Mr. Mime is paralyzed!
    Round 8 Magnemite: Magnemite used Flash Cannon (DC20: 68). Mr. Mime lost 24% of his HP (0%). Mr. Mime fainted!

    Sabrina sent out Butterfree. The rocks hurt Butterfree. Butterfree loses 50% of her HP (50%). The thorns dig into Butterfree. Butterfree loses 13% of her HP (37%).
     
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    • Kanto Week 23 Part 5 - A Perfect Run
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    • Magnemite will stay in. Otherwise, you're confident your Pokemon can handle themselves for the remainder of the battle. You'll simply spend the battle feeding them information on Sabrina's plans, and they can react as they wish. Spend any spare time you have thinking about how exactly you'll slightly change the placement of all the furniture in Sabrina's house later so that she stubs her toes for the next few weeks while walking around the place.

    If Magnemite evolves Dratini is up next to try for his evolution, and Chansey is after him.

    Something changed in Sabrina's posture, Violet noticed. Initially, she had noticed the planned Whirlwind from Butterfree and had planned on immediately sending Magnemite back in. But the gym leader already seemed to know that she knew. Perhaps she was simply being cold-read?

    Taking a closer look, Violet frowned as she noticed that Sabrina's eyes were visibly glowing while her hair appeared to drift upwards. The gym leader locked eyes with her and raised an eyebrow.

    The message was clear, she was taking the gloves off.

    'Not all of them, just one.'

    Violet flinched at the telepathic sound, surprised at hearing Sabrina speak to her again. Trying to think of a counter to her mind being read, she looked at Magnemite's pristine form before glancing at a battered Butterfree.

    An idea came to her.

    "Magnemite," Violet said, "have fun."

    The Magnet Pokemon looked at her with a confused expression, then turned back towards Butterfree. The match was about to resume and they had been expecting a set of orders, not being given free reign to do what they wished. An amused expression slowly took over their form. This would be unique.

    "Watch out for Whirlwind," Violet warned, adding her thoughts to the matter.

    The battle resumed a second later, Butterfree darting into the skies as her wings beat furiously, channeling a Whirlwind as fast as physically possible. Violet on the other hand pointedly did her best not to look or think about Magnemite, a task that was far harder than she initially thought.

    Trying to distract herself, Violet looked at Sabrina's chair. She wondered if the gym leader would notice if she shifted everything in the gym a few inches to the right.

    'Wait, what?'

    A thunderous crack could be heard as a streak of lightning shot out from Magnemite towards Butterfree. Having expected a second of warning from Sabrina, the Pokemon was caught off guard and thrown to the ground by the super-effective Thunder Shock. It took a few seconds for Violet to realize what happened as the bright flash had momentarily blinded her. And the odd white glow afterward had her furiously blinking her eyes until it finally died down.

    When she could see again, Violet looked over at the scene in front of her. Magneton floated serenely above a fainted Butterfree while Sabrina looked like she desperately wanted to switch her fourth Pokemon to something stronger. A fifth Pokeball floated behind her as Violet held her breath. Then one of the attendants pointedly coughed, causing Sabrina to glare their way. A second later, she put down the fifth Pokeball, sending out the Slowpoke she had planned to use originally.

    "Dratini," Violet said with a happy smile, "it's your turn now."

    Having heard her prior order to Magneton, the Mirage Pokemon burst from his Pokeball and bowed toward the audience. Preening on stage, Dratini made it seem as if he was in the middle of a Contest Battle rather than a Gym Battle. Yet, Violet couldn't find it in herself to change his fighting style. She trusted him to know his limits. And if he lost due to showboating, it'd be a valuable lesson.

    Sabrina visibly twitched at her thoughts, causing Violet to raise a hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle. This had been a challenging but fun battle. And right now, there was a chance she could win without taking a single hit. All she had to do was feed Dratini Slowpoke's plans while distracting herself by thinking of rearranging the Saffron Gym.

    'I should have used my older Alakazam,' Sabrina complained in her mind.

    It probably didn't help that Dratini had coated the field with Thunder Wave, allowing the move to unfold in a straightforward pattern that would have been trivial for most Pokemon to dodge. Slowpoke, however, wasn't most Pokemon. Yawning widely, she instead tried to use the reprieve to use Curse, only for the electricity to strike her, throwing off her timing.

    Dratini took the moment to pose. While he was disappointed in the lack of a musical beat, he could improvise well enough. Coiling around himself, the Mirage Pokemon gathered together a Twister. The telegraphed strike gave Slowpoke enough time to boost her attack and defense with Curse, but in exchange, she was thrown backward.

    Playing to the crowd, Dratini looked at the monitors and bowed, causing the audience to clap and applaud. Distracted, he would have turned around to use Outrage had Violet not been observing Slowpoke. "Incoming."

    Dratini turned, using the move taught to him by Forretress. Zen Headbutt clashed with Protect and the latter emerged victorious. As both Pokemon were momentarily thrown back, Dratini ensured he landed smoothly.

    Following the landing, the Mirage Pokemon coated his tail with Dragon-type energy. Clearly using Dragon Tail, it was little surprise that Slowpoke managed to avoid the blow, using Yawn to make Dratini drowsy whilst doing so.

    However, the Mirage Pokemon thought this was where the fight should come to an end. Leaning forward in an imitation of a Tauros about to charge, he used Outrage.

    Slamming directly into Slowpoke, the Dopey Pokemon flew backward into the wall while Dratini curled upon himself, beginning to glow a bright white. He'd won the fight, now it was time to get into a victory pose.

    Somewhat distracted by the thought of rearranging the rooms within the gym to something more challenging, it took Violet a moment to realize Dratini was evolving. "That was incredible, Dratini!" She yelled out, watching her oldest friend evolve into Dragonair. His body grew in length and girth while his color shifted towards a brighter blue. Bulbs appeared on his neck and tail while he slept and his eyes grew larger.

    All the while Sabrina sighed, hiding the expression on her face from the world. She hadn't even landed a hit on the girl's Pokemon. Three of them evolved during the battle and she just knew there were going to be memes about her expressions throughout the fight. For a psychic, she'd been surprised most of the fight.

    That couldn't stand, her eyes glowed under her hand as she peered into Violet's mind. Looking at her goals and long-term plans, Sabrina was glad to see that she planned on fighting in the Indigo Plateau in the future. She hadn't fought in it for years, but perhaps it was time to return.

    After all, Sabrina thought. She needed a rematch with the girl before her. This time at full strength. Smiling at the thought, she felt a twinge of fear go through the girl before her. Right … it probably wasn't comforting for the psychic you just beat in humiliating fashion to smile ominously with glowing eyes.

    The following twinge of amusement from Violet was almost insulting.

    The 24th Week, 1 Locked, 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. You could add another member to your roster now.
    [] Train with your Pokemon - All of your Pokemon are skilled in battle with unique skills. Three of them just evolved and may need some time to adapt to their evolutions.
    [] 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. As did Sabrina. Review them and see what you can learn.

    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 - An emergency has been declared due to an unusually aggressive pack of Eevees. The gym attendant who was sent has been missing for two weeks. The Saffron Gym is now mobilizing for this, trainers with 2 badges or more are requested to assist. Willow and Tetsuya are both planning to do so.

    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

    [] Head to another City - Now that you've beat the Saffron Gym, you could leave. However, Willow would remain behind for a few days to her current plans.

    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] Meet your parents - Your parents want to spend time with you before heading back to Celadon City. They hope that you'll have fun touring Diglett cave with 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.

    Round 9 Magnemite: Magnemite used Thunder Shock (DC60: 100). A critical hit! Butterfree lost 37% of her HP (0%). Butterfree fainted.

    Magnemite evolves into Magneton!

    Sabrina sent out Slowpoke. The rocks hurt Slowpoke. Slowpoke loses 13% of her HP (87%). The thorns dig into Slowpoke. Slowpoke loses 13% of her HP (74%).

    Violet sent out Dratini

    Round 10 Dratini: Dratini used Thunder Wave stylishly (DC10: 11). Slowpoke was paralyzed.
    Round 10 Slowpoke: Slowpoke used Curse (DC40: 13). But it failed!

    Round 11 Dratini: Dratini used Twister stylishly (DC10: 62). Slowpoke lost 20% of her HP (54%).
    Round 11 Slowpoke: Slowpoke used Curse (DC40: 13). Slowpoke's Attack increased from C to C+. Slowpoke's Defense increased from C to C+. Slowpoke's Speed fell from E-- to F++. Slowpoke's Evasion fell from E– to F++.

    Round 12 Dratini: Dratini used Protect stylishly (DC35: 58). Dratini protected himself!
    Round 12 Slowpoke: Slowpoke used Zen Headbutt (DC30: 60). Dratini negated the damage!

    Round 13 Dratini: Dratini used Dragon Tail stylishly (DC10: 3). Slowpoke avoided the attack!
    Round 13 Slowpoke: Slowpoke used Yawn (DC25: 69). Dratini became drowsy.

    Dratini evolves into Dragonair!

    Round 14 Dratini: Dratini used Outrage stylishly (DC10: 97). A critical hit! Slowpoke lost 54% of her HP (0%). Slowpoke fainted.
     
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    • Kanto Week 24 Part 1 - Underground Socialization
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    • [X] Look into the Surge in Wild Pokemon Encounters - An emergency has been declared due to an unusually aggressive pack of Eevees. The gym attendant who was sent has been missing for two weeks. The Saffron Gym is now mobilizing for this, trainers with 2 badges or more are requested to assist. Willow and Tetsuya are both planning to do so.

    Violet rode the high of victory for a full day. Not having to even visit the Pokecenter was a massive ego boost both for her and all her Pokemon. Chansey was a little put out at not being given a chance to evolve, but a swift conversation alleviated her worries. After all, it was only a matter of time until she evolved into Blissey based on how everyone was developing.

    With her gym battle completed, Violet made sure to track down her parents afterward. Finding them after the battle, her mother and father both congratulated her extensively. It was a nice feeling, albeit slightly suffocating. Tetsuya had left before she could find him, but she suspected she'd be meeting him soon again based on her plans for the week. However, while talking with her parents, her mother expressed interest in touring some of the caves nearby.

    Feeling uncharacteristically confident, Violet volunteered to engage in extended social activity. "There's an entrance to Diglett's Cave nearby," she mentioned, "I can guide us through it."

    "That would be wonderful," her mother replied after a moment of surprise at the offer. Usually getting Violet involved in a social activity required them to push for it. To have Violet volunteer it herself was clearly unexpected but welcome.

    The three of them arrived at the entrance the next day. Despite Violet's initial plans to hike a few miles to the cave, her parents insisted on renting a car for the trip. "Not all of us have the stamina of a Pokemon trainer," her father had joked. "The hike there and back would be an all-day event for us."

    "We could camp in the cave," Violet had responded. "I have the supplies for it."

    "We aren't as adventurous as you Violet," her mother had said. "Camping in a cave is too much for me."

    When they arrived at the cave, Violet made sure to go over the list of equipment she had asked her parents to bring. Each of them had a headlamp, a backup headlamp, a handheld flashlight, and a backup flashlight. All of them had good shoes and were in clothes that they could accept getting dirty. They'd brought food and water for two days in the cave, while Violet herself brought her usual caving gear including a climbing harness and rope. She didn't expect to use it, especially as Diglett Cave was flat without any verticality, but she wanted to be prepared.

    Standing by the entrance, her mother finished adjusting her headlamp and put on her backpack. "It's nice to do something different," she began. "We've never done something like this before."

    "It's … nice." Violet agreed after a moment of contemplation. Recalling that her mother had just bought her two high-end flashlights for the journey, the shy trainer remembered to thank her for it. "The new flashlight is cool."

    Her father finished adjusting his backpack, "Your mother was so proud to have found that," his words caused her mother to blush slightly. "I hope it comes in handy."

    "It …" Violet paused, glancing over at her parents' expectant faces wondering if she should tell the truth or embellish it slightly. "It's less weight to carry." The downside was that it wasn't as sturdy as her older flashlights, but that tradeoff was rather difficult to calculate. Was it worth it? She honestly couldn't say, but her mother wouldn't appreciate that answer.

    "I'm glad," her mother said, grasping Violet's shoulder and giving it a slight squeeze. "You're growing up so fast, it's hard to do things for you."

    "It always was," her father joked, causing Violet's mood to worsen. "We were happy to get more than five words out of you in a day a few years ago."

    Violet didn't like how that sounded like a veiled insult. She could tell her father hadn't meant anything by it, but she didn't like his words. Taking a deep breath, Violet turned towards the cave. "We should get going."

    With her parents following close behind, Violet led the way into the cold, dimly lit tunnel feeling more confident with each step forward. Behind her, her parents held a whispered argument over her father's words.

    Inside the cave, the walls slowly began to close in, with the air growing colder. Every now and then there was the splash as one of them stepped into a small puddle or the sound of water dripping from the ceiling. Leading the way, Violet's headlamp cut a narrow beam through the darkness, revealing stone walls carved by Digletts and Dugtrios. Her senses felt amplified, as she scanned the surroundings for any sign of motion.

    "Violet," her father uttered, distracting her from the silence. Slowing her pace but not turning around due in part to her emotions and the slightly poor terrain, she tilted her head so he knew she was listening. "I'm proud of what you've managed. Winning that battle so easily was incredible."

    "Thanks, dad," Violet said neutrally, recognizing the indirect apology as her father trying to avoid bringing up the prior sentence that had clearly irritated her. Trying to push her negative feelings to the side, she was glad that they were coming to the first of the main sites in the cave.

    "Really Violet," her father said, trying to push the point. "I didn't mean to upset you, you've come a long way and I'm glad to share this experience with you."

    Violet wasn't sure how to respond to that, but some of her emotions must have shown as her mother interrupted. "This is a fun hike, I've never done anything like this before. Being underground is like visiting a whole new world."

    The trainer allowed herself a small smile, feeling some of the tension melt away. "It's … different from the outside."

    Continuing deeper into the cave, they arrived in a small chamber where the tunnel opened up and split apart. Now at the main cave itself, the walls sparkled faintly with hardened crystals that the underground Pokemon had struggled to remove entirely. The headlamps added to the effect, causing the crystals to glitter with each slight motion made.

    They spend a while there, admiring the crystals and taking a few pictures. During this period Violet spotted a group of Digletts looking at them from a distance who immediately ran the moment they noticed Violet saw them. Smiling slightly, Violet was glad that this experience was turning out to be enjoyable for everyone.

    After spelunking through more of the cave, the Mills family eventually called it a day. Traveling back to Saffron City, Violet said goodbye to her parents who had a late-night trip back to Celadon City. Violet herself had to sleep early due to her plans to join the trainers who planned to help with the aggressive wild Pokemon.

    Pick 1 Group to Join

    [] The Scout Group - Joining a small group of 3 trainers, Violet will be tasked with locating the Eevee groups and calling in trainers to converge on their location. She'll be among the first to meet the Pokemon, which puts her in a rather active area. Willow will be among the three trainers.
    [] The Elite Group - Joining a group of 10 4-badge trainers, Violet is only allowed to join due to her performance against Sabrina. This group is tasked with battling the evolved Eevee and ensuring no one is injured during the battle. Sabrina is leading this group.
    [] The Rescue Group - Three groups of 10 trainers tasked with finding and rescuing the gym attendant who has been missing for three weeks, this group will be out of the expected combat zone but should be ready for anything. Tetsuya will be present here.
    [] The Main Patrol Group - The main group of trainers nearly 80 in number, this group is effectively intended to patrol the borders of Saffron City and ensure none of the Pokemon cause problems for the city itself.
     
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    • Kanto Week 24 Part 2 - Dangerous Times
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    • [X] The Rescue Group - Three groups of 10 trainers tasked with finding and rescuing the gym attendant who has been missing for three weeks, this group will be out of the expected combat zone but should be ready for anything. Tetsuya will be present here.


    Violet joined a surprisingly large group of trainers headed into the wilds northeast of Saffron City. Every trainer she could see was carrying enough supplies for 1-2 weeks of travel through the wild. Of the roughly 150 trainers, Violet spotted a few she recognized. Three of them had fought in the Indigo Plateau last year not to mention the presence of Sabrina and the remaining gym attendants. Then there was Willow and Testuya, both of whom gave her a quick wave.

    Before she could greet them personally, Sabrina's eyes glowed and she began to direct the crowd into groups. While she was mostly willing to allow trainers to choose where they would be, her judgment was final when it came to compositions and deployments. Willow ended up being in the smallest group alongside one of the Indigo Plateau trainers. Tetsuya joined the Rescue Group and Sabrina herself indicated she would be leading the group of elites. Glancing in Violet's direction, the shy trainer was surprised that Sabrina asked her where she wanted to be.

    'You surprised me before, despite the lack of badges, you would be useful anywhere.'

    Most of her Pokemon weren't fast, which prevented her from committing to the Scout Group with Willow. Looking at the largest group that would be patrolling Saffron City, Violet couldn't help but recognize that it was made of the weakest, most inexperienced trainers present. Then she looked at the group Sabrina was leading and tried to figure out what she could do to assist a gym leader going all out alongside her attendants. Not much was the answer.

    "I-I'll join the Rescue Group," Violet replied with only a slight quiver in her voice at Sabrina's intense, analytical stare. She didn't mean to win so hard against her! Wasn't this a rather one-sided rivalry?

    Sabrina looked away, but not before Violet caught the trace hints of smug amusement on the gym leader's face. Making her way to her group, she was immediately beset by her childhood friend.

    "Violet!" Tetsuya welcomed her in a rather loud voice. "Now we don't have anything to worry about."

    Several of the other trainers looked at her after that statement causing Violet to squirm in place. "I, uh, I'm not - " She cut herself off as one of the Indigo Plateau fighters looked her way. Named Jasper, the man in question had managed to get out of the round-robin stage before being immediately eliminated in the subsequent fight. The only reason his fight was even shown was that it was against the trainer who eventually won the entire championship. From what Violet remembered, he was a rather standard trainer who focused highly on the fundamentals. "I think Jasper can handle that."

    The trainer seemed surprised that she recognized him. Sure he had changed his hairstyle and dyed it, changed his clothing style, and was wearing light makeup. But it wasn't like it was that hard to tell who he was. "Glad to see you're not too full of yourself," he said lightly, surprised at being recognized. "What'd you do to impress him like that?"

    "You seen the memes?" One of the other trainers interjected with a pleased smile on her face. "The one of shocked Sabrina?"

    "The one when she faced Cynthia? I thought that was from years ago."

    "Nah, from last week when she fought her." Violet squirmed as the girl in question pointed at her. A second later she was the center of attention as several of the trainers most active on social media began to direct questions at her.

    "You're that girl?"

    "No way, how'd you manage it?"

    "I haven't seen anyone get a perfect run against Sabrina."

    "You've got to tell me how."

    Overwhelmed by the sheer weight of words and bodies, Violet subconsciously took a step back. "Um…" she uttered, internally panicking as she was inundated with attention she hadn't asked for.

    "Guys, give her some space!" She heard Tetsuya shout out. "Just watch the video, you don't need to surround her!"

    Most of the crowd seemed to get the memo. Sheepishly giving half-hearted apologies, they stepped back to engage in other conversations. A few individuals, however, were less cognizant of the situation and continued to press her for answers.

    A Pokeball snapped open and a very annoyed Dragonair emerged. Clearly displeased, he rose from the ground, intentionally towering over the most annoying trainers. His nostrils flared as he leered at them. Taking a deep breath, Violet drew comfort from the presence of her oldest Pokemon companion. Forcing herself to speak, her voice was quiet but confident. "Can you … go away?"

    Finally getting the message, Violet was given the space she wanted. Tetsuya waffled between walking up to her to talk and giving her time to relax. Eventually, his guilt at accidentally causing the whole situation caused him to decide on the latter, but not before whispering. "I'm really sorry about all that." Violet sharply nodded to make sure he knew she heard him, but for the most part, remained to herself as the group began to travel.

    The group's main goal was to locate and rescue the missing attendant. To do this, the Rescue Group would be split into 3 groups of 10. One group would be placed at the base of the hills to act as a reserve while the other two would hike into the mountains guided by the faster Scout Group. Organizing themselves based primarily on Jasper's advice, Violet found herself in one of the groups in the mountains alongside Tetsuya, and 8 other trainers. Most of the trainers had 2-3 badges themselves largely due to the most experienced fighters joining Sabrina's group.

    Considering that Violet was likely the strongest member in her group, a lot of responsibility suddenly fell to her. A part of her hoped that there wouldn't be any action, but within a day, Willow and the Scout Group reported initial contact with the aggressive Pokemon. During the brief skirmish, they reported an extremely dangerous Umbreon along with three Glaceons, a Lefeon, two Flareons, three Jolteons, and an estimated 23 Eevee. However, this did allow them to identify several aspects of abnormal behavior.

    The first abnormal behavior was the level of organization displayed by the various Eevee and their evolutions. The Umbreon effectively acted as a trainer, managing to organize and pull off complex strategies and tactics. Moreover, of the evolved Pokemon nearly all of them displayed a disturbingly skilled set of strategies that fit more with trained Pokemon rather than wild Pokemon. This was further complicated by Umbreon using Hyper Beam, a move only learnable via a TM. Additionally, Willow and the Scout Group were able to determine that this was but a portion of the wild Pokemon pact, estimating the full number at nearly 300.

    Notably, the Pokemon were doing their best to avoid Sabrina and her group, abandoning much of the forested area to flee into the mountains. It was this that allowed the Scout Group to locate what they believed to be the highest level of leadership among the wild Pokemon.

    Listening to these reports, Violet wisely decided to order a watch for the night. While it would delay them due to the extra sleep needed, it was also necessary considering the fact that the Pokemon were capable of human-level tactics. Making camp in a small, flat clearing, Violet ensured her Pokemon were ready for battle as did all the other trainers present.

    Violet took the first shift alongside another trainer who was rather focused on his Pokemon. As such, their shift passed in blissful silence before the two of them woke up the second shift. Falling asleep, Violet kept her Pokeballs nearby just in case.

    An hour before the sun rose, Violet's eyes snapped open to the sound of trainers shouting orders followed by a massive impact. Practically tearing her way out of the tent, Violet grabbed a flashlight and her Pokeballs before sweeping her eyes across the scene in front of her.

    The first thing she noticed was Tetsuya battling a Jolteon, Vaporeon, and five Eevee. Outnumbered 7 to 4, his Pokemon were doing what they could, but they were being rapidly worn down. Behind Tetsuya was another more important battle within the camp's inner circle where three trainers were battling a group of 5 Eevee, three Flareons, a Lefeon, and an Espeon that were trying to set the tents on fire. Having deployed a full set of 12 Pokemon, the three trainers were managing to slowly win thanks to the weight of numbers and better coordination.

    Before she could intervene in either fight, her flashlight caught another battle, this one between a rather worn-down Charmander and a Vaporeon. Next to them was a very worried trainer alongside his unconscious friend who had been defeated in battle. While she could see another two Pokemon on the trainer's hip, she also recognized that he wasn't that experienced and Vaporeon would win rather easily. It was further complicated by the fact that the Vaporeon was likely the most dangerous Eevee evolution she had seen so far.

    Continuing to sweep her flashlight through the area, Violet froze as twin red eyes gazed at her. An Umbreon looked at her with eyes that conveyed a level of focus and clarity that reminded her of Sabrina. Seemingly recognizing her as the most dangerous threat present, the Moonlight Pokemon dashed forward with Quick Attack, only to slam into a Protect from an alert Forretress who swiftly countered with Bug Bite which Umbreon avoided with the use of Detect.

    Barking a series of orders, three other Pokemon appeared from the darkness. First was a Flareon that stepped forward to face Forretress, behind him was a Glaceon and a second Umbreon.

    Violet cracked her neck then her fingers. "Alright, let's battle."

    As she did, she looked over the Pokemon in front of her before glancing at the ones behind her. If this remained a 4 vs 4 she could win easily. But a 3 vs 4 would be far more difficult. If she used all her Pokemon, however, then that would mean relying on the other trainers to win and avoid their tents and supplies being burned down. Based on what she saw of the more experienced Umbreon, however, she was sure they would take advantage of any numerical mismatch.

    General Strategy Pick 1

    [] Have all your Pokemon fight here - Focusing on the most dangerous wild Pokemon makes the most sense. Although there is considerable risk that the trainers behind you end up defeated.
    [] Send Dragonair to assist the other trainers - Avoiding super effective ice moves from Glaceon, the loss of your sweeper will cause this fight to be harder. But he may win the other battles quickly.
    [] Send Forretress to assist the other trainers - Losing your wall will make some of the attacks more problematic. But Flareon is an issue. She may also allow the other trainers to win quickly enough.
    [] Send Magneton to assist the other trainers - Losing the special attack capability could be problematic, but he's poorly suited for defeating the Umbreons who are the most dangerous.
    [] Send Chansey to assist the other trainers - Losing the healing ability of Life Dew will be difficult but manageable. Then again it would mean that other trainers can get their Pokemon in the field once more.

    Capture Attempts Pick 1

    [] None - You're really worried about what's going on with these Pokemon. Avoiding capture attempts and focusing on winning would be wise.
    [] The Experienced Umbreon - Skilled enough to know Assurance and Hyper Beam while capable of acting as a trainer, he would be a valuable Pokemon to catch but also the hardest to catch. He would know the most about what's going on.
    [] Flareon - Knowing Fire Blast and Bite, it's clear that this Flareon was taught by a human at some point. However, he'd also not add much to your team even if he may know some answers.
    [] Glaceon - Somewhat bland, Glaceon's knowledge of Blizzard makes him extremely dangerous. An Ice Pokemon is always useful.
    [] The Young Umbreon - The weakest of the four, but still dangerous. This young Umbreon has been taught Hyper Beam and Taunt. He clearly knows the least of these four but would be the easiest to capture.
     
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    • Kanto Week 24 Part 3 - Revelations
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    • [X] The Experienced Umbreon - Skilled enough to know Assurance and Hyper Beam while capable of acting as a trainer, he would be a valuable Pokemon to catch but also the hardest to catch. He would know the most about what's going on.
    [X] Send Chansey to assist the other trainers - Losing the healing ability of Life Dew will be difficult but manageable. Then again it would mean that other trainers can get their Pokemon in the field once more.


    "Dragonair - " Violet began to order her Pokemon around, with the Dragon Pokemon immediately bursting from his Pokeball. His eyes glowed as he took in the situation, immediately focusing on the Glaceon as the biggest threat to him. "Take the Flareon." Dragonair exhaled, his entire body tensing as he threw himself into an immediate Outrage. The lead Umbreon took a step to try and intervene, by he had nothing on Dragonair's speed. Slamming into the Flareon, the fire-type bounced across the ground before falling unconscious.

    Glaceon immediately began to prepare a Blizzard causing Violet to clance at Forretress. A silent command passed between the two and the Bagworm Pokemon knew what to do.

    Magneton was tossed out next followed by Chansey. Giving them their orders, Magneton began to charge up his Flash Cannon while Chansey turned towards the remaining battles and prepared Life Dew. In response, both Umbreon used Dark Pulse, twin spheres of dark energy slamming into the Magnet Pokemon causing them to rock backwards clearly hurt. A burst of frost followed as Glaceon's Blizzard struck Forretress' Protect. Focused as she was on protecting Dragonair, the freezing cold bit deep into Magneton and Forretress, causing minor damage to the latter but leaving the former looking significantly worse for wear.

    Then Magneton's overcharged Flash Cannon fired at Glaceon, and Violet took the attack for granted, already planning to handle the two Umbreons with ease. Only for the lead Umbreon to step in the way of the attack. As the dust settled Violet observed the situation, overall happy with the situation even if it could be far better.

    Turning towards Glaceon, Dragonair threw himself forward as the lead Umbreon barked an order to his younger partner. Throwing himself in the way, the Umbreon was tossed backwards from Dragonair's Outrage. Injured but still able to fight, the Moonlight Pokemon got to his feet, drawing a bead on the weakened Magneton. Meanwhile, the lead Umbreon began to charge a Hyper Beam, the powerful attack building within his maw. And besides him, Glaceon prepared a second Blizzard.

    It was a good plan Violet thought to herself. As far as Umbreon knew, this should remove both Magneton and Dragonair from play leaving a three versus one against Forretress. But Umbreon lacked critical information, and he was about to pay for it. "Magneton," Violet ordered, "Protect."

    The Magnet Pokemon took their place in front of Dragonair, and three incredibly powerful attacks struck a glowing sheet in front of them. A storm of dirt and rock was thrown into the air from the sheer force of the attack, causing Violet to momentarily lose track of the battle in front of her. Closing her eyes, she focused on her hearing, listening to a quadrupedal Pokemon faint followed by a whoosh of what was likely a Quick Attack that preceded the sound of a metal object falling unconscious. Then came the sound of Dragonair's Outrage alongside a cry of pain from Glaceon who surprisingly remained conscious.

    A third Blizzard was used, and Violet opened her eyes just as the dust cleared. Only four Pokemon remained. The lead Umbreons at roughly half health, Glaceon who was barely standing, an undamaged but disorientated Dragonair, and a moderately injured Forretress. This would end in one last exchange. "Dragonair, take out that Glaceon," Violet said confidently. "Forretress, Bug Bite."

    Within the blink of an eye, Dragonair used Outrage again. Pulling the blow to avoid serious injury, Glaceon nonetheless collapsed. However, that did leave the Dragon Pokemon open to a brutal Hyper Beam from Umbreon which caused him to fall to the ground. Letting out a call for the other Pokemon to run, Umbreon's eyes darted around as he looked for an escape. Unfortunately for the Umbreon, Forretress then landed a rather damaging Bug Bite which caused him to stagger leaving him unable to dodge the Pokeball Violet threw.

    *Umbreon has been captured!*
    *Dragonair upgrades Outrage from C- to C*
    *Magneton upgrades Flash Cannon from C to C+*
    *Forretress upgrades Bug Bite from C to C+*

    With her battle now over, she turned to observe the rest of the fights. As expected, the moment she sent Chansey over the healing provided allowed the other trainers to turn the tide. Tetsuya himself had been one of the main sources of damage thanks to his Pokemon, even if he repeatedly had to deal with type disadvantages with Krabby and Onix. But the three Flareons had been fended off and the tents and supplies were intact. The only downside was a relatively swift, but disorganized retreat by the wild Pokemon which allowed most of them to withdraw. Of the rest, they were housed in a variety of Pokeballs although that was unlikely to hold.

    Contrary to popular belief, the League had a poor view of capturing wild Pokemon that didn't want to be captured. While there were definite exceptions such as the current situation, gym leaders and the Elite 4 had pushed through regulations to prevent forcing Pokemon to fight when they didn't want to. It was rarely actually a problem and had only been used against Team Rocket's practices in the past (and the occasional major scandal).

    As the camp was packed up, Violet took a moment to have Tetsuya share the details of what occurred with the other groups who had also been attacked. Everyone besides Sabrina's group had been ambushed near simultaneously. Based on what happened, Violet suspected that Espeons had been used as a telepathic communications network which was surprisingly sophisticated for Pokemon. As for the other fights, all of them had been defeated thanks to the presence of elite trainers and a rapid response from Sabrina.

    Seeking answers, and more than a little curious, Violet looked at the Pokeball that held Umbreon. Pressing the button on it, the Moonlight Pokemon emerged. Far calmer than she expected, Umbreon looked around, spotting the various trainers and Pokemon milling around. Stretching his legs, he momentarily glanced at Dragonair, giving him an appraising look trying to see if he could stand a Quick Attack.

    "He knows Protect," Violet preempted any chance of a fight breaking out while Dragonair puffed up rather proudly.

    Umbreon looked at her with annoyance, clearly unhappy at the fact that all of Violet's Pokemon knew Protect. He'd never been taught it.

    "So…" Violet trailed off trying to think of how to word her rather direct question. "Why did you attack us?"

    Looking bewildered, the Moonlight Pokemon looked at her, trying to figure out if that was a joke. Growling under his breath, Umbreon felt an intense feeling of anger before snapping off a quick retort. They weren't the first to attack, that was the humans that moved into their home. They were just working to chase them out.

    "What did they look like?" Violet asked, trying to figure out who was responsible for agitating these Pokemon.

    Umbreon shrugged, that was a rather complicated question and he only had vague ideas of how to describe them. They'd been careful to disguise themselves after all.

    "Do you recognize this person?" Violet switched topics, mentally kicking herself for how this sounded like an interrogation. Opening up a picture of the gym attendant, Umbreon took one look at it and immediately clammed up.

    Clearly recognizing them, the Moonlight Pokemon was nonetheless entirely unwilling to say anything about him. Violet tilted her head, trying to read Umbreon's body language further. He had an odd mixture of emotions as if the wild Pokemon were involved with him in some way. Even if he disapproved, he wasn't going to say anything about it.

    "Do you want to ask me any questions?" Violet asked, hoping to avoid turning this conversation into an interrogation. "I have a lot for you, so it's only fair if you get to ask some."

    Intrigued at the offer, Umbreon contemplated it for a few seconds. Hesitantly nodding, he conveyed a question that rather disturbed Violet. 'Why did none of the trainers have younger Pokemon involved in the fighting?'

    The rest of their conversation was a mixture of disturbing and enlightening. Umbreon had been raised in a pseudo-military setting where he had been thrust into continuous fighting among groups of Eevee after quite literally a week of being born. Likely choosing the Evolution Pokemon for their variety of evolutions, a third of them had evolved immediately after birth via various stones. He himself had focused on acting as a support Pokemon for a long while, growing close to the Pokemon on his "team." Eventually evolving from this bond, he'd begun to act as a frontline combatant and officer, with Umbreons and Sylveons being pushed into command roles by the human overseers.

    One day, however, the project effectively collapsed as growing dissatisfaction among the Pokemon subjects led to the lab being torn apart by swarms of Eevolutions and Eevee. That had happened a few months ago and since then they had been living in the remains of the facility, occasionally managing to learn from some of the TMs left. However, a few weeks ago a group of elite trainers had appeared who managed to drive the large group from their home. Mistaking this group as representing the broader Kanto region, they began a harassment campaign against the trainers involved as well as the broader region where innocent trainers were.

    Violet wasn't sure where the gym attendant came into play, but she suspected he'd underestimated the threat involved and chose to take the week-long hike toward the complex. Forwarding the information she learned to the rest of the group, she swiftly learned that Sabrina was going to lead a small group up towards the compound and Violet was invited to join. Glancing towards Umbreon who was observing her, Violet hesitantly broached the topic, asking if he could help them with this whole incident.

    Having been swayed to give Violet a chance, the Moonlight Pokemon hesitantly said he could bring Violet to their de facto leader, but if he did, then Violet would be expected to come alone. While their leader was open-minded (too much according to Umbreon), they would also expect Violet to follow their lead rather than be the one leading them. Although based on their rumored strength, she didn't think that would be a problem at all. Either of these options however would take nearly a week of travel.

    [] Join Sabrina - Getting to the heart of the matter and solving the problem's core, Violet isn't sure if she can face a group capable of defeating nearly 300 Pokemon. But she may be able to provide some insight into everything.
    [] Meet the Pokemon's Leader - Talking with the Pokemon can accomplish a fair bit, but it would mean Violet has to conduct diplomacy while alone and isolated. While Umbreon is unlikely to turn on her, she may have to give him up as a sign of good faith.
    [] Write-in

    Round 1 Dragonair: Dragonair used Outrage on Flareon (DC1: 56). Flareon lost 100% of his HP (0%). Flareon fainted!
    Round 1 Umbreon Leader: Umbreon used Dark Pulse on Magneton (DC1: 86). Magneton lost 33% of their HP (67%).
    Round 1 Umbreon Follower: Umbreon used Dark Pulse on Magneton (DC1: 45). Magneton lost 22% of their HP (45%).
    Round 1 Forretress: Forretress used Protect (DC1: Autosuccess).
    Round 1 Glaceon: Glaceon used Blizzard (DC25/1/1: 31/9/9). Forretress Protected Dragonair! Magneton lost 22% of their HP (23%). Forretress lost 13% of her HP (87%).
    Round 1 Magneton: Magneton used Flash Cannon on Glaceon (DC1: 97). Umbreon Leader intercepts the attack. A Critical Hit! Umbreon lost 50% of his HP (50%).

    Round 2 Dragonair: Dragonair used Outrage on Glaceon (DC15: 20). Umbreon Follower intercepts the attack. Umbreon lost 50% of his HP (50%).
    Round 2 Magneton: Magneton used Protect (DC1: Autosuccess).
    Round 2 Umbreon Leader: Umbreon used Hyper Beam on Dragonair (DC15: 84). Magnteon protected Dragonair!
    Round 2 Umbreon Follower: Umbreon used Dark Pulse on Magneton (DC1: 64). Magneton protected themselves!
    Round 2 Glaceon: Glaceon used Blizzard (DC25/1/1: 79/62/3). Magneton Protected Dragonair! Magneton lost 22% of their HP (1%). Forretress lost 13% of her HP (74%).
    Round 2 Forretress: Forretress used Bug Bite on Umbreon Follower (DC15: 61). Umbreon Follower lost 50% of his HP (0%). Umbreon fainted!

    Round 3 Umbreon Leader: Umbreon used Quick Attack on Magneton (DC1: 63). Magneton lost 1% of their HP (0%). Magneton fainted!
    Round 3 Dragonair: Dragonair used Outrage on Glaceon (DC15: 24). Glaceon lost 95% of his HP (5%). Dragonair was Confused!
    Round 3 Forretress: Forretress used Protect (DC1: Autosuccss).
    Round 3 Glaceon: Glaceon used Blizzard on Dragonair (DC25/1: 65/57). Forretress Protected Dragonair! Forretress lost 13% of her HP (61%).

    Round 4 Dragonair: Dragonair used Outrage on Glaceon (DC40: 57). Glaceon lost 5% of his HP (0%). (DC75: 47). Dragonair is still Confused!
    Round 4 Umbreon Leader: Umbreon orders a retreat! Umbreon used Hyper Beam on Dragonair (DC30: 100). A Critical Hit! Dragonair lost 80% of his HP (20%).
    Round 4 Forretress: Forretress used Bug Bite (DC20: 67). Umbreon lost 36% of his HP (14%).
    Violet Throws a Pokeball (DC14: 74)
     
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