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Hard Enough - Chapter 262 - New additions
🕑 Added 2024-10-01 19:00:07 +0000 UTCThe next morning started with my usual routine of waking up, dodging around Sabrina’s slumbering form, and exercising with my sister and both of our teams.
While I ran, I toyed with several ideas for how to improve Shin’s viability in an Elite or even Ace match.
Currently, he was outshone by other water-type pokemon such as Tide, Shrek, or Hypnotoad, who all offered quirks of their own with powerful attacks, fake outs, type advantages or experience.
None of which Shin could help, but if I changed his movepool, that might shift things in his favour.
Most, if not all of my water pokemon were relatively slow. Tide was a big tank, and most of the time when I wanted to make them move I did so with Surf, or having them dash or throw themselves into a jump.
Shin, was perhaps the fastest of them, especially if it came to him using his Aqua Jet to get around.
So, straight away, he was better at hit-and-run tactics but that wasn’t usually a style I relied upon much.
If I considered it from a stats perspective, then Shin, as a Kabutops, was relatively well balanced with his main stats being attack and defense of the physical variety.
His current movepool was Aqua Jet, Hydro Pump, Giga Impact, Protect, Slash, and Stone Edge.
If I was thinking about it objectively, the strongest threat to my pokemon were always going to be fighting types, and grass types, both of which were deadly to Shin.
Now Shin could be very effective as a counter though if I got his speed up with Rock Polish, Aqua Jet and a combination of something like Psycho Cut, or… if I really worked at it with him, Shin could possibly learn something crazy like Aerial Ace.
What would that make his movepool look like though?
Rock Polish, Aqua Jet, Protect, Psycho Cut, and Aerial Ace.
Five moves, not my best, but it was very doable in a short space of time. I was expecting that Shin might drop a move or two in terms of proficiency with this retraining. I’d need to work on a potential sixth move.
Giga Impact… as strong as it was I was leaning away from for Shin.
The five moves I had cherry picked however, had some potential. “Shin! I have some thoughts about some moves we need to work on!” I called out to him right as we finished up the warm-up jog.
Shin ambled over and tilted his head in interest.
I laid out my thoughts to him. “— cut which would mean you’d need to work with Selene and Quirina at least but I might be able to help things along by having Sabrina work with you for Psycho Cut.”
Shin perked up, liking the sound of that quite a bit.
“The other move we’d need to work on will be Aerial Ace which is something I don’t think many will expect you to know. That along with your other moves will make you into a bit of a nightmare as a speed specialist. What do you think? Interested in learning some new moves?” I asked.
Aerial Ace also served as a secondary trick as there had long been a very specific move that I was waiting to enter the competitive scene that I knew was going to wreck my team.
That move was Grass Knot. a Grass-type move that would scale with how heavy the pokemon was.
If people were able to learn that and bait me into any sort of charge or at least guarantee a hit, then a lot of my pokemon were going to be hit hard.
According to what I had recorded from memories of my past life that I had squirrelled away, Shin as a forty-kilogram pokemon would only elicit a power response of sixty which, while not good as a four times multiplier against him, was better than Titan, Bertha, Jorm, Knight, and Sanchez.
Which was just talking about it in terms of game mechanics.
Having a sudden root pop up in front of a charging pokemon was a surefire way to make something like Giga Impact fail if not outright collapse.
Having a pokemon that could appear to be charging, only to vanish and dodge an attack like Grass Root? Very important and should come in clutch.
Shin nodded his head rapidly at the idea of learning new moves. “Kabu-tops!” he said.
I chuckled. “The second move will see you working with Zephyr, Don, and Zubat,” I said. I reached up and intercepted my overly friendly Zubat right as she tried to impact the side of my face.
“Which will help as it’s one of the moves I want her to learn and keep in her movepool,” I said shifting the affectionate bat onto my shoulder. “With that, she’ll be able to compete with Don once she evolves fully,” I said.
“Zuuuu!” chirped up Zubat.
Yolanda bounced from side to side. “So you’re going to have her learn the moves she can now?”
I wobbled my hand. “Without specialised training, Zubat won’t learn a lot of moves that are powerful in her species arsenal so I might be better off getting her up to strength for her first evolution, then reworking her to grow into her next form before going for the last evolution… which, considering Zubat’s dispositions is going to mean I need an everstone bracelet ready to go,” I said.
“Her disposition?” said Yolanda before perking up. “Ohhhh right! Janine mentioned something about you saying that Golbat evolve from being friends with their trainers! Yeah, Zubat would evolve on the spot if you let her!” she said with a giggle.
“Huh, Janine shared that with you?” I said to which Yolanda bobbed her head up and down. “Hmmm,” I said. “I might consult her on some of the poison moves I want Zubat to learn like Venoshock or Toxic. Both are good options but I will need to develop a training regime as for that.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Urgh, just when I thought I was going to get a free week I find ways to fill it up!” I said in mock annoyance.
Yolanda gave me an amused look, likely knowing that the suffering I was complaining about was all self-inflicted.
I wagged a finger at her. “Learn this lesson well young lady! If you’re going to be successful, make sure you can handle the consequences of success! More work!” I rasped like some aged elder.
Yolanda snorted. “Sure thing big brother, I’m going over here to train with my pokemon,” she said taking Terra and Spot with her.
I huffed at her and turned my attention to my pokemon. “Alright gang! We’ve got some work to do! Zubat! Teddiursa! Cradily! Gible! All of you are on light duties as I have us booked in to go to the Battle club for some experience! Lots of fights for all of you later today! Chansey will be joining us!” I called out.
“Teddi!” roared my tiny bear pokemon, pumping both fists up and down. Hehe, good to see he was motivated.
A hard thump against my leg made me almost look down but instead of deigning to acknowledge the bad behaviour I turned to Don’s daughter, a young Aerodactyl. “You can also come for some experience. If possible, I’d like to start using you in select matches in the Gym… as a bit of a flex and wow factor. Eventually, if I get my idea of an Ancient Gym Badge speciality, you could become the star of the show,” I said.
The young pokemon preened at this and I grinned only to grimace as another heavy thump slammed into my leg.
I continued to ignore it though and instead looked to my Elite team. “Alright, everyone regular patterns apart from Shin! You’ll be working with Selene today for channelling psychic energy!” I called.
“Craniiiiiii!” whined a little voice from my shins. I felt a light tug on my pants and this time I decided to look down.
I found Cranidos grabbing at my pants with his stubby little arms, his eyes full of tears at both his failure to bring me down with his head, along with his desire not to be left behind.
“Yes Cranidos?” I said. “Would you like something?” I said even as I knew what he wanted.
He made a show of smashing his tiny hands together. “Dos! Cranidos!” he barked at me only to stomp his feet before pointing at the other young pokemon. “You want to come to the Battleclub as well?” I asked.
Cranidos nodded so quickly that he bounced his head into the ground and caused a small quake.
I chuckled, he’d done well to stop hitting me and actually ask so I decided to reward his behaviour. “Alright you can,” I said and right as he was about to celebrate I dropped to one knee and put my hand on his head.
“Hey, I’m glad you settled down on your own there, it’s great to see you growing up like this bud,” I said like a proud older brother.
Cranidos blinked before making a happy chittering noise.
I nodded and rose. “Keep it up! You’re getting stronger and smarter!” I said, and Cranidos pumped his little arms and marched off with his head raised.
Heh, nice, positive reinforcement and a gentle hand worked pretty well.
I turned my attention to working through the training session with my pokemon. I had a lot to do today and standing around patting myself on the back wasn’t going to get anything done.
When I was done I had a quick breakfast and I joined my siblings marching towards school, much to their delight.
I had to admit that it felt pretty damn nice being able to do something like this once more and my siblings seemed to approve, with how they were running around.
“First day of school after the break!” they shouted as they darted back and forth.
Salvadore seemed to have a serious bounce in his step and I felt like patting myself on the back, he’d been doing a lot better at school lately.
The drive to learn was back again for him and that was a big plus in my book.
With the walk to school, I got to greet people throughout the community and actually be a presence. With my recent win, I garnered a lot more attention than normal with kids running up and asking me to sign pieces of paper for them.
This changed however, when one kid produced what looked like a trading card.
I blinked, “Oh right, the League makes these don’t they?” I said, turning it over to find that it listed off my record with my wins and losses to date in the Ace tournament. Interestingly enough, this was a card from before the tournament.
With Golden Week over and the Ace tournament done, there was going to be another run of these cards in a few days and I knew that my card would have a new addition to it with my wins in the Celadon and mid-year tournament.
“So, going to get the new one when it comes out?” I asked the kid who bobbed his head up and down erratically.
“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” he chanted. The kid turned and sprinted away with his prize clutched over his head. “I got his signature!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
I chuckled. It wasn’t like it was that hard for residents of Pewter to get but it was impressive that he had the trading card. I had to wonder how rare it was going to be.
Hmmm, I wonder if I could talk to the trading card designers and suggest a holographic card for myself? I hadn’t really looked into the trading card scene, which felt like a mistake.
While people were happy to see me I couldn’t help but notice that a few of the adults looked around after congratulating me.
At first, I didn’t understand what was going on. Then I had to wonder if they were expecting Flint, but… that didn’t check out. They also knew Lola wasn’t going to be back because… well she was the sort of person you heard coming from ages off.
It took me all of the first talk with a parent dropping off their kid for me to find out what was going on. “Brock! Great work with your victory!” said the mother of one of Yolanda’s classmates. “You and your girlfriend have certainly been busy!” she said.
That was when the lightbulb went off. “Oh! Yeah with the raids!” I said, earning a nod from the mother.
“Yeah, sure the raids,” said one woman with a giggle only to get elbowed by her friend.
“Indeed!” said the first mother, “It really makes me happy to know that you two are looking after the area. You and your trainers certainly keep busy with patrolling the area.” She tilted her head. “Say, any of the trainers working for you single? I hear good things about Rocko all the time,” she said.
I held in a laugh, knowing that he would be one of the last people interested in a relationship. “I’m not at liberty to say,” I commented, deciding not to get involved in setting up any of my employees with the local housewives.
Hmmm, well actually, I might mention it to Jackson and Stephen, but otherwise, I was going to be hands-off with it as much as possible.
Once the kids were all dropped off I jogged back to the Gym where I found the pair of ladies I’d been talking to last night. It was interesting that both of them had brought people with them.
For Erika, that meant a small entourage of young lasses, while Visquez had a musclebound man wearing shades.
“Erika! Visquez!” I said, with only a slight hesitation when I called out the latter's name. “Welcome to the Gym!” I said.
The group at large turned to me. Visquez spun, her head snapping from the door to me, and then back again. “Eh?! You’re coming from the city? Woah! Huh, I wasn’t expecting that!” she boomed.
She then marched up and shot her hand at me. “Hi there! Nice to meet you in the flesh!” she barked.
I took her hand in mine while looking up into her eyes. “Same, I’m sorry to say it’s probably overdue,” I said.
“Hehe! It’s all good! We’ve both been busy and it’s not like I didn’t have people to help out!” she said swinging her hand back into her companion. The man grunted as the hand thwacked into him but otherwise didn’t move.
“Gym Leader,” he said. “Name is Carl,” he grunted out, thrusting his own hand towards me.
I shot Visquez a pointed look as she had yet to release my hand and had, while we’d been speaking, continued to bounce it up and down.
“Ahahaha! Sorry!” she said, letting it go.
I shook Carl’s hand before exchanging greetings with Erika and her entourage.
As we entered the Gym Erika glided along next to me. “Congratulations are once more in order it seems Brock. You fought well during the tournament,” she commented.
“Thanks, it’s something I wanted to work at, sort of a method to hone my skills. I wasn’t expecting to take it as far as I did honestly,” I replied.
Erika raised an eyebrow but Visquez beat her to the punch. “Not expecting it? Heh! With the firepower you have in your team, I’m surprised you’d say just a thing! Seriously you just need to send out the Rhyperior and two Tyranitar and you've got most opponents in the bag!” she said.
“Is that what you think?” I responded, amused at her rather juvenile take which amounted to ‘just throw power at it!’ plan.
“Yeah! I’ve been working with some of the pokemon pops left me and damn they’re powerhouses! Once things calm down, I might try my hand at the Ace Circuit!”
“Make sure you account for your weaknesses,” suggested Erika.
“I’ve got that sorted!” said Visquez dismissively with a flap of her hand. “I want to hear what you’ve got for me and Erika now!”
Erika and I shared a look and I grimaced. Erika had enough tact to hide her lips behind a raised sleeve. “Perhaps you will do quite well initially. I imagine it will be a learning experience,” she offered.
Visquez shot her a megawatt smile.
I led the group into the pokemon medical bay where Chansey was inspecting the pair of small balls that were the topic of this meeting. Visquez didn’t hesitate to sprint up to the edge of the podium only to bang into it.
She didn’t even acknowledge the likely painful hit, instead, she zeroed in on the two balls.
“These are pokemon!” she said, repeating my earlier comments from our talk over the transceiver.
Erika and I approached much more casually. Erika made a gesture and it took a moment for me to understand that she was asking for my permission. “Go right ahead,” I said.
Visquez glanced up, her hand already outstretched towards the ball like pokemon. She must have caught the exchange as she coughed and straightened up. “With you go ahead?” she said quickly.
I nodded, amused that she understood she’d been a bit presumptuous.
She snatched one of the balls up and began to roll it around in her hand before tossing it up and down a few times. “Yup! This is a pokemon!” she said.
Erika, who’d taken the ball in cupped hands and was inspecting it carefully. “It… most certainly is. I can feel it resonate with me,” she said. She glanced up at me as I raised an eyebrow.
So Erika was able to feel her Grass type energy but was she doing anything with it? Did she even recognise what it was she had?
“This looks like a Voltorb but it has grass-type energy?” Erika inquired.
Before I could speak Visquez had her ball up in front of her face where she stared at it. “Eh? Grass type? It has Electric typing!” she said.
Both Visquez and Erika shared a look. Erika was placid while Visquez had a small frown. “What? Don’t believe me?” she said, misunderstanding Erika’s look. “Here! Watch!” Visquez then rolled the ball back and forth quickly on the table.
A spark built up and some of the stray strands of hair on Visquez’s head began to rise. “See? It has a general static charge to it!” she said.
Everyone leaned in and watched as she continued rolling the ball back and forth quickly with small zaps announcing the electrical discharge.
“Huh, that’s impressive,” I commented.
Visquez grinned. It’s one of the things I’ve picked up reading through my old man’s notes!” she proclaimed.
Erika bobbed her head. “Surge was certainly very well read on Electric-type pokemon, but this pokemon, it also has a grass type. I can feel the way it holds grass energy. Also, while not as showy,” Erika raised up the ball she held and tapped it on the edge of the podium.
A wooden thunk sounded out, and everyone blinked. I glanced at both ladies and almost laughed. It was somewhat of a reversal with their images, with Erika having a crude but effective display while Visquez’s was more technical, but then agai,n it was harder to demonstrate grass type I should imagine.
Or well, apparently not, I thought as I considered the wooden sound.
“Huh,” Visquez said. “So… a dual typing? Grass Electric? I don’t think I know of any pokemon like that?” she said now inspecting the ball. “They’ve painted it to look like a voltorb? Cute, but it kind of doesn’t help,” she said.
I hummed. “Could it not just be a variant voltorb?” I suggested.
Visquez stiffened, having apparently not considered that while Erika bobbed her head up and down. “That makes the most sense,” she said. “I must admit to being rather excited by this find, I hadn’t ever considered there to be an electric-grass type pokemon!” she said.
She shot me a look. “You suspected this though? Otherwise, why would you contact both of us?”
I nodded. “I had an idea, but that’s more due to some skills I have access to,” I said, alluding to my own Aura skills.
“Oh you had Sabrina help you!” said Visquez, snapping her fingers at me as she made her witty ‘realisation’.
I felt my eyebrow twitch. “I didn’t nee—” Erika’s giggling caused the other girls who had come with her to join in, and it was all I could do to roll my eyes and huff.
“So, they’re inert,” I prompted after the girls had all had their fun at their conclusions.
The girls paused at that, and Visquez frowned. “Hmmm,” she grabbed the other Voltorb from Erika and juggled them. “They’re not the right size for normal voltorb being so small,” she said.
“I’m pretty sure if this was Minimize they would have returned to their normal size, so perhaps they’re stunted?” Visquez offered up only to slam them together and cause the flash that had made them such useful props in the Circus.
I shut my eyes having known to avoid looking at the balls, only for a cry from everyone in the room to remind me I hadn’t told them.
“Oh sorry!” I said.
Erika rubbed at her eyes and shot me an unimpressed look. I offered up my hands, trying to look innocent but apparently failing as she huffed at me and snatched one of the voltorb back to stop Visquez who looked delighted as her ‘discovery’.
“Unless something was actively keeping them that way?” suggested Erika as the voltorb around.
“Hmmmm might be this casing that’s been poured over them?” said Visquez, seems like a lacquer of some sort?”
Erika stiffened and brought the voltorb up close. “You’re right! Oh dear some people try doing this to grass types that have been petrified! This might not be a case of the Voltorb being minimized but rather juvenile when this lacquer was applied!”
Visquez stiffened. “Oh shit! What do we do?” she said.
Erika reached into a pouch that hung from her side only to pull out a tub of something foul-smelling that made everyone but Erika reel back in shock. “We use a Gloom’s Acid,” she announced.
I took another step back and grabbed up a mask from Chansey who had already donned her own. She distributed the others, and soon we were able to watch as Erika ‘treated’ the locked stiff Voltorb.
When a slightly different smell entered the air Erika produced tongs that she used to whip the Voltorb out of the Acid. She then began towelling them off.
“Grass types don’t like poisons so with how weak they are we’re going to have to place them in a specialised nutrient-rich liquid that they can absorb.” She then produced a pair of buckets, which she dropped a voltorb into.
Then she produced a few bottles of spray potion but instead of spraying them she tore the caps off and poured the entire bottle into the buckets. She added a sprinkling of what looked like plant food to the liquid.
Erika observed them for a moment before nodding to herself. “Right now they are like coma patients, I can’t imagine how they lasted as long as they did!” she proclaimed.
“Probably cause of the electric typing, the motion might have triggered the Voltorbs internal gizmos that create energy from motion. With the balls being tossed around so much they got a lot of motion, resulting in more and more energy to feed themselves. We’ll need to add an electrical charge to this liquid as it will help them out some and might stimulate them into waking up,” Visquez explained.
I stared, having not expected such a technical explanation from her.
Erika hummed.
Visquez released a pair of Magnemite which she directed to stick one side of themselves into the buckets to provide a spark. “There, that’ll work somewhat for now,” she commented while eying each bucket. After a moment, she grimaced. “This… these pokemon probably won’t ever be able to grow to their full size,” she announced as she rose and shook her head in disgust. “Whoever did this is sick!”
I grimaced. “Would you believe they had no idea of the harm they had caused? They merely wished to keep their pokemon close during a time that another region’s pokemon would have caused questions they couldn’t afford.”
Visquez and Erika stared at me and both shot me questioning looks. Visquez eventually snorted. “Eh, they fucked up, even if they didn’t mean harm, they still caused it!” she announced.
“Good desires aside to preserve their bonds… I have to agree,” said Erika. Erika sighed. “Sometimes ignorance can be just as damning as intent to cause harm,” she said.
I could only nod, I saw it a bit with trainers coming in sometimes trying to use moves too strong for their pokemon to handle. Ignorance could be just as dangerous sometimes as intent.
“Hmmm, I think you ladies should take charge of these pokemon,” I said after a moment, seeking a chance to lighten the mood.
“Ah?” “Say what?” said Erika and Visquez one after the other.
I smiled. “Both of you have the know-how and probably better facilities to cater to an electric-grass-typed pokemon,” I said by way of explanation.
Erika shut her mouth only for something calculative to flicker over her features for an instant. She turned towards Visquez. “You should look after them,” she said.
Visquez blanched. “What? Me? No nonono! I don’t have the facilities for this! You would be better Erika!” she said quickly.
Erika hummed. “I suppose, but I would need you to come around as often as you could to make sure that I was providing the best care to these poor pokemon,” she said. I held back a smile as I caught onto her ploy.
Visquez waved a hand dismissively. “Psah! It’ll be easy! Bit of current in a bucket and—” One of Erika’s ladies leaned over the buckets to inspect the pokemon only to prod it with a finger. A soft zap preceded a yelp.
Erika shot the girl a less-than-amused look before she turned back to Visquez. “I really would feel better,” she asked with a bow of her head.
Visquez looked to the side. “I… suppose I could come around,” she said.
Erika straightened with a smile so bright I was surprised rainbows weren’t pouring off her. “That is very relieving to hear,” she said to the much taller woman.
I held back a chuckle. Erika had wanted this to be the outcome, hadn’t she? She wanted Visquez to come around to visit her. Perhaps to include her in her tea parties? Hmmm, that seemed a bit too straightforward for Erika. I made a mental note to ask Sabrina later.
Visquez coughed only to check her watch. “Shit I should probably get going! I’m going to be late if I stand around her jawing off! Nice to meet y’all! Bye for now! Come on Carl!” she shouted as she sprinted off.
I held up a hand at her, only for her to exit the room. “I… could have had Sabrina’s Hypno transport her back to Vermillion from inside the Gym,” I said lamely.
The gaggle of girls in Erika’s entourage blinked before tittering.
Erika sighed. “Girls, can you give Brock and me a moment?” she said, indicating the door leading out the back to the reserve. The girls blinked but quickly trundled off.
Erika played with her hands, making them tap against each other with nervous energy, when she was done, she nodded to herself and rose up tall. “Brock, may I be straight with you? I know you and Surge had something of a bond and that he most likely would have asked you to look after Visquez no?”
I nodded, realising that this was also playing into Erika’s earlier plan to get Visquez to come around to her Gym. The initial offer for Visquez to take the Voltorb had been a bluff, I suspected. “Yeah, pretty much that exactly,” I replied, holding back my desire to squirm with guilt over how I’d dropped the ball with Visquez.
Erika exhaled. “I think it might be best if she actually has a more delicate touch. Visquez appears to be a very… rough and tumble sort of girl, perhaps a more… traditionally feminine form of support might be what she needs?”
I raised an eyebrow. “You want to be her… mentor?” I said slowly.
Erika nodded.
I hummed. “I can see your point but perhaps it is worth checking in with her,” I suggested. “Talk with her, but I will still be checking in with her. I owe Surge that much,” I declared.
“Hmmm, I just feel that a softer touch would be for the best. That girl doesn’t need any more rough and tumble.”
I shrugged. “Eh, that’s not up to us.”
Erika pursed her lips. “You’re correct, I suppose, I just see a young woman and wonder at their potential so often it has become a default state of being for me.”
“Heh, I think she’ll live up to it regardless, she’s just a different style of girl than you’re used to.”
“You think so?”
“I don’t think you have many girls coming to you that could be deemed Amazonian in stature or temperament.”
“Not many, but one or two,” Erika replied a touch hotly. I raised an eyebrow, wondering if I’d pushed on a sore spot accidentally. “I see what you mean,” Erika said, “Nevertheless, I will seek to help her if I can.”
I nodded deciding to say nothing more for now. Erika collected the buckets with the Hisuan voltorb and bowed in thanks.
“Make sure you get her to bring you some voltorb eggs and to talk with Bianca when you get the chance!” I called.
“Bianca?” Erika asked.
I coughed and forwarded Bianca’s credentials and contact information to Erika who perked up when she realised I was referring to a breeding specialist.
When she was gone, I hummed and checked my watch. “Hmmm, now seems good enough a time to go get into some fights at the battleclub,” I said, collecting up the young pokemon that I’d set up for this.
I also collected Shin, Sanchez, Link, and Chansey to help train other aspects of my pokemon while having a healer on hand would let me fight for longer and accrue more experience for my little pokemon.
I ended up spending the entire day there fighting various trainers and pokemon who got quite a kick out of seeing me using pokemon that weren’t my usual standard fare, or strength levels.
I was just making my way back to the Gym along the road when Mewtwo dropped out of the sky in front of me.
I blinked.
This… was not a pokemon encounter I’d ever expected.
I wasn’t in the long grass part of my mind objected but that didn’t matter here and now. I swallowed and began running through scenarios.
In a word, I was fucked if this came down to a fight. I felt a trio of energy signatures on my pokebelt perk up in readiness but I held them back for now.
Mewtwo considered me for a long moment which only made me even more twitchy.
Eventually, he gestured with his hand from himself to me. “I wish to talk,” he said.
Part of me relaxed. If there was one thing that Mewtwo was good for it was that he was honest. If he’d come to fight me, I really didn’t rate my chances, especially with tired pokemon.
“Alright, let’s talk,” I said like my heart wasn’t hammering away inside my chest at a million miles an hour.
Could I ping Sabrina for help without him noticing? I very much doubted it.
As I thought of Sabrina a leap of logic connected.
Huh, Mewtwo really had been spending time with Sabrina.
He’d practically just dropped in on me with the ultimate, ‘We need to talk’.
I could never tell Sabrina.
Mewtwo, rather than immediately talking, continued to hover slightly above the ground. “I have been considering your words since our encounter within my home,” he said.
“Ah, I see,” I said. I’d been very brash and blunt with my words. I still felt like they were not wrong, but at the same time, I probably could have handled things better. I probably had been too amped up after the fight with Team Aqua, truth be told. “What about them?”
“I do not like to consider myself a tool or an unthinking being, but I never considered the ramifications of my actions. As a powerful pokemon, I have the potential to cause much harm if I am careless. Your pokemon certainly expressed that when we fought. Despite her typing, I could feel her pain,” he said.
“I… had never considered that before and I felt… guilt for it. I cannot say that I could change things but I… wish to make a gesture regardless,” he said.
From behind him three pokeballs flashed into place and shot forward to me. “I used pokeballs but they are not for you,” he said.
I frowned. “Not for me?” the only other being that he could be recompensating for his actions was—
Before I could follow up on that thought Mewtwo vanished in a Teleport.
I blinked only to hear the chant of Trixie and Rachel as they completed a run.
“One more mile we go!” Trixie sang merrily..
“Y-yeah! Like we’ve been singing for the last hour! One more mile!” rasped Rachel, who looked exhausted. When she spotted me her eyes lit up like she’d spotted her hero.
I sighed and shook my head only to spot that the pokeballs had been left behind. I scooped them up and headed to the reserve after rescuing Rachel.
In the reserve, I searched for Empress only to eventually have to call out to her when I found her in a set of tunnels by herself behind the plateau.
“Someone left you something,” I said as I toggled the release feature on all three pokeballs.
As I did so, I had an epiphany. I hadn’t stopped before to ask what was in the pokeballs but before their forms took shape, I knew there could only be one answer.
“Larvitar?” chirped three identical voices.
I could only stare at the almost identical Larvitar in shock.
What the absolute fuck?
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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!
Been toying with this idea for a while as something I could see Hard Enough’s version of Mewtwo doing. Thoughts?
Comments
GucciG
I want to see Brock’s family become intertwined with the Tyranitar line like the Blackthorns. It doesn’t have to be a clan of sorts, but a sort of familial connection
Zax
Chances that they're rescued eggs that rocket planned to sell?
Rhett Sellers
No, if Bertha had eggs, they would be magical girls.
Singa_pore
Yeah I agree, Viva01’s pokemon world is alive. Its not just a venue for the author to live out their fantasy, or in the case of nintendo, just a prop to make money with.
Orbnet
That... that's messed up. Your children died, so I made more of them
Imef
Why would a rock gym feature electric/grass pokemon?
Ixta
If Titan and Bertha make eggs, they would all be Rhyhorn. But Empress might have more eggs eventually, since she was showing some interest in Knight.
Thomas Brusilovsky
Mewtwo still doesnt get how feelings work
Thanatos
If Titan and Bertha make an egg, Brock could field an entire team of Tyranitar. It's like Lance pulling out the third Dragonite but even worse, lmao
Jericho Rising
I hope Brock either mentions they're Ancient voltorb and thus can use their offspring in his ancient badge or we get an entirely new Name for this species of voltorb curtesy of Erica
Jericho Rising
I'm really curious just how big Brocks company has gotten since it started all those chapters ago.
Jericho Rising
This. Larvitar caverns and Mount Moon becoming a part of his domain.
Jericho Rising
It feels like a proper story, not an SI cringe fiction. Not to disparage si fanfictions, but Brocks character truly feels like a more fleshed out Brock. The lack of Joy/Jenny simping is a huge change to his base character but actually makes him feel way more real and less of a gag.
Jericho Rising
That's definitely a shocking twist no one was expecting
Singa_pore
What a cruel cliffhanger to leave us on. I really gotta wait 6 days to find out what happens next?! (As always, great chapter)
Maltec
Probably clones made from the remains of the broken eggs
Alex Horsey
You can’t do this to us leave us on a cliffhanger please. Why do you do this to us? Just cruel
Zer0
Probably clones of Empress
Big ToFu
Dang, that’s gonna bring so much attention to his gym. Brock can’t catch a break
Mackmoud
Okay, an Ursaluna with a pack of baby Larvitar siblings is adorable to picture.
Caras Galadon
Oh shit. Are those clones of her eggs?! Holy. Shit.
Mario Schade
What do I like: - Inclusion of Hisui Pokemon is not out of thin air (Growlithe, but also Voltorbs was a nice story idea + connection to Visquez) // also, with Quillfish and Sneasel we still have potential connections to Karen or even Janine, Typhlosion even to Agatha with Pokemon of known regions and their variants... - Elements of the past (war) are woven in and linked to the loss of access to other regions (+someday there has to be a Big Event with a new region - that'll be great!) - Surprise elements like the 3 eggs make sense somewhere in the context of all the events and are not a Deus Ex Machina moment/throwaway story idea - Changes to the characters/evolution + changes for the Pokemon (what does it mean to learn new attacks in the context of the rules described here [number of attacks etc.]) - fun details like trading cards, collectible figures, doll collectors but also details that make our MC think (e.g. position of older people, past knowledge) It feels alive. And yes, some things are just Pokemon world and a bit different, but I really like the presentation in this story and with this worldbuilding.
Vara
Oh this is a legendary cliff. Mewtwo takes social awkwardness to a new level.
Phyr
Did....mewtwo clone, kidnap, find, rescue (or something else) those larvitar?
Focus Armstrong
Mewtwo better pay child support
Petrox
Oak is gonna bitch and steal all his stars from Brock in mario party for not letting him see the hisuian voltorbs too Damn, Mewtwo is learning. Leaves pokeballs, refuses to elaborate, leaves.
Saby Arrieta
I wonder if mewtwo actually thought this through. With any luck this doesn't end badly. On the other hand titan is a big brother again. And Terra has sisters or brothers and sisters to play with. I hope you do a poll for their names.
Konan2020
Brock Gym will become a Larvitar sanctuary
Donald Bagwell
YEEEEEES! Okay I can see rocket having mewtwo teleport several larvetar eggs for sale later and some slipped through the cracks Everything here is so fun for the chapter! Also can we have a Brock Rain team?
Matt H
You're completely right; I forgot about Ditto. I guess my mind was stuck in the mode of other stories where Dittos are either unknown or extremely rare.
Jordan Lopez
Naw I can see teddy going into big brother mode lol
MaliMi
You forgot about Ditto.
LordJJJ
Great chapter all around! Love the different threads and how they are all evolving and tying together
Matt H
The phrase "almost identical" is what's giving me hope that Mewtwo didn't just straight-up clone Empress (or Titan) multiple times. I'm also banking that Mewtwo knows enough not to splice Empress and Titan's DNA together because of their genetic similarity.
thevolunteer
Brock is gonna have a full colony of Larvitar. Jesus. Reminds me of Traveler’s version of Steven Stone’s family and their Metagross connection. And haven’t you mentioned a Eevee monopoly in this world? Brock’s family is gonna end up being synonymous with the line. With Brock setting up a corporation, Steven is gonna a younger, self made competitor taking his limelight.
CB-Otaku
...I wonder if he went back and found the remnants of her egg(s) and cloned them
Matt H
It'd be a shame if both Voltorbs are male, though. Although I suppose their mere existence would be sufficient motivation and guidance to breed that variation again. Edit: I'm an idiot
gra gra
It could also be directly using her dna from their battle.
gra gra
3 clones? Clone babies? Of yourself? After your kids died? Distressing is putting it lightly. She doesn't really seem the type for adoption, but maybe she already kinda has? In our world, animals often kill young they don't recognize as their own... I dunno man.
Jean Marc Kunnen
it could also be that when mewtwo teleported into her nest with the bombs he took some of her eggs without her noticing. after all, team rocket had a bunch of tyranitar eggs after the entire mt. silver fiasco.
Matt H
Oh dear! I hope Mewtwo's been talking to Sabrina enough that he didn't just go capture 3 young Larvitars from another Tyranitar. Otherwise, I suppose the best case scenario is that Mewtwo somehow recovered the DNA of some of Empress' last clutch of eggs and managed to clone them. It would be extra sweet if Empress could somehow tell that they're her kids, in a way.
rezo42
In the Empress interlude, she mentions that a device teleported into her cave before the explosion. I mentally thought it might have teleported the eggs out before the boom. not shur if i was right and these are Empress's kids. or if Mewtwo just played mad scientist and cloned some Larvitar for Empress...
Antony Wilson
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA NEVER SAW IT COMING LOVE IT
Mackmoud
I... well. Mewtwo's trying, at least. I'm excited to see the Voltorb's in action one day (Oak's gonna be so damn happy) and as for the Larvitar, I expect that Empress is going to be overwhelmed with emotion, while Teddi might be jealous having to share his mama's attention with more people.
BlackRazaras
Thanks for the chapter
