The Dave
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A Viper in the Hole, Chapter 5, part 1
🕑 Added 2024-09-25 14:48:56 +0000 UTC“To winning our first badges!” Ran toasts enthusiastically, finally drawing a real smile from Spencer for the first time in what feels like forever.
They’re sitting in a small restaurant not too far from the Gym, drinks already arrived and lunch on the way, celebrating their accomplishment together. Spencer suggested a proper lunch at a slightly more upscale restaurant, rather than their usual modest fare within moments of them meeting back up outside of the Gym, which Ran happily accepted as a suitable way to celebrate their milestone achievement. Of course, he did insist on a quick visit to the Pokécenter to hand Golbat in for treatment first.
For a fraction of a moment, he’d also considered reaching out to Josie, but he’d immediately felt his temper flare up once more at the thought of her. At least Spencer seems to be pleased that she isn’t present. It’s hardly ideal, but right now, getting to the bottom of things with Spencer took priority and he might as well put the other boy in as good a mood as possible, if he’s going to manage as much.
Once they’ve ordered, Ran intends to get straight to the point, but before he can, Spencer beats him to it and initiates the conversation with a different topic, “So, why’d you keep Zubat in there so long? Ekans could probably have taken Murkrow without too much trouble, it’s unlike you to take that kind of risk. Did you suspect he was on the verge of an evolution?”
The question is almost accusatory in its intensity, but Ran waves it off, sure that he’s imagining things, “Spinarak had a bad match-up and I did trust Ekans to win out if necessary, so I decided to let Zubat start to get a better idea of just where he’s at. Then with the Haze I kind of hesitated for a bit before making a judgment call. The wrong one, honestly, I just got lucky that Zubat evolved when he did, otherwise things could’ve turned out a lot worse.”
Spencer opens his mouth to say something in response, but curious about his friend’s match, Ran continues with an enthusiastic question of his own before he can, “But you got to see my match! What about yours? How’d it go?”
It’s clearly the right call, as Spencer’s mouth closes to form a smug smile. He puffs up in his chair before answering confidently, “It was easy, honestly. Kind of insultingly so, if I really think about it. He started out with a Pidgey, which I mean come on, what’s that going to do against Onix? Then he tried with a Hoothoot, hoping for Hypnosis I guess, but Onix made short work of that as well. Whole thing didn’t take three minutes.”
“Onix is pretty perfect against Flying-types,” Ran agrees with a smile, only for Spencer’s smile to sour even as he continues, “Congrats, I’m sad to have missed it.”
“Yeah well, even if you hadn’t been stuck with the ‘no scouting’ stuff, you would’ve been too busy talking to your new friend anyways.” Spencer shrugs, avoiding eye contact as he gazes forlornly at his utensils.
Surprised, Ran is about to deny Spencer’s statement, but just then, their lunch arrives, distracting him for just long enough to forget about the topic for the moment. For a few bites, both trainers are quiet, attention entirely devoted to the plates of food in front of them, in what his dad would’ve called typical teenage fashion.
It’s Spencer who once again breaks the silence, as he’s the first to pause his eating for a moment, taking a swig of water before finally clearing his throat, “What’s she up to anyway? With how she stuck around to watch your match, I figured she’d have come up to you to talk afterwards or something. There’s really no other excuse for her to scout the Gym out before challenging for her first badge after all.”
“I’m not even sure she knows about the importance we place on that kind of stuff, honestly,” Ran replies hesitantly, “She’s Kantonian, after all.”
“That’s no excuse!” Spencer responds waspishly, as if Ran is actively defending her, “Then you should’ve told her before she went in!”
“I didn’t get a chance to, we had a fight and she stormed in before I could tell her.” Ran answers defensively, uncomfortable at just how sour Spencer’s mood has turned yet again.
“You did? What about?” Spencer asks next, hostility relenting and making way for genuine curiosity.
“I was telling her about my team and why we’ve come to Violet City for our first badge and-” Ran starts, only to be cut off as Spencer swiftly interrupts him.
“Why would you tell her all of that! That’s important intel she could use to get an advantage not just against you, but against me as well! We’re all rookies in the same Conference and we might even be taking the same route, who knows if either of us will ever have to battle her in a tournament, or even worse, at the Conference itself!” Spencer rants vitriolically, lambasting Ran yet again within the span of mere minutes since the last time.
“We naturally came to the topic because I was actually explaining that your childish outburst was uncharacteristic, if you must know.” Ran finally counters with some venom of his own, finally succeeding in shutting Spencer up for a few vital seconds, “You’ve been argumentative and bossy and generally unpleasant pretty much since the moment Bugsy became Gym Leader and I was explaining to her why that was a pretty shitty turn of events for both of us.”
“You-” Spencer starts indignantly, hands slamming down on the table, rattling it and the silverware on top of it something fierce, before he pauses and noisily breathes out through his nose. When he speaks once more, he’s clearly forcing himself to remain calm and civil, “I’m sorry if I’ve been a bit unpleasant lately. Not leaving home with a badge sucks. It’s messed up my plans in a big way and I’ll concede that I may have been partially taking that out on others, primarily you.”
“Apology accepted.” Ran replies immediately, an imperceptible weight leaving his shoulders now that they’re finally clearing the air. As a show of good faith, he decides to offer an olive branch of his own, “I’m sorry for sharing information that you wanted to keep private.”
Spencer waves him off, continuing almost as if Ran hasn’t spoken, “I just felt really good about our initial plan, even if specializing in poison-types is a dubious call at best. But we’ve got our first badges now and the budget’s looking alright. Plus, if what Falkner said is true, Bugsy’ll be looking pretty bad once we get a few more badges under our belt. I assume he said something similar to you?”
His friend’s words are gleeful at the prospect of inconveniencing Bugsy, but even though he firmly dislikes Azalea’s new Gym Leader, Ran can’t quite muster the same enthusiasm, “It’s not just about Bugsy though, Falkner did kind of have a point that if Bugsy looks bad, that reflects on all of Azalea Town.”
“Please, if it’s really that serious, either Bugsy will step down or somebody will step up to take the Gym from him. Maybe Clarence underestimated him the first time and some damage to Bugsy’s reputation will be enough for him to demand a rematch?” Spencer offers optimistically, making Ran slowly grow more and more enthusiastic, before said enthusiasm is crushed by Spencer’s next words.
“Who knows, if we’re lucky, by the time we make it there for our eight badge in eight or nine months, Bugsy might already have been run out of town!” Spencer declares eagerly, indirectly confirming what Ran has been quietly fearing for a while now.
Speaking softly, with a gentleness that hides the turmoil he’s feeling internally, Ran voices a seemingly innocent question, assuming that Spencer, in his enthusiasm, won’t realize his true angle, “You’re that confident we’ll make it to our eight badge that early?”
“Sure!” Spencer declares confidently, “Now that I’ve got Onix to function as our protector and powerhouse and you’ve got a Golbat to serve as a proper scout, you just need to capture a Tentacool to give us an extra type advantage against rock- and ground-types and then we’ll be all set to make it through the Dark Caves and our rough start will be forgotten in no time!”
“And where exactly did you get the idea that you can decide what pokémon I capture?” Ran asks sharply, tone moving from one moment to the next from feigned gentleness to acid-tongued sharpness.
“I- I-” Spencer stumbles, caught off guard by the sudden change in atmosphere, “We discussed this when you weren’t sure about the Dark Caves!”
“Oh did we?” Ran asks, volume threateningly low, “The way I remember it, you told me it was ‘your team’, ‘your career’, ‘your decision’. I ‘could’ catch one if I was worried and that your mind was ‘made up’ whether I accepted or we went our separate ways. I’m starting to think that wasn’t you taking things out on me after all, I think now that we’re finally on our journey, you’re just finally showing your real colors.”
“Obviously I didn’t mean it like that!” Spencer hurriedly attempts to assure him, but Ran is done with the niceties and the falsehoods.
“The part where you’re telling me how to build my team or the part where you’re giving ultimatums about our journey?” He questions brusquely, not giving Spencer any time to regather his thoughts or demur.
“I didn’t- I just assumed you’d realize that Tentacool is the obvious solution to your weakness to Ground-types while having more potential than Bellsprout and needing less investment in time and money than an Oddish of all things! It’s the clear answer!” Spencer defends himself hurriedly. With the topic turning to a more technical subject, he seems to regain his footing, straightening in his seat and gradually leaning forwards as he builds up speed and confidence in equal measure.
“I just thought that by now you would’ve figured this out. Your choices were pretty poor before, but I figured that was just because Azalea Town offered you such limited options, even if I never understood why, if you had to go for poison-types, you didn’t go for a Weedle. With how much time you’ve put into that Spinarak, a Beedrill would have carried your team through the first four badges at least!” Spencer starts to rail properly, as Ran can only watch on in dismay. Before his very eyes, it’s as if a mask he’d never noticed finally falls off and reveals Spencer’s true personality.
“Ekans was an inspired choice three years ago, under the circumstances at least, and now that you’ve gotten lucky with your Zubat’s evolution, you’re better off than I feared initially. But Spinarak is a dud I’ll never understand the purpose of and your emotional attachment to an Ekans that will never be more than a semi-decent coverage option at best is just stupid! If you listen to me, you might still get a half-decent team together! Catch yourself a Tentacool here in Violet and then you can get by until Ecruteak for a Gastly or by that point even a Haunter! Now those are pokémon that actually have potential! They’ll be able to carry your team long enough so you can eventually buy or trade for a Bulbasaur!” The bespectacled boy in front of Ran rattles off, before finally falling quiet, staring at Ran hopefully as if truly expecting him to ‘see sense’. Ran can only match his look with one of sheer disappointment.
It’s no credit to his own people skills, but after years of friendship, he finally realizes just what Spencer thinks of him, which he vocalizes softly, not hiding the hurt he feels as he does so, “You think you’re smarter than me. You think you’re a better trainer than me. You see me as your sidekick.”
Spencer doesn’t truly refute his words. His response, when it comes after seconds that feel like minutes, is damning in its impotence, “I wouldn’t use the word ‘sidekick’.”
“Well,” Ran replies, hurt making way for venom, “If you’re so smart, I’m surprised that you still haven’t figured out that I’m not going into the Dark Caves any time in the near future. Not that that’s the only thing you’re wrong about.”
For a moment, Spencer actually seems hurt, not that Ran cares, as he glares unrepentantly at the boy he’d thought to be his best friend. A few tense seconds pass, then, the slighter boy gets up, swiftly pulling out his wallet and throwing some money onto the table as his hurt look disappears, a superior sneer taking its place as Ran continues to glare right back.
“I’m done here. Out of respect to the friendship we once had, I’ll let you off easily this time. If I run into you again, I’m wiping the floor with you and your pathetic team. Have a nice life, loser.” Spencer snarls, before storming out of the restaurant, the waiter finally awkwardly hustling over to the table to ensure that the bill will be paid and the scene, which by this point has drawn the full attention of the few other guests, doesn’t escalate any further, not that there’s any point in him doing so at this point. Ran can’t muster the energy to tell the waiter just how useless he is right now however, instead sulkily finishing his drink and waiting a few more minutes, to make sure he won’t run into Spencer again.
Then, just as he’s about to get up, he feels a buzz coming from his pokégear. Surprised, Ran looks at the list of names at the top of his screen, showing that he’s missed quite a few texts over lunch.
His dad isn’t a surprise, the man obviously eager to know how the Gym battle went. Josie is a bit more surprising, but under the circumstances, understandable. With ties with Spencer well and truly cut beyond all repair, reconciling with her suddenly becomes a lot more appealing, even if there’s still a flash of anger at the sight of her name. It’s the third bolded name, indicating at least one unread message, that really catches him out however, as Ran stares numbly at Bugsy’s name.
Ignoring the Gym Leader’s taunting name for a moment, he focuses on his dad first, sending through a confirmation of his victory along with a brief recap of the fight as he leaves the restaurant and starts slowly meandering back to the pokécenter. With the older man likely back at work by now, Ran knows he won’t be getting another response until evening, but that’s fine. Next, figuring that a conversation with Josie might be longer, and probably shouldn’t be started whilst his feelings are still as in turmoil as they currently are, he opens Bugsy’s message.
Bugsy: Hello Ran, I just got word from Falkner about your impressive showing! Congratulations on winning your first badge!
Immediately, Ran frowns, unhappy to discover that Falkner has already found the time and gone through the effort to inform his fellow young Gym Leader.
Bugsy: He also let me know that he’s advised you to return to Azalea for your second badge.
Ran’s frown deepens further, dismayed at blatant meddling in his journey.
Bugsy: I’ve thought it over a bit since Spencer and you left town - when I found the time at least, haha - and I figure I have some idea why you didn’t want to battle me for your first badge.
Ran scoffs dismissively, not buying into Bugsy’s feigned empathy in the least.
Bugsy: But now that I’ve had word from Falkner, I’m afraid I’ll have to put my foot down. The way I heard it, your Golbat and you behaved in a way I will not have Azalea Town or my Gym associated with. So you can come back to Azalea and prove that you can be better, or I’ll be letting the other Johto Gym Leaders know that you are, in fact, traveling without hometown approval.
That text draws a pained hiss from Ran, as the threat of facing disapproving Gym Leaders for the rest of his journey is a serious and tangible one. Making the Conference as a rookie is hard enough without running into Gym Leaders who’ll do their best to stop him, within reason. Morty for example obviously wouldn’t send out a Gengar for a second badge challenger, but choosing a pair of Haunter when he’d normally go with one Haunter and one Gastly might well make all the difference at that stage in Ran’s journey.
Uncomfortable at just how intimidating Bugsy’s words read to him, Ran tersely reads on.
Bugsy: That said, I do believe you have the potential to make it as a trainer. Come to Azalea Town, show the circuit that you acknowledge my position as Azalea’s Gym Leader. If/When you win your second badge off of me, if you give a good enough showing, I’ll include an extra reward. It’ll show everyone that everything’s water under the bridge.
Despite his anger and hesitance, some small part of Ran still perks up at the mention of an extra reward. No matter what it ends up being, Gym sponsorships are sought after with a reason.
Bugsy: You can avoid the stigma, Azalea can avoid the smear on its reputation. It’s a win-win.
Bugsy: Take a day to think it over. Let me know if I can reserve the reward for you, or whether I’m better off giving it to another deserving trainer. Spencer’s received the same offer.
Finally finished reading, Ran’s free hand comes up to pinch at the bridge of his nose as he stops walking for a moment. Nothing is ever easy, apparently. He doesn’t want to go back to Azalea Town with a single badge under his belt. Especially not when he’s just had a blow-up with Spencer. It’d feel too much like crawling back with his tail between his legs the moment he lost his traveling companion.
Then again, the picture Bugsy paints is a threatening one. There’s also some guilt at possibly making things harder for Azalea Town as a whole. He’s got a major issue with Bugsy, one that’s only amplified by the arrogant Gym Leader’s harsh threat, but he doesn’t want that to have a negative effect on his hometown by extension.
Not to mention the carrot Bugsy’s dangling in front of him in the form of an extra reward. A larger purse, some special TM, a rare evolutionary stone or item… Even if the reward itself doesn’t end up being directly useful, it’ll always have an inflated resale value simply because it was awarded by a Gym Leader. It might well see him reach a point of financial security he hadn’t expected to reach until he’d had at least four badges under his belt.
It’s a tempting offer. Plus, without a companion to watch his back, there’s some part of him that’s eager to travel across familiar terrain once more, as his team continues to grow stronger. Traveling with Spencer wasn’t just about the company, after all, there’s also a safety in numbers for beginning trainers that he’s sorry to lose this early. Not that Routes 36 and 35 are supposed to be spectacularly dangerous or anything, but it’s on those routes that he intends to add a fourth team member. Wandering off the beaten path far enough to do so, without someone to watch his back, feels daunting at this stage in his journey.
Stubbornly, he closes Bugsy’s messages for now, firmly resuming his path back towards the pokécenter. He won’t let Bugsy just throw him into a tailspin with a few casual text messages. He’s still got stuff to handle today and he’ll make his decision later, when he feels like making it.
Comments
Barion Wills
The seeds with Spencer were always there so it wasn't shocking that it turned out this way. However, I didn't think it was as bad as it ended up being. Spencer needs a reality check before he loses something more than his pride. I don't know enough about Josie to guess what the message could be about. My feelings on Bugsy is mostly confusion and that he's a jerk (not surprising since almost everyone they've come across has been a jerk). Confusing since he's demanding them to show up and fight him and makes it clear that its the best thing to do logically despite guessing that they left for emotional reasons which is just as likely to have the opposite effect since they both knew that it was a possibility when they left, especially since he's threating them too. Also, he says that he/town doesn't want to be associated with a trainer that behaves that way but even if Ran came back and won his badge, he could still act like that anyway showing that he doesn't care about them but his reputation. Bugsy also never tries to offer any sympathy or empathy about their situation or give meaningful advice to help them either. Despite that, he should swallow his pride and go back. He has nothing to lose other than time by going back but loses a lot more if he doesn't (stigma on himself, Bugsy, town and harder gym challenges). However, I'd be surprised if he does go back and everything works out since Bugsy is the main antagonist of the story so far.
Heraclitus
Spencer with an Onyx and Scyther is probably going to crush the first few gyms with ease, only enforcing in his mind that he was indeed smarter, more capable and right in his beliefs and actions. Kind of nice to see Bugsy show some teeth. Even if it's not helping Ran's state of mind right now. I'd counsel Ran to go back to Azalea. Not because he thinks Bugsy is right or that he's wrong, but because he cares more about his town and his relationship with it, than being right or wrong. Plus it'd give him the moral high ground against Spencer, for what that's worth.
Wiggy
Mm. I can recognize and empathize with that state of being an angry spiteful teenager, and I fully expect him to dig his heels in and charge on, damn all the obstacles. As for Spencer, that's basically the vibe I'd gotten from him all along, he thinks he's better because he stayed in school instead of getting a job, and he's way out of line on things. I fully expect he'd do well in a Team with how little he seems to care about pokemon as living things. Like, starters are practically a sacrosanct bond in almost every depiction of pokemon I've ever seen and telling people to trade that away because they're not good enough is the sort of thing I'd expect to have him catching hands, let alone saying he's going to do that himself. I frankly have no idea what Josie's said, but I don't expect it to make Ran's mindset better, honestly.
Mrsean22
Spencer thing was eventually gonna happen. So not surprising. No idea about Josie. Could be anything really. Bugsy? Do get why Bugsy is doing it but the threat was unnecessary. Should of just asked and maybe say do it for the town. For Ran? Get the feeling he's gonna go back home. If nothing else for the town but gonna make Bugsy know he very much didn't appreciate the threat.
The Dave
Now how about that, huh? An eventful update, to say the least. How're you feeling about Spencer? What do you expect Josie's unread message(s) to be about? And dang, how about Bugsy huh? If you could counsel Ran, what would you suggest he do next?
