andthen-sincerely

[andthen-sincerely]

I also met Looker!

But that adventure was kind of ruined by Malva showing up at the end with her face. Urgh I just want to shove her out a window.

Also how no one let me kill that Team Flare scientist? Like, are you kidding? He was just running experiments on a girl without her consent and you expect me to just let him waltz away?? But I guess an International Police badge can shut even me up...

I've actually totally given up on the restaurants. Lording over the Battle Chateau as a Grand Duchess gives me all the income I need... and then some.

I'm also breeding pokémon to give out to people? I don't really know what I'm doing with my life anymore. They trade me Slowpokes and Machamps and Burmys and other such bullshit but I'm just happy that pokémon exist. Lysandre made me appreciate them more, you know?

[andthen-sincerely]

Glad you two are having fun

I just. Sort of gave up. Too many losses hurt me, so I basically shoved the Champion title back at Diantha while I go hang around the Battle Maison.

I also helped out that Looker guy. It was a nice distraction. While it lasted. Do you go back to visit? Lumiose is finally letting me into some of their higher class restaurants, and honestly it's not worth it. Restaurant Le Wow is good enough; Sushi High-Roller is just a bunch of hipster jerks with massive attitude problems.

[andthen-sincerely]

AND LOOK AT THE CUTIE I CAUGHT

[andthen-sincerely]

I think I've found inspiration!

So glad to hear you're doing well, Wally! I want to challenge you to a battle so badly but am actually really scared now because of your perfectly bred team and mine is just... what I had before. Because I'm boring. And ridiculously sentimental. I can't stand to even imagine the looks my precious pokémon who have been with me since the beginning would give me if I replaced them with ones that are somehow better. But I guess if I want to become more powerful, sacrifices must be made...

I'll definitely do the same as you! ...eventually. I want a mostly complete PokéDex first. If I'm really to create the perfect team, I need the most extensive data available... I have near 200 pokémon records right now, I think... lemme check... 194. And that's just by wandering around and catching and raising things. Haven't even begun to trade people yet...

But yeah, my main inspiration right now has to do with fossil pokémon. I went back to the Glittering Cave a few times to relive my childhood dreams of paleontology and it turns out I'm actually amazing at finding these things. If you want an Aerodactyl, Lileep, Anorith, Cranidos, Shieldon, Tirtouga, or Archen, give me a shout. I have more of these things than I can handle and I don't know how long I can keep feeding them all. They seem stupidly fond of poképuffs which is ridiculous because SHOULDN'T THEY BE EATING NATURAL PREHISTORIC THINGS URGH.

Anyway, I've also grown obsessed with figuring out why Aerodactyl is the only one of these with a Mega Evolution, and more importantly, why it has a Mega Evolution at all. According to Professor Sycamore, Mega Evolution is based on Trainer-Pokémon bonds, so... how the hell can a prehistoric pokémon be capable of that?? I'm toying with the idea that it's because Aerodactyl is the only fossil without a known evolution? I don't know, I've never been particularly sciencey...

- - -

PS: I WANT TO SEE YOUR MEGA AMPHAROS SO BADLYYYYYY

[andthen-sincerely]

So Many God Damn Eggs

I had little to do after completing my journey. What does one do after becoming the very best in the region?

I had fun beating on my Rival again. Apparently she has Mega Absol now, that was a thing, but she was easy to sweep with Lingua.

I had fun hunting down a bunch of Mega-stones too, because apparently there were more.

There was also this affair I had with a guy named Looker. It was an...amusing distraction, and a sad tale, but there had to be more to do than this.

But there was this battle maison in Kiloude City that completely wrecked my team at higher levels. The Battle tower in Lumiouse did similar. And I realized, how could I possibly be the best if I can be beaten by these random trainers?

I threw myself into studies. Of how to train perfect pokemon, of how to build a perfect team, of how to counter common strategies, of how to get perfect pokemon genetics.

I learned, through my studies and random travels, of a lot of trainers who don't even bother with the Pokémon League. They see themselves above it, like us. I want to test my mettle against them.

After about a million eggs, my perfect team is almost ready. Ethics of mass breeding Pokémon aside, I am pleased by the results. This is a team that won't die easily.

Also, it has Mega Ampharos in it. Because it is majestic and fabulous. I feel no shame in saying that.

My advice, Scarlett? Find yourself a new goal. Whether that be battling, completing the pokedex, seeking out new pokemon, or living the days out in peace with your team. The Pokémon League is over, and there's a whole world out there.

[andthen-sincerely]

this bitch, though

Is that any way to speak to your Champion, dear?

[andthen-sincerely]

Scarlett, post Championship

Well... I've been Champion for a few days now. It's... pretty boring, actually. Thank goodness they don't demand that I constantly stay in that stained glass room and await challengers who never come. I wonder why they don't come? I mean, I can't be that intimidating. Diantha was so weak that I've come to doubt my own strength.

Today was a huge event in Lumiose. Professor Sycamore threw a parade for Calem, Shauna, Trevor, Tierno, and me. We were presented with the Honour of Kalos and everything was very bright and shiny and covered in confetti.

Thank you for defeating Team Flare! I'm so tired of hearing it. Isn't anyone going to understand that I didn't do it for them? I wanted to live. I wanted my pokémon to live. So I destroyed whatever was in the way. I don't want to think about Lysandre or his grunts or especially what I had to do to overcome them. Why can't they leave it well enough alone?

But of course I did my best to smile. I'm Champion now, their 'hero.' It is my responsibility to be a proper public figure. I waved and laughed and bowed and ignored Diantha who was for some reason up on the stage with us. What gives her the fucking right. Did she risk her life like my friends and I?

Professor Sycamore worries me. It was very flattering that he planned all of this, that he had no doubts about me becoming Champion, but... he basically threw a celebration commemorating his friend's death? I mean, he should be angry too. He obviously wasn't a part of Lysandre's 'perfect world' and even if he was, Lysandre planned to destroy his passion and livelihood by getting rid of all pokémon... But shouldn't he still grieve? The betrayal, at least, if not the actual person? They were obviously close... I don't understand.

There was a brief interruption of the festivities when the ancient giant man challenged me to a battle?

It was kind of extremely pathetic how weak he was. I just let Isolde out and that's it. She took care of everything while I picked at my nails. He didn't even have a full party...

Though I guess at the end he got what he wanted, because his pokémon came back to him and he cried and everyone aww-ed.

I feel bad for all the service workers and pokémon who are going to clean up the city after that parade. Though...as long as the people are pleased, it's worth it, right? I probably shouldn't be so bitter. They understand that they came close to death and just want to celebrate. I can't blame people for being people, can I?

- - -

Bella? Wally? What do I do now? I've spend these last five days growing far too many berries, going to fancy restaurants, and catching and raising random pokémon so as to fill up my Dex.

I'll do my best for Professor Sycamore, I think. After all, I owe him all this. I think I've matured because I realise that he has absolutely no responsibility to share everything with me. It's not my business to know every part of his research into Mega Evolution. I'm just here to help. If I'm not enough, he'll find someone else. I shouldn't be so selfish.

[andthen-sincerely]

Championship Battle

I heal up and prepare to take the final battle.

The room is beautiful, surrounded by dozens of stained glass panes. I feel a spike of guilt for stepping on them with my wet feet, but then I see the Champion and it all goes out of my head.

Are you serious. Are you fucking serious. The famous actress is also the Champion.

So... when you said you wanted to fight me one day, were you making fun of me? Were you just kidding because there's no way a random trainer like me can get all the way to the League?

...you're going down.

Triton blasts her Hawlucha with an Extrasensory. We're at the peak of our game, and we will not fail.

Her Goondra tries to hit him with a Focus Blast, but I switch to Naene when it misses. She tanks the Focus Blast and hits with an Ice Beam that almost kills it. Dianthe heals up, but I don't care, and eventually she decides that it's better to save her potions and let the Goondra fall.

I heal up as soon as I see the Tyrantium, because I'm not about to risk half health, but Head Smash almost kills Naene. I make a choking noise and heal up, bracing myself for an unlucky crit, but he misses. He misses, and I'm not about the give up the opportunity for a crit Ice Beam.

And then the Aurorus. I have no idea what typing it is, but apparently I have no idea about the typing. Rock something. Rock/Fairy?

I hit with Thunderbolt for pathetic damage, and pray that Naene can keep dodging the Thunders. But then I realize that she barely takes any damage from Thunder, and that boosts my confidence. Dianthe uses another potion, but I keep going because I can definitely win this matchup.

After that, a Gourgeist. I think it evolves from the little pumpkin ghost I saw before, so I take a gamble and oneshot it with Ice Beam.

But then the Gardevoir. The Gardevoir that manages to Mega Evolve.

What the fuck. What the actual fuck.

Didn't you say that there was only one Mega Evoluion Bracelet? Isn't it the one on my wrist right this fucking second? I can understand Lys having access to Mega Evolution, because he pretty much built his own fucking maching. But Dianthe?

Fucking Dianth.

I'm angry. I'm really angry, because what other things did you lie about, good professor?

I'm distracted and a little bit too slow to react, so Naene tanks a Thunderbolt. I counter with an Ice Beam that manages to freeze the Gardevoir, but it isn't strong enough to kill it in two hits. Dianth pops a potion and I go back to alternating between Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. I freeze it again, but Dianth uses another potion. At this point Naene is tired, but I can't risk sending out someone else because I don't know what other moves it has and I don't want to risk losing another companion.

So we slug it out, then we win.

I don't want to talk to her, so I try to turn and leave, but then she literally drags me off to another room to register as Champion.

I... I don't want it. Not anymore. It doesn't mean anything anymore, because she was the strongest opponent I ever had, and I still crushed her.

So I'm wondering. Is this what I might turn out to be? So bored with Champion that I start a second life on the side, wandering up to crush anyone who challenges my throne?

It's a lonely throne, I think.

I'd rather just explore and spend the rest of my day with my team.

We have our title, and now I'm done.

I'm done.

[andthen-sincerely]

Water Elite - Siebold

I feed Naene a few berries and it's off to the last room. Almost as soon as the elevator enters the room, two columns of water explode out of the floor. I admit it. This time I flinched, because the waters hit the ceiling and splash down.

I think I made a shrieking noise because do you know how much I paid for these clothes!? but a barrier suddenly appears and saves my clothes.

Not my boots, though. Not with two inches of water covering the platform. Sigh.

Wow this guy is um. I remember a snatch of a conversation, from Lumiose. Some watier claimed that I gave off the same feel as Siebold? Ummmm... I'm still annoyed that you ruined my boots.

Since I don't really have an answer to water types, it's up to Naene again. I have no idea what a Clawitzer is, except that it counters my Thunderbolt with Aura Sphere, chunking Naene. Siebold heals up, so I hit him with another Thunderbolt and he goes down.

The Barbacicle and Gyarados are taken out in one shot, but the Starmie's faster and manages to get off a Light Screen before the lightning hits. Psychic does a huge chunk of damage, but a second Thunderbolt knocks it out.

Sigh. Harder than before, but it still doesn't feel like a battle where everything is on the line.

[andthen-sincerely]

Dragon Elite - Dragna

I toss Triton a Leppa because that is honestly all he needs, having taken no damage.

The door diagonally across the hall is next.

The Elevator takes me into a room is breathtaking. Twin pillars of mist add mystery to the giant dragon wings that spread above my head. There is such a strong sense of power that just... I hope this one puts up a fight.

Uh okay then.

I'm prepared from the moment I realize that it's dragon typing. Naene is ready to go, and she blasts the Dragalge with an Ice Beam that doesn't kill it. Dragna uses a Full Restore, but Metronome slowly boosts my damage, until she's out of Full Restores and Ice Beam is powerful enough to kill the rest of her team.

Which it does.

The Dragalge, the Druddigon, and the Altaria collapse almost as soon as they're released from the ball. The Noivern manages to get a Dark Pulse out before falling, but it's as easy as the match before.

I... I'm a little disappointed, somewhere inside.

[andthen-sincerely]

Fire Elite - Malva

No like, an actual room. It's the bitch from before, the one who cooed and laughed because I was so precious and cute for taking down Team Flare. Tch.

Bitch just sits on her fucking chair. Doesn't even have enough respect to  get up. I'll make you get up.

Triton slams her Pyroar with Surf, and oes the same to the Talonflame, Torkoal, and Chandelure. They don't even put up a fight before I crush her.

Elite Four member? Don't make me laugh. Even Calum can do better.

I have the nagging feeling that she didn't even bother going anywhere near all out. I hate people like you.

[andthen-sincerely]

Steel Elite - Wilkinson

Two giant swords fall from the ceiling, slamming into the ground beside me, so that I'm centered perfectly between them. The impact makes me jump a bit, but I do my best to keep cool and not act like a pathetic coward. I have collected all the badges, and I know I'm strong. There is nothing for me to fear. Nothing.

I'm suitably impressed, and I tell him so before we start the battle. I think I get a smile, but it's hard to see past the flashes of light from our Pokemon emerging.

I counter his Klefki with Gregori. Brick Break almost kills it, but I'm forced to Dragon Claw because of Torment. The Metronome is going to waste like this, but it's all right.

His Probopass is annoying to deal with, but I hit it again with Brick Break and it dies in two turns.

Aegislash is part ghost, right? In case it is, I switch out to Vulcan. Luckily for me, Spikes doesn't affect him. But he takes an Iron Head to the face, and I wince at the impact. Heat Wave shuts it down, though, along with the Scizor that's almost like an afterthought.

One down, three to go.

[andthen-sincerely]

Before the Storm

So we finally get through Victory Road. There's a lot of strong trainers, but I beat them with ease. It has to be easy, because otherwise there's no way I can beat the Elite Four and Champion. Which is unacceptable.

Tuba gets strong, strong enough to fight on his own. And I stood outside the Pokemon League, my team by my side, and...

We won't lose. This is the final test. We won't lose.

The League is gorgeous. I wish I had the presence of mind to recall it, but I was too focused on the upcoming battles.

Four doors lies before me.

[andthen-sincerely]

What

I grind Tuba up. He's not quite as strong as the others, but I'm impatient. I want to know what I'm facing.

Victory Road is a bit off-putting, but I'm careful to not put him in harm's way.

But then this happens.

I accidentally switch him in, curse loudly and viciously because he's weak to ground type moves, but then watch in disbelief as Magnitude kills the rest of the horde.

What.

[andthen-sincerely]

To victory!

We got stronger. So strong that we could push deep into the cave without fear. We got so far, someone had to force us to leave, because "going any further would be dangerous". I was confident that my team could handle it, but... Could I bear another loss so soon? I don't... I don't know. So I swallowed my pride and left. Once I win the Championship, I'll come back, I swear it.

And the Snowbelle gym was next. I don't like it there. It's too cold. Way too cold, and I kept slipping on the ice. Vulcan tried to help out, but I spent a day inside the PokeCenter before forcing myself to go to the gym.

Turns out that the leader was off frolicking in the forest. Figures.

At least it was warmer in there. I wander around, getting hopelessly lost and ambushed by Hex Maniacs or their loli siblings. You know, the overly cutesy pink ones. Yeah.

When I finally find Wulfrick, he's in a place called the Pokemon Village. It's... nice there. Peaceful. The kind of peaceful that makes you not want to leave ever. But we had to, because we had a goal, and no matter how much I want to just stay there and sleep, I can't. I can't.

So I somehow leave the forest, and I challenge the gym.

It's so easy it's pathetic. Vulcan sweeps his entire team like it's nothing. I think there are still scorch marks on on the platform where they fought.

I got a badge in under ten minutes, Victory Road is mine for the taking. I'm confident. Successful. There's no way we can lose.

Except a surprise crit Ice Beam freezes and almost kills Paris, and then sandstorm finishes him off.

I couldn't believe it. Paris tanked the Ice Beam and would've killed that ugly fairy dino thing if he hadn't frozen. We had that fight.

...

I guess that's just Arceus' way of telling me to stop being so fucking cocky. I have a replacement for Paris - a Victreebel - but it won't be the same.

It will never be the same.

[andthen-sincerely]

Wallace Poke-Log League Champion

This is it. The moment of truth.

So

Pretty.

So, Diantha for the champion. I'm kind of indifferent; not as angry as you Scarlett. I was kind of hoping it might be Sycamore though. I wonder if Diantha may have actually gotten into acting after climbing her way up and getting fame from battling...

That music.

And she proves my toughest test yet.

I play it safe with a Lingua opening. I get scared out by Haluwcha, but my Reaper deals with it easy enough.

Goodra proves to be a tough challenge. I go out into Lingua fearing the flamethrower, which I was right on. I try to ice-beam it, but it is so specially bulky it only does a third in HP. So we get into this stall war, but eventually I get the freeze and end it.

She goes into a dinosaur duo. I remember how much trouble this gave me back in the 2nd gym, and how it killed my Bulbasaur. Nefite pounds them both into dust.

I'm giddy with excitement. She sends out this pumpkaboo, but Bruce Wayne gets to shine by one-shotting it.

Her final Pokémon- the final challenge- is Gardevoir.

As I think about how to counter (Bruce, weak to psychic, is not staying in), I think about all Merlin and I went through together. How many challenges we overcame. And then I thought, if I trusted him, he would see me through.

And then it mega-evolved.

And then it shadow-balleed.

Merlin barely survived. It was on the verge of tears. I pulled it back, pulse pounding, and very ticked off. I had misplayed and failed.

I stall out with Lingua a while, trying to scout it its movepool. Lingua can't deal enough damage, so I get out into Reaper. One X-Scissor is enough to end it.

......

As Diantha guided me to the hall of fame and I was surrounded by my Pokémon, I thought of how far I had come. From losing Pokémon left and right to guiding my Pokémon through the entirety of the Pokémon league without casualty. I apologized to Merlin, for nearly killing him. But I took sound satisfaction in it all.

Lingua taught me never to underestimate a Pokémon, no matter how bizzare. Without her, I would have never made it as far as I did.

I'm kind of disappointed that Lumiere did not once see action. Hopefully, he can get his chance to shine someday.

Nefite, Reaper...just so solid for me. They were late additions, but they picked me up and carried me through the rough spots.

Bruce Wayne...I didn't get a chance to use him much. But in those rough early days of my journey, he weather the storm and got me through it. Plus he flew me around everywhere as I trained, always reliable and fast.

Merlin...my initial companion. And my forever one.

Sycamore gives me a parade, which is pretty sweet. I enjoyed the fanfare.

But then homeless guy challenges me to a battle. I don't understand, but I oblige. It's pretty easy, and odd...

He grows up, and his Pokémon friend returns to him. I can't really describe it, but it was a pretty magical moment.

I don't know where to go from here, really. I suppose I'll just keep trying to get better. Still so much to learn, so much to catch, so much farther to grow. But my Pokémon will always see me through it.

[andthen-sincerely]

Wallace Poke-Log Elite 4: Drasna

Well, this is it. The last one. -Gulp-

And the award for coolest chamber goes to...

...A nice old lady?

Ok, as awesome as the idea of a nice old lady with a bunch of dragons is, I'm kind of bummed the female members of the elite 4 aren't as engaging as their male counterparts. -Sigh-

I lead off with Reaper the Scizor, because of his dragon resistance. She leads off with this weird looking thin brown dragon, and I one-shot it with an Iron head.

Next up is HOLY CRAP NOIVERN. I'm assuming it will outspeed everything, because it was the ultra speed balloon in super ev training.

Not knowing what it was packing, I switch out to Lingua. Good call, because FLAMETHROWER. But Lingua takes it well, hits back with an ice-beam (god this movepool), and that's the end of it.

After that is Drugiddon. Which hits with a fighting move, so I'm glad I switch, but I play this one badly. I over-estimate it. Fortunately I don't have to pay, and then knock it out with Scizor.

Her final Pokémon I just switch on back to Lingua to end it.

That's the Elite 4 down. Only one test remains. I have no idea what to expect. But my Pokémon have gotten me this far, and I trust them to win this battle.

Onwards, to the end of the road to victory.