for Pokemon: The Origin of Species1/20 c13 Mr. Priscilla CB
that Giovanni response is so perfect I had to review this chapter. to me that short response is so genius to reveal his character in the story.
that Giovanni response is so perfect I had to review this chapter. to me that short response is so genius to reveal his character in the story.
1/16 c52 
1CMY187
“register an abra to the city”
Who is the first person to discover teleportation?
“overwrite Cerulean’s teleportation point”
Thanks to the Oaklings (kekeke), numerous people now own at least one abra. I foresee that more trainer battles would be involving a pokemon of the Alakazam family.
“ignores Leaf’s scowl as he renames the abra to Vermillion”
I love that Red is the only one of the trio who has not given his pokemon names. It just doesn’t seem in his nature to do so.
“picked up the thread of frustration and sadness in her thoughts”
Imagine having Red Verres for an enemy.
“it hit a dead end”
What Leaf needs is an information/spy network, something akin to confidential informants. She needs eyes and ears across Kanto, and even beyond if it comes to that. The problem is setting up such a network, never mind maintaining it. (looks at N) …he’s got a network, doesn’t he?
“Glen and Elaine decided to join them too”
And so Blue Oak gains his first real party in Vermillion City. I love that this city has expanded beyond the trio and is now including other trainers as major or even main characters. Blue himself said it; ultimately, they are all small players in a game that is far grander than any of them could imagine. To be fair, they are just THREE TRAINERS.
At the same time, there’s that quote by Varys in ASOIAF: ‘A very small man can cast a very large shadow.’
“the morning before the cruise”
I look forward to reviewing the actual cruise. I don’t know why, but something just felt ‘off’ about it, like there was something going on aboard that boat that neither Red nor Leaf realized or even noticed. There is a reason that Bill almost never leaves his home. Let’s face it; there are probably at least a few people who wish his death.
“an extra large taxi”
Methinks a Fighting-type pokemon like a Machop could just run alongside the car. (looks at Hitmonlee) That one could probably cover a frightening amount of distance in a single leap. I love the writing of that pokemon’s capabilities in the Adventures-manga.
…and now I’m imagining people in a jeep desperately trying to keep ahead of a horde of rampaging Fighting-type pokemon. That makes me want to look at the vehicle industry of this world.
How does one hunt a wild Dodrio?
“and Blue frowns through”
I love Blue.
“quick editing”
Editing is every writer and content creator’s nightmare, apparently. There is a reason that the one task of being an ‘Editor’ is an entire occupation of its own.
“knew the usual things that make me angry or upset or excited”
It almost seems like having a psychiatrist is mandatory if you are a psychic; someone who is professionally qualified to monitor and maintain your mental and emotional well-being.
“Focusing a lot on the experience of certain moods or feelings or thought processes”
(looks at Dark-type, Ghost-type and Bug-type pokemon) Hmm.
“reminding myself of memories and sensations that triggered a change”
What if you do not have such triggers? Why is Mew considered to be so powerful? Mewtwo might be powerful, but he still lost part of his tail. His bones break, his blood flows, and his stomach growls. Are there any pokemon that do not require food, water, air, etc? (looks at Unown) Huh.
“Maybe it would help reading it”
In my opinion practice would be a better demonstrator than written text. The problem is that psychic powers usually aren’t visible to an outside party.
“noticing yourself getting upset”
People who lose their tempers and who frequently raise their voices lack self-control and restraint. In my opinion it’s not a question of the other person angering them, it’s them having a very bad handle on their own emotions.
I’ll be honest; in my opinion - and I think history would back me on this – fear is what causes people to develop self-restraint and control. A man is extremely polite and considerate to his obnoxious and condescending boss, then goes home and berates and strikes his wife and/or children at the slightest provocation.
For the majority of humanity, fear is the only thing that they truly understand. Heck, the only reason most people haven’t already committed crimes like robbery or murder is not because they are ‘good’ or ‘decent’ but because there are enforced laws to punish those who do such things.
Who knows what Giovanni witnessed and experienced throughout his life; what made him decide to become, essentially, a necessary evil. In a way he is quite similar to Lelouch VI Britannia.
“remind myself of pleasant things”
Reese: ‘Puppies, ice cream, fat people falling down.’ – Malcolm in the Middle.
“start my mind going through my flowchart”
Seriously, Red dying is NOT the worst ending for this story in my opinion; it’s him becoming evil. The kid is already terrifying, and he knows it. Heck, the thing that he fears most is not even the Stormbringers; it’s himself.
“that makes you feel a certain way”
A person is unable to hit the target at a firing range. Tell him to look at the target and imagine his own father, and his aim suddenly becomes more precise. Hey, it’s just one way of taking one’s bad experiences and channeling them to positive ends. Roberto Duran put a lot of his innate rage and frustration into his boxing.
“a partnership of three therapists”
Partnership? That’s interesting.
“raise awareness of pokemon’s benefits in areas other than combat, industry, or food”
(looks at Gold in the Adventures manga using his pokemon to cheat in a casino) Uh-huh.
“pokemon pen”
Those cannot be cheap. Pokemon are most definitely not ordinary animals.
“Regional Alliance for the Welfare of Pokemon”
I immediately thought of N. Also, again, too many fascinating things in this story. Who started RAWP?
“tries the acronym out in his head with different stresses”
I love Red. It’s the little things that make this story great.
“pokemon to learn about and interact with”
Come to think of it, what are the best/most famous/most renowned academies for pokemon trainers? Where do people in Kanto usually go to start their very first lesson/course in pokemon training?
In the Adventures-manga, Blue was personally trained by his own father, and his first pokemon is a Scyther. Imagine having THAT as your first-ever pokemon…Scyther are terrifying. Imagine trying to hunt one in long grass that extends above your head. Being a Bug-type means that Psychic powers would be ineffective and probably near-useless. How many psychic humans who relied too much on their abilities were killed by wild Dark or Bug-type pokemon?
“holding a bidoof in her lap”
I love that Blue dismisses that pokemon so blatantly and has little to no interest in it. Bet Leaf appreciated that.
“Asha likes her coat to be brushed”
Wonderful. Now I’m imagining a swarm of Bidoof jumping off longships to raid coastal towns. I’m way too much of an ASOIAF fanboy.
“it emits a croon of pleasure”
Pokemon are just like humans. Some are good, some bad, some just want to live their lives and to be left alone. How many creatures do we kill whenever we step on a patch of grass? That’s what it’s like to be the Stormbringers.
“Seized by an urge to help lift that haze”
He knows what it is like.
“even the brush of it beckons his own toward the surface”
Being a psychic is scary. It can make you powerful, and it can also destroy you. Red needs to take care or he may end up in a institution for mental health.
I still don’t know why mental illness is a subject that so many people mock and jape about. To me there is nothing that is remotely funny about it. Would you rather lose a limb or have a weak heart than to not have full control of your own mind and/or be in constant danger of seeing and hearing things that aren’t actually there? I would seriously consider going for the option of losing a limb instead.
“there’s a meowth”
Aka a money-maker. (pause) What?
“It likes to find precious metals and eat them, which makes the coin on its head grow”
…what. Wait, meowth and Persian feed on METALS? And precious metals at that? What ARE they? How much does it cost to keep a meowth?
A woman purchases an adorable little meowth. A few days later, she wonders where all her jewelry has gone.
“probably by some poachers”
Is it wrong that I see pokemon poachers as being somewhat badass/crazy?
Blue hunting the Absol again, this time working with an immoral and despicable poacher who has no qualms with sacrificing other pokemon to get to their prize.
“a sentret, one of the most boring pokemon around”
HA!
“battle trainer culture irritated him”
I love this.
“Only one head sleeps or eats at a time, so it can’t be taken by surprise”
(looks at real-life two-headed turtles) Huh.
“it doesn’t have a horn like the males but its spines are poisonous”
Let me guess; the best Nidoqueen/king trainer in the world is Giovanni. Seriously, those things are huge. Try to take cover behind a building? The Nidoqueen would probably just bash right through it.
“always at the surface of a journeying trainer’s thoughts”
(looks at the spinarak in Viridian Forest) I shuddered.
“his discomfort with bugs”
He cannot read them at all. I don’t blame him. Bugs are strange.
“the silk cocoon…The red eyes of the pokemon peer sleepily”
This made me look at Pineco and Forretress.
“compact outer layers of silk”
An illegal sweatshop that cruelly and callously uses Caterpie to produce material for clothing. My mind is wired like that.
“The difference here is like night and day”
The Sakai Ranch could grow into something much bigger than it currently is.
“Red blinks, and without thinking says”
Who says lying never helps anything?
“Like lying does?”
George Carlin: ‘What’s gonna happen if I lie? Nothing! Nothing happens if you lie! Unless you get caught, and that’s a whole different story.’
“It’s become a reflex”
It gets easier and easier to convince yourself that what you are doing isn’t wrong, doesn’t hurt anybody, and on the contrary helps a lot of people.
Apparently, every time enough cocaine for just one use is bought by someone, six other people die.
“Is he turning into a haughty elitist?”
Red you are ALREADY a haughty elitist. Why do you think Blue likes you so much?
“I just don’t know how long it can last”
…
“I won’t always be able to pursue my goals while porting back home every few hours”
Yep. There can be no victory without sacrifice. The trick is to ensure that other people do the sacrificing instead of you. If you want to live to the end of the revolution and lead the new government, stay in hiding while everyone else goes to fight and die in your name.
“Uh. Can you be more specific?”
I love the dynamic of these two.
“Red’s relief is interrupted by the slight stress on the word ‘becoming’”
Ha!
“his rhyhorn against her graveler, while Aiko pits her sandslash against Glen’s donphan”
Better get good at training Ground-type pokemon if you are facing Leader Surge. You use a Rock/Ground Type using against his Raichu, and he then commands said Raichu to use Iron Tail.
“can’t be expected to take Surge alone”
What is Surge’s strongest pokemon that he may or may not only bring into battle for seven-badge challenges?
“aren’t quite capable of breathing out streams of fire”
How does a Charizard’s fire compare to that of an Arcanine?
“Charmeleon flicks his tail”
Can a Charizard-family pokemon survive if its tail is injured or even removed?
“full permission”
Every time this happens, I feel a chill run down my back. Had Red not recalled it in time, his Charmeleon could have killed the pokemon of other trainers.
“the latter was more wary and ready”
After all, they can fight while in such a form, while Metapod could only Harden while waiting to evolve.
“Spinarak just felt hunger, neutral and merciless”
It must be difficult if not impossible for Red to read a Bug-type pokemon’s emotions, if indeed they have any.
“His abra, Bill”
Goddammit, Red.
“a desperation in pichu’s instincts”
I thought of the Kingler…
“the most unsettling to entwine with”
Charmeleon does not want to only fight, he wants to kill. Would Red allow him to kill and eat a hostile wild pokemon? Would he decide to go on a hunt with Charmeleon?
“what she needs the distance for”
Rollout requires movement and distance to be utilized effectively.
“lifts its legs”
How heavy is an average rhyhorn?
“twist, roll backward, and lift the rhyhorn over itself to slam it onto the ground”
Okay, that was awesome.
“Red doubles over and clutches his stomach”
I remember him realizing that something was wrong with the Eevee’s lungs.
“rub its rocky head”
That rhyhorn would probably now be more wary of being grabbed. I’m guessing rhyhorn aren’t used to being thrown.
“He’s just poisoned”
Blue is scary.
“Red’s so used to arguing with him about practically everything for years”
They look to Red too. He just doesn’t quite realize it at this point.
“respected by all”
People witnessed what he did to the Shiftry in Viridian Forest.
“even while he supports him”
There may come a day in which Red may choose to stand between Blue and the latter’s life-long goal…
“It’s not called Battle Bond”
Yeah, I don’t approve of that name.
“Limit Break”
That’s even worse in my opinion.
“smile sharp as the blade of a dagger…Killing intent”
I love this. It says so much about Blue. Remember, one of his main goals is to bring down the beings that are referred to by many as gods of storms.
…and now I’m imagining Blue Oak becoming Emperor of Britannia. God damn it.
“has no retort”
He does not disagree, and he is the one who is using it. So ‘Sakki’ it is.
“the comments on her abra article”
The trio have started something that may just keep snowballing and building. I love how rapidly the world moved to accommodate the increase in the capturing of abra.
“just walk up to a drowzee”
My answer is ‘no’. An abra would just teleport away if you fail to keep it calm. A drowzee won’t do that.
Similarly, you don’t treat a Weedle the same way you would a Caterpie. Then again, being tackled by a Caterpie probably wouldn’t be pleasant either. And then there’s Bug Bite…
“Are you telling me your have connections?”
I suddenly don’t trust Adom. Did he know that Leaf was going to be at the ranch?
“artificial meat production”
Wait, what?
“those that are afraid of pokemon”
I don’t blame them!
“I’ve got a lapras”
Lapras are apparently generally gentle and kind. Just don’t call them fat or ugly. And don’t criticize their skin. You know what, just don’t say anything negative about their appearance and you’ll be fine.
“tame enough to be safely fed”
Huh. What are wild snorlax like? How many hours do they sleep per day?
“her shining eyes, cheerful smile, and soft embrace”
She was instrumental in putting the abra to sleep. I’m guessing that wigglytuff are in higher demand now.
“Some pokemon are really peaceful even in the wild”
You feed a hungry ponyta that walked up to your house asking for food. The next morning, there’s a herd of them outside your door.
“Red’s what?!”
Is it wrong that I cackled at this?
“with something this dangerous”
I don’t blame her. If someone with less moral restraints than Red were to learn to use Sakki…
“They barely restrict dangerous attacks”
Interesting.
“incapable of living in the wild after being caught”
It seems that whatever program is put into them upon capture cannot be removed; like the effect is irreversible. Makes me wonder of the details of said program.
“sit in storage for years or get released and die”
Dogs and cats are abandoned all the time in real life…
“it’ll still take years”
I suddenly imagined this: a Renegade says to Red, ‘Did you really think you are the only one that can play this game?’ as Red’s own Charmeleon turns toward him with claws raised to strike.
“planning out the trip tomorrow”
Little did he know how horrifying that trip will be. I still remember his shiftry being unfriendly to a point of hostile toward him at first.
“tries to think of what might go wrong”
They are at Lavender Tower now, and unlike before, they don’t know what they might be facing in there.
“that cared more about winning than helping others win”
Blue needs someone like Red to keep him in check and keep him from his worst tendencies.
King Robert I Baratheon: ‘No one to tell me ‘no’ but you.’
“when it matters most, I know what works”
What if Blue were to duel Red, throw everything he has at him with no mercy or relent, and still lose?
“I think you have a real chance to set a different standard”
This conversation may be what inspired Blue to say what he later said to Leader Surge. And it grew beyond that Gym; Leader Erika has become wary of Blue as well.
The world is changing. Legendary titans have awakened. Landscapes have been destroyed, maps now need to be changed. Gym Leaders have died. The current trainers, coordinators, Leaders and Elites are all living in an incredible time. It may even go down in history in a similar vein to the Age of Heroes in ASOIAF.
“prove that you can win, reveal your secrets, and then win again anyway”
Red is the Man Behind the Man; the one who pushes Blue to be even more ambitious than he already is.
“Teleport back, while the people on the boat are in danger?”
‘EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF.’ – Sword Art Online Abridged.
“Heroes don’t get to choose their battles, Red”
From what I’ve seen of history, it seems that the only thing required to become a hero is to win. Never mind the atrocities you may have committed to get there. So long as you win, you get to write the history and thus be remembered as a hero.
In my opinion, the absolute worst thing about Adolf Hitler is that he really isn’t anything special, certainly not the most evil person in history. Heck, he isn’t even the worst one of his own generation, never mind of all time. And that is a depressing thought considering the horrors, pain and suffering he inflicted. In my opinion, the world is FULL of Adolf Hitlers, and the only reason that they too have not murdered millions is because unlike Hitler, they were never given the power to do so.
“What makes them as strong as they need to be”
Azor Ahai sacrificing his wife Nissa Nissa in order to stop the Long Night.
“Nanny duty again”
Ha!
“that’s how they leave him”
He lost his parents. He does not want to lose them either. But he will lose more people. It’s inevitable. He is on his path, and they on theirs. (looks at Giovanni) Who did he lose?
1CMY187“register an abra to the city”
Who is the first person to discover teleportation?
“overwrite Cerulean’s teleportation point”
Thanks to the Oaklings (kekeke), numerous people now own at least one abra. I foresee that more trainer battles would be involving a pokemon of the Alakazam family.
“ignores Leaf’s scowl as he renames the abra to Vermillion”
I love that Red is the only one of the trio who has not given his pokemon names. It just doesn’t seem in his nature to do so.
“picked up the thread of frustration and sadness in her thoughts”
Imagine having Red Verres for an enemy.
“it hit a dead end”
What Leaf needs is an information/spy network, something akin to confidential informants. She needs eyes and ears across Kanto, and even beyond if it comes to that. The problem is setting up such a network, never mind maintaining it. (looks at N) …he’s got a network, doesn’t he?
“Glen and Elaine decided to join them too”
And so Blue Oak gains his first real party in Vermillion City. I love that this city has expanded beyond the trio and is now including other trainers as major or even main characters. Blue himself said it; ultimately, they are all small players in a game that is far grander than any of them could imagine. To be fair, they are just THREE TRAINERS.
At the same time, there’s that quote by Varys in ASOIAF: ‘A very small man can cast a very large shadow.’
“the morning before the cruise”
I look forward to reviewing the actual cruise. I don’t know why, but something just felt ‘off’ about it, like there was something going on aboard that boat that neither Red nor Leaf realized or even noticed. There is a reason that Bill almost never leaves his home. Let’s face it; there are probably at least a few people who wish his death.
“an extra large taxi”
Methinks a Fighting-type pokemon like a Machop could just run alongside the car. (looks at Hitmonlee) That one could probably cover a frightening amount of distance in a single leap. I love the writing of that pokemon’s capabilities in the Adventures-manga.
…and now I’m imagining people in a jeep desperately trying to keep ahead of a horde of rampaging Fighting-type pokemon. That makes me want to look at the vehicle industry of this world.
How does one hunt a wild Dodrio?
“and Blue frowns through”
I love Blue.
“quick editing”
Editing is every writer and content creator’s nightmare, apparently. There is a reason that the one task of being an ‘Editor’ is an entire occupation of its own.
“knew the usual things that make me angry or upset or excited”
It almost seems like having a psychiatrist is mandatory if you are a psychic; someone who is professionally qualified to monitor and maintain your mental and emotional well-being.
“Focusing a lot on the experience of certain moods or feelings or thought processes”
(looks at Dark-type, Ghost-type and Bug-type pokemon) Hmm.
“reminding myself of memories and sensations that triggered a change”
What if you do not have such triggers? Why is Mew considered to be so powerful? Mewtwo might be powerful, but he still lost part of his tail. His bones break, his blood flows, and his stomach growls. Are there any pokemon that do not require food, water, air, etc? (looks at Unown) Huh.
“Maybe it would help reading it”
In my opinion practice would be a better demonstrator than written text. The problem is that psychic powers usually aren’t visible to an outside party.
“noticing yourself getting upset”
People who lose their tempers and who frequently raise their voices lack self-control and restraint. In my opinion it’s not a question of the other person angering them, it’s them having a very bad handle on their own emotions.
I’ll be honest; in my opinion - and I think history would back me on this – fear is what causes people to develop self-restraint and control. A man is extremely polite and considerate to his obnoxious and condescending boss, then goes home and berates and strikes his wife and/or children at the slightest provocation.
For the majority of humanity, fear is the only thing that they truly understand. Heck, the only reason most people haven’t already committed crimes like robbery or murder is not because they are ‘good’ or ‘decent’ but because there are enforced laws to punish those who do such things.
Who knows what Giovanni witnessed and experienced throughout his life; what made him decide to become, essentially, a necessary evil. In a way he is quite similar to Lelouch VI Britannia.
“remind myself of pleasant things”
Reese: ‘Puppies, ice cream, fat people falling down.’ – Malcolm in the Middle.
“start my mind going through my flowchart”
Seriously, Red dying is NOT the worst ending for this story in my opinion; it’s him becoming evil. The kid is already terrifying, and he knows it. Heck, the thing that he fears most is not even the Stormbringers; it’s himself.
“that makes you feel a certain way”
A person is unable to hit the target at a firing range. Tell him to look at the target and imagine his own father, and his aim suddenly becomes more precise. Hey, it’s just one way of taking one’s bad experiences and channeling them to positive ends. Roberto Duran put a lot of his innate rage and frustration into his boxing.
“a partnership of three therapists”
Partnership? That’s interesting.
“raise awareness of pokemon’s benefits in areas other than combat, industry, or food”
(looks at Gold in the Adventures manga using his pokemon to cheat in a casino) Uh-huh.
“pokemon pen”
Those cannot be cheap. Pokemon are most definitely not ordinary animals.
“Regional Alliance for the Welfare of Pokemon”
I immediately thought of N. Also, again, too many fascinating things in this story. Who started RAWP?
“tries the acronym out in his head with different stresses”
I love Red. It’s the little things that make this story great.
“pokemon to learn about and interact with”
Come to think of it, what are the best/most famous/most renowned academies for pokemon trainers? Where do people in Kanto usually go to start their very first lesson/course in pokemon training?
In the Adventures-manga, Blue was personally trained by his own father, and his first pokemon is a Scyther. Imagine having THAT as your first-ever pokemon…Scyther are terrifying. Imagine trying to hunt one in long grass that extends above your head. Being a Bug-type means that Psychic powers would be ineffective and probably near-useless. How many psychic humans who relied too much on their abilities were killed by wild Dark or Bug-type pokemon?
“holding a bidoof in her lap”
I love that Blue dismisses that pokemon so blatantly and has little to no interest in it. Bet Leaf appreciated that.
“Asha likes her coat to be brushed”
Wonderful. Now I’m imagining a swarm of Bidoof jumping off longships to raid coastal towns. I’m way too much of an ASOIAF fanboy.
“it emits a croon of pleasure”
Pokemon are just like humans. Some are good, some bad, some just want to live their lives and to be left alone. How many creatures do we kill whenever we step on a patch of grass? That’s what it’s like to be the Stormbringers.
“Seized by an urge to help lift that haze”
He knows what it is like.
“even the brush of it beckons his own toward the surface”
Being a psychic is scary. It can make you powerful, and it can also destroy you. Red needs to take care or he may end up in a institution for mental health.
I still don’t know why mental illness is a subject that so many people mock and jape about. To me there is nothing that is remotely funny about it. Would you rather lose a limb or have a weak heart than to not have full control of your own mind and/or be in constant danger of seeing and hearing things that aren’t actually there? I would seriously consider going for the option of losing a limb instead.
“there’s a meowth”
Aka a money-maker. (pause) What?
“It likes to find precious metals and eat them, which makes the coin on its head grow”
…what. Wait, meowth and Persian feed on METALS? And precious metals at that? What ARE they? How much does it cost to keep a meowth?
A woman purchases an adorable little meowth. A few days later, she wonders where all her jewelry has gone.
“probably by some poachers”
Is it wrong that I see pokemon poachers as being somewhat badass/crazy?
Blue hunting the Absol again, this time working with an immoral and despicable poacher who has no qualms with sacrificing other pokemon to get to their prize.
“a sentret, one of the most boring pokemon around”
HA!
“battle trainer culture irritated him”
I love this.
“Only one head sleeps or eats at a time, so it can’t be taken by surprise”
(looks at real-life two-headed turtles) Huh.
“it doesn’t have a horn like the males but its spines are poisonous”
Let me guess; the best Nidoqueen/king trainer in the world is Giovanni. Seriously, those things are huge. Try to take cover behind a building? The Nidoqueen would probably just bash right through it.
“always at the surface of a journeying trainer’s thoughts”
(looks at the spinarak in Viridian Forest) I shuddered.
“his discomfort with bugs”
He cannot read them at all. I don’t blame him. Bugs are strange.
“the silk cocoon…The red eyes of the pokemon peer sleepily”
This made me look at Pineco and Forretress.
“compact outer layers of silk”
An illegal sweatshop that cruelly and callously uses Caterpie to produce material for clothing. My mind is wired like that.
“The difference here is like night and day”
The Sakai Ranch could grow into something much bigger than it currently is.
“Red blinks, and without thinking says”
Who says lying never helps anything?
“Like lying does?”
George Carlin: ‘What’s gonna happen if I lie? Nothing! Nothing happens if you lie! Unless you get caught, and that’s a whole different story.’
“It’s become a reflex”
It gets easier and easier to convince yourself that what you are doing isn’t wrong, doesn’t hurt anybody, and on the contrary helps a lot of people.
Apparently, every time enough cocaine for just one use is bought by someone, six other people die.
“Is he turning into a haughty elitist?”
Red you are ALREADY a haughty elitist. Why do you think Blue likes you so much?
“I just don’t know how long it can last”
…
“I won’t always be able to pursue my goals while porting back home every few hours”
Yep. There can be no victory without sacrifice. The trick is to ensure that other people do the sacrificing instead of you. If you want to live to the end of the revolution and lead the new government, stay in hiding while everyone else goes to fight and die in your name.
“Uh. Can you be more specific?”
I love the dynamic of these two.
“Red’s relief is interrupted by the slight stress on the word ‘becoming’”
Ha!
“his rhyhorn against her graveler, while Aiko pits her sandslash against Glen’s donphan”
Better get good at training Ground-type pokemon if you are facing Leader Surge. You use a Rock/Ground Type using against his Raichu, and he then commands said Raichu to use Iron Tail.
“can’t be expected to take Surge alone”
What is Surge’s strongest pokemon that he may or may not only bring into battle for seven-badge challenges?
“aren’t quite capable of breathing out streams of fire”
How does a Charizard’s fire compare to that of an Arcanine?
“Charmeleon flicks his tail”
Can a Charizard-family pokemon survive if its tail is injured or even removed?
“full permission”
Every time this happens, I feel a chill run down my back. Had Red not recalled it in time, his Charmeleon could have killed the pokemon of other trainers.
“the latter was more wary and ready”
After all, they can fight while in such a form, while Metapod could only Harden while waiting to evolve.
“Spinarak just felt hunger, neutral and merciless”
It must be difficult if not impossible for Red to read a Bug-type pokemon’s emotions, if indeed they have any.
“His abra, Bill”
Goddammit, Red.
“a desperation in pichu’s instincts”
I thought of the Kingler…
“the most unsettling to entwine with”
Charmeleon does not want to only fight, he wants to kill. Would Red allow him to kill and eat a hostile wild pokemon? Would he decide to go on a hunt with Charmeleon?
“what she needs the distance for”
Rollout requires movement and distance to be utilized effectively.
“lifts its legs”
How heavy is an average rhyhorn?
“twist, roll backward, and lift the rhyhorn over itself to slam it onto the ground”
Okay, that was awesome.
“Red doubles over and clutches his stomach”
I remember him realizing that something was wrong with the Eevee’s lungs.
“rub its rocky head”
That rhyhorn would probably now be more wary of being grabbed. I’m guessing rhyhorn aren’t used to being thrown.
“He’s just poisoned”
Blue is scary.
“Red’s so used to arguing with him about practically everything for years”
They look to Red too. He just doesn’t quite realize it at this point.
“respected by all”
People witnessed what he did to the Shiftry in Viridian Forest.
“even while he supports him”
There may come a day in which Red may choose to stand between Blue and the latter’s life-long goal…
“It’s not called Battle Bond”
Yeah, I don’t approve of that name.
“Limit Break”
That’s even worse in my opinion.
“smile sharp as the blade of a dagger…Killing intent”
I love this. It says so much about Blue. Remember, one of his main goals is to bring down the beings that are referred to by many as gods of storms.
…and now I’m imagining Blue Oak becoming Emperor of Britannia. God damn it.
“has no retort”
He does not disagree, and he is the one who is using it. So ‘Sakki’ it is.
“the comments on her abra article”
The trio have started something that may just keep snowballing and building. I love how rapidly the world moved to accommodate the increase in the capturing of abra.
“just walk up to a drowzee”
My answer is ‘no’. An abra would just teleport away if you fail to keep it calm. A drowzee won’t do that.
Similarly, you don’t treat a Weedle the same way you would a Caterpie. Then again, being tackled by a Caterpie probably wouldn’t be pleasant either. And then there’s Bug Bite…
“Are you telling me your have connections?”
I suddenly don’t trust Adom. Did he know that Leaf was going to be at the ranch?
“artificial meat production”
Wait, what?
“those that are afraid of pokemon”
I don’t blame them!
“I’ve got a lapras”
Lapras are apparently generally gentle and kind. Just don’t call them fat or ugly. And don’t criticize their skin. You know what, just don’t say anything negative about their appearance and you’ll be fine.
“tame enough to be safely fed”
Huh. What are wild snorlax like? How many hours do they sleep per day?
“her shining eyes, cheerful smile, and soft embrace”
She was instrumental in putting the abra to sleep. I’m guessing that wigglytuff are in higher demand now.
“Some pokemon are really peaceful even in the wild”
You feed a hungry ponyta that walked up to your house asking for food. The next morning, there’s a herd of them outside your door.
“Red’s what?!”
Is it wrong that I cackled at this?
“with something this dangerous”
I don’t blame her. If someone with less moral restraints than Red were to learn to use Sakki…
“They barely restrict dangerous attacks”
Interesting.
“incapable of living in the wild after being caught”
It seems that whatever program is put into them upon capture cannot be removed; like the effect is irreversible. Makes me wonder of the details of said program.
“sit in storage for years or get released and die”
Dogs and cats are abandoned all the time in real life…
“it’ll still take years”
I suddenly imagined this: a Renegade says to Red, ‘Did you really think you are the only one that can play this game?’ as Red’s own Charmeleon turns toward him with claws raised to strike.
“planning out the trip tomorrow”
Little did he know how horrifying that trip will be. I still remember his shiftry being unfriendly to a point of hostile toward him at first.
“tries to think of what might go wrong”
They are at Lavender Tower now, and unlike before, they don’t know what they might be facing in there.
“that cared more about winning than helping others win”
Blue needs someone like Red to keep him in check and keep him from his worst tendencies.
King Robert I Baratheon: ‘No one to tell me ‘no’ but you.’
“when it matters most, I know what works”
What if Blue were to duel Red, throw everything he has at him with no mercy or relent, and still lose?
“I think you have a real chance to set a different standard”
This conversation may be what inspired Blue to say what he later said to Leader Surge. And it grew beyond that Gym; Leader Erika has become wary of Blue as well.
The world is changing. Legendary titans have awakened. Landscapes have been destroyed, maps now need to be changed. Gym Leaders have died. The current trainers, coordinators, Leaders and Elites are all living in an incredible time. It may even go down in history in a similar vein to the Age of Heroes in ASOIAF.
“prove that you can win, reveal your secrets, and then win again anyway”
Red is the Man Behind the Man; the one who pushes Blue to be even more ambitious than he already is.
“Teleport back, while the people on the boat are in danger?”
‘EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF.’ – Sword Art Online Abridged.
“Heroes don’t get to choose their battles, Red”
From what I’ve seen of history, it seems that the only thing required to become a hero is to win. Never mind the atrocities you may have committed to get there. So long as you win, you get to write the history and thus be remembered as a hero.
In my opinion, the absolute worst thing about Adolf Hitler is that he really isn’t anything special, certainly not the most evil person in history. Heck, he isn’t even the worst one of his own generation, never mind of all time. And that is a depressing thought considering the horrors, pain and suffering he inflicted. In my opinion, the world is FULL of Adolf Hitlers, and the only reason that they too have not murdered millions is because unlike Hitler, they were never given the power to do so.
“What makes them as strong as they need to be”
Azor Ahai sacrificing his wife Nissa Nissa in order to stop the Long Night.
“Nanny duty again”
Ha!
“that’s how they leave him”
He lost his parents. He does not want to lose them either. But he will lose more people. It’s inevitable. He is on his path, and they on theirs. (looks at Giovanni) Who did he lose?
1/9 c51 CMY187
“with his metapod in the basket”
Heh!
“its half-lidded eyes stare at the shifting world around them”
From a Caterpie to this. Pokemon are strange.
“climbs around it”
Are Butterfree a threat to Bellsprout? Are Victreebel a threat to Caterpie?
“Gym classes…testing battle strategies”
I just love the different cultures, practices and policies of the Gyms in this story so far. Becoming a Leader is a tremendous responsibility.
“the most unexpected one by far is its gym”
I wonder how many people in Kanto or even beyond are aware that Red Verres had become a member of Saffron Gym.
“surrounded by people dedicating themselves to the same goals and helping each other along the way”
(looks at the Rocket organization) …
“he talked himself into going…already had plans to return as soon as his pokemon recovered”
Pokemon training and battling brings a thrill to him, or it at least makes him feel more alive.
“he started seeing each match as a puzzle”
Heh! Of course. Typical Red. Also, this is somewhat reminiscent to Adventures-Red who relies on strategy and tactics more than brute force or even discipline. He is even able to out-wit Giovanni in their duel in Viridian Gym. (seriously, that duel is horrifying; Giovanni ordering his Nidoqueen to attack not Pikachu but Red himself. Also, if he just wanted Red dead from the start, Red would have never seen or heard him)
“facing new opponents and optimizing his strategies”
Strategy and tactics can only take you so far, however. There would be situations where you are just outmatched. Can a Rattata make so much of a dent in a Golem? (by the way, in my opinion pokemon like Golem, Machamp, Alakazam, Steelix, etc, while very powerful, would be very difficult to train. Brock not having full control of Aeosis is terrifying. The gigantic Onix almost went berserk in Viridian Forest. In my opinion, sooner or later Brock would be unable to prevent Aeosis from losing control nor to calm him down. Perhaps having seven-badge matches allows Brock to test, push and improve himself as well as his opponents)
“even watched a trainer battle online”
What are the most controversial trainer battles in the history of this world? What are the most controversial and/or divisive Gym/League decisions? Did Erika face opposition when she attempted to become Leader of Celadon Gym? Who is the previous Leader?
“didn’t bother with any of the showmanship or lessons”
Kiyo is an interesting character.
“always one step ahead”
Knowing your enemy is half the battle. It is also important to know yourself.
“a gargantuan machamp that was almost nine feet tall”
Jesus Christ…pokemon are horrifying. Imagine finding a wild machamp striding toward you with murder in its eyes. That thing could crush your ribs and internal organs into mush with just one hand. Fighting-type pokemon are no joke.
“to split her attention that many ways and still be able to think straight”
I thought of Mewtwo losing his tail. Also, I personally find Lugia to be the scariest of all the Legendary-class pokemon in both Gen 1 and Gen 2. I prefer SoulSilver to HeartGold.
“incorporating his psychic powers into his training sessions”
I wonder how many cases there are of psychics dying or becoming comatose or insane from using their abilities in combat.
“It’s hard to read the metapod’s emotional state”
Bug-type pokemon are fascinating. Why is it so difficult for psychic powers and abilities to affect them? I have not forgotten Red’s fear of Beedrill. Would he find it difficult to train pokemon like his Butterfree or his Spinarak?
“the pokemon is so bad at battling”
I chuckled at this. I like the Butterfree family.
Also:
Trainer Rusty: ‘Pikachu, USE HEADBUTT!’
“doesn’t turn on its own to watch the various classes and activities going on around him”
Come to think of it, why does Cinnabar Island have a Gym and not places like Lavender or Pallet? What are the requirements for a settlement to receive a Gym? I doubt that it is size. Also, which Gym in Kanto is the most frustrating one to be a Leader of in terms of politics? Giovanni chose Viridian City for a reason.
“the extra weight of his metapod hasn’t tired him”
I imagined a trainer realizing that his pokeball is either damaged or malfunctioning and is thus unable to safely return their injured/wounded pokemon. Always check and test your equipment. Doing so may just save your life.
And of course there’s Giovanni’s Dugtrio damaging the pokeballs containing Red’s Venusaur and Gyarados in the Adventures manga. Targeting the pokeballs themselves…talk about a combat pragmatist.
“he’s been staying much more physical active”
I’ll bet this saved his life later during the Vermillion Crisis.
“a very high-tech facility”
I immediately wondered who paid/is paying for all this. Why am I always curious as to where a person, faction or location gets its funding?
“feeds it some berries”
Metapod can/need to consume food? Interesting.
“He turns to Red and immediately bounds over to climb up his pants and onto his shoulder”
I don’t think Red meant for it to move onto his shoulder. This is going to be a problem if it persists in doing this if/when it becomes a Raichu. Red may need to become physically stronger. (looks at Raff and Leaf) Raff – now a Venusaur – still behaving like a Bulbasaur and resting its head on Leaf’s lap, rendering her unable to move from her seat. Also, Raff stealing an entire wedding cake.
“flings him up in the air…squeaking excitedly all the while”
I thought of Leaf capturing and giving it to Red in Viridian Forest, and it later fighting a losing duel against a Kingler.
“both like jumping”
Hmm. Now I’m imagining a trainer battle in which both trainers are using the same pokemon, and said pokemon attacking and defending in very different ways from each other. The Charmeleon on the left relies mainly on smoke, poison and fire attacks while the Charmeleon on the right prefers to utilize melee attacks. A Machoke flinging rocks and large piles of dirt and debris while its opponent, another Machoke, attempts to get in close.
“easier…to fire stronger attacks downward than laterally or upward”
Interesting. Now I’m curious of how a wild Raichu would hunt, assuming that they are carnivorous/omnivorous.
“the girl and Red try to answer questions as best they can”
I smiled at this.
“Summoning an actual bolt of lightning with the Thunder attack”
Wait, WHAT?
“at higher elevations”
Hmm. The Raichu family – apparently – store electricity in their cheeks. Which Electric-type pokemon can store the highest amount of electricity within their bodies? (looks at real-life electric eels) Nature is weird. (looks at Chinchou and Lanturn) Huh.
“size influences how much electric power it can produce…can affect the amount of current they produce”
…seriously, there is endless, I say again, ENDLESS potential in a pokemon TV series that does not restrict itself to kid-friendly-ratings. I still remember the moment in the Adventures manga in which Koga’s Arbok is poised right behind Blue, ready to strike at the back of his neck if the latter’s hand were to so much as twitch in the direction of his belt.
Also, imagine the result if a Golbat were to strike a human across the torso with a Razor Wind attack.
I imagined this too:
Ranger: (examining the torn carcass of a Miltank) ‘Crobat. Very big. Bigger than any of us have ever seen.’
“I thought you’d be taller”
(looks at Napolean Bonaparte and Josef Stalin) Huh.
“Red hears the capital L”
This made me laugh.
“an old fashioned pirate stereotype”
Is piracy a problem in Kanto? Is there sea trade between Cinnabar and/or Pallet and Fushia? What about region-to-region? In Gen 2, the player-character can travel via sea from Olivine City to Vermillion City. Man, imagine being a sailor in a world like THIS one. There is no telling what may be lurking in the ocean…sailors and ship captains must have nerves of steel. Now I’m imagining two gyarados swimming alongside a cargo ship while their trainers watch both them and the surrounding waters from the deck, and another trainer sitting astride a Pidgeot with binoculars in hand while maintaining lookout high above the ship.
“eyepatch over his scarred eye and a chatot on his shoulder”
Hey, maybe in this world there really were pirates like that ages ago.
“as long as you’re aware of what in the environment is combustible”
(looks at Cinnabar Gym) Huh.
“tapping into a much more unpredictable force”
How many people see Surge as crazy for choosing to specialize in the Electric type?
“Your pokemon’s electricity…Follows this same principle”
(looks at the Water/Ground type Quagsire and the Ground/Flying type Gliscor) Huh.
“you all need to start studying different materials’ conductivity”
Red vs Surge in the Sliph Co. building in the Adventures manga.
“something in your environment drawing away your pokemon’s attacks”
(looks at the equipment and clothing worn by humans) …I suddenly feel that wearing jewelry or piercings would be ill-advised in this world.
“Otto snorts”
I grinned at this.
“I’ve never seen a pokemon stand too close to whatever they were attacking and end up shocking themselves through the ground”
(looks at the Thunderpunch attack) Hmm.
“too close, or without a clear path”
Being in an environment that forces you to avoid using Electric-type attacks. Always keep an eye on your surroundings.
“If you want to master the Electric type”
(looks at Red’s Pikachu) Good luck to Red on that.
“Project a sense of battle readiness, focusing on the pokedoll as a threat”
I laughed imagining Red’s Pikachu – now a Raichu – looking at a pokedall and then raising its eyebrow at Red.
“it lights up around the objects struck by Pichu’s electricity”
Gyms are awesome. I’ll bet the Fushia Gym is nothing short of amazing. The Poison-type is just plain terrifying. Imagine fighting a master of Poison-type pokemon. (looks at the Toxic Spikes move) Goddammit.
“Pichu is getting tired”
What Electric-type pokemon have the most stamina?
“the much stronger sounds that echo in Pichu’s ears”
Watch out for sound/sonic attacks.
“anticipated failure”
I love that the pokemon themselves are characters. This is so important to writing any pokemon story. Man, Blue is NEVER going to forget that Absol. That thing led to the death of his shiftry. In my opinion, it can be argued that Blue underestimated his opponent, and if he were to encounter or hear of the Absol again, he may become obsessed with hunting it.
“It goes on like that”
A test of endurance of both the trainers and their pokemon. How long can you stand and fight?
“With practice I may be able to tap into”
I love that Red is attending Gym classes to further his own research and studies. I wonder what Leader Surge thinks of Red Verres.
“The challenge lies in incorporating that information mid-battle”
Speed and precision.
“The energy they produce”
I thought of Electric-type attacks being weak against Grass-type pokemon.
“This is in part because you as their trainers asked them to attack targets that they couldn’t hit”
The trainer must rely on and trust in their pokemon, and vice versa, or they both die. In the Adventures manga, Red sees his pokemon as his companions, Yellow sees them as friends, and Gold sees them as partners working toward the same goals.
“big heist to pull off on nature”
Why did I suddenly imagine a very angry Alakazam hunting the Oaklings across Kanto? (good God that is a terrible name. I hope they end up stuck with it)
In the Adventures manga, upon capturing a Nidoqueen whom two Nidoking were dueling over, the latter two became furious and chased and stalked Red throughout the Safari Zone.
“we don’t imagine they can’t still teach us something new”
I love that the pokedex is a recent invention in this setting.
“reaches a hand out to stroke Pichu along the back with one finger”
Otto’s got a soft side to him.
“It was hard, but I did it alone”
Lizzy is an interesting character.
“Takada Power…energy business”
I love this.
“against their wishes”
Can you blame any parent for not wanting their children to journey through a world like this one?
“My sister believes in me enough”
It seems that the most important person in Lizzy’s life is not one of her parents but her sibling. Makes me think of the Hikigaya and the Yukinoshita siblings.
“I just wish I could find some trainers”
Hmm. I now suspect that Lizzy has been trying to find a partner with little or no success.
“I understand”
What got me is that she interrupted him. Was she expecting him to refuse? If so, why?
“Blue Oak? Work with me?”
I LOVE this. The Oaklings are famous now!
…seriously, that’s an awful name. You are cruel and evil, DayStarELD.
“your pokemon can be swapped out, but you cannot”
Ah, just consume some ether and you’ll be fine. Don’t worry about things like addiction or side effects.
“his nap unceremoniously interrupted”
Snorlax are tough and strong…if you can get them to stand up and fight.
“Elaine’s tangela…Shigeki’s piloswine”
I keep forgetting that Piloswine is not the fully-grown/evolved form of Swinub.
“Should have taken the hit and started draining it”
How difficult is it to use attrition tactics against Grass-type pokemon?
“I know…I was just so worried”
I like this writing of Elaine.
“sticks a hand to the side, eyes never leaving the match”
Blue Oak is a trainer of Focus. Commitment. Sheer Will.
“Got something new up your sleeve”
I love that everyone sees Red as an inventive and innovative trainer.
“Assuming it doesn’t horribly backfire”
…
“I may not even need audible commands”
I thought of Misty vs Lorelei in this story.
“Didn’t you throw up last time you tried this?”
Ha! I love Blue.
“Don’t worry about me being actually injured”
(looks at the Lavender Tower) They don’t know what is in there. For all they know it could be a new species capable of attacking other beings in ways that have not been studied by Man.
“still count as you experiencing the attack?”
…yeah. As if fighting wild pokemon isn’t terrifying enough. I still cannot forget the shiftry in Viridian Forest.
“All this happens within a second”
Wow.
“His pokemon reacts to them faster than Red can intellectually follow”
A boxer has stated that when you are in the ring facing a skilled and experienced opponent, you won’t have time to think, only to react. Reflexes and training kick in.
“impulses, barely restrained by his conditioning”
I thought of what Red did beneath the Rocket Casino.
“Red almost doesn’t do it”
In my opinion this is one of the most important decisions that he makes in this story so far, and it paid (and continues to pay) enormous dividends in the future. It is the start of Red developing an absolutely horrifying ability that, in my opinion, he must keep quiet about lest he be hounded and feared by the majority of mankind.
“its hard chitin is no match for the sudden heat”
I suspect that a Kingler wouldn’t even flinch.
“except there’s no krabby around, and-“
JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY.
“Charmander, return!”
Oh, thank God! If Red hadn’t acted, who knows what his Charmander would have done.
“Why wouldn’t they warn people about this?”
Red later realizes the answer to this the hard way, after the events beneath the Rocket Casino.
“allowed Charmander to forget his conditioning”
In that brief moment, Red became a Renegade.
“the Sevii Islands to the south of Kanto”
Hmm.
“they’re so rare”
Why do I get the feeling that introducing lots of Eevee to a region could have very bad consequences?
“his command is holding his pokemon back”
While Pichu (apparently) suffers from feelings of inadequacy, Charmander is frustrated by not being able to make full use of his skills and capabilities. He seems to care for and like Red, though.
“he leaps forward and up, powerful legs kicking him into a flip, the flame on the end of his tail burning a circle through the air”
Yep. One Charmander can unleash a seemingly endless stream of flame at enemies while another is astonishingly fast and agile. No two pokemon are exactly the same.
“the thrill of savage triumph”
…this is the same adorable fire lizard that enjoys Red scratching the top of its head. (shudders) Well, if you want to get good at something, learn to enjoy it.
“no sooner lands than spins around and sends an ember out at the pokemon from point black range”
Imagine what this one would be like as a Charizard.
“avoiding a nasty burn”
Maybe it isn’t an entirely good idea to have friends and/or comrades make their pokemon spar with each other…
“A flash of light”
Do they ALL evolve like that? (looks at Metapod and Kakuna) Hmm.
“No. Down that road lies madness”
I love this.
“And teaching. That matters too”
Bill saw something in young Red Verres, which is why he entrusts Red (and Leaf) with attending the convention in his place.
“the completing of a circle, and the opening of a new door”
(looks at the events beneath the Rocket Casino) …
“with his metapod in the basket”
Heh!
“its half-lidded eyes stare at the shifting world around them”
From a Caterpie to this. Pokemon are strange.
“climbs around it”
Are Butterfree a threat to Bellsprout? Are Victreebel a threat to Caterpie?
“Gym classes…testing battle strategies”
I just love the different cultures, practices and policies of the Gyms in this story so far. Becoming a Leader is a tremendous responsibility.
“the most unexpected one by far is its gym”
I wonder how many people in Kanto or even beyond are aware that Red Verres had become a member of Saffron Gym.
“surrounded by people dedicating themselves to the same goals and helping each other along the way”
(looks at the Rocket organization) …
“he talked himself into going…already had plans to return as soon as his pokemon recovered”
Pokemon training and battling brings a thrill to him, or it at least makes him feel more alive.
“he started seeing each match as a puzzle”
Heh! Of course. Typical Red. Also, this is somewhat reminiscent to Adventures-Red who relies on strategy and tactics more than brute force or even discipline. He is even able to out-wit Giovanni in their duel in Viridian Gym. (seriously, that duel is horrifying; Giovanni ordering his Nidoqueen to attack not Pikachu but Red himself. Also, if he just wanted Red dead from the start, Red would have never seen or heard him)
“facing new opponents and optimizing his strategies”
Strategy and tactics can only take you so far, however. There would be situations where you are just outmatched. Can a Rattata make so much of a dent in a Golem? (by the way, in my opinion pokemon like Golem, Machamp, Alakazam, Steelix, etc, while very powerful, would be very difficult to train. Brock not having full control of Aeosis is terrifying. The gigantic Onix almost went berserk in Viridian Forest. In my opinion, sooner or later Brock would be unable to prevent Aeosis from losing control nor to calm him down. Perhaps having seven-badge matches allows Brock to test, push and improve himself as well as his opponents)
“even watched a trainer battle online”
What are the most controversial trainer battles in the history of this world? What are the most controversial and/or divisive Gym/League decisions? Did Erika face opposition when she attempted to become Leader of Celadon Gym? Who is the previous Leader?
“didn’t bother with any of the showmanship or lessons”
Kiyo is an interesting character.
“always one step ahead”
Knowing your enemy is half the battle. It is also important to know yourself.
“a gargantuan machamp that was almost nine feet tall”
Jesus Christ…pokemon are horrifying. Imagine finding a wild machamp striding toward you with murder in its eyes. That thing could crush your ribs and internal organs into mush with just one hand. Fighting-type pokemon are no joke.
“to split her attention that many ways and still be able to think straight”
I thought of Mewtwo losing his tail. Also, I personally find Lugia to be the scariest of all the Legendary-class pokemon in both Gen 1 and Gen 2. I prefer SoulSilver to HeartGold.
“incorporating his psychic powers into his training sessions”
I wonder how many cases there are of psychics dying or becoming comatose or insane from using their abilities in combat.
“It’s hard to read the metapod’s emotional state”
Bug-type pokemon are fascinating. Why is it so difficult for psychic powers and abilities to affect them? I have not forgotten Red’s fear of Beedrill. Would he find it difficult to train pokemon like his Butterfree or his Spinarak?
“the pokemon is so bad at battling”
I chuckled at this. I like the Butterfree family.
Also:
Trainer Rusty: ‘Pikachu, USE HEADBUTT!’
“doesn’t turn on its own to watch the various classes and activities going on around him”
Come to think of it, why does Cinnabar Island have a Gym and not places like Lavender or Pallet? What are the requirements for a settlement to receive a Gym? I doubt that it is size. Also, which Gym in Kanto is the most frustrating one to be a Leader of in terms of politics? Giovanni chose Viridian City for a reason.
“the extra weight of his metapod hasn’t tired him”
I imagined a trainer realizing that his pokeball is either damaged or malfunctioning and is thus unable to safely return their injured/wounded pokemon. Always check and test your equipment. Doing so may just save your life.
And of course there’s Giovanni’s Dugtrio damaging the pokeballs containing Red’s Venusaur and Gyarados in the Adventures manga. Targeting the pokeballs themselves…talk about a combat pragmatist.
“he’s been staying much more physical active”
I’ll bet this saved his life later during the Vermillion Crisis.
“a very high-tech facility”
I immediately wondered who paid/is paying for all this. Why am I always curious as to where a person, faction or location gets its funding?
“feeds it some berries”
Metapod can/need to consume food? Interesting.
“He turns to Red and immediately bounds over to climb up his pants and onto his shoulder”
I don’t think Red meant for it to move onto his shoulder. This is going to be a problem if it persists in doing this if/when it becomes a Raichu. Red may need to become physically stronger. (looks at Raff and Leaf) Raff – now a Venusaur – still behaving like a Bulbasaur and resting its head on Leaf’s lap, rendering her unable to move from her seat. Also, Raff stealing an entire wedding cake.
“flings him up in the air…squeaking excitedly all the while”
I thought of Leaf capturing and giving it to Red in Viridian Forest, and it later fighting a losing duel against a Kingler.
“both like jumping”
Hmm. Now I’m imagining a trainer battle in which both trainers are using the same pokemon, and said pokemon attacking and defending in very different ways from each other. The Charmeleon on the left relies mainly on smoke, poison and fire attacks while the Charmeleon on the right prefers to utilize melee attacks. A Machoke flinging rocks and large piles of dirt and debris while its opponent, another Machoke, attempts to get in close.
“easier…to fire stronger attacks downward than laterally or upward”
Interesting. Now I’m curious of how a wild Raichu would hunt, assuming that they are carnivorous/omnivorous.
“the girl and Red try to answer questions as best they can”
I smiled at this.
“Summoning an actual bolt of lightning with the Thunder attack”
Wait, WHAT?
“at higher elevations”
Hmm. The Raichu family – apparently – store electricity in their cheeks. Which Electric-type pokemon can store the highest amount of electricity within their bodies? (looks at real-life electric eels) Nature is weird. (looks at Chinchou and Lanturn) Huh.
“size influences how much electric power it can produce…can affect the amount of current they produce”
…seriously, there is endless, I say again, ENDLESS potential in a pokemon TV series that does not restrict itself to kid-friendly-ratings. I still remember the moment in the Adventures manga in which Koga’s Arbok is poised right behind Blue, ready to strike at the back of his neck if the latter’s hand were to so much as twitch in the direction of his belt.
Also, imagine the result if a Golbat were to strike a human across the torso with a Razor Wind attack.
I imagined this too:
Ranger: (examining the torn carcass of a Miltank) ‘Crobat. Very big. Bigger than any of us have ever seen.’
“I thought you’d be taller”
(looks at Napolean Bonaparte and Josef Stalin) Huh.
“Red hears the capital L”
This made me laugh.
“an old fashioned pirate stereotype”
Is piracy a problem in Kanto? Is there sea trade between Cinnabar and/or Pallet and Fushia? What about region-to-region? In Gen 2, the player-character can travel via sea from Olivine City to Vermillion City. Man, imagine being a sailor in a world like THIS one. There is no telling what may be lurking in the ocean…sailors and ship captains must have nerves of steel. Now I’m imagining two gyarados swimming alongside a cargo ship while their trainers watch both them and the surrounding waters from the deck, and another trainer sitting astride a Pidgeot with binoculars in hand while maintaining lookout high above the ship.
“eyepatch over his scarred eye and a chatot on his shoulder”
Hey, maybe in this world there really were pirates like that ages ago.
“as long as you’re aware of what in the environment is combustible”
(looks at Cinnabar Gym) Huh.
“tapping into a much more unpredictable force”
How many people see Surge as crazy for choosing to specialize in the Electric type?
“Your pokemon’s electricity…Follows this same principle”
(looks at the Water/Ground type Quagsire and the Ground/Flying type Gliscor) Huh.
“you all need to start studying different materials’ conductivity”
Red vs Surge in the Sliph Co. building in the Adventures manga.
“something in your environment drawing away your pokemon’s attacks”
(looks at the equipment and clothing worn by humans) …I suddenly feel that wearing jewelry or piercings would be ill-advised in this world.
“Otto snorts”
I grinned at this.
“I’ve never seen a pokemon stand too close to whatever they were attacking and end up shocking themselves through the ground”
(looks at the Thunderpunch attack) Hmm.
“too close, or without a clear path”
Being in an environment that forces you to avoid using Electric-type attacks. Always keep an eye on your surroundings.
“If you want to master the Electric type”
(looks at Red’s Pikachu) Good luck to Red on that.
“Project a sense of battle readiness, focusing on the pokedoll as a threat”
I laughed imagining Red’s Pikachu – now a Raichu – looking at a pokedall and then raising its eyebrow at Red.
“it lights up around the objects struck by Pichu’s electricity”
Gyms are awesome. I’ll bet the Fushia Gym is nothing short of amazing. The Poison-type is just plain terrifying. Imagine fighting a master of Poison-type pokemon. (looks at the Toxic Spikes move) Goddammit.
“Pichu is getting tired”
What Electric-type pokemon have the most stamina?
“the much stronger sounds that echo in Pichu’s ears”
Watch out for sound/sonic attacks.
“anticipated failure”
I love that the pokemon themselves are characters. This is so important to writing any pokemon story. Man, Blue is NEVER going to forget that Absol. That thing led to the death of his shiftry. In my opinion, it can be argued that Blue underestimated his opponent, and if he were to encounter or hear of the Absol again, he may become obsessed with hunting it.
“It goes on like that”
A test of endurance of both the trainers and their pokemon. How long can you stand and fight?
“With practice I may be able to tap into”
I love that Red is attending Gym classes to further his own research and studies. I wonder what Leader Surge thinks of Red Verres.
“The challenge lies in incorporating that information mid-battle”
Speed and precision.
“The energy they produce”
I thought of Electric-type attacks being weak against Grass-type pokemon.
“This is in part because you as their trainers asked them to attack targets that they couldn’t hit”
The trainer must rely on and trust in their pokemon, and vice versa, or they both die. In the Adventures manga, Red sees his pokemon as his companions, Yellow sees them as friends, and Gold sees them as partners working toward the same goals.
“big heist to pull off on nature”
Why did I suddenly imagine a very angry Alakazam hunting the Oaklings across Kanto? (good God that is a terrible name. I hope they end up stuck with it)
In the Adventures manga, upon capturing a Nidoqueen whom two Nidoking were dueling over, the latter two became furious and chased and stalked Red throughout the Safari Zone.
“we don’t imagine they can’t still teach us something new”
I love that the pokedex is a recent invention in this setting.
“reaches a hand out to stroke Pichu along the back with one finger”
Otto’s got a soft side to him.
“It was hard, but I did it alone”
Lizzy is an interesting character.
“Takada Power…energy business”
I love this.
“against their wishes”
Can you blame any parent for not wanting their children to journey through a world like this one?
“My sister believes in me enough”
It seems that the most important person in Lizzy’s life is not one of her parents but her sibling. Makes me think of the Hikigaya and the Yukinoshita siblings.
“I just wish I could find some trainers”
Hmm. I now suspect that Lizzy has been trying to find a partner with little or no success.
“I understand”
What got me is that she interrupted him. Was she expecting him to refuse? If so, why?
“Blue Oak? Work with me?”
I LOVE this. The Oaklings are famous now!
…seriously, that’s an awful name. You are cruel and evil, DayStarELD.
“your pokemon can be swapped out, but you cannot”
Ah, just consume some ether and you’ll be fine. Don’t worry about things like addiction or side effects.
“his nap unceremoniously interrupted”
Snorlax are tough and strong…if you can get them to stand up and fight.
“Elaine’s tangela…Shigeki’s piloswine”
I keep forgetting that Piloswine is not the fully-grown/evolved form of Swinub.
“Should have taken the hit and started draining it”
How difficult is it to use attrition tactics against Grass-type pokemon?
“I know…I was just so worried”
I like this writing of Elaine.
“sticks a hand to the side, eyes never leaving the match”
Blue Oak is a trainer of Focus. Commitment. Sheer Will.
“Got something new up your sleeve”
I love that everyone sees Red as an inventive and innovative trainer.
“Assuming it doesn’t horribly backfire”
…
“I may not even need audible commands”
I thought of Misty vs Lorelei in this story.
“Didn’t you throw up last time you tried this?”
Ha! I love Blue.
“Don’t worry about me being actually injured”
(looks at the Lavender Tower) They don’t know what is in there. For all they know it could be a new species capable of attacking other beings in ways that have not been studied by Man.
“still count as you experiencing the attack?”
…yeah. As if fighting wild pokemon isn’t terrifying enough. I still cannot forget the shiftry in Viridian Forest.
“All this happens within a second”
Wow.
“His pokemon reacts to them faster than Red can intellectually follow”
A boxer has stated that when you are in the ring facing a skilled and experienced opponent, you won’t have time to think, only to react. Reflexes and training kick in.
“impulses, barely restrained by his conditioning”
I thought of what Red did beneath the Rocket Casino.
“Red almost doesn’t do it”
In my opinion this is one of the most important decisions that he makes in this story so far, and it paid (and continues to pay) enormous dividends in the future. It is the start of Red developing an absolutely horrifying ability that, in my opinion, he must keep quiet about lest he be hounded and feared by the majority of mankind.
“its hard chitin is no match for the sudden heat”
I suspect that a Kingler wouldn’t even flinch.
“except there’s no krabby around, and-“
JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY.
“Charmander, return!”
Oh, thank God! If Red hadn’t acted, who knows what his Charmander would have done.
“Why wouldn’t they warn people about this?”
Red later realizes the answer to this the hard way, after the events beneath the Rocket Casino.
“allowed Charmander to forget his conditioning”
In that brief moment, Red became a Renegade.
“the Sevii Islands to the south of Kanto”
Hmm.
“they’re so rare”
Why do I get the feeling that introducing lots of Eevee to a region could have very bad consequences?
“his command is holding his pokemon back”
While Pichu (apparently) suffers from feelings of inadequacy, Charmander is frustrated by not being able to make full use of his skills and capabilities. He seems to care for and like Red, though.
“he leaps forward and up, powerful legs kicking him into a flip, the flame on the end of his tail burning a circle through the air”
Yep. One Charmander can unleash a seemingly endless stream of flame at enemies while another is astonishingly fast and agile. No two pokemon are exactly the same.
“the thrill of savage triumph”
…this is the same adorable fire lizard that enjoys Red scratching the top of its head. (shudders) Well, if you want to get good at something, learn to enjoy it.
“no sooner lands than spins around and sends an ember out at the pokemon from point black range”
Imagine what this one would be like as a Charizard.
“avoiding a nasty burn”
Maybe it isn’t an entirely good idea to have friends and/or comrades make their pokemon spar with each other…
“A flash of light”
Do they ALL evolve like that? (looks at Metapod and Kakuna) Hmm.
“No. Down that road lies madness”
I love this.
“And teaching. That matters too”
Bill saw something in young Red Verres, which is why he entrusts Red (and Leaf) with attending the convention in his place.
“the completing of a circle, and the opening of a new door”
(looks at the events beneath the Rocket Casino) …
1/6 c88 KEB
Fantastic chapter. I generally prefer Red chapters, but this is one of my favorites. I like the character development in this chapter(you always have some), for multiple characters. Its nice to see Red dealing with his partition, dad, Leaf, relationships in general, abilities, etc. A new take on the tower is interesting and the suspense is fantastic. Nice cliffie.
Fantastic chapter. I generally prefer Red chapters, but this is one of my favorites. I like the character development in this chapter(you always have some), for multiple characters. Its nice to see Red dealing with his partition, dad, Leaf, relationships in general, abilities, etc. A new take on the tower is interesting and the suspense is fantastic. Nice cliffie.
1/8 c88 1HerdingDog1
oh sh*t I just realized. 100s of ghosts, disappearing as a single massive entity appears, and with the other regions and their pokemon being cannon, they coalesced into a spiritomb didn't they?
1HerdingDog1oh sh*t I just realized. 100s of ghosts, disappearing as a single massive entity appears, and with the other regions and their pokemon being cannon, they coalesced into a spiritomb didn't they?
1/5 c1 Harrison
Making Leaf Professor Juniper's daughter is a pretty nice touch.
Making Leaf Professor Juniper's daughter is a pretty nice touch.
1/4 c88 Sightless Scholar
A comment below brings to mind a good question:
Psychics and Ghosts in this setting rely heavily on mental attacks while Darks are essentially invisible to mental probes.
So it raises the question of how Psychic/Dark and Ghost/Dark pokemon work... and how any example of other Dark types using psychic or ghost type moves.
My guess would be that Dark Psychics and Dark Ghosts are capable of the same mental projections, self-manipulations, and senses their non-Dark fellows are, but can ignore projections from others and are invisible to psychic senses unless they're actively projecting. Comparable to having a mental shield so perfect other psychics can't even tell there's a shielded mind there or that a projecting dark psychic is shielding part of their mind.
Of course, there's also the question of, since there are Psychics, Mediums, and Dark Humans, can a human be a Dark Psychic or Dark Medium? And how sharp is the distinction between psychics and mediums? Is one strictly one or the other, or are they extremes of a spectrum and essentially different manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon?
And has Red pondered any of this off page?
A comment below brings to mind a good question:
Psychics and Ghosts in this setting rely heavily on mental attacks while Darks are essentially invisible to mental probes.
So it raises the question of how Psychic/Dark and Ghost/Dark pokemon work... and how any example of other Dark types using psychic or ghost type moves.
My guess would be that Dark Psychics and Dark Ghosts are capable of the same mental projections, self-manipulations, and senses their non-Dark fellows are, but can ignore projections from others and are invisible to psychic senses unless they're actively projecting. Comparable to having a mental shield so perfect other psychics can't even tell there's a shielded mind there or that a projecting dark psychic is shielding part of their mind.
Of course, there's also the question of, since there are Psychics, Mediums, and Dark Humans, can a human be a Dark Psychic or Dark Medium? And how sharp is the distinction between psychics and mediums? Is one strictly one or the other, or are they extremes of a spectrum and essentially different manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon?
And has Red pondered any of this off page?
1/2 c88 SK
Ooh what is it? My initial guess was that it's Mewtwo, he would be strong and could potentially be angry and grief-stricken about being betrayed, leaving his home, losing his tail, etc (esp if the partitions were wonky). But he's not sudicidal, and then I remembered he was going to warn the humans about the Unown, so now I'm not sure.. those Unown floating about seem suspicious though.
Ooh what is it? My initial guess was that it's Mewtwo, he would be strong and could potentially be angry and grief-stricken about being betrayed, leaving his home, losing his tail, etc (esp if the partitions were wonky). But he's not sudicidal, and then I remembered he was going to warn the humans about the Unown, so now I'm not sure.. those Unown floating about seem suspicious though.
1/1 c88 vink
what reds team gonna be ?
and why doesnt he battle a little more
could u perhaps have him catch a snorlax later or raise a munchlax it would be a good plot point that no one else has raised munchlaxes and he could perhaps study it for research even though its already been done throughly.
Charizard
Blastoise
Venusaur
Snorlax
Pikachu
Espeon
what reds team gonna be ?
and why doesnt he battle a little more
could u perhaps have him catch a snorlax later or raise a munchlax it would be a good plot point that no one else has raised munchlaxes and he could perhaps study it for research even though its already been done throughly.
Charizard
Blastoise
Venusaur
Snorlax
Pikachu
Espeon
1/3 c88 1Snow Guardian97
An amazing chapter!
Is this going to be the ghost mom Marowak like in the game, or a different ghost type with pressure? Like Spiritomb or Dusknoir?
And if it is going to be the Ghost mom Marowak then is she going to be similar to Alolan Marowak or completely different (such as having a form of pressure)?
1Snow Guardian97An amazing chapter!
Is this going to be the ghost mom Marowak like in the game, or a different ghost type with pressure? Like Spiritomb or Dusknoir?
And if it is going to be the Ghost mom Marowak then is she going to be similar to Alolan Marowak or completely different (such as having a form of pressure)?
1/3 c88 eneath
Oh wow this chapter was awesome! I'm really curious to see what it is. At first I thought Spiritomb (I don't know why), but that is also a Dark pokémon, so they shouldn't be able to feel it. So exciting!
Oh wow this chapter was awesome! I'm really curious to see what it is. At first I thought Spiritomb (I don't know why), but that is also a Dark pokémon, so they shouldn't be able to feel it. So exciting!
1/3 c88 NuageNubium
As always, it was a pleasure to read the new chapter. I had a faint suspicion that Mewtwo was behind the phenomenon, though I thought it was unlikely. After all, a psychic pokemon bullying ghosts is improbable... but again, Mewtwo is improbably powerful so it shouldn't be much a stretch for him to be at the root of the issue. If it is Mewtwo.. I hope those kids run fast.
I'm looking forward to the next chapter !
As always, it was a pleasure to read the new chapter. I had a faint suspicion that Mewtwo was behind the phenomenon, though I thought it was unlikely. After all, a psychic pokemon bullying ghosts is improbable... but again, Mewtwo is improbably powerful so it shouldn't be much a stretch for him to be at the root of the issue. If it is Mewtwo.. I hope those kids run fast.
I'm looking forward to the next chapter !
1/2 c50 1CMY187
“She suddenly feels expected to know certain things or behave a certain way”
Leaf may very well be leading her own team in the future. And in my opinion she will have to develop skills required for leaders if she wishes to gain even a small measure of success in achieving her dream of bringing humanity and pokemo closer together.
“happy to enjoy this intermediate form for as long as it lasts”
I smiled at this.
“she does want to look into different gym cultures and policies to find out what the effects on the members and badge holders are, how the Leaders come to their philosophies, everything”
I’m guessing that being a Leader and being an Elite are very different things. In the games, Koga was Leader of Fushia City before he became an Elite.
“write the article on gyms”
Leaf visiting and writing about all eight of Kanto’s Gyms? That’d be awesome.
“however tragic their deaths are, the ripple effects are still smaller…how they feel if one of their family members are taken away”
Leaf really does care too much. No wonder she is overall not a happy person.
“if it turns out the pokemon barely notice, or are sad for a while then get over it”
ARE there cases in which a trainer either captures or kills a wild pokemon only to be stalked and hunted by that pokemon’s parent/mate/sibling/etc?
“what if it differs by species”
I won’t lie, I don’t have a problem with beef, pork, fish, chicken or mutton, but I very much do with dogs being made into food.
“easier to tame or grow attached to their trainer”
(looks at Growlithe being a favorite of human law enforcement) (looks at Dragon-type pokemon being difficult to train) (looks at the writing of Suicune in Pokemon Crystal) Hmm. I wonder if anyone in Celadon Gym knows of the Kimono Girls who in-game each have one of the adult forms of Eevee. I’m guessing that there are people who believe/theorize/speculate that there may still be more adult/evolved forms of Eevee that are yet to be discovered by Man.
Also, Blue being the new owner of Aiko’s Eevee…yeah. No way is he the only one to have taken up the responsibility of caring for a pokemon that belonged to a friend or relative.
“the bored monotone”
I like him already.
“city dwelling pokemon, like the grimer and muk that overflowed Celadon’s sewers”
I’m guessing that there are award-winning Horror-genre movies in this universe that involve an unsuspecting homeowner returning to their house, unaware that there is a Muk lurking within it.
“a spreading threat that is likely to kick off other pokemon rampages or panics or migrations”
(looks at Chapter 88) …I would strongly advise the team to get the hell out of the Tower. The main problem in my opinion is that they don’t know what they’re dealing with. Heh, I’m getting Witcher Contract vibes.
“ghost pokemon who, if their behavior isn’t as random as it appears, at least follow rules too obscure for us to easily predict”
I thought of Elite Agatha and Leader Morty.
“can travel from one end of the region to the other in a day”
I am very curious of the ‘pyramid’ as it is in the Kanto region; which pokemon stand at the top of the food chain of their respective environment.
“About the level of answer I expected”
I cackled at this. I like Danton. He reminds me of Stannis Baratheon.
“Something that will spread destruction on a massive scale if not stopped or slowed down in some way”
I am curious of the history of Lavender Town, the rest of Kanto, and yeah, the entire rest of the civilized world. I’ll bet that there are still islands, regions, land masses or even entire CONTINENTS that humanity has yet to annex/secure due to the pokemon dwelling there. Perhaps someone hopes to establish a new settlement in between Celadon and Fushia, but the wild pokemon there make it difficult and unfeasible.
How many structures or even whole settlements have been overrun and/or abandoned to wild pokemon?
“He snorts. Naively, as it turned out”
Sounds like Danton has had his share of frustrations with the people who designed or follow the Tier system.
“Another textbook answer”
Ha! Danton does not seem to approve very much of academics regarding defense against pokemon.
“once someone is in a scary situation, they might be more likely to panic”
(looks at the situation in Lavender Town) Bet the Rangers are considering how to properly cite its Tier. First they’ll need to learn what it actually is.
“The instructor sighs…none have had enough agreement to be endorsed officially, and the Powers That Be seem to think an inaccurate one would do more harm than letting trainers make their own decisions on the spot”
Interesting…all is not well amongst the Rangers. In my opinion, there is no way that Giovanni doesn’t have Rangers in his employ.
Picture this: You are a Ranger, and have been partnered and working with another Ranger for years. Saved each other’s lives more times than you can count. You trust them implicitly and would gladly give your life for them. Then one day, you receive a notification to investigate a disturbance, after which you discover a hidden facility in which people are conducting highly illegal experiments on pokemon. That’s when your long-time partner strikes you from behind.
“Red and Leaf immediately step closer together”
Makes sense considering that they are travelling together. They need to improve in their coordinating.
“create potholes…shredding electrical lines and dislodging plumbing…erode at housing foundations”
I hate Ground-type pokemon…
“The forests around the city are full of pokemon that might rampage”
I wonder which settlement is considered to be the safest one in Kanto. Celadon recently suffered a rampage of Grimer and Muk. One thing is certain; there is no place that is wholly safe. Danger and risk are always there.
“Congratulations, you just over committed”
Ha! Danton is a jerk.
“Her argument was actually born from a different realization”
I grinned at this.
“Their disturbance would have been confined to the ground, and very few pokemon would be driven to rampage from that”
Interesting…is it a coincidence that a trainer who specializes in the Electric-type would become the Leader of the closest settlement to the Diglett Cave? Also, man is the Diglett Cave frightening. Those things made an entire underground passageway that extends from Vermillion to Viridian!
“resolves to spend half an hour every night studying the habitats around them”
(looks at the Cerulean Cave) Misty is going to grow to hate that place, isn’t she?
“stop making that face, Leaf”
It’s little moments like this that truly make this story, in my opinion.
“slow and solitary creatures”
(looks at Shiftry) …a single tyranitar, or a pack of shiftry? Honestly, I’d take the tyranitar. I wonder if Blue has the occasional nightmare about what happened in Viridian Forest. The memories may trigger if he were to return there. Still, he is now no longer quite the same person he was back then. I also love that he hasn’t forgotten the Absol.
Come to think of it, what is it with Blue finding himself hunting and being hunted by seemingly intelligent and malicious pokemon?
What is the most dangerous non-Legendary wild pokemon that Giovanni has ever faced?
“Who taught you math?”
This made me laugh because it reminded me of one of the funniest scenes in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). Now I want the Oaklings (Red is right, it is an awful name) to meet one or more really, really stupid pokemon trainers, with Blue wondering out loud how they are still alive.
“send a full Tier 2 response”
Who provides the funding for the Rangers in Kanto? Is each group funded independently? How far does the chain of command go, assuming there is one?
“math isn’t my strong suit”
Red is a skilled and dedicated researcher, but that does not mean that he is a whiz with everything. I like that he is averse to Bug-type pokemon.
“I’m from Pewter”
I smiled at this. Seriously, imagine if Bioware makes a Pokemon RPG. Multiple available origins, backgrounds, starting points, etc. Heck, you could even start/play as a criminal! Do you oppose the Rocket organization at every turn, or side with/aid them either out of sympathy/support for their cause or for self-serving reasons? Would you gather loyal allies or subservient minions? Would you be a true friend or a manipulative deceiver? Role-playing options!
“Most of them are eating and talking among themselves now”
I suspect that if word were to spread in a settlement that there had been Renegade activity, a trainer who had previously been treated with warmth and friendliness at a grocery store may, upon returning to that store, find that the staff and regular customers would be more reserved and quiet when interacting with him.
Pokemon are already a constant and serious danger to mankind. For a human being to take that danger and use it against humans for their own ends…yeah, I can see why Renegades would be so feared and hated. At the same time, I can absolutely understand the argument that sometimes it is necessary to use extreme and lethal methods via pokemon.
If a man is coming at you with a knife, and you order your pokemon to attack which results in the assailant’s death, does that make you a Renegade?
“I demand payment in the form of petting cute pokemon”
Here. (hands him a Forrestress)
“No advertising during official League matches”
I winced at this. Also, I thought of this line in Hands of Stone (2016):
‘Boxing’s been run by gangsters and criminals and scoundrels since the day it was born.’
“I’m happy to sell out”
(points at Glen) That. That guy. I like that guy.
“she seemed suspicious of what Giovanni’s men are doing here”
…Zoey. Walk away. I mean it. You can’t write anything nor help anyone if you’re dead.
Giovanni is a ruthless man. He does not leave loose ends. I wonder how many of the Cinnabar Lab staff currently fear for their lives. Even if its not meant as punishment, could Giovanni really afford to let them live?
“What has Blue been doing to them?”
All this, it is not fun and games to Blue. If you wish to follow him, be prepared to risk and sacrifice everything. We readers all know what his mission and life goal is.
“She thought of asking Professor Oak”
I’m willing to bet that at least one of Oak’s personal assistants, if he has any, is an informant or even an agent of Giovanni. I’d be surprised if he DOESN’T have someone in the Pallet Labs. (looks at Mewtwo breaking into and burgling the place) Aw no.
“all three cities worked together to facilitate it”
I thought of the dividing of the Roman Empire into three, and of the division not lasting very long.
What frightens me is that I can see Giovanni choosing to become a dictator of the entire Kanto region so that he would have all the consolidated power and resources he needs to defend and protect its people against pokemon like the Stormbringers. I like the lingering question that hangs over this story; how far is too far? Is the murder of dozens or even hundreds justified if the end result is the defending of many more? Would the world be better or worse off without Giovanni? Currently, Blue avidly supports him while Leaf most certainly doesn’t. Red – in my opinion the most dangerous of the trio– sits in the middle of that argument.
“they would have to be very stupid or careful to plot against her. Unless of course they’re Dark”
Leaf is treading into treacherous waters here, and she knows it. She’s crazy.
“stupid sneaky snake that he is”
Now I want Leaf to meet Silver.
“It isn’t until she sees the time that she realizes”
Leaf is obsessive, just like Red and Blue.
“Rand Tanaka, an excavation magnate who recently got into politics and became the mayor of Celadon City”
Interesting…and Erika hasn’t been Leader of Celadon for very long either.
“speaking out against Tanaka’s campaign”
(looks at Erika) …does Tanaka know? Or does he suspect? Or is he in on it and the public opposition by Giovanni is just a façade?
“the eerie idea that she’s just a puppet whose strings are being pulled”
I LOVE this story. I love it so much.
“In a sense he might be doing you a favor”
Giovanni is manipulative. At the same time, he is far from perfect. He makes mistakes like everybody else.
“construction being done to Cycling Road”
Hmm.
“What was she cheerful about?”
Red isn’t stupid, and he knows his mom better than arguably anyone.
“she never had that kind of relationship with her mom”
Professor Juniper is an interesting person. In some ways she may be an even better researcher than Sam Oak.
“the seconds of terror and minutes of numb shock”
When you are unable to trust the humans and pokemon you are working with and fighting alongside, when you start to view every human with suspicion…it changes you, and not necessarily in a good way.
“I have to know”
She’s an addict, isn’t she? Leaf just cannot let a good mystery be.
1CMY187“She suddenly feels expected to know certain things or behave a certain way”
Leaf may very well be leading her own team in the future. And in my opinion she will have to develop skills required for leaders if she wishes to gain even a small measure of success in achieving her dream of bringing humanity and pokemo closer together.
“happy to enjoy this intermediate form for as long as it lasts”
I smiled at this.
“she does want to look into different gym cultures and policies to find out what the effects on the members and badge holders are, how the Leaders come to their philosophies, everything”
I’m guessing that being a Leader and being an Elite are very different things. In the games, Koga was Leader of Fushia City before he became an Elite.
“write the article on gyms”
Leaf visiting and writing about all eight of Kanto’s Gyms? That’d be awesome.
“however tragic their deaths are, the ripple effects are still smaller…how they feel if one of their family members are taken away”
Leaf really does care too much. No wonder she is overall not a happy person.
“if it turns out the pokemon barely notice, or are sad for a while then get over it”
ARE there cases in which a trainer either captures or kills a wild pokemon only to be stalked and hunted by that pokemon’s parent/mate/sibling/etc?
“what if it differs by species”
I won’t lie, I don’t have a problem with beef, pork, fish, chicken or mutton, but I very much do with dogs being made into food.
“easier to tame or grow attached to their trainer”
(looks at Growlithe being a favorite of human law enforcement) (looks at Dragon-type pokemon being difficult to train) (looks at the writing of Suicune in Pokemon Crystal) Hmm. I wonder if anyone in Celadon Gym knows of the Kimono Girls who in-game each have one of the adult forms of Eevee. I’m guessing that there are people who believe/theorize/speculate that there may still be more adult/evolved forms of Eevee that are yet to be discovered by Man.
Also, Blue being the new owner of Aiko’s Eevee…yeah. No way is he the only one to have taken up the responsibility of caring for a pokemon that belonged to a friend or relative.
“the bored monotone”
I like him already.
“city dwelling pokemon, like the grimer and muk that overflowed Celadon’s sewers”
I’m guessing that there are award-winning Horror-genre movies in this universe that involve an unsuspecting homeowner returning to their house, unaware that there is a Muk lurking within it.
“a spreading threat that is likely to kick off other pokemon rampages or panics or migrations”
(looks at Chapter 88) …I would strongly advise the team to get the hell out of the Tower. The main problem in my opinion is that they don’t know what they’re dealing with. Heh, I’m getting Witcher Contract vibes.
“ghost pokemon who, if their behavior isn’t as random as it appears, at least follow rules too obscure for us to easily predict”
I thought of Elite Agatha and Leader Morty.
“can travel from one end of the region to the other in a day”
I am very curious of the ‘pyramid’ as it is in the Kanto region; which pokemon stand at the top of the food chain of their respective environment.
“About the level of answer I expected”
I cackled at this. I like Danton. He reminds me of Stannis Baratheon.
“Something that will spread destruction on a massive scale if not stopped or slowed down in some way”
I am curious of the history of Lavender Town, the rest of Kanto, and yeah, the entire rest of the civilized world. I’ll bet that there are still islands, regions, land masses or even entire CONTINENTS that humanity has yet to annex/secure due to the pokemon dwelling there. Perhaps someone hopes to establish a new settlement in between Celadon and Fushia, but the wild pokemon there make it difficult and unfeasible.
How many structures or even whole settlements have been overrun and/or abandoned to wild pokemon?
“He snorts. Naively, as it turned out”
Sounds like Danton has had his share of frustrations with the people who designed or follow the Tier system.
“Another textbook answer”
Ha! Danton does not seem to approve very much of academics regarding defense against pokemon.
“once someone is in a scary situation, they might be more likely to panic”
(looks at the situation in Lavender Town) Bet the Rangers are considering how to properly cite its Tier. First they’ll need to learn what it actually is.
“The instructor sighs…none have had enough agreement to be endorsed officially, and the Powers That Be seem to think an inaccurate one would do more harm than letting trainers make their own decisions on the spot”
Interesting…all is not well amongst the Rangers. In my opinion, there is no way that Giovanni doesn’t have Rangers in his employ.
Picture this: You are a Ranger, and have been partnered and working with another Ranger for years. Saved each other’s lives more times than you can count. You trust them implicitly and would gladly give your life for them. Then one day, you receive a notification to investigate a disturbance, after which you discover a hidden facility in which people are conducting highly illegal experiments on pokemon. That’s when your long-time partner strikes you from behind.
“Red and Leaf immediately step closer together”
Makes sense considering that they are travelling together. They need to improve in their coordinating.
“create potholes…shredding electrical lines and dislodging plumbing…erode at housing foundations”
I hate Ground-type pokemon…
“The forests around the city are full of pokemon that might rampage”
I wonder which settlement is considered to be the safest one in Kanto. Celadon recently suffered a rampage of Grimer and Muk. One thing is certain; there is no place that is wholly safe. Danger and risk are always there.
“Congratulations, you just over committed”
Ha! Danton is a jerk.
“Her argument was actually born from a different realization”
I grinned at this.
“Their disturbance would have been confined to the ground, and very few pokemon would be driven to rampage from that”
Interesting…is it a coincidence that a trainer who specializes in the Electric-type would become the Leader of the closest settlement to the Diglett Cave? Also, man is the Diglett Cave frightening. Those things made an entire underground passageway that extends from Vermillion to Viridian!
“resolves to spend half an hour every night studying the habitats around them”
(looks at the Cerulean Cave) Misty is going to grow to hate that place, isn’t she?
“stop making that face, Leaf”
It’s little moments like this that truly make this story, in my opinion.
“slow and solitary creatures”
(looks at Shiftry) …a single tyranitar, or a pack of shiftry? Honestly, I’d take the tyranitar. I wonder if Blue has the occasional nightmare about what happened in Viridian Forest. The memories may trigger if he were to return there. Still, he is now no longer quite the same person he was back then. I also love that he hasn’t forgotten the Absol.
Come to think of it, what is it with Blue finding himself hunting and being hunted by seemingly intelligent and malicious pokemon?
What is the most dangerous non-Legendary wild pokemon that Giovanni has ever faced?
“Who taught you math?”
This made me laugh because it reminded me of one of the funniest scenes in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). Now I want the Oaklings (Red is right, it is an awful name) to meet one or more really, really stupid pokemon trainers, with Blue wondering out loud how they are still alive.
“send a full Tier 2 response”
Who provides the funding for the Rangers in Kanto? Is each group funded independently? How far does the chain of command go, assuming there is one?
“math isn’t my strong suit”
Red is a skilled and dedicated researcher, but that does not mean that he is a whiz with everything. I like that he is averse to Bug-type pokemon.
“I’m from Pewter”
I smiled at this. Seriously, imagine if Bioware makes a Pokemon RPG. Multiple available origins, backgrounds, starting points, etc. Heck, you could even start/play as a criminal! Do you oppose the Rocket organization at every turn, or side with/aid them either out of sympathy/support for their cause or for self-serving reasons? Would you gather loyal allies or subservient minions? Would you be a true friend or a manipulative deceiver? Role-playing options!
“Most of them are eating and talking among themselves now”
I suspect that if word were to spread in a settlement that there had been Renegade activity, a trainer who had previously been treated with warmth and friendliness at a grocery store may, upon returning to that store, find that the staff and regular customers would be more reserved and quiet when interacting with him.
Pokemon are already a constant and serious danger to mankind. For a human being to take that danger and use it against humans for their own ends…yeah, I can see why Renegades would be so feared and hated. At the same time, I can absolutely understand the argument that sometimes it is necessary to use extreme and lethal methods via pokemon.
If a man is coming at you with a knife, and you order your pokemon to attack which results in the assailant’s death, does that make you a Renegade?
“I demand payment in the form of petting cute pokemon”
Here. (hands him a Forrestress)
“No advertising during official League matches”
I winced at this. Also, I thought of this line in Hands of Stone (2016):
‘Boxing’s been run by gangsters and criminals and scoundrels since the day it was born.’
“I’m happy to sell out”
(points at Glen) That. That guy. I like that guy.
“she seemed suspicious of what Giovanni’s men are doing here”
…Zoey. Walk away. I mean it. You can’t write anything nor help anyone if you’re dead.
Giovanni is a ruthless man. He does not leave loose ends. I wonder how many of the Cinnabar Lab staff currently fear for their lives. Even if its not meant as punishment, could Giovanni really afford to let them live?
“What has Blue been doing to them?”
All this, it is not fun and games to Blue. If you wish to follow him, be prepared to risk and sacrifice everything. We readers all know what his mission and life goal is.
“She thought of asking Professor Oak”
I’m willing to bet that at least one of Oak’s personal assistants, if he has any, is an informant or even an agent of Giovanni. I’d be surprised if he DOESN’T have someone in the Pallet Labs. (looks at Mewtwo breaking into and burgling the place) Aw no.
“all three cities worked together to facilitate it”
I thought of the dividing of the Roman Empire into three, and of the division not lasting very long.
What frightens me is that I can see Giovanni choosing to become a dictator of the entire Kanto region so that he would have all the consolidated power and resources he needs to defend and protect its people against pokemon like the Stormbringers. I like the lingering question that hangs over this story; how far is too far? Is the murder of dozens or even hundreds justified if the end result is the defending of many more? Would the world be better or worse off without Giovanni? Currently, Blue avidly supports him while Leaf most certainly doesn’t. Red – in my opinion the most dangerous of the trio– sits in the middle of that argument.
“they would have to be very stupid or careful to plot against her. Unless of course they’re Dark”
Leaf is treading into treacherous waters here, and she knows it. She’s crazy.
“stupid sneaky snake that he is”
Now I want Leaf to meet Silver.
“It isn’t until she sees the time that she realizes”
Leaf is obsessive, just like Red and Blue.
“Rand Tanaka, an excavation magnate who recently got into politics and became the mayor of Celadon City”
Interesting…and Erika hasn’t been Leader of Celadon for very long either.
“speaking out against Tanaka’s campaign”
(looks at Erika) …does Tanaka know? Or does he suspect? Or is he in on it and the public opposition by Giovanni is just a façade?
“the eerie idea that she’s just a puppet whose strings are being pulled”
I LOVE this story. I love it so much.
“In a sense he might be doing you a favor”
Giovanni is manipulative. At the same time, he is far from perfect. He makes mistakes like everybody else.
“construction being done to Cycling Road”
Hmm.
“What was she cheerful about?”
Red isn’t stupid, and he knows his mom better than arguably anyone.
“she never had that kind of relationship with her mom”
Professor Juniper is an interesting person. In some ways she may be an even better researcher than Sam Oak.
“the seconds of terror and minutes of numb shock”
When you are unable to trust the humans and pokemon you are working with and fighting alongside, when you start to view every human with suspicion…it changes you, and not necessarily in a good way.
“I have to know”
She’s an addict, isn’t she? Leaf just cannot let a good mystery be.