2024-11-08: And Why Shouldn't I Challenge the Pewter City Gym?
- Log: And Why Shouldn't I Challenge the Pewter City Gym?
- Cast: Josephine Lovelace, Xiumei Klein, Eleanor Klein, Ida Everstead-Rey
- Where: Pewter City - Pewter Gym
- Date: November 15, 2024
- Summary: It's a fine day for a Gym Challenge. Unfortunately, Josie is here.
DG: A party led by Josephine Lovelace is now entering Pewter Gym. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
============<* CHALLENGE - Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists *>============
| Type: Entry | Dungeon Ability: Wits | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
The start of every Gym is a Gym Test. These are something related to the Gym
or the town they are in, letting a Trainer prove their resolve and focus,
before they're allowed to formally challenge the Gym's Trainers and, then,
its leader.
The Pewter Gym sends prospective challengers into the highlands surrounding
Pewter City, with a digital camera and a card in hand. On the laminated card
are six photographs of famous rock formations in the hills surrounding
Pewter City; their task is to try to take photographs of the depicted rock
formations. This involves a lot of hiking, but also carefully finding the
same angle as the original photographs.
Good luck, Trainers!
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down! and Stupify:_Wits_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
Well, she shot one of them with a cannon.
As far as Josie is concerned, vis-a-vis the Wise Men and their threat to Energy Nede and the rest of the universe, that at least is one assurance: whatever else they can do, they're still weak to cannonfire. It darn near perked her up, insofar as she needed any perking up.
So that was that, but there's still a number of those bastards about and she only has the one (now damaged and undergoing repairs) cannon. However, Josie does have a few Pokemon, and in the aftermath of that battle and and all the fallout and so on that followed, a thought had occured to her.
Why shouldn't she attempt one of those gym challenges?
This, then, is the reason why Josie stands staring into the distance in the highlands around Pewter City, Ikaros the Pidove helpfully hovering nearby with a laminated card. Josie, rubbing at her chin, stands where she is. Then, with her right hand, she halfway frames the scenery before her and glances over at the card again.
"Pi!" says Ikaros, helpfully.
"You think so? Well, let's take a shot, eh?"
She pats herself down, finally fishing the camera out of her pocket and takes a shot of the scenery ahead.
"That's one!"
Five more remain... unless she's missed her guess entirely.
DG: Josephine Lovelace has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists.
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
Xiumei Klein had told her wife that she wanted to try her hand at Pewter Gym.
Which is why she now stands before her three Eevees, her Piplup, and her Ledian. She looks very seriously at all of themand nods. "We'll do our best," she promises. "It's all anyone can ask of us."
There's several cries of agreement.
Now, Xiumei is following after Josie. Who she is attending the Gym challenge with, starting with the Gym Test. She has the card in hand -- and she looks it over, before she pulls out her notebook.
She looks at a pamphlet pasted in. "Thankfully," Xiumei says, "I did some research! I noted several popular hiking routes. Which I think will lead us to places likely to have shots."
"Evoi," Liu Bei says.
"Yes," Xiumei agrees. "Quite."
DG: Xiumei Klein has used her Tool Clerk's Notebook toward her party's challenge, Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists. Enlighten! Party Wits boosted!
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Cannonfire is important! The original designer of said cannon is also still undergoing repairs, as it happens.
But Eleanor, like her wife, wants to try her hand at the Pewter Gym. Maybe some would argue that it's not the right time... but perhaps it's exactly the right time!
Besides, good relations between Nede and Filgaia are important to the war effort!
Eleanor Klein, too, stands looking into the distance around Pewter City, near Josie for the moment.
She also intends to do her best.
"Oh good," Eleanor says to Xiumei. "I had... a different thought!"
Thea steps up, as if anticipating Eleanor's need, the small unicorn's mane glinting in the snowy light.
"Thea," Eleanor requests. "Let's get a better look around the area, shall we?"
Thea and Eleanor are surrounded by a pink glow, as Psychic abilities begin to help...!
DG: Eleanor Klein has used her Tool Psychic toward her party's challenge, Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Earlier, at the Pewter Gym...
Ida stands just outside the entrance, geared for battle. Five Pokeballs rest at her hip, and a Nedian-made messenger bag is slung across her shoulders. She had a hoodie with her alma mater made at a print shop a while back, and she wears it now, proudly. "Ready, Sal?" she asks the Butterfree fluttering next to her. Sal has turned around, and points back down the path with a trilling cry. Ida turns to look.
"Oh. Is that--"
NOW
"That'll give us an edge," Ida says, to Xiumei. "Good thinking. I think I've even seen one of these, from a slightly different angle..." She turns her own card slightly, and then glances off at a ridgeline in the distance. Ida grins brightly as Thea demonstrates her power, and reaches into her bag. "Good job, Thea," she says, offering her... approximately one-quarter of a cotton candy Pokepuff, since she has to ration them. (Marigold, the Eevee, who has been trotting along by Ida's feet, gets the other half. Sal gets another piece. Marigold carries yet another piece of Pokepuff to Liu Bei, offering it to him with a friendly 'Evoi!')
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Poke Puff Variety Pack toward her party's challenge, Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round!
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
============<* CHALLENGE - Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists *>============
| Type: Entry | Dungeon Ability: Wits | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
The start of every Gym is a Gym Test. These are something related to the Gym
or the town they are in, letting a Trainer prove their resolve and focus,
before they're allowed to formally challenge the Gym's Trainers and, then,
its leader.
The Pewter Gym sends prospective challengers into the highlands surrounding
Pewter City, with a digital camera and a card in hand. On the laminated card
are six photographs of famous rock formations in the hills surrounding
Pewter City; their task is to try to take photographs of the depicted rock
formations. This involves a lot of hiking, but also carefully finding the
same angle as the original photographs.
Good luck, Trainers!
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Enlighten:_Wits_Up!, and Stupify:_Wits_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================ =======================< Results - Pewter Gym - Round 1 >======================= =============< CHALLENGE - Gym Test - Photography for Naturalists >============= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Josephine Lovelace 0 --(12)--> 12 Bad Investigate Bsc Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eleanor Klein 0 --(0)--> 0 Best Psychic Maj Wits Effects: Efficient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 0 --(0)--> 0 Good Poke Puff Variety Pack Min Wits Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xiumei Klein 0 --(0)--> 0 Best Clerk's Notebook Min Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leader: Josephine Lovelace 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2) and Stupify(2) Effects: Enlighten(1) = Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
It is not, in fact, the right location.
This is a fact that Josie will realize several minutes from now once they approach the correct spot: there are a few key rock features missing from the current vantage point! But that is a problem for future Josephine, and not the Josephine that now makes the shot.
Penelope, perched atop her head, is not helping in this, even though she could. Her ways are devious and many.
In the here and now, though, Xiumei has a better idea: why not try the local hiking routes? If they're well-known points, the routes are likely to go near such spots. "Hm," Josie muses.
Eleanor, Josie's often not entirely willing companion in world-saving endeavors (in that she's not entirely willing to save the world with Josie perhaps) proposes an alternative yet: why not use a Psychic Pokemon to find the locations they need? "Hmm," Josie opines, again.
If Eleanor's not quite willing, perhaps Ida is less so when it comes to the walking personal disaster that is the remainder of the Lovelace bloodline: and yet, difficult times make for strange bedfellows, as the saying so often goes. Ida thinks she's seen one of the images on the shot from a different angle? "Hmm!" Josie remarks, once more yet.
"Sounds like a plan! Ikaros, let's get on with it, yeah?"
Which is the part where Josie lights a cigarette and moseys after the rest of them and their leads. She's still five minutes away from realizing her error.
DG: Xiumei Klein has drawn a new Challenge.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
===============<* CHALLENGE - Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle! *>===============
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Agility | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
After turning in your photographs -- and, hopefully, /not/ sent out to
retake some of the photographs -- you're ushered inside. The Gym's interior
is a rock-climbing facility, with artificial rock formations placed
throughout. This makes something of a (fairly easy) maze.
As you walk through, you're approached by a young woman with black hair,
green overalls (but cut to be shorts), and a matching green hat. She smiles,
as she approaches, and then points at you.
!
"You there!" she says. "Stop! If you want to challenge Brock... you'll have
to get through me! Go, Geodude!"
She throws out a Pokeball. A Geodude -- a grey Pokemon, shaped like a
boulder with two rocky (yet muscular!) arms -- pops out. "Use Earthquake!"
And the ground under your Pokemon's feet begins to shake, violently.
"Use Earthquake! USE EARTHQUAKE!!"
And the ground /keeps/ shaking, sending rocks falling down from the
surrounding rock formations. Your Pokemon will need to navigate the
dangerous field to get close to the Geodude amd knock him out.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Enlighten:_Wits_Up!, |
| Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Second:_2nd_Challenge!, |
| Stupify:_Wits_Down!, and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
"Oh, that's a clever thought," Xiumei tells Eleanor. She looks at Thea, too, and smiles. And she holds a hand up at the intensifying pink glow.
Liu Bei takes the offered piece of Pokepuff. He has a bite, then he nods to Marigold in a most serious way.
When they get back...
They discover the error Josie made. This leads them to need to go back out, retake a photo, and return. But then, they come back. They make their way into the Gym itself.
"The rock formations are rather impressive," Xiumei murmurs, studying one. But then Liu Bei's ears go upright--
"You there!"
She looks up, as the earth rattles when Geodude lands. He does, indeed, use Earthquake. Rocks come tumbling down from those impressive formations -- raining down towards them.
"We need to hurry!" she calls out. "Liu Bei! Forward!"
"Eeeeeh-voi." His brow furrows -- then he goes to all fours, and begins to dart and weave through the falling (fake) rocks.
DG: Xiumei Klein has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle!.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Thea noms the Pokepuff without nomming Ida's fingers, like a horse who isn't angry. She is in fact neither.
Eleanor is indeed... not always willing to save the world with Josie in particular. She's dangerous. She has issues. But she keeps being there at the crisis points, and Eleanor will not admit that she appreciates her today.
Instead...
Eleanor wrinkles her nose about the cigarette either way.
But when they head back, and suddenly--
Thea rumbles on the ground as it startes to shake. Rocks tumble down towards them. "Ah!" Eleanor says in dismay. "That's--"
Before Thea can fall over, Eleanor recalls her quickly, and instead throws out: "Kthon!"
A Diglett appears. "Get up there and tell her to cut it out with your Shadow Claws!"
"Diglett!" Kthon says, and disappears underground. For now.
Eleanor wobbles on her feet, and falls over. "Ah!"
DG: Eleanor Klein has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle!.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Marigold's eyes sparkle. She lets out an 'Evoi!' of purest joy, and then scampers back to her Trainer's side. Ida gives Thea a pat on the muzzle, and glances down. "Ready for the main event, Marigold?" she says.
"Evoi!" says Marigold, her tail swishing.
As it turns out, they are not ready for the main event. Thanks, Josie.
One photo later, Ida steps into the gym proper, gazing about. "This looks like an unworked Void," she says. "With the rock walls. But it's all designed for rock climbing, if I--"
And immediately, they are CHALLENGED. Ida's eyes go a little wide, but thankfully, her first instinct--to brace--keeps her from being knocked on her ass when the earthquake hits. She plucks a Pokeball from her belt, and hurls it into the fray.
"Aurora!" Ida points up at the Geodude. "After that one, but be careful! I'll guide you!" She pulls something from her bag: a long stick with a little tuft of white fluff on the end. Ida holds it out like a baton, and Aurora--who has launched herself into the avalanche, after Liu Bei--follows it closely. As the rocks fall, Ida whistles sharply, gestures with the stick, and even walks from side to side, giving Aurora additional signals. And at the end:
"Aurora, swiftly!" Ida commands.
"Evoi!" Aurora squares her stance, her fur bristling. Golden stars form around her, and launch themselves at Amara's Geodude!"
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Fluff on a Stick toward her party's challenge, Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle!. Rally!
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
You can't win them all. Josie is unrepentant, if somewhat sheepish, if one is judging her by her expressions at least.
But the second time around solves it.
"Well, I'll be a monkey's auntie," Josie remarks, glancing upwards at the formations. "They've really done some work up in here, eh? Fancy it took a fair bit?"
She receives her answer, after a fashion, by the rumbling of the earth itself! A Trainer has fielded a Geodude, and rocks begin to plummet from the pillars of stone! "Huh," Josie says, seemingly taken aback by this particular approach. "Ain't this kinda--"
She watches Ikaros narrowly evade a rock and frowns. "Hey, come back here! Antigone, you're up!"
"Remmmm," hums the Remoraid, taking the field. Charging herself up, the small gun-shaped fish prepares to close the distance -- and isn't rock weak to water, anyway?!
Josie, unfortunately for Eleanor, is still smoking. Does the gym have rules against that?!
DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Focus Energy toward her party's challenge, Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle!. Resilient! Party shielded from some exhaustion next round!
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
===============<* CHALLENGE - Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle! *>===============
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Agility | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
After turning in your photographs -- and, hopefully, /not/ sent out to
retake some of the photographs -- you're ushered inside. The Gym's interior
is a rock-climbing facility, with artificial rock formations placed
throughout. This makes something of a (fairly easy) maze.
As you walk through, you're approached by a young woman with black hair,
green overalls (but cut to be shorts), and a matching green hat. She smiles,
as she approaches, and then points at you.
!
"You there!" she says. "Stop! If you want to challenge Brock... you'll have
to get through me! Go, Geodude!"
She throws out a Pokeball. A Geodude -- a grey Pokemon, shaped like a
boulder with two rocky (yet muscular!) arms -- pops out. "Use Earthquake!"
And the ground under your Pokemon's feet begins to shake, violently.
"Use Earthquake! USE EARTHQUAKE!!"
And the ground /keeps/ shaking, sending rocks falling down from the
surrounding rock formations. Your Pokemon will need to navigate the
dangerous field to get close to the Geodude amd knock him out.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, |
| Resilient:_Exhaustion_Down!, Second:_2nd_Challenge!, Stupify:_Wits_Down!, |
| and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================ =======================< Results - Pewter Gym - Round 2 >======================= ================< CHALLENGE - Picnicker Amara Wants to Battle! >================ Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Josephine Lovelace 12 --(5)--> 17 Best Focus Energy Min Agility Effects: Resilient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eleanor Klein 0 --(25)--> 25 Worst Rush Bsc Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 0 --(5)--> 5 Best Fluff on a Stick Maj Agility Effects: Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xiumei Klein 0 --(5)--> 5 Good Rush Bsc Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leader: Josephine Lovelace 20 --(20)--> 40 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(1), Exhaust(1), Second(1), Stupify(1), and Weaken(2) Effects: Resilient(1) = Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
Kthon goes underground. It works at first... until one of the underground shakes pitches Kthon out of the ground and flying into the air.
Liu Bei bolts through the falling rocks. One clips him -- with a yelp -- but he keeps running.
Aurora launches herself after, and then golden stars swing out. The Swift attack slams into the Geodude, with a rocky echo.
And then the Remaroid shoots out a blast of water. That strucks the Geodude head on, and he goes flying backward. Then, with a poof of light, into a waiting Pokeball.
"Aw, man..." Amara says. "Well--good job!"
Which leaves the way ahead clear.
DG: Eleanor Klein has drawn a new Challenge.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Camper Liam Wants to Battle! *>=================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Brute | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
After your battle with Amara -- and hopefully without your team too drained
-- you press on. The rock formations narrow, until there is one path
forward: a wooden bridge, over a pit of sand, leading to a raised platform
of natural rock at the back of the Gym's room. There, of course, waits
Brock.
...But before you can get there, you find another Trainer waiting for you.
He is a young man with light brown hair, cut short, and mostly hidden by a
green hat. He also has a button-up green shirt and green shorts; he wears a
short red tie, too. When he sees you, he points!
!
"No further!" he cries out. "Sandshrew! Geodude! Let's go!"
He throws both Pokeballs out. They crack open, shining with light; another
Geodude pops out, and a yellow-and-brown armadillo-like Pokemon. "Sandshrew,
use Sandstorm!"
The Sandshrew throws out both arms, and a huge gust of sand explodes out
from around the Sandshrew -- making it hard to see either of Liam's team.
Then, the Geodude begins to hurl rocks towards your Pokemon. You'll need to
weather this blast of sand and stone, to reach them... and progress on to
the final challenge!
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Resilient:_Exhaustion_Down!, |
| Third:_3rd_Challenge!, Weaken:_Brute_Down!, and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Kthon is ejected into the sky! it's hard to see his body in the rush; somehow, he still has a bunch of earth and dust clinging to him concealing most of him. But his eyes go @_@.
>Kthon has fainted!
But Eleanor calls him back in dismay. Her nose is still wrinkled. The gym might have rules against smoking! But Eleanor just sort of lives with it for the moment.
"Dangerous," She agrees with Josie all the same. Amara tells them good job, and Eleanor smiles--but she keeps forward. They walk along a bridge, over a pit, to a natural platform... and suddenly--
A trainer with light brown hair and green clothes points at them! "No further!" he calls. "Sandshrew! Geodude! Let's go!"
The Sandshrew uses Sandstorm; the Geodude starts hurling rocks. AAnd Eleanor frowns. "...I see. So, two at once.. I suppose I'll have to do the same."
Phaosia bursts out. "Pika!" she says, and Eleanor nods sharply. "I know it's your weakness... But I know you wouldn't be happy if I didn't let you try. Let's go!"
Then, "Okeanos!" A Slowpoke appears, too. The pink-and-white creature tilts his head slooooooowly to the side. "Slow..."
Phaosia, meanwhile, rushes ahead, the little yellow rodent darting here and there to dodge rocks and then--
her Black Belt shows in the light!! She swings and KICKS Geodude with all her might!
"CHUUUUUU!!"
DG: Eleanor Klein has used her Tool Black Belt toward her party's challenge, Camper Liam Wants to Battle!. Strengthen! Party Brute boosted!
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"See that?" Josie crows. "You're the real thing, Antigone!" she says, shooting her Pokemon a finger-gun. Lacking fingers, but being shaped like a gun, Antigone twirls about to meet Josephine with a sudden
Water Gun.
This rather quickly causes her to be in compliance regarding any anti-smoking laws that might be in effect in this particular Gym (would they? isn't fire weak against rock...?), and also, to be rather damp.
Josie is still wringing out her hair when they advance to the next challenge. It may be much shorter than it had been, but it's good at absorbing moisture! Hooray?
She has also returned Antigone to her Pokeball. For reasons.
Part of the challenge is another Geodude.
The other is a Sandshrew. "Hmm... so they're like a wall huh?" Josie muses, before casting out--
"Eirene!"
Eirene, the Trumbreak, rises to the challenge. "Trumbeak~" she calls out, stabbing forward with enough force to break rocks as she carves her way ahead.
DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Rock Smash toward her party's challenge, Camper Liam Wants to Battle!. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round!
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida winces as Kthon goes flying, but she doesn't take her eye off those rocks. Aurora is counting on her to lead her to victory. And sure enough, victory is grasped in tiny Eevee paws, and... Remoraid fins?
"Good job, Aurora! Return!" Ida holds out Aurora's Pokeball. The Eevee gives a polite, dignified nod to her departing Geodude opponent, and then returns to her own ball. "What's Kthon's favorite flavor?" Ida asks Eleanor. "I'll be sure to get a puff for him when we're done here."
Beyond Amara, the path narrows. Ida's gaze rises, and locks on the young man waiting at the far end of the room. "That must be Brock," she says. She grins, and that grin stays firmly in place as Liam challenges them. A sandstorm! The only way to get to either of the opposing Pokemon is to either fly or cross the bridge. Ida's hand alights on Sal's Pokeball, but she thinks differently of it. Eleanor's going with the direct approach, and Ida has someone who can complement that nicely.
"Go, Tyrunt!" Ida hurls another Pokeball--this one a Friend Ball--which bursts open in the middle of the sandstorm. "Forward, across the bridge! Back Phaosia up with Ice Fang!" That's one of Ida's brand-new TMs. Let's see if consulting with Sable will pay off.
Tyrunt roars at the top of her (relatively) tiny lungs, lowers her head, and charges! The Sandstorm might not scratch her up, but it can still obstruct her vision! Ida squints into the swirling grit, frowning. "She's a Rock-type," Ida explains. "She should have much less trouble with it."
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has contributed a risky Brute Action toward her party's challenge, Camper Liam Wants to Battle!.
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
"Oh, no, Kthon..." Xiumei frowns a little. Then, she looks at Liu Bei. He looks back and she nods. "Let's keep going."
She looks at Eleanor -- then she nods. Yes, two at once. She sucks a breath in, and then throws out a ball. A Ledian hops out. She looks at him, and nods. "Go, both of you!"
Liu Bei shoots forward, braving through the sandstorm. Then, he swings both arms down -- and CUTS the sandstorm. It parts around him, making it clear.
Which is when the Ledian leaps.
Then, Xiumei calls out: "Song Jiang! Now! Buzz!"
The Ledian descends -- and sweeps down mightily for the Sandshrew from above, just after Eirene's Water Gun fires.
DG: Xiumei Klein has used her Tool HM01 Cut toward her party's challenge, Camper Liam Wants to Battle!.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Camper Liam Wants to Battle! *>=================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Brute | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
After your battle with Amara -- and hopefully without your team too drained
-- you press on. The rock formations narrow, until there is one path
forward: a wooden bridge, over a pit of sand, leading to a raised platform
of natural rock at the back of the Gym's room. There, of course, waits
Brock.
...But before you can get there, you find another Trainer waiting for you.
He is a young man with light brown hair, cut short, and mostly hidden by a
green hat. He also has a button-up green shirt and green shorts; he wears a
short red tie, too. When he sees you, he points!
!
"No further!" he cries out. "Sandshrew! Geodude! Let's go!"
He throws both Pokeballs out. They crack open, shining with light; another
Geodude pops out, and a yellow-and-brown armadillo-like Pokemon. "Sandshrew,
use Sandstorm!"
The Sandshrew throws out both arms, and a huge gust of sand explodes out
from around the Sandshrew -- making it hard to see either of Liam's team.
Then, the Geodude begins to hurl rocks towards your Pokemon. You'll need to
weather this blast of sand and stone, to reach them... and progress on to
the final challenge!
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Strengthen:_Brute_Up!, Third:_3rd_Challenge!, |
| Weaken:_Brute_Down!, and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================ =======================< Results - Pewter Gym - Round 3 >======================= ==================< CHALLENGE - Camper Liam Wants to Battle! >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Josephine Lovelace 17 --(0)--> 17 Good Rock Smash Min Brute Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eleanor Klein 25 --(0)--> 25 Best Black Belt Min Brute Effects: Strengthen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 5 --(0)--> 5 Best Force Bsc Brute Effects: Risky -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xiumei Klein 5 --(0)--> 5 Best HM01 Cut Maj Brute Effects: Improved -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leader: Josephine Lovelace 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2), Third(1), Weaken(2), and Wound(2) Effects: Strengthen(1) = Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Eleanor looks at Xiu in some dismay. "Poor guy," she says. "I'll give him extra treats later..."
But he won't be helping much more for now. At least Josie's cigarette goes out.
Like a wall, indeed. The path has narrowed, and Brock is ahead. Eleanor sees him--and her approach is indeed direct. Here's how it happens:
Trumbeak and Pikachu round on Geodude, stopping the flow of rocks. The sandstomr PARTS for Liu Bei, and the Ledian hits the Sandshrew--setting up perfectly for Tyrunt's Ice fang!!
"Oh, wow," Liam answers. "You guys are good! ...But you're still light years away from Brock!"
Eleanor tilts her head. "...Light years measure... distance, don't they?"
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has drawn a new Challenge.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
================<* CHALLENGE - Camper Jerry Wants to Battle! *>=================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Wits | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
As you make your way through the manicured rocky paths of Pewter Gym,
another Trainer leaps out to do battle! This one is a young man with a blue
and green outfit on, and a large floppy green hat.
!
He points at you, as you approach. "Not so fast! If you want to test your
strength against Brock... you'll have to get through me, first! Diglett,
go!"
Nothing happens.
He waits, patiently.
And still nothing hap--
--ah. The ground under your feet rumbles, slightly. Diglett, it seems, has
/already/ used Dig. To defeat this particular Trainer, you will need to
predict when Diglett will emerge... and then do battle then! Otherwise,
Diglett will use Dig again. And /again/.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, |
| Strengthen:_Brute_Up!, Stupify:_Wits_Down!, Weaken:_Brute_Down!, and |
| Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Tyrunt has felled her foe! As the sandstorm finally parts, she props her foot up on a boulder, throws back her head, and roars. Now that the bridge is safe to cross, Ida crosses it, and gives Liam a friendly handshake. "Well fought," she says. Onward! But first, Ida breaks out the rest of the Poke Puffs she had packed. "It's good to keep their energy up," she explains, as Tyrunt falls on a mango-flavored puff and devours it with gleeful abandon.
(Ida has earmarked an extra Puff for Antigone, later. For reasons.)
Another Gym Trainer approaches!
"Not so fast! If you want to test your strength against Brock... you'll have to get through me, first! Diglett, go!" Camper Jerry points. Nothing happens. Ida blinks, and glances down at Tyrunt, who scents the air and then growls. She scratches at the ground with a taloned foot, looks up at Ida, and lets out an impatient whine.
The ground rumbles.
"Aha," Ida says. "Tyrunt, return!" She makes a come-here gesture, and Tyrunt stomps back to her side, melodramatically settling against her leg. "Go, Marigold!" Out pops Marigold, again, and she is prepared. Ida outfitted her with the goggles she wore back in the salt flats in Slayheim. "Use Dig to drive that Diglett to the surface!"
"Evoi!" Marigold chirps, and she burrows into the substrate after her elusive foe!
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Poke Puff Variety Pack toward her party's challenge, Camper Jerry Wants to Battle!. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round!
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
"I... believe so?" Xiumei says. "But why are they called years, then?"
She shakes her head, with a look at Liam. Then, she looks at Eleanor, and she nods. "He'll like that. He did a good job, even so..."
She slows, as a second Gym Leader approaches. She yelps with surprise. Liu Bei's eyes narrow -- and then he watches, as the Diglett moves about. Then, he looks at Xiumei.
She holds out her notebook.
And when the Diglett emerges...
Liu Bei used NOTEBOOK!
DG: Xiumei Klein has used her Tool Clerk's Notebook toward her party's challenge, Camper Jerry Wants to Battle!. Enlighten! Party Wits boosted!
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
Eirene and Pikachu face off against the Geodude; for whatever it's worth, Eirene finishes her part in the fray by ducking her head as if bowing to Pikachu -- respect for a worthy ally in a terrible fight, perhaps?
"Alright, come back!" Josie calls once the dust (literally) settles, recalling her Trumbeak. She takes a moment to regard the Pikachu in thought. "Ever done doubles?" she asks Eleanor. Oh no!
After that, it's on to the next challenge which, apparently--
Josie waits. And waits.
"..."
And wai--
"Oh," she says, glancing downward. Penelope, who had long since vacated for the higher rafters (get involved in a Pokemon fight? absolutely not) watches on with glittering black eyes. "Dig, ain't it--? Well, let's see you dig up a,"
She casts out a ball. "Diomedes!"
Is a Fletchling really a good call against Dig?
"...He's a smart one, he is," she promises, of her Fletchling. Diomedes settles on the ground and thoughtfully (or so it seems) turns his head this way and that. One, two--
And is that where the Diglett will be?
DG: Josephine Lovelace has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Camper Jerry Wants to Battle!.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Phaosia turns to Eirine and cheers. "Chu!" she answers. AAnd then Josie regards her, and Phaosia says, "Pikaaa!"
"I think she likes that idea," Eleanor comments. And, "It has to do with the fact that light has a set speed; you see, the distance light covers in a year is a light year!"
Poor Kthon...
"...Poke," Slowpoke eventually says when the battle is over. He did not help much...
"You did great, Okeanos."
Phaosia, meanwhile, approaches Ida expectantly at her Pokepuffs. "Pika?" she inquires. She stares. She hungers.
Jerry points. Nothing happens. He continues pointing. Nothing happens.
Ah, the ground rumbles. Eleanor considers, but Slowpoke is already moving. Slowly.
He approaches the middle of the ground. He turns. He starts to rear back--
And when Diglett appears, a lightning-speed Zen Headbutt!!
DG: Eleanor Klein has used her Tool Psychic toward her party's challenge, Camper Jerry Wants to Battle!.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
================<* CHALLENGE - Camper Jerry Wants to Battle! *>=================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Wits | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
As you make your way through the manicured rocky paths of Pewter Gym,
another Trainer leaps out to do battle! This one is a young man with a blue
and green outfit on, and a large floppy green hat.
!
He points at you, as you approach. "Not so fast! If you want to test your
strength against Brock... you'll have to get through me, first! Diglett,
go!"
Nothing happens.
He waits, patiently.
And still nothing hap--
--ah. The ground under your feet rumbles, slightly. Diglett, it seems, has
/already/ used Dig. To defeat this particular Trainer, you will need to
predict when Diglett will emerge... and then do battle then! Otherwise,
Diglett will use Dig again. And /again/.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Bad_Luck:_All_Stats_Down!, Enlighten:_Wits_Up!, |
| Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Stupify:_Wits_Down!, |
| Weaken:_Brute_Down!, and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================ =======================< Results - Pewter Gym - Round 4 >======================= =================< CHALLENGE - Camper Jerry Wants to Battle! >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Josephine Lovelace 17 --(20)--> 37 Bad Investigate Bsc Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eleanor Klein 25 --(0)--> 25 Best Psychic Maj Wits Effects: Efficient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 5 --(0)--> 5 Best Poke Puff Variety Pack Min Wits Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xiumei Klein 5 --(0)--> 5 Best Clerk's Notebook Min Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leader: Josephine Lovelace 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(1), Exhaust(1), Stupify(2), Weaken(1), and Wound(1) Effects: Enlighten(1) = Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has drawn a new Challenge.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
=========<* CHALLENGE - Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense! *>=========
| Type: Climax | Dungeon Ability: Combat | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Having vanquished the last Trainer to stand in your way, you cross the
wooden bridge and to the stone platform at the center. It is a large,
circular stone platform; something shaped to resemble a natural rock though
a little too suspiciously circular to be entirely natural. There, in the
center, stands the Gym Leader, Brock. He is a tall man, in his early
twenties, with a perpetual squint and short but spiky brown hair. He folds
his arms.
He grins.
"So, you're here. I'm Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader. My Pokémon are all
hard as rock and have true-grit determination! That's right! My Pokémon are
all Rock types! Fwahaha! You're going to challenge me even knowing that
you'll lose? That's what a Trainer's honor demands! So be it! Show me your
best!"
Then, he throws out two Pokeballs. Both open -- and out come a Geodude, a
familiar sight, and a Kabuto: one of the recently-uncovered Fossil Pokemon,
with a rock-like shell over its molluscoid body. "Let's go!" he shouts.
"Geodude, get them off balance! Rock Blast!"
"GEOOOO!!"
The Geodude begins throwing rocks rapidly -- unhesitatingly sending out
rocks to bombard your team. "Kabuto, get ready! Harden--then you know what
to do!"
While Geodude keeps hurling rocks, the Kabuto gleams -- its defenses
hardening. And unless interrupted... it quickly shoots out a powerful blast
of water -- the perhaps unexpected Move, Aqua Jet!
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Enlighten:_Wits_Up!, Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, |
| Stupify:_Wits_Down!, Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"You may have one piece," Ida says. She breaks off part of a cherry-flavored Puff and passes it down to Phaosia. Marigold has seemingly disappeared from the battlefield. Has she found Diglett? Is Ikaros pecking at the right spot?
And then: A faint tremor in the ground, and a muffled "Evoi!"
Diglett erupts from the surface. Liu Bei and Slowpoke are right there, waiting for it.
WHAP
SLAM
With a mighty one-two, Jerry's Diglett goes reeling back, and flops over to one side. Its eyes swirl.
Jerry concedes defeat with a nod. "Good luck against Brock," he says. "You're going to need it." He steps aside, revealing the way up to Brock's platform, and the man himself. Ida offers Jerry a handshake, and then ascends to meet the next foe. (Marigold burrows out of the turf, gives Jerry's Diglett a gentle pat, and follows.)
Brock sees the group approaching, folds his arms, and grins.
"So," he says, launching into well-practiced Gym Leader patter, "you're here. I'm Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader. My Pokémon are all hard as rock and have true-grit determination! That's right! My Pokémon are all Rock types! Fwahaha! You're going to challenge me even knowing that you'll lose? That's what a Trainer's honor demands! So be it! Show me your best!"
Brock throws two Pokeballs out in a double-handed toss; a Geodude emerges from the first, and something else emerges from the second. It looks almost like a... beetle? A horseshoe crab? Something low to the ground and heavily-armored.
"Tyrunt, go!" Ida shouts. Tyrunt charges forwards with a petite but mighty roar!
"Let's go!" Brock commands. "Geodude, get them off balance! Rock Blast!"
"GEOOO!!"
Tyrunt jukes to the side--
Ida glances between the two opposing Pokemon, biting her lip. Does she go after the armored one, or the one that's a literal rock? "Tyrunt, bite that one!" She points at Kabuto.
Brock smiles. (His mouth does. His eyes don't change much.) "Kabuto, get ready! Harden--then you know what to do!"
Ida's eyes open. "Ghh!" she hisses, realizing she's been had. Tyrunt's jaws close around Kabuto. There's a horrid enamel-on-rock grinding noise, but Kabuto's shell holds firm. The smaller fossil Pokemon lets loose with a mighty SPLORT of water, which slams into Tyrunt at point-blank range. "Da-- darn it," Ida hisses, glancing around to see if any impressionable young Nedians are around.
"Evoi!" Marigold cries, in dismay.
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Eviolite toward her party's challenge, Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense!. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round!
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
"We'll do our best," Xiumei tells Jerry. She looks at the path to his platform -- and sucks a breath in, before she follows. She steps up to it, her eyes on Brock. She nods as she approaches.
"Xiumei Klein," she says. "Let's see what we can do. Song Jiang, Liu Bei... you're up!"
The Rock Blast fires, rocks slamming into Liu Bei. He rolls backward, hard -- before Song Jiang the Ledian leaps at Kabuto. The blast of water strikes him... and he collapses.
He comes back to the Pokeball. Xiumei, with gritted teeth, throws out another Pokeball -- and Guan Yu, another Eevee lands, and claps both hands together, and then makes a fiercely Scary Face.
"Liu Bei!" she calls out. "Hang in there!"
She throws a Full Restore his way. He takes it, then stands back up, preparing himself.
DG: Xiumei Klein has used her Tool Full Restore toward her party's challenge, Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense!. Cleanse! All negative effects will be cleared at the end of the round!
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
One piece. Phaosia accepts it, reaching out to take it from Ida with both hands. "Pika!" she answers, delighted, and NOMS it in one go.
Okeanos finally says, "...slo.." again once he's done attacking. And now, tehy are wished luck, and they see... The Gym Leader.
Rock type. True-grit determination. "A Trainer's honor..." Eleanor's eyes sparkle. She looks the most like a Nedian of their group, but she still isn't one. She has come to really like this world.
It's not hers, but it's been beautiful to see. To see what maybe...
Introspection can wait!! Geodude and Kabuto take action. The Rock Blast fires, and Slowpoke--Okeanos--slowly begins to turn towards their opponents. "Keep at the ready, Okeanos," Eleanor says. "But--"
Phaosia perks up, done with her treat. "Pikachu!" she says, and Eleanor nods. "I wouldn't deny you the chance," she says. "But just in case..."
She pulls from her case a yellow Shuca Berry, with its green stem. A Berry that will protect Phaosia against a Super-effective move--if Kabuto or Geodude make use of Ground-type moves against her!
She lifts her hand, lets the magic of the Berry flow through her--and out, to everyone's Pokemon!
Menwhile, Phaosia rushes forward.
"Language," Eleanor says to Ida, but reaches out to reassures her with a hand on the arm. "But your Pokemon isn't done yet--don't give up!"
And indeed--Phaosia comes to help!! She suddenly SPARKS with electricity, and crashes into the Kabuto, aiming to knock it clear as Tyrunt keeps it pinned!!
DG: Eleanor Klein has used her Tool Mystic Berry Case toward her party's challenge, Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense!.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"Diomedes," Josie sighs in the end, touching the fingertips of her left hand to her temple, "...Think you missed, kid."
"Fle," chirps Diomedes, wings drooping. Josie can't hold the pose for long, as it were-- she ultimately shrugs. "Don't you worry none, you'll get 'em next time." Next time? Next time they fight a Diglett, or--
Maybe she intends to put her bird against Brock's own diabolic duo. The Geodude, Josie knows, but the other's... uh...
"Weird crab," she remarks, fishing in her pocket for a particular something. "So you're 'Brock', eh? Josie'll do." She pulls her hand free, propping it instead on her hip. "So, what are we thinkin', best two out of three, or is this sudden death--"
Speaking of sudden death, Rock Blast!
Diomedes, really not the best choice for this, serves left! Beating his wings, he tries Ember!
...Did Josie completely misjudge his intelligence?
Josie, for her part, is studying the field intently...
DG: Josephine Lovelace has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense!.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
=========<* CHALLENGE - Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense! *>=========
| Type: Climax | Dungeon Ability: Combat | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Having vanquished the last Trainer to stand in your way, you cross the
wooden bridge and to the stone platform at the center. It is a large,
circular stone platform; something shaped to resemble a natural rock though
a little too suspiciously circular to be entirely natural. There, in the
center, stands the Gym Leader, Brock. He is a tall man, in his early
twenties, with a perpetual squint and short but spiky brown hair. He folds
his arms.
He grins.
"So, you're here. I'm Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader. My Pokémon are all
hard as rock and have true-grit determination! That's right! My Pokémon are
all Rock types! Fwahaha! You're going to challenge me even knowing that
you'll lose? That's what a Trainer's honor demands! So be it! Show me your
best!"
Then, he throws out two Pokeballs. Both open -- and out come a Geodude, a
familiar sight, and a Kabuto: one of the recently-uncovered Fossil Pokemon,
with a rock-like shell over its molluscoid body. "Let's go!" he shouts.
"Geodude, get them off balance! Rock Blast!"
"GEOOOO!!"
The Geodude begins throwing rocks rapidly -- unhesitatingly sending out
rocks to bombard your team. "Kabuto, get ready! Harden--then you know what
to do!"
While Geodude keeps hurling rocks, the Kabuto gleams -- its defenses
hardening. And unless interrupted... it quickly shoots out a powerful blast
of water -- the perhaps unexpected Move, Aqua Jet!
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Cleanse:_All_Effects_Removed!, Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, |
| Stupify:_Wits_Down!, Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
=======================< Results - Pewter Gym - Round 5 >=======================
==========< CHALLENGE - Brock - Rock Hard Determination and Defense! >==========
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace 37 --(12)--> 49 Bad
Fight Bsc Combat Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eleanor Klein 25 --(0)--> 25 Best
Mystic Berry Case Maj Combat Effects: Improved
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ida Everstead-Rey 5 --(0)--> 5 Good
Eviolite Min Combat Effects: Stalwart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xiumei Klein 5 --(12)--> 17 Bad
Full Restore Min Combat Effects: Cleanse and
Inefficient
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace 80 --(0)--> 80 Pass
Conditions: Injure(2), Stupify(1), Tire(2), and Wound(2)
Effects: Cleanse
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 0 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has drawn a new Challenge.
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Brock - Show Me Your Best! *>==================
| Type: Final | Dungeon Ability: Combat | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Brock's Geodude and Kabuto faint; they're promptly pulled back into their
Pokeballs. Brock blinks -- then he dusts his hands off, and grins. "All
right, then," he says. "Maybe I underestimated you... but my rock steady
nature means I won't give up! Show me your best!"
He points -- and then throws out a Great Ball, this one blue-and-white. It
opens, and out comes a huge stone snake-like Pokemon. The Onix slams down
onto the circular stone platform, making the ground itself shake. "Onix!" he
cries out, before your Team can take its first shots. "Use Dig!"
And then Onix burrows into the stone platform. A moment later, it erupts
between your Team -- smashing around with its huge body. Then, its tail
comes out of the ground. It gleams with a metallic shine -- and then Brock
calls out, the two already in perfect sync.
"Now, Iron Tail!"
And it targets the weakest of the Pokemon present, smashing its gigantic
tail down for them.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Fright:_Combat_Down!_Agility_Up! and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida sucks in a sharp breath. She glances sidelong as Eleanor puts a hand on her arm, nods, and focuses. "Keep pushing!" she commands, "Get angry!"
Phaosia slams into Kabuto, giving it her all despite the unfavorable matchup. The trilobite-like Pokemon flies off its spindly little bug legs, and flips up and over onto its back. This is a bad place for any bug to be. Tyrunt--still soaked, and reeling from the Super-Effective water attack--has no problem following Ida's directions. She roars, and stomps down hard on the grounded Kabuto.
Diomedes blasts Geodude with a wave of flame!
"Geodude, Smack Down!" Brock commands. Geodude flies right through the fire, balls up its fists, and drives them down at the Fletchling in a double axe handle! Diomedes might end up flat on the ground if he doesn't dodge! Geodude turns, noticing Liu Bei getting back up. The floating boulder stares Zhang Fei down, matching that ferociously scary face with a face of literal stone.
"Geodude, use Rollout!" Geodude folds its arms, and starts to spin, hurling itself at Liu Bei...!
In a flash, Marigold is there, shoving Liu Bei aside with a ferocious "EVOI!" of determination. Geodude slams into her, knocking her aside. She sways, and shakes her head. The Eviolite around her neck gleams.
Marigold toughed it out to help a friend in need!
Aurora's ball snaps open of its own accord. The larger Eevee manifests in front of her sister, grabs her by the scruff, and hauls her bodily off the field. "Evoi," she says, shooting Marigold a look that says 'You need to stop doing things like that', but in a knowing, sisterly way.
"Evoi," says Marigold, who doesn't regret a single thing. Ida kneels down to offer them both a quick pet.
Phaosia, meanwhile, applies the coup de grace against a very Fainted Kabuto.
Brock recalls both his Pokemon. He blinks--again, it's tough to tell--then dusts his hands off, and grins. "All right, then," he says. "Maybe I underestimated you... but my rock steady nature means I won't give up! Show me your best!"
Brock throws the Great Ball. It splits open, and the earth trembles.
BGM: Under the Weight - Masayoshi Soken - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnmXeIyyvsg&ab_channel=hungrychad
Ida braces as the great stone serpent manifests, taking a full step back and throwing up an arm to shield her eyes from the dust. Her mouth opens in a little 'o' of shock. She's seen Ishka, of course, but she was mostly in a Gear at the time. And she didn't have to fight Ishka. But still...
"Tyrunt!" Ida cries. "Return--!" Tyrunt roars up at the much larger Rock-type, but this time it's edged with territorial fear. She steps to the side, and the recall beam misses her by inches. "Tyrunt, get back!" A bead of sweat trickles down Ida's temple. Was it a mistake to rely on an unruly Pokemon for this fight? What is Tyrunt thinking right now? She sounds... actually afraid.
Brock glances between Trainer and Pokemon, mild concern creeping into his features, but this is hardly the first time he's seen a Pokemon get unruly mid-battle. "Onix! Use Dig!" The Onix burrows in a great wave of rock and dust. A moment later, it erupts from beneath. Tyrunt--unwisely--goes for the Bite, and earns...
"Now, Iron Tail!"
Tyrunt goes flying. Ida grimaces, and stoops down to rest a hand on her as she skids to a stop at Ida's feet. Marigold is on her immediately, nudging her with her nose. Ida takes a breath between her teeth. "You did well," she says, to Tyrunt. "But that's why I asked you to come back. You sounded scared. Did you think you had to beat that Onix alone?" Tyrunt rumbles something, and looks up at her Trainer with unguarded eyes. "You're not alone. None of us are alone here. We all came here together." Ida glances back at her teammates, and pulls her last Pokeball free. She hurls it forwards--
BGM: Dangerous Words - Masayoshi Soken - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kkPm-y5kPs&t=267s&ab_channel=BlackKanye
Catastrophe Sal the Butterfree enters the field in a flash of light.
"Sal!" Ida roars, thrusting a hand out towards Onix. "CONFUSION! NOW!" It's a safe bet Brock's seen this one before. A risky strategy, to be sure, but Sal is the only one of Ida's Pokemon that's still untouched--and Ida believes in her.
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
Liu Bei is pushed aside -- and turns, before he nods respectfully to Marigold. and together, they manage to defeat the first pair of Pokemon.
Liu Bei turns to face Brock, waiting.
"We've got to keep going!" Xiumei tells her compatriots. "We've almost got him!"
But it's not so easy.
The Onix comes out -- and one swing of its tail sends Tyrunt flying. Xiumei grits her teeth, before she nods. "Liu Bei! Guan Yu! Together!"
"Evoi!"
"EVOI!"
Liu Bei runs to the left -- Guan Yu to the right. They charge after Confusion is used; then, both throw out their arms. Glowing golden stars appear.
And, swiftly, they come raining down upon Onix from both sides.
DG: Xiumei Klein has used her Tool Full Restore toward her party's challenge, Brock - Show Me Your Best!. Cleanse! All negative effects will be cleared at the end of the round!
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Weird crab! "It's one of the Fossils I think," Eleanor reflects. "I remember Professor Oak showing me some pictures of the new Pokemon that they'd restored."
"...I'm Eleanor," Eleanor introduces herself belatedly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Brock."
Sudden death!!
Phaosia continues her work against Kabuto, but looks to the Eevees in their trouble. However...
"Oh, dear," Eleanor says of Onix's great bulk. "No--" Tyrunt doesn't return! She's worried, too. But as soon as Onix uses Dig...
Phaosia is protected by the sudden eruption by Eleanor's Berry, but her initial response to Onix is to bring crashing Thunderbolts down atop the Pokemon with abandon!
"Phaosia!" Eleanor calls. "It won't work!"
"Pika!!" she calls in dismay. "Pika..."
"...It's time," she says. "Professor Oak gave me this one. But it's her time to shine. Phaosia, Okeanos!" She calls them back, though Phaosia hops onto her shoulder rather than into her Pokeball.
And then--
A dapper little owl appears, green with a bowtie type pattern, and hoots her arrival. Rowlet has entered the battle!
Liu Bei and Guan Yu approach together, but Noctua the Rowlet flutters up into the rafters at first. "Row!" she hoots.
"Wait for the moment..."
Eleanor throws another Berry into the air, its sparkling light descending on all--this is a Charti berry, protecting againsst Rock-type attacks.
"Josie!" she says. "This should help your birds, too! Now, Noctua--"
Suddenly Noctua dives, becoming a blur of green, brown, and white.
"Use Razor Leaf!"
On her wings and on the wing, leaves begin to spark up, a gale of verdant might raining down!!
DG: Eleanor Klein has used her Tool Mystic Berry Case toward her party's challenge, Brock - Show Me Your Best!.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"Fossil, huh. Neat," is Josie's remark on that particular topic.
Diomedes tried fire! It... wasn't very effective.
And for his pains, he gets two rock-hard (literally) fists swung his way; Diomedes takes evasive action but ultimately just isn't quite evasive enough. Clipped by one of the mighty rock fists, he spirals out of control and crashes! He's down (if not out) and that's enough for Josie to call him back.
"Next time!" she promises the dazed Fletchling, her gaze skimming the field. The weird crab (Kabuto, Josie) is out, and when Brock recalls the Geodude, that just means that he's bringing out the big guns. Josie looks up, and up at Onix.
"Nice," she tells Brock. "Don't worry, I ain't letting you down, or none. Kirke!"
"Bombirdier~" sings Kirke as she's fielded, just in time to receive the blessing of Eleanor's berry. "Thanks, Nora. Now it's time for my ace!"
Which is to say, Josie fishes in her pocket, and withdraws a flask which she tosses to Kirke, and, wait--
--what is that bottle--
"BOMB~" screams Kirke the Bombirdier, bearing her dreadful cargo as she takes to the skies and deploys it with gusto.
This cider is bad.
It's really, really bad.
We cannot overstate how bad it is.
And now it's raining all over Brock's poor Onix. How are Onix with strong, terrible odors? This stuff has fumes.
DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Awful Cider toward her party's challenge, Brock - Show Me Your Best!. Embolden! Party Combat boosted! Liability! Failure will result in extra Exhaustion! DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Eviolite toward her party's challenge, Brock - Show Me Your Best!. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round!
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Brock - Show Me Your Best! *>==================
| Type: Final | Dungeon Ability: Combat | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Brock's Geodude and Kabuto faint; they're promptly pulled back into their
Pokeballs. Brock blinks -- then he dusts his hands off, and grins. "All
right, then," he says. "Maybe I underestimated you... but my rock steady
nature means I won't give up! Show me your best!"
He points -- and then throws out a Great Ball, this one blue-and-white. It
opens, and out comes a huge stone snake-like Pokemon. The Onix slams down
onto the circular stone platform, making the ground itself shake. "Onix!" he
cries out, before your Team can take its first shots. "Use Dig!"
And then Onix burrows into the stone platform. A moment later, it erupts
between your Team -- smashing around with its huge body. Then, its tail
comes out of the ground. It gleams with a metallic shine -- and then Brock
calls out, the two already in perfect sync.
"Now, Iron Tail!"
And it targets the weakest of the Pokemon present, smashing its gigantic
tail down for them.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Cleanse:_All_Effects_Removed!, Embolden:_Combat_Up!, |
| Fright:_Combat_Down!_Agility_Up!, and Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
=======================< Results - Pewter Gym - Round 6 >=======================
===================< CHALLENGE - Brock - Show Me Your Best! >===================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace 49 --(0)--> 49 Best
Awful Cider Maj Combat Effects: Embolden and
Liability
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eleanor Klein 25 --(0)--> 25 Best
Mystic Berry Case Maj Combat Effects: Improved
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ida Everstead-Rey 5 --(0)--> 5 Best
Eviolite Min Combat Effects: Stalwart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xiumei Klein 17 --(0)--> 17 Best
Full Restore Min Combat Effects: Cleanse and
Inefficient
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass
Conditions: Fright(2) and Wound(2)
Effects: Cleanse and Embolden(1)
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has successfully explored Pewter Gym!
================================<* Pewter Gym *>================================
===========================<* CHALLENGE - Victory! *>===========================
| Type: Discovery | Dungeon Ability: Conclusion | Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
With a flash, Onix -- defeated -- returns to Brock's Great Ball. He slides
it back into his belt -- then smiles, and does a fist pump. "Good work!" he
says. "That was really hard fought -- you did great! Not everyone can say
they've pulled this off."
He walks closer, then extends a hand out for a handshake. "People on Energy
Nede work with Pokemon in all sorts of ways. I've been a Trainer... but I'm
also hoping to be a Pokemon Breeder, so I can help people use Pokemon in
every walk of life. I hope you'll find a way, too, to work with Pokemon."
Then, he hands over two things.
The first is a badge for each Trainer who fought: a metallic badge, shaped
like a rock. "This is a Boulder Badge. It'll mark you as a Pokemon Trainer
who took on the challenges here. Get all eight, and you can take on the
Elite Four!" he says. "And..."
He also hands over a small disc, glimmering with Symbols. "This is a
Technical Machine, which has the Move called Headbutt. It'll teach any
Pokemon how to use these."
Brock grins, then. "Good work!" he says. "I'm proud of you. If you ever need
to train, come back. And... if you do get Champion rank, I want a rematch."
He winks.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Cleanse:_All_Effects_Removed!, Embolden:_Combat_Up!, |
| Fright:_Combat_Down!_Agility_Up!, Treasure:_Exploration_Up!, and |
| Wound:_Combat_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"...Really?" Ida glances back at Eleanor. It's momentary--she can't take her eyes off the field for long. Overhead, Sal flits back and forth, her actual eyes and wing-eyespots shining pinkish-violet. Onix's head thrashes.
"Onix!" Brock commands, "Rock Throw!" Onix digs its tail into the turf and HEAVES, sending a rain of rock and dirt towards Sal.
"Evade!" Ida cries. Her Butterfree dodges and weaves like a pilot caught in a storm of flak. The slightest impact could be catastrophic. Ida bites her lip--
THE EVOITH OF THE PEACH GARDEN TO THE RESCUE
Liu Bei and Guan Yu provide immediate pressure, attacking Onix from both sides. The great stone snake's hide groans under their assault, and it sweeps its tail to try and clear the field. But Xiumei's Eevees are agile and well-prepared. It's a very near thing, but both leap free in time. And then...
"What the...?" Brock's brow furrows in puzzlement, and perhaps distaste. The bottle turns over, and pours out its contents. Brock gags at the smell, and covers his mouth with a hand. "What is that? A bottle of Garbodor--" He's getting distracted.
"Sal!" Ida commands, again. "Confusion!"
This time, it takes. Onix's eyes flash with violet-hued swirls. Covered in disgusting cider, the stone serpent begins to thrash about, flailing wildly. Brock takes a few steps back, seemingly content to wait it out, but then... Noctua.
'Use Razor Leaf!'
The leaves strike home, embedding themselves into Onix's stone. The great, wounded serpent roars. It throws its upper segments forward, trying to catch Noctua, but renewed pressure from Guan Yu, Sal, and Liu Bei--and the lingering... stink of the cider takes its toll. The tide begins to turn. The Onix is ferocious, even Confused. Sal attacks relentlessly, and fearlessly, alongside the others. Finally...
The Onix collapses to the turf, spent. Brock smiles, and pumps his fist.
Ida clasps her hands. She looks stunned. Her throat hurts a little from raising her voice to shout instructions to Sal. She almost doesn't hear Brock as he explains his goal, and looks down at his hand. "Thank you," Ida says. A broad grin splits her face. "I'm Ida Everstead-Rey. It's an honor to meet you, Brock." Brock presses a small metallic badge into her palm. Ida looks back at the others. "We did it. We did it! We did it, girls!" She stoops down and wraps her arms around Tyrunt and Aurora and Marigold, and a moment later Sal shoves her way into the hug as well. (A moment after that, Erasmus pops out of his own Ball, sensing the jubilation, and joins in.)
<Pose Tracker> Xiumei Klein has posed.
"Ah!" Xiumei calls out, as Onix falls. She smiles -- though there's a flicker of guilt. "Well done, everyone."
She takes her Boulder Badge from Brock -- turning it over -- and smiles at him. She nods, respectfully. "Thank you."
Then she looks at Eleanor. She -- finally -- grins and pushes up her glasses.
And then pumps her fist, proudly.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
"Really!" Eleanor confirms for Ida. And she smiles when Kirke makes her ace happen. Even if it's... that cider. The smile is brittle, but it's there. "Josie, you..."
"Have such creative problem solutions," she settles on saying.
Then she pulls a talisman from her bag and waves it over her own nose.
Noctua comes to perch on her opposite shoulder happily, as Brock explains...
Eleanor smiles a little more freely. "Thank you," she says to Brock as well. "it's been an honor."
Then, she sees Xiu pump her fist and--
"Aaah!"
She suddenly gives Xiumei a big, cheerful hug. "We did it!"