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Post by Raven on Mar 15, 2020 0:50:08 GMT
Gym Leader Chuck, much like Jasmine, has a surprising lack of Gym Trainers. Oh, no wait, there they are...working out. Running around the Gym building and such. Chuck, despite being an old man in his 80s, is still outpacing all of them.
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Post by lichlord on Mar 15, 2020 1:28:07 GMT
Looks like they are there maybe a little too early. Guess she's just gotta wait.
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Post by Raven on Mar 15, 2020 1:39:08 GMT
About ten minutes later, the running around slows to a stop. Chuck looks like he could probably have kept on going forever, but the Gym Trainers, a bunch of younger folks (male and female, in an age range of perhaps early to mid 20s) are not quite panting and wheezing, but definitely struggling a bit to control their breathing. He seems to have already made note of Victoria and waves her over.
"Good morning, young lady. I take it by your attire that you are here to challenge my Pokemon Gym." He states, rather than asks.
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Post by lichlord on Mar 15, 2020 1:48:43 GMT
Maybe she should have backed off a bit so they could have fully finished. Now it feels like they stopped on account of her. Oh well, too late now. She goes over with May and Kay.
"Yeah I am actually."
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Post by Raven on Mar 15, 2020 1:52:56 GMT
"Wonderful. We shall each battle with four Pokemon, as I suspect you are here on Badge number five or six. It's practically unheard of for someone to come all the way out here for their seventh or eighth, unless they managed to defeat Clair early." He explains as he opens up the building and ushers Victoria and her posse in. He calmly relays instructions to his students/Gym Trainers to take a cooldown period while he battles Victoria. Morning Training will resume after the match.
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Post by lichlord on Mar 15, 2020 9:12:45 GMT
Leibling stands strong once again, and Victoria breathes a sigh of relief. It at least proves that it's not her or her team. At least not in terms of power. Strategy, maybe, for Jasmine, but her journey is not over. She even had Reisen with enough to survive a few more attacks.
She takes the badge, but is still clearly in thought.
"Thank you, Chuck. The battle was... actually very enlightening."
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Post by Raven on Mar 15, 2020 19:24:41 GMT
Chuck nods and turns to his students, who have already begun to climb to their feet again. It's not long before they're all working out again.
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Post by lichlord on Mar 16, 2020 5:32:07 GMT
Well... that was rather simple and straightforward. In the match and the exchange. Looks like we are continuing on. They leave and head outside and after a center trip, she looks to both of them.
"Guess there's nothing to do but to head back to Jasmine I guess..."
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Post by Raven on Mar 16, 2020 5:36:01 GMT
Eh, Leader Chuck's an old man. He ain't got time for all the hullabaloo that the younger Gym Leaders like. More spent money and a couple more hours later has Victoria & Co. getting a room in the Olivine City Pokemon Center once again. The following morning (after another lovely cuddle fest with May during the night), it's make or break time. Either Victoria tries again now, or she gives up on the idea of defeating Jasmine and tackles one of the minor gyms for her 7th badge.
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Post by lichlord on Mar 16, 2020 5:41:12 GMT
Getting the badge and cuddling more with May does make her feel better. At some point in the night, she turns over to her.
"Are you like... trying to become one with me via hugs? I swear you haven't let go of me unless I'm in the middle of a battle. ...Not that I'm complaining."
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Post by Raven on Mar 16, 2020 5:55:22 GMT
May giggles softly. "Maybe?" She teases. "You've just been all broody and stuck in your head since you lost to Leader Jasmine so I've been trying to pull you out via hugs. It appears to have worked!" She snuggles closer with more giggling.
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Post by lichlord on Mar 16, 2020 6:28:54 GMT
Vicky sighs.
"Yeah... sorry. I just... I haven't felt so disregarded since I started. Just that Steelix flicking Leibling away like she was nothing just made me feel like I had restarted. Didn't matter that I had five badges."
She looks up at the ceiling.
"I don't think we've talked about this, but Leibling actually 'can't' evolve. I found her years ago in Ilex, very injured. She was scrawny then, and was declared the 'runt' of their litter and was left behind. That's when I found her and nursed her to health. But... Weedle have really fast turn around into Kakuna and then Beedrill. Turns out if you are being nursed to health during that period... you can miss your natural chance to cacoon and evolve."
She looks over at sleeping Leibling.
"But she's been my best friend since. And I knew she was tough to survive her hive kicking her out, and even a Weedle has the essence of a Beedrill in them. So I knew she could take people. But... other trainers disagreed. Being an adorable girl beginner trainer with just a Weedle, everyone thought less of us. Either they were patronizing and threw fights to 'not hurt my feelings', or straight up said they didn't want to fight. Can't get anywhere without wins, or training."
Vicky looks back.
"So I had to change that, and for a while I tried a different more gruff voice and ran around in a whole get up that made me look like some sadistic riding crop-wielding tough bitch."
She giggles.
"I gave that up after fighting Whitney when it didn't feel needed anymore. I had three badges, all with Leibling on my side. Nobody at that point would doubt me, no matter what facade I put on. But... that fight with Jasmine sorta just put all that back in my mind. And... it just hurt."
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Post by Raven on Mar 16, 2020 6:40:41 GMT
May gazes into Victoria's eyes. "I'm sure that neither Leader Jasmine nor her Steelix meant it to be as dismissive as it seemed. In fact, I bet that her Steelix did what it did because it didn't want to badly injure Liebling when she could barely even hurt it with that first attack. I'm certain that they'd go all out against something that could actually hurt them." She rambles. "Yeah, it might suck that Liebling can't do it, but for as strong as she is, she's still just a Weedle. She'll only ever get so strong, and some fights might simply be beyond her. I know you said she beat a Snorlax and some other trainer's Steelix before, but Jasmine is a Steel-Type Specialist and a Gym Leader. Her Steelix is probably her toughest Pokemon. Maybe just...use someone else? Liebling will have plenty more fights that she can win in new and exciting ways in the future, yeah?"
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Post by lichlord on Mar 16, 2020 6:51:50 GMT
She looks back.
"But that's exactly 'why' it hurt to see, just being disregarded like that. I'm sure you are right in their actual 'intent', but it didn't stop me feeling that way."
She sighs after the second part.
"Yeah you are probably right. It's just... she is my strongest pokemon, no joke. So it's hard not to use her."
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Post by Raven on Mar 16, 2020 7:00:07 GMT
May pouts up at Victoria. "Maybe that's the problem? You're so focused on making sure Liebling shows off how awesome she is that you neglect to think about whether she's the right choice for a given fight. Tough fight? Liebling can do it! Not sure who to pick? Liebling is the default choice! Y'see the pattern here?"
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Post by lichlord on Mar 16, 2020 23:54:05 GMT
Vicky looks like she's about to argue and then realization hits her.
"Shit... I have been doing that, haven't I? Ooops."
She looks over, now paranoid if she's put too much pressure on her friend like that...
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Post by Raven on Mar 17, 2020 3:20:11 GMT
May's pout turns into a soft smile. "Good that you realized! I'm sure Liebling doesn't mind being in the spotlight, but...maybe let some other Poke-Pals get their time in the limelight, eh?"
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Post by lichlord on Mar 17, 2020 3:23:49 GMT
She sits up and pouts.
"...now I feel bad for everyone else."
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Post by Raven on Mar 17, 2020 3:45:28 GMT
May giggles and hugs Victoria some more. "Just lay back down, get some sleep, and talk to them all in the morning. I'm sure they'll understand if you just explain!"
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Post by lichlord on Mar 17, 2020 3:48:20 GMT
"Alright..."
She does as instructed and lays back and tries to go back to sleep.
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