A/N: Warning: This update contains two D6 of Psychic Damage against the reader.
Chapter 25
Battle Courts, Ecruteak City
Evolutions…are not created equal.
No one is surprised by this. Everyone knows some jumps in power are just better than others. Even the mainstream media back on earth was aware of how useless little Magikarp becomes the ferocity that is Gyarados once it transforms.
That's a 340 increase in Base Stat Total by the way. It's tied for first place at the top of the pyramid alongside its Gen III cousin Feebas/Milotic.
But while so many know about the incredible evolutionary details of those two…did you know Noibat into Noivern gains an almost equally impressive 290?
What about Makuhita? He's a fun one. All six of his stats literally just double when he turns into Hariyama. No skewed distribution. No weighted gains besides the one at his waistline. Everything just doubles. Clean and simple. I think he might actually be unique in that regard.
Those are all species with only one evolution though. They need to get everything they can in one leap.
Pokémon with an additional stage -appropriately named 'three-stage Pokémon'-, they like to spread out those gains a bit. Do it more piecemeal.
Pidgey into Pidgeotto for example, gains a respectable 98 across its stat line. Not terrible. Certainly not amazing. Just…a fine evolution.
Charmander into Charmeleon is right there in the middle of the pack too. 96 points for the fire lizard.
Gastly into Haunter? Almost the same. 95 points.
Machop to Machoke? Slightly better actually. A nice even one hundr- and oh shit, I just realized you think I'm talking all this evolution stuff because of what happened with Ma Ma.
No. No no no no.
Don't get me wrong. The upgrade from Ursaring into Ursaluna is a good one. By sacrificing a solid chunk of its Sp. Attack and a tiny bit of Speed, the 'mon is able to fuel massive gains on the Physical side. Plus 40 in HP. Plus 30 in Defense. An Attack stat that now outstrips Salamence.
The 'mon quite literally turns itself into a living, breathing, sentient tank.
But that's not who I've been alluding to when I say 'evolutions aren't equal'.
I'm talking about Krookodile.
The red-skinned reptile sledgehammers the Golduck into the earth, uncaring of the type disadvantage and getting his opponent's mouth to wrench open with a horrid gasp.
You see…Sandile into Krokorok is what I call a 'weak' evolution. Only an anemic 59 point gain. Very below average. Krokorok should really just be called 'Sandile plus'. Sandile version 1.2. A Sandile that's now walking on two legs.
Olivia's other Pokémon, a Corsola, frantically fires off Bubblebeams to keep the charging crocodilian away, but K.Rool just darts and weaves past them with his new Speed like it's nothing. Letting his jaws glow with Crunch as he rushes in like the predator he is.
The evolution of Krokorok to Krookodile on the other hand?
One hundred and sixty-eight points.
'And a whole two levels early again. Just like last time.'
Well, he's always been a bit of an overachiever hasn't he?
Route 38
Mmm. I look up again at the setting sun and work at something in my jaw.
We're not really making great time here, travel-wise.
Per the original plan, we should've been halfway through the next Route over by sundown yesterday. I've definitely allowed myself to dawdle.
But it's just that this place has been such a goldmine!
I don't know what it is, but the trainers passing through here have just been non-stop.
Valerie and her feminine squad of Jumpluff, Jigglypuff, Wigglytuff.
Christopher and his team of Mr. Mime, Magneton, and an Arbok.
Sailor Eugene and his crew of Water-types plus a single Raticate. Don't worry, I made sure to make the 'bilge rat' joke. Got it covered.
I even did battle with one of those weirdly obsessive 'Bird Keepers'.
A man named Toby who had a mated pair of Dodrio and their three Doduo offspring, with each of the younglings about a year apart in age.
For those counting, that's twelve extra mouths to feed! And here I thought I had it bad!
…
…
Yes, I know it's only five stomachs, leave my joke alone.
In addition to the trainers passing through though, there's also the wildlife that's been just perfect for what my team needs right now.
Junior has been bullying Magnemite by the dozen with his new move Mud Bomb. And while yes, that's a pretty lackluster technique for a primarily Physical Attacker to have, it's worlds better than the Mud-Slap he was working with before. My little man's already gained two more levels just since we got here!
Simon has somehow –in true logic defying protagonist fashion- picked up Foresight after seeing some of the local Hoothoot and Noctowl population employ it against him. He's been practicing it to try and land improved accuracy Dynamic Punches against all the wild cows here with greater and greater success.
Though...speaking of the bovines who are out and about here in this large and expansive Route…
Man, do I feel bad.
Imagine you're a Tauros right? There you are, sleeping peacefully in your herd. Protected in numbers and by the fact that you're a...well a Tauros and no one is really going to bother you anyway. The biggest predator around is maybe the occasional Persian who evolved from one of the local Meowths.
A threat to a newborn calf, for sure. But not a threat to you.
And then an 800 pound Ursaluna -which you don't even know what that is- just grabs you in the dead of night and I don't think I need to go into the grisly details of the rest.
Grisly? Grizzly? Hmm. There's a pun there somewhere.
Thank goodness for the literal magic of Berries and the fact that Poké Chow is even more calorie-dense than peanut butter. The feeding requirements of my team have just gone up again.
Okay.
With all that said, we really do need to get a move on.
Route 39 and Johto's largest milk farm, here we come!
Route 39
Oh god my eyes! GGAAAHHH! What the fuck!
All I wanted was to buy a case of Moomoo Milk for my team! Was that so fucking wrong!
Fresh, straight from the farm! Cheap, straight from the farm! A nutritious drink that puts Super Potions and Sitrus Berries to shame!
I did not sign up for turning a corner at the ranch and seeing a Tauros wildly rutting against a Miltank!
Nor did I sign up for the euphoric human expression on the female Pokémon's face!
God, where's the fucking eye bleach when you need it?!
One of the assistant ranch hands reaches over to pat me on the back. "You alright there, son?" His accent is thick. A western drawl underneath a handlebar moustache. "I take it you city boys ain't used to seein' some things out in the open are ya?"
A second pipes in. One with olive-skin, dust-stained chaps and a large ten-gallon hat. "I hear in them fancy Goldenrod centers, they use backrooms and Ditto to get all their controlled breedin' done." He says with a little laugh. "Never made much sense to me tho'. Too much of that kind of thing leads to problems wit' what we call genetic diversity. You kno' what I'm sayin' Jim?"
"Wait. Is the Ditto the mother or the father in these scenarios?" Rancher #3 -evidently named 'Jim'- asks in puzzlement.
"Hmm." Ten-gallon hat rancher turns his head up in thought. "You know I don't rightly know. Maybe they switch it up every now and again?
Jim looks disturbed. "So a Ditto could produce an egg for Eevee one month and then father a Jynx the one after that?"
"Heh." The previously silent fourth man chuckles once. "You know what else they say happens in the cities regarding Jynx right? Them lips sure be purty."
Oh my god, now I need bleach for my ears too. Can I just make my purchase and leave please?
Olivine City
"A week?" I question to the Gym's receptionist. "You don't have anything sooner? I'll even take a match later in the evening if that helps any."
The stern librarian-esque woman shakes her head. "I'm sorry sir. We've had an unexpected surge in the volume of trainers coming through lately and we're booked solid. I'm afraid you'll just have to wait like everyone else."
My gaze looks upward as I mull over options. "Is there any chance…I can book an appointment with Jasmine outside of a Gym match? I have something unrelated I need to speak to her about. It's…potentially quite a bit more important than a simple Badge."
The woman, 'Miranda' as her name tag reads, seems to barely hold back a scoff at my request. "Nice try, sir. We've encountered plenty of young men and women who've attempted that trick already. You will not 'cut the line' by trying to set up an impromptu battle in the Gym Leader's free time."
"No, that's not-" I shake my hand into my hair a bit. "I have a Pokémon I need her to look at. It's not well."
The secretary is starting to look a little annoyed, as are the six people in line standing behind me. "I assure you sir," her tone is getting colder. "Our Pokémon Center here in Olivine is state of the art. If you have a team member who needs medical attention, I would suggest taking it there."
"No, it's-" I pause for a moment, searching for the right words. "It's a Steel-type. A very rare Steel-type. I swear, I'm not trying to be sneaky and set up a fight. I just want an expert's opinion on it."
"This is the Steel-type city sir," She adjusts her glasses. "I'm sure you'll find our local Nurse Joy is well-versed in whatever ailment your team member may be suffering from." She rips off the appointment slip from her book and almost pushes it into my hand. "Next!" She calls, tilting left to peer past me. "Can I get the next person in line, please!"
Well shit.
What am I going to do for a week?
Battle Tower, West of Olivine City
"Huh-tah!" I slap my arms. "Huh-yah!"
K.Rool matches my movements as we stomp a rudimentary Haka into the sand, daring anyone to come out of their ivory fortress and challenge us.
The Battle Tower.
An elite club of losers who collected eight Gym Badges and then went nowhere else in life. People who challenged an Elite Four for their spot and lost. Silver Conference runner-ups. Scrubs who never made it past the preliminaries in the big leagues and the occasional Ace Trainer who's actually a cool guy and doesn't deserve the flak I'm throwing.
They all gather here.
Some for the excuse of 'keeping their skills sharp'. Some who want to get in some training for the next big tournament that might be around the corner. Some who just like the status of hanging out in a place that keeps the 'riff raff' out while also luxuriating in five star hotel level amenities.
Did I mention you needed all eight of Johto's Badges to go inside? I feel like I at least implied it.
There's some logging crews outside occasionally giving me a screwy look as I continue to make a spectacle of myself. The League apparently has plans to upgrade this place from a single tower into some sort of sprawling battle district with lots of varied challenges.
Wait...is that what the 'Battle Frontier' thing is that Brandon is involved with over in Hoenn? Did Johto get one of our own in the Gen II remakes?
Huh…I can't remember. Damn, it's a rare day when my in-game knowledge fails me on subjects from before Gen VIII. I really thought I had everything Pre-Galar on lock.
Well, no point in being concerned about it right now. If we are in fact getting our own 'Battle Frontier' here in Indigo, it'll be years before all this construction is done and the place is up and running. They're still in the 'cutting away the forest' phase.
The sliding glass doors of the Battle Tower open and it seems my public taunting has finally bore some fruit.
He's male, a little older than me, and dressed all-in with an eye-catching dual color scheme of red & yellow. Everything from his dyed hair, to his jacket, to his too tight pants are all stylized with the fire and electric theme. Plus his demeanor is dripping with that wonderful blend of smugness, over-confidence, and annoyance at me.
Woo-wee, I must have been a good boy this year because Christmas has come early. I couldn't imagine a more perfect piece of prey.
With a flick of his wrist the stranger releases a Lv. 48 Magmortar to his side and the fiery 'mon doesn't hesitate in aiming its arm-cannon directly at K.Rool and me. "You two haven't earned the right to be here yet." He informs me while looking down past his nose. "Leave, before someone gets hurt."
"Oooohh, I'm so scared." My grin turns ten-miles wide. "Let me guess? Do you have an Electivire on your belt as well to complete the theme? Ooh! Or better yet, a Magnezone? There's a new Ground-type on my team who has something we're calling 'Headlong Rush' and we'd just love a 4x weak opponent to try it out on."
