Part 14: You're Not Weak, You Just Lack Talent

Update 15: You’re Not Weak, You Just Lack Talent

Chairman Rose's Theme - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST



Apparently, this is the only restaurant in the entire town.

Oh, were you invited, too?

Oh, so you two know each other? Great! Come sit down.



Naturally, if one is going to eat here, the obvious choice is the local cuisine! Everything on the menu is delicious. By the way, how is Prof. Magnolia getting on? I’m quite indebted to her, you know. She was the one who figured out how to unleash the power of Wishing Stars and use that power to Dynamax Pokémon. We would never have been able to create Dynamax Bands without her.

She was saying that there’s still so much we don’t know about Dynamaxing. It’s been so long since her last breakthrough she’s starting to worry there’s something fundamental we’re missing, and so, given just how powerful and unpredictable Dynamax energy is… She even made me take a Power Spot Detector with me when I started traveling…

I don’t like hearing that Prof. Magnolia is so worried; she’s one of the world’s greatest scientists and a good friend. If only there were something I could do… Sonia, I’d like to ask you to look through the vaults in Hammerlocke and see if there’s anything interesting or unusual in the records there. I understand you’ve been doing your own research on the subject, yes?

… Yes.

Then you’ll have full access to the archives as soon as possible. Oleana?

Understood, Chairman. You will receive your badge by the end of tomorrow, at the latest. However, I believe it is about time we got going, Chairman.

Hm? But I’ve hardly had a chance to speak with Gloria! It’s regrettable, but I suppose it can’t be helped. If something needs to get done, there’s no time like the present, after all! In any case, I bid you all farewell!

And they leave.



I mean, he’s right that the vaults probably have plenty of information, but… If he gets orders them to give me a badge, then I’ll have to put up with their staff resenting me for skipping the queue, so…



Word to the wise: Hammerlocke’s university system is a right mess. Don’t get involved unless you have to, and if you do, try to go through somebody else. Rose just made my life harder because now I HAVE to use the pass he got me, which means I can’t… Look, enough of all that. You got the Water Badge, yeah? Defeating Nessa’s no small feat. Nessa’s a good friend. Perhaps I should drop in on her, see what she knows before I head out. Until next time, Gym Challenger!

… Goodbye?



All right, mate! You’ve got both the Grass Badge and the Water Badge by now, right? In that case, we’re both headed for Motostoke and the Fire Gym Leader, Kabu! I hear he’s training in the mines between here and Motostoke, which means the gym’s closed until he gets back – and we can get a look at how he fights beforehand, or even challenge him! Won’t get us the Badge, but reconnaissance is reconnaissance, right?

I mean, yeah, but it’s, what, almost sunset right now. Where’re you planning on bunking down for the night?

I’ll be camping just out of town.

It’s been a of couple weeks since I was last home, so I figure I’m going to call a skytaxi to Postwick and stay with me mum for once. You’ll probably be in first.

I’ll let you know when I find him, maybe we can catch him in a double battle?

Then I guess I’ll see you there, mate.

Galar Mines - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST

Welcome to the second mine in the game –

Bede's Theme - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST



I’d feel sorry for my Pokémon if I made them take part in a battle against low-level opponents. I’m not in the mood to deal with weaklings right now. Then again, I suppose it’s a form of mercy to crush weak opponents early on. If you are under the misguided impression that you’re stronger than me, then surely you would be up for a Pokémon battle.

… I heard your conversation with Rose in Hulbury. That was, what, yesterday afternoon? Have you really gotten that much better in under 24 hours?

You have no idea how fast I can improve. Get out your goddam Pokémon and fight! After all, it’s utterly inconceivable that I, the Challenger chosen by the chairman, will lose!

Battle! Bede (8-bit; VRC6+N163) - Pokemon Sword and Shield



This was by far the hardest fight in the game yet. I open with Chairman, and his first Pokémon, a Solosis strikes its weakness and one hit kills it, much to my shock. That’s the first time I’ve had a Pokémon faint on me yet, so good on him for that. He also manages to wear down L337, for now my dedicated anti-Psychic trooper, until I switched out for Bruce, who… Well, he’s Bruce. And yet… For context, my fight with the last Gym Leader took one Pokémon of mine into the yellow. This fight knocked one Pokémon out and put two more in the yellow. However much of a prick he may be, Bede is no slouch when it comes to combat.



Galar Mines - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST



You’re not weak – you just lack talent. Your chances of completing the Gym Challenge are pretty slim, I must say.

Hold up, mate, there’s some basic logical dissonance going on here. You keep talking about how superior you are and every time you start to brag your arse gets kicked. What is your deal?

I was chosen specifically by the chairman as his protégé. He plucked me from an orphanage and has been training me for nearly a decade as his heir.

Damn. Wait, did he ever announce anything about that? That’s the sort of thing that ought to make Regional news.

He never had to. It’s always been clear!

Has he been training you to take over for him in MC?

No, we’ve been focusing on Pokémon for –

For a decade? It’s not like he spends all of his time battling, he’s a businessman. Has he trained you for that? Did he just take you in to make you his pet Pokémon Trainer or something?

…

_{Oh wow, that was way too direct. Is he… Is he crying? Oh shit, he’s crying. That wasn’t that bad an insult, he shouldn’t be crying. What do I do?} Look, mate, I didn’t mean to… I don’t know what I meant to do with that, but that wasn’t supposed to hurt you –

Too late. Fuck off.

ANYWAY, here we have a more natural cave to traverse, even though in game they seem to treat it as another proper mine. I mean, last time we start construction equipment everywhere, but this time the terrain’s –

Team Yell Appears! - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST



Goddammit, let me finish.



Grunt A: You’re one of them takin’ part in the Gym Challenge, right?

Grunt B: Crikey, but that’s really somethin’! I’d love a battle against a great Trainer like you.

Oh, hullo, Hop. Nice of you to show up on time.

Well, look at you, Gloria! Surrounded by enduring fans, eh? You even be showing up Lee pretty soon!

You sound pretty excited about having your spotlight stolen.

Have you watched the interview yet?

No. Uh oh.





Grunt A: Oi, jog on, mate! Can’t you see we’re in the middle of a conversation here?

Yeah? And can’t you see that I’m Hop, the Trainer who’ll be your next Champion?

Grunt B: Oooh, so we’ve got a joker here, eh? You’re so funny, I forgot to laugh.

That comeback went stale before I was born, mate.

Grunt B: Scratch that, we have TWO jokers here.

Okay, look. The two of us were endorsed by the Champion himself! You want to fight, let’s go.



Whoa, whoa, hold up.

Grunt B: What? You ain’t gonna put this off forever, are ya?

No, just, what are those instrument of yours?

Grunt A: These are our horns! We yell into them!

Grunt B: Marnie likes them. What, you got a problem with them?

No, actually, I actually kinda like the sound.

Grunt B:… Look, we gonna fight or not?

Oh, pardon.

We fight. They aren’t very good. They do at least do a little damage; they almost took out Hop’s Wooloo! But they lose.

Grunt A: That little mug’s the Champions little brother… Guess that’s what you get when your older brother’s not useless…



Grunt B: I know we’re Team Yell, but we’ll leave quietly once we’re beaten…

They do.

Nice one, Gloria! That’s my rival for you! Now then… Where could Kabu have gone off to? Let’s keep going. Maybe he’s farther in!

Actually, I’ve been doing some thinking… I’m going to head back to the Pokémon Center now, get my Pokémon healed up before I go any deeper.

Well, suit yourself. Don’t be surprised when I beat the Gym before you even get out of the tunnel!

…

I’m taking this opportunity to head back to the center and switch out Quoth for Dietrich; she’s been good to me so far, but Flying is only so good a Type as Type Advantages go and I could really use some Electricity on my team. I’ll also take that this as an opportunity to bring the update to a close. Bede’s signature Pokémon is a Hatenna, and though it hasn’t come up yet, that Pokémon is actually important to his character arc. If anyone with post credit (Megane, Black Robe, Tenebrais, and LiefKatano, from what I can tell) wants to give it a name, I’ll work it into the narrative.