Part 29: Think You've Got Me Cornered?

Update 30: Think You've Got Me Cornered?

Circhester - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST

O-okay, that sounds bad.

Not as bad as it sounds. I think.

Okay…

So, you know how Psychic Pokémon aren’t supposed to have much effect on humans?

Apparently not.

It’s… I honestly couldn’t tell you the details off the top of my head, but it’s got something to do with brainwave lengths or something. But I read it’s possible for a powerful one to mess with memory formation - this stuff is vanishingly rare, most Psychic Pokémon can only barely affect humans, but it’s theoretically possible. Maybe this is some kind of delayed effect?

Is that a rhetorical question? Because I don’t know the answer.

_{Wha… What happened?}

Oh thank God…

Sonia, how are you feeling?

_{Like somebody hit me in the back of the head… head hurts…}

Do you remember what happened?

_{I think…} Wait – wait! _{My head…} Gloria, can you help me up?

Doing it.

I think… I think I just had a breakthrough. But… Hey Gloria, you carry ibuprofen around, right?

Yeah, it helps with the sensory stuff sometimes… You want some?

Yeah, pass it over.





Oh, relax, you two. It’s not like my brain drained out my nose or something. I’m a bit foggy now, but I’m a heck of a lot better than I was even when I woke up. Just have to wait for the painkiller to kick in…

…

…

Actually, I have a request.

Ask away!

Can you guys have a Pokémon fight?

… Is this really the time and the place.

Honestly. I know I’m not in tip-top shape and I must’ve scared the pants off you when I fainted like that, but I’m awake, my head is mostly clear, and I think I know what caused it and how to get around it. I’m fine. But I need some time to get my wits back about me and for those painkillers to kick in, so we have some time to waste. And honestly? I just want to see how you two fight. It’s been ages since I watched you have your scrap by Gran’s house and they don’t air Challenger-Challenger fights.

Actually, I’m okay with that. Plus, I bet we both need something to keep us from fixating on this.



Gloria, do you have the team you used to take down Melony still on you?

It never went anywhere.

Well, then...





Hop Battle Theme for Solo Piano - Pokemon Sword & Shield - Piano Sheet Music
^{This one is worth listening to, it’s just lovely.}







Well, looks like Hop is getting his shit together; a nearly full team, plus opening with his former Wooloo. Bruce hits it with a critical Low Kick and it goes down.





Yeah, look, he’s actually connecting with his Pokémon again.



This thing… I can never remember what type it is – it looks like a Water-type, being a sea urchin, but I swear it’s like electric or something. I hit it with a Ground move, which is super effective – and then Hop breaks out a Hyper Potion, keeping it alive one round longer.



Bonham comes out next. I feel kind of bad cheesing his party with my best Pokémon, but it’s not like I’m giving up type advantages, so I throw out Alexander – only to realize I’d forgotten to rename him . Bonham still goes down in one hit. Same with Snorlax via Low Kick



Sorry, mate.

Since this battle is practically over, I take the opportunity to show off something of Dietrich’s that I haven’t had the opportunity yet…





She rocks her enemies to death .



I feel bad about this fight. I completely outmatched him; It’s hard to show off the game when without actively trying you prevent your opponents from doing anything interesting. I mean, there are harder fights down the line, but I’m considering dodging trainers just so I don’t stay so overleveled. It’s kind of depressing. But then, I guess you could say this sort of matches his character arc? He also gets far more formidable down the line.

I also feel it’s here that NPC Trainers’ lack of access to the Affection mechanic starts to really cost the game. Part of Hop’s character arc is accepting that he can love his Pokémon without connecting that love to his desire to live up to his brother. This is the point where he starts really embracing that and trying to focus on his team instead of looking for gimmicks to exploit in battle; it only makes sense that their Affection would start to climb in response. It would’ve also turned this flight from a curbstomp to a serious challenge, about on par with Bede’s second fight. I took most of his Pokémon out by using powerful moves strategically; Affection-driven dodges and the ability for high-Affection Pokémon to hold on with one hit point when they would’ve otherwise fainted would have bought them precious time to wear down my team, and the extra critical hits might have taken out a monster or two with some luck. But I don’t even know if that’s mechanically possible in this game. It sure didn’t show up here.

Oh well.

Circhester - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST

Yeah, that’s about what I expected. But… It feels… Good, I think. I enjoyed this fight a lot more than I have in a while.

I – look, I’d love to talk about how your team is developing but I’m still kind of fixated on how Sonia’s doing…

No, I’m fine, that really did help. Okay, gather ‘round children, I’ve put together what happened. You know how I got lost in the woods a ways back?

Yeah…

I think Zacian found me.

!

He looked a lot like Zamazenta as you described him, but blue instead of red. I’d already been stumbling around terrified for like a day when I bumped into him. Then he pinned me down and… Hmm… I’m not sure how to describe it. It felt like he was rifling through my head like a flipbook – I was reliving memories at random and I didn’t have any control over it. Very invasive, but at that point I was too tired to feel much of anything. After a while of that he spat fog in my face and I passed out, and I must have woken up and wandered out because I don’t remember much until after I got back home.

That’s… Do you think it had any permanent effects?

I have a wicked headache right now, but it feels like… Well, it feels exactly like a bad hangover, honestly, and if it is it’ll go away after I drink some fluids and have a lie down. I’ll be keeping an eye on it, though.

So, theories?

My leading theory is that we should talk about this later, I’m not really fit for debate now. But… It was good to see you two fighting again. You’ve both grown. A lot.

That lines up with what I’ve read; no matter how strong the Pokémon, they can’t do permanent damage to a person’s head. If it’s all right with you lot, I’m a bit antsy and I want to go heal up my Pokémon and try the Gym again.

Go, shoo, have fun.

I’m off, then. Nice seeing you and nice fighting you, but I have to a job to do! Then, once I get that Gym Badge, I’ll be heading for Route 9 to take on Spikemuth next.

He leaves.

Seems like he finally shook off that gloom. Leon’d worry if Hop wasn’t feeling all right.

Yeah.

Right, I’m off. You have anything you need before I leave, Gloria?

Not really.

I’ll send you a text when I get back home. Laters!

…