Behind Every Monster Is a Person in a Cute Costume: Let's Play Moemon Leafgreen!

[Deme]

Chapter 23: Madness? THIS - IS - VERMILLION!

Spoiler

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I decided to do a little more training before Surge, though it's mainly an excuse to let everyone out to enjoy the beautiful weather we have here. I can't get my cruise vacation, I am enjoying my patch pokemon-infested grass, gosh-darnit!
And I'm enjoying it. Azula practices her attacks, striking at the air and dodging the blows of an imaginary enemy. Fisticuffs attacks random trees. Spike is off thinking (or maybe planning to punch something; I see him, punching into his own hand as he thinks) with ChuChu hanging off of his side -- he rolls his eyes every now and again. Rya and I are just sort of relaxing.
"That cloud looks like a flower."
"What, you mean the one that looks like a sun?"
"...Yeah, it kind of does."

And Terra...

Wait, what's that wild pokemon doing near her?
The Drowzee leans over her and licks her lips.
"How...beautiful."
Terra lifts her head as I approach. She glances at the Drowzee, who looks at her.
"Want to know what it was about? It was such a pretty dream, my dear..."
"Was it, now?...Hm. I don't really care what it was about. I'll have more."
The Drowzee's jaw dropped.
"More dreams...just like that lovely one..." A smile crosses her face "I see...and are you alone? I know this area very well..."
I interrupt her offer.
"Lila, take her out!"
I reach for a pokeball -- I know I'm cheating league rules, but I'm not battling formally. Just relaxing, up until now.
The Drowzee turned to me as the stun spores fell over her.

"You! Summoner, Tamer, Trainer!"
"Yes? What?"
"I want you to capture me."
"What, why?"
"Because. From the way you rushed to defend her from me, without a desire to capture a more precious specimen first, tells me that you're her trainer. Most trainers specialize in single-type pokemon, so if you have a Kadabra, a psychic type, and a butterfree, which uses psychic-type attacks... In other words, if you capture me, you'll most likely include me on your team, along with her, where I can eat such beauty for the rest of my days in this world... In other words, you're the perfect vehicle for my desire!"
"..."
"From your very existence, this level of reasoning is possible for Erika the Drowzee. What do you think, everyone?"
"...The heck?"
"...H-hide me..."
"Very astute. Will you, Mistress?"
"What?!"
"You don't have a Drowzee yet, do you? What will this Professor of yours, who sends his agents to check such matters, think about your refusal?"
I imagine his dissapointed old face. Darnit, you guys...

"You know, though, there was a flaw in her reasoning..."
"Oh?"
"Her entire plan was based around you being an ordinary trainer. I think I feel much safer knowing she can't follow us freely."

"Besides...I feel rather sorry for her. After all: I can have as many dreams as I can have hours of sleep...But she? Her kind must take dreams, dream vicariously. All intelligent life needs dreams to live. Dreaming is what makes these flimsy, cruel worlds bearable..." I don't really know what she means. Dreaming hasn't done much but disappoint me: every dream is pain waiting to happen when they fall through. I work on this dream we had...But to remember her. The real fulfillment of our dream will never happen. It hurts. But she looks up at me with a sad look in her eyes and shakes her head. "How can I not pity a creature like that?"
"Because she's clearly some sort of horrible monster?"
"The world made her that way. The world made you special, and it made her dreamless. We all have our crosses to bear, but at least you and I could dream of a world without them."
She sighs and slowly closes her eyes. I put her back in the pokeball and let her drift to sleep.


I've made my team legal again just in time to notice a trainer here I didn't see the other day.

Well, let's see if the extra day made a difference.

His Nidoran(male) takes exactly two hits of Ember to go down, and inflects almost no damage in return...so I guess not.

His Nidorino, despite being theoretically stronger, actually isn't much better at all. They're basically the same pokemon in practice; the match is kind of dull.

But, hey, at least Azula levels up.

"Thank you, too."
At least he's graceful in loss.

But since I'm catching, maybe I'll get someone out of Diglett's Cavern.
I notice one Diglett poke its head out of the ground. It looks surprised.
"How about her, Lila?"
"O-ok..."

"Good. I just didn't want her tunneling off."

"There."
"Wha...what's going on?"
"Sorry about that. I just thought it would be easier catching you if you were asleep."
She ducks her head below ground. It takes her a minute to come back up.
"Y-you're...a human who can speak with us?"
"Yup." It's been a while since we've done this recap, hasn't it?
"...I-I don't have to be outside just yet, do I?"
"Not at the moment...We'll get better acquainted first. Do you have a name you like?"[/color]
"...Toph?"
"An excellent choice."
And so Toph joined our crew.


And now it's time to face down the gym. I'll be keeping my eye on Spike, but I'm feeling confident.

Here's my question: what would have happened if the boat hadn't have had a guy to give me a cut HM? I mean, what sort of contrived coincidence is that? It's almost...videogame logic.


"That's not cautious. That's paranoid...Thanks, Mr. Annoyance."
So all of these trashcans are part of the lock, then? Or are the red herrings, and the real solution is --

Now, see, that's not paranoia. That is madness. I mean, impassable laser grids? How much does that even cost? He gets money to build absurd security systems?


"I'm no kid! I'm a healthy young woman!"

Speaking of which, what's a sailor doing here? Don't they normally use water types?

It wastes not just one, but two attacks on trying to hit Spike while he was doing. If Surge's team is as quick as they say, I may just have it made!


His second one didn't just waste an attack; it actually hurt itself with an attack, which is almost as sad.


Because he's a lunatic.

Listening.

Hmm... Not a good henchman, spilling all the secrets.


Makes sense, I suppose.

I said I would trust Spike, and I am...but I'm a little nervous. He takes them out without holding back, so quick it's like lightning. But he listens to what I say, and he stops when the battle’s done. He’s not hurting anyone more than they would want to hurt him. If I punished them for enjoying it, FISTICUFFS and Azula would be in a lot of trouble. Maybe they all would, really.

Lt. Surge has very lousy henchmen. But at least I know where to look.




Gaaaah!
I keep looking all throughout the gym. I'm elbow-deep in trash every time, digging for a switch. I think I will murder this man. He’s very lucky to have this security system, then.

I go to examine the gate again.

You look a little old for him to have outranked you.

He's insane!


That may be the only thing that could endanger Spike, a missed attack…

Or not.

Well, I guess I need to take a break from digging through trash to heal him up...

Good, good.

Why do you keep confusing 'caution' with 'paranoid insanity'? Have we checked him for Himinizawa syndrome? Has he been clawing his throat? Because that level of paranoia sounds like brain-parasite crazy to me.

I go to heal, and then it's back to searching.

AT LAST!

GOSH-DARNIT!
I go back to looking through the trash. Again. I get the first switch again...

Thank you, sweet merciful raptor Jesus.
It's time to put an end to this madness. It's time to beat Lt. Surge.

By the way, you can start voting on which 6 Reserve pokemon get trained up to speed in the chapter after next. Basically, everyone votes for 6 pokemon from the reserves (including the 2 introduced here) to be leveled up. The pokemon that get the most votes make their appearances. As always, you can vote for whatever reasons you like.

I'd like it if the votes themselves were in list format, ala:
1. Someone
2. Whomever
3. So-and-so
4. Insert Name Here
5. That one
6. This person

[Shades of Gray]

1) Mellow
2) Jasmine
3) Erika
4) Lila
5) Phoebe
6) Belle

[originalpimp]

1.) Mellow
2.) Erika
3.) Toph
4.) Phoebe
5.) Eve
6.) Belle

[Mando Knight]

1) Jasmine
2) Belle
3) Phoebe
4) Lila
5) Toph
6) Eve

[Penguinator]

1) Mellow
2) Erika
3) Jasmine
4) Toph
5) Leafe
6) Phoebe

[Deme]

The oddish is called Leafe, by the way.

[Penguinator]

Okay, fixing it. Sorry, it's been a while, and I don't have a lot of time for even a quick look through the archives.

[ScionoftheVoid]

1. Mellow.
2. Erika.
3. Eve.
4. Jasmine.
5. Leafe.
6. Helga.

[Ranielle]

1) Mellow
2) Jasmine
3) Leafe
4) Lila
5) Phoebe
6) Belle

[FantasyFoxMan]

1. Mellow
2. Erika
3. Jasmine
4. TopPercen
5. Eve
6. Leafe

[Dusk Eclipse]

1)Phoebe: Love triangles FTW!!! motivation trying to impress spike
2) Helga: I believe she needs a commendation for the selflessness she showed when she first left the party
3)Eve: I love arbok/snakes/poison types enough said
4)Lila: need moar training if she wants to keep with her job as a official catcher.
5)Jasmine: Who doesn't love a cute cat burglar? Might also help to calm Seed's duobts about her trustworthiness
6)TopPercen: Needs to prove she is in the Top Percent of the ratatasraticates!!!

[John Cribati]

1: Mellow
2: Erika
3: Phoebe
4: TopPercen
5: Jasmine
6: Eve

[Deca]

1)Mellow
2) Erika
3) Toph
4) Jasmine
5) Phoebe
6) Eve

[Deme]

Chapter is ever-so-slightly delayed on account of Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar.
On the other hand, seeing the voting trends is fascinating. XD

[originalpimp]

The votes so far...

Jasmine 9
Mellow 8
Phoebe 8
Erika 7
Eve 7
Belle 4
Leafe 4
Lila 4
Toph 4
TopPercen 3
Helga 2

[John Cribati]

Actually, you should factor the "score" as well as the rank/position they were voted. Make an average of some kind.

[Deme]

I don't think position matters as much. If you're on the list, you're voted for.

[Altaria87]

First of all, I've just finished reading the LP up until this point, and I must say it is very good, even though I was sincerely hoping an LP centering around cute girls in costumes wouldn't go all 'darker and edgier', I'm still eager to read more.
Also, some more votes:
1) Mellow
2) Erika
3) Leafe
4) Toph
5) Top Percen
6) Phoebe

[Deme]

First of all, I've just finished reading the LP up until this point, and I must say it is very good, even though I was sincerely hoping an LP centering around cute girls in costumes wouldn't go all 'darker and edgier', I'm still eager to read more.
Also, some more votes:
1) Mellow
2) Erika
3) Leafe
4) Toph
5) Top Percen
6) Phoebe

Hey, now, I didn't say anything about it becoming edgier. I'm not good with 'edge.' Things'll getting...Let's not call it 'dark,' since the definition of 'dark' is very vague, but a bit more serious in places (but not all over; I think if Seed as narrator goes too far with seriousness, she won't be able to keep moving) and a bit more dramatic. The stakes will get higher. The examination of this new world Seed's entered into closer. That sort of thing.

[PhoeKun]

Hey, now, I didn't say anything about it becoming edgier. I'm not good with 'edge.' This is probably about the hardness level of the series, and the heaviness of the series as a whole. Thing're getting...Let's not call it 'dark,' since the definition of 'dark' is very vague, but a bit more serious in places (but not all over; I think if Seed as narrator goes too far with seriousness, she won't be able to keep moving) and a bit more dramatic. The stakes will get higher. That sort of thing.

I don't think you've done anything that I would call dark or edgy. It's really hard to do 'dark and edgy' with a wisecracking young girl as your protagonist and a series of adorable little girls filling out the main cast. If people are complaining about it, it's because they have a very low tolerance for the dramatic, or (more likely) they enjoy the more lighthearted material so much that they want absolutely nothing to take attention away from that.

Long story short, shine on you crazy diamond.

1) Jasmine
2) Belle
3) Phoebe
4) Lila
5) Leafe
6) Eve

[Deme]

I don't think you've done anything that I would call dark or edgy. It's really hard to do 'dark and edgy' with a wisecracking young girl as your protagonist and a series of adorable little girls filling out the main cast. If people are complaining about it, it's because they have a very low tolerance for the dramatic, or (more likely) they enjoy the more lighthearted material so much that they want absolutely nothing to take attention away from that.

Long story short, shine on you crazy diamond.

1) Jasmine
2) Belle
3) Phoebe
4) Lila
5) Leafe
6) Eve

I think this mainly refers back to the few places where I said it's going to get "darker." This being said...Yeah. The basics of "wisecracking young heroine" and "Cast of cute little ambigiously-aged girls (and Spike)" will basically keep it from becoming overly edgy and bleak, but it's something a few people get concerned about. I like to think it's because they care and don't want to see bad things happening. I take it as a compliment.

[Penguinator]

Plus, I only remember that this is a hard mode LP about once a week.

All hail no deaths! (Knock on wood)

[Deme]

Plus, I only remember that this is a hard mode LP about once a week.

All hail no deaths! (Knock on wood)

Well, I've had good advisors and voters who haven't been out to doom me. That's very important.

[Penguinator]

1. Someone
2. Whomever
3. So-and-so
4. Insert Name Here
5. That one
6. This person

The votes so far...

Jasmine 9
Mellow 8
Phoebe 8
Erika 7
Eve 7
Belle 4
Leafe 4
Lila 4
Toph 4
TopPercen 3
Helga 2

Hang on, now, you missed these.

[originalpimp]

Hang on, now, you missed these.

Hardy har.

[Deme]

Huh. I legitimately thought there would be more stuff to do in this chapter, but really...no. Eh, well.

Chapter 24: Electric Boogaloo

Spoiler

Show

I step into the little room he's made for himself, this grizzled man with tall blonde hair and a maniac grin...or is that a grimace, masquerading as a grim smile? I can't decide.


"I'm past your gates and here to fight."

Lt. Surge: "I put up those gates to keep every little waste-of-time from getting beaten; I'm keeping you out for your own good."
"I beat Brock and Misty."
Lt. Surge: "Big deal. Brock...He's a good trainer, but he likes to take it easy on kids like you. 'give them hope,' he calls it. I say it's just enough hope to hang yourself with. And Misty's a flake. You're at that age. You know." He spat, as if being 'a flake' was the worst thing he could think of.
"Don't insult them!" I don't know why I'm defending my enemies...But Brock was a nice guy; he wanted me to do well. And Misty was hard. He doesn't get to mock them for just being the first and second gym leaders! The gates shudder back to electric life behind me. "You'll be beaten easiest of all..."
Lt. Surge: "If you want to fight, I'll bring it; but there's no turning back, now. You're locked in here with me."
"No, Surge. Your pokemon are locked in here with Spike."
”Hey! I went on a violent rampage just once! That doesn’t make me Rorschach in this scenario!”



I will not be thrown off by that oddly mincing little battlepose.


Huh. I was expecting a Pikachu or something. But my plan's the same.
"Spike! Like we've been doing!"
Spike nods. He digs down as the Voltorb screeches, and comes up with his claws first, knocking it to the sky and back to the ground.


Ah, there's that Pikachu. If it has quick-attack, there could be a bit of pain, here.
"Be careful of its speed!"
"Arright! Haaa!"
He digs as quickly as possible, but the Pikachu doesn't starting with an attack. It decides to try and dodge the death from below that was coming.

It is not effective.
Spike took a moment to breath. He turned his head back towards me. He nods.
"Do your worst, Surge."
Lt. Surge: "I've been holding back until now!"
Suuure.

For a moment, I feel a bit of panic. Pride before a fall and all that. That moment of pure confidence drains: Misty's Starmie looked easy, too. I can imagine how easily this can go wrong. My heart flutters. Spike tilts his head to glance back at me again.
"No worries. I have this..." he grins as if he's savoring the opportunity to grin, to play cool again. Maybe it's a front and he's as nervous as I am. "Under control."
He could be faking the confidence. But then I'm grinning to. This guy, this Surge, he's all talk.
"OK, Spike, give it everything you can!"

And then he's gone, underneath the surface of the gym; the tile is meaningless to them, just a little game of time and space.

The Raichu readies itself to dodge. I think I can see the nerves as it waits for Spike to come up.
And he does. It connects in a beautiful blow.

"Looks like we're done here, Lieutenant. Good work, Spike."

Oh, now he tries to go for a pun.

Lt. Surge: "Guess I misjudged you; it's hard telling, sometimes."
The suddenly-friendly guy in front of me...How is this the same person?


"Hard telling what, exactly?"
Lt. Surge: "Don't play dumb. The way you trusted him and talked to him, the way you deployed attacks somewhat effectively...I know you've got it."
He could tell? Does that mean he can see the pokemon the way I can?...I wonder about Misty, then, too: and Brock! The way he talked like FISTICUFFS after she beat his team!


He walks right over any gap in the conversation I could use to ask a question. I hear the gates sizzle dead behind me.

Lt. Surge: "You've got the gift, so you can start... but don't count on making it just by that! We only get tougher from here! Now hurry out before the gates shut again!"
I look behind me. They're still down. And I want to ask...
But I don't have time. I'll have to save that for Erika, or maybe ask Azula.

I decide that's what I should do after I leave the gym.
"Azula...Do all the gym leaders know about you guys?"
"I don't know, actually. I don't know the means by which your world selects its rulers and its champions. It may just be raw skill, or it may be that they have true power."
Thanks, Azula. That is so very extra helpful.
…
…
Gabba-Gabba-Hey! We just one-shotted the entire team of a freaking gym leader!
Screw the mysteries of the world, I have awesome pokemon!

We have a little party to celebrate. It's kind of scant; I mean, I just ordered a pizza and a bottle of soda and we all hung around the docks for a while, eating and talking.
While everyone is watching ChuChu try and argue that she should give Spike a victory kiss, and Spike exclaims about sexual harassment, I take out an old sheet of paper.

Our plan. Our little map of kanto, done in red crayon, with the routes in blue (or is that green? I can never tell with our old crayons). I've been so worried about sanity and metaphyisics that I haven't had any time to keep my promise.
"And when we go exploring with my pokemon, we'll mark off every gym we beat with a big star!"
"And when we're done it'll look like a big night sky, right, Seed?"
"Yeah. We'll beat so many gyms, we'll be able to make a constellation."
She was really the one who cared about this sort of thing: I just liked seeing her happy. I'm enjoying this, don't get me wrong... But I never thought I'd be doing it for me, and I don't even think I am. I'm getting caught up in it, doing it for the team...and for her. Which means I have to put a star on.
"...Do you need a napkin?" Azula appears at my side with a napkin from the pizza place. I blink back the start of tears.
"No, I'm fine."
"That's not our map."
"You're right. But I promised someone I'd mark it off when we beat a gym. Kind of silly, I know."
"If it is a promise that matters to you, Mistress, it cannot be silly." She shook her head with a rare smile and added, "Even if I don't understand it. You've come a long way, Mistress."
"Thanks, Azula."
I put the piece of notebook paper away and stand up.

"Ok, what now, you guys?"
"We should train for the coming journeys."
"Let's keep going forward!"
"Does it matter?"
"Look behind us and see what we've missed along the way."
Everyone turns to look at Terra.
"Yeah, I like that plan. Let's see what we can get at in other areas with our new skills."

***
One trip through Diglett's Tunnel later...
***

"Thank you, Mellow."
"No trouble. DeAtH tO CloRoPhIlL-bAsEd LiFeFoRmS! FuNgI sHaLl RuLe."
"Wait, excuse me?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing...FoR yOuR uSeFuLlNeSs, YoU wIlL bE sPaReD."
...Now I wonder what I've done to be so useful. And am very disturbed.
...

Man, I kind of never hoped to see Pewter again, but now it's a relief.

"Oh, OK...But no more of this revolution talk, OK, Mellow?"[/color]
"Understood. By both of us."
"Good."



"Yeah, you got that right."
I guess that's what I'm getting from this journey, besides closure and money: answers. Hopefully.

“Right!”


I glance, using just my eyes, at Azula's pokeball.
"Really now?"
"No. But it's a bit of remnant, so it could call a pokemon into it."
Sounds kind of cargo-cult-like. Poor guys... I mean, do pokemon even have DNA, in the conventional sense?

Though Azula did say it could work, sort of...Poor fellow. I mean, the truth...you can't say the truth, not in this world. It sounds crazy.
When you put it that way, it makes you wonder: why bother? Why look for answers? It’s all crazy; the sane people who know the truth are crazy to everyone else. The people who don’t know the truth are seeing things in a way that’s purely untrue, which is crazy. And the guys in-between are extra crazy.
…At least I can say “it’s not me. It’s the world.” That’s not a good bit of comfort. The world should be sane. How else do you decide what’s what?

"W-what?"

Where am I supposed to find a pokemon lab that does that? I mean, Oak deals in documenting pokemon, not reviving them! I know how his lab works, and that’s not in it!
But he hands it to me anyway, all eagerness.

And then pushes me out the door. But I guess I need to help him: we’re standing on two different types of insanity, and that’s all we can say. I don’t really know how else to help but let him have a bit of the truth.

On our way back to Vermillion, Terra learns another move.

And leveled some more, too.

As did Rya, actually.


"Hey there, Boss."
"Hello, Jasmine. More TMs?"
"No, nothing like that...I heard Rya say you collected 'magic' candy...So, I thought I'd give you some. A little present."

"Awww...That's actually very sweet of you, Jasmine."
"There, see? I'm really just a charming rogue, a sort of pokemon robin hood..."
I give her skeptical eye. I'm not sure stealing can ever be good.
"Well, the important thing's that I work for you, right? Don't fret, Boss lady."
And with that, she slinks off.
...Still, it was nice of her.


"By the way...may I see that device you were examining?"
"Oh, the Pokedex? Sure."
She looks at it, holding it up to the light as if to see it more clearly in the darkness of the tunnell.
"There's magic in it. This is the work of a brillaint man...It can read the signs of my life, as opposed to those of others like me, and it can also tell of our types as a whole. It sees through the seemings for those who see the truth, but would conceal to those who do not know." She smiles and looks at it in real, earnest wonder. "It is that genius which is unique to humans."
"Yeah, I guess the Professor was really something when he was on top of his game."
"So he's no longer 'on top of his game'?...Hm. They say it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved, and if it were true, that could be said of brilliance. They're very simmilar."
I decide to play along.
"If?"
"I don't think it's true. When one has been brilliant, and lost it, one will drive themselves to agony and to distraction, trying to understand where it went. Ignorance, you never care where it goes."
I think about what she's saying as she hands it back to me. We walk in silence a while.
"You disagree?"
"...I don't know. I think you could be right, but I'm not sure..." It sounds like something to think about later, when her eyes aren't boring into my skull. Sometimes she's not focused at all, away in dreamland...But sometimes her eyes are lances. I change subjects. "But...you said it was magic...?"
"Well, sufficiently advanced technology."
She says with a shrug and a smile.


Medicine, from berries? “This I have to see!”

Free stuff!

...But I can't use those. Darnit!
I tune the rest out. It’s basically meaningless to me, after all.



Boy, will Toppercen ever be pleased. Just a little closer!
Anyways, onward -- to ADVENTURE!

...Or not. I guess I need to find a better way. Curse you, broken bridges…Curse you.


Thank you, not-Team-Rocket-working guardsman!
...But first, I guess I should work on my reserves.

Anyway, voting for who's in the next chapter will continue until probably tommorow, when I'll start working.

Also, if anyone has an opinion about the placement of Surge's TM, now's the time for it. I know that, within my team, ChuChu, Terra, and Spike can all learn it, or I could save it for a later pokemon, or I could sell it.

[Ranielle]

Great work again Miss Deme.

[Penguinator]

Wait, how does Spike know about Watchmen?

[Deme]

Wait, how does Spike know about Watchmen?

Someone accidentally left a copy of it in his area, abandoned. Spike got bored and read it one day before the rain around the mountains turned it into mush. Something like that.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I vote shock wave going to spike because he needs a good move to counter those pesky water types that may harm him.