[video | action for Viridian AND Saffron]

[exeggutorhead]

[Those who tune in to watch gym battles on TV may have caught the back to back pair of challenges to the Viridian City gym this afternoon.]

[Anyone who knows Envy and Heather Mason is probably aware that they've been on the path of wrapping up their Gym Challenge for awhile, and it would seem they spent all this time building up to something they could really show off about. Envy's battle showcases every possible monkey wrench he could possibly throw at Blue-- status effects, stat-changes, item-blockers, you name it, with the former-Champion Gym Leader growing visibly more exasperated with each round, much to Envy's absolute gremlin-like delight. Heather, on the other hand, went a little more straightforward with it and kept whipping out Pokemon of the same type to take down Blue's fighters because that's how you prove you're the best, baby!]

[After Envy's battles concludes, no one on camera freaks out quite as hard as the pair of challengers themselves, with Heather going in for a high-five so hard that the slap noise is audible on-camera even though the crew is a good fifteen feet away-- a sound-byte that will probably be isolated and remixed into dubstep by some Super Nerd on the network before the night is out.]

[And for those who don’t watch much TV… well, if they’re on the network they’ll find out about the twin victories anyway, because there’s no way Envy isn’t going to personally make an appearance to brag about it. The feed opens on him sitting in the Pokemon Center, the large green bulk of a Tyranitar sitting with weary contentment behind him. Envy, meanwhile, is grinning and looking extremely pleased with himself as he holds up a belt with a neat row of fifteen badges pinned to it…and then it’s sixteen as he reaches to pin that final green feather badge to the end.]

And there’s that.

Is there anybody still around who remembers back when people used to think that getting all the badges would open some magic portal back home?

It used to only be eight, and then it was sixteen, and now you have to go beat the Elite Four, and then you start your own gym and settle right in to being part of the whole business.

Which, correct me if I’m mistaken, is the opposite of getting sent home. Talk about being wrong.

Not that I’m complaining, I’d be pretty pissed off putting all that work into getting good at this and raising a badass team and then getting kicked out right afterwards—

YEAAAAH BOYYYY!

[Uh oh, here comes Heather-- sliding onto the bench with enough force to knock into Envy and move both of them several inches. Chimera automatically holds out one of his stubby green arms to stop them from sliding off the bench.]

[Grinning, she wields her own badge at the camera.]

SAFFRON CITY!

TONIGHT!

VICTORY PARTY AT THE ABRA CADABRA CLUB ON 45TH AVENUE!

WE'RE GOING TO THE POKEMON LEAGUE!

BUT FIRST: GET READY SABRINA, 'CAUSE I'M GONNA COME KICK YOUR AAAAAAAAASS!

WOO!

[She flips the horns, turns to plant a kiss on the side of Envy's head, and then launches back off the bench. Presumably to continue bouncing off the walls. Her Absol-- looking pleased but very tired after Mega-Evolving during the battle, takes her place and curls up with a yawn.]

[Envy only takes a few seconds to recover from the surprise and snickers, flipping his hair in a practiced motion to get it (partially) back into order and gesturing a hand in the direction she bounced off in. This is CLEARLY something he's used to happening.]

Well, you heard her, if anyone’s interested in a wild party.

But to get in on it, I want to hear the absolute worst kind of pre-gym puzzle you can think of. Or just tell me anyway, I'm dying to know.

[Because of course he wants to create something even worse. Now that they’ve actually got that last badge, the eventuality of getting to design his own absolutely horrifying gym puzzle has gotten that much closer. Sure there’s a ton of hiking and training and the Elite Four before he gets there, but PSSH. WHO NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW?]

[ACTION for Saffron that night]

[For those who may have taken them up on their offer of a victory party, the Abra Cadabra club is...well, it's not a Friday night crowd, but there's still plenty of people having fun, colorful flashing lights and music, and drinks at the bar. Even if you didn't pay the toll of giving Envy horrible ideas, it's not like he's in charge of who comes in and out, so there's basically nothing stopping anybody from showing up.]

Comments

[video]

[paladinlost]

I remember, and if I ever find whoever started that rumor, I may decide to punch them.

[Said in the most delighted, cheerful tone possible, because threats of violence to unknown persons are not what he's actually here for.]

Congratulations to you both! Obtaining all badges is no easy feat, and earning the right to build your own Gyms will be even more of a challenge, but I've no doubt you can do it. When are you planning to cross Victory Road?

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

We can all hope that one day they'll show back up and discover that they were an idiot all along.

[He draws himself up a little at the congratulations. YES. PRAISE. One of the best parts of winning!]

You've got one of your own, don't you? I looked into the Aurora gym lists, don't want to come up with something that's already been done.

We were going to head out right after that Contest ends, get all the hiking out of the way before it gets cold.

[video]

[foolishwren]

Hell, I WANTED to punch them sometimes.

Even back then when none of us knew what the heck was going on, I thought that sounded stupid.

_{[By congratulating her, it seems he's summoned Heather as well!]}

And like Envy said, probably after the Contest.

I honestly don't have any idea what we're gonna do for gyms but I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, you know?

No point getting too attached to the idea until I actually know I can beat those guys.

[Video]

[disarmingstrikes]

Okay, first off? Heck yeah, that looked freakin' amazing. Second- I mean, I got the low-down on the gym challenge thing already, but you mean they've got entry puzzles too and just NO ONE mentioned that?!

[He is torn between scandalized and absolutely delighted. Honestly, if fighting the Pokémon himself was an option this might actually be the Best Plane Ever.]

[Video]

[exeggutorhead]

It was amazing, it's true.

[NOBODY HAS EVER CALLED ENVY HUMBLE.]

What, you like puzzles? Sure, most of them do, some worse than others, and you have to fight all their minion trainers first too.

But mine are going to be the worst.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Why, thank you! Only took like eight years of training. Sitting under waterfalls all zen-like... Punching the shit out of punching bags, buying more punching bags once the shit is punched out of the first ones...

_{[Well, she takes the compliment with SLIGHTLY more humility than Envy does, at least...]}

And oh yeah, Gym Leaders freaking love puzzles.

It's the most annoying thing ever.

But I guess if you have to sit in a building all day waiting for people to fight you, getting to watch an endless stream of people messing it up at least helps pass the time.

video;

[shiro2hero]

Congratulations, both of you!

[And boy does he ever look proud. Look, he barely knows Envy except by association with Heather, but hey! He can still look proud of them.]

I'd say I can't believe what I'm hearing, but -- honestly? I think I can.

Just don't disappear back home before I get the chance to say it in person.

video;

[exeggutorhead]

[And Envy barely knows Shiro except for through Heather too, so they're even. But when it comes to getting congratulated, Envy's not picky, and continues to look just as self satisfied.]

So that means you're coming to the party, right?

Who knows when that magical portal will appear, so you'd better.

[Whether he knows Shiro himself or not, he gets the feeling that Heather would want to see him.]

video;

[foolishwren]

Like I'd let this place kick me out when I was this close to doing what all the people here apparently daydream about.

I didn't get these badges for nothin', you know!

[Video]

[maybeitsmabelline]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[It's loud and Mabel is right up on her 'gear when she responds, smiling brightly as she cheers for both Heather and Envy.]

I bet you guys totally kicked butt!!

[Video]

[exeggutorhead]

[WOW ENTHUSIASM]

[...come to think of it, Envy thinks he recognizes this kid from that island party. Mabel's not exactly an easy one to forget.]

We kicked so much butt that Blue won't be able to sit down for a whole month.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT BUTT-KICKING WITHOUT HEATHER CHIMING IN TOO.]}

We kicked his butt so hard that it's actually in therapy right now.

I hear it's making good, but slow progress.

Video

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

[So proud.]

Congratulations, both of you. That was amazing.

Why puzzles though?

[Do you really want to hear silent hill puzzles?...of course you do.]

Video

[exeggutorhead]

[Honestly, Silent Hill puzzles are only appropriate.]

[Envy grins at the praise just as widely as he has with everyone else, but it definitely means more coming from Harry, in that strange-but-nice way that most positive interactions with Heather's father do.]

Most of the gyms have puzzles you have to solve before you get in to fight the gym leader, so I figured I'd better come up with something even better than what people might expect.

Video

[foolishwren]

Because everyone in this world is a nerd.

_{[A blunter and less-informative answer than Envy's... but no less true.]}

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. Technically.

[he says, having been prodded into doing it himself by his friend and his starter]

Still, congratulations to both of you. Not a lot of people make it this far.

[Video]

[exeggutorhead]

Don't have to come up with a puzzle? Sure, but where's the fun if people could just walk right in?

I had to jump through all kinds of hoops getting through the gyms, so I've earned making other people do weird shit to get to me.

[Envy is a being fueled primarily by spite. Still, he's looking proud of himself--all the congratulations people have been giving him is giving him a hell of an ego trip.]

It's true, we're pretty awesome.

Video

[dreamsofahero]

I imagine if that rumor were true, there'd be far more people challenging the gyms far more quickly... and fewer of us here.

Though admittedly, if we're to be stuck here for such a long period of time, running a gym certainly seems a decent way to spend it.

*which is probably why he wasted no time in doing exactly that, himself, really*

Video

[exeggutorhead]

It depends on whether there were a lot of people who WANTED to go. By the time they get a lot of badges, it seems like most people don't want out anymore.

I sure don't.

But yeah, that does mean I need something to do with my time now.

[Video]

[keep_surviving]

Wait, that was a thing? People said you'd go back home with enough badges?

[Video]

[exeggutorhead]

Oh yeah, for ages. People going oooh, you need to get badges to go home! Because when you get them...I don't know, you win the whole world and get to be done with it?

I don't know what the hell they were thinking.

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

I knew you'd succeed!

[Lust had never had a doubt, but still. It's heartening to see the victory, and see Envy and Heather's sheer joy at attaining it.]

I'll have to pop over to Saffron for the festivities - I can't miss celebrating your triumph.

[And it's only a few warps away, that's not too bad.]

You do realize you'll be expected to share stories of all your daring exploits as badge hunters.

Video

[exeggutorhead]

Yeah, you'd better be there, it wouldn't be a real party otherwise.

[This is said with a grin that, while just as smug as the one he's worn for those he doesn't know as well, is warmer all the same. He's honestly so glad that his sister is here to see this.]

And of course, we'll tell you every detail and then some.

[Several of them will likely be wild exaggerations or invented from whole cloth, but that's to be expected with Envy.]

So, you gonna offer up a puzzle to come to the party? I mean, you're allowed in anyway, but I have to keep up appearances and ask.

PARTY TIME

[foolishwren]

<sub>[The Abra Cadabra Club is a place that Heather had found back in that year she'd spent a bunch of time in Saffron-- it's not the BIGGEST club in the city, but it's busy, and certainly nice enough for a good old Just-Beat-Blue afterparty.]

[Plus, the whole gimmick where an Abra will teleport to wherever you are to take or deliver your drink order is super cute, if sometimes startling.]</sub>

MAN, I can't believe it. Sixteen whole badges.

Considering how many people got them in a WAY shorter amount of time, maybe I shouldn't be as impressed with myself as I am, but like, damn, you know? Feels good!

_{[Heather's not too into the dancefloor tonight (especially if they're going to be taking an overnight train back to Goldenrod-- soreness and train seats aren't a good combination), but chilling and greeting anybody who happens to come by specifically to congratulate her on the win? That's A-OK.]}

I'm sure the nerves'll set back in once we're actually THERE but right now I feel like we could just take the E-Four tonight.

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy's been doing a little more in the way of dancing than Heather has, because of course he is, but even he's not doing near as much as he normally would.]

[Both because of the train ride and the fact that every time he stops moving for more than a few minutes he gets congratulated by someone else who saw the match on TV, and he is living for it.]

If I'd known how impressed the locals would be I would've been a little faster about it! But then what would we have done to keep ourselves occupied, right?

[He takes a sip of his drink, settling back against the bar and putting an arm loosely around her waist and laughing.]

That's why they make people hike for a month to get there, they know that if they let people keep that adrenaline high up they wouldn't ever stand a chance.