victory_road | Battle Convention!

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Battle Convention!

Early Saturday morning, the doors of one of the largest --if not the largest-- convention centres in Viridian City open to welcome everybody to this years Battle Convention.

Spread out across several floors, and the battling fields outside, the Battle Convention is the place to be for anyone with an interest in pokemon battling. Whether you are a hardcore battler trying to hone your craft even further, or a newcomer to the battling scene hoping to learn, the Battle Convention has things of interest to everybody. It's promising to be a busy event, with trainers attending from all over Johto and Kanto. Famous battlers and gym leaders alike can be spotted in the crowds, hosting workshops or even entering in the tournaments.

The Tournament Ground

Outside of the convention centre, stands have been erected around at least a dozen Pokemon battle fields. This is where the various Tournaments will be held. Throughout the weekend, three tournaments will be held here. There is the Otherworlder Battle Tournament, a separate tournament for native Elite Four Champions, and a third Li'l Champs tournament for trainers under the age of ten.

Viewing the various battles is absolutely free, and could be a good source of insight into battle strategies employed by some of the best battlers in the region. Or, if you are attending the Li'l Champs tournament -- a most adorable insight into the dedication and friendship between young children and their first Pokemon.

Due to the number of battles, at any given time, various battles will be ongoing. The Li'l Champs tournament will be held on Sunday, while both the Otherworlder battle tournament and the Elite Four Champions battle tournament will have most of their preliminary matches held on Saturday, with the finale few matches on Sunday.

So, if you are done shopping (or maybe just ran out of money) and there aren't any workshops catching your eye, why not come down to the Tournament Grounds and catch a few battles?

First Floor

The first floor of the Convention Centre has been reserved entirely for various workshops and battle demonstrations. In essence, whatever topic related to battling you might be interested in -- whether it is using certain moves or items, battle strategies, or even demonstrations on why you should be adding X type to your roster -- you'll probably find someone here willing to talk about it. Even breeders might find something of interest here, as there are a few people giving workshops on how to breed pokemon for battle-minded customers.

Schedules are available so you won't miss anything you are interested in. Some of these workshops might only be given once, while others are repeated a few times throughout the convention, so make sure to check your schedule!

And among the crowd giving demonstration and workshops, you might even find a few familiar faces -- yes, members of the Aurora League have also been given the chance to speak about any battle topics near to their heart. Why not check out what they have to say?

Second Floor

The second floor of the Convention Centre has been reserved for the important business of commerce. Have some money to burn? Want that sweet serotonin boost of buying a thing? Maybe you deserve a little treat after winning (or losing) your battle. If so, head on up here.

Spread across various rooms, the Battle Convention dealers have everything that could be of interest to a trainer. There is, frankly, far too much to list here individually, so please accept this rough list of what your characters can find here.

Held Items -- it is possible to buy held items here, however the vast majority of them are pretty rare, so sellers will only sell you one of each. Buying several different held items is fine, but you won't find anyone willing to sell you five Amulet coins. The only exception is for held items that also double as evolutionary items. Those can be freely bought in any quantity.
TMs -- It is also possible (though might require some searching across various dealers) to buy any kind of single-use TM here. The same rules apply as with Held Items -- TMs that are currently available in stores can be bought at any quantity; TMs outside of that are limited to one per person.
Eggs -- There is also a small group of professional breeders present where you can order eggs with egg moves. The eggs themselves will be delivered to you in the days after the tournament. There is no limit on the amount of egg moves you can request for your egg, but there is a hefty price tag involved! These are professional breeders, so expect a base price of 6000p per egg, with 1000p per requested egg move.
Training Equipment -- it's also possible to buy all manner of training equipment for your pokemon. From weights to training bags to agility aids -- if you can think of something that could help you train your pokemon in a more efficient manner, you can find it here. And the bigger items can be delivered to where you are staying, so you won't have to carry around a giant Wailord Training Bag.
Odds and Ends -- In addition to all this very focused battle stuff, you'll also be able to find general pokemon items, such a wide variety of Pokeballs, Evolutionary Items, Vitamins and Potions and such. All of these will be sold for the same price as in stores.

However in addition to all of these items, the Silph Co. Booth is drawing a lot of attention. There is an announcement that they will be unveiling something truly special on Sunday, so all of Saturday is awash in rumours and guesses. There is talk that whatever they will be unveiling will be one of the prices in the tournament, though who knows if that is true. When Sunday finally comes, there is a huge crowd around the booth, watching as Silph Co. unveils

EXP-Share, the newest held item to make your training a little easier.

The EXP-Share, which will go on sale in the department stores after this weekend, is a new type of held item. Once given to a Pokemon, this Pokemon will receive EXP during battles, even while not battling itself. Have a Pokemon that is difficult to train like Magikarp? Did you just hatch a new Pokemon, but you are in an area where the wild Pokemon are too high in level for them to train against? Why not give them an EXP-Share and have them comfortably gain EXP without risking them in battle.

Battle Convention attendants can get an early start on buying an EXP-Share, though they are limited to one per customer. The price is 40,000p.

Third Floor

This is where you can go if you need a little break from all the hustle and bustle downstairs. Various food vendors and sit-down places have been set up here, allowing characters to grab a meal or something to drink, rest a little, or even go strategise for upcoming tournament battles.

As always with these type of events UBIRDS will be available to fly characters to Viridian City and back to where they were staying afterwards.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He... made her cry?

[Min looks very concerned at this. That seems a bit too much. He hasn't realised yet that it's something pretty much every trainer who beats her has to endure.]

I get that. It takes a while to get them to the point where you might stand a chance against serious trainers, and I don't want them getting hurt. I think I've been doing okay though. I feel a little better since getting to Kanto.

[He knows that's purely psychological and he's still stuck in Team Rocket, but at least he's away from boot camp now.]

She's a sore loser. I honestly wonder how they allowed someone so young to become a gym leader but-

[Shrug.]

That was my biggest hurdle, worrying about hurting my pokémon in battle. They're tougher than they look though thankfully. Chenzira here has been taking hits with stride.

[The Yamask draped over his shoulder utters an "oou" and gives a sheepish thumbs up]

You think you're going to travel Kanto first or go back to Johto?

It seems like kids have a lot more freedom here than where I come from. They start out so young.

[Which has definitely led him into a couple of embarrassing situations where his butt's been kicked by someone significantly younger than he is.]

They are, but I still worry. I'm glad your battles are going well though. I'm sure you guys will do great in the gym challenge.

[Shrugs a little at at that.]

I think I'm going to stick around here for a while. I caught the train to Saffron last week and got a few new Pokémon for my team from the routes around it. That's where I met this little guy.

[He nods at the Plusle, still seeming to be having plenty of fun playing with Oba.]

Yeah. Same. I'm kind of envious.

[He'll always be envious even if he's getting freedom here.]

Thanks. I hope so too. I mean, I know Kaiba will. Nothing keeps him down.

It's taken a while for me but I don't consider the time wasted. I got to learn my companions' personalities, how they think, how to get a general sense of what they're feeling, and they've been able to get used to me.

[It's hard to tell if a creature made of shadow can blush but Chen's behavior makes it obvious. He hides his face under one of the collar lapels on Marik's jacket. Marik chuckles and pats the tail crest that's still sticking out on Chen.

He looks over to Oba and Ryan. The Goomy has been telling his new friend about all the fun things they've seen and his big brother Kingyaku! He's a big Goodra with a big shell and he carries him around everywhere and it's the best and-

There Oba goes vibrating again. Marik doesn't even bat an eye.]

Viridian's a nice city. I can see why you'd want to stick around. If I was traveling alone, I'd probably do the same. I've heard of a series of islands too that's a small separate region. A lot of the otherworlders gyms are there. I think there's a daycare too. Those would be cool too see someday...

I'm not sure I'm envious, but it would have been nice to have a little more freedom when I was young.

[He would have been terrified to set off on a Pokémon journey at 10 years old. He's not sure it's really the best idea for them, but the freedom is something he wishes he'd had more of. If... maybe a little less than they actually do.]

I think that's what I'd like to do too. There's no rush, right? The gyms will still be there when we're ready for them, and we're still trying to get to know each other. I bet you guys will be way more in tune with each other now than if you'd started trying straight away.

[Ryan is very into this conversation, honestly. He's only just starting to experience the world outside of the route he was caught on, and he's eager to see more. He is, however, eager to fill him in on all the best places to nap and play and find berries and-- and by the time he's done Oba will know basically anything there is to know about Route 8. That, and the pizza you can get up on the third floor.]

I've heard that, but I haven't really looked at what's on them. There's a daycare there?

[Marik would have been so excited. Probably wouldn't have lasted long without his siblings but his heart would have been in the right place for this world. Freedom is all he ever wanted in life. To not be bound by his duty. To just be a kid. There's a melancholy look in his eyes for a moment as he thinks of what could have been but doesn't dwell on it for very long.]

Yeah, you're right. I'm much better at reading them than I was when I first arrived so... waiting definitely paid off. Take them at your own pace.

[Being twice the level Falkner's pokémon are will probably help him too.

Oba is very interested! He'll make sure to remember every little detail so he can show big brother Marik where everything is when they travel there! AND PIZZZZAAA. He'll drag him there later on! And share some with King!]

Mmn! My friend Fluttershy is looking to get a job there actually. I know there's another right outside of Goldenrod as well.

[Just go up to someone who already bought pizza and look cute. That's Ryan's advice, offered with a wink and tiny finger guns.]

Route 34, right? I bet there's a few about. Talking to some of the breeders here it sounds like they're really useful.

[He's nowhere near thinking of breeding his Pokémon, but if he ever does he'd at least like to speak to someone about it first.]

[Cute is Oba's existence. Marik spoils him rotten because of it. He does his best to mimic Ryan but... is only capable of winking. The fingerguns are impossible as he has no hands.]

Yeah, I think that's it. I haven't looked into them all that much so don't quote me on that.

The breeders I've spoken to have been really nice. I don't know how they do it though. That's so much to keep track of. I'd never be able to manage all of that.

[That's why he had lackeys and a big brother to take care of all the stuff he couldn't be bothered with.]

Are you a Breeder or just a regular trainer?

[ooc: so I assumed there was still one on 34 like in the games but looking at the VR route guide, apparently there isn't? Whoops. orz]

[It's okay, Oba. The only finger guns you need are the ones inside your heart.]

I'm not really sure what class most of the people I've spoken to are, but being a breeder does seem extra complicated. I don't know if I'd ever be able to do that.

I'm a regular trainer, but like, I don't think I'm going to get super competitive with it. I'm guessing you're a trainer, right?

[Judging from the way he's talking about breeders anyway.]

[ooc: Oh, whoops... I assumed the same, but never mind. >.>]

[Pew pew.

Marik glances over again at the two pokémon and raises an eyebrow. That back and forth shift with both of his antenna bending one at a time is new. What's he up to? (He did ear guns!)]

I can only tell when they make a post selling eggs. ... But that's obvious.

[He returns his attention to Min and nods.]

Yeah.I might take a break from the gym challenge once I complete the Johto run. Get my team maxed out after a nice, long "vacation" so when I finally take on Kanto it'll be a breeze.

[ooc: we can just retcon that haha]

[Woah!! Ryan is delighted by the ear guns and copies that immediately. It definitely looks better when Oba does it though. Min-Gi is... honestly just resigned to the weirdness already. At least he's making friends.]

Yeah, I guess that does make it obvious.

[He laughs, rubbing the back of his head.]

That's not a bad plan. You wouldn't want to take on the elite teams?

[Oba hops around excitedly. He did a new thing! Yay!

Marik usually isn't phased by his pokémon's antics but that is new for the Goomy - and Oba tends to beat things into the ground or burns himself out very quickly. Wonder how long this one will last.]

The four Breeders I know off hand are Sion, Ryner, Hermione, and Radley.

[Marik blinks.]

Like the Elite Four?

[Ryan will probably get sick of ear guns soon enough, but for now he's very excited by them and is happy to do them over and over.]

I know Radley. The guy with the Eevees, right?

[The excess of Eevees makes a lot of sense if he's a breeder rather than a trainer.]

No, like... You know the stronger teams the gym leaders keep back in case you want more of a challenge?

[Distract him with something else or have him vibrate until he falls asleep. That's the best way to deal with him.]

Yeah. He has a café in Goldenrod that's Eevee themed. It's pretty cute.

[He tilts his head slightly with a raised eyebrow.]

I didn't know, actually. I... huh... Maybe once I've gone around once and everyone's at their strongest, I can do that challenge. There's still so much to do here and I've got time, right?

[Although he knows he can't control how long he'll be here, he hopes it's for quite a while.]

Wonder if this tournament will be a yearly thing now. That would be cool.

He does? He didn't mention that.

[Not that he'd have had time to go somewhere like that when he'd been in Goldenrod, but if he ever ends up going back...]

There's still time. And plenty of things to do. I'm not sure I'd want to take on their strongest team even if I did have powerful enough Pokémon, honestly.

[Min's been enjoying the tournament, and even though he doubts he'd ever be in a position where he'd be able to win it he still thinks it could be fun to take part if one happened again.]

It might be? It would be cool if it was. Maybe I'd stand a chance of competing by then.

[He shrugs.]

I don't think he plugs it very often. We only got on to the topic when we were discussing a place to meet up for Duel Monsters.

[Marik would never much like to see Kaiba do that run. Heck, he might record it himself if he does. The guy knows how to put on a performance while battling. He's the gold standard in Marik's eyes.]

Yeah, I get you. Even with this tournament I'd be kind of reluctant to join. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to enter but pokémon battles are full of so much more strategy and technique. I've still got a lot to learn and need to decide on what kind of teams I want.

[He laughs and gives Chen a pat on the head.]

I love my ghosts but I should have a little variety thrown in there for going up against different types.

He should. I bet lots of people would enjoy going somewhere like that. [But there is one part of that sentence that confuses him.] Duel Monsters?

I kind of like strategy. I'm not expecting to be the best or anything, but I think it'll be more fun once I've learned more about what works and what doesn't. It's going to be a while before I get to that point, but if there was another tournament next year I like to think I wouldn't be the worst.

[High aspirations over here...]

You could try using dual types? Though I guess that might not help in every situation.

[ooc: "Never" is supposed to be "very" in that last tag. Wtf swype and my proofreading skills.]

Oh. It's a card game from my world. It's really similar to how battles work here. I'm decent at the game. A lot of that comes down to luck of the draw though.

[Marik grins nervously.]

Yeah, I'd like think I wouldn't be too bad too but... we'll see.

[A pause.]

I.... haven't really paid attention. My catching method has mostly been if the pokémon looks interesting to me or if I feel a connection with them.

There's always TMs worse comes to worse...

[ooc: Haha, it's okay. I got it.]

That sounds pretty cool. I don't think we have anything like that where I come from.

[Magic: The Gathering still has a few years to go before its release, but if it had been around when he was growing up he probably would have been embarrassingly into it.

He offers Marik an encouraging grin at his doubt.]

I'm sure you'd do fine. Especially if you're already used to something that's kind of similar.

[He nods, having employed a similar method himself so far. There's been some planning, but only so far as checking out what he might come across before he starts out on each route.]

I think it's better if you have a connection. I've tried to get a variety, but I only want to catch Pokémon I think I'll be able to bond with. Otherwise it just doesn't seem fair.

I've got my deck with me. It's one of the few things I actually arrived with. Obviously you don't need to agree to it right now but if you're ever interested in trying it out, I can teach you the basics.

[Chen nods along. It would be neat to see big brother Duel someone!

Marik will refrain from telling Min that a huge portion of his Duels during Battle City were just him straight up cheating and playing through other people.

Which means whatever he learned about techniques and strategies is kind of useless. Kaiba's been teaching him proper ones though thankfully.]

Yeah. I know they say that most pokémon don't mind being caught but I'd rather have them join me on their own terms.

[He pauses.]

... Huh. All of my current party were given to me except Anippe... She's a perfect example. Crawled right over to me and wouldn't return to the other Shellos so I asked if she wanted to come with me.

Yeah. That sounds like it'd be fun.

[He doesn't have much idea what to expect, but he does sound genuinely interested. He... doesn't need to know about the cheating. By the time Min wraps his head around it Marik will most likely have picked up some better strategies anyway!]

I caught most of mine. Ryan's the only exception besides my starter, but the others don't seem to mind having a trainer.

[He nods towards the Plusle who doesn't seem to have tired of goofing off with Oba yet. He's friendly with just about anyone. It's a miracle he didn't end up tagging along with a trainer before now, honestly.]

It is. Just let me know whenever. I can even teach you over the network.

[No one outside of those directly involved will ever know. That's the number one thing Marik's been trying to do in the pokémon world: start fresh.

He looks over at Ryan and Oba and chuckles.]

I'm glad he's all for humoring Oba. He's kind of a handful.

[Oba has moved from gun-antenna to telling Ryan about Kaiba's Goodra again. Big brother King! Sure, he told him the basics before but now he needs to go indepth about it! About the time it was raining and he was riding on his shell or another time when they were playing in a river.

Or the time he tried eating soap. It didn't taste good but it made him bubbly!]

How did you catch Ryan, if you don't mind me asking?

Edited 2022-10-26 13:28 (UTC)

That's probably easier. Who knows when we'll end up in the same area again.

[Especially if he's sticking around Kanto while Marik is going back to Johto.]

So's Ryan, so no worries. Maybe they'll wear each other out.

[He laughs a bit, not really expecting that to be the outcome. Both of them are still looking pretty energised from the outside. Ryan is nodding along enthusiastically, and probably getting lots of terrible ideas from Oba. Like eating soap. Sure, it wouldn't make him bubbly in the same way, but maybe it would still have some kind of interesting effect!]

I found him in my backpack when I woke up one morning. I tried to chase him off, but... that didn't work. Obviously. Turns out he wasn't really interested in stealing. He's just nosy, then decided he wanted to stick around.

Works for me then.

[The blonde snickers, knowing full well that's definitely not going to happen for a while. Not if Ryan's anything like Oba.

They should make soap taste better, he says.]

Haha! That's quite the introduction. I have no idea what I'd do in that situation. Guess it would depend on the pokémon too...

At least he's sociable already. It's weird to think sometimes just how sentient they are, you know? Way more than I initially thought. ... Not that I have any experience in dealing with wild animals back in my world to really compare it to.

[It seems unlikely, but let a man dream. It's still early enough in their partnership that Min's hopeful there's a limit to the energy of this weird electric bunny.

Who is now agreeing wholeheartedly that soap should taste good. It smells edible, so why isn't it??]

Yeah, I'd probably have been more worried if he wasn't so cute. I know that doesn't mean anything and even the cute ones can be just as powerful, but it's hard to look at him and think of him as a threat.

I haven't got much experience with animals, but they're definitely smarter than the ones we have back home. These guys understand exactly what we're saying. Makes me wish I was as good at understanding what they have to say.

[On the plus side, he's blissfully ignorant to the ongoing soap conversation.]

Battle Convention!

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