Next few hours are spent just relaxing, Twilight actually nodding off a bit. I’m still not that tired though, so I’m just going over strategies in my head. I figured I’d use Geodude, just not using Rock moves might not be enough... but I don’t want to hold back much either... eh, I’ll just wing it I guess. Really though, it seems like Ledyba should have evolved by now... maybe it just needs a few more pushes.

Either way, Rarity looks ready, though Twilight is still asleep. Dunno what she does to exhaust herself but... whatever. Rarity and I head back upstairs and take our places at the field. I notice that the next field over has some trainers getting ready to start their own match and one of them goes over to a panel on the wall I never noticed before.

A few button presses and their field terraforms to have one side be a pool, the other side becoming more rocky. Huh... neat. I’ll have to remember that for later, it could be useful for group practice. I return my attention to Rarity, who is already opposite me with Ledyba hovering beside her, wearing it’s game face.

I grab the Premier ball from my belt and hurl it into the middle of my side, Geodude looking about as hardy as ever.

“Alright... I said I was gonna go easy... but I’m still not going to give you the win.”

Rarity looks over her eTech one more time, Ledyba taking it’s place hovering above its area, before replying. “I don’t expect you to. Shall we?”

I nod. “Geodude, Tackle.”

Geodude raises a rocky eyebrow at the simple command, but complies all the same, throwing himself bodily at the bug-type.

“Use Supersonic, Ledyba!” Rarity responds, and the shrill noise sends Geodude stumbling, hands over his... ears, I guess.

I ponder my options. As a Flying type Ledyba won’t be hurt by any Ground type attacks. However there is one thing he can do while standing still.

“Rock Polish!”

Yeah, it’ll make him even more dizzy but hey, it’s something. Yep... after buffing himself on the ground, he’s pretty much teetering around, but he isn’t so bad that he’s falling over himself at least.

“Dazzle him with a Light Screen, Ledyba!” Rarity shouts, and the shimmering barrier flares into existence right in front of Geodude, making him flail backwards away from it, more out of shock than anything. “Brilliant job, darling!”

Well, that shouldn’t be that big a problem, most of my attacks are physical. “Alright, calm down and focus!” Geodude regains his bearings, shaking off the confusion. “Okay, now Rock Smash!” This is less to do anything and more to see that it actually worked. I mean I’m pretty sure it did but better safe than sorry.

Geodude nods, and pauses a for a second, then brings down a fist coated in brick-red light, the attack smashing into Ledyba... which knocks her back about half a foot and nothing more.

Yeah, that’s what 1/4th effectiveness looks like. “Alright Rarity, now let’s see you actually beat Geodude.”

“Hmmm... The Fighting type is extra-effective against rock types, right?” Rarity asks, looking down at her éTech.

“Yeah, but it has to hit. Rock Polish!”

Geodude begins to spin up, as Rarity shouts, “Mach Punch, six times!”

Wha-?

Ledyba makes a sound like a diving airplane, and brings six fighting-energy-empowered fists in to plow into Geodude’s face, stopping him cold in the midst of starting up Rock Polish. Chips of rock and a spray of gravel bounces around the field, and Geodude is embedded in the reinforced floor by the impact.

“I- I know you said it’s not always down to simply pummeling your foes, but... I must admit, that was cathartic to watch.” Rarity says, looking rather pleased with herself.

“Yeah yeah...” I return Geodude to his ball at about the same time a swirl of silver light overtakes the bug-type, and Ledyba shines with an inner light. Her whole body shifts in small amounts, becoming slightly leaner and taller beneath the harsh glare. After a few moments, the light is too strong to look at, and Rarity and I avert our gazes, turning back to see Ledyba has evolved into a Ledian.

“Oh, my- you look gorgeous, dear!” Rarity says, reaching out to hug Ledian, who hugs her back with all four arms.

“Yeah... You watch, I’m next. That said... you wanna try out Ledian in a real fight?”

“Actually, I’d rather go see if I can refit some of those dresses I made for her. Ooh, she’s going to look so amazing!”

...What’s the point of having a pokemon just evolve if you aren’t going to immediately see what practical differences it made? Whatever. Seriously though, I’m next, and the pokemon closest to evolving is... I scan my éTech over my collection, still in their shrunken balls. Oddish will become a Gloom in two levels, and the second closest is... Geodude, but he’s off by six levels. Oh well. I still have the most varied team of all of us.

I head back down to our room where Twilight has woken up. Back to a pony again. Guess sleeping really is the trigger, not just a late hour. “Heya sleepyhead. So what’s your plan for the rest of today?”

“Hmm? Oh, well, I should check on my pokemon.” Twilight yawns, then uses her telekinesis to allow her pokemon out. Twirunt immediately hops onto the bed and snuggles in next to her, making her giggle.

“Humph.” Mossulk, evidently not wishing to be left out, shuffles over to the side of the bed, and peers over the top. I’m not actually sure it can reach the top of the bed, now that I think about it. I’ve seen some impressive horizontal movement out of it, but not much actually high off the ground.

Pignite takes time to stretch and begins doing some warm-up exercises, while Spearow flutters over to Twi’s bed and grips onto the headboard, then leans down to nuzzle the top of her head. Wispeery and Spheal settle in at the desk and the clothes basket respectively, looking happy with the arrangements.

“Well, good signs of your treatment of your party. So you missed it, but Ledyba evolved a bit ago, so Rarity is refitting some clothes for her.”

“That sounds pretty nice. Oh, I was looking over a few brochures that the Center leaves in the rooms. There’s apparently a contest hall here in the Great Barrier Port.”

“Think Rarity should enter, try and do bette-”

“No! I couldn’t possibly! I can’t make her cutest dress fit in time!” We hear shouted from outside.

“Guess that’s a no then...”

“Well, it’s also a Journeyman Hall, so she’d need at least two ribbons on a single pokemon before she could enter.”

“Huh... I’ve heard of Super Contest Halls that require three ribbons on one pokemon to have it be eligible, but I didn’t know there were any options that required less than three before. Oh well, we can at least watch, right?”

“Of course. It says that the fee for just getting tickets is only 25, and that they have a contest twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.” I check my éTech. The next one is in a couple days.

“Well we might even be able to raise that much from some battles before then. How’s that Rarity? Would you at least go watch?”

Rarity walks in. “I’d love to... but I am still not entering any contests until my pokemon are presentable. After all, I want them to look their best.”

“Fine. Though I might enter a Contest once or twice. Not gonna be a habit, but clothes and fancy accessories aren’t the most important part.”

“Of course not; being talented, graceful, and efficient is far better.” Rarity says, striking a pose.

“It also takes practice.” I remind her. “Of which you have slim to none considering how your first and latest one went. You should work on coming up with a routine before entering next time.”

“Anthony, I’m entering a contest, not a gym.” Rarity sniffs haughtily, “I already have a few ideas for routines. Whenever possible, my darling dears and I work on them.”

“Alright... but if you think that the Contest circuit is going to be less competitive than the Pokemon League Gym challenge, you’re in for a shock. Just because it doesn’t involve fighting doesn’t mean it can’t get... strenuous. Anyway I need to wait here another hour or so while Geodude gets healed. What can we do until then?”

“Well, you should probably let your other pokemon out, Anthony. According to the éTech, trainers should allow their pokemon to roam freely for at least one-to-five hours a day aside from battling in order to maintain a healthy and companionable relationship.”

“I would, but the room is a bit crowded with your group at the moment.” I mention. “My pokemon may be small enough to fit, I think they’d also like some stretching room.”

“Well, you do have a few options. There’s more than just the one battle room, and I think there’s an indoor recreation area for pokemon. According to the brochure, this is the single largest PokeCenter in the region.” Twilight points to an open brochure, levitating it to me when I give her a look indicating I’m not about to trip over her pokemon to look at a piece of paper.

“Yeah, alright. Though I think I’ll keep Carvanha in if she starts drooling over a Lillipup.”

“Ooh, I’ve seen those on the éTech... ah, page? Yes, I think that’s the term. It’s something one of the other breeders showed me, and it’s full of common pokemon for breeders to raise, and Lillipup was fairly high on the list. Of course, I’m not much of a dog person, but I think I could get along with one,” Rarity gushes.

“Eh, if I were entering a contest I’d get a Glaceon. If I had the opportunity. Anyway, I’ll see you two later.” I leave the room and shortly after closing the door, I hear a shriek from Rarity followed by a ‘Oh my word it’s gorgeous!’ indicating she looked up Glaceon. I sigh and shake my head at her rather extreme enthusiasm as I look around for the Recreation Area, finding it after a bit of asking around.

Walking into the multi-environed room, I let my team out, each of them heading to their respective biomes they find most comfortable, Oddish finding a tree and burrowing under by the roots for a nap while Carvanha just swims around in the pond. Everyone else just gets comfortable and relaxes, aside from Litwick, who decides to spend her free time playing some form of tag with some other trainer’s Roggenrola.

Overall, it’s pretty peaceful here, with a decently simulated forest and what amounts to a small picnic area in the form of a grassy hill. High above, a glassy dome covers the park but lets in the natural sunlight.

“Uhm, excuse me, but is that Voltato yours?” I turn and see a guy next to me, pointing a thumb at GlaDoS who is... I’m not quite sure what he’s doing but whatever it is involves digging up some of the park’s turf. “Uh, yeah, I think so...” I still can’t figure out what he’s doing. “What’s he doing exactly?”

“I’m not sure, but you can’t have your pokemon tear up the area. Please make it stop.”

“Oh, right... Uh...” I head over to GlaDoS. “Hey, the uh... people said you can’t do... whatever you’re doing...”

GlaDoS rolls his eyes and stops ripping up grass, moving over to Oddish and joining it underground. Okay then.

I return to the guy. “Uh, he’s stopped... whatever he was doing.”

“Just don’t let it happen again.”

“Right...”