Chapter 30 – Cerulean City
Chapter 30 – Cerulean City
-Cerulean City-
The Trainer Surge from the start of the season had already begun to pass Cerulean City by, by the time 2B and Zoey finally arrived. It hadn’t fully done so yet, with Cerulean generally being the second badge stop along the traditional route, and the current Gym leader being less of a joke than her older sisters had been. That meant a certain number of trainers would have to retry for their badge, and it was only a month into the 9-month circuit.
That meant that the city was still somewhat full and would only get fuller in a week or so when the first of three Contests held in the city would begin. Kanto wasn’t big on Contests as a whole, even now. But it did have a proper Contest season by this point, and Cerulean was the biggest name in Kanto Contests. When Misty had taken over the Cerulean Gym, her three older sisters had pushed hard to become big names in the Kanto Contest scene…and succeeded.
Now, each of the three ‘Sensational Sisters’ presided over one major contest a season. The first of which was set to start in twelve days, and whose interested entrants would start trickling in a few days before then. Personally, Zoey was hoping to get 2B to make her debut as a Coordinator at the upcoming Contest, but wasn’t sure she’d be able to convince her. They were, after all, behind where they’d loosely planned to be because of their delays in Pewter and Mt. Moon.
On the other hand, they’d gotten in some serious training and a fair few battles in that time, so Zoey honestly thought it evened out. Both her own Teddiursa and 2B’s Chinchou were on the verge of evolving from the amounts of training and fighting they’d been able to do, and their other pokémon had put some serious work in as well. Perhaps, if the Gym battle took a few days to arrange, it would be close enough to the Contest for Zoey to convince 2B? She did say she’d promised Daisy she’d at least give them a try!
Before that, though, Zoey was faced with the sad tragedy that the city being less-than-full meant they’d been easily able to reserve two rooms again. Damn it all, she’d gotten used to seeing her girlfriend in that teddy! Even if she knew it was probably a bit inappropriate this early in their relationship…
… … …
- Cerulean Gym – 1 Day Later -
It hadn’t taken days to get a slot at the Gym. They had, in fact, been lucky enough to get one with barely 24-hours of turn around time. Which is how Zoey found herself stepping up to the Challenger’s platform a day after their arrival, fairly confident but not overly happy with the terrain of the Gym. As the Water Gym of Kanto, it was expected that it had a water-heavy field. One featuring several floating platforms separated by stretches of water.
With the normal sorts of teams Zoey usually fielded, it would be ideal.
With her current team, it was anything but. So much so that she’d reluctantly sidelined Ponyta for the fight. He was utterly unsuited for the combination of Gym-type and terrain, and asking him to fight here would have been horribly unfair of her. Unfortunately, since this Gym was a 3 v 3, that meant she’d had to register Purugly as one of her battlers. Which, in turn, meant the Gym was allowed to use a significantly stronger pokémon against him. Up to sixth badge in strength in Purugly’s case.
She would just need to have faith in her oldest companion. He was far from weak, even if he very much preferred Contests over Battles, just as she did. As she reached the top of the challenger’s platform, a Gym Trainer acting as Ref announced her.
“Here for her Second Badge challenge against Gym Leader Misty of Cerulean City…Top Coordinator Zoey of Snowpoint City!”
Suppressing a frown at that, she forced a smile and waved for the crowd instead, getting a fairly big cheer back. This city had a thing for Contests and her Top Coordinator title meant something to the locals. Unfortunately, after the slip of letting it be used in Pewter, her sponsors had leaned on her to keep using the title.
While they’d all been warned about her focus this year, when she’d popped up as a ‘Trainer to Watch’ on Kanto Battlecast, those of her sponsors that had stuck it out got a surge of interest. Kanto was new territory for a lot of them, and even modest attention was useful to their companies. As a result, they’d doubled down and sent her more offers of support…so long as she met a few terms. Keep using her title. Play the crowd a bit. Do a modeling contract or two. Nothing outrageous that she could really say ‘no’ too. Which, of course, had been intentional on their parts.
After the brief cheer, the crowd had quieted for a moment, all staring at the water. Having had a bit more time to research this Gym leader, Zoey kept her expression confident even as she watched the same thing. A shadow passed through the water…and then it erupted as a beautiful 21-year-old redhead twisted through the air, having been launched by a Dewgong that vanished into a pokéball as Misty landed her entrance.
Zoey appreciated the showomanship. She appreciated even more how that one-piece the woman was wearing glistened and strained a bit to contain a chest every bit the size of her famous older sisters. Genetics hadn’t missed her, even if she’d apparently had a bit of an ugly duckling phase. Still, now wasn’t the time to leer, and Zoey’s girlfriend was hotter anyway. A much larger cheer had come with Misty’s entrance, proving she was well liked by her hometown, and the Ref started up as soon as it died down.
“This will be a non-standard 3 vs 3, with one switch allowed for the challenger, and one locked battle. The challenger’s starter, being a carry-over, is locked as her third pokémon, to face an appropriate challenge. Is that understood by both sides?”
That announcement got some spreading whispers. There were rules in place for bringing your starter along to Division 1 matches once you were more experienced, but it didn’t happen every day. Still, it wasn’t that uncommon, and the rules boilerplate was something Zoey already knew from her Johto run. As both they and Kanto were part of the Indigo League, even the phrasing was the same. As such, she was quick to verbalize her acknowledgment, and the Gym leader did the same just as quickly.
“Gym Leader, please send out your Pokémon.”
Misty, in true fashion of Gym Leaders everywhere, made a showy toss. A bit more usually, but not unexpected given Cerulean being the Contest center of Kanto these days, the pokéball popped up with a seal effect. Specifically, bubbles and swirling streams of water surrounded the Staryu that had released. Trying not to sigh, Zoey obeyed the follow up instruction to send out her own pokémon…internally cringing slightly as the sparkling stars effect that surrounded Absol as she popped out. Think of the sponsors Zoey, think of the sponsors!
“Absol vs Staryu! 3…2…1…Begin!”
In the battle of the redheads, neither hesitated.
“Dip into Water Gun!”
“Detect and Taunt!”
Misty was perhaps half a heartbeat faster off the mark, but it didn’t matter. Outside a completely bizarre choice on the Gym Leader’s part, Zoey had already prepped Absol to use the same set of moves no matter what they faced. It ended up being a good combination of choices as the ‘Dip’ command proved to be an order for Staryu to briefly dive into the water and come out at a random point to fire its shot.
That took much too long, easily allowing Absol to use Detect, the move letting her predict and dodge the attack, while at the same time barking out something that sounded properly insulting. Given that her newest pokémon had been tutored by Purugly, who was a past master of using the move to disrupt the plans of Coordinators, whatever Absol said might well have been enough on its own. Of course, it was a Move, which meant that the insult was layered with Dark energy that acted to enrage the target. Staryu was now locked into nothing but attack moves, and unless very well trained it would try to physically advance on Absol.
Given that this was only a Second Badge pokémon, that was unlikely, and such was proven immediately as it made straight for Absol. Still, credit where credit was due, Misty was no amateur and immediately leaned into the problem instead of trying to break out.
“Aqua Jet to hit harder!”
The command was inspired, working with the effect of Taunt as Staryu used the Aqua Jet move to speed up, amplifying the effect of the Tackle it had started on its own. Of course, Zoey hadn’t just assumed things would work out. The combination Absol had started wasn’t done yet, even if she hadn’t voiced the third move. Even as Staryu closed, Absol used Shadow Sneak, the move letting her ghost behind the enraged Staryu and strike.
The move wasn’t the most powerful one in their arsenal, but it didn’t need to be this time. The speed Staryu had been moving at now worked against it, Absol’s attack sending it slamming into the wall of the arena/aquarium. Everyone waited a moment to see if it would recover, but this Staryu was still a Second Badge pokémon, and the call went out as it failed to rise.
“Staryu is unable to continue. Gym Leader, you have thirty seconds to send out your next pokémon.”
Misty had recalled her fallen ‘mon, whispering words to the pokéball, even as the Ref spoke. Rather than looking angry, she nodded respectfully to Zoey, and chose her second pokéball, throwing it out onto the field. Out of it came…
“Seel, I choose you! Dive!”
Zoey mentally cursed as Misty perfectly placed the pokéball for the Seel that emerged to immediately dive into the water. Still, thanks to 2B having made preparations for Cerulean before ever leaving Pewter, Zoey had an answer.
“Detect into Bolt!”
Detect would let Absol see the attack coming, and a dodge followed by a Thunderbolt would hopefully do some serious damage. It was a move Absol only knew because 2B had picked up the TM for it and been more than happy to share while they were training in Mt. Moon.
“Ha. I traveled with someone whose starter was an electric type. It won’t be that easy, girl! Seel, rock the boat!”
There was barely time to process what Misty must have meant when Seel attacked…by using Headbutt at high speed on the floating platform. Absol did still see it coming with Detect, but the attack came from below, presenting no target. She just barely managed to leap clear, heading for another platform, and this Seel had been well trained. An Aqua Jet flashed out while Absol was in midair, slamming into her hard…and making her miss the platform she’d aimed for. Zoey grimaced as her hand flashed out just in time to recall Absol to her pokéballs before she ended up in the water.
“Challenger Zoey had used her swap! Challenger, thirty seconds to send out your next pokémon!”
Mistry wasn’t idle, calling out for Seel to use Aqua Ring, even as Zoey steadied herself and spent a few moments to calculate. Only one setup move was allowed by the Gym Leader while the swap was taking place, so a few seconds to think wouldn’t cost Zoey anything. The problem was that Teddiursa was honestly much worse for this specific field, and she’d hoped not to have to use him. Still, she wasn’t entirely without options. Throwing out his pokéball, she sent him to the platform farthest away from Seel’s current position and immediately called out a move.
“Fake Tears!”
Seel, again proving it was well trained, had tried to land a Water Gun on Teddiursa without needing orders, but faltered as the Dark Type move made it feel horrible about attacking the ‘cute pokémon.’
“Ignore it, Seel! Dive and Harass!”
Seel obeyed the dive order, and it wasn’t hard to imagine was ‘Harass’ meant. Thankfully, Zoey had expected it, having watched numerous matches by the Gym Leader in preparation. She’d also noted a serious issue with Teddiursa’s entire evolution line clear back in Pewter and looked for a solution. Simply put, the entire line were close-range monsters…who had almost zero native ability with long range attacks.
Even from TM, high-power options like Hyper Beam and Focus Blast were just about it, and it was harshly discouraged to try teaching either of those moves to a young-stage pokémon. Instead, Zoey had grabbed onto the one other possibility and gambled. A gamble that had paid off. Now, she waited for Seel to pop up with intent to attack…which it did by firing an Ice Shard.
“Hidden Power!”
Buying and using the single-use Hidden Power TM had been a blind gamble. The result was always a ranged attack, but it varied wildly from pokémon to pokémon what Type the attack would be. Aside from Normal and Fairy, every move type from Poison to Dragon had been recorded, and you never knew what you were going to get. Zoey had been willing to risk it, as it was one of the only ways to cover the gap Teddiursa had at range. Besides, she’d found it at the Pewter Market, where 2B’s devastating reign of confusion-and-sexy-eyes-based terror had gotten her a good deal!
Now, it was Misty that suffered bad luck resulting from Zoey’s gamble, as the result Zoey had gotten with Teddiursa was a Grass typing. Even as Seel fired, Teddiursa fired back a grass type Hidden Power beam. One that looked and acted like an underpowered Solar Beam. At the time, she’d been a bit chagrined that she hadn’t had enough time to properly train Teddi with the move before the Pewter Gym Challenge. But now…
The pair of pokémon exchanged hits, Teddi not having bothered to dodge in his brave effort to lash back. But while Teddiursa cried out in pain…Seel got by far the worst of the exchange. Fake Tears had still been in effect, something Zoey hadn’t been sure would be the case, but with that being true, the already super-effective typing hammered Seel hard. The little pokémon was surprisingly tough, managing to hang onto consciousness. But Misty took one look at it and recalled it.
“Misty has withdrawn her pokémon! Challenger, pleased withdraw yours and prepare your starter…”
Taking a deep breath, Zoey obeyed, quickly sending out Purugly. When she saw a powerful looking Starmie, the signature higher-power pokémon Misty was known for, she knew she had her work cut out for her. Still, she would dig deep and pull through, she was sure of it…
… … …
2B was slightly suspicious that Zoey had simply wanted to see her in her swimsuit again, as there hadn’t been an obvious reason to use it for the Cerulean Gym instead of the Kimono from Pewter. Still, it didn’t bother her and, in fact, she’d felt a sort of warm and pleasant sensation at the thought. An oddity she still had yet to sort out, and not one she could focus on at the moment. Either way, she was comfortable enough as she took her place on the Challenger’s Platform across from Misty.
She’d been happy to see her companion pull a win against the Gym Leader, even if the final fight between her starter and Misty’s 6th Badge Starmie had been rough. Yet all three fights had shown 2B that Misty was a better trainer than Forrest. Or, just as likely, that there was a greater jump up in skill the Gym Leaders were allowed to show been one badge and another than 2B had realized. Either way, she was determined to be focused fully on this fight. Even if she felt her team were beyond the level needed, she would not fail them by being sloppy.
“Here for her Second Badge challenge against Gym Leader Misty of Cerulean City…the Mysterious 2B! You’ve all seen the Battlecast dissections folks! Will we see some more of the new Moves developed at the Oak Lab here today?!”
2B twitched in surprise. Several people had managed to ask her about her ‘new moves,’ starting with a few of the League officials and science types that had shown up at Mt. Moon. Yet, she still wasn’t quite used to the idea that having created new Moves was unusual. Daisy and Professor Oak had refrained from telling her, and she’d thought Zoey must be exaggerating until after the first few enthusiastic conversations from scientists. Still not quite sure how to deal with the attention, she pushed it off again. She couldn’t let it distract her from the match.
“This will be a standard 3 vs 3, with two switches allowed for the challenger. Gym Leader, please send out your Pokémon.”
Misty hadn’t bothered to make a flashy entrance again, like she had with Zoey. That match had taken longer than normal for a second badge, and the Gym Leader hadn’t had much time to swap out pokémon and return to her platform as a result. Now, she nodded and threw out a pokéball. This time, in a flash of bubbles, it was a Goldeen that appeared…and promptly fell directly into the water.
Annoying, but hardly a serious problem. 2B threw out her own first choice without hesitation, Chinchou flashing into place on one of the platforms. Misty’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t say anything as the Ref counted them down.
“Chinchou vs Goldeen! 3…2…1…Begin!”
“Supersonic!”
“Water Mine.”
Misty got her attack order out first, but 2B could accept that. Chinchou was always going to need to bear through one attack to set up what they wanted. The Supersonic hit Chinchou, and he shuddered, but 2B had spent time with her pokémon helping them figure out how to best grit through attacks like that. Something helped in this case by Chinchou knowing the same move and having an intrinsic understanding of how it worked. While it still annoyed him greatly, he could and did work through it.
Specifically, he worked through it to pump out a two dozen Bubble Beam style bubbles…which had been twisted into a new move entirely. It wasn’t quite what 2B considered truly battle-ready yet, hence needing to take that one attack, but it did work. Contained within each bubble, or ‘Mine,’ was compressed Normal Type energy. The bubbles were just barely strong enough to contain the energy and, if something struck them, they would explode.
“Water Pulse those bubbles!”
The Gym Leader seemed to either suspect something, or was able to sense it, as she ordered Goldeen to target the bubbles. But that was fine. While it was distracted with the bubbles, Chinchou could do other things.
“Target Practice.”
Specifically, he could create the customized Electroball that he used for his version of the skeet shooting practice that 2B regularly did with her pokémon. This wasn’t an original move, but merely a warping of an existing one like a Coordinator might do for Contests. Instead of a single ball, Chinchou split the same amount of energy into three balls and fired them in a way that bracketed Goldeen.
The fish pokémon had successfully exploded four of the Mines with a Water Pulse, but doing so had caused moderately powerful explosions that sent water spraying everywhere. In doing so, it had partially blinded both itself and Misty to what Chinchou was doing and failed to dodge the barrage. Since it had been bracketing fire, only one of the three Electroballs hit, minimizing the damage…but it was a super effect move.
“Surf!”
2B was surprised at that call, and even more surprised that the Goldeen was able to properly summon the move a moment later. It was a relatively weak version of Surf, but it would serve to clear the field of Chinchou’s Mines more effectively. Clicking her tongue, she gave her own order.
“Thunder Wave.”
As impressive as it was that a Second Badge Goldeen could use Surf, it wasn’t up to the task of being tricky with it, presumably why Misty hadn’t used the move immediately. That meant it was riding the wave, in plain view and wide open to the Thunder Wave that Chinchou launched. The fish pokémon cried out in pain, twitching slightly as nerves misfired.
“Thunderbolt.”
“Aqua Ring!”
The calls came almost simultaneously, and despite what must be partial paralysis taking hold, the Goldeen managed to get an Aqua Ring up. Which is all that saved it, restoring some of its health in a pulse as it ate a Thunderbolt.
“Horn Attack!”
“Repeat.”
Goldeen clearly tried to follow the order, but its body twitched…and it unceremoniously ate a Thunderbolt that put it down. Still, 2B frowned. For a first showing of Water Mine, that hadn’t worked out well. It was her attempt to make a ‘field hazard’ type move, like Toxic Spikes or Stealth Rock, but Misty had cleared the field easily.
“Goldeen is unable to continue! Gym Leader, you have thirty seconds to send out your next pokémon.”
Misty didn’t hesitate in recalling her pokémon and sending another immediately, preempting 2B’s chance to try emplacing Water Mines again. Slightly more annoying was the pokémon that popped out. A Quagsire, whose mixed Ground Typing would make it completely immune to electric attacks. A reasonable solution for one of the most common weaknesses of Water Types, and a staple feature of Misty’s Second Badge teams as a result.
Unfortunately, it was essentially a perfect counter to Chinchou as he was. Some trainers might have tried to push through, particularly when they knew Chinchou was extremely close to evolution and the fight might well have done the trick. 2B didn’t hesitate to recall him instead. She saw no need to engage in brutal slugging matches just to overcome a wall they would eventually either climb or break down naturally.
“Challenger 2B had used a swap! Challenger, thirty seconds to send out your next pokémon!”
2B sent out her next pokémon and the world went white. Given the reduced effect of Ice-type moves on any water type, she had talked to Vulpix beforehand about her ability. They might have worked on redirecting the aura surge that Snow Warning produced to instantly-power a high-level Ice Burst Barrage…but that didn’t mean Vulpix wasn’t fully able to use the Ability as originally intended.
Something which happened now as the arena was abruptly subjected to a snow/hailstorm that blinded almost everyone and allowed Vulpix to vanished into the abruptly frozen background. Quagsire cried out as it was battered by the hailstones…and cried out again as it attempted to flee into the water. As it bounced off a thick layer of ice, it discovered that Vulpix had learned from her recent exposure to an Ice-type Legendary that had taken a liking to her. She was much better at using her Ice-type energy now, and the very aura surge that allowed an instant hailstorm made it easy to freeze the top layer of the arena’s water solid.
Unless Misty had a way of breaking that ice, retreating into the water was no longer an option. Worse, with all the practice and tips form the Ice-types in the Sanctuary, Vulpix had learned to be practically invisible within the snowstorm she’d summoned.
“Mud Sport! Aim it all around you!”
Of course, Misty wasn’t going to take the effort lying down and countered by attempting to find Vulpix with a wide-area application of Mud. Well, more like dense slurry. Ground-type energy could only do so much to make the ice of the arena into ‘Mud.’ Still, it might have worked…if Vulpix had been going in for an attack. Instead, she had gone with their pre-existing plan and hidden so she could create a full five-shard Ice Burst Barrage.
Just because it would be less effective against Water-types, didn’t mean they were immune, doubly so since the attack was partially physical. Something Misty and Quagsire found out painfully as the Barrage fired inward in rapid succession. This time, Vulpix had moved with the attack, releasing the shards in succession instead of all at once, making it harder to pin down exactly where it had come from. Quagsire cried out in pain as the repeated blasts hit it, and Misty did the only thing she could.
She withdrew Quagsire.
If it had been a higher-badge pokémon, she would have undoubtedly had options. But denied easy access to water, unable to find its opponent, and being bombarded from range? Leaving the pokémon out there would have just had it suffer for no reason. 2B approved of the decision.
“Misty has withdrawn her pokémon. Gym Leader, you have thirty seconds to send out your last pokémon!”
The ref had to yell somewhat to be heard over the storm, even with the sound system of the Arena. Misty responded by using the beam feature of the pokéball to send out her next pokémon…and 2B twitched in irritation at the sign the older girl must have prepared for Vulpix as a possibility. After all, the young Lapras she just released was not one of her usual Second Badge team. Yet it was perfect against Vulpix, as its Ice-typing would make it nearly immune to most of her official starter’s tricks. Including the still-raging storm. Worse, 2B and Vuplix didn’t actually have a way stop the storm before it’s natural end, meaning they had no choice but to let this play out.
Still, they weren’t completely out of options.
“Voice Ambush.”
Vulpix, obeying the tactic while Lapras was still orienteering itself, fired off Disarming Voice from ambush, striking Lapras on its left flank. It wasn’t a terribly powerful move, but it was extremely hard to localize the source of it within the raging storm, too. This was the original tactic that they’d worked out with ambushing out of Snow Warning’s hailstorm. Back when 2B had promised to use Vulpix in the Pewter Gym, and before they’d gotten lucky with Forrest’s pokémon choice. The damage Fairy-Type energy did was neutral to Rock, which is the best they could hope for at the time. It was also, as it happened, neutral to Water and Ice types as well.
“Sing!”
Drat. 2B flared her own aura to keep the move from affecting her, something she was long used to doing to counter the move when used by Jigglypuff as part of Lullaby training. Vulpix, unfortunately, wasn’t nearly so good at that, and Sing didn’t care where you were. 2B sensed her fading and knew she’d only get one more command off.
“PB Hypnosis!”
Raising her voice for the first time, 2B gave the order for Vulpix to break cover for a Point Blank move, her determined pokémon struggling against the Sing move to obey. She managed, just barely…and moments later both pokémon fell asleep. Unfortunately, a moment later, things proved not to be as equal as they looked, as Misty called out her next command.
“Snore!”
A harsh noise, carrying Normal-type energy with its sound, erupted from Lapras and struck Vulpix’s form. The tiny fox pokémon flinched in her sleep, stirring but not quite able to break through the artificial sleep.
“Snore!”
2B grit her teeth as the move hit again, this time waking Vulpix…but the Hailstorm was also ending. She didn’t hesitate to withdraw her starter, not against such a poor match up.
“Challenger 2B had used a swap! Challenger, thirty seconds to send out your next pokémon!”
She did not need, nor want, thirty seconds. 2B flung out Chinchou’s pokéball again, unwilling to give Lapras the chance to wake.
“Thunderbolt!”
The move was fast and brutal, waking it with a super-effective, STAB enhanced, attack to the face. To the credit of just how tanky the Lapras line could be, it didn’t go down immediately, and Misty got off a command.
“Body Slam! Repeat to keep up the Pressure!”
Chinchou managed to dodge, barely, and fired off a Thunder Wave without having to be ordered. The effect hit Lapras…but it didn’t seem to take, bad luck or some ability at work, 2B wasn’t sure. Either way, Lapras’s bulk managed to clip Chinchou on the next hit, the difference in size sending her tiny pokémon flying. She considered recalling him…right up until his angry cry of frustration at his poor speed shifted in pitch and he began to glow. Eyes lighting up as she realized what was happening, 2B watched as Chinchou evolved.
“Lanturn!”
Lapras had backed off by instinct. Evolution energy was dangerous to any pokémon that wasn’t the origin, and no pokémon would willingly attack another when it was mid-evolution as a result. 2B seized the moment.
“Thunderbolt!”
This time, the resulting attack was enhanced not just by Lanturn’s more powerful body, but the residual supercharge that recently evolved pokémon always carried with them. Lapras attempted to intercept the attack with an Ice Shard all on its own…but it was futile, reducing the power of the attack only a fraction. This time, Lapras went down, and didn’t stir at all. The Ref was quick to call it.
“Lapras is unable to continue! Challenger 2B wins! Challenger, you may meet the Gym Leader on the side platform to collect your badge.”
Beaming hugely, 2B ignored that direction, taking advantage of the fact that the arena was still iced-over to jump down and hug Lanturn. Thankfully, no one seemed to mind her going off script as a broadly smiling Misty joined her on the ice…
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
A/N 1: So, given there wasn't any other battling in this set of chapters...I just went ahead and tackled their Gym Badges. That way its out of the way for the next set of chapters, which will still be set in or around Cerulean City. (Such as a visit to Bill's, given that 2B has been working with him on stuff). Hopefully the fights are okay. I'm honestly having a massive headache with pokemon battles. They are complex as hell, and a lot of the moves are...poorly documented. If they haven't been seen in the anime, how exactly they work is kinda up in the air. Like even 'are you are ranged attack, or a close combat thing.'
A/N 2: Hey everyone! Most of you should know that I have a for Early Access chapters (find the link for it in my profile, or just search 'Novus's Fanfiction Works' in your browser of choice). This particular note, though, is to let everyone know about a new Update Schedule that's resulted from my attempting to go full time with my writing :-). Going forward, updates look roughly like this monthly:
1st - 10,000 words of One Piece: Halfway Broken
4th - 10,000 words of (Monthly Poll Winner)
8th - 10,000 words of Can One Displaced Hero Save the Galaxy?!
12th - 10,000 words of Author's Choice Story
16th - 10,000 words of One Piece: Halfway Broken
20th - 10,000 words of (Monthly Poll Winner)
24nd - 10,000 words of Can One Displaced Hero Save the Galaxy?!
28th - 10,000 words of Author's Choice Story
At a Random Point in the Month - 10,000 words of Extra Content (Patron Only). Extra content is either original fiction, teasers for possible future stories, extra lemons, or artwork (yes, I can technically draw, I'm very slow and only middling in skill though). In June the extra content was 10k words of an original work tentatively labeled Cyberpunk Hero.
Total Word Count = 90,000+ words
Since I already am on this schedule this month, look forward to a pretty solid increase in number and size of updates next month as it starts rolling onto the public sites too!