Author Note: After I published the last chapter, I slowly realized I wasn’t too happy with it. As a consequence, I took the original Chapter 159 and completely rewrote it. It hits a few similar topics, but some events have been completely eliminated (like Steven). This version is a lot better in my opinion, so it’ll replace the Chapter 159 I posted on Thursday.
If you don’t want to reread this, I’ll be posting a summary of its contents at the start of the next c...
2023-05-06 22:59:22 +0000 UTC
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"Alex. Wake up. We have a situation on our hands."
My peaceful dream of a walk through a forest was interrupted by a voice with a harsh tone. I shifted around with a groan, pushing a few sheets off my body and opening my eyes to see who had talked. Ninetales, at my feet, raised her head as well.
Seeing a hooded figure at the base of my bed caused me to immediately wake up. It was a nightmarish sight to see someone standing almost perfectly still in an otherwise darkened room. Than...
2023-05-01 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Darkness surrounded me. Unknown wisps of movement darted about, hidden from view. A single voice spoke up not too far away, acting as my only source of sensation outside the hotel room chair I sat on and the itchy suit I now wore.
"Let's discuss what you did on the taxi ride over,” Phoebe said.
"Didn't it go well?" I asked.
"Kind of," she replied. "Before you arrived, I told the driver to ask probing questions, and you did well to try to not give too much away. But, you fa...
2023-04-27 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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The Pokéball I held in my hand was brand new. There were no scratches, there was no wear from age, and its red and white coloring was as bright as it could get. Inside was the unknown Pokémon granted to me as a prize for placing first in the Lily of the Valley Conference. The only way to see what it was was to go ahead and send it out.
“Come on out.”
Thick hands gripped something metal as the Pokémon coalesced from the Pokéball’s released light. A flap of hair bobbed as ...
2023-04-24 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Cynthia skimmed through the paper in front of her and shuffled it back into the stack. Her eyes flicked up to the massive screen on the wall, large enough that even the richest home theater enthusiast would be jealous. A snort from the corner signified Garchomp’s continued rest. Other than that, Cynthia could only hear the soft ticking of an analog clock.
Seconds counted down and minutes passed by until the screen she was staring at finally flashed on. The first person to join finally...
2023-04-20 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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My path after the Conference was relatively laid back, as there wasn’t anything pressing that warranted a rush. Cynthia still needed to submit her proposal, and Sinnoh was in its three-month long break between League seasons. The next region I wanted to go to, Alola, didn't have its League-season equivalent until November. Given that it was currently the end of March, that left me plenty of time to plan everything out.
My immediate plans consisted of a trip to Spear Pillar to finally ...
2023-04-17 22:05:00 +0000 UTC
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My Pokémon were handed off to be healed, with a few of them switching in temporarily to hang out before the interviews started. Gardevoir and Togepi hung out with me while the rest of the team was being treated at the Pokémon Center. Since most of my team was in the process of being healed, I was technically allowed to do this. I wasn't violating carrying limits if only Gardevoir and Togepi were with me, after all.
Upon being sent out of their Pokéballs, Gardevoir looked like he expe...
2023-04-13 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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I want to say just how much I appreciate all the supportive comments that were left after the last chapter. Thank you.
When it comes to whether the Type Specialist will continue as a thrice-weekly or bi-weekly fiction, the comments were overwhelmingly in support of chapters with a twice a week schedule with slightly longer chapters. As a result, The Type Specialist will now be posted on Monday and Thursday to support this.
As for what’s happening this week, on Patreon, there won...
2023-04-12 03:01:01 +0000 UTC
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“So, the rewards,” Cynthia repeated. She leaned over to open up a drawer in the table and pull out a few pieces of paper. Her eyes briefly scanned over a long list before they flicked up to face me once more.
“Let’s start with the basics,” she said, smiling. “As it stands, many businesses in Sinnoh are a part of a historical organization that provides both free and discounted goods to people of note. As part of that tradition—which can be tracked all the way back to the Hi...
2023-04-10 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Announcement: I will be taking an early break for the first week of April. Chapters will resume on Monday, April 10th.
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I’d done my research on Gavel’s team just like he’d done research on mine. He had seven Pokémon he regularly used in battles, with an eighth in the form of Mandibuzz that only rarely appeared. Considering Mandibuzz’s Dark Type meant it would be weak to my Fairy Type team, I a...
2023-03-31 22:05:00 +0000 UTC
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Announcement: I was hit with a double whammy of a minor illness and carpal tunnel yesterday, so today's chapter is a bit shorter than normal. I'm already mostly over the illness, but the carpal tunnel is still sticking around. This is extra concerning to me since it’s usually my right hand wrist that hurts, but it’s my left hand that’s having trouble.
Originally, I was planning on taking a week break when the region ended, but if my hand doesn't get better, I migh...
2023-03-29 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Sneasler resembled a larger version of a Hisuian Sneasel. The difference was that this Pokémon had a lankier body, and its claws were much sharper and larger. It had an almost arrogant look on its face as it stared at Mawile, which made it pretty clear to me that Sneasler was a recent capture. Something dripped from one of its claws, and I realized it was poison. I realized I had lucked out by sending Mawile out first.
The referee shouted to start the battle over the fervent cheers of ...
2023-03-27 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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When I grabbed the Dive Ball containing Azumarill, my opponent almost immediately returned their Golem.
“Bronzong, go!”
“Azumarill, get in there!”
Azumarill’s burns were basically all healed, but it took her personally begging a nurse to get approval for the fight today. Surface-wise, there were only a few points of slight discoloration, but she had to promise not to use Belly Drum. The self-damage it inflicted was a bit too much for right now.
This match-up ...
2023-03-24 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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One thing that was rarely considered is what happens directly after a League battle.
The arena itself had a built-in Pokémon Center, but it was generally reserved for emergency use and quick, post-battle check-ups. My team didn’t have a pressing need to be there, no matter how much Ninetales moaned about her missing hair.
Instead, once everyone got a look-over to make sure everything was fine, we were placed in what was essentially a golf cart and driven to the main Po...
2023-03-22 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Entei stood on all fours with a great, flowing mane hanging off its shoulders. Its face was protected by red, yellow, and silver plates, and two sharp eyes stared out, both of them with a focus that revealed the intelligence that lurked below.
I didn't even understand how Tobias could have an Entei. Until now, I was certain there was only a single Entei in the world, brought to be when Ho-oh resurrected it within the Burned Tower of Johto. Tobias had either captured the Entei, ...
2023-03-20 22:05:00 +0000 UTC
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My laughter continued to ring out as the cheers from the audience began to grow. Gardevoir had succeeded, and Darkrai, a horror story to some, had fainted in an even trade.
This kind of thing did not happen. Legendary Pokémon did not fall to a single Pokémon. They were beings of myth, of legend, yet the crowds had seen one fall here and today.
There was no dragged out team-spanning battle. There was no desperate, last ditch effort to try to pull off at least one
2023-03-17 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Mawile came out first, and her Steel Type let her make Drapion’s Poison Type moves worthless. It tried to lay out Toxic Spikes as a trap, but Mawile’s Misty Terrain and a switch let Rapidash come out status-free.
Rapidash’s Ground Type High Horsepower easily took out Drapion after wearing it down with a Mystical Fire, and the same strategy took out a Skuntank.
Skuntank’s Aftermath ability caused Rapidash to faint in the explosion, and Mawile came back out to take out the T...
2023-03-15 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Located to the north of Sunyshore City, Lily of the Valley Island served as both the location of the Sinnoh Conference as well as the home of Sinnoh’s Pokémon League Headquarters. It was a mountainous island filled with forests and tall cliffs, and it had a small, sleepy town sitting on its southernmost coast.
Out of all of its features, however, what stood out the most was the wide valley that stretched across the entire island. It appeared almost as if a mountain had been severed i...
2023-03-13 22:05:01 +0000 UTC
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"And now, use your Aerial Ace!"
Togepi ran forward as fast as she could, her two feet furiously pushing her forward to reach speeds she rarely ever reached. At the peak of her dash, she suddenly lunged forward, and her body tilted in the air to aim her pointed, crested head directly in front of her.
Before she hit the ground, however, Rapidash caught her in his telekinetic grip and righted her in the air.
Togepi blinked then chirruped happily. Rapidash's eyes glimmered with ...
2023-03-10 23:55:10 +0000 UTC
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I want to thank everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. If you’ve missed it, the previous chapter’s battle was rewritten to properly demonstrate Alex’s current level of skill versus Dawn’s. It went up yesterday, and you can read the new version of Chapter 140 here.
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Dawn’s mother, another Top Coordinator, was...
2023-03-08 23:08:17 +0000 UTC
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This is an alternative version of Chapter 140 where the battle has been rewritten in an attempt to fix the issues the previous version had. Everything up to the start of the battle is identical to the last version, but the battle itself and most of the post-match thoughts have been adjusted. The final outcome of the match is also the same.
If you've read the original Chapter 140, there are parts of this battle you'll recognize, but I would say about 70% to 85% is different. I hope this ...
2023-03-08 00:59:53 +0000 UTC
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NOTICE: There is an updated version of Chapter 140 that has been posted. There are issues in this battle that the alternative version fixes, but I'll be leaving this post up for now.
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"After sixty-two incredible battles and over a hundred incredible performances, we've reached the final match of the Grand Fest...
2023-03-06 23:05:20 +0000 UTC
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Dawn started the march up to the field, and Zoey approached opposite to her. Marian’s voice announced both Coordinators, setting up the battle as well as a brief overview of both the rules and their identities for the viewers watching at home.
I didn’t have any Pokémon sitting with me this time around. As much as Florges and Ninetales would have liked to watch, both of them were resting in their Pokéballs to try to handle the stress of future rounds and prepare themselves for thei...
2023-03-03 23:05:01 +0000 UTC
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It was hard to tell what my Pokémon were doing, but despite that usually costing points in a Contest, it was winning us the match.
The floor was covered in a dense Misty Terrain; pink fog obscured the field. Florges was hidden within thanks to Camouflage, and a mass of petals from Petal Dance floated around in the area.
Above that mist, harsh sunlight shined onto the field as Whimsicott floated around and giggled at his opponents. A paired Beautifly and Mothim swirled around each...
2023-03-01 23:05:01 +0000 UTC
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This is another Grand Festival chapter.
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"And here are our magnificent Coordinators who have reached the next round!"
Marian threw her hand up to gesture at a screen held aloft over the field, where headshots from the thirty two progressing contestants were displayed for all to see.
My eyes quickly scanned the board to ensure we made it in. As Robin was the only one wearing a mask, it took no time at all...
2023-02-27 23:05:00 +0000 UTC
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The start of the Grand Festival! The actual Contest-related events don't happen until about halfway through.
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I had my entire team out to watch Gardevoir. Ninetales and Florges, who were serving as his tutors, looked on in pride as he attempted this move.
In his hands was the Pixie Plate, as it tended to be recently. A small patch of Misty Terrain emanated from the ground around him as he kept his eyes closed...
2023-02-24 23:05:00 +0000 UTC
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The figure in the midst of the snowstorm was an Electivire. Its heavy upper half almost made it look ape-like, but the yellow fur and black markings clearly signaled it to be the evolution of Electabuzz. A pair of black tendrils whipped around on its back as its head rapidly glanced around, trying to find its target.
Behind it, its trainer, Volkner, looked on with tension clear in his expression. He had spiky blonde hair and wore a thick blue jacket. As it stood, Volkner was my target f...
2023-02-22 23:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 133 was posted yesterday. Make sure you haven't missed it!
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The Contest in Snowpoint City was my last chance to earn my fifth ribbon. Well, it wasn't necessarily my last chance, but it was my last easy chance to do so.
In addition, this would be one of the last times Robin would take the field. ...
2023-02-20 23:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Paul was already present when I arrived. Our match was scheduled to take place at noon, which was in ten minutes, yet he looked like he had been here for quite a while. Next to Paul, waiting alongside him, was his brother Reggie, who looked moderately pleased for some unknown reason.
As I approached, Paul crossed his arms. We weren't on a true battlefield, but, rather, we had chosen an open space in the snowy plains to the southeast of town. Paul's somewhat unhappy figure was framed by ...
2023-02-19 23:05:00 +0000 UTC
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I went ahead and started to count the familiar, named trainers here.
First of all, there was the expected Ash, Dawn, and Brock, whose importance to the anime made their presence be of no surprise to me. Ash dug into the buffet alongside Pikachu, Dawn happily chatted to a few other present trainers, and Brock...
Well, Brock was trying his best to recover from Croagunk's Poison Jab after he dropped one of his usual, intense pick-up lines.
They made a baseline of three known tr...
2023-02-17 23:05:01 +0000 UTC
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