.004 Δ [Video]

[ratherbelocky]

Goooood evening, residents of Johto. It's a lovely, drizzly January day, and I've got a question you folks might be able to answer for me. Consider it an informal poll.

[York looks comfortable and cozy as he lounges around his house, still wearing his ugly Christmas sweater.]

Now, I understand that this place just isn't equipped to support a Grifball League, but there's got to be more to life than just hockey and baseball. Are there Pokémon Olympics or something I should tune into? And, hey, what kind of sports did you guys have back in your worlds? Were they fun? Would you recreate 'em here if you could?

[He rubs his chin for a moment, then adds:]

If anyone around Goldenrod's interested in forming some kind of low-key community sports team--y'know, something for people, not Pokémon--let me know. I might be able to help us get something set up before baseball season starts.

Comments

[bent_the_world]

I don't know exactly what the Olympics are, but some friends and I are trying to get some Pokemon sporting competitions going! Since...there don't seem to be any.

Back home we had pro-bending! I played professionally for a while. It's awesome! But I'm not sure how to recreate it here. There's no bending here...

Uh, controlling elements. It's a thing where I come from.

[ratherbelocky]

[Controlling elements? Okay, hold on, he'll try to puzzle that out on his own for a minute while he explains Korra a thing.]

The Olympics are an international sports event held back on my Earth. Every four years, participating countries send a huge team in to compete in a whole bunch of different sports: team sports, gymnastics, martial arts, all kinds of different races. The hosting city changes every time and it's a huge deal. People train their whole lives for it.

[He scratches his temple, then laughs and admits:]

Okay, I still don't get exactly what you mean by pro-bending or controlling elements. Something like what Pokémon do?

[bent_the_world]

That sounds really awesome, actually!

Bending is a thing where I come from, some people are born with the ability to control and manipulate an element. Pro-bending makes it into a sport. There's two teams in an arena that's raised and surrounded by water. There's an earthbender, a waterbender, and a firebender on each team. The goal is to try and push the other team back with bending moves until they've been knocked out of the arena.

It's a pretty huge deal.

[ratherbelocky]

Ohh, hey, yeah, that does sound pretty cool. We wouldn't have anything like that where I'm from, though I guess it sorta sounds like a...magical sumo wrestling match. But with teams. I bet you could drum something up using Pokémon instead, but then it'd have to be for them, not for humans.

[bent_the_world]

It's the best!

Yeah, we're working on something for both people and Pokemon, but nothing's gonna replicate pro-bending. It's too bad, I haven't played in a long time.

[ratherbelocky]

I know what you mean. I toyed with figuring out how to import one of the newer sports from my time, but I don't think it woulda worked out in the end.

So what kinda thing you got in mind for the Pokémon?

[bent_the_world]

Some stuff just won't work. It sounds like you've got an idea for another kind of sport, though...?

Well, we're thinking a bunch of different tests and things for skill and strength and special moves. And events where trainers and their team have to work together, to show off everybody's skill.

[ratherbelocky]

I haven't really decided yet. I've actually been hired on as an athletic advisor for the local baseball team--the Goldenrod Granbulls, if you heard of 'em--so I'm not hurting for sports in my life, but there's a difference between coaching and getting to play yourself, you know? Depending on who shows interest, we could have anything from some casual kickball games to crazy obstacle courses like Draculaura's been talking to me about.

But hey, that sounds cool! Definitely has an Olympian flavor to it. Sort of a way to show off without tracking down a Gym Leader, huh?

[bent_the_world]

Oh yeah! I don't know what baseball is, though. Kickball sounds pretty self-explanatory. I'd definitely be interested in some physical activities...

Yeah, exactly! Since lots of people aren't into battling, but they've still taught their Pokemon cool stuff. Why not have a way to show it off?

[ratherbelocky]

Oh, yeah, baseball's a sport that developed in my world--my home country, even--about six, seven hundred years ago, from my time. Two teams trade off offense and defense throughout a nine-inning game. On offense, you get a bat, and your job's to hit the ball that the pitcher throws and run the bases in order so you can score points. On defense, you catch the ball and throw it to other players on your team in order to get the batter out by tagging 'em or getting to a base before they can reach it.

...It'd be easier to explain if a game were going on. It gets kinda complicated. Lot of strategy involved.

[bent_the_world]

That sounds cool! Like a really complex game of stick ball that takes a lot of skill.

[ratherbelocky]

That sounds pretty accurate, yeah. The season starts in March, so you oughta catch a game sometime if you're interested. I don't know about other cities but Goldenrod's got a nice stadium.