Super Training Room [Times increased.]

[MoniqueBrie]

The Camerupt began to stomp around the training room, driven berserk by the virus that had closed its heart.

Lua Pele saw the Zoroark girl training it. And all she wanted to do was erupt her out of her sight with such viciousness that she might actually land on Mt. Chimney.

It began using Earthquake, the room shaking, Monique sent into an actual nervous panic. Is this gonna destroy the room? The mountain!? She looked around. The only way this was going to stop was to take the Pokémon out. And it just so happened to be quadruple-weak to the Castform floating next to her.

"Aopuaʻa... Weather Ball!" she cried out, hoping that this was the right strategy. The misty rain began to coalesce into one massive sphere, which the Forecast Pokémon then hurtled at the Camerupt. It nearly immediately keeled over, the shaking stopping, the Shadow Pokémon knocked out in one hit.

She took a moment to gather her breath and hoped there was a healing unit in the STR. She looked at Castform in gratitude.

Purification Points: 16 → 17 of 30  

[MoniqueBrie]

The next day...

Monique returned to the STR, a day after having to KO her own Pokémon to prevent a catastrophe. The Mt. Chimney setting whirred to life on the panels as the hot air drifted into the room and Camerupt came out of its Poké Ball.

It sniffed Monique, apparently recognizing what it did yesterday. She set out more clouds for Camerupt to try breaking through, warming it up with two 4-meter and two 6-meter clouds.

After taking a minute to get the first plume high enough, Lua Pele got in sync and easily smashed the other three clouds, letting out proud roars in the process. It may have had its heart closed, but even Shadow Pokémon took pride in their strength. They just expressed it in vicious ways.

Or at least that's what Monique was thinking before she suddenly saw Lua Pele charging headlong at her. "Duck!" She jumped just in time to avoid a chi-filled collision.

Clearly, this Pokémon wanted an opponent.

Purification Points: 17 → 18/30  

[MoniqueBrie]

Monique looked through the options menu and decided to have Lua Pele face off against some generated opponents. To start, she figured, she would use Pokémon that were type-weak to Camerupt, such as Grass, Rock, Poison, and Steel types.

The first Pokémon to appear was obviously a Grass-type, a thin, bipedal creature apparently made entirely of leaves. The simulation even ran the Pokédex.

Leavanny. Bug/Grass. The Nurturing Pokémon. Upon finding a small Pokémon, it weaves clothing for it from leaves, using the cutters on its arms and sticky silk.

Seeing another Pokémon definitely got Lua Pele fired up. Without even a command, it let loose a Lava Plume. The simulated Leavanny stood no chance and quickly withered, flames appearing to burn holes in its skin before it disappeared.

This seemed to really stimulate the Camerupt, so she decided to try a Pokémon of a different type. The visage of a striped quadriped replaced it in the room.

Zebstrika. Electric. The Thunderbolt Pokémon. When this ill-tempered Pokémon runs wild, it shoots lightning from its mane in all directions.

"Alright, Fire won't be as effective as Ground. Let's do an Earthquake!" The ground shook, and the Zebstrika was no match, the shaking agitating its Electric typing in agony. It tipped on its side before disappearing, it too having fainted.

"I'm gonna need to do something a little harder..."

Purification Points: 18 → 19/30  

[MoniqueBrie]

The next Pokémon to appear was a floating Ghost-type. Mismagius. Ghost. The Magical Pokémon.

Lua Pele looked for a moment. She could sense that this Pokémon was different than the others she had been facing. But it had to go. It selected the strongest move it had in its repertoire by sheer force, Earthquake.

The move did not hit because Mismagius has the Ability Levitate, a voice explained in her earpiece. Levitate makes Pokémon immune to Ground-type moves. Consider a move of another type or using Gravity. For more information on Levitate...

Well, Camerupt did not know Gravity, so another type it was going to have to be, Monique thought. (She was also grateful for the tutorial breakdown when a move misfired; the STR never ceased to impress.)

Before Camerupt could call forth its next move, however, the Mismagius totally vanished. Unlike the last times Pokémon had vanished, though, she could sense it was still somewhere in the room. A Lava Plume was unsuccessful at making any damage, and the next action explained why: Mismagius used Phantom Force, its spirit traveling through the Eruption Pokémon.

Lua Pele roared a bit in frustration. Monique worried it was going to use a Shadow move and start on the path to another Hyper Mode. Instead, though, it used Lava Plume, giving her a much-needed sigh of relief. And it was a critical hit. Mismagius disappeared again, this time out of defeat, not deceit.

Another foreign Pokémon appeared in its place, a flat thing that looked rather like a trap with sharp teeth sticking out of its thin body. Stunfisk, Galar. Ground/Steel. The Trap Pokémon. Living in mud with a high iron content has given it a strong steel body... Stunfisk moved first, and its move choice put the sheriff on notice: Muddy Water, a Water-type move with a quadruple weakness for Camerupt. She hoped the Pokémon would hang on, especially after the Phantom Force, but it managed to miss entirely, spraying a now-soaked Monique instead of Lua Pele. Note to self: Shower after.

A quick Lava Plume, shooting high into the sky, was all it took for the Stunfisk to be vanquished.

Purification Points: 19 → 20/30  

[MoniqueBrie]

A Conkeldurr was the next Pokémon to be produced by the random opponent generator. The large Muscular Pokémon was a sight to behold and one not seen in her time; of course, construction had largely become a thing of the past when the Dome was built, and this line was Unovan, not Alolan.

Monique fretted, though, when Camerupt opted to disobey the planned Lava Plume in favor of Shadow Rave. Camerupt. Shadow Meter. 4. The move was super-effective, but the Conkeldurr did not faint, instead raising one of the two large pillar segments it carried and crashing it down on the bony protrusions atop Camerupt's back in a Hammer Arm. She was thankful that her Pokémon was healed after each battle—something she had not realized earlier—or else it would already have fainted, possibly twice over. Another Lava Plume did Conkeldurr in, prompting Lua Pele to let out a prideful low roar.

The next Pokémon to appear was also the first Water-type it had faced all day: Jellicent, a highly dimorphic Water- and Ghost-type. Monique looked at Lua Pele. Could it hang on?

Camerupt managed to move first, using Earthquake. Even though the Jellicent floated, the vibration and moved earth still damaged it. That tutorial voice spoke up again.

This Pokémon has Cursed Body, which means some moves that damage it are then disabled. Your—Camerupt's—move—Earthquake—has been disabled and cannot be used at this time.

Camerupt was going to faint if that thing used a Water-type move that did any damage. Instead, though, Jellicent used Rain Dance, which at least bought Monique some time to do something.

She rushed to recall Camerupt for the moment and summoned another Pokémon. Out came her little Pichu, Halena. She reviewed its moves and hoped it could do damage.

"Spark!" She was quite worried. The Jellicent moved first with Brine, but Pichu hung on and delivered Spark. To its Trainer's shock, Jellicent faded, having somehow been knocked out.

She recalled the Pichu and took a breather. Just a little more for Camerupt...after she put it in the healing machine.

Purification Points: 20 -> 21 / 30  

[MoniqueBrie]

Monique brought Camerupt out for one final battle. A moving set of gears and a belt emerged as the opponent. As the Pokédex informed Monique of everything related to Klinklang, she called for a Lava Plume.

Instead, Camerupt went for a Shadow Rave. Its Shadow Meter crept up to 8 of 10. She was on thin ice now, and she knew it. Klinklang went for broke and used Hyper Beam—probably because its Electric and Steel moves would not do much or anything at all—aiming a beam of blinding light at Lua Pele. Monique had to look away; when she could, Camerupt was still there, a little weak and catching its breath but on its own four legs.

Lava Plume! The tallest column of flame she had produced all day emanated from atop her front volcano and slammed into Klinklang, visibly melting its steel frame before the defeated simulant Pokémon disappeared.

Monique recalled Camerupt and left the STR. She was just glad not to hear the words Hyper Mode.

Purification Points: 21 -> 22 / 30  

[MoniqueBrie]

This time, Monique entered the STR to pit her two Fire-type Pokémon against each other. She figured that it might help Lua Pele to have some friendly competition.

She brought out the Camerupt and Kalama, her Marowak. "Alright, here's what we're doing today. Lua Pele, when I say "go", you use Lava Plume. Kalama, use Flamethrower facing up. We're gonna see who can shoot out the highest column of flame!" She looked up at the massive expanse. This room was a cavern alright.

"On the count of three... One...two...three... Go!" Kalama, sure enough, expelled a stream of fire up above her. But Lua Pele wasn't listening.

"Lua Pele! Go!" Monique stomped, trying to encourage the shadow Camerupt to listen. It finally did, but the red-glowing Lava Plume column was nothing compared to the green flames.

"Good effort, good effort, but that's not enough. I know you can do better. I've come in here so often now I know how high you can do. That ain't it!" Monique crossed her arms. "Kalama, you can stop for a moment."

"GRAY, how high did the columns go?"

"Marowak: five meters. Camerupt: three meters."

"You hear that? Lua Pele, let's go for seven meters! And Kalama, I want you to push her to get that!" Camerupt wasn't really listening, its heart still just too closed. But Kalama was, throwing her bone in a sign of readiness.  

[MoniqueBrie]

"Alright, ready?" She looked at her two Pokémon. "One...two...two and a half...three... Go!!"

This time, Camerupt performed on cue, expelling a large cloud of Lava Plume as Kalama sent a beam of Flamethrower into the air. There was still a gap, but Camerupt was a little better than last time.

"How high, GRAY?"

"Marowak: 5.2 meters. Camerupt: 3.6 meters."

"Alright, alright! That's a start. I wanna be raving about your performance!" Unfortunately, Lua Pele misheard and instead sent a Shadow Rave straight at Monique. She was lucky there was an Immunizer: the icky sensation of shadowy chi was dripping from her for several minutes. She snarled in disgust.

Purification Points: 23 -> 24 / 30 (oops, not incremented last post)  

[MoniqueBrie]

Camerupt—Shadow Meter—4, Monique heard her SNAG intone as she took a breather from the attack. She got up, looking angrily at Lua Pele. "Don't do that again!"

A sigh came from the Zoroark hybrid. "Okay, third time. I need to see some improvement or you ain't ever gonna reach Kalama. Heard...I hope?" A deep breath. "One...two...three...four... GO!"

Camerupt seemed to be listening somewhat. GRAY informed Monique that the gap had narrowed. Marowak had equaled her last length of 5.2 meters, but Camerupt was up to 4.4 meters.

"That's more like it, boo!" She felt more like she was encouraging her squadmates back in the little workout room at the posse's HQ in New Po than trying to tell a Shadow Pokémon that it was working through more of its chi—the right way. It was either that workout or the one she put on as a show in Flower City's underbelly.

Purification Points: 24 -> 25 / 30  

[MoniqueBrie]

"Fourth attempt! Lua Pele, you're doing so well!" Monique was actually starting to smile. She felt like her Camerupt might be turning the corner. The thing had been such a hassle to manage ever since she snagged it in a tunnel under Mauville. But it clearly had so much potential, and times like this showed why.

"One...two...three...DOME!" Kalama almost started using Flamethrower before she realized Monique hadn't actually said— "GO!" That allowed Lua Pele to get a jump before Kalama began arcing ghastly flame into the air. The two clouds were as close as they'd been since she'd walked into the STR.

"Readings, please?"

"4.9 meters for Marowak, 4.7 for Camerupt." So the gap had tightened, but in part because Kalama had regressed a bit.

"Alright... One last push! Don't give up! Don't hold back! Make that fire your b***h! Heard?" Her voice was as loud as it had been all day, echoing across the panels that showed scenes of Mt. Chimney in Hoenn.

Purification Points: 25 -> 26 / 30  

[MoniqueBrie]

"One last push! I want both of you above 5 meters! Send that fire high into the sky!" Monique was really into it. Her hair was bobbing back and forth as she jumped around. For someone who owned no Fighting-type Pokémon, she was into this workout.

"One!" She glared at Lua Pele, who was looking slightly off to the side.

"Two!" She gave a knowing nod to Kalama.

"Three!"

"Pokémon ready..." She raised her left hand up high, like the host did on one long-lost TV show whose name she couldn't recall at this exact moment.

"Go!" She dropped her left hand and briefly raised her right, but Kalama and Lua Pele were too busy in their fire-making challenge. Kalama's fire held slow and steady at the same distance, while as a Lava Plume the Eruption Pokémon built up to one massive burst of volcanic matter from its back humps.

As the Lava Plume faded, Kalama brought her flame down.

"GRAY! Readings for the last round?"

"5.3 meters for Marowak..." A pregnant pause. "5.34 meters for Camerupt!" Monique clapped in excitement. As a reward for its mostly good behavior and persistence in beating out Monique's longtime partner Pokémon, the sheriff pulled a Vivid Scent from her bag and sprayed the Shadow Pokémon in its lush aura. It yipped warmly in the most happiness it had shown since she had snagged it.

The work of purification was nearly done. All that was left was vaccination to ensure the door to Camerupt's heart would never close again.

Purification Points: 26 - > 27 -(Vivid Scent)-> 30 / 30  

[DeoLux]

Deo arrived in the room where he was feeling sick. The shadow virus his machop has was making him ill. So after releasing his machop and having a punching bag come down, Deo would have to compose himself. He never thought he would have to worry about hostile pokemon. He dealt with hostile humans, mobsters, and even some mafia lords. Never pokemon though. He would then calmly command his machop. "Alrighty, bud, Attack this punching bag with all you got. Release your anger on it." As he said that, the machop attacked with ferocity so fierce that Deo was frightened by the ferocity of his own pokemon.

Purification Points: 0 -> 1
Shadow Level 1  

[DeoLux]

As the time goes on, his machop was not weakening, but instead getting angrier and more energized. The Shadow virus was strong, but not as strong as others. "Machop! Kick!" Deo commanded, as his machop gave a strong kick and started making the chain creak. "Good job, keep it up!" Deo cheered on and he was feeling more confident with the fact that he has raised him well, but worried that the virus will only become stronger, and not weaker.

Purification Points 1 -> 2
Shadow Stage 1
points needed: 20  

[DeoLux]

The Powers were getting more fierce. With every punch he saw the veracity was getting more powerful. "Machop! You can do it! Purge yourself from the virus!" Deo encouraged. As he continued, he himself started to sweat. The virus was getting worse for the machop he feared and hopefully he would... no... he will overcome the virus!

Purification points: 2 -> 3
shadow stage 1
Points needed 20  

[DeoLux]

"Machop! Flying kick!" Deo would shout, and his machop would apparently decide to not just run and flying kick, no, he would do a Lu Kang move and nearly knock the punching bag from its chain. "Please refrain from doing that" GRAY would remind deo and of course, he was a little annoyed from that.

Purification points gained: 3 -> 4
shadow stage 1
points needed 20