Rock Hard - Chapter 4 - Cerulean City Cascade! (Patreon)

“Wow, it’s kind of beautiful, isn’t it?” Yolanda asked, looking down upon Cerulean City along the coast from the hill they’d chosen to camp on last night.

There were signs of life of course, with Pidgey and Spearow and other bird pokemon flying around as the sun began to rise. Small pokemon foraged around the area looking for berries of potential prey but even the city itself was starting to come to life.

“Taaaar!” whispered Terra from next to her, not willing to break the tranquillity of the moment.

Yolanda nodded in reply, happy to just cuddle up to her friend.

Crystal chose that moment to interrupt by way of her transceiver’s alarm turning on at full bore. 

“—are you sick and tired of having to wait to rent a Psychic pokemon? Travel in style with a bike! It’s great for fitness and something everyone can love!” chimed the advert, causing Crystal to snort and twitch.

Yolanda turned with Terra in her lap, knowing just how this would go.

Crystal's tent violently shook as she began thrashing .”What’s that? No Mum, I’m not—” Crystal started to deny only for the tent to collapse around her causing her to shriek in surprise.

From the canvas, a head-like shape rose and turned slowly. Terra mimed whacking it by rocking back and forward, her eyes all but egging Yolanda on to use her as the proverbial stick.

Yolanda giggled at the image with Terra smiling at the joke.

“Little help?” Crystal asked.

Yolanda considered whether she should get up or not to help her friend right away. She was kind of comfortable after all.

“Hey come on Yol! I know you’re out there. You’ve probably been up for like an hour already and have a cup of tea drunk and like all your pokemon training done for the day!”

Yolanda glanced to the side, where, sure enough, her tea was finished. She had also run through all the training exercises she’d planned for today. She had to give it to Crystal, she knew her well.

“Alright,” she muttered, rising and plucking the canvas off her friend's head.

Crystal emerged, bedraggled and still in her pyjamas. “I thought these tents were more stable than that?” Yolanda asked.

Crystal coughed. “I might not have set up the stabilising braces?” she admitted, earning herself a sigh from Yolanda.

“Do that next time, and maybe find something better than just having your transceiver blare the radio to wake you up in the morning?”

“Ah… it’s one of the more effective methods I’ve got, sooooo, yeah, no?” Crystal offered back.

“Hmmm, you could always ask Mankey to wake you up?” Yolanda pointed out.

“Yeah and wake up to him rubbing poo into my face or something, no thanks!” 

Both girls considered that image for a moment before shuddering.

“Hey guys! I’ve found a spinarak and I’m going to have a go at catching it!” called Greta from over the hill. 

Crystal instantly perked up. “Catching a new pokemon? This I’ve got to see!” she gushed as she hurried off, leaving Yolanda with their campsite. 

Yolanda sighed and released Spot and Flapper once more. “Hey, watch the camp for me?” she asked, and the pair dutifully nodded as Yolanda jogged after her friends with Terra in her arms.

“Taaaaaaaar,” whined Terra sadly.

“I know girl, but it’s not permanent. You’re just growing within your shell, that's all. You focus on that, and you’ll be a powerful Tyranitar before you know it!” 

“Tar,” muttered Terra, still dejected.

“Hmmm, how about I do some shell painting later? You can pick the colours?” Yolanda offered, causing Terra to perk up at the offer of a ‘paint session’.

With her starter in her arms, Yolanda still caught up to Crystal just as she reached Greta, who was pointing towards a grove of trees with quite a lot of webbing within it.

“I thought you already had a strong bug-poison type pokemon with your Beedrill?” Crystal asked.

Greta shrugged. “I kind of like the bug type pokemon, and Spinarak, or rather Ariados, when it evolves, is a strong pokemon with a few different skills I wouldn’t mind having.”

“You’re becoming a bit of a poison type specialist with this you realise?” Yolanda teased, earning herself a scoff from Greta.

“Gastly go!” Greta ordered.

As she marched forwards Crystal and Yolanda shared a look. “Ghost-poison against bug-poison, that’s a bit of overkill no?”

“She's probably hoping to have it evolve soon, she’s had it for a while now,” Yolanda pointed out.

They fell silent as Greta gave them both a look, indicating that she very much could hear them and wanted them to shut up. 

Both girls mimed zipping their lips and Greta nodded only to turn back and give Crystal a knowing look right as the girl leaned over to whisper something to Yolanda.

Crystal stopped moving and bowed her head as Yolanda giggled to herself.

With her friends quietened for the moment, Greta turned her attention to the webbing before her. “Acid Spray!” announced Greta and her pokemon unleashed a spray of poison that coated the nearyby webbing only to cause it to sizzle and vanish. 

Yolanda hummed with interest as a Spinarak came chittering forth. It had the normal twin line markings with a circle on its back.

“Does it look like it has a stunned look on it’s face?” Crystal asked, earning a nod from Yolanda.

Spinarak touched some of the poison on the way through only to flinch.

“Oh,” Yolanda mumbled.

“What’s up? Something important just happened if you’re making noises like that,” prodded Crystal quietly.

“It’s just that Acid Spray is a poison type move which Spinarak should have been highly resistant to. For it to even flinch like that indicates a severe strength disparity.”

Greta suddenly looked conflicted. “Damn, I was hoping for a bit of a stronger pokemon,” she murmured.

Yolanda grimaced. “That’s kind of unfair for Spinarak, it’s facing a pokemon that’s had a lot more training in pretty much optimal conditions compared to a young wild pokemon. The fact that you’re overpowering it with poison-type moves just proves that more so.”

“Hmmm you’re right,” Greta mumbled as she cast Gastly a thoughtful look.

The Spinarak, rather than back down from the fight bristled and chittered angrily, even going so far as to launch a String shot that Gastly phased through.

Greta gave Spinrak another look over. “You’re pretty determined even when you know you’re outmatched. Want to come with me so I can make the most of that sort of fighting spirit? I promise to feed you and take you all the way,” she offered kindly.

Spinarak turned its head and considered Greta before nodding.

Pleased with this turn of events, she leaned forward and tapped Spinarak on the body with a pokeball. It clicked into acceptance straight away, only to flash once with red light and vanish as the teleport feature engaged.

Greta stood and surveyed the area the fight had occurred in and then looked to Gastly.

Crystal approached. “Something the matter? You’re not celebrating gaining a new teammate. What gives?”

“It’s just… I had been hoping for a bit more of a fight. I need a good fight to push Gastly it feels like,” she replied. Gastly drifted back and forth with a smirk.

“Ah, that’s fair enough, maybe focus on your bond in the mean time?" Yolanda offered.

Greta’s lips quirked upwards. “Now why does that sound familiar?” she teased as Yolanda stuck her tongue out. “Alright, I’ll do like your brother suggested and just take things as they come.”

Crystal chose that moment to sneeze, making everyone look at her only to find her stamping her feet and looking down at herself. “Shit! I forgot to change!” she shouted as she and everyone else realised she was still in her pyjamas.

Which were now soaked through with morning dew.

Greta sighed and released her Vulpix. With a wordless gesture from Greta, Vulpix hopped into Crystal’s arms, where her tails curled around the girl's arm and leg, causing Crystal to sigh in contentment.

“You should break it off with Greta Vulpix! Come join me!” she whispered into the fire type’s soft fur, only to earn a light nip on the nose for her troubles.

“Just evolve your Eevee into a Flareon,” chimed Greta.

“What? That would be such a waste! My guy has so much potential! He could be amazing! Imagine him as a cool Glaceon, or a Sparky Jolteon! Or a cool and mysterious Umbreon!”

Greta and Yolanda both shared fond looks with each other as their friend rambled on and on about all the potential her friend possessed. It was an old conversation, one that had grooves in it they’d repeated it that often.

At just the right moment Yolanda chimed in and suggested Sylveon, only for Crystal to perk up and talk about finding her own method and making a unique Eeveolution.

“As long as you don’t try something dumb like trying for a ghost type pokemon I think you’ll be fine,” stated Greta, finishing the conversation at its usual checkpoint.

Once Crystal properly assembled her tent and changed into her daywear, the girls enjoyed breakfast and broke camp with the day still young. 

“So, first big Gym match coming up Yolanda, you nervous?” probed Crystal.

“You’re in the same boat as me! Are you nervous?” taunted Yolanda with a lift of her chin.

“Pffft! Pffft! I say!” Crystal declared imperiously only to slump. “Yes, though. I don’t think I’ll be challenging Cerulean as my first gym, even if the girls are considered… the easiest Gym badge to win.”

Yolanda blinked. “You don’t have a strategy ready to face them? I mean, I don’t have any pokemon that can use electric or grass-type moves, but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up!”

“And not all of us are going to slam our faces into the wall and demand the tough road. I’m more than happy to collect a lightning zappy mouse and march right back in here for the cascade badge at a later date.” Crystal shrugged. “I figure I’ll do it when you and Greta go into training mode for like a week straight or something like that.”

Yolanda and Greta nodded slowly, admitting to themselves that Crystal wasn’t wrong.

“Well hello, ladies!” cut in an oily voice.

The girls looked to the side of the road only to find a man sitting in a fold out chair with an umbrella over his head and a small table at his side.

The girls instantly started cataloguing his features.

Slick-backed hair, designer sunglasses, poorly concealed pokebelt featuring an entire team of pokemon on it, and what looked like a gold watch?

All of that indicated one thing.

This guy was a rookie crusher sitting on Route Four hoping to catch some easy fights and earn himself some cash.

The trio turned inwards, their eyes locking as fighting spirit once more exploded out of them.

“Three, two, one, shoot!” they barked together as they shot their hands forth, revealing their choices.

This time, they'd all gone rock.

They glared at each other and repeated the action, over and over, until finally Yolanda emerged triumphant.

She turned back to the thoroughly confused rookie crusher with a grin.

“You looking for a fight?” she offered as she enlarged Terra’s pokeball.

The man smirked like he was already counting the pokedollars from winning this fight.

“One v one first knock out?” he declared easily as he stepped to the side of the road, which just happened to be perfectly flat and ready for a pokemon match. Yeah, this guy had chosen his site perfectly.

Yolanda nodded, and he pinged her his details on his transceiver. She replied in kind, locking them into the fight and thus making sure a transfer of pokedollars would occur at the conclusion of the fight.

The man grinned. “Names Chad! I’m about to be real glad! He crowed as he sent forth a Magcargo.” he grinned “Heh! Rookies coming to Cerulean always have electric or grass type…” he trailed off as Yolanda sent out Terra, her Pupitar who locked eyes on Magcargo and grinned heavily.

“Oh…” he glanced down at his transceiver, only now registering Yolanda’s name. “You’re Brock’s sister, aren’t you?” he muttered.

Yolanda just grinned.

____________________

The girls marched into Cerulean with a skip in their steps and a twinkle in their eyes. Each of them stared happily at their transceivers with their bank accounts on display shamelessly. 

“Man, he really didn’t know when to quit did he?” gloated Crystal as she eyed the recent prize winnings.

“Makes it all the sweeter,” replied Greta happily.

“He really should have known better after the first match,” Yolanda replied, shaking her head.

Greta nodded. “So, is it performance first?” she asked of Yolanda who shook her head.

“No, Gym Match first,” she replied.

“Urgh, if you lose you—”

“I’m not crossing them over. When I perform, I perform, when I fight pokemon battles I do that,” Yolanda cut back. “For now at least,” she amended.

The girls gave her a look, but she pointedly looked ahead, showing that she wasn’t going to talk about it, even if pressed. They knew her well enough to drop it and instead shift the topic. 

“So, Gym battle eh? You’re going to struggle, the pool set up of the cerulean Gym is going to be rough for you to handle you know?”

“I know,” stated Yolanda. “But I’ll manage. I have multiple plans. Let’s go there straight away. I want to make the most of the early arrival.”

Accepting this, the girls headed directly towards the Cerulean Gym. The Gym itself was beautiful to walk up to with a variety of water features on display along with large billboards and banners denoting the trio of sisters that currently ran the Gym.

Yolanda knew that eventually Misty would be taking over. Part of her was actually disappointed about the fact she wouldn’t get to face her brother’s girlfriend.

Which they totally were, even if the dunce hadn’t officially asked her out yet.

Walking into the reception, the receptionist glanced up at them, made to open his mouth and say something dismissive, only for Yolanda to lock eyes with him.

The man straightened in his seat without even noticing as he stared back. “Gym Match?” he asked

Yolanda nodded. “Yolanda of Pewter, I want the Gauntlet!” she declared.

The man blinked only to smile. “Oh! I was warned about you! The girls wanted to know when you came around.” His eyes dipped to the side, and he chuckled. “Oh, Violet isn’t going to like this; she’s with her boyfriend right now.”

“So? Shouldn’t one of the others be on site for the fight?” Yolanda asked.

“Hmmm, yes, but the girls know that you’re supposed to be quite a singer, they wanted to see if you had—”

“I’m not here for that, I’m here to earn my Gym badge!” Yolanda cut the man off firmly.

Greta and Crystal shared a look with Crystal smirking. “Damn girl, you’re famous already, barely a day out of Pewter.”

“Urgh! Just… set the match up please? The earlier the better,” Yolanda stated. “When can I start?”

“You can begin now,” proclaimed an older, gruffer voice.

The group twitched in surprise as they spotted an older, grizzled man standing nearby watching them.

The receptionist put a hand to his chest. “Arceus Jeffrey! Stop doing that, You’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days.”

Jeffrey’s eyes slid away from Yolanda for a moment to land on the other man. “No,” he replied before looking back. “Ready to fight now young miss?”

Yolanda grinned. “So ready!” 

He nodded and waved for her to follow. “Call Daisy, she’s on duty and will be ready for this.”

The receptionist shook his head. “On the second day of the circuit before lunch time? Doubt it,” he replied. 

That made Jeffrey’s eyes narrow and a grunt escape him. 

When they reached Cerulean’s iconic water based arena Jeffrey pointed to one of the podiums. “Parker! Diana! You’re both up!” he barked, causing a bespectacled teenager to rush forward and up onto the podium.

“Only one trainer for your gauntlet?” asked Yolanda.

The woman on the other hand marched over to the referee stands. “We’ll swap out if you beat Parker here,” she answered. “Jeffrey probably would have taken part as well, but he’s got to go wake up Daisy.”

“Who’s got to wake me up?” called another woman’s voice.

Everyone turned to find Daisy standing on the side of the pool with a mug of coffee in hand. 

When Diana awkwardly coughed Daisy narrowed her eyes. “Oh come on! I stopped partying with friends last week! This is a new year, new me! I’m being serious alright?” her eyes swept to Yolanda only to blink.

“Huh, guess I should have expected you to come this early. Brock did mention you’re a real go-getter.”

A scream from the back of the Gym caused another stoppage only for Daisy to chuckle darkly. “Oh dear, old Jeffrey forgot which room is mine and which is Lily’s hehehe!” she giggled darkly to herself.

Yolanda found herself rather liking this girl. She supposed if she had two sisters the same age as her she’d pull pranks on them as well.

Diana coughed. “Ignoring that! Trainers! It is my solemn duty to point out the conditions that will warrant intervention or a stoppage in the mat—”

From there the usual Gym prematch spiel was run through. Only this one also featured points about having pokemon at risk of drowning and other conditions related to water. Which was certainly valid.

Diana then turned to Yolanda. “Brock has indicated that you’ve been training several of your pokemon before today and that we should not accept anything less than a second level challenge from you.”

Another person might have been annoyed, but Yolanda just smirked. “Make it third tier,” she replied.

That caused a few raised eyebrows, and in the stands Crystal facepalmed. “Stop making it harder for yourself!” she called out only for Yolanda to ignore her.

“Very well,” Diana replied, tossing Parker a pair of pokeballs while Daisy moved to change out her team.

“Both trainers, if you are ready I will act as the referee,  the match will start upon release!”

Both Parker and Yolanda nodded.

“Then begin!” Diana called.

Yolanda flicked her pokeball out. “Flapper! Rapid strike start!” she called. 

Her Pidgey took to the skies above the pool while a Horsea appeared as their foe.

Flapper then blitzed into a Quick attack that ended with his talons catching Horsea by surprise and hurling the small water type into the sky.

“Ah! Horsea! Use Bubblebeam!”

“Hurricane!” roared Yolanda in response.

Horsea began to blast out a torrent of bubbles to threaten Flapper only for him to respond by smashing his wings together multiple times and summoning a Hurricane that both dispersed the Bubblebeam attack and kept Horsea in the air.

“Hoooooooorsea!” shrieked the little pokemon in surprise only for a moment later Flapper to blitz across the field and began smacking it around.

“Ah! Horsea!” called Parker in shock. “P-protect!” he called only for a final smack of Flapper’s wings to send Horsea poolside where it curled up into itself.

Parker slumped. “Huh, guess you weren’t kidding about the third level Gym mat—” he started to say to Yolanda, only for a light to begin shining from Flapper.

Flapper turned to Yolanda, who nodded onc,e and the light grew brighter. Greta’s pokedex appeared in her hand as Flapper grew from a mere Pidgey to a much larger Pidgeotto.

“That’s it Flapper!” called Yolanda proudly as her newly evolved pokemon sang out triumphantly.

Parker swallowed when Yolanda and Flapper focussed their attention on him.

He sent out yet another Horsea only for it to be dispatched much the same way, albeit it only lasting for the Quick attack and Hurricane combination.

“Victor! Yolanda of Pewter!” called Diana as she hopped down from the referee’s podium to march up to the defending Trainer’s box.

“Hmmm, you’re strong,” she complimented. “It was a nice trick using your Flying type like that, but it won’t always work out for you,” she stated as she enlarged a pokeball.

“Hmmm, is that so?” replied Yolanda, raising Flapper’s pokeball and returning him with a knowing smile.

That caused Diana to pause and click her tongue. “Hmmm, got some other tricks do you? Alright then, let’s see them!” she called as she sent forth her first pokemon.

A pokemon appeared under the water this time causing Yolanda to nod while Greta and Crystal leaned forward.

“Huh? Which pokemon did she use?” muttered Crystal.

Across the pool, upon one of the few floating platforms, Slash the Sneasel appeared.

Diana blinked as Yolanda smirked. “I did my research by the way,” she declared. “You’re rather prone to using a specific pokemon when it comes to the third tier matches Diana of Cerulean.”

That caused most people to blink in surprise while Crystal just tilted her head further. 

“I don’t get it?”

“Slash! Taunt!” Yolanda ordered. Her pokemon scuttled to the edge of the platform, turned, and began to shake his backside at the water as a dark energy flashed across his body.

Diana clicked her tongue again. “Damn it! You have researched me!” she growled, clenching her fists. “Golduck! Water Gun!” she called as Yolanda grinned back.

Sneasel, rather than be taken with his metaphorical pants down, skipped to the side and sneered.

“Keep it up!” called Yolanda as more and more Water Gun attacks were fired from Golduck as Diana glared on.

Crystal, still with her head tilted, coughed pointedly. “I still don’t get it?”

“Yolanda looked up Cerulean Gym ahead of time, worked out that Diana has a propensity to use Golduck. Specifically, a Golduck with a bunch of buff up moves and Psychic attacks. Something that her Sneasel is perfectly suited for as psychic attacks don’t affect him while buff moves can be handled with Taunt,” Greta commented.

Crystal’s head snapped back upright. “Oh! Thanks! That makes sense! Go Yolanda! Go Slash!” she called.

Diana continued to attempt to blast Slash only for the pokemon to keep dodging. It wasn’t until a small flash of black flickered around Golduck that the battle changed from a tense battle of keep away.

“Ha! Taunt ran out! Use Amnesi—”

“Throat Chop!” ordered Yolanda and Slash, who’d been doing nothing but dodging for the last minute, dropped into a sprinter’s stance.

Crystal perked up. “Ho! She had her pokemon using Agility the entire time? Neat!” she gushed, causing Greta to twitch in surprise.

“Uhmm, that’s right?” she replied, stunned that her usually slower on the uptake friend had beaten her to the point this time.

Slash exploded forward, running so fast his feet barely touched the water before he swept both claws into Golduck’s throat causing the duck-like pokemon to squawk in pain and be thrown back. 

Slash just barely made it to another platform before his momentum cut out.

Golduck took a moment to tread water in surprise, still nursing its throat. Yolanda didn’t hesitate to push for more.

“Dark Pulse!” 

The attack launched forward as an orb of darkness that honed in on Golduck.

“Underwater!” called Diana and her pokemon ducked just in time.

Yolanda began to cackle like a madwoman. “Slash! Use Thunder!” 

Slash knelt and began to arc his claws up and around causing Diana to curse.

“Shit! Golduck! Out of the water now and Reflect quickly!” she screamed.

Golduck hopped up onto a platform and snapped his head upright in preparation for an attack.

…

That never came.

Everyone blinked as Yolanda’s cackles turned into small giggles. “Got you!” She called as Slash chuckled and streaked across the pool once more to slam an off balance Golduck with yet another Throat Chop.

This time the bipedal duck didn’t stay upright and Diana was forced to return her pokemon.

“You faked me out,” she growled.

Yolanda nodded. “Yup! It worked perfectly, no?”

Diana nodded. “You’re a tricky one, very well, I won’t stand in your way anymore, Daisy? This girl is all yours. Avenge me?”

“Like, that sounds like so much work,” teased Daisy as she strutted up to the podium where she posed and winked at Yolanda.

“Hey there! Slick moves with the trick play. Haven’t seen that in a while! You’re a pretty smart cookie, and I hear you’re running a show in town in a few nights yah?”

“Yeah, what about it?” asked Yolanda.

Daisy hopped happily from foot to foot. “Oh nice! I have some songs I’d like you to sing if you could! You know, Up city girl? Or Dance dance mania?”

“I’m not singing those,” growled Yolanda. “I have my own playlist to perform and those… are way too poppy for my style,” she stated.

“Hmmm, Brock said you had marvellous range though?” Daisy said. “Oh! I know, if you lose you can sing those songs, alright?”

Yolanda’s fist firmed up around a certain pokeball. “That depends on two questions.” Something about Daisy was pushing buttons that... why did she see Mum looking at her right now instead of Daisy?

“Hmmm alright then, what are they?” asked Daisy with a cutesy tilt of her head... just like Mum would have done....

“What do I get when I win?”

Daisy smirked. “I’ll throw in a Technical Machine, and also… hmmm need a back up dancer or two?” she teased.

“Hmph, we’ll see,” replied Yolanda. “My second is if the battlefield extends all the way to the roof?”

“Hmm, of course it does, it might not seem it, but we’re just within code of reaching the upper limit of fifty metres with that roof,” Daisy replied.

“Good, send out your pokemon then,” Yolanda replied only for a thought to come to her. She turned to Greta and Crystal. “Put on your raincoats,” she ordered.

Both girls didn’t hesitate to put them on, causing Daisy to giggle. “Like, they’re not going to get that wet from some idle splashes.”

“Mhm,” replied Yolanda, still toying with a specific pokeball, her eyes looking upwards.

Parker, still standing in as referee, raised his flags. “Both trainers, ready?”

Both nodded, and the flags dropped.

Daisy lazily underhanded her pokeball onto the field to reveal a Starmie.

Yolanda, on the other hand, cocked her arm back and hurled her pokeball high up into the sky, only for the pokeball to release and Terra to appear right on a strut in the roof.

“Eh?” Daisy blinked, then blinked again. “You know that pokemon is just a sitting farfetch’d up there right?”

Yolanda just grinned and pointed down with a flick of her finger.

“Terra… GO!” she roared, channeling her frustration with the woman before her with a manic glint in her eyes.

Greta and Crystal clutched at each other, understanding what was about to happen.

___________

Mayor Gatsby happily walked with his wife along the road leading past the Gym.

“Think the girls are ready for the year dearie?” his wife asked.

The man hummed. “Daisy has been much more active, so I think they’ll surprise us!” he declared.

It was at that point that water erupted from the Gym and shot through every opening to gush down the street. 

The Mayor sighed and released his Staryu right before the wave struck.

“I didn’t mean like this,” he muttered to his less-than-impressed wife moments before they were washed away.

________________

Within the Gym, the giant pool of water was now empty, with water dripping from the ceiling and various people finding themselves knocked off their feet.

Parker had remained safe thanks to the referee’s inbuilt shields.

Yolanda, who’d braced for the attack was still clutching onto her railing while Daisy had been swept away.

Diana was pushed up against Jeffrey who had a Cloyster out that was using Protect to shield them both.

Daisy sat up, her hair over the front of her face. She parted it to give Yolanda a disbelieving look. “Did you just drop a freaking meteor on me?” she asked incredulously.

Yolanda just beamed. “Terra used Giga Impact, actually.”

Daisy stared, then she slowly turned her head towards where her Starmie lay. “You still up for fighting this girl?”

One of Starmie’s limbs shook lightly, revealing itself to be its head.

Daisy snorted. “Yeah I didn’t think so. Alright Yolanda. You’ve proven you have what it takes.” Daisy gave the pool a thoughtful look. “Don’t expect people to underestimate you after this!” 

“Eh, next time I’ll do something different,” replied Yolanda before she called Terra back to her side where she lifted her pokemon over her head.

“First Gym Badge get!” she declared, to immortalise the moment, she made sure to take a selfie with her pokemon team. Just to rub it in she made sure that she caught Daisy looking particularly waterlogged in the background.

This was going to get so many likes on pokechat when she posted it later!

__________________

A.N. Thanks go to my patreons!

So, this marks the 4th chapter of Rock Hard! Yolanda’s side story to Hard Enough!

What do you think? Like it? Love it? Meh? Hate it? Leave some comments.

I am toying with the idea of shifting around the release schedule so I will have to see what might work for people. I want to keep people happy so I am considering a poll on what people want to read.

Just HE? A division of HE and then RH every now and then? Or would you rather I drop in another story…. Like Red Riot? ← This one says Twmmy

Toss some comments around. I will need to come up with a good way to properly assess what is best.

Until then, we will return to our normal reading of HE for a little while but expect a bit more RH for at least the next few weeks as I work through some back log chapters and course correct!

Thanks also go to Twmmy for proofreading!