In the eyes of the spectator: Los Angeles Showdown Warstory

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(Sorry if this would seem a little longer than expected as far as a warstory goes, but hopefully you will enjoy it)

July 12th would begin like any other day: at midnight. I was working on some last finishing touches for the three teams I have done for myself and for my brother. I was actually practicing at the Battle Tower in my Pearl since I left my Wiimotes at my cousin's house (they are now in Nicaragua... no wii for a while for me!). My brother, on the other hand, was on the computer with some computer game I haven’t been caring about, I assume Ages of Empires. He claims he was watching TV here in the room, but that’s not what I remember at all. Anyway, it was already 1 AM and I felt drowsy so I fell asleep. Meanwhile, he kept on watching TV. Four hours later, I would wake up, get showered, and immediately wake up Brian once I was done. Apparently, he kept on watching a little more of the tube after I fell asleep watching such shows as Fresh Prince, George Lopez,

And critically acclaimed 80s/90s show:



These shows would keep him awake for three more hours. Special thanks to the folks at Nick-at-Nite. ;/

This was the first clue in my mind that he wasn’t going to take the competition seriously. I would normally sleep 8 hours, 6 with the new job I have. However, two hours of sleep for anything would make my mind go insane. Not this sibling of mine. As if I was insane enough to partake into this immersion of Pokemon experience anyway, right?

We leave the house at about 7:00. My parents had to drop us off the ScienCenter because my mom’s van failed to pass the Smog Check two days before. That had bad omen all over it.

At first we walked over to the entrance of one side of the ScienCenter and nobody was there. We saw someone that ended up being OmegaDonut walking toward the marble round thing we were sitting on. I still feel bad for not talking more to him earlier. Instead, we asked him about the spot, and he told us that we had to go around the corner. I felt pretty embarrassed there, but we wouldn’t have been in line at 7:30 if it weren’t for him telling us. Thanks man!
We walked to the line, not seeing any familiar faces to both of us such as Paul, BKK, his brother, PsiUmbreon, and Lazer. Standing in front of us was a father with his son waiting in the Junior line. They came from San Jose the day before and spent the night at a hotel nearby. We talked a little about how things would work out here, and poked fun at the Media Check-in not having anybody in the line just yet. He and his son were later interviewed, probably for the website. They would be one of the many people that traveled pretty far to get here, as San Jose isn’t as bad a travel as other places that would be mentioned in this warstory. A little while after that, I would get to see zerowing (will be referred to as Paul from here on out haha) with his kickass Koffing shirt, OmegaDonut once again, jeps I think, and Chalky. After, I got the chance to talk to BKK’s brother Danny behind us before we would be next to get our numbers for the raffle. However, Brian was really disinterested for this sort of thing. “I had two hours of sleep, what do you expect?” he says.

Once we got our numbers, we headed over to Taco Bell 6 blocks away from the place. After eating breakfast there (which was a total mistake really, tacos for breakfast….), I would actually get to talk to him about all the strategies that he might encounter. I tried my best telling him what he had to watch for, but, honestly, I myself didn’t have the experience to tell him about the double metagame in less than 20 minutes.

“I remember all the strategies and stuff, but I just wasn’t into it because those tacos would kick in. I felt bad, pretty much felt like throwing up,” he says. “All I remembered was the Discharge strategy with Electivire that I could possibly see.”

We got back 15 minutes before the drawing would start at 10:30. His ipod would break down, as well as his stomach. We sat next to Paul and the rest of the group, just waiting till the officials come out to announce the raffle numbers. Everybody started to crowd around the table, before we would all have to wait for pretty much 15 more minutes for them to announce the first number. Lame.

I got to meet Pulse before the raffle started; thanking him so much for giving me an integral part of the third team I had ready the day before, and wishing him good luck in the drawing. I would see Paul and Mike as the notable ones that I knew to get in to play. I was surprised and clapped for Brian once his number was called, beginning my fears that my number wouldn’t be called at all. There were two awfully close calls, but to no avail. Once the last number was called out, people started leaving, and I felt that there was not much I can do but to help Brian get his DS ready with the following team, not telling him that I deserved to be there more than him! Since my parents weren't present to accompany my 16 year old brother, I had to be his chaperone since I was old enough and I was related to him.

Togekiss@Lum Berry
~ Follow Me
~ Shadow Ball
~ Roost
~ Air Slash

Breloom@Toxic Orb
~ Spore
~ Protect
~ Focus Punch
~ Seed Bomb

Latias@Expert Belt
~ Psychic
~ Thunder
~ Rain Dance
~ Helping Hand

Kingdra@Life Orb
~ Surf
~ Ice Beam
~ Draco Meteor
~ Waterfall

A lack of sleep, food poisoning from a restaurant in South Central LA, and probably a DISinterest in Pokemon that couldn’t match would “propel” him to his first competitive Double Battle Game since the RS era. After a few trips to the bathroom, getting ready to hurl at almost any time, and frequent trips back and forth to the toilet, he would face his first opponent. I was lucky enough to watch the game behind the fence, but only a few glimpses of it. I helped him recall the battle:



“I faced this guy from Michigan in the first round. His friends helped him book the ticket to be at the competition to play and rep them.
“He sent out Shiftry and Cherrim as I sent in Togekiss and Breloom. Breloom would Protect, blocking an incoming Fake Out from Shiftry while Air Slash from Togekiss hit it. Cherrim would then Sunny Day to complete that first turn. On the second turn, Cherrim protected itself, preparing for Shiftry’s Explosion, taking down both my Togekiss and Breloom in one shot.”


It was such an easy strategy to look out for, but even the starters for the team Brian used were not prepared for it. That aspect of the team got me worried.

“He sent out Magmortar to partner Cherrim, while I had to send in my last two: Kingdra and Latias. Latias went first and used Rain Dance to take out Sunny Day. Magmortar was then charging up for a Solarbeam. I got lucky once again once I saw Cherrim also charging up for a Solarbeam. Kingdra used Surf to finish the third turn, killing Magmortar.
“He would then send in Medicham, knowing that it might as well be over if it had Focus Sash or Endure. Kingdra used Waterfall to begin the fourth turn, killing Cherrim while Latias used Psychic on Medicham, leaving it in yellow. Medicham proceeded to kill Latias with an Ice Punch.
“Then I was glad to see Kingdra going to use Surf on Medicham to win the game. I was happy to not see Endure.”


I was pretty relieved to see it didn’t have Endure either. I talked to his opponent after the match and I told him how close it was. He was pretty cool about it for someone that would come from a long way to play here. He and his friends would later go to McDonalds and hit the streets of Hollywood for some partying I hopefully assume. I love LA! :D

I was about to rush to the gas station to grab some medicine for Brian because he was just continuously rushing to the bathroom and back to the building again. It got to the point where it really was serious, even after winning his first match. He almost threw up, and I was just rummaging through the place looking for water bottles. He felt much better before he would play his second match. I got lucky once again to see most of this battle.



“My second match was against the girl whom at first didn’t know she was wearing a shiny Umbreon outfit. I thought she was a rabbit.
“She lived near LA, saying how crazy it is to see people from even out of the country to play in this thing. I told her the same thing as I did to everyone, ‘I was forced to be here, I don’t know much about Pokemon, I was just picked,’ etc.
“I sent out the usual two while she gets in Salamence and Electivire I think. I can’t remember, but I do know that I put both of them to sleep for two turns while Togekiss Follow Me’d at the same time. She got a little angry when I did that. Then Breloom Focus Punched Electivire while Togekiss Air Slashed the other. She would send in Garchomp, and I did the same exact thing, Follow Me’d and Spored, then Focus Punching her remaining Pokemon. I couldn’t remember her last one, but I kept doing the exact thing.”


I saw her almost storm off the place, not pissed or anything, just a little angry. I sat next to Brian and talked to him about the game. He got ready for his third battle, which I did not get a chance to see because the lady keeping the area clean from spectators wouldn’t let me watch my brother. I moved to the other side, thinking she wouldn’t mind, and she would once AGAIN call me off. I had to watch it from a pretty far distance. Ugghh :(



“I faced this guy from Costa Rica, yes. COSTA RICA. His friend was watching from behind him, and I couldn’t get at least one spectator. I also didn’t like the lady, but whatever.
“The one thing I remember from the beginning was that his Smeargle missed a Dark Void the first turn as Breloom protected and Togekiss attacked. Smeargle would once again Dark Void and hit Togekiss, only to see it recover itself with the Lum Berry. All I remember after that was that his Zapdos used Discharge on an incoming switch for its partner Electivire. I know that I used Rain Dance just in time to set up Kingdra for the win, but it was awfully close, because Latias killed Electivire before Zapdos would take it down. After that, Kingdra would finish off whatever Pokemon he had left.
“His friend constantly said to him, ‘Did you win yet?’ like two or three times. I didn’t pay much attention if he was actually serious or just having fun, but it was getting annoying.”


He gave me the sign that he won the battle, followed by a victory fist-pump courtesy of me. The officials would then take his game and hack-check it the same place where the semifinals were to be hosted. He got his game back and the special envelope that contained the information about Orlando. So yeah, under the circumstances, he STILL goes to Orlando!!! It was like Gamestop Tourney all over again when he won it almost exactly a year ago. And once again, I had to be the set up man to be where he was right now.




He would then face PBB in the Quarterfinals, and you could check that game in his thread so that I wouldn’t want to repeat myself. :P I didn’t see the battle myself, but Brian wants to make things clear as to why he used Protect on Breloom and Follow Me on Togekiss:

“I dunno. Who cares? I’m going to Orlando.”

Anyway, he got his goodie bag after he lost. We stood and watched Mike face Paul in the semis while speaking with someone that stuck around to watch the games after he didn’t get picked in the raffle. It was a fun Pokemon chat that I didn’t have a chance to experience in a while, but it was great nonetheless. Brian meanwhile took pictures with the rest of the top 8, along with the "mandatory" one with Pikachu that he did not want to take. There are also pictures with the top 8 and their posters.








After watching Hal take down Paul to win the Wii, everybody started leaving. Brian and I took three Pokeballs from the pool and at this moment they are on the floor flat along with the other goodie bags we received. The same lady that didn’t let me in to watch Brian offered him two bottle of water. Right after he refused, I would think she would offer me those two water bottles. Instead, she looks at me for two seconds and moves away to offer the water to someone else. God….
We said our goodbyes to Mike, OmegaDonut (damn I cant remember your name man :() and Paul. We took a transportation vehicle the city of Los Angeles has to offer that was the bus back home, in 80+ degree weather with 4- hours of sleep and sick of eating Taco Bell (the bus dropped us off right at it before we walked home :/). Let’s see if Orlando can end a little better than that. :)
 

ΩDonut

don't glaze me bro
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He got ready for his third battle, which I did not get a chance to see because the lady keeping the area clean from spectators wouldn’t let me watch my brother. I moved to the other side, thinking she wouldn’t mind, and she would once AGAIN call me off. I had to watch it from a pretty far distance. Ugghh :
You mean this crazy woman in the orange shirt?

Haha, she must've yelled at me like five times during the tournament. She even did it while I was trying to talk to PBB because he asked me a question (he thought I was Aeolus at first :P).
 

makiri

My vast and supreme will shall be done!
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Three-Time Past SPL Championis a Two-Time Past WCoP Champion
Awesome story man, sucks you didn't get in, but you're still going to Orlando with your brother! I'll see you there!
 
Wow, all these Showdown wartsories made me wish that England had something big like this for Pokemon. Sounds like so much fun
Aye, but the chances of that happening, well, I think we'll just get the odd download event like usual and that be that.
 
You mean this crazy woman in the orange shirt?



Haha, she must've yelled at me like five times during the tournament. She even did it while I was trying to talk to PBB because he asked me a question (he thought I was Aeolus at first :P).
Not to bump an old thread, but yeah, that lady was obnoxious. She had a raspy voice, and kept talking to me, even when I didn't really want to talk with her. >_> She was yelling at everybody that got near the top 8 contestants. You couldn't even have asked her if she liked mudkips, she would have yelled at you and drove you out. Like she did with Omegadonut.


Anyways, yeah, after we got in the top 8 it didn't matter much what happened. See the both of you in Florida!
 
Now I don't mean to spam this topic or anything, but...

After reading that, I'm jealous. I always get jealous when I hear of these things AFTER they happen!

Oh well. It's a shame you couldn't see your brother play.
 
he was in the senior division lol

and yeah! the woman in orange was really annoying! i just noticed that it was actually her that was driving me out of the area. :(
 
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