Pokémon TCG2: Doduo Adventures - Book One: TCG Island

[Nekodatta]

To avoid accidentally missing copy pasting part of a review into the post like *last time*, I've decided that it's better if I split the line by line comments and general chapter comments one by one.
So, let's start with the next batch of chapters!

Spoiler: Chapter 14

In retrospect, I was extremely fortunate that Gotan appeared to be house-trained.

House trained or he has "previous experience" living in a house.... My theory that he's somehow a human still stands.

Ah, the hyperloop. Such a magnificent feat of transportation.

Is there any method of transportation that Gentleman doesn't have?

He looked like a ridiculous massive ball of feathers, but he made it work.

Awww, fluffy!!

I pulled a lever to seal the capsule, another one to seal the garage and extract the air, yet another to open the seal to the tunnel, and finally the last lever to engage the drive!

So many levers to get wrong, knowing myself I would mess up the order and fire up the drive before sealing the garage or something

Our capsule emerged from where the Rock Club symbol in the lobby would normally be. It had slid to the side to let us in. That was how it worked for all the clubs.

Love that explanation as for why every club has the same structure ahah

Out of all the clubs, I would say the Rock Club had the most exquisite design.

I like the rock garden design, especially because by hearing "Rock club" you usually would think of the classic giant boulders everywhere, classic Rock gym

The only problem with the duelists of our island is that they were content to stagnate... Why did they not try to improve themselves?

Because there was only so much space in a GB cartridge.
(No, but I'm curious if there's going to be a in universe explanation eventually!)

The handy thing about this trick was that resistance was applied AFTER weakness. That meant my Voltorb could potentially do 120 damage reduced to a more-than-sufficient 90 even after resistance!

It's kinda nuts that weakness doubles the damage but resistance "only" reduces it by 30

Rick rose an eyebrow. "I wouldn't quite say that... I hear there is a Doduo research facility on Neo Island. Perhaps it is getting to the bottom of things? Maybe we will have answers in our lifetime."

Oh that's interesting, now I can't wait to get there.

I figured the current era was just slow to advance.

Don't jinx that, now I expect something horrible to happen!

Nice breather chapter and a way to cap off the first round of the Clubs. My highlight for the chapter was absolutely Gene. "Badass blind guy" is absolutely one of my favourite tropes no matter the setting and I can't wait to reach their match just to see more of him. There were also some nice tidbits of world building, like the mention of no one having ever found remains of a Doduo... This coupled with the fact that they are disappearing + Gotan makes me think that something really strange is going on with Doduo and on the island in general. Do they actually not die but are reborn in a different form? Meanwhile are people randomly transforming into Doduo?
Is everyone reincarnating in cycles???
I can just *feel* that something wild is going on and I can't wait to get to it!!

Now chapter 15. With a title like that, I'm expecting either comple shitpostery or some big lore drop

Spoiler: Chapter 15

I stroked my chin with my left hand. "Well... why do all the immigrants from Neo have such basic jobs? Any ideas?"

The usual "they are stuck doing the jobs nobody wants to do"?

Rick and I sat in silence for a bit, but it was clear neither of us were coming up with any ideas why they never seemed to participate in duels.

Ok, now THIS is strange, but honestly my first assumption would be that it's really difficult for them to even build a deck, since booster packs seem to fetch quite the price, even more than in real life...

The result: there was nothing one could really say was wrong with the immigrant EXCEPT when it came to playing the Pokemon TCG!

WHAT. ok now this is REALLY weird, are they literally like.... Programmed at birth to not be able to do it?? Because it's not like they simply don't know how to do it, it's like they are literally blocked from being able to LEARN the rules, and it's only this one specific thing, which is wild... I mean, literal kids can play the game. Not *well*, but they can still learn to do it. So the implications of this are... wild...

Rick looked at me with the most serious face I had ever seen from him and whispered back. "They must have been silenced. Either voluntarily... or more likely... by FORCE!"

Good thing you are only two of the most famous people on the island and Gentleman got's tabloids following him around, uh??

Ok I was joking when I mentioned the lore drop lol
What even is going ON on Neo Island??
Why are they making clones/practically NPC people? Why block them from knowing how to play the game?
How do they do it?
How many people were already disappeared by them?
Is Doctor Wem gone because she also stumbled upon the TRUTH???
(I still think she's secretly Mew lol)
I'm mind blown.
Only other thing I want to mention about this chapter is that the narration (and both Gentleman and Rick? constantly referring to the immigrants as, well... Just "the immigrants" does sound quite a bit rude lol, almost dehumanizing a bit, especially in the scene where they are testing the game with them.
Just putting a couple "the man"/"the woman shook his/her head" can maybe help... unless it's intentional, of course...
I get that part of it is a joke about game sprites (of the receptionist characters in particular) all being the same, but it is kinda strange that they only now notice that a specific group of people are literally identical, but I guess that there aren't *that* many of them...

Onwards to chapter 16, that's... another interesting title...

Spoiler: Chapter 16

Rick nodded. "Very well. In that case, I shall be your anti-wingman!"

Everyone needs a bro like Rick

Amy waved her hand dismissively. "NO! Not Doduo! I don't care about that bird, I mean your cringe hired-hand, Rick! You don't have to pay him for his services!"

Amy put both her hands together pleading as she faced me, "Just send him away and I'll pick the feathers up myself... for free!"

Rick started laughing intermixed with snorting.

He's going all in too LMAO, I love that he absolutely doesn't care how that's going to reflect on his reputation.

Rick laughed like a mad-man.

Not quite sure there needs to be a dash there.

As for Gotan... wait a second... was he laughin- oh. Perhaps not, I guess he was just choking on... something?

Still suspicious, but what he would be choking on? Feathers? Cards??? His own spit?

Rick brought over some insane-sounding music to duel to.

Ok I had to grab my headphones for these in particular, I approve of Rick's playlist.

During our duel he was bobbing his head to the beat of it. I think he knew he was going to lose and wasn't concerned in the slightest.

Lmao he's not even trying after watching that deck will against all the clubs lol

It was a sobering reality... If I was good enough to become champion with all commons, it meant that I trained considerably more than I needed to become Champion... It meant I might have had enough time to have a chance with Nikki before she was married...

Awww no, that sucks to realize : (
That and the realisation that maybe those six years of university weren't really necessary, oof

This admittedly was not how I expected the first two leader matches to go lol
But I guess it makes sense that they would get done so fast, one match was against the club absolutely weakest against Gentleman's strategy and the second was Rick lol
Gotan keeps being suspicious... Watching the news, trying to keep updated on... Something?

Here's chapter 17, and that title makes me VERY excited.

Spoiler: Chapter 17

Steve used to wield a deck that used the legendary Zapdos card.

I REMEMBER THAT CARD

Love so pure that he was willing to live in a barbaric place that allowed poverty to exist just to be with her... I had to admit I was envious. He would be in his late thirties. I always wondered what became of him...

Can't wait to meet him in maybe... Book 3?

Ken's deck surprised me! He was running not only fire types, but normal, fighting, and even WATER!

Normals get a pass because they can use whatever energy cards, but juggling three types???

Ken's gaze softened. "Ah, Mr Gentleman. I wanted the surprise of the other types in my deck to give me an edge to defeat you, but it fell short. That's because you're the best." He then offered his hand

No Ken I think it's because you probably didn't draw the correct energy cards, two is already difficult...

Murray threw down the spoon and raised his hands to the air. "CLAIRE!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT, BUT I HAVE HAD IT WITH THIS USELESS PIECE OF METAL!!"

GO MURRAY. YOU ARE FREE

Murray smiled. "Well, I may have lost, but was still satisfying. Be careful of the duels in your near-future. Not all of them will end... in victory."

Ominous.... Wonder which duel he will lose.

Murry squinted at Tango. "...There is more to this bird than his name... He is unlike other Doduo..."

There's a typo with Murray, that I only noticed now because this quote was originally to comment on the fact that it would be hilarious if it turns out that Murray actually is the strongest psychic by having other powers outside of future sight, since this seems to be a more general sixth sense...

Just then, I thought I caught Tango sighing in relief, but when I looked directly at him, he seemed his usual vacant self.

He KNOWS.

Another "lighter" chapter, I admittedly was expecting a bit more from the duel in this one too, but I guess it would run the risk of reading a bit too similar to the usual club matches and we already had plenty of chapters of those.
Personally I don't mind the fast pace for now because I assume we are going to focus on the Club Leaders that count more in terms of plot like Nikki and Isaac.
And I was actually right!!! His name IS Tango!! I feel so validated lol

Spoiler: Chapter 18

I noticed the room had changed since my last visit. The padding in the room appeared to be thicker and there was a display rack now added to the corner with Neo Island katanas in it.

LMAO I knew he was talking about room equipment after all. Great punchline for that joke.

Though, he may want to be careful about making the floor too comfortable as that would invite the dreaded stall-out deck users! NO one wanted THAT!

Oh no!!! (I must confess that I've played stall decks a couple times, even if usually I still win before I can actually stall the enemy out... In the pocket trading card game, at least.)

Gene laughed. "Helping to inspire our champion when he was young. I'll add it to the long list of things I was never expected to achieve."

What a BOSS reply, man. 10/10

I had to will back some tears as I turned to Rick. "I'm not exactly sure why we became friends, but I'm glad we did. Thank you, Rick... That means a lot to me."

You became friends FOR SCIENCE, obviously! But it's actually pretty wholesome how much Rick is willing to support Gentleman!

Gene pulled out his sleeved deck from his robe. Each sleeve had a unique pattern of braille so he could tell each card apart.

Ah! I was expecting something like that. Love it.

Surviving meant praying thundershock kept his Ryhorn l

There's a couple of typos where you mispell Rhyhorn!

Another two masters down, and with Murray's prophecy, it's getting more and more likely that he will actually lose against either Nikki or Isaac...
This was another set up chapter with two more leader matches knocked out.
I actually really like both Club leaders showcased here; it's cool how Mitch genuinely looks out for his club members and went out of his way to make the Club room more comfortable for them! And safe, lol...
Meanwhile Gene is Gene. 10/10 character, coolest guy in the fic, I would love an entire spin off about his youth and showing everyone who's boss by becoming Club Leader despite people not believing he would amount to much.

Last chapter of the batch for 6 chapters total, Chapter 19! I saw the reference in that title...

Spoiler: Chapter 19

Stephanie laughed. "So suspicious! But all I've done is help! Besides, you might not even die-" Her eyes then went wide. "O-oh! Got to go! I'm late for that... that thing I'm supposed to do! See you later!"

That's not worrying at all

They were wearing a light-gray body-suit. It reminded me of something a diver might wear. A mask with the Pokemon TCG colorless symbol was worn. It lit up yellow where the eyes and mouth were. I wasn't quite sure how they saw out of it... The mouth was a smile. The eyes were squinting. Around their neck was a white choker with big letters attached along the front. A red "G" a white "2" and a red "R".

That's a Squid Game looking guy

Who knew how monumental such an occasion could be? Perhaps I was about to become world-renown?

I still find it funny that "world remown" here means... three islands.

I suppose I could have tried to chase after them from the ground, but they had obviously put a lot of thought and effort into their departure spectacle. Who was I to ruin a good moment for them?

Lmao, Gentleman understands the importance of being a drama queen.

Tango then looked up with both heads from the trashcan. He scanned around with both heads for a moment and then resumed trotting alongside me as if both GR2 and the trashcan were never even a thing.

So Tango was hiding from the guy... I think the Doduo research facility was on Neo Island, right?

Quick interlude chapter with some more ominous foreshadowing and more hints that something really, really weird is going on on GR Island too... And now they know who Gentleman is!
And the little bit at the end feels like foreshadowing that the match with Nikki is not going to be as simple as he thinks...