Episode 7

Season Three

Presenter: Second for one, Third for another, Winning place for someone, PokéMole status for the last. Who gets what? You’ll just have to keep reading, won’t you?

Day 19

Presenter: It’s the beginning of the final run in. Just three challenges and one elimination are separating Jumpluff, Psyduck, Tangela and Torkoal from the Final. One of the aforementioned four will come third. One will come second. One will win. The other will be unmasked as the PokéMole. There’s no time like the present, and the present time involves the Contestants assembling on Route 40 for today’s challenge.

Presenter: Contestants, congratulations on reaching what is effectively the semi final of PokéMole 3. Today’s challenge is called In A Spin, for a reason that should soon become clear. Our next and penultimate destination is Cianwood City, and it will be your job to get there. Don’t worry – we’re not too evil, we’re supplying you each with a motorboat. If you all reach the shores of Cianwood City within an hour, we’ll add 10,000 to the prize fund. Of course, there are many whirlpools scattered along the route to Cianwood City, which although shouldn’t endanger your life, may very well cause you lots of problems in your journey. If you’d all like to take to your boats, the challenge will begin shortly.

Presenter: The klaxon sounds and the challenge begins. All Contestants speed off towards the distant sight of Cianwood City, albeit taking different routes through the maze of whirlpools. After only four minutes however, problems start to arise. Jumpluff and Psyduck have both driven straight into different whirlpools, and must now try to find a way out. Tangela and Torkoal meanwhile, are both negotiating their way through very well, edging slowly towards Cianwood City.

After ten minutes, Jumpluff has managed to escape and despite a number of close calls, is now starting to catch up to Tangela and Torkoal, who are both neck and neck. Not that it’s a race or anything.

After half an hour, Psyduck is still stuck in the whirlpool near the beginning, while Jumpluff and Torkoal are more than halfway there. Tangela got caught up in a whirlpool, and taking a few minutes to get himself free, is now trailing just behind Jumpluff and Torkoal.

With just ten minutes to go, Torkoal has reached Cianwood City, with Jumpluff, who nearly got dragged into a late whirlpool, not far behind him. Tangela is also within spitting distance of the island, whilst Psyduck… is still in the whirlpool near the beginning. Thus it comes as no surprise when at the end of the challenge, Jumpluff, Tangela and Torkoal have all reached Cianwood City, whilst Psyduck is quite simply nowhere near.

Presenter: So, that’s another challenge failed, and the prize fund remains at 77,000. Anyway, now we’re all here, we can have a brief rest, before we face the next challenge, which will take place at the Cianwood City Gym tomorrow. I’ll see you there.

Jumpluff: Tangela, for a supposedly clever Pokémon, ran into too many whirlpools today for my liking.

Psyduck: Oh well, I wasn’t THAT far behind…

Tangela: Torkoal is my main suspect now. So bleh to him.

Torkoal: Hmm, I wonder...

Day 20

Presenter: Double figures twice over! I wonder if they’ll hold a party in Role Play…

Presenter: Welcome to the Cianwood Island Gym Contestants, and to your fourth battle of the series – your second in three days. You pretty much know what you have to do, and because we’re coming to the end of our journey, we’re going to up the tempo – all four of you must win if you want to pass the challenge. But we don’t expect something for nothing; today’s challenge is worth 15,000. The fun part is that none of you will know how the others did until the end, so whether the challenge is over before you even battle you will not know. You’ll be battling a Medicham, and Jumpluff, you will be battling first.

Presenter: Jumpluff starts off with Leech Seed, whilst Medicham tries to use Ice Punch, but Jumpluff sees it coming and dodges. Jumpluff then uses Sleep Powder, which sends Medicham to sleep. All it takes then are a succession of Tackle’s, before Medicham is out for the count. So far so good.

Next up is Psyduck. Psyduck attacks first with Amnesia, whilst Medicham uses Thunderpunch, but fails to really hurt Psyduck due to the Amnesia. Psyduck uses Hydro Pump, which although hits, doesn’t knock out Medicham. Medicham tries another Thunderpunch, and although the Amnesia masks a lot of damage, it’s clearly taking its toll on poor Psyduck. Psyduck attempts another Hydro Pump, but misses, leaving Medicham to Thunderpunch it’s way to victory. The challenge is lost, but Tangela and Torkoal will still battle anyway, not yet knowing the challenge is doomed already.

Tangela steps up and uses Sleep Powder. It misses, and Medicham reacts with Ice Punch, but Tangela survives the Critical Hit. Tangela tries a Giga Drain, but another Ice Punch from Medicham is enough to finish Tangela off.

The last Contestant to battle is Torkoal. Torkoal gets out first with a Flamethrower, which burns Medicham. Medicham tries to use Ice Punch, but Torkoal Flamethrowers right through the ice, melting it. Medicham changes tactics and uses Calm Mind, whilst Torkoal uses Body Slam. Medicham uses Confusion, and it’s a Critical Hit, leaving both Pokémon weak. However, just as it looks like Torkoal is about to faint, the burn obtained by Torkoal’s early Flamethrower becomes too much for Medicham, who collapses, leaving Torkoal the winner. The challenge however, was already lost.

Presenter: Contestants, Jumpluff and Torkoal both defeated Medicham, but Psyduck and Tangela were both defeated by Medicham, and so the challenge is lost, with the prize fund remaining at 77,000. It’s your last full say together tomorrow, and I’d like you to meet me on the North Coast. I’ll see you there.

Jumpluff: I hate Eliminations, I really do. It’s all sad knowing that somebody who’ve you gotten close to has to go. Notice how Tangela mucked up today.

Psyduck: Why am I still here?

Tangela: Argh! I was careless in the battle today. I’d have been really upset with myself if I’d have been the only one who lost.

Torkoal: Looking back… does what I’m thinking make sense?

Day 21

Presenter: It’s the mark of three weeks, and tonight, three Contestants will progress through to the Final. But before then, it’s time for the typically easy “if you don’t pass this you belong in a nursery” challenge. It’s a false sense of security, you see.

Presenter: Welcome to the shortest challenge you’ll ever face. Behind me are the famous rocks of Cianwood Island, where the Pokémon Shuckle is exclusively found in Johto. Now, if I wanted to break these rocks, which HM would I use? HM05, HM06, or HM07?

Presenter: The Contestants all look at each other and answer in unison.

Jumpluff, Tangela and Torkoal: HM06

Psyduck: HM10

Presenter: … Which is your answer.

Tangela: Ignore Psyduck, it’s HM06.

Presenter: That is correct, and the trademark easy challenge before the Final is complete. It was worth 5,000, and thus the prize fund, before entering the final, lies at 82,000. They’ll be chances to improve on that in the Final. Only three of you can get there, and I’ll meet you tonight to see who does.

Elimination

Presenter: The quizzes get harder; the question in some respects gets easier. Oh, and the message on the wall this time reads “To Include Darts”.

Presenter: Good luck to all of you. Let’s not prolong this. Here we go.