Read at: Fanfiction.net
As we've seen so far, the world of Pokemon can be warped into nearly any genre. Religious parable? Sure. Revenge thriller? No problem. So of course somebody would try for that most classic of genres, the romantic comedy.
"Impulse" follows Candice, a gym leader from Sinnoh running their annual professional retreat. She chose a swanky hotel in Nimbasa City, a fashionable place in Unova (the Pokemon equivalent of the United States.) Technically this was to ensure that her gym leader peers had plenty of options to have fun on their own terms. But in reality, it's all part of her cunning plan to kiss her hot colleague Volkner on the couples-only Rondez-View Ferris Wheel. There's no way that she could fail!
Unfortunately, the Ferris wheel is right next to a gym run by Elena, an extraordinarily beautiful and successful model. Once she and Volkner start chatting about electric Pokemon, Candice knows that her plans are in trouble. But she's not done yet: as the manager of the retreat, Candice has full control over Volkner's schedule. She can book as many group activities as she wants! Even if, you know, telling him how she feels would save everyone a lot of trouble.
Pokemon don't play much of a role in "Impulse." Instead, this story is all about the gym leaders, starting with Candice herself. She's a classic romantic comedy lead. Overcome by love, yet scared to confess, she weaves a dizzying chain of white lies and half-truths to score that elusive kiss with Volkner. Every one of those fibs pays off in a marvelous chain reaction of embarrassment.
We don't actually know much about Candice from the games, except that a) she's an ice trainer, b) who wears a skirt despite being cold all day and c) is very studious. With that in mind, I like how ILikeShorts expands on that thin profile to create a fully imagined character. Their Candice is fashion-obsessed, single-minded, and admirable in just how willing she is to roll with the punches to get what she wants.
The other characters are used well even if they aren't necessarily deep. Candice's canonical buddies Gardenia and Maylene offer emotional support while pursuing their own romantic dreams. Crasher Wake is there. Meanwhile, Volkner is just what you'd expect: an attractive guy with a hyperfixation who is more clued into Candice's feelings than she thinks. The two of them pursue their interests with simlar zeal even if they don't have much in common on the surface.
It's also fun seeing these characters from Sinnoh dropped into the world of Unova. Each Pokemon region has its own distinct design sense, with Sinnoh's myth and history contrasting with Unova's flashy aesthetics. It makes perfect sense that Volkner would be blown away by Elena's gym; her generation was the audiovisual peak of Pokemon as a series. Still, Elena isn't a villain, and ILikeShorts treats her with the same consideration that they extend to the rest of the cast (except for Fantina, who is a big meanie.)
Every chapter of "Impulse" begins with a dedication to "senirasushipping," the fan name for pairing Candice and Volkner. "Because a little daydream never hurt anyone." "Because no one ever fell in love gracefully." "Because some battles are too important to lose." I never fell too deep into the shipping rabbit hole. But I respect that ILoveShorts pursued their dream to give two rather anonymous gym leaders a happy ending, even though the story took seven years to finish! That is dedication that Candice herself would be proud of.