TINA's Nuzlocke Series

[There Is No Arceus]

You nearly beat them all on your first try, I'm impressed.

yup. Got Cynthia down to her Garchomp with only one loss on my side. Then that blasted thing swept right through my team.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

With little left to do on mainland Hokkaido, i decide to take a vacation to Sakhalin - sorry, the "Battle Zone". I take the ferry from Snowpoint City and arrive in the Fight Area, where Max greets me upon arrival. Max talks about his desire to train here and become the strongest trainer when some redhead interrupts us and tells us he's the greatest. Guy tells us he's heading to the big volcano up north to look for treasures and prove he's the greatest. Max however thinks he can prove that he's the greatest by heading to the Battle Tower here on the island. Fools; i've already proven myself the greatest by defeating the champion. Anyway, after Max heads off, the redhead introduces himself as Buck and tells me to come north to the volcano before also heading off.

I'm honestly not sure what i'll do. So i just talk to a bunch of folks around town, one of which gives me a Super Rod after i agree that fishing is cool. There's no water here in town i can fish in though; the docks are fully blocked off by ships. So instead, i decide to go hang out underground. I find myself in a subterranean lava field, which makes sense considering the volcano up north. In this field of magma, i spot a Magcargo, which i proceed to catch and name Gary. It's getting a bit hot here though, so i return to the surface and decide to explore to the east. Here on the naval Route 230, i can test out my new rod, so i use it to fish up a Wailmer. This wailmer shall be named Werner, and it will keep Gary company in the box. I sail across this beautiful bay and explore the island in the middle, then i head on east to the other shore. I hit land on route 229, a wild and untamed grassland. I catch myself a pinsir in these tall grasses, which i will nickname Schaar.

South of there, i find the resort Area, where all the region's tourists gather. It's quite nice here, with the well-kept gardens and the fancy hotel. Unfortunately though, the hotel is only open to those who partake in pokemon contests; i should probably tell mom about this place sometime. she'd love it. Anyway, i spot a nice little pond, so i throw out my fishing rod and net myself a Seaking. This seaking shall be named Azu.

This resort area is nice and all, but i've never been one for staying at a hotel for my entire vacation; i want to do things. So i head north through Route 229 and onto Route 228, which just happens to be plagued by a sandstorm right now. While this is annoying, i don't let it deter me from admiring the natural beauty of this rugged hillscape. I manage to encounter a Hippowdon among the flying sand, so after throwing a few poke balls at him, i get to name him WuvWoo. I proceed north through the sand flying in my face, and eventually i reach the gate to Route 226. I think i'll rest up here for a bit and call it a day.
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My current team:

Missy (Mismagius) lv 58
Nyaru (Weavile) lv 74
Ming (Bastiodon) lv 79
Morwha (Blissey ) lv 75
Dracula (Crobat) lv 74
Pinku (Gastrodon) lv 74

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Time to proceed westward onto Route 226. I surf around on this coastal route and run into a Pelipper, which i catch and nickname Ametori. There's a fella here who speaks in weird tongues who wants to trade his Magikarp for my Finneon, but that seems like a bad deal so i don't do it. On the other side of the water, this route turns into a rugged moutainscape, though it is a lot greener than the hillscape we saw on Route 228. Good thing i can climb rocks. After traversing these mountains, i find a settlement; the Survival Area. Name seems appropriate; it must be quite a challenge to survive here in the middle of nowhere. There is little of note here though, so i opt to go explore westward.

I enter Route 225 and catch myself a Fearow, which i nickname Guinea. The differences in elevation on this route aren't quite as extreme as they were on Route 226, so no actual Rock Climbing is needed, though one still needs to navigate a complex system of bridges and stairs to traverse this place. This route just leads me back to the Fight Area though, so after i'm done admiring the rugged beauty of the land here, i grab my map to see where on Sakhalin i should go next.

I decide to go and check out Stark Mountain, the same mountain that Buck fella told me to visit. So i head through Route 226 again and start my ascent of Route 227. One can feel one's proximity to the volcano due to all the ash falling on this route. I catch another Fearow here, which i nickname Senegal. One needs the bike to properly navigage this route, with all the ramps you need to cross. This is really lame, i much prefer to walk. During my ascent, i actually run into Max and the gym leader Crasher Wake. Wake tells us that this area is where he got strong enough to become a gym leader. Max tells me he's gonna go to train in Stark Mountain to become strong enough for the Battle Tower. Meh, i don't need to prove myself in that tower; i already know i'm the strongest trainer in the region. After both Max and Wake head off, i continue my ascent of this mountain and i run into Buck. Guy tells me he will wait for me in the mountain, so that he can see my strength for himself.

Eventually, i manage to reach Stark Mountain proper, but before i enter the caves, i hang around outside for a bit to enjoy the view of this mighty volcano. While i'm doing this, a Rhydon sneaks up on me, but i manage to catch it and name it Horny. Now it's time to head inside and meet with Max and that Buck fella inside. I meet Max in the first part of this volcano's cave system; he's not strong enough to proceed further i guess. Deeper in the cave, i run into Buck, who tells me that he recognises my strength now and wishes to team up to search for treasures in this place. I see no harm in that, so we proceed together. We eventually stumble upon a room with an interesting-looking rock, so Buck takes it with him and calls the treasure hunt a success. The removal of this rock causes a tremor though; this is probably bad. I think i'll just use an escape rope to get out of here immediately.

To get as far from the volcano as i can, i head to the Fight Area. Since i'm here anyway, i might as well go and see if this Battle Tower thing has interesting architecture. I run into Max here; good to see he got away from Stark Mountain safely. The tower doesn't look too interesting though; just one of those ugly modern structures. Guess this place was kind of a waste of my time. Max doesn't necessarily agree as he wishes to prove himself in the tower, so for that reason he challenges me to a battle to see if he's ready. He leads with Staraptor and i lead with Missy. He sets up the sun for some reason as i hit him with a psybeam, then he u-turns his floatzel in on another psybeam. Staying in here probably isn't wisdom, so i switch to Pinku and take him out with an earth power. Max sends out his Torterra next, so i go for Nyaru. Ice Shard gets the one-shot, and Max's Staraptor comes back out. I decide that this is still Missy's job; he once again sets up the sun, but this time he follows it with a Pluck, allowing me to kill him. It's now time for Snorlax, which means it's time for Pinku. Neither of us can do much against the other, but since i know a recovery move, i eventually win. For Max's Heracross, i go for Dracula, who one-shots the thing. Then, last but not least, Max sends out his Rapidash, so i go for Ming. A stone edge kills the big horse, granting me the win.

I should probably go check whether Buck got out safely. He told me while we were in Stark Mountain that he lived in the Survival Area, so i go there and find him in his house. He's alive and well, and has decided that taking the rock was a bad idea. He vows to return the rock; i should probably head to Stark Mountain to check whether he has indeed done so. When i enter the room where we found the rock, i see a giant lava monster; the legendary pokemon Heatran. It's hostile, but one Earth Power from Pinku is enough to pacify it.

I think of what could have happened if i did not have Pinku on me here; how this thing would have killed my team, and this gets me to reflect on the friends i have actually lost during my journeys through Hokkaido

Kip the Starly. You weren't with us for long, dying on the same route you were caught on, but we still appreciate your sacrifice against that Shinx. RIP.

Boos the Bidoof. Your death made the victory over Roark possible. Thank you for your service. RIP.

Haring the Gyarados. You were only one of many Magikarp that joined our crew, but we still appreciate your sacrifice in Melissa's gym, the same gym that allowed you to evolve. RIP.

Hana the Roserade. Since you joined us in Eterna Forest, you've been a key player in countless battles, especially in Crasher Wake's gym. Then you lost your life against a random trainer and her mirror-coating Lopunny. RIP.

Ludwig the Graveler. You gave your life to set up Stealth Rock against Volkner. RIP.

Lorkhan the Drapion. You were always a valuable team player, especially doing much against the Team Galactic commanders and against Candice, who i'm still convinced is also a Team Galactic member. Then your life was abruptly ended by Cynthia's Garchomp. RIP.

Noisy the Staraptor. You were with us almost from the start, and you were pivotal against Gardenia and Maylene. No heracross could stand in your way, but Cynthia's Roserade proved too much. RIP.

Tezara the Ambipom. I knew you were special the moment you dropped down from that tree in Floaroma. With your speed and your powerful double hits, you quickly proved one of my team's strongest powerhouses. Unfortunately, your speed was not enough to outspeed Garchomp, so you lost your life against Cynthia. RIP.

Kashima the cute little Whiscash. I took you in after Hana's death and promised to keep you safe, but i could not keep that promise against Cynthia's Garchomp. We still appreciate your contributions against Volkner and the joy your cute little whiskers brought to our lives. RIP.

Zen the Medicham. You joined us just before Gardenia, but where you really shone was against Maylene's Lucario and against Byron's pokemon. You also made short work of Bertha's mons, but you fell to Cynthia's Garchomp. RIP.

Hikari the Empoleon. My starter, you were there from the beginning. You almost singlehandedly took out Roark, and you were pivotal in a great many more battles. Then fate struck as you lost your life against Cynthia's Garchomp, despite your best efforts to hang on. RIP.

Shingon the Medicham. We trained you up for the revenge against Cynthia's team, and you gave your life for that job. We appreciate that dedication. RIP.

I think my time here in northern Japan and eastern Russia is done. I should probably investigate more about the alternate universe i found myself in after the ultra wormhole; the strangeness started on Mt. Silver after i got the Kanto badges, so Kanto is probs the mest place to start my inquiries.
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The winning team:

Pinku (Gastrodon) lv 78
Nyaru (Weavile) lv 77
Ming (Bastiodon) lv 84
Morwha (Blissey) lv 79
Dracula (Crobat) lv 77
Missy (Mismagius) lv 67

I added that fight with the rival so that this run would at leas have something of a final boss, even if i knew he'd be a joke.

Anyway, chapter 10: Yellow will start in not too long.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Chapter 10: Yellow

Rules for this challenge will be as follows:

1. Pikachu may not be boxed. It is to stay on my party until the end, or until its death. I will not sack it intentionally.
2. The challenge is complete once i've defeated the Pokemon League
3. I will not be making use of the game corner
4. Pokemon i encounter while my box is full do not count as my encounter for that route. When this happens, i must head back to a pokemon center immediately and change the box.

I don't really understand gen 1's mechanics, nor its type chart. All i know is that psychics essentially have no weaknesses. This will be an interesting ride for sure.
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I head back to Kanto with my mom to start my inquiries into the nature of this alternate dimension, and we actually manage to find a place to stay in Pallet Town again. There is something of a problem though: everyone in Kanto already knows who i am, which might pose problems when travelling the region incognito. To counteract this, i opt to disguise myself as a boy; the regional professors always need to ask what my gender is, so i can probably pull this off. I also leave all my pokemon behind with Professor Rowan; don't want people to recognise those guys.

When we arrive in Pallet Town, i head over to our next-door neighbors to introduce myself. The kid living there introduces himself as Ruben, the grandson of Professor Oak. You can really tell the family ties he shares with Ben; he's just as much of an insufferable asshat. I opt to not spend more time with this person than i have to, so i decide to set out on my journey, forgetting that i had left all my mons behind. As i walk onto route 1, i get jumped by a wild Pikachu, but fortunately Professor Oak jumps in just in time and catches the pikachu. He may be senile, but at least he remembers how to throw a poke ball.

Oak proceeds to take me to his lab so that he can give me a pokemon to start my journey with, but Ruben also shows up and snatches away the pokemon Oak wanted to give me, the asshat. This means that the only pokemon Oak has to give me is the pikachu he just caught. It'll do, i guess. I name it Arme Nana and try to walk out, but Ruben stops me and insists that we do a pokemon battle. Arme Nana makes short work of his Eevee; i guess i got the better pokemon. It doesn't want to stay in its ball though; the moment the battle ends, Arme Nana just leaves its poke ball and will not return to it. This is fine i guess; we can travel around together.

Arme Nana and I leave the lab and make our way through route 1 before arriving in Viridian City. When i go to the gym though, i find that Ben has abandoned it again, which i guess is fine since Arme Nana is not strong enough to challenge him. So i just head to the Poké Mart to buy some poke balls, but the shop clerk insists that i act as his errand boy and deliver a parcel to professor oak in Pallet Town. I really resent being sent on errands like this, but he won't sell me poke balls until i do this. Guy ought to be fired for this bullshit, but i guess i'll just head back to pallet town then.

Back in professor oak's lab, Oak reveals that the parcel contained some poke balls, but he will not give me any to start me off on my journey. Instead, he rewards my delivery services with a Pokedex, which i honestly have little use for. I helped Rowan out with his pokedex project, but i feel little motivation to do the same here. So i just head back to Viridian City and buy some poke balls, then i head back onto route 1 and catch myself a Pidgey. This pidgey shall be named Vlieger. It's probs a good idea to carry more than two pokemon around though, so i opt to head north onto route 2. On the way there, an old man insists on showing me how to catch a pokemon, but he fails to actually catch it. I don't know why, but listening to this explanation always gives me an urge to go surfing off the coast of Cinnabar. Can't though; Cinnabar was destroyed by a volcano.

With that done, i head onto Route 2 and catch myself another Pidgey; this one will be named Tori. I proceed onward into the newly-regrown Viridian Forest and catch a Metapod there, which i proceed to nickname Groentje. I don't think i'm gonna head all the way through yet though; it's first time for some training.

After training Arme Nana and Tori up for a bit, we head to route 22 for some exploration. While here, we're jumped by a wild Rattata, which i proceed to catch and name Kutrat. Not training it up though, at least not yet. I proceed onward on the path toward the pokemon league, when i run into Ruben. He reminds me that i need badges to challenge the league; i misplaced my kanto badges again so i'll have to beat all the gyms here once more. Ruben also insists we do battle so that he can show how strong he is; he leads with Spearow and i lead with Arme Nana. Thundershocks take him out as he just goes for a peck, so Ruben sends out his other pokemon, his Eevee. I opt to send out Tori for this job, but i get a crit against me, which means Tori can't beat this thing. I opt to sack Vlieger here to get Arme Nana in, so he can kill it with a few thundershocks. Victory is mine.

Ruben is right though. I can't enter the league building without first gathering all the badges again. So instead, i opt to just call it a day for now.
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My current team:

Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 8
Tori (Pidgey) lv 8
Groentje (Metapod) lv 6
Kutrat (Rattata) lv 3

 

[There Is No Arceus]

It's time for Arme Nana and me to head through the Viridian Forest. I fight my way through the trainers in this lush green woodland, until i reach Pewter City on the other end. This city is home to Brock's gym, but challenging a rock gym with just a pikachu and a pidgey is obviously not the road to victory, so i opt to train Groentje and Kutrat up before i engage with it.

After Groentje evolves into Butterfree, I decide it's time to tackle Brock's gym. This is a rock gym, but most of the pokemon here are also ground, so Arme Nana is just going to be moral support. There's no puzzle here, so i just beat up the gym trainer and then head straight for Brock. He leads with his Geodude and i lead with Kutrat. I get two tail whips in as well as a quick attack, but then i have to switch to Tori. Tori brings him into the yellow, but then she too has to switch out and i bring in my star player, Groentje. Groentje finishes off the Geodude with two confusions, and Brock sends out his Onix. Onix outspeeds though and binds me constantly, though after a while he goes for a Bide. This allows me to get some damage in, though i have to sack Kutrat to take the hit. Kutrat gets one last quick attack in because bide lasts longer than i thought, but then he tragically loses his life. Groentje comes back out and kills the Onix with two more confusions as it goes for a screech and a bide.

We got our first badge, but the team is down to three. Brock suggests that we continue our gym challenge in Cerulean City, but for now, we're just going to take our time to reflect on Kutrat's sacrifice and call it a day.
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My current team:

Tori (Pidgey) lv 11
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 11
Groentje (Butterfree) lv 11

didn't expect the Onix to outspeed Groentje. Probs should have looked up their speed stats.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Before we leave, i show Arme Nana around Pewter's tourist attractions. We visit the museum of science, which has fortunately opened its doors again. We cannot reach the back entrance until we obtain Cut though. Besides the museum and the gym, there isn't a lot to do here, so when we're done examining the displays, it's time to head east toward Cerulean. On route 4, i catch a Spearow and name it Cabo Verde. It's good to have a piece of fodder again. Anyway, we make our way through this maze of ledges and reach Mt. Moon. We heal up at the pokemon center at the base of this mountain, and a guy there offers to sell me a Magikarp. I can use some more fodder, so i accept and name it Fishstick. With my preparations done, it is time to head into Kanto's magnificent tunnel system; i catch myself Mannimarco the Zubat once inside. Like my previous two catches though, Mannimarco will just join me as death fodder for now.

As we traverse the caves, an unpleasant surprise awaits me: Team Rocket is back once more. How many times to i have to grind these yakuza goons into the dust before they finally stay dissolved? Anyway, the crooks are here hunting for fossils, so i guess i'll just have to get to the fossils before they do. I do reach the fossils, but some nerd beat me to them, and wishes to battle me for them. After i beat him up, we come to a compromise where we each take one of the fossils. I pick the Helix Fossil and let him keep the Dome Fossil. Shame i didn't get both, but at least we're keeping them out of Team Rocket's hands. On my way out, i'm confronted by two last rocket grunts, named Jessie and James. They recite some poetry at me, then they try to take my fossil by force. I have no choice but to defend myself; i lead with Groentje and Jessie sends out her Ekans. I two-shot with confusion after escaping from a wrap, and up next is Meowth, that's right. I switch Tori in for this one, but i immediately get a crit against me, so i have to switch to Arme Nana. Arme Nana also gets hit by a powerful scratch though, so i heal up here. I get a few thundershocks in, but then a crit bite leaves me with just 1 HP, so i switch to Groentje, who finishes it off. Up last, James sends out his Koffing, for which i keep Groentje in. Two confusions do it in, granting me the victory and allowing me to send these goons blasting off again.

I reach route 4; no further obstacles before Cerulean City. I heal up in said city, then i head back to route 4 to catch myself another Spearow. This spearow shall be named Gambia, but it will be going to the box. I opt to show Arme Nana around town for a bit, and we encounter a lady who is so impressed by our bond that she decides to give me the Bulbasaur she had in her care. I nickname it Fushisaur and add it to my team. We also pay a visit to the city's bike shop, but unfortunately i cannot afford to buy a bike here. Eh, i prefer to walk anyway. Time for a training session now though.

After i'm done training Fushisaur up, i decide to call it a day for now.
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My current team:

Fushisaur (Bulbasaur) lv 15
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 16
Groentje (Butterfree) lv 17
Tori (Pidgey) lv 15
Mannimarco (Zubat) lv 8
Cabo Verde (Spearow) lv 8

 

[There Is No Arceus]

My training is done for now, but i don't feel like challenging the gym yet, so i decide to head up north to visit my old friend Bill. On my way up to nugget bridge though, i run into another familiar face; that asshat Ruben. Guy apparently just visited Bill, and wishes to test my mettle in battle now. He leads with his Spearow and i lead with Arme Nana. I outspeed and two-shot while he goes for a weak peck. Ruben goes for his Sandshrew next, so it's Fushisaur's time to shine. Two vine whips spell the end of this thing, so Ruben goes for his Rattata next. I decide that this job will go to Tori; with the help of a crit, i manage to take him out in three moves. Last but not least is Ruben's Eevee, so i send out Groentje. I find that confusion does less than i thought, so i opt to go for poisonpowder. He just keeps missing tail whips though, so i can take him out without too much difficulty.

After that resounding victory, Ruben fucks off and i can head onto the bridge. I fight the trainer gauntlet there, and Fushisaur evolves into Ivysaur while i am doing so. After defeating all five trainers in the gauntlet though, i find out that this is a recruitment scheme for Team Rocket; i guess they're once again powerful enough to be recruiting in broad daylight. So i beat up the recruiter and head on, when i run into a trainer about to release his Charmander. He apparently cannot raise it, but i take pity on the poor thing and take him in. He shall be named Stinky and he will join my team; Mannimarco is out. So i head into the grass, catch Plantenbak the Oddish and start Stinky's training.

After Stinky evolves into a Charmeleon, it's time to head on. I take Arme Nana onto route 25, where we catch Wuppie the Venonat. We head on towards the end of the route, but before we enter Bill's place, i opt to show Arme Nana the amazing view from the Cerulean Cape. The sunrise and sunset here are a sight to behold, but unfortunately it is neither dawn nor dusk when we're here. They say this is the perfect place to take your lover on a date, so if i ever find the perfect girl for me, i'll know where to go.

Anyway, we can't just hang out outside forever, so we enter Bill's house. Instead of Bill, we find a pokemon there, but Arme Nana immediately notices something is wrong. Looks like Bill turned himself into a pokemon again; guy's always screwing up his experiments. I help him become human again, much to Arme Nana's shock, and he offers me a reward: a ticket to attend another party on the SS Anne. These appear to be an annual thing or something. Anyway, Bill doesn't know it's me because of my disguise, so i should just head on.

I head back to Cerulean to challenge the gym. This is a water gym, so Stinky will be sitting this one out. Instead, i'm taking Mannimarco the Zubat with me, as death fodder. The only challenge here is to not fall into the pool, so i just start beating up the trainers. As i'm doing so, Tori decides that now is the perfect time to evolve into Pidgeotto. More firepower is always awesome, even if it won't really help against Misty. After i'm done with the gym trainers, i walk up to Misty and challenge her; she leads with her Staryu and i lead with Arme Nana. Thundershock gets a three-shot while misty misses a tackle and wastes time with an X Defend. Misty's other pokemon is her Starmie, but i decide that Fushisaur is probably better for the job. Misty decides that having a high defense is essential against a special attacker, so she starts with an X Defend and then spams Harden until i KO her for a damageless second badge.

With two badges in hand, i decide to call it a day for now.
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My current team:

Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 18
Groentje (Butterfree) lv 18
Fushisaur (Ivysaur) lv 20
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 18
Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 18
Cabo Verde (Spearow) lv 8

wasn't expecting Misty to throw the match like that. Gen 1 AI is so bad.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Guess i should be heading to Vermilion to attend the boat party. Before i head off though, i notice that some poor guy's house has been broken into; i apprehend the rocket grunt who did it just outside, and after beating him up, he gives me the TM for Dig he stole. I guess the moral thing to do now would be to give this TM back to its rightful owner. Nah, don't feel like it; this move might be useful later. So, with the knowledge that i am just as bad as that Rocket crook, i head south onto route 5, where i manage to catch an Abra before it teleports away. It shall be named Litouwen, but i don't think i'm gonna use it. I also find a day care here, but i can train my own pokemon up just fine so i won't be using their services.

The road to Tokyo - sorry, "Saffron City"- is closed, so we will have to travel through the Underground Path to Route 6. On this pleasant field of grass, i catch a Rattata, which i decide to nickname Skeever. South of here, we reach the port town of Vermillion. I decide to show Arme Nana around a bit before we go party, so i take him to the pokemon fan club. He seems to fall in love with a Clefairy there, so i just let the two of them go about their business as i listen to the chairman ranting about his Rapidash. As thanks for listening to his rambling, he gives me a bike voucher, which i can use to obtain a bike in Cerulean. Eh, i prefer to walk.

It takes some effort to pry Arme Nana away from the Clefairy, but it's time to head on our way again. I'm still not really in the mood for a party, so i opt to go and explore a bit to the east. I make a quick foray into Diglett's Cave, where i catch one of the buggers and name him John. John will be joining the team; he doesn't even need training cos he's already at the level of my other guys. I decide not to head all the way through the cave though; instead, i head back out and onto route 11, where i catch Rauwkool the pidgey. The pathways on this route confuse me; why would someone create these twisting paths with patches of grass between them, rather than just having a straight path across the route? No matter, i guess; i explore the entire route, but there's a Snorlax blocking the path ahead from there, so i'll just head back to Vermilion.

When i enter the ship, i find that because i wasted so much time doing other things, i missed the whole party. The ship will be leaving soon, but that won't stop me from looking around a bit. I hang around on the deck for a bit, sharing a moment with Arme Nana as we enjoy the view over the harbor, then i go and explore the ship further. To my surprise, i find that Ruben was also invited; we run into each other just outside the captain's cabin and he challenges me to a fight. He leads with his Spearow and i lead with Arme Nana. A crit thundershock gets the one-shot, and Ruben goes for his Rattata next. This job goes to Stinky, who roasts the thing with two Embers. Sandshrew then comes out, and so does Fushisaur. Vine Whip kills in one hit, so Ruben is now down to his ace, his Eevee. I decide to give Groentje another chance to shine; my first confusion confuses the eevee, but just as i bring him into the red, he gets a crit that brings me into crit range. So i send Tori out and finish it off with a quick attack. Victory is once again mine.

Ruben tells me that the captain isn't feeling too well, and then heads off. When i enter the captain's cabin, i find that the guy is seasick; how do you get to be captain if you are prone to that? Anyway, i decide to be helpful and give him a backrub to make him feel better, which he rewards with HM01 Cut. He also tells me that the ship is about to depart, so i should head back to land. As we wave the ship goodbye, i teach Cut to John and decide to call it a day.
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My current team:

Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 21
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 23
Fushisaur (Ivysaur) lv 22
John (Diglett) lv 22
Groentje (Butterfree) lv 21
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 22

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Before i challenge the gym here, i opt to get some training in. Groentje will not be joining us for this training though. I'm sorry Groentje, you did great in the early game, but the time has come for us to part ways. Instead, i'll be taking along Gambia the Spearow for now, as death fodder.

After finishing up this training session, it's time to take on the gym. This is an electric gym, so Tori will be sitting this one out. Instead, i'm taking Fishstick the Magikarp, as death fodder. To my displeasure, Surge has reactivated his gym puzzle; i'll again be sifting through garbage. Seriously, who thought that this was a good idea for a gym puzzle? it's fucking bullshit. There's not even an opportunity to wash my hands afterward. I guess i have little choice but to just do it though. As i'm doing this and fighting the gym trainers, John evolves into Dugtrio, so i guess something good did come out of this bullshit gym. Eventually, i make it to Surge and i give him a piece of my mind before challenging him to a battle. He only has one pokemon, his Raichu, so i send out John. a crit Dig gets the one-shot, allowing me to claim my third badge.

When i step outside, a police officer approaches me and tells me she's looking for a good home for a Squirtle who's been up to no good. Since i'm strong enough to beat the gym here, she opts to entrust the little turtle to me. It shall be named Donatello and it will take Groentje's place on the team, though i'm not training it up just yet. Instead, i opt to call it a day for now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

John (Dugtrio) lv 26
Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 25
Fushisaur (Ivysaur) lv 25
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 25
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 25
Donatello (Squirtle) lv 10

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Time to train Donatello up. As i'm doing so, it evolves into a Wartortle.

When this training session is done and Donatello is on par with my other guys, i decide to go and explore Diglett's Tunnel. This tunnel leads us halfway across Kanto, ending just south of Pewter City. Oh well, now that i'm here anyway, i might as well explore the area. In a gate to the south, i meet one of Professor Oak's assistants, who decides to give me HM05 Flash as a reward for having registered over 10 mons in my dex. Wasn't even actively working on that, but free stuff is always nice.

Since i'm in the area anyway, i decide to show Arme Nana the remainder of the Pewter Museum of Science, since he liked the first visit so much. I enter through the back entrance this time, but that's cool with everyone there; in fact they give me an Old Amber to commemorate my visit. I must say, it's kinda strange to see fossils and space exploration in one museum, but i suppose this does attract a diverse array of visitors.

After we've seen all there is to be seen in the museum, we head back to Diglett's Cave and i have John dig me a tunnel right back to Vermillion's pokemon center. With that, i'll call it a day for now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Donatello (Wartortle) lv 25
Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 25
Fushisaur (Ivysaur) lv 25
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 25
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 25
John (Dugtrio) lv 26

 

[There Is No Arceus]

There's little to do in Vermillion City and the surrounding area, so i take Arme Nana back to Cerulean. Since i'm in town anyway, i swap my bike voucher for a bike that i'm probs not gonna use. After all, Arme Nana would have to go back into his ball when i'm cycling, and i know how much he hates that. We've already seen Cerulean's touristy stuff though, so i set my course due east, to Route 9. This is another rugged route with tons of ledges to navigate, but we manage to make our way through and catch Konaan the male Nidoran along the way. I continue onto Route 10, where i catch BEEPBEEP the Magnemite, who is not steel-type for some reason. Must be some weird mutant or something.

Anyway, time to head through one of Kanto's most daunting caves, the Rock Tunnel. I heal up in the pokemon center outside, then i head in. It's mighty dark in here, but fortunately Arme Nana has learned the move Flash, allowing us to see the way through. Good old reliable Arme Nana, always pulling through. We run into a Machop here, so i catch it and name it Tsuyosa. Arme Nana's light is of course not enough to prevent us from getting lost, but after much stumbling about, we find the other end of the cave and proceed onward to Lavender Town. I'm pleasantly surprised to find that the radio tower here has been converted back into a graveyard; it seemed super disrespectful to me to use it for any other purpose. Not exploring it just yet though; instead, i'm just gonna call it a day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 27
Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 27
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 27
John (Dugtrio) lv 27
Donatello (Wartortle) lv 29
Fushisaur (Ivysaur) lv 27

since Home support for Scarlet and Violet has released, i've now added Violet to the lineup. It shall be played after Soul Silver but before Black 2.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Guess i should show Arme Nana the pokemon tower so he can pay his respects to those who are no longer with us. I actually run into Ruben here; guess there is some good in that guy, paying his respects to those who came before. He wants to battle me though; i disapprove of battles in a place like this, but he sends out his fearow so i have to defend myself. I send out Arme Nana and bring him to the red with a thunderbolt as he misses his move. The following quick attack finishes it, and Ruben sends out his Shellder. Arme Nana stays in for this one and fells it with a single thunderbolt. Then comes Ruben's Vulpix, so Donatello comes in and two-shots with water gun. Sandshrew is next, so Fushisaur comes out and Vine Whip gets the one-shot. Finally, it's time for Ruben's Eevee, and i go for John here. Dig gets him to the red as he sand-attacks me, but my next move hits through the sand-attack and gets me the win.

Ruben then fucks off and lets me explore the tower in peace, so that's what i do. We pay our respects as we climb the floors of the tower, but towards the top, we are stopped by an angry spirit who will not let us pass. I can see the fear in Arme Nana's eyes, so i get him out of there and to safety. To recover from this shock, i bring Arme Nana to the piers on route 12 to relax by the waterside. We find the road blocked by a sleeping Snorlax though. Can't blame him; this is a great place to relax. We should be heading back though.

Back in lavender, i decide to set my course due west. I march onto route 8 and catch myself a pidgey on this small route, which i proceed to name Duif. The road to Tokyo is closed though, but fortunately the underground path is reopened. I proceed through to route 7, which is so short it barely deserves to be a route, and encounter a pidgey there. It whirlwinds me away before i can catch it though, which makes me very sad because i definitely didn't have plenty Pidgey already. Anyway, time to head on to Celadon.

I climb to the roof of the Celadon Mansion to show Arme Nana the view from there, and the guy there just opts to give me a free Eevee. This eevee will be named Buitai, but it remains to be seen whether it will see any use. We also go shopping in this city's huge department store, and we get some refreshing drinks on the rooftop. This city still has one more tourist attraction, but i don't want to introduce Arme Nana to gambling, so we're leaving the Game Corner unvisited for now.

Instead, after i'm done touring the city, i head west. A snorlax is blocking the way to the cycling road, but i obtain the HM for Fly here. I'd write down how i got it, but i promised i wouldn't tell anyone. I teach the move to Tori and use it to head back to town, but i spot a team rocket presence as i'm viewing the city from the sky. The most sensible place to start looking is of course their old hideout in the Game Corner, so i guess i should head there. I cover Arme Nana's eyes so he will not see any of the gamblers throwing their money away in the vain hope that they'll get rich, and i do indeed notice a rocket grunt guarding the switch that reveals their hideout. I make my way in, and now i once again have to deal with Team Rocket's love for sliding floor puzzles. We wander around this maze for some time, but eventually we manage to nab the lift key from one of the grunts, which allows us to navigate the building properly.

I make my way to the bottom floor, where i am intercepted by Jessie and James. Guess i'm gonna have to fight those idiots off again; they lead with James's Koffing ans i lead with Fushisaur. I start off with a leech seed, then i spam tackle as he keeps trying to poison me. After i take the gas ball down, their talking Meowth comes into the fray. I opt to keep Fushisaur in on this, and i one-shot with a crit razor leaf. Last is Jessie's Ekans, so i switch to John and take it out with a dig. I head on, and to my surprise, i find Giovanni waiting for me. He tells me that the Radio Tower broadcasts convinced him to return and bring new life to Team Rocket; guess i didn't shut that down fast enough. Anyway, time ton do battle. He leads with his Onix and i lead with Fushisaur. Razor leaf crits again and kills him, so he sends out his Rhyhorn. Rhyhorn also goes down to a crit Razor Leaf, and last is Persian. I opt to keep Fushisaur in and take it out with two razor leafs, both of which crit.

Following his loss, Giovanni agrees to abandon this base, and he gives me the Silph Scope before leaving. With this tool, i can identify the ghosts that plague the pokemon tower in Lavender. Before i head back though, i should challenge the gym here in Celadon. This is a grass gym, so Donatello and John are sitting this one out. Instead, i'm taking Plantenbak the Oddish and Rauwkool the Pidgey, as death fodder. This gym is a plain one; no puzzles, just some pleasant greenery to appreciate as you battle through the trainers. I eventually fight my way through to the leader Erika, and i challenge her to a battle. She leads with Tangela and i lead with Stinky. I three-shot with ember, one of which was a crit, and Erika goes for her Weepinbell. I opt to switch Tori in for this job, and i take it out with two flies. Last is Gloom; i opt to keep Tori in and 2HKO with fly and wing attack.

With four badges in hand, i decide to call it a day for now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 32
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 30
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 32
Fushisaur (Ivysaur) lv 31
Donatello (Wartortle) lv 30
John (Dugtrio) lv 31

does Razor Leaf always crit in this gen or something?

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Guess i should head back to Lavender now to see what was troubling the spirits there so much. As i'm ascending, i catch a gastly, which i shall nickname Eus. I reach the area where the spirit previously stopped me; it appears again and the silph scope reveals it to be the Cubone Mother, who i've heard was recently killed by Team Rocket. In order to pacify this Marowak spirit, i send out Donatello, who takes it out with two water guns. Hope she finds peace in the afterlife. Anyway, i proceed to the top floor, where i find Jessie and James from Team Rocket; they apparently made their way here while i was in Erika's gym. They won't leave peacefully, so i'm going to have to use force. They lead with their Meowth and i lead with Donatello. Water Gun two-shots, and up next is Jessie's Arbok. This seems like a job for John; one Dig gets the OHKO. It's then time to face James's Weezing, which meets the same fate as the arbok, only the Dig crits so hard it even manages to hit a pokemon that should have levitate.

Team Rocket "Blast off again" as they like to put it, and i can now see that Mr. Fuji is also here. He tells me that he did not need saving, as he came here of his own free will to preach to Team Rocket about the evil of their ways and to pacify the Cubone Mother. Since both of those things are done now, we head back to his home and he rewards my efforts with a Poke Flute. With this object, i can wake the sleeping Snorlax that plague Kanto's routes, so i opt to head south to try it out. The Snorlax on Route 12 is still there; i play a tune on my new flute, and he wakes up and attacks me. I panic and toss a bunch of poke balls its way, and eventually, it stays in one of them and my team is saved from annihilation. It shall be named Dr Snorlax; its PhD is in nutrition.

Now that the snorlax is gone, i can proceed southward. In a small cabin there, a guy gives me a Super Rod, meaning i can now go fishing whenever i please. A bit further down this coast, i hit route 13, which is one of those weird fence mazes. I really do not understand why someone would build this many fences in the wilderness. Guess it's not my money being wasted though. While i'm lost among this nonsense, i hit a patch of grass, where i am immediately ambushed by a Pidgeotto. I catch this thing and name it Medli, then i head on my way once more. Toward the end of this fence maze, Fushisaur has gained enough battle prowess to evolve into its final form, Venusaur. Some extra power or bulk is always welcome on the team.

I make my way out of the fence maze and onto rout 14, where i catch Quasimodo the Weepinbell. Then it's on to route 15, where Komali the Pidgeotto awaits me in the grass (though of course it's going in the box). When i finally reach Fuchsia, i decide to call it a day; i'll show Arme Nana around next time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 34
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 34
Tori (Pidgeotto) lv 33
Stinky (Charmeleon) lv 33
Donatello (Wartortle) lv 34
John (Dugtrio) lv 35

I always underestimate just how long that road is

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Arme Nana and I spend some time admiring the exotic pokemon in Fuchsia's giant zoo, and a guy gives me his Good Rod as we're hanging around. I immediately throw out this rod in the pond in the man's back yard, and i net myself a Goldeen. The box is full though, so i go change my box, then i come back and get a Poliwag. It will be named Swirlz and it will be the first occupant of Box 2. Anyway, Arme Nana wishes to see this city's biggest tourist attraction, the Safari Zone, so we head over there. It's fortunately reopened since the last time we visited the region; real shame it had to close a while back. We encounter a Parasect in this wildlife reserve, but unfortunately it runs away before i can catch it. Ah well; guess we'll just explore further. I find a set of golden teeth just lying around; i guess i'll bring it back to the owner. So i enter the nearby house to ask who lost these teeth, and the guy there just straight up gives me HM03 Surf! He also directs me to the Safari Zone Warden to deliver the teeth, so i head back to Fuchsia and the warden is so thankful he gives me HM04 Strength. 2 HMs in one go; nice. I'll teach Strength to Stinky and Surf to Donatello.

I don't think i'm strong enough for Fuchsia's Gym yet, and there's little else to do here, so i opt to head west. On route 18, i catch a Raticate and name him Mickey. From here though, the only area left unexplored is the Bicycle Road, which means Arme Nana will unfortunately have to go into his ball. I hope he can forgive me, but having a pokemon walk alongside you simply doesn't work when cycling. one of the many reasons i prefer to walk. While on this bike road, i catch a Fearow and name it Gabon. At the other end, i can let Arme Nana back out, and i use my poke flute to wake the snorlax there. This one puts up less of a struggle than the last one, and i name it Kabi after i catch it.

Since I'm still not strong enough to take on Fuchsia's gym, i try to head into Tokyo, but the gates are still closed. The guard mentions being thirsty though, so i buy a drink in Celadon and bribe him with it. While i'm in Celadon, i figure i might as well use my new rod in a random guy's pond; i fish up a Goldeen and name it Misty. To my surprise, my bribe actually works and i get into Tokyo, but i immediately notice a Team Rocket presence. Seems they've attacked Silph Co again; those guys really need to get better security. Before i go and tackle that problem though, i'm toughening my guys up in the Fighting Dojo next to Sabrina's Gym. While i'm fighting these black belts, i get no less than three evolutions on my team: Tori evolved into Pidgeot, Donatello became a Blastoise and Stinky is now a Charizard. Really happy that everyone's come through and attained their full potential. After beating up the last black belt, he actually gives me one of the dojo's pokemon, a Hitmonlee. I will name it Bruce.

And with that, it's time to call it a day. I'll tackle Silph Co next time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 35
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 35
Donatello (Blastoise ) lv 36
Stinky (Charizard) lv 36
Tori (Pidgeot) lv 36
John (Dugtrio) lv 36

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Time to drive Team Rocket out of the Silph Co building again. I still don't understand why Silph has all of these teleporter pads in an office building; must be a pain for employees to navigate the place. To make matters worse, Team Rocket has locked many of the doors, making this place even more impossible to get around. I do eventually stumble upon a card key someone must have dropped, taking care of the door problem. When i'm nearly done defeating all the team rocket members in the building, i run into my rival Ruben. Guy's quite aware of what's happening here, but he just chooses not to interfere, the asshat. He does challenge me to a battle, thus actively hindering my takedown of team rocket. He leads with Sandslash and i lead with Fushisaur. One crit Razor Leaf kills him, and next is Ninetales. Donatello comes out and kills this one with a surf, so Ruben opts for his Cloyster. This is Arme Nana's job; Thunderbolt crits and kills. It's then time for Ruben's Kadabra, which is a job for Tori. Fly kills in one hit, so Ruben is now down to his last pokemon, his Jolteon. I send out John, who tanks a Double Kick and OHKOs with Dig.

After this, Ruben tells me he's gonna beat the pokemon league, and he fucks off, allowing me to continue fighting Team Rocket. A guy who saw me fight Ruben thanks me and decides to hand me his Lapras, to aid in disposing of Team Rocket. This Lapras shall be named Tjalk. Time to head on though. As i step through the next teleporter pad, Jessie and James intercept me; guess i'll have to deal with those idiots once more. They lead with James's Weezing and i lead with John. Dig OHKOs, and Jessie's Arbok is next. It also goes down to a Dig, so last is their talking Meowth. I opt to send out Arme Nana for this task; a crit Thunderbolt sends Team Rocket blasting off again.

Next up, i walk up to Giovanni himself. He's quite annoyed that i interrupted his "meeting" with Silph's president, and attacks me. He leads with Nidorino and i lead with John. One Dig later and the Nidorino is down. Persian is up next, and i opt to send Stinky out for this. Giovanni gets a crit Bite but then wastes time with a Guard Spec, so i can kill him with two crit slashes. Rhyhorn then comes out, which means it's Fushisaur's time to shine. Razor Leaf kills, so Giovanni is down to his last pokemon, his Nidoqueen. This job goes to Donatello; Surf does not one-shot, but Giovanni just wastes time with Tail Whip and another Guard Spec, so all is well. I've won.

With this victory, i can force Giovanni to leave Silph alone, and the president grants me a Master Ball as a reward. I tell him to up his security so that this does not happen again, then i head out. I'm still not quite ready to tackle either Koga or Sabrina though, so i opt to do some training. After training for some time, i decide to call it a day for now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 40
John (Dugtrio) lv 40
Donatello (Blastoise) lv 40
Stinky (Charizard) lv 40
Tori (Pidgeot) lv 40
Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 40

 

[There Is No Arceus]

After my training is done, i decide it's finally time to take on Koga. This is a poison gym, but many of the trainers here use psychic types, so Fushisaur is sitting this one out. Instead, i'm taking Gabon the Fearow, as death fodder. I'm glad to see that Koga has not updated his gym design; never change a winning formula. These invisible walls are the perfect puzzle. I eventually navigate my way through and prepare for battle against the ninja master Koga. He leads with his Venonat and i lead with Arme Nana. Two Thunderbolts kill him, though he does hit me with Toxic. Koga's second Venonat comes out, and i switch in John. Dig brings him to the red as he hits with Psybeam, and the following Slash gets the kill. I keep John in against the third Venonat; Dig crits this time, giving me the one-shot. Last is Koga's ace; his Venomoth. I grant this job to Tori, but a single Psychic brings me into crit range as Wing Attack does less than i thought. I decide to risk it, which was a bad move. Tori goes down. Stinky then comes in to avenge his friend, and two embers get the kill.

Did we really win here? Tori lost his life, and all because i foolishly played more reckless than i should have. Rest in peace Tori, your contributions will not be forgotten. Dr Snorlax will come in to replace Tori on our team, though of course he can never replace Tori in our hearts. And with that, i'm calling it a day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 44
John (Dugtrio) lv 44
Donatello (Blastoise) lv 44
Stinky (Charizard) lv 45
Dr Snorlax (Snorlax) lv 30
Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 44

This loss hurts. First time this playthrough i lost a pokemon that mattered, and it's all because of my foolishness.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Now that i can Surf out of battle, i opt to go show Arme Nana a place i'm sure he'll love more than anywhere else in this region. So we head to Route 10, where we hop on Donatello's back and surf over to the Power Plant. To my surprise, the plant is no longer in operation and has the same abandoned feel as during my first trip through Kanto, but Arme Nana's loving it nontheless. I run into a Magnemite here, which i catch and name No Steel. We explore further and find a bunch of items as well as Voltorbs masquerading as items, but at the other end of the power plant, all we see is a big electric chicken. It's ugly, so we just proceed to ignore it and head out. Time to start training up Dr Snorlax now.

Once Dr Snorlax is up to speed with the other guys, i decide it's time to take on Sabrina in Tokyo. This is a psychic gym, so Fushisaur will be sitting this one out. Instead, i'm taking Mickey the Raticate, as death fodder. The gym puzzle is the same as ever; a bunch of teleporter pads similar to those at Silph that randomly transport you across the gym. I manage to navigate this teleporter maze, and make my way to Sabrina so i may challenge her. I lead with Arme Nana and she leads with Abra. Abra keeps spamming Flash, but eventually i hit it often enough to kill it. Sabrina opts to go for her Kadabra next, so i switch to Dr Snorlax. Psywave does pitiful damage and i OHKO in return with Body Slam, which means that Sabrina is down to her last pokemon, her Alakazam. I keep Dr Snorlax in; Alakazam's Psychic brings me into crit range, though i do paralyze him and bring him into the red. I swap directly into Stinky as the Alakazam is fully paralyzed, and i finish the battle with a Slash. Six badges in hand.

With that, i think i'll call it a day for now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 44
Donatello (Blastoise) lv 44
Dr Snorlax (Snorlax) lv 45
Stinky (Charizard) lv 45
John (Dugtrio) lv 45
Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 44

 

[There Is No Arceus]

The next gym to challenge would be Blaine. I recall him setting up shop in the Seafoam Islands, so i head to Fuchsia and go south. On route 19, i throw out my Super Rod to catch Octo the Tentacool, then i hop on Donatello's back and surf over to route 20, where i fish up Tajiri the Poliwag. When i reach the Whirl Islands though, i find no sign of Blaine in its caves. I do find a Zubat, which i catch and name Airskeever, as well as a big frozen chicken. Said chicken is ugly though, so i ignore it.

Guess i'll just head west from here. No idea where Blaine could be, as Cinnabar is still in ruins. Or is it? To my surprise, i find that while i was travelling through Hokkaido - sorry, "Sinnoh", the town was completely rebuilt. All that's left of the volcanic eruption is one burnt-out building. Gym's locked though; guess Blaine's out and about. So i just fish up Squid Game the Tentacool, then i go and explore Route 21 to kill some time. I fish up another Tentacool and name this one Squidward, then i surf north. When i hit Pallet Town, i opt to go fishing once more before i head back, and i net myself Maf the Poliwag.

The gym still isn't open, so i instead go to the science lab to have my Helix Fossil and Old Amber revived. The Helix Fossil yields Gary the Omanyte and the Old Amber yields Jurassic the Aerodactyl. Arme Nana and i then go explore the burned-out building here in town. Upon entering, we get attacked by one of the Rattata that now call this place home; i catch it and name it Ugh. Deep in these ruins though, i find the key to the gym; guess someone left it there when clearing this place of magma stone.

I decide to take a peep in the gym, but to my surprise, Blaine and all his gym trainers were locked in here! They are of course grateful that i let them out, but since we're all here anyway, i might as well challenge the gym. This is a fire gym, so Fushisaur is sitting out yet another gym battle. Instead, i'm bringing Squid Game the Tentacool, as death fodder. The gym puzzle consists of answering trivia questions; if you get it right, you can proceed, but if you get it wrong, you face a trainer. Unfortunately i am very stupid and i get every last question wrong. Eventually i do make it to blaine though, and i challenge him. He leads with Ninetales and i lead with John. One earthquake is enough for the kill, and out comes Rapidash, who meets the same fate. Blaine's last pokemon, Arcanine, tanks an earthquake and brings me down to the red with Fire Blast, which also burns. I decide a direct switch to Donatello is wisdom, but Take Down crits and brings me into crit range. So i send Stinky out on a resisted Fire Blast and land a Slash for the kill. Seven badges in hand.

With that, i'll call it a day for now.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

John (Dugtrio) lv 47
Donatello (Blastoise) lv 47
Stinky (Charizard) lv 46
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 47
Dr Snorlax (Snorlax) lv 47
Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 47

 

[There Is No Arceus]

This leaves just one gym in all of Kanto. So i head back to Viridian City to see whether Ben is back in his gym. I find the door open, and the gym guide tells me that this is now a ground gym, so i guess Arme Nana will just be moral support. The sliding floor tiles from the Giovanni era are also back; guess the gym was a bit barren without them. When i reach the end though, i find that it's not Ben but rather Giovanni who is currently in charge of the gym. Guy just found the gym abandoned and decided to take over again. No time for chitchat though; i challenge the guy to a battle to obtain my final Kanto badge. He leads with Dugtrio and i lead with Stinky. He likes to sand-attack me, but that doesn't stop me from killing with flamethrower. Persian's up next, so i send out Dr Snorlax. He double teams though, which means i can barely hit him. He also brings Dr Snorlax in kill range with one crit slash, so i switch to Donatello as Giovanni uses a guard spec. Surf brings him to half health, but he also brings me to half health with another crit slash. This time i opt to just heal until he uses a move other than slash; after a crit fury swipes, another slash leaves me in the red as i KO him with Surf. It's now time for Nidoqueen, and i decide to send John out for this one. Earthquake does not kill, and Giovanni retaliates with a crit Earthquake that does. Rest in peace John, you did great work for our team. Stinky comes in and avenges John, after which Giovanni goes for his Nidoking. This'll be Fushisaur's job; Razor Leaf, despite always critting, does less than half, but it doesn't matter as Giovanni wastes time with a Guard Spec. After tanking the following Leer, Nidoking goes down and Giovanni is down to his last mon, his Rhydon. I keep Fushisaur in for this and OHKO the thing, granting me a very costly victory. Giovanni agrees to disband Team Rocket again, hopefully for good this time, and i have to pick a new team member.

Joining us will be Konaan the male Nidoran. During training, he evolves into Nidorino, after which i use a moon stone to evolve him into Nidoking. Quite a lot of training later, i decide to call it a day for now.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current team:

Konaan (Nidoking) lv 36
Donatello (Blastoise) lv 48
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 47
Dr Snorlax (Snorlax) lv 48
Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 48
Stinky (Charizard) lv 48

 

[There Is No Arceus]

When Konaan's training is done, i fly back to Viridian and head west, so that Arme Nana and I can prove our strength against the Pokemon League. On the way though, we run into Ruben again, who wishes to test our mettle one last time before we head for the league. He leads with Sandslash and i lead with Fushisaur. Razor Leaf OHKOs, and next is Exeggcute. This is Stinky's job; one Flamethrower is sufficient. Up third comes Ninetales, so i go for Donatello, who kills it with a Surf. Ruben then goes for his Cloyster and i go for my partner Arme Nana. Arme Nana blasts the thing with two thunderbolts, so now we have to deal with Kadabra. This task goes to Dr Snorlax, who tanks a crit Psybeam and OHKOs in return with Body Slam. Last but not least is Jolteon, which is the chance for our newest team member to shine. Konaan OHKOs it with an Earthquake, granting us the victory.

With that, we can head on. We pass through the badge check gates, catching Nanie the Nidorino in the process. At the end, i reach the Victory Road, the final challenge that trainers must face before taking on the pokemon league. In the depths of this cave complex, i fling my Master Ball at a Zubat and name it Troep. I manage to beat all the trainers and all the strength puzzles though, and for once i actually do not get lost. I was briefly distracted by an ugly flaming chicken though, but i decided to leave it alone. That means i've reached the League, but i do not think i'm currently strong enough tot tackle it, so it's time for some training.

I train for some time, then i decide to call it a day.
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My current team:

Konaan (Nidoking) lv 50
Donatello (Blastoise) lv 50
Arme Nana (Pikachu) lv 50
Dr Snorlax (Snorlax) lv 50
Fushisaur (Venusaur) lv 50
Stinky (Charizard) lv 50