Monday, June 24, 2013

Day 12: Bug Master and Annoying Bugger




Pokemon Storm Silver Nuzlocke Challenge!



After Hancock went home, Darius took very little training to quickly become the Water type battler of our team. His dual Ground typing makes him a good match for Electric type battles too. With our team dynamic newly shifted, we prepare to take on Bugsy, with his Bug type Gym.



We return to see Kurt before we head over to the Gym. He has four Heavy Balls for us, fashioned out of Black Apricorns. He wishes us luck in the future and gives us some advice: "That Scyther of his is legend in these parts. It hasn't lost a battle in a couple of years. Take that one down and you are home free." Thank you Kurt.


For this Gym, we decide that the best strategy will be to go in with Winnona until Haung and Axel are needed and can tag in.


This creepy crawly Gym is filled with cool spider mechanisms that lead to lots of Trainers. Leading with Winnona, we dive in.

With the newly learned Fire Fang, we are met with nothing but success.



As Winnona tires, we are met with a double battle from a pair of twins. Axel and Haung take it on and win no problem.



When we reach Bugsy, I am surprised by how young he is and how prestigious his titles are.



And with that, we dive into the battle. I like a no nonsense kid.

They go down quick. Butterfree, Beedrill, Heracross, Pinsir, Yanma, all go down to a Fire Fang, Extrasensory, or Aurora Beam.



Then, the monster comes out. I had asked a couple of Trainers coming in what their experiences were with this Pokemon. One told me about a Firebreather who came in with a Magmar and came out with an amputee. Another told me about a Hiker whose entire team was finished off by the Scyther alone. Swords Dance is apparently its signature move. So Axel is all ready to go.



One Aurora Beam was all it took. This threat went down all too quickly. 



And Bugsy was clearly impressed.



He awards us with a badge. After the traumatic time we had with Falkner, this restores my faith in my ability to compete on my quest to the Pokemon League.

He asks me if I have visited the Ruins of Alph, where he has been researching. I realize that even though I was in Violet City for so long I never dropped in. And didn't even get an encounter. We head back together and I take the opportunity to fish.


F
First bite of the night! What's it gonna be?


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


That's the first time that I have had to invoke the Dupe's Clause. Hopefully I will be able to get away with something like a Goldeen...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...



What the heck?! A Dratini?! That's incredible! And with an Old Rod? No way. Help me out, Haung.



 Awesome job Haung. And welcome to the team Zane!



When you grow up you are going to be incredible. With your drive to win, you will be nothing but an asset to the team.



I'm sorry you are tired little dude. But we gotta head back to Azalea Town. When we get there, we decide to check out the Ilex Forest, but someone was waiting for us...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...



He doesn't even believe that I beat Team Rocket in the Slowpoke Well.



And apparently wants to give us some trouble.



Done.


Ended.



Screw you.



Enjoy being dead.



It's you who is useless.



What a jerk.

Oh well. May as well follow him and see where it goes. But it would probably be good to save my encounter...



(Team Update Tomorrow)

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Day 11: A New Threat and a New Teammate



Pokemon Storm Silver Nuzlocke Challenge!


Today we awoke to calls coming out of the well. They are muffled but the voice is familiar...Let's head down.


The well is rumored to be one of the epicenters of all Slowpoke activity, maybe our first encounter will be in the form of a Slowpoke.


And here is the source of the cries: Kurt. He hurt his back coming down. I started back up the ladder to get help, but he insisted I go on ahead and that his treatment can wait.


I will do the best I can Kurt. Here we go.


Try all you want, you can't win.

My first encounter for the Slowpoke Well was not far away...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


...


A Zubat...well, a good Flying and Poison type is never something to scoff at. Axel, Quick Attack!


Well, that may have been a little much...but that's OK. Good job Axel. We'll get the next one. Make sure you keep up that power while we are battling Team Rocket.


That's my Glaceon.


Uh oh. Better prepare for an intense battle!


Bring it on Proton!


Winnona definitely stepped up for this battle. Although Proton protested the whole time, her Dragon Rage and Ember absolutely ripped through his team.


I came here to protect Pokemon. And that means beating you to a pulp.


I'll do my best. You better hope I don't find you again.

After getting the old man back on his feet, Kurt and I bandaged up the Slowpoke. It was hard to look at, but I forced myself to make sure that I helped every one I could find. Kurt invited me back to his home after we were done. 


Thank you sir. I just hope that I don't have to deal with that kind of Pokemon cruelty anytime soon.

After going back to the Pokemon Center, I found Hancock and Darius in the Pokemon Center Pool. Darius seemed furious at Hancock for some reason. When I asked Nurse Joy what was going on, she said that Darius had challenged Hancock to a battle and that after Hancock had refused, Hancock had flipped Darius with its tail. When Darius had confronted The Titan again, Hancock did the same deny-and-drop routine. 

When I asked Hancock why he didn't want to fight, I could see from the look in its eyes that he didn't feel fulfilled. I asked him what he wanted to do. He looked longingly towards the Transfer System machine over by the front desk. All at once I knew what he wanted to do. He needed time to grieve. He didn't want to fight because he was constantly reminded of Blake, his old mentor.  I immediately called Mom and made preparations. 

Before the team set out, I said goodbye to Hancock. He was headed home to work for Professor Elm as a transport Pokemon between New Bark Town and the Pokemon League. There he would have time to grieve and think about what he wanted to do in the future.

With that, we welcome a new member to the immediate team, and set out once again.

Current Team:








Friday, June 14, 2013

Day 10: No Direction


Pokemon Storm Silver Nuzlocke Challenge!



After sleeping on the idea of sending Hancock home, I have come to absolutely no decision whatsoever. I don't think that I will be able to post a team update with Hancock so on the ropes. However, I decided that it may be time to start training up a backup Pokemon and go for a couple more encounters.


My encounter for Route 33 is a little Aipom. This brings back memories from when my dad told me about his travels through Johto. He had an Ambipom named Layla who he ended up trading to my Mom when they first met. So, this little guy may bring me the same success that he had.



Excellent! Leon is our newest partner!


And what a great ability! Although he may be a little scatterbrained, he seems really nice.



Maybe I spoke too soon! He may be Bashful but he is not afraid to be frisky.



As we were training, I decided to bring Darius along. Back in Union Cave, he started making quicker and quicker work of the Sandshrew and Geodude. When all of a sudden...



A Marshtomp! After training for only a day, we have another contender Water type...hmmm....



I got a call from Falkner during training. He apologized over and over, asking if there was anything he could do. I swallowed my pride and told him I was OK. I just told him to send my Mom some flowers to put on Blake's grave back in New Bark Town.  He said it was the least he could do.

Later that day I got a call from Mom that both Talula and Blake's funeral expenses were paid in full by an anonymous source...Thank you Falkner.



Still unsure of what to do with the team, I decided to take some of these Apricorns that I had been collecting over to Kurt, hoping that I could get some cool new Pokeballs out of the deal. However, he told me about Team Rocket and I immediately knew that I had to do something, especially when he told me this disturbing fact...



Holy crap! A guy on the other side of Union Cave said he was selling SlowpokeTails, but I thought they were a gimmick item. That's morbid.



He charged off without another word after I told him I had seen that goon standing by the top of the well. His granddaughter asked me to follow him since he was getting old, so I set out.



When we arrived, no people could be found, but I did hear a strange sound coming from the bottom of the well...

Since night had fallen, I camped out under the stars with my Pokemon to make sure nothing happened.

Tomorrow, we will venture down.