Chapter 10 - Psych-out

Route 120 passed without any particular excitement. I’d already caught my one-Pokemon allowance here, so I just killed everything I came across. Route 121 came around and the first Pokemon I came across was a Zigzagoon… boo. I was hoping for a Shuppet, but I probably used up all my luck when I caught Major. Especially annoying was the fact that after I killed Zigzagoon, the next two Pokemon to show up were both Shuppet… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “ARGH”. I reached Lilycove with no further troubles, then flew to Slateport to pick up a Pokeblock case and nipped to the Safari Zone in case I could catch anything interesting. That something interesting turned out to be a Phanpy, which I managed to catch – lv. 29, female, Rash, named Rose. I do like Donphan, but I didn’t need another Ground-type, so sadly Rose was boxed away.

I got quite a long way today while I was away from the computer. After reaching Lilycove I quickly did Mt. Pyre, where the first Pokemon I met was a Shuppet. I took it down to half health but then it used Curse, so it killed itself. Arses. After finished Mt. Pyre I moved onto Route 123, where the first Pokemon I met was another Shuppet, lv.27, female. I threw an Ultra Ball at her straight away just in case she committed suicide with Curse like the last one, and it caught her in one! Good news. Her natures was Relaxed (meh) and I named her Spice.

I went back to Slateport to talk to Capt. Stern, and witnessed Team Aqua stealing his submarine. Shady business indeed. Back to Lilycove – via Rustboro to pick up the Exp. Share – to sort out their Hideout, which didn’t take long (and I picked up a Master Ball in the process). Sadly I was a bit late though, and Archie the Team Aqua Boss escaped in the submarine. Spice was gaining a nice few levels by now.

The Route to the East of Lilycove had opened up now, so I Surfed along it, beating a few trainers and catching my first Tentacool (lv.23, female, Naïve, named Gem). Even though I seem to be getting lucky with Pokemon on this run, I’m not getting too lucky with natures. Tentacool’s biggest strength is its outstanding Special Defence, and my Tentacool’s nature lowers hers by 10%. Terrific.

Onwards and upwards, though; I reached Mossdeep, where Steven gave me HM08 – Dive. I taught this to Bubble (a Marill I caught in the pond in Petalburg City immediately after beating my father’s Gym – forgot to include that in my update), caught and discovered that the Gym was Psychic-type. The Gym leaders here use Rock/Psychic types though, which removes a lot of their weaknesses, but importantly makes them weak to Water. Another Gym in which Crash can excel, then.

I trained up a few levels around the surrounding Routes – in fact I made it all the way down to Pacifidlog Town (one of the more ridiculous town names in Pokemon games) and Spice evolved into a Banette. Good times.

Eventually I headed back to Mossdeep to chance my arm against Liza and Tate, the Gym leaders. And in the end, they were no match for Crash and Major. After an easy win, I taught the Calm Mind TM I had won to Spice, and moved on.


-Samwise