More Moe Is Needed: Let's Play Moemon: LeafGreen, Thread II

[Deme]

I'm going to have to re-install everything on that computer after my new hard drive comes on tuesday. The thing's just completely dead.

Luckily, I backed up all of my important writing on my flashdrive, including the save for this LP, about a day or two before today. It does mean I have to re-write what I had, but is otherwise managable. It's a good thing I did: I think I'd have to consider this LP over if I hadn't, since my last back-up was way back in act 1.

[Hawkflight]

*whew* Luuuucky!

[Deme]

Welp, here we are. Despite a computer failure, a small failure of my back-up computer (it overheats and shuts down at random intervals, losing my day's work) this morning, an apocalypse, and missing keys, we have it...
The One Year Anniversary Chapter!
...
... Like any other chapter, but with greater calender significance.

Chapter 63: The Storm's Upon Us

Spoiler

Show

I stumble in the blackness for a moment before stepping outside.

"WE'LL SEE YOUR METTLE NOW. SPIKE."
"His mettle is fine! Only I should get to see his mettle!"
"Is that what we're calling it now?"
"...Ladies, ladies, please..."
"I said I'd do it, so I'm doin' it."

"So, do you know where our foe is hiding?"
"Well, there's only one power plant in Kanto. It supplies all the power, though I hear they're moving to a more discreet --"
"That's not what I heard! I heard that humans hold armies of pikachus captive in their basements for power."
"Wouldn't that cause a lot of storms?"
"That's where the power comes from! The armies and armies of poor, unloved pika --"
"That's total bull. Yes, there are a number of major buildings which raise pikachu as an emergency power source, but it's not some sort of slave-labor army. You should know better, ChuChu."
"Yes, ma'am..."
"You were saying?"

"Anyway, so I'm thinking she's at the power plant, which..."

Is not on my map. Juuuuust stellar.
"...By the way? Those little wings...Those aren't actually real, are they? I mean, they keep flickering--"
"A small spell, to show where I know. Rya recommended I draw them on, and I compromised. She also recommended I do so for the gym map you have..."
I reel back, almost immediately going to check my bag's innermost pocket for the hand-drawn map, covered now with 7 stars.
"But I thought better of it."
"...Thanks. Well, it's not on my map... But there are a few places I could think to look."



So we look around for a while, in vain. I've got one more place to go...Just around Cerulean...


Yeah, that looks like a power plant. Most buildings in Kanto are uncreatively designed. I think there are only, like, 4.


...This will not end well.
Pokemaniac: "All the workers evacuated -- something about wave after wave of wild pokemon. I had to check it out!
...Anyway, want to see my collection?"

Can we agree that this is better be his dignity's nadir?

"Aah, the payoff for all that training."

Awwww....How precious.

And easily taken-down.


I enter the power plant and my hair stands on-end from all the static.

"Wow. The pokemon did a number on this place."
"Yes. It'll take a long time to repair."


"Well, Spike, this is your mission."
"And I choose to accept it."
"Good."

We're not five steps in before we get approached by a magnemite.

"You're the one our Lady of the Storm has called to, right?"
"We're the ones here to beat that bird!"
"Basically. But how do you know us?”
"Our lady has spies everywhere. But will not descend to fight your beast."
"HER WHAT?!"
"...But I think when you do face her...She will lose. The three birds will be lost, as one, forever."
"...And you want to stop me?"
I've never exactly understood the roles of legendaries to pokemon: they're like old-time heroes and gods, better simply by being.
And I can't blame her for not wanting that to die.
"No. I want to win. I want to have my own set of hangers-on, like she does. A fanclub, maybe even."

"...And you want to come with me?"
"HER WHAT?! YOU SAY THAT TO MY FACE!"
"Chill, man, chill!"

"That's right. My name is Faraday, and I will be joining your retinue, my lady the trainer."
"Wait a second, wait a second. Don't I get a say in this?"
"Does it matter? I won't accept 'no'; Anything else lacks ambition!"
"...Point."

Well, I guess that's another member of our crew...But I swear, I will actively catch the next one!

I let the party out, like I usually do in areas where I'm not 100% confident that death isn't going to rain from the sky.
No, it doesn’t matter that I’m under a roof. Death can pierce roofs.



Well, it's not like anyone will be coming back for this anytime soon....
So it's OK if I get my favorite sort of stuff...The free sort of stuff.


Protect, huh? This could be handy...Or, as much trouble as it's given me, I can just crush it under my shoe in rage and vengeance. One or the other.


Man, this place has a lot of free stuff, and, so far, few surprises...It's a different thing the last two's hiding places.

"...Her beast?"
"Something bugging you, Spike?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess...I mean...Is it that obvious, that all she has to do is see me?"
"Spike, it's OK. You've grown a lot since then."
"Not enough. Listen, this may be a tricky thing for humans to get..."
"...We're all afraid of becoming our demons."
"No, I mean, remember that fight? Where I just flippin' lost it?"
... It was just after he evolved, outside of Vermillion.
"Yeah."
"You know what I did in that fight? I did something that you don't see in every fight. In any fight, almost."
"?"
"...Blood."
It occurs to me as I think back that, actually, there hasn't been a lot of blood. Only FISTICUFFS has actually been hurt in that she looked hurt.
"He is correct. When a pokemon fights, it is not as humans fight. Even when we appear to be using our fists, we are using magic. The damage we do is, normally, magical. It is made of our energies, and attacks our opponent's energies. They can be restored by many means... But wounds of the body are much harder."
"That horsea... A pokemon center won't heal that. Not like a normal fight. And her trainer won't get it, and maybe she'll never fight again...Because I forgot how to be a person for just one stupid second."
"He's being over-dramatic...But the core of it is true."
"Spike. I've...learned a lot of reasons I should be beating myself up over things during this trip. And if I couldn't stop and store those feelings in a dark corner of my mind... I wouldn't be able to keep going and trying to make things better. If you let your worries eat you, they'll eat you alive. I forgive you for that -- I did a long time ago. It's time to pick up your emotional baggage and move on."
He nods glumly and we keep moving onward.


Spike fights his way through the area, one enemy after the next.


Oh, hey, free stuff! I'm betting another TM. I should have more, gosh-darnit!

I have been deceived?
"The free stuff is a lie?...The free stuff is a lie!"
...
"They will rue the day they tempted me with the promise of free stuff. Spike!"

My precious friend, free stuff, has betrayed me. I don't know how to feel.


I poke it cautiously, with a stick I found lying around. When it doesn't thunderbolt me, I pick it up.

See? I knew I'd get another TM here... Thunder's a lot less accurate than Fireblast, for the same amount of power. It doesn't entirely seem worth it.
But, I dunno, maybe I'll teach it to FISTICUFFS when this is done. She's never had great move-type diversity.


...One of those is a trap, I know it.

First with the stick, then with the hand.

Now, I could run away...Or I could fight the other one.

Like there was a choice involved?
(


Spike and Terra walk a little bit in front of me, at the front of the group.
"...By the way...Spike. About your earlier discussion."
"Yeah?"
"I have spent this journey making fun of you, and teasing you. It's really easy and fun: you're stupid enough to take my bait every time, and smart enough to come up with some satisfying comebacks. Full marks."
"Gee. Thanks."
"I've learned a lot...And there is one thing I can say with certainty: I have never felt for a moment that, no matter how mad I could make you, you would never strike me. You're not that sort of person, no matter what you might think you are. You're....safe. I would do whatever I could... to protect that saftey, as you've protected me."
Spike raises a hand a little bit, towards her shoulder...And then drops it.
"Thanks, Terra."
"...Don't worry...And don't get angry when she calls you a beast, or a monster, or whatever. If she spied just to learn how to piss you off... Then she's just trying to get you to self-destruct. Oh, and talk to Kai. He's been thinking about this 'secret weapon' of his all day. Very loudly. He might as well be screaming it."
Spike calls back.
"Really, Kai? You holdin' out on me, man?"
"You know, I was planning on it being a surprise..."

"Secret weapon...Is this about that Ice Beam you asked me to pick up?"
"You people just hate surprises, don't you? *chuckle*... Yeah, that's right. The way I see it...
Spike, you've taught me a lot. But one thing I know and you don't...Is that you have to be flexible. Loose, like water: soft one moment and hard the next. Nothing you have can really handle Zapdos."
"...You've gotta point."
"I see where he's going. Most of what you know, I can buy: and there's a lot of cash flowing around. So we use ice beam for this fight, and buy and teach dig or something back when we need it. A modular plan."
"Ok, load me up!"




"Yeah, with this, we'll waltz in and shoot Zapdos out of the sky!"
"Oh will you, now?"


Oh, snap.
"Of course we will! We're here to defeat you. You're going down!"
"I'm sorry to interfere with your neanderthal plan, but I can't allow that to happen. Not when I'm the last... I don't intend to be beaten by some hopped-up ragemonkey."
"Well, she's on the bench today, so you're lucky."
"I. Was. Referring. To you. Unlike my sisters, I'm smart enough to keep an eye on you. I've seen what you did. You monster. Sub-pokemon. Sub-human, even."
"Hey! You don't get away with insulting my species like that!"
"Oh, you did not just go there!"
"My me, you're surprised? Pathetic."
"SHUDDUP! YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT THAT, ABOUT WHO-KNOWS-WHAT... BUT YOU DON'T KNOW ME! MAYBE EVEN I DON'T KNOW ME!"

"Spike! Don't let her distract you: just Ice Beam her!"
"...But they do."

"W-what! My networks never -- they said you didn't -- Savage! Animal! Why would I ever fight you? S-slowmoving..."
She moves her arm, her sleeves making a feathered wave pattern, sending out a thunderwave.

"You really tried that? What, are you so flummoxed by a hit that you can't think?"
"Maybe you're the animal here."
"But...But...my networks...They said you...I planned it perfectly, for exactly what they saw you as..."
"Maybe you did."
"But not as we saw him. And our version's just better."



She lay there, crumpled at my feet. And then she looked at me, and her eyes... They were sad and lonely-looking.
"Wait. Stop. I admit defeat."
Spike stops, mid-swing.
Something about her voice has changed.
"Really? Does that count?"
"If she says so, yes."
"Why didn't you do this before?"
"...Because they weren't the last. If they died, they could trust in me... The three of us are one. As long as one of us lived, then all of us would come back. I was their hope and their anchor..."
"Then why fight me?"
"Vengeance... Duty. But... If there is one thing other than me that matters, it's them. Because it's all the same. My duty to preserve us all is foremost...And so...I submit to you, Trainer. Champion before the Three Winged Mirages, I submit myself to your will."

...Wait, what?
Shapes began to appear around her, hazy and dreamlike in the air

And they solidify as Articuno and Moltres.
"...I don't want to admit this..."
"How humiliating... I didn't expect to be beaten like that..."
"Wait, weren't you guys sort of dead?"
"You weren't listening at all, were you?"
"Ah-hem! You weren't listening at all, what?"
*sigh*"You weren't listening at all, were you, Mistress..."
"So, Why couldn't you have come back earlier and killed me?"
"It wouldn't have been sportsmanlike. Also, because you were still unbowed. We must bow, or you must bow: only when the threat to our triad existence is ended can we re-emerge."
"And so you see, Mistress, by admitting defeat and submitting to you, you are no longer their enemy. By giving up before they are utterly crushed, they at least manage to eke out a pitiful existence."
“Azula, it’s not nice to gloat…At least not in public.”
"...But it is so."
"...We...Submit."
"What is your bidding?"

"...Well...Umm...Nicknames, maybe?"


I blink outside in the light of day.
...What the...What just happened here? Am I literally now carting around pokemon gods? Because that’s…Kinda awesome.
Less awesome is helping them come up with nicknames. Or even explaining the concept. Oh, well.

So...Wanna help Seed out by generating some suggestions?
Also, I'll take your opinion on which pokemon should go against which remaining legendary. My rough idea is:
Terra vs. Ho-Oh (process of elimination)
ChuChu Vs. Lugia
If Rya's back on the team than Rya vs. Deoxys, if not, then my plan doesn't quite work.

[Khaeta]

Updates!!!

I'd actually say Rya vs. Lugia...it's entirely up to how you want to characterize them though.

Bit of an anticlimactic battle with Zapdos there, but that's okay every once in a while (also, I believe you put up two pictures of Moltres by mistake?)

[Deme]

Blame the game. I saw that there were better ways it could have played out, but when I was taking screenshots, the game decided to be stupid at me. I have to work with what it gives me.

Edit: First round of error-fixes.

[Sucrose]

Your plan against the various legendaries seems to be pretty good.

As for names... my suggestions are
Moltres- Jean
Articuno- Roberta
Zapdos- Ororo

[ScionoftheVoid]

I've taken to just not giving legends nicknames anymore as a sort of respect. I try to give suitably epic names, but sometimes I just can't be bothered or I just don't like the 'mon - see, all of my HM slaves to date - and I don't want a legend stuck with a silly name because I was too tired to think of something good. Even if I am going to use the thing as a glorified personal jet/weapon.

However, I shall endeavour to come up with a suggestion for each.

Zapdos: Yatagarasu, or Letchku if that's too long.
Moltres: Basan.
Articuno: Yuki-onna.

[Hawkflight]

Yay updates!

Good work on the formatting too, you've fixed the few errors I saw. The only things remaining that I can see are a couple of spelling errors.

Welp, here we are. Despite a computer failure, a small failure of my back-up computer (it overheats and shuts down at random intervals, losing my day's work) this morning, an apolcolypse (E/N: 'apocalypse'), and missing keys, we have it...
The One Year Anniversery (E/N: 'Anniversary') Chapter!
...
... Like any other chapter, but with greater calender significance.

Chapter 63: The Storm's Upon Us

Spoiler

Show

"...By the way? Those little wings...Those aren't actually real, are they? I mean, they keep flickering--"
"A small spell, to show where I know. Rya reccomended (E/N: 'recommended') I draw them on, and I comprimised (E/N: 'compromised'). She also reccomended (E/N: 'recommended') I do so for the gym map you have..."
I reel back, almost immediately going to check my bag's innermost pocket for the hand-drawn map, covered now with 7 stars.
"But I thought better of it."
"...Thanks. Well, it's not on my map... But there are a few places I could think to look."

...

I've never exactly understood the roles of legendaries to pokemon: they're like old-time heroes and gods, better simply by being.
And I can't blame her for not wantng (E/N: 'wanting') that to die.
Protect, huh? This could be handy...Or, as much trouble as it's given me, I can just crush it under my shoe in rage and vengence (E/N: 'vengeance'). One or the other.

...

"I'm sorry to interefere (E/N: 'interfere') with your neanderthal plan, but I can't allow that to happen. Not when I'm the last... I don't intend to be beaten by some hopped-up ragemonkey."
"Well, she's on the bench today, so you're lucky."
"I. Was. reffering (E/N: 'Referring', proper capitalization plz). To you. Unlike my sisters, I'm smart enough to keep an eye on you. I've seen what you did. You monster. Sub-pokemon. Sub-human, even."

...

"Vengence (E/N: 'Vengeance')... Duty. But... If there is one thing other than me that matters, it's them. Because it's all the same. My duty to preserve us all is foremost...And so...I submit to you, Trainer. Champion before the Three Winged Mirages, I submit myself to your will."

Great work overall, as always. Sorry for being nitpicky about the spelling, but when I go full-on editor mode, there's really no telling what will happen. ^^;

As for nicknames, I would either keep their species' name as a sign of respect, or give them suitably epic names.

[Tome]

Awesome chapter Deme.

Keep their species names, for now. Maybe have them accept a nickname as they warm up to Seed?

[Deme]

Yay updates!

Good work on the formatting too, you've fixed the few errors I saw. The only things remaining that I can see are a couple of spelling errors.



Great work overall, as always. Sorry for being nitpicky about the spelling, but when I go full-on editor mode, there's really no telling what will happen. ^^;

As for nicknames, I would either keep their species' name as a sign of respect, or give them suitably epic names.

...*fights perfectionist instincts* I've held them at bay for 63 chapters in order to try and keep this a quick, fun project for myself, to keep it from getting bogged down in a way that prevents me from getting it done....

*winces*
...

...And with one post, I lose that fight. Darnit. Darnit. Darnit.

*goes to edit accordingly*

This battle will be much more prolonged this afternoon, when I try and decide if I should request your services for the rest (as in, upcoming chapters) of the LP.

[Mirrinus]

That Moltres just screams "Flame Haze" to me.

[Penguinator]

Keep their species names, for now. Maybe have them accept a nickname as they warm up to Seed?

I like this idea, I think Seed would eventually give them nicknames.

And I like Yatagarasu, which does fit.

[fizzmaister]

Great chapter. Don't forget about mewtwo. She's also in this game.

[John Cribati]

I remember a phase I went through when I misspelled everyone's name for a nickname. Rikoo, Entay, Sweecoone, Loogeeah.

[Deme]

Great chapter. Don't forget about mewtwo. She's also in this game.

Yes, but obviously it's going to be an Azula vs. Mewtwo showdown for all the marbles. Start it with Azula, end it with Azula. That's how I roll.

[Qwertystop]

I remember a phase I went through when I misspelled everyone's name for a nickname. Rikoo, Entay, Sweecoone, Loogeeah.

I like nicknaming my pokemon after either the first or last stage in their evolutionary lines. If I'm going to battle my friends before we've gotten halfway, I name them after later stages so that I have "Swampert" when he's still got a Torchick. I name them after lower stages if we're battling post-story, so I've got a "Poliwag" against his level 100s.

Back on topic, that was really unexpected. I especially liked Azula's teaching the Birds respect.

[Feriority]

My precious friend, free stuff, has betrayed me. I don't know how to feel.

I love this LP so much ^^

[AtlanteanTroll]

Don't actually nickname the birds. That's my suggestion.

[Squiggly-Thing]

Don't actually nickname the birds. That's my suggestion.

Agreed.

[Khaeta]

I've taken to just not giving legends nicknames anymore as a sort of respect. I try to give suitably epic names, but sometimes I just can't be bothered or I just don't like the 'mon - see, all of my HM slaves to date - and I don't want a legend stuck with a silly name because I was too tired to think of something good. Even if I am going to use the thing as a glorified personal jet/weapon.

However, I shall endeavour to come up with a suggestion for each.

Zapdos: Yatagarasu, or Letchku if that's too long.
Moltres: Basan.
Articuno: Yuki-onna.

Had to do some research to find out what the first two were, but I do like these names (not so much Letchku, but the others). I also like the suggestion that the birds do not accept the names immediately...although that could just complicate things.

[Mando Knight]

Nickname them with normal capitalization rather than the default ALL CAPS that's used until Gen V.

[Deme]

I did that when I caught them. ALL CAPS is a priveledge reserved for FISTICUFFS.

[Rae Artemi]

I nickname all of my legendaries MAGIKARP. It throws friends off the first time I do it, and then even after that they don't know which one is coming.

Not that I'm saying you, Deme, should do that. I'm fond of the no nickname thing myself, but may I suggest nicknaming them with proper capitalization?

[Rae Artemi]

I nickname all of my legendaries MAGIKARP. It throws friends off the first time I do it, and then even after that they don't know which one is coming.

Not that I'm saying you, Deme, should do that. I'm fond of the no nickname thing myself, but may I suggest nicknaming them with proper capitalization?

[Qwertystop]

I did that when I caught them. ALL CAPS is a priveledge reserved for FISTICUFFS.

I think Mando meant that you should nickname them by their species names, but correctly capitalized.

I agree.

[Gadora]

I think Mando meant that you should nickname them by their species names, but correctly capitalized.

I agree.

*Double checks*
Um, she kind of already did that...

I'm going to vote for their names to be left alone, at least for now. Furthermore, I'm going to suggest that the three of them join the party for a while, whilst Seed figures out the implications of having captured Pokémon gods.

[Deme]

For how long, and displacing whom?
I personally dislike using legendaries for fighting, but that's just me. It's always felt a little extra-cheap. Particularly since we're within spitting distance of the Elite 4.

[Gadora]

I don't know who should be switched for them, but I'd like to see them in the party for a little bit. Maybe until, but not in, the next gym?

Now that I think about it a bit more, I guess what I'd really like to see is much more along the lines of the three of them getting a training session. Would that be a more reasonable request?

[Penguinator]

For how long, and displacing whom?
I personally dislike using legendaries for fighting, but that's just me. It's always felt a little extra-cheap. Particularly since we're within spitting distance of the Elite 4.

I never use legendaries, yet I take the time to sit there and make sure they have good natures.

[Deme]

I don't know who should be switched for them, but I'd like to see them in the party for a little bit. Maybe until, but not in, the next gym?

Now that I think about it a bit more, I guess what I'd really like to see is much more along the lines of the three of them getting a training session. Would that be a more reasonable request?

There really isn't any "until the next gym" left. But once we get the maint team to 55 or so, we could do some training.