The Legendary Pokédex Completion: Let's Play Pokémon Storm Silver!

[Deme]

It's very fun having a character who can do that from time to time.

Also, if I don't mention something, there are a number of possibilities:
#1: I didn't think of it.
#2: I couldn't find a way to make an idea funny even if I did think of it, or find time or space for it.
#3: I'm saving it for later. This is a big game. We're going to be here for a long time. Like, maybe forever.
If the reason isn't covered by one of those, I'd be surprised.

Oh, also: do you guys want to worry about possible team additions from the ruins of Alph and the route below Violet City (mainly the latter, I think the former just has water and rock-smash pokemon, and also Unowns, since the grass is elsewhere) before we deal with the gym, or after? I was saving it for later, when we'd be going through the route organically, but then I thought some people might like the chance for, like, a mareep before the gym, although the electric type we have will be fine. If people want the opportunity, I can put up a quick poll before I start playing.

[Trobby]

I say save it for later for now.

[Javan]

Agreed, save it for later.

[Deme]

Chapter 5

Spoiler: For the Good of Humanity

Show

Last time, we ended on a dramatic~ cliffhanger!

Because the Elder's picking up what Julian's throwing down, yo!

Ooh, maybe we could evolve Professor!
"However, you should care more about your pokemon. The way you treat your pokemon can be too harsh... Rembember, Pokemon are not tools of war..."

Bowser grumbles something I can't quite catch, shaking his head a little.
"You'd consider yourself a tool?"
He makes a hammering gesture, and then something like a wall collapsing (the wall is his other hand).
"I'm pretty sure tools don't self-wield."
He deflates.


"Oh, um...Hi! Have you been having an excellent day where nothing has turned you inside-out on a level cosmic?"
I'm not asking it for specific reasons. This is just how I greet people I'd like to be friends with.

Or at least not enemies.
I just don't want to be punched, OK?
"...Humph! He calls himself the Elder, but he was no match for me."
So, no cosmic eviscerations? Excellent.
He flipped his hair and glared at me, a little smirk on his face.

[b]"Sure enough, those who lecture how you should be 'nice' to Pokemon...They cannot defeat me."[/color]
"You don't think being nice to giant creatures whose backs are on fire is a good idea?" Because it sounds reasonable to me, if only on a practical level. Anyway... It's not like I have much hope of getting along well with people, either. "Or even just to help stave off the loneliness that results from being a tiny, worthless speck riding on the back of what is itself a speck of dust and rock in the midst of a cloud of void, dust, and rock, swirling in a vast cold beyond knowing, growing only further and further apart from all other things as time continues?"

He blinks, and for a moment he looks at me like I've just gone wildly off his script. I know this look pretty well. Like he was speaking to a child, he explains,

"All I care about are strong pokemon that win every time. The rest of them don't mean anything to me. I don't care about any of the rest of that; it's just a distraction."

That was all he had to say.
...Jerk. I did a cliffhanger and everything, and this didn't even result in a fight!



And there's one for me! Now I can pretend I'm not afraid of being sentenced to being forever alone due to circumstances of having been born in a great, uncaring universe where all things will eventually wither to dust and no two beings can truly know each other.



I've noticed.
"People and pokemon test their bonds to build a bright future together."
What a lovely dream. I'm...not sure that's what happened. I did get a bird, though.

Oh, no! I haven't studied! I'm going to fail and be sent back to the trainer school and be yelled at by that Kalosian man!


Ok! I mean, I'm still working on them!


Elder Li. Elderli. Elderly.
I see that all things have aligned for him to have arrived at this stage in his life.




So that's what it's like to be on the recieving end. But that looks like we did enough damage to take him out in a second shot, so let's go!
"Let's go all out, for the finish!"


Level 12. Nice.


Ow, that hurt a bit.

She gives me a look, which I understand pretty clearly.
"Darn right, I'm in charge. Make way!"

A couple of easy embers later, and it's done.



I have not been a trainer long, but already, the tendency for things to just barely survive is really annoying.



But even though there's a bit of pain, Terra sees it through for a level!



The two sort of trade blows; Cleo's not doing great damage, but as I'm starting to worry...

One of Cleo's playful nips turns into a surprise big chomp.
"Teehee."

The retribution is sweet and dejecting.


Sweet mercy! What the heck!

That's completely unfair, Elder Li.


Confusion didn't effect Cerberus.
"Ha!"

...I hate this bird.


Wakeupwakeupwakeup...

Darnit!
I'm sorry, girl...




"Terra, you have to pull through for this. I'm...not sure how reliable Belle would be for this."
"Hey!"
"Now, don't you worry, honey. I'll knock this bird right out of the sky!"
She says this with a reassuring expression -- not a smile, but a level mouth and a determined brow, her eyes open and alert...But I am not sure I believe her. She looks very worn.



But somehow, at the end of her rope -- or what seems like it to me -- she pulls herself up and grabs the hoothoot by the leg and pulls it to the earth.
"If someone says 'there's a job to do,' then I'm gonna do it."
...I...think I can see that.



Really? Because at the end, it was mostly flailing.
"You should be able to stand up to Falkner."

A reward, you say?



"Uh, hold on. Team huddle.
Professor, this is your fate. What do you want?"
"Well, I've considered this at some length, and given the options...I believe that fire is a suitable path. Fire that destroys all in its path, whether friend or foe, purifying everything with a single, awe-inspiring destructive force!, leaving all to tremble before its wrath!"
He chuckled in a sage way, carrying the full menace of a maniacal laugh.

"Ok, then."
I straighten.
"Flareon, sir."





"Known as Flash. It will light you way in dark caverns."

Wooh, useless!



Let's get out of this joint, man. Escape Rope, away!

"So, you ready?"
"...I'm not sure. Am I ready? This is a question with far-reaching concerns. Will I be denying my true strength by taking it --"
"Yes! Of course he is! It'll be so cool!"
"...This is my evolution. I remind you, I only get one."
He sighs and shakes his head.
"Give me a few moments to think it over."
"...Oh, alright."
I guess it's a serious question. I hadn't thought of it like that...

Well, in the meanwhile... I intend to go stock up on healing items and train!

Oh, you must be the deliveryman!
He's got a cool uniform.



Neato!



Buying lots of things.

Anyway, the gym's bound to have some trainers we can fight before facing the leader.

Oh, then nevermind.
"I can give some advice! Believe me!"
"Oh, alright."

I try to avoid having my dreams come true.
This is for the good of humanity.


You sound increasingly like a cult, sir.
"The grass type is weak against the flying type. Keep this in mind."
"This is why I don't like birds."


Alrighty, let's go!


It is pretty high. Who built this? Will I need to sign a waiver just to be here?
"But from here, you can tell what it feels like to be a bird pokemon!"
Can you really? Do you understand what it is to be a bat -- I mean, a bird?


An Elder Li man says I am!

Yeah, like that'll do much.

They trade these...


Until he decides to whip out an impressively long-lasting Fury Attack.

But we endure and get a level!


This bird deserves no comment; its comments are banished to the blueness at the end of reality.


Oh, hey! That's unexpected! I bet he had to go pretty far to get a doduo in these parts!

...But we probably want to switch out; I just wanted Cleo to get some EXP.


He is enraged. Enraged. Furious at always having to listen to that niggling voice next to him; every step is a negotiation; why is he alone sentenced to this fate?

But despite all his rage he is still just a bird in a cage.

But it does great things for Cleo!


No, it really does, in so much as anything really is, which is to say not very. She finally learned an electric attack!

Don't worry. It probably isn't.


Ho ha ho ho? They're coming to take me away ha-ha?

Nooooooooooo. I am the smallest of shots.
"We'll see what happens if you get pushed around up here. Think you'll stagger and fall?"

I have uncannily good balance. In fact, if you can apply the word 'uncanny' to it, I can probably do it.



YOU'RE THE ONE THREATENING TO PUSH ME!

New moves are fun! Particularly ones that shoot lightning.
This is a valuable lesson for all the children out there, I am sure.

Oh, man. This again...
"Hold on, Cleo! Like before, remember?" Don't push me~
"One pretty birdy, two pretty birdy...Three pretty birdy..."

"It's like target practice! Heehee."
That's my kitty!


I guess fixed damage isn't a bad way to hurt Terra, all things considered...



You know, for what it's worth (it is not worth much.)



"Don't get cocky!"
"All right, I won't!"

I'll go train the rest of my team in case of emergencies, and to prevent cockiness.


I head back to the Sprout Tower for this training, because the pokemon there are stronger than elsewhere.


I also take the time to capture this Pidgey, who I named Joshua.


Our new Rattata friend Ms Mowz...


Daggett the Bidoof...


And Claudia the Starly.

It wasn't good for training, but it did help the pokedex a lot!


And it's not like we did no training; for the most part, everyone took turns, switching out when their strength waned.


Professor lasted the longest, to...well, no one's surprise.
"You can see my apprehension, can't you? Through careful research, I've studied the exact way to best apply my efforts in this form to best destroy all that lies before me. What if I'm not as good at destroying everything? Punching things? Smashing stuff?"
"Do you really have to think so hard?"

"YES! Yes I do! There's no sense in wasting your efforts and falling short..." He pawed at the ground and tossed his head.
"So in other words, you're a coward. The choices are simple: move forward, or fall into obscurity, like everyone else."
Belle said that in a quiet, concerned voice. I hadn't heard her speak that way...probably since we met -- not since she realized I could understand her.


I thought about this for a while.
"Well, that might be the case."
"...You're a charmingly consoling woman."
I pout and rest my back against the railing protecting the pillar.
"But aren't you not just someone who beats stuff up? You're a student of force, right? Just being the best at violence isn't sufficient. Learning the best violence is the goal, right? So just staying where you are is counter-productive."
"...You may have a point. You may both have a point."
He sighed.

"I can't just abanon my methods, or my deep-set love of hitting things, due to some idle contentment. I must transcend such pettiness...Retrieve the stone!"


I take the stone out of my bag and hold it up. It's warm, and I feel a certain heaviness to it that exists outside of mass.

He simply lowers his head, brow furrowed, a little smile on his face.
I bring it to his forehead, and a light pulses between them.

It grows and consumes him. It smells of smoke and the fire that drives animals running madly from the treeline, snapping the old growth down in its bright fangs. It tastes (though nowhere does it meet my tongue) of smoke and caramelization; it sounds like warm crackling at the dawn of man, when knowledge of how to drive back the dark began.

The stone finds things inside him that, ordinarily, an eevee's body forgets how to do -- how to grow this hair, shape that ear, produce that heat inside like a furnace -- and it awoke and reminded those, from some ancient, long-ago time in the heart of a plains where the the brushfires marked a certain sort of lifespan; there's no need for it now, but it never really vanished.

"Well then. Time to study up."
I applaud politely -- it seems appropriate, somehow.




And we get started on the whole 'fire' thing.


He flexes and gives himself some careful examination.

Personally, I think we'll do fine.

"Oh, yes. This will suit me just fine indeed."
Well, I'm glad this'll work out.


I also caught a Spinda while training, seperately from catching all the others. DJ Tizzy in the house!
....Uh. Tower.
Actually, PC Box.


Belle was second to get halfway through her training, at least when we weren't fighting birds...
"Yeah, um...Sorry, but I think I'll be sitting this gym out. That's cool, right? I'll get the next one."
"The next one... It seems so far away, doesn't it? I never thought any of this would happen, even after all the stars had gone out."
"We'd all be dead after the stars have gone out. Oh, wait, you were just being colorful, like, 'in a million years,' right?"
...
"...Perhaps."

"But, I mean, you're pretty old for a newbie trainer, right? It was bound to happen."
"No, never. I mean...My mom always thought...If I couldn't act like a normal person around pokemon...Then humans would reject me. So it was better to keep me apart from pokemon, so I'd have a place."[/color]
"Did it work?"
I stop for a moment and watch the swaying pillar, rocking gently to its rhythm.
"...Not really."
"Well, then here we are! Time to set out and find something that does! You'll go out and find your own place, and I--"
Here, she pauses, a big smile frozen on her face, unsure of how to continue.

"And you?"
She laughs.

"Uhhh...Well... I guess we'll find out!"
What?
She bounds off to fight ahead of me, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of that.

And Belle gladly finishes off her training with that bit of pepper.


And Professor finished his shortly after.





Bowser begins learning actual offensive power, a prospect he then immediately uses to start chasing around everyone else, squirting them.
"Heeeeey! No fair getting me wet~" Cerberus would wail.
"GWAHAHAHA!"
I think Cerberus' reaction only encourages him. I pretty much have to pick him up and carry him away to make him stop so she'll quit whimpering.
That, or just direct him towards Cleo, who scarpers around the water gun making mock frightened sounds, which also just encourages him.

I'll go with that one.
Turtle pokemon are heavy. This is a fact brought to you by science.


Cerberus's training was relatively smooth, once she was apart from Bowser. This delighted her to no end, and I nearly had to break up fights between her and some of the others over the topic.

I do feel like I'm understanding them more, though.

Yaaay, another pokemon's training complete!


And a phone call.
"Hey."
Hm...I appear to be missing more time. I guess this means I can go pick apricorns, anyway. You have to look on the bright side when it comes to these things. The dark side will freeze you to death.
"It's Wade. How are you?"
"In possession of caller ID!"
"Oh yeah, a wild Budew got away from me at the last second. I know it's a common Pokemon...But it does annoy me that it got away when I almost had it."
This is not presents. I am dissapoint.
"See you later!"


I run around gathering apricorns.


For being the only pokemon to survive a single one of Terra's hits on the journey, I think Glide the Surskit here deserves a special honor.

We head on back to Sprout Tower for the final leg of training; we're really almost done, I'll be so relieved.


"Wooh, we got 'er done!"
"Now you're speakin' my dialect, sugar!"
"It is a rather charming country twang."
"Aand now yer all robot-y again."
"I've been told I sound like a happy robot!"

She sighs.

"Well, let me at that gym!"

"Uh, first we need to finish up here. Just a little. Won't take long."
"Oh, alright."



"And now we're done! Cleo, Terra, you ready?"

"Roger-dodger!"
"I was born ready."

...I wished I shared their confidence. What if I can't do it?
If I'm not a good enough trainer, and I let them all down? I mean, I'm a pretty big screw-up on all other attributes, and in spite of this...Well, the Professor and Belle, at least, believe in me.


Maybe if they hadn't have done that, there'd be no problems.

Since the screenshot, and therefore character, count was getting kind of high, I'll be handling the Falkner fight in an extra update later in the week!
In the meanwhile, here's something for you guys to vote on:

Spoiler

Show

Tsuchi the Dunsparce
Carillon the Chingling
Daniel the Feebas
Judy the Chatot
Slugma Egg
Nirvana the Meditite
Ziggy the Zigzagoon
Joshua the Pidgey
Ms. Mowz the Rattata
Daggett the Bidoof
Claudia the Starly
Dj Tizzy the Spinda
Glide the Surskit

Pick me six pokemon from that roster to train up to the level of our main team, while I run around and catch 'mons and things. If you want to make life easier on me, I'd recommend them being Pokemon who evolve via levels, since I'll need to level those up at some point anyway.

[Qwertystop]

Surskit Meditite Chingling Eggy.

[Sallera]

Carillon, Ziggy, Nirvana and Glide.

I have no idea how any of those evolve~

[Qwertystop]

Carillon, Ziggy, Nirvana and Glide.

I have no idea how any of those evolve~

Happiness (and level), level, level, level.

[Deme]

Only Carillon does not evolve via levels; he evolves via friendship at night, so running around with him and leveling him up certainly won't hurt that cause (I forget; he's a boy, right? Oh, well.). This whole exercise does have a couple of purposes besides raw dex-data generation... Though that is significant enough that when we start getting things like pseudo-legendaries and dragon-types and things that take forever to evolve (like when I find a swablu. I like swablu), I'll be adding those to the list automatically until the final evolution, and maybe expanding these. Pacing'll make it less painful, I hope.

Edit: ninja'd.

[Javan]

Vote Stats Moved

My Vote for Alt Team
Joshua - Pidgey (I have a soft spot for Pidgey)
Glide - Surskit

[ShinyRocks]

I vote for:

Starly (my favourite bird-type evolution chain ever)
Meditite
Biddoof (HM slave ahoy!)

[Deme]

So, I got a blue paint marker in my artsnacks package this month. I have been testing this. Doodles ensued.

Spoiler

Show

Is it fan-art if it's of your own characters, or does it count because it's your own characters -- but they're characters in pre-created universe, thus bringing it back around to fan-art?
Whatever. When I take some time to do all indexes and things, I will count it anyway.

[Javan]

So, I got a blue paint marker in my artsnacks package this month. I have been testing this. Doodles ensued.

Spoiler

Show

Is it fan-art if it's of your own characters, or does it count because it's your own characters -- but they're characters in pre-created universe, thus bringing it back around to fan-art?
Whatever. When I take some time to do all indexes and things, I will count it anyway.

I honestly never feel motivated to produce fan art of anything at all. But I saw this and inspiration struck. Maybe something will come of it.
Bowser crushing cities in his dreams, fantastic.

[Deme]

Heh. While I'd be thrilled seeing fan-art so soon, just the compliment on my little doodles makes me happy ^^

[Deme]

Chapter 6

Spoiler: She Who Laughs With Elemental Lightning

Show

If they hadn't have had hopes...

I could bounce through, with success or failure, as if it all meant nothing; like a game. I could take it and place meaning to it after the fact, and build it with superstition and weight. "Oh, I'll do something else with this pokedex." "Oh, I'll find some other thing to do with myself." It wouldn't mean anything. That's what I think, standing, untested, before this young gym leader.


However, those choices have already been made. They cannot be taken back. We'll see if I am fit to lead this crew of ambitious strength-testers, here and now!

"With a jolt of electricity..."
"That's because this is how type-based pokemon battling works. It is part of the fundemental laws of nature that govern the cosmos." Those only half-apply to me and I know that.

"It's not an insult! They're very good at gobbling bug pokemon! I admit that that's dubious balance, but oh, well, I do not manipulate the great type match-up chart in the sky."
"You know...Why don't you? That'd be a really cool reality-warping power."
Shhh! He is having a speech! I can't answer you!
I am being normal!


"Alright, let's go!"



My first gym battle!



Not unexpectedly, he gets in first hit...

But you know what they say...she who laughs with elemental lightning laughs best.
"What was that about not allowing such insults?"


I see I misjudged how strong he was going to be. But there's nothing I can do about that now!
...Also.
Wait.
"I call Hacks, sir."
"...What?"
"That pidgeoto is level 15, but that's not even possible! Pokemon don't work that way, and you'd certainly never see a wild pokemon of that species and level! You cheated!"


"Level? Cheating? What the heck are you babbling about?... Hey, are you impugning my family's honor?"
"Well, maybe I am!"
Man, that attack hurt a lot...

"...Level? So that's another one of her abilities..."
"Wow! That's pretty cool; I didn't know humans could even tell that sort of thing! I knew she had to have at least one really cool superpower in there!"

"Go all out! I won't stand for cheating!"

Ha-ha! Now the shoe is on the other...

"...This is also cheating. Just in a totally legitimate way."


Now the speed shoe's on the other foot! And maybe lime green, but that might be my signal getting jammed.

However, the Pidgeotto remains on its wings.
...Uh. That did less than I was intending. Much less.
Like, not dead. Time to panic.

"I won't hear another word of your nonsense! Pidgeotto, finish her!"

"Pidgeotto...?"
"Ha-ha! Got you good! Though, really, it's not much fun if your playmate can't keep up. But it's also no fun if your playmate eviser...evisera...eviscamerates you!"
"...That is not the right way to say that."

A cheater (who is sometimes totally legitimate) like him is bound to heal... But if I can use that chance to get in a two-hit KO, then it'll be worth it! He can't have stronger than that!


Oh. He...uh. Didn't. Well.
Just as good!


"Ha! That cheater stood no chance against my honest little Cleopatra!"
"Quit saying that about my father's pokemon, you miserably little wierdo!"


That said, Cleo needs a break.


Man, I do not like fighting Chatot.


I let Terra set up, instead of just an all-out attack.

That really hurts.
And Rock Slide misses.

Dangit! Now I think I have to stop and heal.


Uproar continues hitting Terra hard, but Rock Slide, man...

When it hits, it *hits*.


I may want to heal before I see what this pokemon has in store.


An impressively painful move (that's not its full extent shown) as the sandstorm quiets around us.
And the next one...

"Terra!"
Sends her into the now-sandy platform.


This is not looking good. I pretty much have no choice but to use a potion.

Slightly better? Maybe?
I might just have to go for it!

"This is a true power, which no person can demean!"
Here goes everything...

She hung in there! She throws me back a weak, woozy-eyed little smile.
"I'll show him...He shouldn't count his pidgeys before they're hatched."
"Y-yeah."


...Beautiful.


Thanks, Mom. This might really save the day here.


Oh dear. What will this --

...Pff.


"I don't know about you, but those wings seem pretty clipped."

And a bird with clipped wings is pretty easy pickings.


The most deadly of birds. Striking fear and hunger into the hearts of all that behold it.
Farfetch'd.


"I guess this duck isn't...all he's quacked up to be."
I think I may have started something just then. Sorry.
But I am not sorry enough to mind.



Wow, she's grown a lot during this fight.
"That was fun, that was fun! I got to fight cheaters and make puns!"


"I hope that your pidgeotto is alright, and not a sign of the fragility of the fabric of all that we know, then. Basically, I am saying I do not wish being me on anyone."
"...I didn't understand that at all, but, thank you...?"


"Hey, Trainer, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Training sessions: cure for mutual misunderstandings, mostly. Or gym battles. That, or puns. Puns are the universal language.
"I just wanted to say...I'm glad. I'm glad that, of the trainers I could have met... I met the one who could laugh -- or groan -- or go 'yeaaahhhh' over a sunset vista -- or whatever -- at my jokes. It's going to be a lot of fun playing with you!"

Aww, well isn't that...

Oh. The golden light that erupts has an unusual sense to it; no, scratch that, perhaps it does not have a sense, perhaps I'm the only one who notices it at all. But it's lovely, storm-cloud dark and mischief bright, full of moonlight slyness and lightning strength.

I wonder if she knew this was going to happen, and this was her way of surprising me; I wonder if, in surprising me, it happened, or if I could have been more prepared by thinking about Shinxes and levels.


It leaves her transformed, a little less kittenish than before -- at least, physically.



Her fangs gleam in a bright smile.


...Who knew that something as simple as puns could open a door in a pokemon's heart like that...?

...I wonder if I misjudged that whole pidgeotto thing, after all.

When I look back from that spectacle, Falkner's sulking.

Aren't they also his pokemon? No wonder he lost, even to someone like me, if he thinks like that.


Ooh, shiny!


Do...Do I hold it up and put it in a case or something? No? Well...Okay.


"Will obey you without question."
This seems unlikely, since the pokemon I catch don't even do that. I mean, they obey me...
But it's hardly without question.


"Outside of battle."
Right, right. Need to use that.

He also, with some reluctance, hands something else to me: a disk.



"Think before you act -- a TM can be used only once."
Sounds handy.

"I will." After all, I've managed one, I should keep trying!



I guess the path to Goldenrod is blocked, after all.

"Well, everyone, I don't know about you, but I'm wiped! Why don't we head to the pokemon center and take a little rest. Snacks are on me!"
"You're the only one with money. Snacks are always on you."
"H-hey! It's not my fault I want to treat everyone!"

And with that, the first leg of my pokemon journey is complete!

I've got an awfully long way to go, though. But who knows: there just might be a place for me as a pokemon trainer.

"...What sort of lunatic *was* that?"

As usual, there's a bit of post-chapter voting! See, we have Rock Smash, and we need to hand it to someone. Rock Smash has been changed in this hack to be a power 60 move, still of fighting type, with a 30% chance of reducing defense. The move deleter, and thus the ability to delete HM moves, has been moved to a slightly more reasonable location, Cianwood, instead of freaking Blackthorn, what the heck, Gamefreak.

Of our party, those who can learn it are:
Professor
Bowser
Terra
Cerberus
or you could just tell me to give it to an HM Slave.
In what I hope will be the next few days, I'll be updating the OP with a look at our party's stats.

[Forum Explorer]

I say we give it to an HM slave.

[Javan]

Vote Stats: Alt Team and HM Disposition
Last Updated: Trobby's HM Vote

Spoiler

Show

Alt Team Training

Pokemon	Name	Votes
Surskit	Glide	3
Meditite	Nirvana	3
Chingling	Carillion	2
Slugma Egg	?	1
Zigzagoon	Ziggy	1
Pidgey	Joshua	1
Starly	Claudia	1
Bidoof	Daggett	1

Give Rock Smash to...

HM To	Votes
HM Slave	3

June's Complete Pokemon List

My Vote
HM Slave. Even with the power boost it isn't a terribly effective move.

[Trobby]

Daaang. Team composition charts. We are into TPP levels of dedication here.

Oh, and give Rock Smash to an HM Slave...not sure which one though...which pokemon make good HM slaves in this version anyway? Er...yeah, HM Slave. Even at 60 Power, Rock Smash is bleeh.

[Deme]

[/SPOILER]
June's Complete Pokemon List

Oh man that is so cool! That's so going in the OP in place of my lame ideas concerning how to handle pokemon in the box, though I'll probably still do actual bios for party members/former party members/other pokemon of note with things like movesets, abilities, and, most importantly, font colors.
Because people will probably want to know movesets, and I will want to remember fonts.

Edit: THERE. DONE.

[Javan]

Daaang. Team composition charts. We are into TPP levels of dedication here.

I was wondering if anyone actually looked at any of the stuff I had put together, guess that question is answered.

Oh man that is so cool! That's so going in the OP in place of my lame ideas concerning how to handle pokemon in the box, though I'll probably still do actual bios for party members/former party members/other pokemon of note with things like movesets, abilities, and, most importantly, font colors.
Because people will probably want to know movesets, and I will want to remember fonts.

Edit: THERE. DONE.

What's Our Goal? Nothing less than total completion of the gen four pokédex. 493 pokémon. What. The Heck. Like I said, we'll be here "presumably for the rest of time."

I figured there would need to be some sort of comprehensive list, thought I might help.
If there are any other columns you think would be useful, let me know and I'll throw them up there.

[RagingKrikkit]

Omigoshomigoshomigosh more Deme let's plays! Twenty weeks alternating between freezing and melting in Georgia are now worth it.

[Javan]

Here ya go Deme.

Spoiler: Fanart, I Guess

Show

[Deme]

Oh my goodness! That. Is. Wonderful! Oh, look, he's got a little Unown-alphabet slogan on his wall and everything! That's great!
*hugs*

Omigoshomigoshomigosh more Deme let's plays! Twenty weeks alternating between freezing and melting in Georgia are now worth it.

Hooray! I am glad I can make weather-based suffering worth it, and I'm glad to have you on board.

[Qwertystop]

Here ya go Deme.

Spoiler: Fanart, I Guess

Show

Hang on, that's...

FOR*E IS
THE WAY TO
ALL THINGS


...

I always lose track of what the C looks like.

[Deme]

That is what the C looks like! Yaay!
So, the post might be slightly delayed, and/or in several parts. Because I have, like, 300 screenshots to sort through and several parts of my notes which are just "Put some words about this topic here." Editing will take a while.
I've thought of many ways to improve these things for next time.

For my own future reference, I have everything but Ledyba, Wynaut, and the night-time Sprout Tower pokemon...And whatever my Wurmple does not become.

[Javan]

That's a lot of screencaps.

Since this series of updates seems like it's going to add a bunch of pokemon to the list, if there are any columns you would like to see added to the document let me know, so I can pull all the information at once.
Nature, I think I could work Moveset into a single column, etc. Although, now that I think about it that information would require two screencaps per capture? I don't know how the emulator displays it, probably not worth it if it requires more than one picture on your part.

[Deme]

It'd require going into the full summary, but only one screenshot from that summary...Just a different one from the nature. I wouldn't mind the number of any relevant training chapters they've made meaningful appearances in, to help keep track of sub-plots (This'd only be relevant to pokemon who have not previously been in the party; I remember pokemon I prep for party development pretty clearly). I do not know how to judge meaningful.
That said, I could get the information for you afterwards, per update. It wouldn't be difficult, and it'd be nice information to have on-hand.

[Deme]

Chapter 7

Spoiler: Training Must Be Trained

Show

Well, with Falkner beat, it's just time for snacks and adulations all around!

Or phone calls from Professorial types!

"But...but..."
"...Followed by snacks."


"Really? Is it earth-shattering?"
I check under my feet. The earth looks pretty unshattered, but sometimes it is not great to trust your eyes.

"...that Egg!"
Oh. That's probably only going to be egg-shattering.

"I can do that. Probably."
I hope what I do is not damaging to prenatal development.

"And pick up that Egg?"
"Yes, sir! I shall treat it as a sacred trust!"

Speaking of sacred trusts...

"Plans later, snacks now!"
Right, right. We do have a small party of snacks to celebrate the gym victory.

Anyway, speaking of sacred trusts, I haven't been catching as many pokemon as I could be, and that's a rather significant problem!
"So, I'm thinking I'll taking this egg, and maybe the other egg, and a bunch of my spare pokemon and catching some of the locals."
"Hey, wait, why them?"
"I'm wondering the same thing there. We aint good enough?"

"Who said that?! I'll cream up! I'll cheese 'em, even!" Bowser munched his cookie agressively.

I hold up my hands appeasingly.
"Oh, no! It's not like that! It's just, well..." How do I explain this? "Well, if I'm going to be catching all of the pokemon, I need to use some weaker pokemon, and I'm going to need to evolve some of my weaker pokemon. That's all. Besides, don't they all deserve a chance in the sun? Well, not the sun. It is evening. The sun is setting. The blackness of night, as opposed to the blackness that I assume exists inside the PC box, the emptiness of datified existence that is one step from the void. Don't you?"[/color]

Everyone was silent, so I think that means they agree!

I pick this group of pokemon, though I'll need a space to pick up the egg, at least, so I'll pick Daggett up later.

Let's go pick up that egg!

"This is from Professor Elm."

"Um, are you sure this is a good idea...?"
"Well, June...It's not like the thing with that MRI machine we brought in was your fault. Don't beat yourself up over it.
Or the thing with the legion of tiny, tiny spineraks. Or the feeling I get like death's approaching when..."
"Um, that's enough! Alright, I won't!"
He says that, but somehow, I feel more guilty...



"I have no idea what they were talking about, but after a while, Professor Elm suddenly cried out,"


"That's how I came here to deliver the Egg to you."

"Party of Pokemon. That's another reason we've chosen you, June."
Wait, there was a first reason? I do not believe this.



*shrug*
"I'm suited to watching an egg...?"
Hm. Oh, well.



I get pokeballs! And a special bonus!


When I step outside, a woman sees me, clutching the egg, and walks towards me quickly.

"It was from Professor Elm. Do you know him?"
The woman examines me thoughtfully. It's a level of scrutiny I'm unfamiliar with, from a woman in old-fashioned dress.

"To Professor Elm, then from Professor Elm to you."

That gaze of hers traps mine for a long time -- it is old, and sad.

She takes a few steps back -- to escape me, or to hold all of me at once.

"You may not be able to accomplish anything with it... However, if it was entrusted to you, then surely, your path is...significant, somehow."


"Um...Not really." I mean, most things are not significant. Or everything is -- I am not really sure which, but I suspect they they are all the same. Your path, my path, the flap of a butterfree's wing: they are all insignificant in the face of the weather, or they will all cause hurricanes.

She spins, and Carillion sees fit to accompany her with a bright, happy ringing accompanyment from deep inside her body.

She walks off.
"Ok, that was creepy."

And then Falkner runs up. I just want to train Pokemon!



"Oh, hey! Thanks! Um. I apologize for calling you a cheater." You are probably not even aware of the concepts of the rules.

One day, we will have to battle! Now, let's go train!


The first thing I did, while I had some twilight, was fish.

Which led to Nirvana getting her clock cleaned by this terrifying Poliwag.
"Strike me down...And I shall become more powerful than you would ever imagine."
Uh...That is rather the goal.
After I run to a pokemon center for saftey, though.
And, when I managed to get Nirvana back up, we went back and found a less frightening, but still powerful, Poliwag...


Kero.



A magikarp that I'll be calling Koi...



And a Staryu called Kepler.

We did do a little training there before I think it's about time to move on:

Moving Nirvana up to a higher level, which does make life a little easier for her.
"That's everything for Violet City, I think. Let's go, Nirvana."

But then, as we're about to leave...Another Poliwag shows up, shaking himself off insistently. He looks about sadly.
"What's up, little guy?"

He says something I do not understand. Nirvana shrugs and offers up her empty palms.
"But it's my brother! You stole him!" Wails the little poliwag, so full of feeling even I understand it.
Nirvana says something I do not understand, and then follows through with, "But that is the suffering that comes with attachment. These things will happen, and you must simply allow them to -- that way is the path to strength, and peace."
The Poliwag looks like he's about to break down crying.

"Wait, what? OK, everyone slow down. Is this little guy Kero's -- The Poliwag we caught earlier's...brother?"
Nirvana nods. The poliwag sniffles, despite not having a nose.
"He demands his brother's return...But you have your purpose, and Kero gave his will to this. The only way to find peace, now, is acceptance -- adapt." Nirvana commands, to the Poliwag's fury.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far," I say, before things get nasty. "He could come with us. Then he could be with his brother without anyone giving up anything? Would you like that?"
He brightens considerable, and nods his, uh, entire body.


...I'm sure I'll find a purpose for two Poliwag, right?
"I'm not sure I could accept my brother being taken from me. I don't have one, but. You know."
Nirvana shrugs.

I went outside of Violet City for a moment and stumbled on an Abra!


I sometimes have illusions that I copy myself.
Sometimes I actually copy myself. I am not sure I know the difference.
Anyway, let's welcome aboard Vivi!



and catch bugs. This one's called Ovelia.


I also levelled up Nirvana some more, as you do...



And sent all of us into a flickering, trembling state where things like the self and the body had no meaning, everything were discrete piles of scattered, but meaningless, space, this time, bereft even of the comfort of a humanoid figure.

I can't say I really minded it much, the feeling of being freed from my body; I no longer have things like limbs or a pokegear, or names or where it was I meant to travel. I am a collection of beautiful stars, hovering just above the earth, all made of the same shattered and recompressed stardust, like glass made of sand, which itself was once boulders. Some of me is dark, and some of me is light, and the difference between the two is only a matter of perspective. Well, isn't everything?
Besides me -- or behind, or in front, or whichever -- is a white shape that I think must have must been something. It, too, no longer has limbs or a name, or a place it would like to be. It stretches like a suffering hour at an occaison you cannot escape -- it cannot find a way to formulate its thoughts. It has no nerves and feels pain, no eyes and weeps. It has no mouth, but I suspect it must be screaming.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm --
wait, what about the eggs?
I do not have a backpack. Or hands. I am not even sure how to locate them, or if they are, as such, seperate entities. I find them, still porceilain-shelled. They are objects -- things, just like the grass and the ledge and the trees. Whatever I do doesn't change it... On the outside. One is unchanged, and I resolve not to touch it.
The other...

I think it is coming to closer, but, um, it doesn't seem dead? Maybe it'll be OK? Ish?

I'm sorry, I am, I'll fix it, see, hold on, just a second, uh...Please, fix it?

"There, see? It's fine. It's all fine. I mean, it's morning, now, but other than that."
The egg is...probably is also fine. Probably. It seems to be shaking more vigorously than before.
No one else, when questioned, seems to recall what happened: only that they are all touching their limbs and weeping for joy, without understanding why.

"...Maybe we can just get back to training."
Despite her monkish calm, Nirvana takes a while to return to form: she just doesn't pack her usual punch.


But that moment of weakness lets me capture Noodle the Buizel.
She got worn-down enough that it seemed like a good idea to bring out Ziggy the Zigzagoon instead.


Who was a little bit more resiliant to horrors beyond pokemon understanding.



And who helped us catch a Natu named Athena by cheerily offering her apricorns from the bush until she came and sat with Ziggy and was captured.


And a Psyduck I'm calling Webbigail. I feel bad, Webbigail. I mean, you already do not remember periods of your life. Now you will not remember so much more.

But we must press on.

Levels must be gained. Training must be trained.


Catching Bellsprouts (I'm calling him Audrey II, because I am not an uncultured fool) must happen, because the alternative is to allow Professor Oak's great trust in me -- the first trust I have ever recieved -- will be wasted. It will be left to the great uncaring universe. This cannot be allowed.

"I think you can relax. You're doing fine," is the whole of Ziggy's advice on the topic. At least, I think that's what Ziggy's saying. That degree of peaceful and mellow is difficult for me to grasp.

You know, Ziggy does know headbutt, and I feel the need to try this out...

I worry that one day, nature will come back against us for vengence.


It produces a hoothoot we could capture! She spells her name "Wol," and I will trust her on this.


I spend all my money on pokeballs. I...maybe need to walk back to Mom.


Something's happening!

Aaaaah! It's breaking! It's breaking! I ruined everything!

"I'm so sorrryyyyyy!"
"...Deep breaths, trainer lady. Yeah. Just have a nap, let it work itself out...Maybe get a snack? Babies need snack..." Ziggy mumbles, happily.
"Babies?!"

Oh. Babies.

The togepi looks at me for a moment before it smiles and waves. Its eyes are pleasant and seem to swirl with deep, chasmous fountains of stardust.
"At last, I have been awakened, Mother!" It waves.
"Um, I do not advise imprinting on me." I pick him up in spite of my own advice. "I am not a good parent and so on."
It looks unhappy at this news. Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry.
It tugged at its hands, looking pale -- if a white thing can look pale.
"Mother, mother, mother... There was something I was born to know, and I have forgotten it."
Aaaaah, stop calling me mother! I'm a teenage girl!

"I should not be trusted with children I probably screwed up your development as it stands!"
"I had it, it had me -- Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~ It's gone! I was looking at all the beautiful stars and then I turned around and the thing -- the thing was gone!"
We both wailed from desperation.

"Are you sure. Maybe Ziggy could be your momma! Ziggy's cool! Or I could find someone else..."
Ziggy was taking a nap.


"Uh, look, if I give you a name and be your momma, will you stop crying?"
"Oh, yes, mother!...But it was important. And the stars were pretty."

Eventually, I had to name the little pokemon Pi, given that something about it suggests...Well...
That there's a deep streak of irrationality in it.

And that's my fault.




My phone rings just after the hatching.

"Uh...How did you know that, Professor?"
"Uh...Now that you mention it, we don't know. We just knew. We all just knew. Actually, the whole town knew. I hear people outside saying something about an egg hatching, and wondering what just happened.
...But we figured that it had to be you involved, if an entire town spontaneously understood a fact."

"Was the right thing to do. I just knew it." He pauses, sounding puzzles. He dislikes answers like this.

"Uh, well, I guess I will."
I need to head back there for more money, anyway.

For the walk back, I decide to take Glide with me, since I'll be dealing with weaker pokemon.


Weaker pokemon like this Weedle, Ali.


Though Glide sometimes has troubles even with pokemon weaker than him. He's very fast, but his offensive power isn't great, so his enemies have a lot of time to put the hurt on.

Anyway, after that, I elect to give Glide the EXP share while we walk back, though nothing really comes from that.

...But nothing really comes of that before we get there.


"Here's the pokemon that hatched from the egg."
Pi waves.

"What? What is it, sir?"
That's a reaction I'm used to seeing, but not applied to a pokemon. Also, with more gibbering.

"Pokemon like this in Johto...
Just like Mr. Pokemon was saying over the phone..."

Well, that's incredibly cryptic. I give it a full 7/10 cryptic points, but you could have used 'they' instead of 'the legendary pokemon' in order to make it even more vague. But the mysteriousness makes it more valuable, so I leave that to your judgement.


"Haa...Haa...You have no idea."
"I have some. I mean, there was that thing with the MRI machine. But the time has come for you to see the world! To have greater things happen! For things to happen outside my lab!"

"Please take it."
Ooh, a present. I will not say anything to refuse presents under any circumstances.


Keen!


"That's what the item text says."
"...The what?"
"Nevermind."
I'm normal.





Sounds reasonable, but there are only a few cases where that'd be really useful.



"I won't, sir!"

"Hi, Mom! I'm home!"

"Yeah. I've met a lot of pokemon and we even beat a gym leader...It seems like people are expecting a lot from me, but..."
"Well, they should."
"Mooo~m!"
"I know the road's not always smooth, but...You've got a lot of good going for you; it's certainly not right for me to keep you here." She said this last bit insistently, like a reminder to herself.



I end up taking most of my money.
"Pokeballs are so expensive."

"Don't get so caught up in this scientific business that you forget to take care of yourself, alright?"
"Yes, Mom."
She pauses and puts a hand on my shoulder. Very few people like touching me, perhaps for understandable reasons -- whether she likes it or not, I do not know, but she has never shied from this.
"...And June, remember... No matter how this all turns out...I'm happy to see you out there doing it."
"...Alright, Mom."

We heal up, and hit the road!


On the road again...Catching Sentrets named Churro on the road again...



Glide's making a little bit of progress on the offensive front!


Which turns out to be super-handy, because tiny, tiny Jigglypuff fists hurt. When we at last won over Melody, I had to cradle Glide back to the lab.

But he comes swinging back to it, smoothly flowing back over to the route above the one between Cherrygrove and New Bark...


Where we can catch Spoinks named April. Get it? Because it's spring-y.


Of course, as limited as his offense is, it's sufficient for some pokemon.
"But we needed to catch him!"
"Sorry, dollface. I'll have to let someone else fix that up, next time," was Glide's answer, such as it is.



Which is why Ziggy helped us catch the next Geodude we saw, who is henceforth called Armstrong.


But he could help us with the Phanphy, who I named Donny.


Whose capture signified the end of my first PC box!


I know it seems slow, but they are making progress!



And with the pokedex, too, adding another pokemon to our selection. I'm calling him Nimbus.


Does something smell like burning?

Before I can even fully assess this, pieces of shell are bursting everywhere in a cloud of ash.

He immediately begins snuggling up to me and oozing about my clothes and body.
"Settle down!"
"But...Alright...Hey, can we see what's over there? Or there? Or what I'm called? Do we get to see that?"
"Uh...Turbo?" I'll just hope he didn't imprint on me, too.

He makes a happy gurgling noise before falling asleep.


Glide's fighting style -- and, I think, personal style -- becomes clearer: light, quick, fluid. He doesn't speak much, but I wouldn't exactly call him stoic, either -- he just sort of doesn't seem to want to waste time on extra...anything. Power, effort, words.

He does finally starts seeing some real progress, especially now that we're not capturing pokemon every five minutes.



That's not to say we don't catch any more pokemon; we actually finish this route's daytime pokemon selection (more or less) with this Spearow, who I'm calling Cid.

This finally lets us move on, where I happily go forth to other places. I can also happily move forward to switching Pi out and Daggett in...Though I should probably give the EXPshare to Turbo.


He seems happy with it, and it's apparently made of strong enough stuff that he isn't destroying it.

And then I spend all my money on...You guessed it. More Pokeballs.


The EXP Share, at least, is letting Turbo...Um. Go Turbo.

He gained about 3 levels from a single fight.



And opening up new capture options, like Seed the Seedot here.


...Wiggler the Caterpie...


And Mirror B the Lotad.


Since Glide's pretty capable of wiping the floor with any pokemon here, I let Carillon take point, leading us to confront a key fact: leading with Carillon is annoying as heck.

All he has is wrap, and wrap doesn't hurt anything.
"Uh....Could we maybe speed this up?"
Carillon actually cannot speak, but communicated through a series of pretty chimes.
"So...You've never given much thought to battle before now, then?"
"*ring, ring*
"I see...Honestly, me neither. We'll be careful!"


But we're working on it.

And so's Turbo!



We also catch Martini, the taillow, rounding off the day list for that route as well!


And in the next area, Chance the Gardener -- I mean, Budew.



With Astonish, Carillon at least had some options now... Even if it's slow, we are making progress, little by little.
And that seemed like enough for then, at least -- for the dimming twilight that fell around us like a blanket.

Next time, I'll have voting for party-joining for the next two areas/in general, but I thought I'd bring this up...What sort of rule do we want to have regarding Belle's place in the party make-up? While it'd be comforting for me to have one pokemon to have an assured narrative arc, and I tend to treat starters as special... But there are also so many pokemon, and having one spot always assured might feel limiting to you guys, or so I worry. So, I thought I'd turn the question over to you guys: do we, at least until certain points in the narrative, guarantee Belle a slot in the party in the voting rules?

[Qwertystop]

Leaving Belle in sounds fine to me.

[Javan]

I agree, leaving Belle in the party sounds like a reasonable plan.

So we have
As mentioned an irrational number
???
A fish named after another fish
A famous astronomer
A green frog (Politoed?)
A Final Fantasy reference
A second FF reference
???
A Grecian goddess
???
???
One of Pooh's friends (So Tigger is coming right?)
A thief? (Ali Babba?)
A Spanish donut
A singer as a lyrical term
A pun
A Fullmetal Alchemist reference?
???
A cloudy pokemon named after a cloud
Another FF reference, probably the best reference
...not even going to comment on that
A Mario reference
???
Shaken or stirred?
???

Oh, and a movie reference


Junes Pokemon List

[Deme]

I agree, leaving Belle in the party sounds like a reasonable plan.

So we have
As mentioned an irrational number
???
A fish named after another fish
A famous astronomer
A green frog (Politoed?)
A Final Fantasy reference
A second FF reference
???
A Grecian goddess
???
???
One of Pooh's friends (So Tigger is coming right?)
A thief? (Ali Babba?)
A Spanish donut
A singer as a lyrical term
A pun
A Fullmetal Alchemist reference?
???
A cloudy pokemon named after a cloud
Another FF reference, probably the best reference
...not even going to comment on that
A Mario reference
???
Shaken or stirred?
???

Oh, and a movie reference


Junes Pokemon List

Since I'm not even sure which pokemon names you're confused about, I'll list a few; a number come courtesy of Trobby's big list, though...
-"Kero kero" is the Japanese onomatopoeia for a frog's croaking. It also looks enough like Kermit that it pleases me.
-Webbigail appears to be a character on Ducktales. I don't know if this is what Trobby was thinking of; the name is one of his, I just liked it because I thought the combo of Web and Abigail sounded cute. My standards are pretty low for nicknames sometimes. If you ever have ideas, I will always take them, otherwise, as Vivi and Ovelia show, I will go on random theme tangents.
- Audrey II is the blood-hungry, man-eating plant-like alien from Little Shop of Horrors, which ranks as one of my most beloved things ever, to the point where you will catch me singing numbers from it with the slightest provocation.
- Actually, Ali's name is a reference to Muhammed Ali -- "Float like a Butterfly, Sting like a Bee."
- Donny and Armstrong are both just sort of appropriate-sounding names, without actual references or meanings intended. Well, Donny is a play on Donphan, and...Well...A geodude's got strong arms. So wordplay, I guess.
- Miror B's a reoccurring character -- an amazing reoccurring character -- from Pokemon Colosseum and Gale of Darkness. He has an afro that's colored not unlike a pokeball. His signature pokemon, for reasons I do not entirely understand, is a squadron of dancing ludicolo that he boogies down with. I'm not clear on why, given that they are clearly Latin dancers and he is obviously a man driven to the depths of funk and disco, the likes of which drive weaker men to madness, but...Who am I to judge? But then I mispelled it, remembering the sound of the name, and guessing at the rest. Such is life.
- Martini is named less for the drink, but because it's a cute way of feminizing Martin, because swallows are related birds, in a way that still sounds nice and gives it some character.
- Chance the Gardener is the main character of the 1979 film Being There, which is a difficult film to summarize in a single sentence, and may win the prize for "most random and obscure thing my brain reached for in its desperation to name all these pokemon."