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

[Trobby]

I vote for a third option for Belle.

Keep her in the party, except when doing pokemon-catching chapters, because those chapters allow you to show off some pokemon we haven't seen before, and require you to use pokemon that are weaker, so it makes sense to leave her out of the party for that reason. Other than that, I suggest keeping her in.


Also, for a bit of variety, I suggest switching Cerebus out for Turbo, because I like the goopy fireslug.

And while I am getting attached to some of our current party, I feel like I'd also like to switch Terra out for Pi, so that we can have the babies interact with some of the current 'main cast'.


Also, Javan, I'd gladly answer any name questions you have if you'll simply provide the names you are confused about.


Also, Deme, I will gladly suggest more terrible names once we start venturing into New Pokemon territory.

[Deme]

For the Belle rule, that is rather what ruling that she should stay in the party means: I don't quite count these training segments as being the same as real party votes, and thus, the rules about party votes, including this Belle rule, do not apply, so don't worry about that. After all, if we don't pass this Belle rule, seemingly unlikely, I'd institute a "No changing the entire party at once" rule, which is clearly. I suppose you could mean I use the phrase "party" and "main exploration, battle, and adventure team" about interchangeably, as opposed to meaning "pokemon in the 6 slots," which tend to be a much more circumstantial affair.

Also, I'm not yet taking votes about party make-up: wait until I get the list of pokemon for the next one-and-a-half areas up, so we have both what we could capture there, what we've already captured and hatched, and what we've trained and developed for people to choose between, if they'd like to make choices.

[Javan]

Deme actually hit all the names that I didn't get, and I was just trying to see how many I could figure out, but thanks Trobby I'll keep your offer in mind.
And in retrospect I should have gotten Kero and Mirror B.
I have heard of Little House of Horrors but never seen it. So worth the watch in your opinion Deme?

MEBAT - Main Exploration Battle Adventure Team

Zubat needs to be named Vlad when we eventually catch one.

[Deme]

Oh, absolutely.

Also, that suggestion comes too late, as I'd played all of this segment before your comment, so we already have a zubat.
Chapter 7, Part 2

Spoiler: This Merits a Break

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Turbo's growth means he's doing more of his fighting on his own, even if smog means he's not the most...reliable fighter. Its hit rate is loathesome. If it weren't his only attack, I'd banish it to a hoary nether dimension, where it belongs.

Night fell, allowing me to catch some new pokemon, noticably having a long, drawn-out fight between Turbo and a Spinerak...


But we catch Charlotte at the last moment!


Turbo learning Ember is like a fog lifting. Smog is the absolute worst thing.
"But- but - but... Look how smokey it is..."
"...It's lovely smoke, dear."




As the levels collect in the darkness, I watch Turbo's embers fly with satisfaction.

"Wha' 'bout this?" He gloops, hurling some rocks at a passing Natu.

...
"That's...very good! Very good indeed!"


With these two techniques, Turbo had all he needed: the world remained in its state, no more like an oyster than before, was now in a metaphorical sense his mollusk of choice.
[b]"No...Like this. You fling things at stuff. Fire. Rocks. Clouds a' gas. Fliiing."
"*Ring, chime*?"
"Yeah, just like tha'!

He was even managing to teach Carillon some things, since he had a slightly better natural instinct.


Compared to our earlier training, we were making basically record time.

In this maddened rush was delivered the last pokemon of the route -- more or less...


Exeggcute! We are victorious, at long, long last!
...I wonder if the broken one is telepathic, too. I will have to ask it, one day. I bet it is there for its own protection, anyway.
All the same, I'll call her Coco.


And despite being the last one to join us, Turbo becomes the first one done! Good Turbo!
"Aren't you a speedy little molten slug?"
I give him a pat on the head, causing all the other pokemon to stare at me as if I've done something horribly wrong. Oh, well. It's important to be a supportive subject of imprinting.

I then recieved a phone call...From someone I had never given my number to. A "Bike Shop."
"Hello?"

"This is excellent for you, sir." His voice sounded oddd, and the phone was full of static. In the static, I think I hear other voices -- but I cannot make out what they are saying.

I do not know this man, and have not been riding my bike much...Though I suppose I have a little, to attract more pokemon.
No one has seen me riding the bicycle.
"When have I been doing this?"
"What do you mean?" The man's voice becomes more drowned out by static. "You --sshttt- the other day -sssshhhttt-- your quilava."
I wondered if this was a mistaken number, but he did not seem confused.

"That bicycle you're riding around."
"...alrighty, then. Be sure to call again and tell me this again, to be sure I heard it."

I sigh, and let the man hang up. I hope I will not be charged for alternate-reality calls. The long distance rates are absurd.


After that unusual experience -- even for me, which means it's very odd -- I go and try to spend my last few pokeballs catching a last few pokemon. At Night!


This includes Ninian the Ralts...





And this lovely serenader, Viola. I think she and Carilon will hit it off well.


But after a while, I just decided to get some rest. It'd been a pretty long day of training.

When I got back to it, I decided I'd try and see if I could find sparring opponents amongst, well, the people I've already fought. Surely, someone's used the pokemon center. People, upon meeting me, do not find their legs useless. Right? Riiiight?
They'd tell me if this happened, unless they forgot about this.
They stand in the places I see them standing, repeatedly, because they *enjoy* it.

And I will not think about this anymore.

"Joey, up for another round?"
"Alright! I've gotten much stronger!"


"...No you haven't."

Though Dagget, grinning perhaps a tough too proudly for having just defeated a rattata, has.

He sighs.

"Uh...." Have I introduced masochism to a young boy?

"That will toughen me up, too!"
"Someone understands the true path of the warrior," Nirvana chimes in, maybe a little sore about the Poliwag thing.


But I get a thing I can pawn for pokeball money! Since I can pawn for pokeball money, I think I shall! There's still pokemon I haven't caught in dark cave.
"Thank you very much, Joey."


So many pokeballs~
Glide mutters over this with calm concern, but Ziggy seems to just wave him off while everyone else is trying to keep Dagget out of the shelves. I've decided not to look behind me.
I do, though, only but 10 pokeballs.


And head into Dark Cave for some pokemon catching!


Which starts by revealing unto us an annoying Bronzor, who I nontheless brought home and will be calling Alloy.

It was then I got a phone call from... Professor Oak? Oh, gosh, my dex is looking horrible he must be so dissapointed!

"Oh, um, hi. Listen, I..."

"The pokedex is connected to my computers; I must say, I'm very glad I picked someone so dedicated."
I...
Uh...
I...
"...T-t-thank you."
I'm going to go hide under a rock. I'm so emberassed! I can't handle praise!

Encouraged by this, I move onward to capture...


An adorable little teddiursa I'm calling Theo,


And a zubat who flew into my hair, knocking ajar my hat. I captured Cassandra as she flew out of my hair, screaming in terror at what she found. I did have to fix that.

The cave is good for catching pokemon, but not great for training.

Dagget can hurt himself pretty badly scratching at rocks, muttering words that are not entirely obsenities, but are also not not obsenities.
I have never heard the word "spoot" said with such vigorous hate.



"Oh, you have messed with the wrong bidoof! Now you'll all see! This is war of the highest order!"
"This merits a break."



A break in which I catch a Makuhita named Honda.


And train up Glide some...



While capturing our final pokemon of the area (in the day, anyway), who I'll be calling Arid.

After that, I decided to head back to Sprout Tower, where there were more trainers I could ask for rematches.


I mean a lot of them.


I am essentially re-climbing the tower.


Dagget throws himself at his foes with a sort of beserker rage. If beserkers made a series of high-pitched squeals as they did so, taking out frustrations with the universe for inexplicable reasons...
That I really ought to make, uh, explicable.

"...What's your deal?"
He glares at me, and points at me ferociously, putting aside concerns like the battle at hand.
"Oh, don't think I don't know your ways. There he is, just another early area derp! I'll just get what I want and mooove on! Well I'm wise to you, sister! I'm wise to your spooty leave-him-useless-and-alone-because-he's-a-useless-useless-head plan!"

Well, I do admit...I didn't have any exact plans beyond his evolution. But then, I'm not opposed to making some. But if he puts it like that...
"You're not useless!" I mean, if I can do something...Then everyone can.
"At least, you don't have to be. I can help."


He stops, wide-eyed.
"What?"
"...Well, I've got an HM I don't know what to do with. Maybe you can help me with that?"



"Yes. Yes. I. CAAAAAN!~"
...Uh. That was a rather quick change of heart. Fickleness, thy name is Bidoof Bibarel.

"Now gimmee that HM, lady."



Oh, hey. A move!



I show him the HM.

"See? Smashing rocks allows for forward progress and is an essential part of the pokemon journey."
"How do I know you're not just trying to trick me with your big words smaller, whispery words?"
He eyes me suspiciously.

"Uh...It would show off your manly strength and many machismo-bearing properties?"


"Machismo?! I'll do it! You've got yourself a rock-smasher!"
He goes off, muttering excitedly to himself.

After that, it was time for Carillon to front... But while she could start fights, she could not finish them well.

She had trouble dealing damage, and instead would sort of just hum softly while her opponents attacked her. It's still, uh, not a big concern of hers.

...Well, I guess that's alright. Ziggy doesn't care much, but she can finish fights pretty well.


But Carillon eventually reached the point where she could take on a whole trainer (Sage Nico) by herself.


And finally learned to bring the pain!

Beautiful.

What a lovely note for the end of her training.

Ziggy had to be roused from her nap to join the fray next.


But she eventually could be awakened, when I told her it was almost over.


And it really was.

Next up was Glide, who was a bit harder to train.After all, most of the bellsprouts or hoothoot here would cause him a lot of trouble.


After some thought, I decide to go back outside and battle with that Idol who had that catchy little song. It's stuck in my head, despite being so vapid.


And so we finish up here with Nirvana instead, who can handle herself at least a little better. But she seems somehow...unhappy.
"What's up?"
"I realized...That I would not return here. I was born here. I watched these monks trained, and learned from them.
Today is the last time I will see them."
She said it quietly, and at first, I could not tell what she felt... But there was a certain sadness to her words, all the same.
"But aren't you supposed to take it all as it comes?"
She looks away, hiding a blush.
"...I still have many lessons to learn, it seems. Lessons that must be learnt a long way from here."



There's a power from doing more than biding your time, accepting all that comes. A power from moving on. Maybe.

And then there's Glide.

Battling Carly is really dull, and isn't great experience for him, but it is safe and reliable.

To be honest, I can't think of much to say of it, except it happened.


And eventually, on the way back from a trip to a pokemon center, we finish. Oh, what a relief!
I think we can call this done!

Alright! We'll be seeing some new areas, so we'll be seeing some new pokemon! We can't access most of the Ruins of Alph just yet, so we don't have access to the full pokemon list. However, we do have some of the list, so...Here we go!

Ruins of Alph
Unown, Nosepass (Rock Smash), Remoraid (Old Rod), Dratini (Old Rod)
Route 32
Mareep, Nincada, Hoppip (technically, it's appeared on the list, but I have yet to catch one, so it's easier for book-keeping), Magnemite, Ekans, Pachirisu, Wooper, Drifloon, Qwilfish (Old Rod).

Or, of course, anything from our boxes and thus, Javan's extensive and magnificent list, to be found in the OP.

Anyway, remember that if you want to vote someone in, you must specify both who you'd like to vote in and who you'd like them to be replacing, specifically. If you want to vote to leave the party the same, or otherwise vote against a proposed change, you may do so, so I have a clearer sense of what people feel. You may not vote out Belle, as determined by the previous vote.

[Javan]

Spoiler: Voting Summary

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Switch Who	Switch With	Votes
Cerberus (Houndour)	Pi (Togepi)	2

Updated: June's Pokemon List

Trobby, I tossed your vote in here, I will update it if you decide to change it.

I vote to switch out Cerberus (Houndour) with Togepi (Pi).

[Trobby]

I do wish to change my vote.

I'm changing my vote to match Javan's vote. ;p

And now, THE GREAT POKEMON NAMING QUEST, PART 2!!

Ruins of Alph
Unown - Alpha
Nosepass - Wario if a boy, Narissa if a girl (Because it kinda sounds like Omnaris, a nasal allergy spray)
Remoraid - Calamari
Dratini - Yoshi (Do I really have to link that one? And if you ask why Yoshi..well, he IS a Super Dragon)
Route 32
Mareep - Deckard if a boy, Jasmine if a girl
Nincada - Ryu if a boy, Sakura if a girl
Hoppip - *Already named*
Magnemite - Marvin
Ekans - Jessie if a girl, James if a boy
Pachirisu - Bullet
Wooper - Roxy if a girl, Big Mac if a boy
Drifloon - Oz if a boy, Dorothy if a girl
Qwilfish - Mrs. Puff if a girl, Bloat if a boy

[Qwertystop]

Somehow I think the Unown's name should wait til knowing which Unown it is.

[Javan]

I do wish to change my vote.

I'm changing my vote to match Javan's vote. ;p

And now, THE GREAT POKEMON NAMING QUEST, PART 2!!

Ruins of Alph
Dratini - Yoshi (Do I really have to link that one? And if you ask why Yoshi..well, he IS a Super Dragon)

Route 32
Mareep - Deckard if a boy, Jasmine if a girl
Nincada - Ryu if a boy, Sakura if a girl
Magnemite - Marvin
Ekans - Jessie if a girl, James if a boy
Drifloon - Oz if a boy, Dorothy if a girl

I second these name votes

Somehow I think the Unown's name should wait til knowing which Unown it is.

Agreed

[Aidan305]

So should we try and catch a specific Unown?

[Qwertystop]

I say you should take whatever Unown you find, but name it in ROT13.

[Deme]

Sorry for the delays, I've been feeling absolutely wretched for the last little while! I'll likely be taking it easy this week, somehow...

Chapter 8

Spoiler: I May Have Broken Your Ruins

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With all my training done, it was time to get on the road again! And that means withdrawing my go-to team of buttkickers!
...Well, sans Terra, because I want to smash some rocks, and that means bringing Dagget.


"Y...you came back? S-she came back! See, I knew she'd come back for us!"
Belle all but leapt into my arms when removed from the PC, to everyone else's amusement.
"You thought that? You didn't say it! Bwahaha!"
"I was hoping to inspire with quiet confidence, that's all!"
"...I see."

"Of course I was coming back... I said it was just a training session, didn't I?"
There was, though, one change, that everyone turned their heads to see...

"So, uh, who's the new kid?"
"Uh, well, this is Pi. I, uh, hatched him?"
"I am the sign of opening pathways and the omen of she without names, I am the holy sword to pierce the darkness...I fight for justice and to please momma! I'm Pi and, um, um, I like apple juice."

"Awww, what a cute intro!"
"It's certainly unique. I guess that's...worth... considering? Yeah, alright! Welcome to the team, little dude!"

"...He certainly takes after his 'mother,' doesn't he?"
"D-don't word it like that! You're encouraging him! I'm too young to be an unwed mother of a different species!"
"And everything else with that sentence doesn't bother you?"
"...Honestly, something like that might just be inevitable for me, eventually."

"Well, let's give him the experience share! Let's take him under our totally metaphorical wings, team!"


Anyway, our first stop was to head out towards the ruins near Violet City: The Ruins of Alph. Before I do any amateur excavating, I did want to do some totally amateur treasure hunting, an action which quickly yielded such things as...

A rare candy!
It was hidden by a rock, thus justifying my bringing Dagget for this.

Well, that and....

These rocks blocking a different treasure.
"Clear the way! This is the job for a real man!"
"What's all these pokemon thinking they're men?"
"Shhh. I bribed him to self-fulfillment with machismo."

And for treasure! Hooray.

While this will be swell, I might have gotten a better reward on the way.


There's little mushrooms growing on the path. I hope no one minds.
"If those snobs think that's stealing, they think living is stealing! Take the mushrooms!"
"Hey, hey bro? Who's 'they'? Is this a mystery to be known, or just an opague fact?"
"Everyone, little bro!"
"...And when did you become brothers?"
They both pause and stare at him.
Then they point at one another.
"He called me 'bro,'" They say in unison, with a mutual shrug. This was all that was needed.

Aaanyway, we have treasure.

Pokeball! For the stash!
I will hoarde them like a dragon and sleep upon them at night.

Let's go inside, now that I've raided the ground.

What? Why am I being applauded? And being treated like a dude?

"The journey of archaeology has just arrived!"
"...I'm not sure I'm authorized for this. Being a 15-year-old girl with a fairly basic education."

"...You got me excited for nothing."



They have been devoured, as we will all be devoured.



"Ooh, mysteries! Fun! I guess archaelogy would start by looking for signs of purpose or objects, or similar ruins. If none of that remains, you must assume visitors from another world..."
"What, like, Clefairy?"
Eh, maybe.



Oh. That changes the mystery somewhat, if what one must do to understand all is understand a system of writing: the mystery can be solved. It is designed to be understood by someone.
You must wait for the right someone.


Actual ruins!

Neat sculptures... I wonder why this society liked Rhydons so much?
I climb down the ladder.


"...Or a historic quality... Or an eerie quality...Or an ancient quality...Or a solemn quality...Or a frosty quality..."
"Get on with it!"
"Yes, get on with it!"
The Entire Party, in Unison, Says: "Yeah, get on with it!"

We claim we can see the past, but we cannot: we can barely see the present, and can only imagine the past or the future.
...That might not be adressing your comment. Sometimes I just say things like that.


There are many things, but we don't see them.




"Psychic powers~!...Probably."
...Well, that's probably true. I mean, we live in a universe where monsters literally kidnap children to eat their dreams. There's probably ruin-guardians of some sort...

Speaking of which, I'd like to see more of these ruins.

But it seems the ruins will see more of me. Or, perhaps, less.
I exist as a bundle of darkness, with my pokemon as a divided collumn behind me, staring at something like -- and unlike -- myself. In the grime of the ruins, the darkness of the three of us -- Belle, the unknown person in my skin, and myself -- is radiant and clean, crisp despite being slightly fragmented, shedding pieces into the dusty air.
"Belle?"
I ask, testing the air and finding I could send sound along it.
"You OK?"

She is silent, and stares forward into the silence.
"...I'm sorry. Everyone else?"
I find no answer. I think for the first time, I'm really a little scared.

I approach the...Person? Pokemon? The person in my shape. "She" stands like a dark shadow of myself, and smiles when I approach.
No.
That is not a smile.

"It has been waiting." She does not sound frightened.
"...For me?"
"...It has been waiting."
"For you?"
The person does not say anything. I step away to explore, and see...

That behind me, Belle has changed shape -- Belle, now, too, is shaped like me, and stares at me, with terrified eyes.
"...I...I...what am I supposed to be...?"
"Belle?" I reach out an unclear appendage and grab her (my) shoulder. "You're Belle, Belle. You're my Belle. Um. I can't say I know much about you, historically or the like...Or what you really want or... But... You're my first pokemon, and my friend. This cannot be changed."
Is the -- perhaps hollow -- assurance I can offer in the face of a shape-shifting terror.
"I...You're right, I am."



The world snaps back just then.
"Oh, Arceus, that was scaaaary! Being you is so scary! You're tall and full of insects!"
"...I'm only sometimes full of insects. Everyone else OK?"
"...H-hey...Why am I shaking?"
"...Did I forget to take notes? ...Did I just rip pages from my notebook?"
Bowser shouted something I did not understand. He was probably fine, and Pi just murmured in a relaxed voice...And then mumbled in a confused one, that I didn't fully grasp.

The woman -- she is a woman -- is deeply shaken, unable to explain anything about the item in the center of the room.

Is the best she can manage.



"...Hmmm..."
"Oh, it's the language of pokemon!"
"Your language is made from the bodies of other pokemon?"
"We're an intensely physical sort of creature."
"Anyway, that'd be...'Escape,' right? We'll have to come by with an escape rope sometime."

And then we check out the room's centerpiece...

A series of broken tiles. I think it's meant to be a kabuto. I guess I could try putting it back together...?

The pieces are irritatingly difficult to lift, actually, and I end up asking Professor to help me out.
"Oh, a puzzle, what a challenge...Not my usual thing, but an enjoyable experience all the same."
After a while, we manage to fit the pieces together...

The puzzles pieces glow, and...


The floor falls from beneath me.
Well, I enjoyed having my ankles. They served me well these 15 years.


I land not on my ankles, but on my butt.
"Ow... I think I broke something. I think it's cracked!"
"Very funny! That's scary, you know!"



"That is wonderful!"
"B-because you finally have food? Well, I won't let my trainer be eaten!"
"Will we be trapped here forever?"
"...You sound kind of calm about that prospect? But, no. Escape is totally possible."

"I will give you this Unown Report."


Pokedexes within pokedexes. I will never be free.


"Clapclapclap. I was riiight!"
"Yes, yes. You were right."
"All omens shall be open to me once more, and it'll all make sense!"
"Seems unlikely."
"...Shouldn't someone be just a touch more concerned about this little thing?"

Before I can answer that, we run into the source of that presence:


Unown, this time in I form. I think that's I-form, anyway. I'll call it... Iota.

Eventually, I find my way up. I was in the empty cooridor from before!

...Maaaybe.


Hm. On the one hand, presents.
On the other hand, I have so many pokeballs I need already. I do not need more captures.



"I...might have broken your ruins. A bit."
"Hey, quit blaming yourself! You turned their boring archaeology into a fun pokemon adventure!"
...I am not sure archaeologists will see it that way.



Well, yes. They are exactly alike. The drawings of the walls are letters using the shapes of Unown. Let's be serious.

But why tell him, and spoil the mystery?

Yeah, you know what? I'm not going to worry about it right now.
Well, that having been, uh, left hanging, to be picked up at a date when I feel like I could be bothered at all...It's time to go back and fetch Terra!


"Did you miss me? Be honest!"
"I'da been fine waiting...But I'm glad to get back on the road, sugar!"


It's a new color of Apricorn!
...Sorry I'm preempting you, text.



"...Adventure? Obligation? Tearing up space-time?"


"Yes. Thank you."
Belle preens intensely.

Not really. The gym was more of a captstone. But Cleo evolved, so that's something.


Ooh, a present!

"Hey, Belle! You got a present! Or I got a present that is certainly predestined for you. Same thing."
"Wait, you're giving me this?"
"...Well, of course."

"...I get a present."


She stares at it, and clutches it like someone is about to take it from her.

And then she laughs.

She just looks so pleased.


Oh, look! A super potion in the middle of nothing.


...Oh, how frightful.
Why are you screaming at me?

That is a lot of decibels. No lie.


HOORAH, A PRESENT.


HOORAH, A PRESENT I'LL PROBABLY NEVER USE!


Wandering through the wilderness allows Belle to teache Pi enough for his first two levels.


And to capture Deckard, the electric sheep that androids dream about (That, or Flaafy. Or Ampharos. There is a reason the original title was not "Do Androids dream of Mareep?" because it was being categorical.)


"N-no, ma'am! I think I'm a wimp!"
"Of course we're tough!"

Good for you, sir!

Oh dear. Why both at once? I'm not wall-eyed enough to make double eye-contact!


"Well, I'm not sure how I feel about sharing the spot light...But hey, as long as you follow my lead, it'll be fine!"
"Oh, I don't need any lead!"
"Uh, girls...No need to fight each other..."

Terra starts off with an impressive, field-covering rock slide.

"How 'bout them dirt clods?"
She asked, before the damage was even clear.



"Oh, I think I can more than keep up with that!"


Pi's learning a lot about inter-team relationships.



The second round goes similarly, but Terra focuses on the single Drifloon with a bite...

And Belle taking down the Sandshrew.



"This is a fun show, but I wanna snack! Snacktimes!"
...Even I am not sure where she is getting the eggs to do that with.



"Looks like someone needs a little help getting by."

"...Well, if you're willing to take that on, I guess I can't complain."

"And deal with that consequence, too."
"Nothing I can't handle!"

"Girls, focus and finish!"
"With pleasure!"



This was just a level pinata for Pi.


Nope, sorry.




There are 32, I believe. my counting may be off.


Awww, how sweet. This is the real path to Pokemon raising!



Speaking of which, I managed to catch a Magnemite I'm calling Tesla.


As we walk, I spot Belle doing something kind of odd...
She twists the edge of her leaf across her mouth to use it as a whistle, like a flute made from a blade of grass.
"That's nice."
"I used to do this when I was little...Actually, I haven't done it a lot since then. It just didn't seem...worthwhile, I guess."
"I think it's cute. It's not something I've heard of Chikorita doing very often, so it's kind of a special thing."
She looks up, now curling her leaf to hide her own face.
"Y-you think, huh? That's...Alrighty, then! Let's put it to practice!"
She springs up, all the sudden full of energy and vigor.


Well, I guess that's good.


Ooh, this'll come in handy...At some point, anyway. Right now, there are too many pokemon to capture.

Actually, I'm not finding a lot of pokemon in the area... I wonder why.

Huh. That's a person talking on their cellphone loudly. This seems to be why there are no pokemon in the area to battle.
"Umn, excuse me, do you mind being a bit quieter? You see, I'm trying to find some pokemon to battle..."

"Uh, actually, I was really just asking you about..."



"Alright, now, li'l bro...When you see an enemy, you stare 'em down. Yer the boss!...Well, I'm the boss, and yer the boss's first minion!"
"...Gotcha. First minion, Lighter of the Way, Oracle of the Thousand Eyes Peering in the Dark, Champion of Justice, Momma's Little Angel... I'm a lot of things," Pi observes thoughtfully... "...I think some of them might be wrong."
"Don't worry about that! Just focus on being a good fighter!"

"Don't let any puny kicks get through your shell! It's big and tough! You're big and tough!"
...Neither of you come up beyond my knee.

"And then you fire with EVERYTHING YOU GOT! sMASH EVERYTHING IN YOUR WAY! Bwahahahaha!"
"...Don't listen to him! Stop telling the impressionable one things!"

"Thank you for the lesson, Bro!"
"Bros gotta watch out for their bros. A king's gotta watch out for his gang!"

Pi gives Bowser a hug and an innocent cheek kiss.
"H-HEY! YOU GET ON OUT OF HERE! GO DO THAT MUSHY STUFF SOMEWHERE ELSE!"
"Alright! Momma! Come here!"



He's so embaressed by a kid's affection, he lets himself get burnt during the next round.

"But this sort of thing don't mean nothing!"
True, true... He did eventually pull through.
"Well, onwards in our journey!"


"Uh, sure, I guess."


She certainly uses it a lot, I guess. And I've never had a female friend before...



We come to a split in the path, and a burn in the pokemon...
I think I'll need to turn back now, and come back another day.

[Javan]

Sorry for the delays, I've been feeling absolutely wretched for the last little while! I'll likely be taking it easy this week, somehow...

"So, uh, who's the new kid?"
"Uh, well, this is Pi. I, uh, hatched him?"
"I am the sign of opening pathways and the omen of she without names, I am the holy sword to pierce the darkness...I fight for justice and to please momma! I'm Pi and, um, um, I like apple juice."
"Awww, what a cute intro!"
"It's certainly unique. I guess that's...worth... considering? Yeah, alright! Welcome to the team, little dude!"



There's little mushrooms growing on the path. I hope no one minds.
"If those snobs think that's stealing, they think living is stealing! Take the mushrooms!"
"Hey, hey bro? Who's 'they'? Is this a mystery to be known, or just an opague fact?"
"Everyone, little bro!"
"...And when did you become brothers?"
They both pause and stare at him.
Then they point at one another.
"He called me 'bro,'" They say in unison, with a mutual shrug. This was all that was needed.

These two segments made me grin, I needed that.

Hope you feel better soon!

[Trobby]

Bowser and Pi's broship.

...I approve. I wholeheartedly approve SO hard.

And also of Belle's use of her own leaf to make a grasswhistle. Which I can just imagine and is such a cute idea.

[Deme]

It made me smile to think of it, on both counts.

Sorry for the delays on this one; it took a while to get through editing.
Chapter 9

Spoiler: This Stupid Fairy Tale

Show

I take Bowser back to the precious saftey of the pokemon center, so we can get back to the split path before us.

Well, I'll take the high road, and you'll take the low road, and I'll get to Unova before ye!
Land it is!


"Why, thank you! I am often told my eyes are like deep pools that your soul is drowned in!"

The battle that ensues is honestly pretty boring.

But somehow, Bowser just can't help walking right into hurting himself on his enemies.
"Seriously...? You're pretty good at hurting you, you know."
"T-that's just because I don't hold back any! Any loser can play it safe!"

And not have to make me spend antidotes...
"Learn a lesson from this, Pi. Antidotes!"



"Alright, this'll be a quick..."

What?!
That was unexpected. He just withdrew the Pikachu!
Well, looks like I'll probably want to change my tune very quickly, too.
"Aw, but I can take it!"
"No buts. Let's let Bowser handle it!"


A quick switch in....

And Bowser cleans up in a single move.
"HOO-AH! That's how you really handle an enemy! See? Don't hold back anything!"

"Oh, don't think you're alone in that. Just wait until we get that cowardly little pikachu back out here, then we'll see what's what!"

That, apparently, was what was what.


Sorry? Oh, well...

Our way forward lets us encounter and capture our next cartoon,


Featuring Slappy the Squirrel!


And a TM. It's of Belle's type, but I doubt it would help her any. I'll just hold onto it for later.



We also caught Puff the Hopip while turning up toward the water, as he drifted like a cloud in the twilight.


Which makes finding a great ball a greater relief; I'm all out of pokeballs, actually.

As I take the winding path down, I can see a pokemon center's roof, bathed firey orange in the sunlight, and breathe a deep sigh of relief...

And I'm stopped by this guy, asking me a question.
"Uh...Like, from actual slowpokes?! Wild ones?"

"Those are from actual pokemon! They need those tails for fishing and evolving and fishing to evolve!"
I mean, it's not lethal, but...It's incredibly ethically unsound!
"Also, those prices would destroy the economy!"
"I hear the cries for vengence..."


What a monster... I hope someone finds his supplier soon...

A small path to the back of the trees has a person hiding there!

I, too, don't care if Monday's black. Monday is always black, seeping in like ink. Tuesday, Wednesday, heart attack. Thursday, never looking back -- you cannot, you know that these things are behind your shoulders, waiting for you. The end is there, do not turn around on Thursday.
But It's Friday, I'm in love!
...That's how the song goes, right?


Ooh, a free present!

Of course, it won't do us any good, but oh well.


Really, poison's better for defense...For now.


I can bet; I want to go back over that bridge with Belle!

"Yeah, I like them well enough."




Presents!
I'll adress it shortly, though.


I am fine! I don't know how to say that in Kalosian, though...

"Oh, yes. Because otherwise, I'd be letting precious opportunity pass me by."


Man, everyone in this pokemon center wants to give me something.

More pokeballs for me!


"When you go fishing!"

"From me."
"Well, I'm very grateful."


I am all over any option that gives me more pokeballs. I want to be able to swim in a pool of pokeballs. A pokeball pit. I will get an extra hour in it, and repeat that extra hour forever.

Yes, yes...
One day, Apricorns will rule...
"New rule: Someone else does all the shopping from now on."
"Absolutely. Some things are simply too much."

Well, let's head on up the bridge!

"Is this really secure?"
"I'm sure it'll be fine!"
She's sometimes pretty nervous...You know, that's something I noticed a lot more when we first met... But it's not like we've been together long enough that she's really changed, either.
Hm, I wonder...

Oh dear! I'm only good at rending the fabric of reality!
...We should not add this to the contest.

"This'll be easy!"
"Don't get too carried away..."

But I suppose it's alright to get just a little carried away, right?


That did not do nearly as much as I'd have liked. Stupid water/poison types.

Oh my. Stupid, stupid water/poison types.
"Ow, ow... Things I don't like: birds, bugs... And stupid, stupid spike-balls!"

"Hold on, I'll send..."
I don't want to send out Cleo: she's way ahead of everyone else. But who else could I...?


"Ooh, momma! Momma, please! I am your messenger, and the shield of your nightmares!...Or...Something? Um, what I mean is, well...I want to fight!"
"You sure?"
"You're too young, sugar."

"But I can fight poison things! I can! And...Everyone's been helping me...I just...I just..." Here, his voice falters a little. He sounds very quiet. "I want to be helpful. I want to be useful. I want to be good."
...
"...June."
Of course.

Like momma, like pokemon.


Not the best first chance, but...
"I can do this."

Oh boy, duck and cover. This knocks Pi down until he can barely wobble back up... But wobble he does.

"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I don't...there's something broken...But I can do this."

"Because you hurt my sister, and scared my momma!"

"See? See? Didn't I say~!"
"Hey, I didn't need any convincing."



"I fish, I guess. But I sort of need to get a bunch of pokemon to the center for heals."


"...I guess?"
Wow, he must be pretty lonely, if he's stopping me here.



Hooray!


Poor precious little boo...

Well, for his first real fight, that certainly could have gone worse.

I go, heal, and head on back.

As I walk back up the docks, by a different fisherman this time...


"Oops. Sorry. Really, very sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry."
"Don't worry! The pokemon way's to apologize through your actions!"

This is apparently code for "beat the snot out of magikarp."

Belle is the best at apologizing.

Somehow, this all feels deeply counter-productive.

Ok, seriously, dude?
BUILD A TEAM THAT CAN FIGHT!

I mean, it's not like this will get him more fish... But there's better catches.
Oh, well.


You jumped me for making you lose a fish. How is that calm?


"We'll see how they do, then!"

Badly. Badly is how they do.
"Alright! Who's top-of-the-line now, huh?"

"I guess that's you, Belle."


"And Pi, too."


My reasoning being that a reliable, if slow, move is preferable to an unreliable move with uknown potential.

I'm not sure what that's meant to do...

But I guess we'll never know.

That actually had a chance to do a little bit of damage!

Well, in the short term.

"Sploosh."
I agree, before considering our discussion closed.

I walk a little ahead, and turn back and notice...Belle, at first, isn't following.

She's just looking out over the water, thoughtfully, in no specific direction...

"Hey, Belle?"
She raises her head up.
"Yeah, boss?"
"...I've been wondering. Before, when you didn't know I understood you..."
"When you were eavesdropping, you mean?"
"No eaves were dropped. But it...sounded different."
"Everyone sounds different when they think they're alone, right?"
This does not really feel like what I wanted an answer for, or what I wanted to say.
"Well, I mean...You just sort of felt, I don't know...Like a different person. And I'm a little worried you're hiding something from me."

She stops and looks at me,
"I-it's not that I'm lying to you! I'm just... It all seemed...Kind of impossible. Being picked by a trainer, going on an adventure, destroying reality..."
...Is it OK to get starry-eyed about that last one?
"It's amazing. You, this...It's my ticket to the single most amazing, impossible thing I could have ever imagined. And I didn't think I was..."
She paused, and tried to get the words together, turning away the hint of tears in her eyes.
"I'm just me. And I didn't want you thinking...that I wasn't good enough for all of that. I didn't want this dumb fairytale to turn back into real life; I didn't want...To go back to being that ordinary, worthless pokemon."

"Belle..." My knees scrape the bridge as I kneel down beside her. "Look who you're talking to; I don't think...I'm really cut out for this. But...I'm not going to desert you. I can't. You're special to me."

"So don't worry. If you're nervous, be nervous. If you're proud, be proud. Leave the insecurity to me!"
I say, with my best smile.
After all, Belle's the first person I've ever met who remembers...what it's like being around me.
I can't lose that.


She nods, tenatively at first...

And then a second time, more proudly, as the light comes out from inside of her.

It smells like an herb garden, like sweet mint and the singular earthiness of rosemary and the sharp, bronze-backed smell of bay leaves, leathery in the sunlight. It cascades out from somewhere deep inside her, a place that I didn't know I'd been looking at, and to be honest, I'm not sure I could speak to again.

And leaves her stronger, and fiercer, than before.

"Oh, hey, look at this! Look at this! Look at this~! Ha, if all those jerks could see me now! Top of the world, baby!"
She turns around in circles, pulling in ideas...




And discarding others.
I applaud politely. Then she stops, and turns, and looks up at me.
"Oh, uh... June?"
"Yeah, Belle?"

"Thank you."

"W-Well, enough sap! Let's move out, ok?!"
She pulls away, her head turned defiantly, and springs on ahead.


Of course, she's still my Belle.

And I think, after all that's happened...

It's time to let Pi fight by himself a little. Just a little.


Especially since we found this on a side path; and this is sure to go great on Pi!

"I'll always treasure it! It's a little bell, hung in my heart...I will break my body to pieces to ring it once, by your name..."



Well, uh...Yes?
Is this going to result in a birdening?

Birdening is a go!
"You're lucky you're got that big, spooky crest..."
"...Are bird crests really scary?"
"It just makes him look way bigger!"
Pokemon are our precious friends.

...Also, kind of dopes.

Because this is pretty easy.
"I aint lettin' no giant-faking bird thing stop me!"


Surprise! Not everything's birds. Which is a relief; I barely used Professor at all this route.


"Really? Not even a poison, on a hit of that severity? You need to focus; commit your power... And don't be afraid to go for the eyes!"

Talk maybe when he's down, prof?

Otherwise, he'll learn.

Just to annoy us.
"Oh, that does it now...Ha. ha ha ha... HA AHAHAAAAHAAAA!"
That's...not a good laugh.

"If you can't fight when your back's against the wall, when can you fight? If your blood's on the ground, SLIP YOUR ENEMIES IN IT! DROWN THEM IN IT IF YOU HAVE TO! This, hurt me?... It can only make me stronger."

He backs this speech with an impressive tackle, and only stands, trembling from some mix of poison, exhaustion -- and, I think, some sort of internal combustion running at super-speed -- in the face of his enemy's attacks.

"That...Is my art of war."


"..."
Oookay.
"Uh, but...Professor...If you're not done being terrifying, I am going to point out that you *are* about to collapse. And that can't be good fighting."
He pauses, and some sort nightmarish beserker fury seems to leave his features. He teeters, and nods woozily.
"...Well, well argued, my dear trainer...Well argued. Quite. I think I'm going to go lie down for a while..."
There's a soft fwumping noise as he hits the ground.


What follows is a relatively straightforward battle...

Though not without some big damage on Pi. Maybe I should have started with something else, like Sweet Kiss, but I didn't know how long it would take.


I guess all's well that ends well.


Are they suddenly having genius beserkers thrown at you? Because that'd be a problem for anyone.

There's only one place left to go:

Union Cave. And onward, still.

Here are our new pokemon options for Union Cave...Well, the bits of it accessible now. You know how it is. Normal rules apply: if you want to vote a pokemon in, you have to vote who it'd replace. No replacing Belle.

Union Cave:
Whismur, Machop, Aron, Cubone, Barboach (old rod), Bagon, Gible, Onix

Edit: Oh, while I'm at it!
I realized I had something I wanted to address!
Water Pulse! Of our current party, two pokemon can learn it, Pi and Bowser.
Bowser will eventually learn Water Pulse naturally, but could be given an edge with it now.
Pi won't learn it naturally, so it could be a big investment in terms of power...But we might want other moves for Pi, and it seems a pity to use TMs when we're not sure. This isn't Gen 5 or 6.
...Option 3, of course, is to hold onto it for later. Lots of pokemon out there.

There's not much point in discussing Bullet Seed, since only Belle can have it, and it's not better for her than razor leaf.

[Sallera]

So much love for Pi. Especially the bell line. :3

Um, I feel like voting for something this time. One vote to replace Terra with Arid.

[Gadora]

*eeeees softly at Belle's evolution scene*

Also, I vote that Onix be named Shai-Hulud.

[Javan]

Also, I vote that Onix be named Shai-Hulud.

Yes, this. Definitely this.

Spoiler: Voting Summary

Show

Switch Who	Switch With	Votes
Terra (Larvitar)	Arid (Sandshrew)	1
No Switch		2

Updated: June's Pokemon List

Also, nice update.

Edit: Also casting my vote for no change

[Trobby]

VERY nice update, especially the bits with Belle and Pi. Hooray for pokemon bonding, and also Pi's adorableness!

I vote for no change to the party at the moment. <.< I am rather enjoying the way things are.

As for names...

THE GREAT NAMING QUEST CONTINUES

Union Cave:
Whismur - Mutie.
Machop - Ali if a boy, Adrian if a girl
Aron - Bebop
Cubone - Oliver if a boy, Olivia if a girl
Barboach - Jabbu if a boy, Zora if a girl
Bagon - Bahamut
Gible - Jaws
Onix - Brock if a boy, Roxy if a girl.

...Eh, I feel like I was kinda lazy with this one. <.<;

[Sallera]

Given how many names you've suggested, I think 'lazy' is relative. :3

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I vote to hold on to the TM for now. You can always use it later, but once used, it is irrevocable.

Also, I vote swap out a maochop for one of the people in the party. Because there's a certain Miltank comin' up who needs a beatdown and a Fighting type is one of the few types who actually can manage it. Maybe swap out the Maochop for Bowser. Not much call for water types up in the near future.

[Javan]

Unless I missed a capture (entirely possible) we don't currently have a machop.
There's Makuhita which would theoretically serve the same role though.

[Deme]

Machop's on the encounter list for Union Cave, the area I go through next; ShneekeyTheLost's voting I should stop along the way, make sure I catch one, and add it to the team.
...Buuut, I've already played the update, so I guess anything like that, whether it would pass or fail, will have to wait until next time.

Also, I'd warn against trusting in a pure fighting type to get us through unscathed; Whitney's bound to have at least one pokemon with a psychic-type move. That's the sort of hack this is. Falkner's Swablu had a freaking Solarbeam we didn't get to see.

[Seerow]

Machop's on the encounter list for Union Cave, the area I go through next; ShneekeyTheLost's voting I should stop along the way, make sure I catch one, and add it to the team.
...Buuut, I've already played the update, so I guess anything like that, whether it would pass or fail, will have to wait until next time.

Also, I'd warn against trusting in a pure fighting type to get us through unscathed; Whitney's bound to have at least one pokemon with a psychic-type move. That's the sort of hack this is. Falkner's Swablu had a freaking Solarbeam we didn't get to see.

That's actually really hilarious and I wish it had happened now.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Machop's on the encounter list for Union Cave, the area I go through next; ShneekeyTheLost's voting I should stop along the way, make sure I catch one, and add it to the team.
...Buuut, I've already played the update, so I guess anything like that, whether it would pass or fail, will have to wait until next time.

Also, I'd warn against trusting in a pure fighting type to get us through unscathed; Whitney's bound to have at least one pokemon with a psychic-type move. That's the sort of hack this is. Falkner's Swablu had a freaking Solarbeam we didn't get to see.

You can use other party members for other opponents, but currently no one has a resistance to Rock type, and once that Rollout starts going, it is never going to stop, so you need something with some punching power to get it down fast. Also, Machop should have both Karate Chop and Low Kick by the time you get to Whitney, whereas the Makuhita has the sub-par multi-hit fighting attack as the only fighting type attack it has. You're going to need STAB and hitting a weakness to take down that dang cow.

[Javan]

You can use other party members for other opponents, but currently no one has a resistance to Rock type, and once that Rollout starts going, it is never going to stop, so you need something with some punching power to get it down fast. Also, Machop should have both Karate Chop and Low Kick by the time you get to Whitney, whereas the Makuhita has the sub-par multi-hit fighting attack as the only fighting type attack it has. You're going to need STAB and hitting a weakness to take down that dang cow.

While that is true of Makuhitu in the standard Pokemon games, the question is does he see any changes in this mod?
I know Deme mentioned that a number of Pokemon were changed up to make them more viable as party members.
So how about it Deme, was Makuhitu a recipient of upgrades?

[Deme]

It appears not, since the documentation goes from Exploud to Azurill. Which is a little odd; most pokemon I've looked into so far have at least something, even the ones that weren't completely remade like Farfetch'd and Beedrill.
That said, Terra resists rock type attacks, actually, so "Nothing we have resists rock" isn't true: she's rock/ground for now, and does have the advantage of being female, so if you're a reader who's not sure, we're not quite desperate.

Chapter 10

Spoiler: Lackeys! And flunkies! And goons!

Show

Alright, but before I go caving...
I just realized I am all out of non-super, non-hyper potions. This needs fixing. Which means it's time to cycle... back to Violet City.
*sigh*



But at least it let me catch Jessie the Ekans,


And Ryu the Nincada.

"I will also need --"
"We get it, we get it. More pokeballs."

I also notice a rock near the Violet City Pokecenter I'd forgotten all about...

"Alright, Dagget. Get to work."
"On it!"
With a series of agressive grunts, whines, and noises, he broke down the rock and let me pass...

To get this hyper potion!

On the way back...

Pi managed to get a level, so at least that good came from my getting jumped all the time.

The first thing found in the Union Cave -- which, by the way, makes me wonder what it's a union of? Two other caves? It splits the mountain to make a path: is this the union it means? It's a pretty unremarkable cave.
Oh, but, right. Found a thing!

It's an item. I have no strong feelings about it one way or another.
Moving on!


Ah, but what things might the light reveal? The dark never bothered me, anyway...But light. Light is pretty spooky.


Oh, bother, we're starting to get out-leveled by random adorable fox pokemon.

"Hey, Bowser! Don't go to sleep!"
"ZzZzz... That's right, run... 'm kinga...the world...ZZzz"
"No one's king when they're getting the tar beaten out of them!"
Well, you presumably have blood, not tar. You would need tar beaten into you first.
This would be a long and painful process...

But she's more than happy to oblige.
"Bro! Wake up already!"
"Huh? What? Oh, hey...lil' bro. Alright, alright... I'm up."

"There! Think you can mess with me, huh?"
She did sort of mess with you.
A fair bit.


...So...shouldn't it be dark now that she's fainted?

Going down the ladder yields a path to a TM!

Rock tomb! Bowser could use it...But I still have some TMs I'm not sure what to do with, and I'm not sure how long his physical and special attack will be even.
Terra could also use it, but it's worse than Rock Slide, so. Nah.


Also, an X-Defend! Maybe, one of these days, it'll be useful...But I will probably allow it to slip through a crack in reality.

I head on back up a floor...

To the next battle.
"Have you tried looking around the corner?"
There's a person there. Maybe. He might be an elaborate fiction of mine.



Like a hot water gun through a pile of sand.


"Hoo-ah! The King of Shells just gets more unstoppable!"
"I could stop you, though, right? Hey, hey, if I did, would that make me king? Huh?" Cleo asked eagerly.
"Now way! Only I get that, got that?! No one's taking my minions from me!"
"..You have minions?"
"And lackeys! And flunkies! And goons, OK?! Like brothers, the Shells! They're just...home..." He trailed off, arms crossed. For a second, I almost thought he looked, just a bit, sad in a sort of distant way.
Who knew he actually was sort of kind of king of something? Of course, I kind of think he's mostly blowing smoke, but...
"So why aren't you with them?"

He hesitated and watched me skeptically. A little growl escaped him, and then...
"I'll go back to reign once again! One of these days! Just... I just gotta get stronger! I won't come back until I'm ready to reign over the whole lake, no, the whole world!"

"And it'll happen! Just wait and see! And then... GWAHAHAHA!"
As the laughter roared through the air, a golden light flowed out with him.

It felt sort of rough, and maybe even just a little grubby... But I was put in mind of a lake in the depths of some old forest, with a stream running into it, and little sandbar islands vanishing in and out of sight.

When the light that felt like memory receeded, he stood proudly twitching his new ears, scratching his new white claws through the dark air.
"GWAHAHAHA!"
He was met with enthusiastic applause from Pi, and amused, though not exactly cruel, laughter from Cleo.



I'm torn between water gun and aqua jet...
"Oh, come on! Why have one way to put the pounding on, when we could have two?"

...Oh, alright. It's not like Withdraw is super-valuable.

"Ahahaha! Cleo, come here and let me shoot you!"
"Alright! You juuuust...have to catch me first!"
She leaps away from him, occaisonally nullifying shots by frying them out of the air.

"That's cheating, you dang cat!"
"Oh, come on! What good's a game without some competition?"
"Oh, you're going down!"
He growls and chases after her, leaving several of the remainder rolling their eyes.




"If you are good enough to battle."
That's an incredibly dangerous phrase. I think half the team now wants you dead.

A little setting up, first...

Making that a matter of a few turns.

There! Now everyone but Professor's even...But, uh, I don't think there's much I can do about that.
Because rocks don't burn. Normally.



Another easy one.

Leaving Belle to advance!
"Yaaay! Someone's finally catching up! Now it won't be bad for me to have some fun, right?"
"Right, right..."
"Yay!"


Be sure to leave for, like, food.



On the way forward, I catch a few new pokemon: Little Mac the Machop...


Mutie the Whismur...


And Oliver the Cubone.


Oh, hey, a new potion! I always need these!

I also always need these, and think I may be forbidden from speaking of them.


"About that!"
He came in to have a good time and he feels so like he's attacked himself right now.


Wow, that's not bad at all! That was a short trip to success.


I'm feeling like we're a well-oiled machine right now.
'

The oil is potions, probably.

No, no! Flame on but don't flame out!


"Really? I'm just getting started in the same."

...Aw, man. It's so hard to just be friends.

"Aw, Yeah! Cleo's back in the fray! Took everyone long enough! Let's have some fun!"

For a very short battle indeed.
"Aww... How shocking."
"I'll throw a ball for you later, alright?"
"Oh, we'll be having a ball then! I'm holding you to it!"


It's not like the battle lasts much longer.

With levels gained, we can go onward!

We'll need to come back later, then. Or earlier. Or perhaps both, utilizing non-linear time.



With Cleo running circles around my feet, we continue onward through the cave.


I come at last to the time of my awakening. To the shuffling aside of all illusions, and the things that seemed signficant: the things like remembering objects, and knowing which side is left and which is right, and thinking that's important, to the true revelation of...
Um.
This healing item I found.
Oops. Sorry.


At last, we're out! Here we are, in beautiful...Uh, rainy place.

It's got Apricorns, though!


Really? It was pretty short, I thought.

"The whole thing, so I came outside."
I mean, I know there was more, but...
...Perhaps I was in a different cave. You never know.


Same here!

Set up...

Jeeze Louise! Wish I had that in my arsenal.
"Sorry, Terra, but I'm not keeping you out for that."
"I can keep going...I don't mind playing it risky if you ask!"

Bowser has to finish the match up.

Risky business, but if we're lucky, Pi'll be able to pull it off...

At least we got the hurt in.

"Yaaay, yaay! Victory over great odds!"
"Probably. He might not have had a fighting attack."

But I suppose it's more heroic to think he did.




Yes, that makes sense.

"Um, I've been to 3? Is that a lot?"


Eh, why not?

Phone numbers!

And the promise of storytime!


Speaking of which, Mom's calling!

"Hi, Mom."
"Oh, hi, June! How are you?"
"I'm doing well. All the pokemon are doing well, and...I haven't had any, um, problems for a while...The last one might have been a little big, though."
"Dear, I'm not entirely sure I understand, but...I'm sure you're doing your best. Just keep moving forward."

"Hopefully, you'll be able to make good use of it, like last time...I'd be a little worried about not helping you enough if I didn't."
"Mom?"
I pause for a moment; I'm not really sure what it is I really mean to say. Except...That I'm pretty sure anyone else wouldn't buy me potions. Anyone else would just be happy to have me gone.
"...You've always done plenty."
"...Thank you, dear." She says, though it does not sound like she believes me. "You keep doing your best, too."
The line goes quiet.


I guess I'll go pick it up, as we enter Azalea town...


And see two people having a heated discussion on the horizon.
"Yeah, I'll call a cliffhanger here, I think."
"What does that even mean?"

Alrighty! Ok, first thing to note, I'll probably update the indexes soon. Second things second, we picked up a new TM we can use! Rock Tomb! Bowser could use it, but I'm thinking it'd be better off saved, since I can't think of what it'd really do for him.

Third things Third, new pokemon availability!
Route 33
Croagunk, Skorupi, Slakoth, Aipom, Meowth, Rhyhorn (I think Rhyhorn's new.)

Slowpoke Well, in case I get to It
Slowpoke, Gastly (since we didn't catch one yet), Shellos, Shellder, Swinub, Snorunt

And, regardless of whether or not you're voting to change the party, please select one of Torchic, Treecko, or Mudkip to receive in Azalea town. This also counts for voting, but I need to pick one of them regardless of it's on the team.

[Trobby]

Ooh, a Rhyhorn! The pre-evolved version of Pokemon #1!

Let's See...Giovanni had a Rhydon, so I vote it either be named Giovanni, or if it's a girl, Sarah (from The Land Before Time)

As for that starter choice...Torchic.

[Forum Explorer]

I'm voting Titan for Rhyhorn.

Gastly: Nocturne

Shellder: Nami if female, Fizz if male.

[Javan]

I agree with Trobby on the starter, Torchic. It rounds out the free starter choices we have made so far. Although I don't vote for using it any time soon as we have Professor filling the role nicely
Save Rock Tomb for later. Also, is there a list of the TMs in the bag in a post somewhere?

Spoiler: Voting Summary

Show

Switch Who	Switch With	Votes
---	---	--
Free Pokemon!	---	--
Torchic	---	2

I am only cataloging votes between updates in case anyone was wondering...
If the vote was made before the last update it won't show up here, I am not sure how Deme is keeping track.

Updated: June's Pokemon List

Silly June, Rocks do something better than catch fire...

Spoiler

Show

They Melt!

[Deme]

Chapter 11

Spoiler: How can you not know?!

Show

When we last left our heroes, I'd declared a cliffhanger because it felt more dramatic to see what they would say later.
Now, it it now, which was once later, as all nows are... And so we see what the man in the hat is saying.



"Uh, didn't they disband?" The other man points out. Yeah, that's right! They disbanded! A guy said so!


If men in pokemon centers are wrong, I do not know who to trust.
Probably no one -- trust no one, and never look over your shoulder. Those are not my mother's rules, just mine.

The man in black shrugs sheepishly.

[b]"But we have come back to pursue Giovanni's ambition."[/color]
Ahh...Well, that's not good.



Things have escalated into violence! This looks like a job for...
somebody else!


The man backed away and fled.
"Ooh, that guy looks like bad news!"

...Um, I guess I should still look around? And make myself scarce.

"Um, can I see the well...?"

"So I'm standing guard to make sure people don't wander in."
Wells, made and tended by man: dangerous. Spelunking: totally safe for teenage girls. I see.

I would believe you much more if you didn't just say you were a criminal. Um. Sir.


The...the slowpoke.

Like...Like slowpoke tails?

Exactly like slowpoke tails.
Ok. Understood... Um... Have you called the police, or...
I mean, I think there's a serious problem and someone should...
"We've got to do something!"
Well, I mean... Someone has to.

"L-let's just go pick up what mom bought..."
"June, are you letting them run amuck?!"
"Look, they're criminals. They probably have weapons, or at least loose scruples!"



Ooh, berries! You don't find those often in Johto. These weaken a super-effective ice attack.


More pokeballs, more addiction fed.
"A lot of people do just that."


Farfetch'd! How precious!
"I'm precious..."
"Of course you are."


Is *no one* going to do something about the thugs in the town?



The forest has a protector...Well, It's likely a pokemon, so there might not be much it can do against a bunch of humans, likely with pokemon of their own. That trips up a good many pokemon with plans to take action."
"Well, they can't just rely on other people; sometimes, you gotta pick yourselves up and fix a problem... But if they aint, we oughta."

That's no good! This is your community, right? I mean, I've never exactly had 'community,' but... Geeze, people!


"He should be able to take care of it..."
I'll go ask him what he's doing!
"You could be tough!"
"Yeah, yeah! You could be tough! It calls to you in the quiet, does it not?"
"...All the more reason to avoid it."


Yes, yes!

"Then you can catch pokemon!"
Oh, is that how you make something from it... It's the shell of a seed, the pokeball.

"To catch pokemon."
...I'm not really sure how simply removing the core lets it catch pokemon, but this is probably a thing that, if I poke it too long, will collapse. I can tell by the smell.


Dagget does!


Useful tutorializing!
...Well, not actually useful. But, you know. It pays to be polite?


Yes? No? I, um, tend to break speakers when I'm near them! Maybe!

...Oh.


Yay, a present!
Also, I could go get Carilon, if that'd sweeten the pot.


Ooh, cool!


Oh, dear. Not you again...
Wait, is this fellow the same, or is he different? When I look at him, I think he must be the same.
When I turn my head, I realize he must be different. I wonder if he is actually actual, in a fully realized way.
Oh, well. These things happen. If you stopped with concern every time you met a man who wasn't there, you'd never get anything done!

"...Sure. But please, no funny business."

"Question one!"

"I think so?" I mean, I've never heard of anyone else with it, after all.


Lax inscence is for Woboffet, isn't it? The professor did research on that...


"Ok, sir, you were doing much better than the last guy, or your past self, or whichever, but it's very unwise to put numerical values on universal concepts...
Especially if you do it wrong! Reversal maxes out at 200 power, though I have no idea exactly what sort of units of measurement constitute "power"!"


I glance around. A few people are looking troubled, like they just rememebered something terrible.
"...Yes?" I offer, having felt around a bit for the answer.



Let's go with Torchic; it makes a nice triagnular trinity. Also, mudkips are totally played out, and who has ever cared about Treecko?


Excellent!
I'll call him Nick.

Oh, I've got my eye on you guys...

Let's go check out the gym...

Ok, that's it. Someone has to stop this!

I am furious!

"That's right! Get'er done!"

...I'm going to go talk to someone!

And get apricorns.

And not allow people to stand behind houses ever again!


"Found the light and learned goodness?"




Now, see, it's not theft if you give it to me.


I see...That's interesting. If only over half of my team didn't have bite.

But no more stalling; I head into the house of this Kurt guy.

"I'm called June."



"Actually, that's what I wanted to ask you about!"


Rumors of their death were greatly exaggerated.

"So they are the ones responsible!" As opposed to just profiting from it.
I hope he can do something...

"Way to go!"

Well, at least someone's willing to help...


Oh, dear...

"...Ok, that's it. June, I've decided... For your own good, we're going hero-ing!"
"Look, it's better -- it's all better -- if I don't get involved."
"...I wouldn't be. Come on June, you can do this! Quit hiding!"
"Momma, don't you want the slowpoke to be happy? Don't you want justice to be done? Don't you wanna be a hero, beloved by all?"
"I'd rather be feared than loved!"
"Machievelli says that love and fear are both necessary. However... June, I propose that you'd be best served by acting in your own --"
"Hero! Hero!"
"Yeah, that's it! Come on! We've got a day to save!"

Belle pushed me out the door and into the street.
"Hey, hey, I..."
I'm not sure I can argue. I'm afraid of getting involved...But just yelling at people doesn't help anyone.
"...Alright."
"Great!"


And so we plunge into the well.


"...Mr. Kurt, don't you have evil to stop?"

Oh, excellent!
...You do not want to know what I might have had to do to remove him. I certainly don't.

"Are you alright?"

So, no.



So.... I'm going to have to face terrifying criminals, and lead my pokemon to battle with them, without any form of adult supervision.


"Alright! Let's get to it, hero girl!"
A-alright, here I go...
"Yee-haw!"



"Well, really, you deserve to be yelled at! Good!"

"I don't deserve that! Bad!"


Getting outpaced in level terms; that can't be good.

Nor can that.

But our next tackle's enough to finish.

Aaand that's done easy. Heh. Maybe these guys aren't so bad.
I mean, in a terror sense. Not a moral sense.


"You think that..."
"No. No. You stop right there. You're not terrifying everyone with your crazy beserker thing again."
People do not terrify people if they can help it. That's a Rule.
"Oh, fine." He grumbles, crossly. "But know now that my force shall not be turned aside!"

"Very good."

No; apparently, it's mine.
"Have you guys been the ones poaching slowpoke tails?"
Every man deserves something like a trial. Well, no.
No one does. No one deserves anything; the whole notion of things happening because they are deserved is a fool's errand.
But...All the same, I will grant at least a chance of defense.


"Disgustin'!"
"Monsters!"
"Dubious businessmen!"
"...You've got a funny set of ethics there, don't you, buddy?"


Professor gets a level from us wandering about...

And I find a super potion!


"Uh, yeah, did you overhear me? That's, um, sort of want I want, if that's OK."

"I guess I do!"

"I-I will, then!"


The fight with Grimer is pretty boring; it takes a while, but nothing ever really happens.
"I hate it when they try to dodge. I mean, yes, it's practical, but it's just so frustrating."



"Alright, I get to be the hero!"
"But, but, I wanna be the hero!"
"Nope! Too bad, I said it first, so you're the sidekick!"
"Belle, quit being mean!"
"Alright, we can be...co-heroes?"
"Yaaaay!"




Another easy match.


Well, that is true.
"It's a defense mechanism -- because Slowpokes are not likely to out-pace an attacker, and not likely to actually feel damage to themselves for sometime, their tails will come off to distract a predator; the time the predator will be occupied with the tail will allow the slowpoke to make an escape or stage a counter-attack."
That is an excellent summary.
"Sounds like sissy stuff to me! If someone wants your tail, just pound 'em till they run off! Then they're your dinner! GWahahaha!"
"To each their own advantages."

That's true and all... But slowpokes in the wild have trouble growing back their tails for a while... It's still not right to just go doing it willy-nilly!

That's terrible!


Oh, hey, this'll be handy!


Yes! We have restated my central thesis many times now!

"...Isn't their rep getting beaten by a kid?"
"...Basically."



To be clear, these aren't, like, one-hit KO easy fights...But they might as well be, when all they do is raise stats they never get to use.

And the reward!



I chose...poorly.

Yeah, this isn't working...
"But I..."
"Sorry, Terra, but sometimes we have to do things we don't like. You're part of a team, so don't sweat it."
"..."
She accepted it with silence.



...Ok, still bad.

But we get our chance to take her out!
"Yaaaay! There you go, Sis!"
"...I...I'll pay you back next time, alright?!"

I guess we are.

0
It offers me something in its mouth; a damp and weather-beaten envelope, its edges crumbled and its body bent around the slowpoke's teeth.
I take it, open it, and unfold the mail inside.


This is...from Kurt's granddaughter's father.
You know, I don't know my own father, any more than I know this one -- is he alive, and planning on coming back? Is this essentially a last will? What am I looking at?
All I can get looking from it is the lonely feeling that connects the girl, waiting in her empty house for her grandfather to return... And this slowpoke.

I give him back the mail.
"I understand. I'll make sure I can get you home to look after her."
He nods, and takes the old letter back with his mouth.


"Um, uh, I'm June and I'm a totally normal person who is also here to stop your cruelty!"


...
"I'm often called the scariest person in New Bark Town; I order you not to interfere with mine!"
"clapclapclap! What a cool one-liner! Oh, but it'd have been much cooler if all the cosmos had writhed, like a sudden creature of the sea beneath the waves, churning up the waters, as you said it. That'd make it more heroic, Momma!...I...think?"
"Nah, nah, it needed a pun!"
"That's not how heroism works, you guys!"



Well, here we go!


"Alright, Terra... Now you can stay in. Finish him!"
"That's the spirit, sugar! I can...urk... Take a little poison!"


Ow!
"...And...a little...self-destructin'... What sort of goldang coward blows himself straight out of a fight?! Why, if that was anyone else..."

She continues grumbling as I switch her out in preparation for the next pokemon.



"Ah, a sneak attack. Very clever."

"But not enough to stop me, all the same."



"Shrug it off, Pi, and keep going!"

Ouch...

But Pi keeps pressing on, so we manage to finish it up.


"With us..."
That's because you're evil. And not, like, a necessary evil. Just a regular evil.

"I guess you could say this plan met with...resistance!"
"..."
"I didn't want to say it was a shocking ending, because I think I did that one last time, right? It's been a while, but that's no excuse for using jokes over!"


I didn't see it coming."
Oh, sorry...I mean, wait! I'm not sorry!
"Go home!"

"Three years ago. But we continued our activities underground."
"Yes, clearly."
"Teehee."

"Oh, hey! Is he going to tell us his plan? Alright, June, keep him talking!"
This isn't a superhero show...

Oh, I am. I always am. But compared to that...Eh, criminal syndicates. I mean, you'll all be dead.


They all flee while I'm checking on the slowpoke. They seem to be more-or-less alright, as long as people don't keep messing with them.


Kurt, apparently recovered from before, runs forth. He pauses to check on his slowpoke...

And then to me.
"I only did what I felt like I had to. No one would let up if I didn't."

Like a rocket?

"Alrighty!"
And then I'll be able to get some rest.

And so we head back to his house, with his slowpoke in tow.

"It is as the Funyarinpa fortells. Clapclapclap!"
"The what? Honeypie, are you sure you aint a few eggs short of an omelette?"
"How... How can you not know? APOLOGIZE TO THE FUNYARINPA!"


"Three years ago."
Three years ago, three years ago...Everyone keeps talking about three years ago!

Well, it's not like they're world-destroying maniacs...
Because that's probably closer to my role in life...

"Like you, June."

"I would love pokeballs. So many pokeballs. ALL THE POKEBALLS."


Pokeballs. Presents.
Present Pokeballs!


"Yup!"



I want as many balls as possible!

"Alright, see you... At some point." I really have no idea when it'll be when I come here next.


"Oh, thank you."




Aww, isn't that what matters? My heroism matters, in the end.

Sorry for the delays; I've been busy with preparing to head to a convention this weekend.