guardians_song: Ken Sugimori's concept art of the Pokemon starters, with the main characters and rival beside them. (Pokemon)
guardians_song ([personal profile] guardians_song) wrote2013-09-30 12:11 am

Pokemon Blue Nuzlocke Time! (Part 4)

Let's walk to Mt. Moon! (Yes, I'm a coward. I upped the size of my Pokedex by 50% in one session, cut me

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Syaoran: ...Perhaps it really IS less colorful in Pewter City/

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Syaoran: O-only for a moment! Who are you, Tharja?!

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Syaoran: Well, that was quick.
Sky Terror: Your Pokemon dishonored the great species of Pidgey!

Bug Catcher: Oh hey, I remember you from Viridian Forest! :D
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Bug Catcher: ...I also remember your Pidgey. D:

((Now, this time, it was a short enough walk to the Pokecenter that I didn't have to use an Antidote when Reservoir got poisoned. As such, I have a great screenshot to show you!))
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((Here we go...))

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((Yep! Actually caught the Poison flash onscreen! :D ...You don't even want to know how many screenshots that took. A LOT.))

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Syaoran returns to the local gauntlet...

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((I think any run is obligated to screencap this kid. Just for the sake of memetic posterity.))

((Also, I'd just like to point out the aesthetic loveliness of the screens fitting together. :D))

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^((An accurate depiction of this wretched THING. Had to jump across three different Pokemon to play it safe, lest Wrap pull off some sort of critical WTFery. I don't know if the turns of Wrap CAN critical, but you think I'm going to risk it?!))

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Monarch: HMPH! Did I not tell you so!? Did I not know I could do it? APOLOGIZE!
Sky Terror: ...Awk!
Syaoran: *pats Monarch on antennae* Great job, Monarch. We apologize for ever doubting you.
Monarch: Thank you. We most appreciate it.
Wormtail: *twitches* Royal we now, is it...

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Youngster: I must study further in Shorts Fu!
Syaoran: Come to think of it, I think someone named Nils had ads out in the local paper for training people in exactly that.

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((As a matter of fact, I AM storing this game on my PC! >:D *iROMy*))

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Syaoran: With Monarch leveled up, you'd better go in front, Reservoir. We're heading into unknown territory.
Reservoir: That's what I'm here for, isn't it?

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Syaoran: I didn't look at you either, lady! You looked at me! D:

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Reservoir: Ha! Knew I could... ow.
Syaoran: Take a rest, Reservoir! And... HUH?

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Queen Aria: Hello there, handsome! Are you single?
Syaoran: Aaah! My friend, this is a BATTLE, not a DATING SERVICE! Return! Return!

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Monarch: At long last, I will show you the true power of the Caterpie People!

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^((Above is at the tail end of the PRIOR attack. Yep, almost all HP gone in one blow!))

Syaoran: *whistles and applauds*
Sky Terror: ...*grudging respect*

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Bug Catcher: Let's not fight! D:

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Syaoran: ...Good grief, did I interrupt a meeting of an entomology society?

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Queen Aria: Well, not one packed with very skilled trainers, if you did.

Aaaaand we have first encounter! :D
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((...Okay. A word about this battle.

I had absolutely no idea whether L6 Spearow could survive my current Pokemon. As it turned out, a later L5 Spearow survived a Quick Attack from Wormtail with a sliver of HP remaining, so the answer WAS yes. But I didn't know that.

As such, I used Sand-Attack from Sky Terror and tried to stall out its PP.

BAD MOVE.

I don't know whether missed moves don't deplete PP for wild Pokemon or WHAT, but I ran out the PP of Growl and Harden on MY end and played switching games for a while, and it STILL showed no signs of slowing down. At last, in frustration, I began lobbing PokeBalls as I tried to do for Queen Aria. Unlike Queen Aria, it took on the third try.

The moral of the story? DON'T TRY TO FORCE A WILD POKEMON TO STRUGGLE. I know it's POSSIBLE , but it just doesn't work in practice.

Thank heavens these are early Pokemon and I can just lob PokeBalls in the worst-case scenario. Later on, I'll have status moves - and I'll probably NEED them.

At any rate, this was my first encounter with overleveling proving dangerous, and I'm glad it happened in a salvageable situation. If it had happened later, I might have lost out on some critter that ran out my PokeBalls. And THAT would have been humiliating.))
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LEERSPEAR: ...Pfah.
Reservoir: ...Is that honestly your name? With the CAPSLOCK and all?
LEERSPEAR: It is a title passed down from my ancestors from ancient times. I am the sixth LEERSPEAR of the Mountain Tribe.
Sky Terror: You call 'the sixth' "ancient times"?
LEERSPEAR: ...Observe my claws. We Spearows can only count to six.
Sky Terror: Fair enough, frail newcomer.
LEERSPEAR: *bristles* Frail? We shall see about that...

((Okay, let's explain the injoke - LEERSPEAR is actually what I named my very first Spearow when I was six years old and playing Pokemon Red for the first time. :D I caught another Spearow at a higher level, named it the same thing, and traded the first one for Dux, but the point still holds that, for me, LEERSPEAR is the classic Spearow name. I would have named a Weedle POISONWEED for the exact same reason, had I caught one. For that very reason, I've called Spearows LEERSPEAR in other games as well.

So it really is a hereditary title! XD))

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Syaoran: Hmm-de-hmm, refilling inventory...

((We fight a Youngster, and - HOLY...!))
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Syaoran: ...Um, Wormtail? This is a job for -
Wormtail: *clawing at his Pokeball* Do you think I'm objecting?! Get that turtle out here!

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((Fun note: the observant will note that the screen sways as they go down, as attacks have a screen-shaking effect. Ah, this crazed-screencapture actually catches some pretty cool moments.))

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Reservoir: We heard you the first time...

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Syaoran: ...And what is your immune system like?
Youngster: Wab's dat - HACHOOO! - gob to - *sniffle* - do wid anyding?

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((Another L14 monstrosity, this time a Jigglypuff. Sky Terror is out in front rather than Reservoir because I made the mistake of battling this Lass RIGHT AFTER the L14 Spearow Youngster, if I recall correctly. *facepalm* Yeah, I see what people mean by Nuzlocke recklessness.))

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Syaoran: Run into any Pokemon thieves?
Man: What? No, thank goodness. The wild Pokemon and other Trainers were enough for me! Man, if there had been any thieves in there, I would have been dead meat!
Syaoran: (...Knowing Mt. Moon's reputation, that was just what I was afraid of. I had faith in my Pokemon, but...)

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Syaoran: (...I had little choice. The road went ever onward.)

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Syaoran: (Before going in, though, I thought it best to heal my friends at the local Pokemon Center and listen to whatever gossip the other occupants might have.)

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Syaoran: ...Good grief, I knew big cities had crime problems, but how bad ARE they?
Gentleman: Oh, you think that's bad? Try Saffron. That place's a nightmare.
Syaoran: What do you mean?
Gentleman: Normally, the Gym Leaders work to keep order, but Saffron's Gym Leader is some woo-woo psychic who stays cooped up in her Gym all the time, staring at walls and surrounding herself with creepy, sharp-eyed Pokemon. Her Trainers aren't any different - heck, I once ventured too close and got harassed by some schizophrenic "Channeler" who swore she was being possessed by a ghost. You ask me, that place needs some "order" kept with strong medications. It's in no state to keep order in the city itself.
Syaoran: (...I was uncomfortable at the man's attitude, but I didn't know what to say in return. I hardly knew enough about the city and its Gym Leader to rebut him, after all.)
Gentleman: Meanwhile, there's another "Gym" that's turned into a Dojo - but you ask me, I think half the people in there are gang members themselves. Just cleaned themselves up and decided to turn beating people up into an art rather than an occupation. *scoffs* I tell you, it was better in my day. Society's falling apart, you young kids just don't...
Syaoran: (As he rambled on, his eyes glazing over with the fires of smarmy righteousness, I hastily took my leave.)

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Syaoran: (The expression "bats in the belfry" sells bats short. Certainly, the shrieking of Zubats was more pleasant to listen to than - What's this rock?)

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((And we have our first encounter! A Geodude, nice. To tell you the truth, I was hoping for a Zubat for Leech-Life-spam, but apparently Rock-types are VERY useful in Nuzlockes, so I'm not complaining at all.

And holy crud, L10?! Man, I'm obviously not overleveled ENOUGH! D: The wild Pokemon are going to be outleveling me soon! D:))

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Reservoir: ...Petra? That isn't a masculine name...

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((As you can see, Petra did not come quietly. AT ALL.

Yes, I intentionally only used relatively-weak Normal attacks to wind her down, but STILL. I... think she's a worthwhile addition, what do you say?))

Syaoran: (Before I could greet my new friend in person, I was accosted by a strange, sleazy-looking man on my way to the Pokecenter PC.)
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Syaoran: (I was tempted to tell him "No, I'm not interested in the candy in your van" and be done with it.)

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Syaoran: ...YES. I'll take it.

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Man: Heh heh heh! Sucker!
Reservoir: Why, you -
Syaoran: No, Reservoir... It's all right. It really is. 
*quietly* In fact, I'm not the sucker here.
Reservoir: What?

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Wormtail: Eh? Fancy name for a little fish.
Syaoran: ...I've studied a great deal of mythology in my spare time, that's all I'll say. I think this "little fish" may surprise you, with a lot of encouragement and good raising.
Wormtail: ...All right, I'll trust you, boss. But I can't tell what in the world you're thinking, that's for sure.

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Syaoran: (He misunderstood the look on my face entirely...)

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((And here are the eight out of eight Pokemon I've caught so far! :D I'd say this has been going pretty well for a Nuzlocke.
NOTE: Yulong does NOT qualify as either a Route 3 or Mt. Moon Pokemon, as it was received by non-capture means. Thank heavens. I COULD have passed up LEERSPEAR if Yulong HAD counted, but I'm not going by that variant. ))

Petra: Hmph! You losers really thought I was male just because I can beat any of you to a pulp mano-a-mano, no fancy elemental moves allowed? Ha! Sure showed you, didn't I?
Wormtail: Chill, lady. We -
Petra: Ah, I don't blame ya. Stupid human scientists got the same idea, which is why we all ended up called Geodude. 'Cause obviously dudes don't need to reproduce, they just carve more dudes out of rock. Or something.
Syaoran: Isn't your cry "Geodude"?
Petra: Humans hear what they wanna hear! Here, lemme try to write...
Syaoran: (It came out looking something like 'Jyodüd'.)
Wormtail: ...If you insist you can hear a difference.
Petra: *gives him a thumbs-down*

Syaoran: In all seriousness, everyone, I'm... afraid we have a problem.
Pokemon: Eh?
Syaoran: There are eight of you now. I'm delighted! But... only six can go with me.
Mt. Moon is a dangerous place, and I've heard there are ruthless thieves about to boot. I've seen maps - though I don't have one on me - and I also know it's incredibly twisty and filled with hard-to-distinguish passages. Without knowledge of the area, I could get turned about with ease - which, if I have anyone less than the strongest with me, could prove fatal.
I care about you all - yes, even the ones I've just met. I'm not leaving those of you who stay behind because I'm not attached to you. But, once we've undergone some preparations for the long trek, I'm going to have to leave behind those who aren't suited for the journey. Think of it as a good thing - you're guaranteed more safety that way, certainly.
So let's go train, so I can determine who's going with me.

((All right. I'm stopping here, and we'll resume with the promised L16 training-montage next time. See you then!))

sarajayechan: Angel smirking as he shows Charlie a bondage club doubling as a trust exercise (Madoka clumsy)

[personal profile] sarajayechan 2013-09-30 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
OH GOD I HATED WRAP AND CONSTRICT IN THOSE DAYS. I'm glad future generations corrected it and actually let you attack even if it did damage.

LOL Aria flirting with the enemy's male Nidora. YAY MONARCH! And omg LEERSPEAR. That's close to LEETSPEAK and I love the allcaps.

I like how you give the old dude personality and make him all stuffy and complainy. XD

They revisited the $500 Magikarp in B&W, but at least there it was useful because it was the ONLY 'karp you could get in the game, barring transferring them over from the 4th gen.

AHAHAHAHA PETRA IS KJELLE
sarajayechan: Angel smirking as he shows Charlie a bondage club doubling as a trust exercise (Pikachu)

[personal profile] sarajayechan 2013-09-30 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I never thought of it that way re: the cost of pokeballs figuring into catching Pokemon. :o Good way to look at it, though!

Yeah. D: The computer only switches out when they feel the need to be really mean (a camper switching out one Pokemon for a LUXIO against Prinplup, for example).