Pokemon Blue Nuzlocke Time! (Part 11)

[guardians_song]

Team Rocket vanquished here, Syaoran finally takes some time to explore the legendary Department Store.

Syaoran: Eh? :D What's a "Revive"?

((Restocking inventory...))


((Using up a Iron to free inventory room...))

Syaoran: (Noticing that the man was obviously a bit odd in the head ("finished POKeMON"?), I beat a hasty retreat.)


((You know, this is a serious objection I have to Gen 1. It spoiled us. It completely spoiled us. Nowadays, you have to go find them in some wretched cave, like Moon Stones [and it's actually EASIER to find Moon Stones in this game than it is to find Stones in other generations] - but back then? Just buy as many as you like, guys! Have a total blow-out if you feel like it! :D

Was this thought to be unbalanced? I... would like to know, seriously. Because I have missed this feature so badly since Generation I. ))


((If vitamins did this in real life, you'd have to pay people not to eat healthy meals.))


Syaoran, being the chivalrous soul he is, gets her something.




BWAHAHAHHAHAA! LANCE, MEET YOUR DOOM!



On his way out of Celadon, Syaoran revisits an old acquaintance...

Syaoran: (-he shouted, beating a hasty retreat.)


Syaoran: Queen Aria... I've heard Sabrina of Saffron is a Psychic-type user. As such...
Queen Aria: You DON'T have to tell me to get out of the way of that one. Thank you for letting me off!
Syaoran: You're quite welcome. Instead... Yulong, I have need of your aid again.
Yulong: With pleasure. I have been mediating since you excused me from the battle against Surge, but I believe that my strength will only increase in battles.
Syaoran: We have plenty of battles ahead, so I hope we'll both benefit from your favor...


Pictured: the contents of Syaoran's Box (with Wormtail in there so I can inspect the box). As you can see, it's filling up, but not too fast.
(Eevee, Vulpix, Zubat, Voltorb, Drowsee, Sandshrew, Pidgey, Meowth, Geodude, Weepinbell, Nidoqueen, Raticate (placeholder))

Syaoran: (I had taken a spare Fresh Water with me, which proved quickly useful.)

Syaoran: (The poor man looked half-dead; apparently many Trainers had been attempting to gain access, and he had not had the opportunity to go in the back for supplies. ...Either that, or the supplies had run out. I honestly wasn't sure.

Since I had spare supplies of my own, I offered a drink to him...)

Syaoran: (He all but collapsed at his post, gasping and shutting his eyes in relief.)

Syaoran: (I hastily gave him more supplies, lest he attempt to split a water bottle four ways with several dehydrated men.)
A-are you sure?
Guard: ...I'd let a rampaging Rhyhorn through at this point if it offered me a drink. To heck with my 'bosses'. There's no rhyme or reason to what they're doing, and they won't tell me a thing about what's going on. One of them even threatened me when I tried to ask -
There's something bad going on in Saffron. I don't know what, kid, and truth be told, I feel guiltier letting you through for YOUR sake than I do for the sake of the mockery that's been made of my job. That's half of what's been keeping me at my post when some bunch of idealistic youngsters tries to get through. If something happened to you in there...
...
...Kid, just - just take care of yourself. If not for me, and not for your parents, for the sake of one pathetic salaryman's ability to face himself in the morning. All right?
Syaoran: ...I've faced worse than this in Celadon. I'll be fine.
Guard: Huh? What about Celadon? ...*panicked* Hey, kid, what are you talking about with Celadon?!


Syaoran: (I swear that just stepping into such a prosperous city made the world look more golden.)



Syaoran: (And, indeed, it lived up to its reputation, except...)


Syaoran: (...There were no people on the streets.
The place was deserted. No people went about their daily business, no Pokemon labored alongside their Trainers. Even the skies were empty of the ordinary city avians, although I caught sight of several Golbats and Pidgeots flying overhead in oddly coordinated patterns. They obviously weren't native wildlife - was there some sort of contest? Were they patrolling the skies for some reason?
Disturbingly, however, I did find marks of recent battles. The fronts of the houses and shops were scorched and scarred, and dried-up puddles of poison had left residues in cracks in the pavement. It appeared there had been some effort to clean up the mess, but not much. As the feeling of dread grew in my gut, I could only give thanks that there didn't seem to be much blood.
The windows of the homes and shops were all shuttered, and no one responded when I knocked and asked if anyone was home. Under the circumstances, I couldn't be certain if there was no one to be found, or no one who dared to answer.
After about half an hour of wandering the desolate streets, I discovered both the first human being I had seen, and the answer to the mystery of the abandoned city...)

Syaoran: (He demanded to know what I was doing out 'after curfew', and chased me down a side street - I luckily evaded him and his comrades, with some help from Ambassador in hiding below ground, but determined that I had little hope of taking back the city.
This was bad, this was very bad...)


Syaoran: (Mercifully, this one was lazier, and preferred yelling at me to chasing me. With his bulk, he likely thought the threat alone would cow me into submission.)

Syaoran: (Probably exactly what had doomed it.)


Syaoran: ("So what are you going to do about it, kid?" he sneered, leaning forward and grabbing me by the collar; I managed to break free and run, but I avoided a mugging by seconds. It was my good fortune that most of the Rockets were occupied with enforcing their rule upon building occupants, or I would likely have had to fight off several of his compatriots at once - and, as much faith as I had in my Pokemon, I didn't think that was a fight I could win.

I hoped to get aid from the Gym, but...)


Syaoran: (He shoved me back angrily, hardly noticing me, and continued barking orders to Pokemon and underlings within; I heard animal snarling and growling from within, of a distinctly nastier sort that I had ever heard from any Pokemon. Somehow, it appeared Team Rocket had devised a way to keep Psychics neutralized, and they were deploying it against the Saffron Gym with great success.)


Syaoran: (I sought aid in the Fighting Dojo next door, but apparently its members had been pummeled by Team Rocket's Golbats and Hypnos. They were humiliated, wounded, and unwilling to risk any more of their Pokemon to fight for the city.
If I wanted to do anything for Saffron, I was on my own.)


Syaoran: (He shoved me aside as hard as he could, knocking me flat on my arm, and continued sulking past the nearby houses, occasionally screaming abuse at them and hurling debris their way. He was obviously a bully that had tasted power, and he was abusing it for all it was worth.)



Syaoran: (For some reason, this house was unguarded, and I went in...)

Syaoran: (Unfortunately, for all his generosity, the man was obviously a kook, and there was no mystery as to why Team Rocket had dismissed him as lacking any threat to their operations.)

Syaoran: (He grinned, then waved me over to the Pokemon Center, which was apparently where they had herded stray people without Pokemon - a cruel irony, given that any Trainers with a Center at their disposal could have resisted the Rockets' siege. Since I was walking about on the streets, he apparently assumed I had come from there.

I took the opportunity to chat with those inside...)

((Dear Japanese: that is not what "specie" means. The singular of species is SPECIES.))

Young Man: But, of course, they just stay in their ivory tower - oh, sorry, Indigo Plateau - and never use all their great Pokemon when people actually need it. I... I just...
Syaoran: (He slammed his fist on the couch and slumped down upon it again, burying his face in a pillow. I bit my lip, sympathizing with his helplessness but unable to do anything about it. I had hampered Team Rocket in Celadon by unexpectedly ambushing them in their base, but I knew of no similar location here...)

Man: Myself, I was attracted here by the prosperity and job opportunities made possible by Silph wealth - as were many others. It's a tragedy to think that the company which made this city so great could also prove to be its downfall...


Syaoran: (I found this man outside of the Silph Co. building. At this point, seeing the helplessness of the people and the inability of the outside world to help them, I was prepared to rush him with my Pokemon and see what I could do in a kamikaze attack, but I noticed him fingering what looked like a walkie-talkie nervously... If he called his teammates in to attack, any attempt to ambush would prove quickly in vain.

I retreated, hoping to get aid outside, and went back to Lavender. At least those people I could help.)


((This update brought to you by Amy's Baking Company!))

Syaoran: (I fought some Trainers on the route to the west of Lavender Town, who... were not exactly qualified to face the Rockets...)


Syaoran: (There were a strange amount of high-schoolers hanging about the area, whom I quickly defeated...)

Syaoran: (His fellow Nerd offered an explanation after a brief battle:)

Syaoran: ...
Nerd: It's insane. Why won't the guards let anyone through? Is this even legal? I have a cousin who's a lawyer, and I'd call him, but we're trapped in this creepy backwater area, and I can't get through to anyone in Saffron for the life of me...
Syaoran: ...Tell you what. It's best for you not to return to Saffron right now.
Nerd: What are you talking about? Of course it is. What, are you in league with the guards? Just let us through already, this is freaking ridiculous...


Syaoran: ...And what if they want to evolve?
Lass: Don't be silly! Why would they want to get ugly~
Syaoran: ...:\


Syaoran: ...He's got his reasons...
Lass: Ugh! I know he says that, but honestly?! People can't reach their families, they can't reach their friends, they can't even go back to school if they were on vacation... this is so bizarre! Like, seriously, I know Miles is a total nerd, but I think he's got the right idea with lawyers! This is totally illegal! Or it should be!





Syaoran: (I patted him on the back, and he choked out a "Thank you" before going over to a wall, leaning against it, and continuing his sobbing.
I couldn't blame him. That could be me, someday... Poor Clefairy...)

Syaoran: (I thanked her, even though I had no one to whom to pay respects.
...I could pay respects to the entombed Pokemon in general. That would suffice.)

Syaoran: ...(She was lost in her grief. No words would have helped...)



(-memory of Pokemon.)

Syaoran: ...(I felt an odd presence...)


Syaoran: (So I looked around, seeking its source. A ghost?)

Syaoran: (While walking past a row of memorials, I caught sight of someone...)

Syaoran: (...Shaoron? What was he doing here?

With an odd feeling of foreboding, I approached...)


Syaoran: (He apparently could ask me the same question.)


Syaoran: ...?!?!?!


Syaoran: (...Fortunately, while I could barely see straight, Reservoir proved able to fight well on his own.)


Reservoir: That one's for your sake, Petra! ;D ...Hey, Syaoran? You...
Syaoran: It's... nothing... Just... keep going...


Reservoir: Say, anyone mind subbing in?
Ambassador: Not at all.


Ambassador: Syaoran? Syaoran!
Syaoran: Uh? ...Yulong, you take over next. I... need to see how you hold up to... Psychic types.

Yulong: Very well, I would say.
Syaoran: (Shaoron did not look pleased at the news. His displeasure accompanied my relief, however, so I was able to stand and see off his starter...)


Syaoran: (...Who readily fell to the same Pokemon who had dispatched all of Erika's Trainers - and the Leader herself - with ease.)
LEERSPEAR: Who says vegetarians cannot be good athletes?


Syaoran: That doesn't matter to you?! You can just shrug it off like -
Shaoron: Yep!


Syaoran: (The fog lifted as he left, but...
What was wrong with him? This wasn't him. ...Could being let out on his own really have gone to his head this much?
Well, it had certainly gone to my head... I gripped my pounding skull and winced. I needed to know what was going on, preferably before our next encounter...)


Syaoran: (I headed back to the Pokecenter to heal my companions. While there, I asked those who would know...)
Monarch: My apologies, my good man, but what you describe is utterly out of my realm of experience. We of the Caterpie People are a cultured lot, have no doubt, but we know little of the stranger aspects of the outside world.
Klakarton: ...We do not worship the same gods. I doubt any of the Ancients would bother making a boy like that an Avatar, kekeke... We have far more experienced worshipers to rely upon, if we must have one of our Gods incarnate in this measly world...
Syaoran: ...What would an Avatar feel like?
Klakarton: Oh, you'd know him if you saw him. Would just radiate malice and ichor. ...You say this kid carries overpowering darkness and splitting headaches and brain-fogs with him? Still doesn't qualify, kid. You don't wind up on the floor gibbering.
Maybe he's a human psychic who's manifesting. Maybe he's got a little something up his sleeve. But he can't be under the influence of one of the Old Gods.
Syaoran: Are there any New Gods?
Klakarton: Pfft! As opposed to the ones who have been around since the creation of this earth? Mew, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Palkia, Dialga, Giratina, Arceus, Zekrom, Reshiram, Kyurem... to say nothing of Lugia, Ho-oh, Celebi, Jirachi, Uxie, Azelf, Mesprit, Darkrai, Cressalia, Victini... and to not even mention fabled Xerneas and Yvetal...
How would New Gods even be created? Don't talk like an idiot, kid.


Syaoran: Huh, Shaoron was hanging out nearby this one... 
...It's new, too...
"Raticate, rest in peace"? Wait, his Raticate...
...
...


Syaoran: ... ... ...?


Syaoran: *holds up the Silph Scope*
Channeler: (!!!) Then good luck, boy... You may be the only thing between this town and an unstoppable invasion of the restless dead.
Syaoran: ...Have YOU been reading the "Buried Alive" copypasta too much?!


Syaoran: ...I wonder if I've killed any others...
...
...I've put a few Rocket Pokemon out of their misery, but...
...
...have I done this to any Pokemon who were happy in their lives? I...


Syaoran: A-agh! What -
((We have our first encounter! :D))

((...And it's very predictable, but to be fair, I really don't need ANOTHER Ground-type anyway.))

((This one was moderately tense until I realized Bubble was very low-power. ...It really is awkward trying to catch a Ghost-type when all your non-Normal moves have STAB. :D;;))


((Also, I would like to note that Gastly's Gen 1 sprite is awesome. The freakin' insanity of how off-model many of the sprites are is a glorious thing. It makes the interpretations so wonderfully inventive.
Yes, I'm actually a borderline Genwunner because of the issues with the game. I'm a primitive soul at heart. :);; ))


Revenant: *thrashes around inside the ball*
Syaoran: ...You're going to the PC.
Revenant: But waaaaait! I haven't told yooooou aboooout Laaavender Towwwwwn Syyyyyndroooo- *is teleported to the PC*


((LITERALLY THE NEXT ENCOUNTER. -_- Oh well - as I said, I don't need more Ground-types...))


((a.k.a. the move that makes Gary's Pidgeot into a laughingstock? No thanks.))



Syaoran: You were-
Channeler: Ah, yes - I'm sorry, boy. The spirits have grown so strong that they're taking over anyone whose defenses are anything less than impregnable - Take care, lest you be possessed, too!
Syaoran: Thank you, ma'am. I can only hope my Pokemon will protect me...


Revenant: And I haven't even toooold yooou about Buriiiiied Aliiii-
Syaoran: You're staying in the box.

((Just for a lark:))

Syaoran: But I'm playing a Nuzlocke! D:


Syaoran: ((She begged me to free them, and sure enough, no sooner had I gone up the stairs than -))



Monarch: Dear Ghosts - the psychic arts of royalty shall always prevail over your undead machinations.
Ghosts: *sulk off, muttering darkly*

Channeler: The Silph Scope at least enables you to see them, which gives you resistance to their powers. We felt only like a dark mist was descending upon us...


Syaoran: Ack! A dark mist -


Monarch: Well, I must say, life is certainly never dry around you, old chap! Imagine, that an humble member of the nobility like me would find himself working as an exorcist -
Wormtail: "Humble"?
Monarch: Shush! If you can't fight these spirits yourself, quibble not with me!

Syaoran: ...*bows head and prays for Raticate*




Channeler: I have proof positive it's effective - I'm the only one on this floor who hasn't been possessed yet!

Syaoran: Well, I can certainly say that I don't have anything to lose. :\ What say you, friends?
Monarch: Pip... pip... cheeri...o...
Reservoir: Can't feel... tail...
Ambassador: Tunneling through tiled floor... isn't pleasant...
Syaoran: Here we go, then...

Syaoran: Right! Onwards with the -

Syaoran: -exorcisms. Say, ma'am, would you care to head over to the sealed space?
Channeler: *hastens over*




Syaoran: (With the channelers on that floor exorcised and guarded by the sealed space, I proceeded upwards.)


Syaoran: No, it was that one behind you.
Channeler: Honestly! You think I'll fall for that creepyp- *turns around* GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!


Syaoran: Sweet! But who dropped the cartridge here? (:V) *sits down cross-legged on floor and pulls out his [anachronistic] 3DS*


Syaoran: ...These ghosts are getting HORRIBLY ingenious. D8 *stuffs 3DS back into bag*



Syaoran: At least this one wasn't -

Syaoran: ...booby-trapped. *facepalm*



Syaoran: D-darkness...



Monarch: I'm the Queen of England, I am!
Syaoran: Monarch, return! Go, LEERSPEAR!

Channeler: I'm so terribly ashamed...

((Another healing trip...))


((Epic animations!))


((Channeler: M-my epilepsy...

...:\ Seriously, I DO understand why these animations were toned down in later gens. I do.))

Syaoran: Er, ma'am? That might have something to do with those two bleeding puncture marks on your neck... Potion?
Channeler: Don't mind if I... *swoons*
Syaoran: D: I'm a Trainer, not a medic...


Syaoran: ...:\ Is that Morse Code?



Syaoran: Your guess is as good as mine.


Syaoran: ...Who said it was your hair?!




Syaoran: *looks around* Eh? Wh-what? Who was -


Syaoran: I- I- Such... anger... and... ...sadness? I... crushing darkness...


Syaoran: *fishes for the Silph Scope, eyes watering, and weakly twiddles with the knobs*

Syaoran: Th-thank goodness- I can at least see str-

Syaoran: And it's - eh?


Syaoran: (Its sheer rage towards humans was overpowering... And its grief over being unable to protect its fellow Pokemon. It could never rest like this...)

Syaoran: (...Mercifully, mighty though it might have been in life, it was a mere specter now, and Reservoir was able to fend it off even as it growled menacingly and advanced towards us.)

Syaoran: (...And I think it gave up the will to fight once it saw that we were only trying to defend ourselves, not harm others.
...Rest in peace, Marowak.)


Syaoran: (...As she departed, I swore I felt her nudging me onwards, whispering faintly about taking the vengeance she could not...
...The ghosts in the area calmed, though they did not depart completely. Looking around, I noticed many of the memorials had been desecrated and looted - hence why so many offerings were strewn about in the open for anyone to take. ...I would make my own donations to Pokemon Tower, once this was done. Heaven knew I had the money.
I didn't think they would be at peace until the damage was repaired. But the first step would be bringing justice to those who had inflicted it.)

 
Syaoran: (Atop the Tower, I found Rockets clustered around the hallway, shifting about and muttering sullenly, taking glances at the stairs. I wondered if Marowak had not only been guarding the stairs against newfound intruders, but preventing the prior ones from getting out.
...How long had she been planning to keep them there?
...
...For all that I agreed that these criminals needed to be brought to justice, I was suddenly glad that I had sent her on her way. Starvation was a horrible way to die.)



Syaoran: (He wiped his brow with a shaking hand and then bolted down the newly-reopened stairs, cursing wildly.)


Syaoran: (To tell from his yells and the furious shrieks that came from below, it seemed that the Channelers, freed of ghostly possession, had decided to take justice into mortal hands...)



Syaoran: (...Was that what he called murdering Cubones and Marowaks for their skulls?
...I must admit that, for a fleeting moment, I thought Marowak might have had the right idea.)


Syaoran: (In some ways, evil people are worse than any Ghosts...)

Syaoran: (Like any bully, he could dish it out but not take it.)


Syaoran: (He threw a fit and ran off...)

Syaoran: (...And was promptly intercepted by Channelers.
I had to admit, that did make me feel better about life.)


Syaoran: I'm not, am I?

((YEEEEEES! Guaranteed 40 HP damage, completely fixed! No more worries about accidentally killing off a high-level wild Pokemon, if I get one! 8D Ah, Gyaradoses are WONDERFUL Pokemon.))

Syaoran: Incidentally, has news of the incident at the Game Corner reached you lot yet?

Syaoran: And you think YOU are?
Rocket: Ha! Of course I am, kid! Who's going to stop me?

Syaoran: *whistles innocently and listens for faint yelps from the next floor down*


Syaoran: ...Yes, I KNOW you did. But you didn't STAY here of your own free will.

Syaoran: No thanks to you, you charlatan!

Syaoran: ... ... ...


Syaoran: *through teeth* Unsuccessfully.
Boy: Eh?
Syaoran: ...Nothing...

Syaoran: *nods*
Reservoir: Hey! I'm not a plushie!


Syaoran: ...
...
...You think I need an old faker like you to preach to me about loving Pokemon?
...
...*turns to leave, but Mr. Fuji puts a hand on his shoulder*


Syaoran: *examines flute carefully*

((Incidentally, after my Dragon Warrior I playthrough, I think this is a homage to the Pixy Flute used to put Golem to SLEEP. Golem is a boss monster that impedes your way to a very important town; Snorlax is a boss monster that impedes your way to a very important town. The Flutes just have opposite functions. ...Very clever, you crazy designers. Very clever. ;) ))


Syaoran: (Back in town, I consulted with the citizens.
Unfortunately, with Celadon hopelessly corrupt and Saffron under Team Rocket's rule, we had no nearby towns to ask for aid in imprisoning the Rockets the Channelers had incapacitated and hunting down their allies in the surrounding area. Indeed, if they chose to send reinforcements to Lavender, the Rockets might be even crueler than before in their attacks upon the town. And the citizens were in no condition to resist, with many Pokemon already injured, exhausted, or killed by the combination of the Rockets' assault and the ghosts' mayhem.
A few volunteered to make the long trek through Rock Tunnel, in the worst-case scenario, but that would take unacceptably long. Lost for what to do, we sat and planned...
...One Channeler brought up the possibility of aid from Fuchsia - a city even Team Rocket dared not assault, despite the Safari Zone providing unequaled bait for the unscrupulous. Koga's apprentices made sure of that. Surely they could aid us?
However, the reason no aid had been sought before was that a massive sleeping Pokemon was blocking the roadways to Fuchsia, preventing any travel. With no way to contact the city, Lavender had been helpless.
Turning the Poke Flute over and over in my hands, I thought that I might have a way to eliminate that obstacle...)



((Observe - Yulong has grown five levels with grinding. |D And isn't that a lovely attack stat? And the Special's growing as well...))


Mart Owner: What could you possibly be planning?
Syaoran: You'll see...


Syaoran: Um, I have an urgent -
Reservoir: Nah... we can take him. ...Been feeling a bit... like I needed a battle, lately...


Syaoran: (!)

Reservoir: Yeah! That's it!
Syaoran: Congratulations! ...What set it off?
Reservoir: Eh, that tower... it had a... powerful influence.
...Never mind that, though! It's gone now, and we're moving onwards! Towards victory!



Syaoran: (I placed my fingers to the holes and began to play...)

Syaoran: I -

Syaoran: ARGH! What-

((I now invite you to imagine this for several turns on end.))

((Repeat this, in particular, about 5x...))

((After a lucky crit like that, I was NOT about to allow the *bleep* to go back to sleep!))




Klakarton: Kekeke...
Syaoran: I have... a bad feeling...

All hail the mighty Reservoir! :D
((At this point, can you see why I thought I might be overleveled going into Silph Co.? Ahahaha... Yeah... about that...))


Syaoran: (As it turned out, Vermillion was closer to Lavender than Fuchsia. I entered the town briefly to request aid from the Vermillion police, then ran back to Saffron as fast as my legs would carry me.
With Lavender reinforced, there was a city to save.)