My favourite thing about playing Pokémon is the Nuzlocke Challenge.

I never do it when I play a game for the first time. I prefer to catch and get to know the Pokémons before I try it. It always gives me a higher change at success.

People who aren't Pokémon fans don't understand the joy that I find in replaying a game. They think that playing the same game over and over again becomes boring. I don't agree with that. Whenever I am in my first battle with my rival I always get nervous and a small rush. I watch my starter defeat the other and feel proud on it.

The nuzlocke challenge is a fun thing to add. Even when it sometimes breaks my heart to release a Pokémon that fainted. That is one of the rules after all, You have to release the fainted Pokémons or box them forever.

Personally, I release them. Mainly so that I can't use them again and cheat.

But after a while even that gets old. You know where each Pokémon is hidden and you end up with the same team because that are just the Pokémon that jump out a lot.

So when I found an emulator for my PC and the Randomizer. I went wild. First thing I did was the same whenever I got a new game. I randomized it and I played it without extra rules.

I gotta say, it is amusing to find a Mewtwo of level 5 before the first gym. Even when you got to run away from it because it is to strong for your Ratata. But when I am on my PC I always make screenshots of those moments. Just because they are to hilarious to let go.

After defeating the first two gyms I randomized the game, Pokemon Ruby, again. just to make sure that I don't have the same effect.

This time I couldn't choice Ratata as starter so it worked.

I randomized the game a third time and changed everything up. The trainer names, the classes, the found items, the TM's and of course the Pokémons.

After a quick trip to the kitchen to get something to eat and drink I made myself comfortable. I had been planning this weekend for weeks now. I made sure that my weekend was free from Friday to Sunday.

The only plan for this weekend was finishing this game in one sitting. No saves. No retries.

One change.

That was taking the Nuzlocke Challenge to a new level.

I watched as Professor Birch explained what Pokémon were and couldn't help but think "I know more then you." And laugh to myself. This was going to be a good weekend. Lights off, food and drinks ready, and a nice easy weekend full of Pokémon.

As Birch finished his talk I had to tell if I was a boy for a girl. Eeeuuhhhh… I will be a boy this time. When asked for a name I shrugged and went with my own name, Alex. Nobody cares about silly things like names anyway. The guy doesn't even know the name of his own son- ow wait. That was only in another version.

The game started up and I saw my character in the moving truck. I went about my way to my room. set the clock to the same as the one in my room, 14.15, and went back downstairs. Long talk with the mother figure and I left to talk with the neighbours. My rival run into her room as I looked around and we talked for a while. May disappeared again and I made my way towards route 101. And there was Professor Birch with a Poochyena running after him. He told me to pick a Pokémon and I looked in the bag.

What I saw, disappointed me.

I could choose out of three but none were all that good.

The first one was a Magikarp. The second a Cleffa and the last one was a Pichu.

I sat back and went over my options. I wasn't sure which May would choose if I choice Magikarp. Making him drop out in fear that she would choose the Pichu. Magikarp only had splash anyway so would have been a bad starter to begin with.

That left Cleffa and Pichu. I went for Cleffa mainly because I played enough with Pikachu to want to try something different.

The first battle was luckily against a Metapod that could only do harden.

Easy win, luckily.

Birch send me on my way to get May and the game started. The first half hour was a bit difficult. Making sure my Cleffa, which I named Klep, didn't die. On each route after Oldale Town I caught a Pokémon. Soon my team was: Klep the Cleffa, Coco the Eevee, Bruth the Growlithe, Dizzy the Spinda, Niki the Natu and Spike the Spoink.

All in all. I was pretty happy with it.

By the second gym I lost Spike to a random Gastly. I went back to the Pokémon centre and released him. Not a to bad lost though. I replaced him quickly with a Electrike named Rick.

The only other lost I got was Dizzy. He lost his live against Team Magma with a Poliwag. Which was just insulting. Especially when the first Pokémon I met after that was a Poliwag. I caught it of course and trained it so it could keep up with my team.

When Klep evolved I felt happy. Even if he was pretty useless he was my first Pokémon and he had a special place in my team. I gave him a moonstone after Klep learned Meteor Mash at level 45 and evoled him into a Clefable.

It was easy to play until I met Wally at Victory Road. I hadn't expected it but the randomizer had given Wally a Zapdos. Zapdos used Thunder and Klep fainted.

That was just a punch in my stomach. It almost really hurt to see my first Pokémon faint. Knowing that I would have to let it go after this. I finished the Zapdos with a Flamethrower from Bruth, now an Arcanine. My walk to the Pokémon centre was in shame as Bruth defeated the last in our way.

I walked straight to the box and went thought the menu.

I went to LANETTE'S PC.

I clicked on Klep and saw the option Release.

This was painful. I went to the option and clicked it.

I clicked 'yes' when they asked me if I was sure.

Then something unexpected happened.

"Klep doesn't want to leave your party. It seems like Klep is worried about you."

Okay. That made it even worse. I should have expected the friendship to by high. I took a deep breath and clicked though the dialogue. I opened the box up again and tried to release Klep again.

"Klep doesn't want to leave your party. It seems like Klep is worried about you."

I sighed "Please don't make this harder then it already is." I muttered to my Pc "I am just following my rule… I am sorry."

I tried it again and this time it seemed to do the trick.

Once I was sure I had released Klep I opened the box and took out another high level Pokémon. After healing them up I moved on to the elite four and the champion.

The battles were… boring. That was the only word for it. The Pokémons were easy to defeat and I got though it without a scratch.

I watched the ending and started my game up again.

Next step? Visiting all the legendaries. I know, I was supposed to do this earlier but I didn't want to ruin that fun before the Pokémon league. So on my way to the Regis!

I healed my Pokémon. Got my pokeballs. and surfed towards the first cave.

The Pokémon that appeared was a level 64 Gengar. Though the name only showed ?

Uninterested I tried to run.

"Can't Escape"

Oow… fine.

Gengar used Mean Look.

Ooow come on.

I switched in Bruth and used flamethrower. The Gengar fainted and I moved on.

The only Pokémon I met on my way to the cave was Gengar. Which got annoying really quick. Had I broken the game? Or had this area just been randomized to only one Pokémon? As long as it didn't mess up the Regi I would be happy. I made my way into the cave and talked to the Regi there.

It was a Mudkip. Happily I weakened it enough and caught it after throwing 12 pokeballs.

One down. two to go.

The other two regi's had randomized into a Hoothoot and a Ledyba. I caught them but wasn't to happy with those two.

I switched my team around and prepared my team that I was going to train. With the Nuzlocke Challenge completed I could go have some fun before I closed the game.

I walked into the tall grass and… a Wild Gengar level 64. which was weird. the grass around here was supposed to only hold Pokémon till level 25. Not that high.

I tried to run.

"Can't escape"

I sighed. Not again.

The Wild Gengar used mean look.

I looked at my Pokémon. They were only level 30 but no guts no glory I guess.

I ordered my Kabuto to use surf.

The attack hit its mark and the Gengar was weakened.

"? stared."

That was… unusual. I made my Kabuto attack again. The surf hit the Gengar again.

"? stared"

Again… mmmh…

I switched my Kabuto out and too my Mudkip and waited.

The Gengar didn't attack.

I grinned as I defeated the Gengar with my Mudkip. Both Kabuto and Mudkip went a level or two up.

I just love easy EXP.

As I began to train I only run into Gengars. Always level 64 and always named '?'.

After a while it got annoying and I went to a different route to train. And again the Gengars. This was just stupid. The Gengars appeared in each patch of grass and I only could take one step at the time.

Maybe I had broken it or maybe the randomizer wasn't as good as I thought it was.

I flew back to Pacifidlog Town and sat back. Maybe I should take a break. I had been playing for 35 hours straight not. A shower would do me good.

I picked up my stuff and left the PC as I walked to the bathroom.

When I returned the PC was where I left it. though my Pokémon were different then I thought I had. Bruth, Coco who was by now an Umbreon, Rick, Niki and Popo the Poliwag were in my party. Which surprised me as I thought back. Why had I gotten them out? I came up blank as sat down behind my desk again. I moved to the water and let Popo use Surf. The moment I touched the water I got into a fight.

Another Gengar appeared and I sighed, not this again.

Niki was out as first and I used a Psychic. The moved missed. Oow well.

"? used Mean look."

I grinned. The gengar was level 64 and had the type advantage yes. But Niki was level 78. This would be easy.

"Niki used Psychic. The attack missed."

"? used sing."

"Niki fell asleep."

"Niki is fast asleep."

"? used Dream eater."

"It was super effective. It was a critical hit."

"Niki fainted."

"Do you want to continue fighting?"

…. What…. What just happened? Niki died after one hit? Really? That is just stupid!

I took a deep sigh and pressed no.

"You can't escape the fight."

Right… Mean look.

I set in Rick.

I let Rick use Thunder and the attack missed.

The Gengar used another sing and Rick fell asleep.

Rick wouldn't wake up and after another Dreameater Rick fainted.

The screen turned black.

"What? You can't be serious. I still had Pokémon to fight with!"

The screen turned on again and I was in Ever Grande City. Before the box.

I walked towards Nurse Joy and watched her heal my Pokémon.

But I only saw three pokeballs in the machine. I opened my menu and checked on my Pokémon. Niki and Rick were gone. I walked over towards the box and checked with my stored Pokémon. They weren't there either.

Why were they gone?

I checked everything and after a few minutes I had to accept the fact that they were gone. Which was really annoying. I had worked hard on those Pokémon. But it is just a game and I need to keep moving on. I put away Coco, Bruth and Popo and put 6 others in my party to train. I walked outside. Into the grass.

And ? was there again.

I tried to run but I couldn't escape. S first move ? used Mean look. That stupid Gengar always did the same thing. It destroyed 5 of my 6 Pokémon before the screen became black again.

I was again in Ever Grande City in the Pokémon centre in front of the box. I opened my menu and checked my Pokémon and saw that the 6 I had put in my party were gone but that Bruth, Popo and Coco were in their place. I switched my Pokémon again.

This went on for a while. Me trying to get something done while that stupid Gengar kept showing up.

Most would have already stopped by now but no. Now it was personal.

After ? had destroyed all my boxed Pokémon and made them disappear, I was sure that that stupid Gengar was at fault for that, I only had Bruth, Coco and Popo left. I made sure to by a lot of Max Repels and Max potions before I moved out to another random grassfield.

Popo vs ?

"? Used mean look"

Popo's Ice Punch missed.

"? Used sing"

Popo fell asleep.

"? Used Dream Eater."

Popo fainted.

I sighed. I Can't believe that I won the challenge but that I lose from that same stupid Gengar Over and over again!

The screen turned black and I woke up in Ever Grande City AGAIN in the Pokémon centre AGAIN!

I opened my inventory to look though my items. Maybe I could just catch the stupid Gengar and have it over with. I thought I still had my master ball.

Then I noticed something. I had a Mail in my inventory. I never used them much. Always thought of them as useless so I was surprised to find one. It was closed and I opened it curiously.

"Why? Why do you let them stay?

I am sorry…

I promise I will be strong."

I stared at the letter in shock. When had that appeared in my inventory? Where did it come from?

I walked out of the Pokémon centre while I made sure to stay clear of the grass. Just walking the path as I thought.

Level 64 Gengar without a name… mmmh…

I stepped into the grass and a battle begon.

Ooow no not again.

? appeared. I send out Coco.

Before either could attack I tried to use a ultra ball.

"Pokémon from other trainers can't be caught!"

… what? But… but I keep finding this Pokémon in the wild. Then how come I can't catch it.

"? run"

And the battle ended. I stood in the grass as I stared in shock. Why would it have run? I walked out of the grass and moved towards Victory Route.

I got a cold feeling as I remembered that Gengar looked exactly like a Clefable… the rumors that Gengar really was Clefable's shadow. I made my character run to the cave and walked in. I used a repel and the Pokémon stayed away.

I got to the place where Wally and I had fought. And I saw two items laying on the ground where Wally and I had stood. I picked them both up. The first item was a Moon stone. The second was a pokeball.

I walked around the cave. Even when the repel stopped working but I wasn't attacked by a Pokémon. After walking for a while I found a new opening. I checked online and found that the opening in the wall wasn't supposed to be there.

So the first thing I did? I opened my menu to save my game for the first time I started it.

I pressed the button and:

"Error: Action is not recognized"

…

Oo well… my game was messed up anyway.

I made my character walk though the opening.

The other room was dark. All the light in the room seemed to come from the opening and I couldn't even move my character to the left or right without it making the sound that I walked up to something. So I made my character move forwards. Further into the inner cave.

Suddenly a loud crash came from my game and I jumped back a bit. The light in the cave disappeard excepts for a very small shine from something out of sight. I turned my character back to the place where the opening once was and tried to leave. I talked with the wall and it gave the message:

"This rock can't be moved."

I looked though my TM's and saw that I didn't have one for dig and that Bruth and Coco suddenly couldn't learn any new moves.

With no other choice left I turned back and walked towards the light.

My character stopped in front of a small light circle. In it stood the pixalated form of Clefable. A shadow could be seen at clefable's sight. And the shadow looked like a Gengar.

I tried to save again but I got another error.

Okay… no guts no glory right?

I walked up to the Clefable.

"You gave over Mystery Mail."

A textbox appeared.

?: ….

?: ….

?: … why?

And the text stopped.

I pressed Z again to talk again.

?: Why did I have to go?

I had to swallow and lick my lips. Before I pressed Z again.

?: Why do you care more for THEM?

And another battle started.

"Klep wants to fight."

I send out Coco and the battle started.

It wasn't much of a battle. I couldn't hit Klep with any attacks and Klep kept critical hitting my poor Umbreon.

Coco died and I sighed "No.. Coco."

Do you want to continue battling?

I pressed No.

Klep: You can't escape.

And Bruth was send out.

It was painful to watch my priced Arcanine be destroyed without as much as damaging the Clefable.

But at least it was over now. I had no more Pokémon which meant I would be send to the Pokémon centre and then I would close this stupid game and never play it again.

But the screen didn't turn black like it normally would when I would faint. No. instead I saw my character stand in front of Clefable. In front of Klep.

"Klep: See. I am strong."

A lot of dots.

"Klep: ANSWER ME!"

I wasn'te ven sure what was going on anymore. But I couldn't stop myself from whispering "I can't answer you." My voice sounded to loud in my room.

"Klep: … I am sorry…"

"Klep used Sing."

And the old lullaby sound filled the room.

I watched as my screen blinked in and out. It was black for a second before coming back.

My character was sitting by against the cave wall. He looked like he was leaning against it but it was hard to see.

Clefable was jumping around my character with a happy face above it. The song kept playing.

I leaned on my desk as I watched the screen.

My eyes were growing happy.

Text appeared on my screen.

"Klep: Now we will always be together."

The last thing I felt was something taking a hold of my shoulder before I surrendered to my sleep.