Chapter Ten: Traveling to the Big City
After I left Vermillion City, I rode through Route 11 but could not get much beyond that as a Snorlax was sleeping in the way requiring me to back track all the way to Cerulean City. After getting back to Cerulean City I went west and trained as I made my way down Route 9 and Route 10 even going fishing for a little bit on the way. I spent the night at the Pokémon Center outside Rock Tunnel healing my team before I traveled through the dark cavern. I wasted no time in getting through the tunnel using my motorcycle's headlight to light the way. Once through the dark caverns I made my way south to Lavender Town.
While exploring Lavender Town I bumped into Morty the ghost type gym leader from the Johto region, and he challenged me to a battle. He had five Pokémon and I knew this was not going to end well when he led off with a level 40 Mimikyu who set up with a sword dance as Cathlulu put up some toxic spikes. Mimikyu continued to set up as Cathlulu used flip turn to escape and I sent out Max into the battle only to fall to a play rough. The rest of the fight continued the same way with Mimikyu taking out my whole team. After returning to the Pokémon Center, I decided that I would skip town and headed west towards Saffron City along Route 8. After a good day's ride even going through an underground tunnel I ended up in Celadon City where I traded the blue shards that I had collected on my journey for water starter Pokémon eggs and used my rare candies to level them and most of my team up to level 44 and then bought some water stones so that I would be able to evolve my team up.
With all of my setup done I made my way to the gym with my new team still led by Cathlulu and had a level 44 Samurott named Jack as the first back up. I also had Pokey now a level 44 Slowbro along with Rosa. My last two Pokémon were Nigel who was a Pelipper and Barrage who I had given a water stone to evolve into a Cloyster. The first of the understudies to challenge me was a Lass named Kay who held two Pokémon. The first was a level 38 Nuzleaf that fell to a single venoshock from Cathlulu only to be replaced by a level 38 Pumpkaboo who fell to a single Hex ending the battle. My next opponent was a Beauty named Bridget carrying four Pokémon. The first was a level 37 Oddish I instantly recalled Cathlulu and sent in Jack who was not affected by the opponent's sludge. Jack used fury cutter only for Oddish to heal some of the damage off with a giga drain. The repeated this contest before oddish fell to the third fury cutter. Bridget then sent out a level 37 Bellsprout who was one shot by the empowered fury cutter from Jack and was replaced by a level 38 Roselia who used petal storm after avoiding a fury cutter. The second fury cutter hit just fine but was no longer empowered and the continual petal storm was draining Jack's health. A second successful fury cutter knocked Roselia out and caused Bridget to send in her last Pokémon a level 37 Cherubi who fell to a single super effective fury cutter. After I healed my team up, I continued to assault on the gym only to be challenged by another Beauty this one named Tamia who carried two Pokémon. She led off with a level 35 Bellsprout, so I switch Cathlulu out for Barrage who took a sludge only to be poisoned. Barrage retaliated with an icicle spear knocking Bellsprout out in a single hit and forcing Tamia to send in her level 35 Leavanny who took two hits from an icicle spear ending the battle and sending me to heal Barrage up from the poison before I continued to take on the gym. After seeing how effective Barrage was, I switched him into the lead after healing my team up. The final understudy outside the inner grove was a Picnicker named Tina who held two Pokémon. Her lead was a level 37 Breloom that fell to two hits from an icicle spear and replaced by a level 35 Quilladin that also fell to two hits from an icicle spear.
There were only three understudies inside the inner grove the first was an Ace Trainer named Mary that carried five Pokémon. The first one she sent out was a level 35 Grotle who took three hits from an icicle spear before falling and was replaced by a level 35 Graveler that fell to a single razor shell. Mary's third Pokémon was a level 36 Ferroseed who Barrage could not hit super effectively but still fell to four hits from an icicle spear only to be replaced by a level 35 Tentacruel. Tentacruel used a barrier to survive five hits from Barrage using spike cannon. This process repeated itself before Tentacruel used sludge to poison Barrage as he continued to rain down shots from the spike cannon. After another sludge from Tentacruel he finally fell only to be replaced with a level 38 Lombre who fell to four hits from an icicle spear ending the battle with Mary and sending me to heal my team before I continued to tackle the gym. The next understudy I had to challenge was a Beauty named Lori who only had a level 36 Exeggutor that fell from to hits of an icicle spear. The final understudy was a Lass named Lisa who carried two Pokémon. Her lead Pokémon was a level 39 Deerling that fell from a critical hit from a single icicle spear before being replaced by a level 38 Tangela who fell from three hits of an icicle spear. With all that done I was left with the gym leader to battle.
The gym leader was named Erika who had five Pokémon with her lead being a level 43 Rillaboom that set up some grass terrain upon entering the battlefield and hurt Barrage with a grassy glide before falling to four hits from icicle spear. Erika's second Pokémon was another level 43 only this one was a Meganium who took Barrage out with a giga drain causing me to send in Cathlulu who used venoshock only for Erika to swap out Meganium for a level 44 Venusuar who easily tanked the hit. Erika mega evolved Venusuar as Cathlulu set up some toxic spikes before Cathlulu fell asleep from Venusuar's sleep powder. While Cathlulu continued to sleep Venusuar used earth power twice to knock Cathlulu out. I sent in Pokey as she had the best chance to deal with the flower lizard only to fall asleep from Venusuar's sleep powder before she could do anything. Pokey did not last long falling to a giga drain while she still slept and making me send in Nigel who as the terrain returned to normal. Venusuar continued with its strategy as Nigel was put to sleep before he could do anything with a sleep powder then used two sludge bombs to finish the bird off before he could wake. I sent in Rosa who fell just as quickly although she was never put to sleep and managed to get off a single aura beam. With Jack as my final Pokémon in the battle I had little hope for coming out with a win and was not surprised as after cutting Venusuar Jack fell asleep to a sleep powder and was taken out by an earth power followed by a giga drain. After healing my team, I switched Cathlulu out for Swana my level 44 Swanna and Rosa for Aragog my level 44 Araquanid before challenging Erika again.
For the second challenge I led off with Swana who got off an air slash before Rillaboom escaped with a u-turn and Erika sent in a level 44 Sudowoodo. Swana setup a tailwind before falling to a wood hammer causing me to send in Barrage who took Sudowoodo out with five hits from an icicle spear. Erika sent in Meganium who used giga drain to one shot Barrage before I sent in Jack. Jack tanked a giga drain before hurting Meganium with a steel type cut. That continued for three more turns before Jack fell leaving Meganium weakened as the terrain ended, I sent in Nigel who tanked an ancient power before using an air slash to finish the fairy tank off. Erika sent in Rillaboom who set up the grassy terrain again before using grassy glide with Nigel barely hanging on to finish the gorilla off with an air slash. Erika sent in a level 43 Serperior who used a leaf storm to finish off Nigel. I sent in Aragog who survived a leaf storm before sucking out Serperior's health with a leech life before falling to another leaf storm leaving me with Pokey. Pokey was also one shot by another leaf storm ending the battle in Erika's favor forcing me to pause once again to think up a new strategy before I tried a third time to battle her.
After thinking on it I rearranged my whole team and had Barrage lead off with Jack still supporting him. I followed that pair up with Aragog and my level 44 Primarina named Fabio. The last two Pokémon on my team were Max and Flop both now level 44. Erika as always started with Rillaboom who used grassy glide to weaken Barrage before falling to four hits from an icicle spear. Erika then sent in Meganium who received a defensive boost from the terrain before I decided to switch Barrage out for Aragog who tanked two giga drains before he set up an aqua ring. With the aqua ring in place Aragog used leech life to stand up to the regeneration monster Meganium and its giga drain for five turns to run the grassy terrain out. Meganium the switched to using dazzling gleam allowing Aragog to finally start to lower its health. It took four turns before Meganium fell only to be replaced by Serperior who used leaf storm which Aragog held through one turn of draining the dragon's life with leech life. After a second leaf storm I sent Flop in who barely lived through a leaf storm before using ice fang to finish off Serperior. Flop got off an ice fang against Erika's mega Venusuar who used giga drain to finish off my Pokémon. I sent in Jack who used flip turn to avoid the sleep powder and sent in Max who fell to a second sleep powder and sludge bomb combo. I sent Jack back into the battle who had amazing luck to avoid three sleep powders and rain down a series of cuts to knock out Venusuar. Erika then told me to not go easy on her and give her everything as she sent out her final Pokémon the Sudowoodo. Sudowoodo got off a wood hammer between a pair of cuts from Jack that ended the battle in my favor. After the battle Erika gave me TM 19 which held giga drain along with the rainbow badge.
After healing my team, I went to the rewards office for the casino and bought up all the TMs I could before I went next door to the casino and down into the Team Rocket Hideout. Fighting through the hideout did not take too long with my team and before I knew it, I was facing the boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni. He started off the battle with a level 45 Nidoking who Jack hurt with a flip turn to send in Rosa who lives through a thunderbolt before I send Jack back in who is immune to the sludge bomb Nidoking used. After a cut took out Nidoking and Giovanni sent in his mega Kangaskhan who took out Jack after being cut up repeatedly. Barrage came in and survived a double body slam taking the beast out with three hits from an icicle spear only to fall to a Rotom. I sent in Lanturn who was burned by a will o whisp before setting up an aqua ring. After trading a few scalds for shadow balls Lanturn took the ghost out and was faced with a Hunchkrow who stood no chance as Lanturn healed up with a parabolic charge. Giovanni showed his frustration as he sent in his final Pokémon a level 45 Infernape who took out Lanturn after surviving a scald while setting up a sword dance. I sent in Pokey who survived the thunder punch from Infernape because of the Wacan Berry that she held and took out the monkey with a psychic attack. After the battle Giovanni ran off while leaving a Silph Scope behind. I quickly got out of there and went back to the Pokémon Center before heading out of town the next morning.
By noon I was already making my way into Saffron City and saw that it was under the control of Team Rocket with the only places accessible were the Pokémon Center, Pokémon Mart, and Fighting Dojo. I decided to make my way over to the dojo and challenge it upon entering I saw that there were only five trainers inside. It was set up as two double battles followed by a single champion the first double battle was against a pair of black belts Hitoshi and Hideki. Hitoshi sent out a level 45 Sawk and Hideki sent out a level 45 Conkeldurr while I sent out Fabio and Pokey. Sawk used endure as Fabio knocked Conkeldurr out with a moonblast. Due to his move Sawk endured Pokey's psychic attack. Hideki sent in a level 45 Breloom who used seed bomb after Sawk used reversal only for them to fall to an ice beam from Fabio and a scald from Pokey. Hitoshi was the only one with any Pokémon left and sent in a level 45 Falinks who took Fabio out with a first impression only to fall to Pokey's flamethrower. Hitoshi sent in his final Pokémon a level 46 Throh as I sent in Swana and quickly took out Throh with a critical hit from an air slash. With that battle ended I returned to the Pokémon Center to heal up my team before taking on the next pair another set of black belts named Aaron and Mike. They sent in a level 46 Sirfetch'd and a level 46 Hariyama to face off against Fabio and Pokey. Fabio took out Sirfetch'd with a moonblast while Hariyama endured the psychic blast from Pokey only to fall the following turn to Fabio's energy ball. Now it was a two on one with Aaron sending in a level 46 Poliwrath who quickly fell to a critical hit from an energy ball by Fabio. Their final Pokémon was a level 47 Primeape who used trash on Pokey before falling to a moonblast from Fabio ending the battle.
The last opponent in the dojo was Chuck from Johto who had taken over from the previous owner and had five Pokémon with him. He started off with a level 49 Hitmontop who made Fabio to flinch with a fake out. Hitmontop then used a triple kick hitting three times before enduring a moonblast with his focus sash before using triple kick again hitting twice before falling to a sprinkling aria. Chuck then sent in a level 49 Lucario causing me to switch to Pokey who tanked an extreme speed. Lucario started setting up with a sword dance before taking a flamethrower to the face. Lucario used close combat to weaken Pokey before falling to a second flamethrower and being replaced by a level 49 Gallade. Gallade reacted to Chuck's mega ring becoming a mega before bulking up as Pokey used a psychic to cut Gallade's health in half. Gallade survived another psychic while bulking up before taking Pokey out with a shadow sneak, so I sent in Max. Max did not last and fell to a critical hit from a psyco cut. I sent in Swana as a replacement, but it was useless as Gallade sweep through the rest of my team forcing me to retreat and heal back up. After healing up at the Pokémon Center I came back for round two.
On my second attempt I led off with Nigel who flinched from Hitmontop using fake out which was a critical hit. After taking a brutal swing from Hitmontop Nigel started setting up with stockpile. Hitmontop used triple kick hitting three times before Nigel set up with the second stockpile. After surviving three more hits from a triple kick, he healed by roosting. Nigel survived anther three shots from a triple kick as he continued to heal by using roost. Hitmontop continued to use triple kick while Nigel set up a third stockpile. After surviving two hits from a triple kick Nigel cut Hitmontop's health in half with a single air cutter before tanking three more hits from a triple kick and finishing off Hitmontop with a second air cutter. Chuck sent in a level 49 Breloom who put Nigel to sleep with a spore attack. Breloom then proceeded to set up a substitute before using two turns of rock slide to almost finish Nigel off but he held on to wake up and roost before Breloom used spore to once again put Nigel to sleep. Breloom used rock slide for another two turns as Nigel slept before missing a third and Nigel woke up to heal with roost again. Chuck switched Breloom out for a level 49 Lucario as Nigel returned to full health. Then Chuck switched a level 49 Poliwrath who absorbed Nigel's water pulse. Poliwrath retaliated with a surging strike hitting Nigel three times before taking an air cutter. That action repeated itself before Nigel used roost after taking another three hits from a surging strike. After repeating that Nigel took Poliwrath out but not before taking another three hits from a surging strike. Chuck sent in Breloom who used spore to make Nigel fall asleep before using a rock slide that happened to be a critical hit to knock out Nigel. I sent in Swana to continue the fight and one shot Breloom with an air slash. Chuck then sent in Lucario, and we each used the turn to set up with a tailwind and a sword dance. Swana then used air slash as Lucario continued to use sword dance. After surviving a second air slash Lucario used close combat to one shot Swana forcing me to send in Max who survived an extreme speed before taking Lucario out with a power up punch. Chuck then sent in his final Pokémon Gallade who mega evolved before taking max out with a drain punch causing me to send in Fabio. As Gallade tried to bulk up Fabio wasted no time and one shot him with a moonblast ending the battle. After the battle Chuck gifted me with TM 60 containing Drain Punch and one of the two Pokémon behind him. I ended up taking the Clobbopus and went to the Pokémon Center to heal and resort my team before I went to take out Team Rocket from the city.
Current Team
Nigel Level 52 Pelipper
Moves: Stockpile, Water Pulse, Roost, Air Cutter
Pokey Level 52 Slowbro
Moves: Flamethrower, Psychic, Ice Beam, Scald
Fabio Level 52 Primarina
Moves: Ice Beam, Sparkle Aria, Energy Ball, Moonblast
Jack Level 48 Samurott
Moves: Cut, Slash, Flip Turn, Sword Dance
Barrage Level 48 Cloyster
Moves: Poison Jab, Spike Cannon, Razor Shell, Icicle Spear
Lanturn Level 48 Lanturn
Moves: Aqua Ring, Signal Beam, Para Charge, Scald