Current team:
- Monke.
- Birb.
- Betsie.
- Ladrillo.
.
As I am about to exit Oreburgh City, Abortion runs past me yelling nonsense, but at least I kinda get where I need to go.
Back in Jubilife City, the president of the Pokétch company gives me a new function for the thingy: basically being able to draw. Then I walk up the street, where two Team Galactic grunts are pestering Professor Rowan. Lucas and I take them down in a double fight.
Then a random chubby guy gives me a box-shaped heart! Or was it a heart-shaped box? ...kidding, it's called "fashion case".
I continue towards Route 204, where I catch a Budew and lovingly nickname her Salad.
Then I enter the Ravaged Path, where I catch another Zubat and name her Noise.
I make a light miscalculation, which causes two twin todler girls (each with one Pachirisu) to kill Salad. Fortunately, with every down comes an up, and after avenging her fallen comrade, Birb evolves.
I reach Floaroma Town, where a lady gives me a psyduck-shaped watering can in case I intend to plant berries.
I then continue on to Route 205, where a little girl asks me to find her dad, who hasn't returned from Valley Windworks. I go there, and in the patch of tall grass I catch a Buizel and name him Tails.
The door to the building is being guarded by a Team Galactic grunt. I beat him and then he runs inside and locks the door so I can't follow him, but he's dumb enough to spill where the other key is: two other grunts have taken it with them, and they are in the Floaroma Meadow.
Before heading there I heavily grind my team, which also entails rushing Pokémon to get healed after they have been poisoned or badly hurt. Soon enough all my 'mon are leveled enough except for Noise, and when I go ahead to train her she gets two-shot crit by a Starly and dies.
Rest in pieces.
I move on to the meadow, where both grunts are threatening a balding man so he gives them honey. Birb happily takes them down, one by one.
They run away, dropping the key I needed, and the balding guy gives me honey as a thanks for having saved him, which I rub on a tree right there in hopes of attracting some Pokémon.
.
I get some potions, and then finally head back to Valley Windworks in order to fight Team Galactic.
The grunts on the way are easy to handle. Birb oneshots the first one and then takes down the second one with the help of Betsie.
It's then time to face Commander Mars. Monke handles her Zubat, but gets poisoned in the process. Then out comes Purugly.
I keep restoring Monke's health with potions, but the poison in his system and the foe's attacks keep bringing it back down, so I decide to sacrifice poor Ladrillo in order to not lose my best Pokémon.
Before falling to his death, Ladrillo buys me enough time to heal Monke, and also reduces Purugly's health to its half. She earns a salute, and all my respect, and is avenged by a very enraged Monke.
After the bad guys retreat, there is an almost somewhat emotional reunion between the todler and her father, and she tells him to go take a shower because he stinks.
.
Moving on.
I head over to Route 205, where I catch a Shellos and name her Mitty... Who immediately gets killed by a Shinx while grinding.
I enter Eterna Forest, where a girl named Cheryl doesn't really dare crossing it alone, so she asks me to escort her in exchange of healing my Pokémon with her Chansey. I accept due to plot convenience.
Then I catch a Misdreavous and name her Wayward! She is now my favorite child. Can't wait for her to become a Mismagius. I love Mismagius.
After a long walk and several battles we reach the exit. She leaves, and I never see her again in my life.
After exiting the forest I kick the asses of several fishermen. My favorite has 6 freaking magikarps. As soon as I defeat him he says "oh well, I should have taken this more seriously", and somehow I find him relatable.
I finally reach Eterna City, which is plagued by Team Galactic grunts.
Cynthia comes and gives me the HM01 Cut after telling me there's a statue of a legendary Pokémon... Then leaves.
I enter Gardenia's Gym, and Monke easily oneshots every trainer in it before reaching the leader herself, then also oneshots Gardenia's two first Pokémon and two-shots the last one despites ending up paralized. Poor Gym Leader couldn't even use a potion. The type advantage made it quite easy for me.
And with that, I got the second badge!
.
RIP Salad.
RIP Noise.
RIP Ladrillo.
RIP Mitty.