Pokemon Shield Day 5 thoughts and notes

After the most recent Gym battle, I need to accompany the elderly Gym Leader to Hammerlocke.

• Back in Hammerlocke, we run into our old friend Bede. Remember him? The recently disqualified one? Well, apparently Opal takes a shine to his pink overcoat, and in an equal parts amusing and awkward scene, drags him back to her gym for hopefully not sinister purposes.
  
• More explosions but apparently that's none of my business.
  
• Time to head to Route 7. And... crap.

Someone decided to run interference again, and I'll give you three guesses as to who it is. The first two don't count.

Lowlife Battle #6
Cinderace Lv51
Corviknight Lv51
Jolteon Lv51
Persian Lv51
Cloyster Lv51
Flygon Lv51

I'm done writing long rants about how absolutely pathetic he is. A pest like him isn't worth my time. So from here on out, I'm keeping things short and simple. With that said:

GO HOME HOP YOU'RE DRUNK

• I have no intention of camping but on Route 8...

OMG THERE'S A TRAINER NAMED LISA WHO RUNS A CAMP AND SHE'S A LASS WHO'S THE BEST NPC TRAINER CLASS IN THE GAME! Best of all, I don't have to feel guilty about defeating her in battle since she just runs a camp :)

• I attended an anime convention in a town called Colchester, Vermont two years ago, and stayed at a pretty good (though not among the best) Quality Inn while there. I bring this up because the name of the next town is Circhester, which sounds like Colchester.
  
  
• OMG THIS TOWN HAS DRESSES I AM BUYING ALL THE DRESSES! At least until I run out of money.
  
• Yeah, I'm pretty sure this gym challenge violates numerous safety codes.

Melony Battle
Cinderace Lv55
Corviknight Lv55
Jolteon Lv55
Persian Lv55
Cloyster Lv55
Flygon Lv55

Lisa: Proving that giant balloon Pokemon are no match for properly trained Pokemon since... November 15, 2019.

• Friendly note to Sonia: Inviting me to restaurants is fine, but not when that freak of nature is tagging along for the ride. I'd really rather not be seen in public with him. And as she talks more about legends this and wall scrolls that, I keep thinkng that, despite the fact that there is a special feel in an Oldsmobile, I really would rather have a Buick.
  
• Anyway, I'm forced to follow the two of them to the hot spring, because apparently me getting to the next gym and wrapping up this Gym challenge non-challenge is low on the priority list. And because obligatory hot spring episode. For the love of... do I really have to deal with this AGAIN?

Moron Battle #7
Cinderace Lv55
Corviknight Lv55
Jolteon Lv55
Persian Lv55
Cloyster Lv55
Flygon Lv55

*long stream of expletives*

• Ahem... After that complete waste of my time, I'm FINALLY left to my own devices. Route 9 awaits.
  
• I learn that I really hate the bike mechanic. How - and WHY - does it go over water? And why the hell do I change into some ugly bodysuit whenever I use it? No, seriously. Do some bike gods descend from above, knock me out with a chloroform rag, and change my clothes while I'm unconscious? That's disturbing. Yeah, I'm gonna use this thing only when absolutely necessary. I hate being forced to change out of this dazzling outfit I picked out for myself.
  
• Also, constant hail sucks, since Cloyster (my only Pokemon not damaged by it) can't do much to the bevy of Water-types on this route.
  
• I'm um... not sure while there's a giant steel door blocking the path to the next town... That's the type of thing you see at warehouses and store loading docks, not entire towns.
  
• Oh, hey, it's been awhile, Marnie? Oh, you know a secret way into town? That's cool. And a battle, too? I mean, yeah, it's been awhile since we last battled, so I don't mind.

Marnie Battle #2
Cinderace Lv57
Corviknight Lv57
Jolteon Lv57
Persian Lv57
Cloyster Lv57
Flygon Lv57

• This secret entrance is... not so secret, if people would just look past the giant metal door.
  
• So, like, is there a "nice" section of Spikemuth, or does it all look like red-light district?
  
• Apparently this is ground zero for Team Yell's, um... operations. And evidently nobody on the team took Economics 101, since closing off the town probably did more damage to its economy than anything else
  
• I seem to remember a Piers from the Golden Sun series back on the Game Boy Advance. I don't think this guy is the same person, though. Looks like the hardcore British rocker type, so I get him riled up with another type of British music...

BABY WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT EVERY SINGLE WORD COULD NOT EXPRESS...

Kinda appropriate, since it's lights-out time for Piers.

Piers Battle
Cinderace Lv58
Corviknight Lv58
Jolteon Lv58
Persian Lv58
Cloyster Lv58
Flygon Lv58

AND I'M NEVER GONNA DANCE AGAIN, GUILTY FEET HAVE GOT NO RHYTHM... um, sorry about that.

The man has questionable fashion sense, but give him credit for not making his monsters grow. Major props, man. Not gonna go easy on him but still... major props for going against the establishment.

• Afterward, his kid sister Marnie takes him on. I'd stay and watch but I have the last gym in my sights.
  
• But... EXPLOSIONS... and that seems as good a cliffhanger as any to end off on, lol