Activity Update
Virbank City
And I'm back and out of the gym. Well, I would be if this man didn't come over to me and… offer me an invite to Pokéstars Studios? I have time to spare, sounds like good fun. And it seems like Roxie's going there as well. After a quick trip to the Pokémon Centre for a well-deserved rest, I head over to the Pokéstars Studios and meet the Director before being shown around. I've always liked this place. The design of it is awesome and it always feels lively with the music, and the feature to shoot movies is pretty cool. I meet Roxie's dad and we watch his movie, which sadly turns out to be a flop. After
an existential crisis realising he's better off as a captain, he returns to his duties. Castelia City here we come!
But not before we shoot our own movie. It's pretty simple and easy playing as Riolu Girl, and the audience seems to like how it turned out. After many praise from the Director, I finally leave Pokéstars Studios and head for the ship to Castelia City, only to be stopped yet again. I find Peyton (my rival) and Roxie confronting Team Plasma, and unlike my first encounter with them, they actually want to fight.
I send out Chalcedony against the Plasma Grunt's Patrat. I try to lower its accuracy with Sand Attack, but it ends up protecting itself with Detect. After a few lucky Assists and powerful Scratch attacks, I win the battle and Team Plasma is sent scurrying. I receive the HM Cut from Roxie (thank you) before we follow in hot pursuit to Route 20 to find where Team Plasma has skedaddled off to.
Castelia City
After a brief chase into Route 20 and a quick battle with a Plasma Grunt, I finally make it on a boat to the big city. Ah, Castelia…the city of opportunities, the city of hopes and dreams, the city of getting lost, the city of…giant pirate ships… Like, that ship is
huge. I'm sure that has no significance to the story whatsoever. I walk further into the city before being stopped by a clown and I'm given a bicycle? Where the hell did this clown get this from? Does he just give bicycles to every trainer he comes across? These are serious questions that need to be answered! And now I gotta go find
more clowns? Oh boy.
I find the first Harlequin in the Battle Company. I'm already here, so why not challenge some trainers? After the first floor of trainers, I level up some of my pokémon, receive some Quick Balls, Timer Balls, Scope Lens, and an EXP. Share that I won't be using,
and Ruby finally evolves into Pignite! Time to face the company president who is…a school kid? I guess I shouldn't judge a book by its cover as the president puts up a good fight with his Eevee and Herdier, but Spinel and Ruby win me the battle.
Man, I forgot how much there is to do in this city. I find the second Harlequin in the Passerby Analytics HQ and quickly leave without talking to any of the people in there. I'd rather not spent five minutes answering questionnaires, thanks. I find the third and hopefully last Harlequin in the Medal Office and return to the original Harlequin, receiving a Rare Candy for my efforts.
Sweet.
After exploring the city and receiving many items and TMs, I finally make it to the gym only to find Burgh isn't there. Instead I meet Iris who offers to help me find Team Plasma. She leads me to the sewers, and the only thing I can think of is, "At long last…a new pokémon to catch!"
Castelia Sewers
As Peyton and I go further into the sewers, we eventually find Team Plasma and kick their butts. After they skedaddle (yet again), Burgh appears and assures us that Team Plasma isn't any deeper. Suddenly, a mysterious man with blonde and blue hair walks out of the shadows before disappearing as quickly as he appeared. Who was he?
Burge eventually leaves and I'm finally alone to catch a new addition to my party – a level 15 Zubat. Say what you want about these guys, but I really like Crobat, so I'm not complaining. I catch him (yes, a male!) relatively easily and name him Larimar.
Relic Passage
Moving into a new area already and what do I find? Why, a level 16 Woobat. Like Larimar, I catch her with relative ease and name her Agate.
Castelia City
I find the secret park via the sewer system, and my first encounter is a level 15 Rattata. I try to catch her, but Chalcedony ends up landing a critical hit, taking out all of the Rattata's HP. I stay here for a while to level grind my party, and Chalcedony evolves into Liepard during the process! I'm glad I've kept her in my party.
After battling some of the trainers in the sewers and in the Relic Passage, I feel confident enough to take on the gym. Man, the gym has had a massive makeover since the last games, and I quite like the new look with the silk cocoons. I take on the first gym trainer, I got this! In fact, no, nope, I don't got this. This guy's
Sweaddle almost takes out Chalcedony in one hit, can he not? I switch Opal out to clean up, and not only does she win the battle, but she evolves into Tranquill! The rest of the battles go smoothly, until I reach the final gym trainer and his Dwebble. Let's just say Smack Down can be pretty deadly to your Zubat. Thankfully Agate takes the Dwebble out, but the damage has been done. I've lost one of my precious bats.
I head back to the Pokemon Centre for heals and to stock up on supplies before taking on Burgh. I start the battle with Opal, almost taking out his Swadloon with Air Cutter before he uses a Hyper Potion. Swadloon's extra moments don't last long as Opal defeats it with a critical hit Air Cutter. Burgh sends out his Dwebble, and learning from my past mistake, I switch to Ruby. Good thing I do, because his Dwebble uses nothing but Smack Down until I defeat it with Arm Thrust and Flame Charge. He sends out Leavanny, his last but powerful pokémon. I'm hoping Ruby's previous Flame Charge has raised her speed high enough as I use the move again, and thankfully Ruby attacks first, taking the Leavanny out in one hit. Not as exciting as I was expecting, but I'm glad I didn't lose any more pokémon.
And I earn the Insect Badge!
It looks like my time in Castelia City is coming to an end. I leave the gym and head to the Pokémon Centre for a final rest before heading towards the northern exit of the city where I'm stopped by the mysterious man I met in the sewers. He's a scientist by the name of Colress with a dream to…bring out the power in pokémon? How strange. He wants to battle up at Route 4, can't keep the man waiting.
Route 4
I head out and meet Colress standing in front of some large, weird-looking boulders that are blocking the road. He uses some strange device and suddenly the boulders starting moving, revealing themselves to be some Crustle that are taking a nap. How rude.
Colress eventually challenges me to a battle, sending out Magnemite. I send out Chalcedony, but after a couple of attacks I realise this battle isn't going anywhere and switch Ruby out. The Magnemite goes down easily, but his Klink puts up more of a fight. In the end the type advantage works in my favour and Ruby wins the battle. Colress thanks me and leaves, giving me freedom to finally find a new pokémon in this area.
My first encounter is a level 14 Sandile. It takes a little longer to catch her because she breaks out of four Poké Balls before she's finally captured. I nickname her Carnelian, knowing that one day she'll hopefully be a large, crimson crocodile.
Current Party
Ruby the Pignite
Female|Hardy|Blaze|Lv. 23|@ Charcoal
Tackle
Rollout
Arm Thrust
Flame Charge
Chalcedony the Liepard
Female|Calm|Unburden|Lv. 21|@ Amulet Coin
Scratch
Cut
Assist
Torment
Opal the Tranquill
Female|Hardy|Super Luck|Lv. 21
Roost
Air Cutter
Leer
Quick Attack
Spinel the Magnemite
Genderless|Jolly|Sturdy|Lv. 21
Magnet Bomb
Thunder Wave
Spark
Sonic Boom
Agate the Woobat
Female|Relaxed|Unaware|Lv. 21
Imprison
Air Cutter
Assurance
Heart Stamp
Carnelian the Sandile
Female|Docile|Intimidate|Lv. 14
Bite
Sand-Attack
Torment
Sand Tomb
