Route 222

So… you’re just gonna head directly for the gym?

- Yep.

No stops along the way?

- Nope.

You don’t want to explore a bit more?

- And who knows what supervillain I might bump into next? I just want to get to the pokemon league, find Doc

Um.

- and get my answers before I’m dragged to another place by some weird dragon with a gemstone in it’s chest.

There’s a–

- What? There’s a what?

An electabuzz stands right in front of me, blocking my path. Pokeball go!

Electabuzz: It’s… it’s a… it has stripes.

- Welcome to the bench, Bester!

Bester ♂ Lv. 41

Sunnyshore City

I barely make it into the gatehouse before some guy with a red afro stops me.

Hey there. I’m Flint of the Elite Four!

- Oh, hi.

I’m just here to warn you that Volkner, the gym leader here, is sulking at the top of the lighthouse. It would seem he’s gotten bored of battling “weaker” opponents.

- Heh..

You’re going to have to convince him to battle you first.

- Don’t worry, I have an idea.

I waste no time in climbing the lighthouse and find Volkner staring off into the distance.

- Hey! You, me, battle, now!

Why? What makes you so special. You’re just going to be as weak as the others…

- Did any of that weird crap that happened yesterday at Mount Coronet make it to the news?

Yes, why?

- That was me.

I see… meet me at the gym in 5 minutes.

5 minutes later…

Go Jolteon!

- Go Na'Toth!

- Mud bomb!

Iron tail!

Jolteon flips forwards and slams it’s tail on Na'Toth. Na'Toth throws a glob of mud at jolteon which explodes on contact, splattering mud all over.

- Mud bomb!

Volkner sprays a hyper potion onto his jolteon before it’s smothered by another of Na'Toth’s mud bombs.

- Surf!

Iron tail!

Jolteon tries another tail slam but misses completely and is quickly washed into the arena wall by Na'Toth’s tidal wave.

Go Raichu!

- Mud bomb!

Focus blast!

Raichu focuses a ball of bright energy and flings it at Na'Toth but it flies wide and explodes against a wall. Na'Toth splatters raichu with an exploding glob of mud.

- Surf!

Focus blast!

Raichu musters another focused energy ball and forces it into Na'Toth’s face. Na'Toth summons another tidal wave and washes raichu up against the arena wall right next to jolteon.

Go Electivire!

- Mud bomb!

Quick attack!

Electivire darts across the arena and jabs at Na'Toth who flings a muddy bomb that explodes in electivire’s face, covering it in gunk. Electivire swallows a sitrus berry it hat hidden away.

- Mud bomb!

Quick attack!

Electivire jabs at Na'Toth again. Na'Toth throws another glob of mud but electivire side-steps it.

- Mud bomb!

Quick attack!

Another quick jab from electivire and Na'Toth throws another bomb wide, splattering mud pretty much everywhere except where electivire is standing.

- Mud bomb!

Quick attack!

Na'Toth gets another swift jab to the face but waits for just the right moment to practically shove a mud bomb down electivire’s throat.

Go Luxray!

- Na'Toth return! Go Lennier!

Crunch!

As Lennier enters the arena luxray chomps down hard on his arm.

- Damn… Lennier, return! Go Talia!

Thunder fang!

Talia is greeted by being bitten by luxray while it channels electricity through it’s teeth.

- Flamethrower!

Thunder fang!

Talia showers luxray in flame and luxio bares it’s fangs and leaps at Talia, missing and landing awkwardly.



- Flamethrower!

Thunder fang!

Talia spits more fire in luxray’s face. Luxray bites Talia on her hind leg and electrocutes her.

- Flamethrower!

Volkner opens a full restore and sprays it on luxray. Talia continues to spit fire at luxray, charring it’s fur.

- Talia return! Go Ko'Dath!

Ice fang!

Ko'Dath enters the arena as luxray bites her with freezing cold teeth. Ko'Dath's presence whips up a hail storm which batters luxray a little.

- Avalanche!

Fire fang!

Luxray bites onto Ko'Dath’s arm and immolates her, burning her to cinders. The hail storm continues to chip away at luxray.

- Nooo! Talia, finish this!

- Flamethrower!

Thunder fang!

Talia engulfs luxray in flames, leaving little but ash behind.

Well… maybe there are still some worthy trainers out there after all. Congratulations, I award you the Beacon Badge!

So you have all eight badges. The pokemon league is your next destination?

- Yep.

Route 223

Hey Caldar!

- Oh, hi Barry.

I was looking for the gym leader and some nice lady gave me a couple of these HMs, you can have one!

Barry hands me a HM07, it says waterfall on the case.

- Thanks, I’m sure this’ll be handy on Victory Road.

You beat the gym leader?! He’s back?!

- Yeah.

Imma go battle him now!

I set out across the sea towards Victory Road, a wild Mantyke appears. Pokeball go!

Mantyke: It’s a cute little fishy.

- Welcome to the bench, Keffer.

Keffer ♂ Lv. 39

It’s a short trip to get to victory road, Na'Toth carries me up the waterfall and I make my way inside the cave.

Victory Road

Again, another “road” that’s not really a road. I’m attacked by a wild rhyhorn. Pokeball go!

Rhyhorn: Looks like this thing can only move in one direction at a time…

- Welcome to the bench, Luchenko!

Luchenko ♀ Lv. 41

If you’ve seen one victory road, you’ve more or less seen them all. Cavernous, rocks, maybe some water pools and a few trainers to battle. It takes a while but I finally make it to the pokemon league building.