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xaq_the_aereonThe newest member of my dream team is added to the roster...but WOW has she got some work to do to catch up.
Currently, Erinys is 10 levels behind the next closest team member, Gauss, who has the benefit of no longer being the baby of the group. This, I feel, is the consequence of the Hala-induced rage leveling that's left most of Akala Island as a series of distractions up to this point. At this point her only real claim to power is the Firium-Z, which can only be used to make a Z-Move out of Ember at this moment...still, that's a 100-power Inferno Overdrive, so at least she's got some punch. Probably her best move at the moment, though, is Dragon Rage. Its specialty is that, no matter what, it deals 40 damage. Early game, late game, doesn't matter...the reason I like this move is that, while I was trying to catch her, it did a number on my team despite being roughly 10 levels above the norm of the area. If it gave my guys a run for their money, I imagine it dealing death aplenty to the stuff around here.
For now, though, it's time to tackle Route 8 and work on bringing her up to speed with the rest of the team....juuust as soon as I get down from the volcano.
On the way down I get attacked by another Salandit...male. Darn. Dragon Rage proves its effectiveness by dropping it down to about 10 HP, then I hit it with Smog. It doesn't do much damage, but the Salandit line's natural ability, Corrosion, comes into play. Normally Steel- and Poison-types can't be afflicted with Poison. Corrosion kicks this protection to the curve and says "Screw you, you're poisoned anyway," as evidenced by the Salandit dropping to 1 HP at end of turn.
At this point I figure, what the hell? Toss a Pokeball, see what happens. WobblewobblewobbleCLICK, and now I've got a pair of the darn things. ...Yay?
It's about the time I get to the bottom of the volcano that I remember I have Charizard's Ride Pager. I think I'll just swing by the house and introduce mom and Meowth to my new friend. Good advice, Rotom...now quit giving it to me every 5 minutes. X_x; Team rested up, Heal Ball added to my inventory, and off we go back to...Heahea City. I think it's time I got Oak to shut up about that Gumshoos.
While I'm there, I spy another bottled message on the shoreline, asking me to deliver the Heart Scale within to "the person who loves dancing and Corsola on Akala Island." If memory serves, she's right inside the hotel here...yep. Apparently that letter is from...her childhood self? Huh, apparently it was a superstition that, if you wrote a letter to your future self with a Heart Scale and threw it in the ocean, your dream written in the letter would come true. Guess it did for her! How sweet...oh, and she let me keep the Heart Scale. Yay! :D
While I'm here, I decide to check out the upper floor. The leftmost area has a Corsola you can play with (I swear that is SUCH an adorable addition from the original games!), some NPC from I'm guessing the B/W games talking about how exciting Z-Moves are, and another guy who will give me some rare Z-Crystals if I bring a Pokemon specifically tied to them. Okay! Let's see what's on the right...first room has a Lass with a Bellossom and a Comfey chattering to each oth--
"No one must ever see us!" ...Uh oh. What did I just walk in on? ...Well, whatever it is, that Bellossom just ran my ass out of the room, so...bwuh? How'd I get an Oran Berry? Man, THAT was weird.
Last room has a Sudowoodo (realized I've been misspelling it this whole time, and unlike Battle Royale that WAS a mistake rather than intentional) and an old man looking to track down some things...guess I can help. Ah, he wants me to track down his old classmates for a 30-year reunion. On it like a bonnet, sir!
I found one down by the dock that Kakui parked at (I figured I'd be looking for 3 older NPCs, but she's a Beauty who doesn't even look old enough to have existed 30 years ago?). Second one's an older guy in the clothing shop. The last one's down at the beach. Mission complete! I head back up to the room to see how everyone's doing now that they're reunited. The Beauty mentions using Mareanie poison spike treatment to keep her youthful good looks...so, PokeBotox. Got it. (Also, she's apparently about to get married...for the 6th time. I guess the Pokemon world equivalent of a "cougar" would be a "Persian?") Also, apparently the old guy's house used to be where the Pokemon Center is...wow, that's actually kinda sad. :[ Still, glad I could help these folks reunite. He thanks me for my hard work with a Revival Herb and a somber life lesson about treasuring the friends you have and WHOOPS FORGOT ABOUT LEVELING ERINYS UP BACK TO WORK!!
Out to the front entrance and CHARIZARD AWAY back to Route 7. Time to head up to the Captain's Barrier and---Oh, I recognize this guy! It's Mohn, caretaker of the Poke Pelago, which I can now go to! Alright, time for one last detour...sorry Erinys, but this'll be worth it!
(SIDE NOTE: For weeks I was mispronouncing it as "Po-kay pe-LAH-jyo." It's actually pronounced "Po-kay-PELL-ah-go" because the name's a portmanteau of Pokemon and archipelago...the word for a group of islands, which is exactly what Poke Pelago is.)
Why is it worth the side trip? For starters, it's the best way to get a bumper crop of Poke Beans, including 2 new varieties, Patterned Beans and Rainbow Beans. Rainbow Beans are excellent: 3 of them instantly boost any Pokemon's Affection for you all the way to Level 5! A single one alone will bump them up to about 3, making these things excellent keepers. Patterened Beans provide a medium-range affection boost, and both can be traded to Mohn for more Regular Beans.
At Poke Pelago, however, Regular Beans and the Pokemon kept in your PC also act as currency and workforce to improve the place; when you have enough Beans to spare and Pokemon kept in your PC, you can unlock and upgrade new islands, where you can let your PC-kept Pokemon run loose and have fun, as well as do things like EV train, grow Berries, search for rare items, and gain friendliness at the hot springs of Isle Avue...which also doubles as an Egg Incubator!
...And yes, the name is pronounced "I love you." Every island in Poke Pelago is a self-descriptive pun that only someone like me would stoop to.
For right now, though, only Isle Abeens (Isle o' Beans) is unlocked, which serves 2 purposes. 1 is a Bean harvesting station, and the other is a magnet for wild Pokemon. Yes, you can catch completely random Pokemon here. They show up occasionally, deciding if they like the place, and if they decide they do a day later, you can get them!
Even in its base form, Isle Abeens isn't too bad for boosting your Poke Bean supply. When I got here a few minutes ago I had 14 left. After some vine-shaking and trading in my Patterened Beans for Regular Beans, however, that number is 316. Alongside the 40 Pokemon I have on the PC (or rather, in Poke Pelago) now, that's enough to bump Isle Abeens up to Level 3 and open up Isle Aplenny (the Berry farm) all the way to Level 2 and Isle Aphun (the rare item hunting island) while still having 91 beans to spare. Not QUITE what I was aiming for (I have a reason for wanting Isle Aphun at Level 2), but still..BOOYA! With Isle Aplenny at Level 2 I can grow 12 Berries at a time. Just the thing for amping up my stores of Sitrus and Lum Berries.
I also have 6 Rainbow Beans, which was the main reason for the detour: As of yet I haven't gotten Erinys' Affection up at all in Pokemon Refresh. With 2 or 3 of these, however, she'll be maxed out, which among other things gives her an Exp boost in battle.
With that and a search for items in Isle Aphun, I bit Poke Pelago adieu and get back to work for really-reals this time. I feed Erinys 1 Rainbow Bean (because that's all she was hungry for) and her Affection's jumped from 1 to 4. Told you it was worth it! :D Now then, open the Captain's Barrier and let me go on to Route 8!
...
Come to think of it, how to people NOT taking the Island Challenge get around with these barriers in the way?
(EDIT: An anonymous reader over on Tumblr provided a pretty good explanation. Upon further reflection they made me realize that the Barricades only block off the parts of the islands outside of the populated areas, and that people traveling with Trainers recognized as strong enough to pass can go with. So basically, they not only keep Island Challengers on pace, they also keep Joe Schmoe from blundering into a bushland with a Lv 85 Tyranitar in it. Folks may not be able to get around easily, but given how much of the islands is relatively untamed wilderness, they SHOULDN'T be. That actually makes a boatload of sense now!)
Anyway, into the Dividing Peak Tunnel we go...oh, and Dulse and Zossie are here as well. This certainly ought to be interesting. Awww, Zossie remembered me! :D Also? That squared version of the Alola wave they do is really starting to grow on m--
They don't know what tunnels are. *faceplant*
Anyway...apparently their aura research is showing interesting results: battling the Totem Pokemon is causing their Aura to rub off on me, and the the use of Z-Moves enwraps my team in a powerful aura. This leads them to ask if I can control aura fully.
What do I look like, a Lucario? ...Also I think they just confirmed my theory. "Once, our world was bathed in wondrous light, like those of your aura moves..."
I KNEW IT!! ...Oh, they have a meeting to get to, talking to a scientist well-versed in the ways of Pokemon.
Huh. Anyway, on (AT LAST) to Route 8!
My first attempt to get Erinys some Exp comes from a bubbling fishing point, which brings up...a Chinchou? That's it? :[
....OH. It's a Lv 24 Chinchou. At last, the level gap is closing! I may have to actually start trying again!
...Wait, that means she's 7 levels behind the thing I'm facing. And it's part Water-type while she's part Fire-type.
ERINYS, GET BACK HERE!!! D: D: D: Gauss, go for it. ...This thing isn't part Electric-type, is it? ...Shoot, it is. Oh well, 2 Thunder Shocks do the trick, and Erinys and Obsidian both gain a level. One down, 15 to go. X_x;
(EDIT: Crap! I forgot to catch the darn thing, and I still need 5 more 'mons in my PC before I can unlock Isle Aphun to Level 2! D: )
Down the road a bit is an Aether Foundation trailer...and inside is the Vulpix that Team Skull was bullying earlier, now rather anthrophobic. Poor thing. ;_; ...Oh, but it seems to remember and like me! D'awwwwww!!! Such a sweetie, of course I'll come back to visit from time to time! ^_^ In fact, here, I got this Big Malasada earlier...see how ya like it!
See ya later, little one. ^_^
...Y'know what? If this turn of events ends with me getting that Vulpix to join me, I'm gonna have to adjust my final party lineup again because this is just too blasted adorable!
It's hard to leave, but I'll be back some time soon. For now, I move on to find a place to battle and gain Erinys some much-needed expoh hi Dulse and Zossie and weird scientist guy from the hotel. Colress, that's his name huh? I vaguely remember him from Moon, but...that's about it. Again, guessing he's a B/W character. To commemorate our meeting and help him remember how much he wants to keep an eye on my growth, he gives me the TM for Flame Charge. Excellent...or not; sadly it doesn't have enough of a boost over Ember to make up for the disparity in her Attack and Special Attack. Still, always happy to have another TM!
Anyway, gonna spend some time power-leveling Erinys to catch her up, but for now, plot advancement will halt. Till next time!
Currently, Erinys is 10 levels behind the next closest team member, Gauss, who has the benefit of no longer being the baby of the group. This, I feel, is the consequence of the Hala-induced rage leveling that's left most of Akala Island as a series of distractions up to this point. At this point her only real claim to power is the Firium-Z, which can only be used to make a Z-Move out of Ember at this moment...still, that's a 100-power Inferno Overdrive, so at least she's got some punch. Probably her best move at the moment, though, is Dragon Rage. Its specialty is that, no matter what, it deals 40 damage. Early game, late game, doesn't matter...the reason I like this move is that, while I was trying to catch her, it did a number on my team despite being roughly 10 levels above the norm of the area. If it gave my guys a run for their money, I imagine it dealing death aplenty to the stuff around here.
For now, though, it's time to tackle Route 8 and work on bringing her up to speed with the rest of the team....juuust as soon as I get down from the volcano.
On the way down I get attacked by another Salandit...male. Darn. Dragon Rage proves its effectiveness by dropping it down to about 10 HP, then I hit it with Smog. It doesn't do much damage, but the Salandit line's natural ability, Corrosion, comes into play. Normally Steel- and Poison-types can't be afflicted with Poison. Corrosion kicks this protection to the curve and says "Screw you, you're poisoned anyway," as evidenced by the Salandit dropping to 1 HP at end of turn.
At this point I figure, what the hell? Toss a Pokeball, see what happens. WobblewobblewobbleCLICK, and now I've got a pair of the darn things. ...Yay?
It's about the time I get to the bottom of the volcano that I remember I have Charizard's Ride Pager. I think I'll just swing by the house and introduce mom and Meowth to my new friend. Good advice, Rotom...now quit giving it to me every 5 minutes. X_x; Team rested up, Heal Ball added to my inventory, and off we go back to...Heahea City. I think it's time I got Oak to shut up about that Gumshoos.
While I'm there, I spy another bottled message on the shoreline, asking me to deliver the Heart Scale within to "the person who loves dancing and Corsola on Akala Island." If memory serves, she's right inside the hotel here...yep. Apparently that letter is from...her childhood self? Huh, apparently it was a superstition that, if you wrote a letter to your future self with a Heart Scale and threw it in the ocean, your dream written in the letter would come true. Guess it did for her! How sweet...oh, and she let me keep the Heart Scale. Yay! :D
While I'm here, I decide to check out the upper floor. The leftmost area has a Corsola you can play with (I swear that is SUCH an adorable addition from the original games!), some NPC from I'm guessing the B/W games talking about how exciting Z-Moves are, and another guy who will give me some rare Z-Crystals if I bring a Pokemon specifically tied to them. Okay! Let's see what's on the right...first room has a Lass with a Bellossom and a Comfey chattering to each oth--
"No one must ever see us!" ...Uh oh. What did I just walk in on? ...Well, whatever it is, that Bellossom just ran my ass out of the room, so...bwuh? How'd I get an Oran Berry? Man, THAT was weird.
Last room has a Sudowoodo (realized I've been misspelling it this whole time, and unlike Battle Royale that WAS a mistake rather than intentional) and an old man looking to track down some things...guess I can help. Ah, he wants me to track down his old classmates for a 30-year reunion. On it like a bonnet, sir!
I found one down by the dock that Kakui parked at (I figured I'd be looking for 3 older NPCs, but she's a Beauty who doesn't even look old enough to have existed 30 years ago?). Second one's an older guy in the clothing shop. The last one's down at the beach. Mission complete! I head back up to the room to see how everyone's doing now that they're reunited. The Beauty mentions using Mareanie poison spike treatment to keep her youthful good looks...so, PokeBotox. Got it. (Also, she's apparently about to get married...for the 6th time. I guess the Pokemon world equivalent of a "cougar" would be a "Persian?") Also, apparently the old guy's house used to be where the Pokemon Center is...wow, that's actually kinda sad. :[ Still, glad I could help these folks reunite. He thanks me for my hard work with a Revival Herb and a somber life lesson about treasuring the friends you have and WHOOPS FORGOT ABOUT LEVELING ERINYS UP BACK TO WORK!!
Out to the front entrance and CHARIZARD AWAY back to Route 7. Time to head up to the Captain's Barrier and---Oh, I recognize this guy! It's Mohn, caretaker of the Poke Pelago, which I can now go to! Alright, time for one last detour...sorry Erinys, but this'll be worth it!
(SIDE NOTE: For weeks I was mispronouncing it as "Po-kay pe-LAH-jyo." It's actually pronounced "Po-kay-PELL-ah-go" because the name's a portmanteau of Pokemon and archipelago...the word for a group of islands, which is exactly what Poke Pelago is.)
Why is it worth the side trip? For starters, it's the best way to get a bumper crop of Poke Beans, including 2 new varieties, Patterned Beans and Rainbow Beans. Rainbow Beans are excellent: 3 of them instantly boost any Pokemon's Affection for you all the way to Level 5! A single one alone will bump them up to about 3, making these things excellent keepers. Patterened Beans provide a medium-range affection boost, and both can be traded to Mohn for more Regular Beans.
At Poke Pelago, however, Regular Beans and the Pokemon kept in your PC also act as currency and workforce to improve the place; when you have enough Beans to spare and Pokemon kept in your PC, you can unlock and upgrade new islands, where you can let your PC-kept Pokemon run loose and have fun, as well as do things like EV train, grow Berries, search for rare items, and gain friendliness at the hot springs of Isle Avue...which also doubles as an Egg Incubator!
...And yes, the name is pronounced "I love you." Every island in Poke Pelago is a self-descriptive pun that only someone like me would stoop to.
For right now, though, only Isle Abeens (Isle o' Beans) is unlocked, which serves 2 purposes. 1 is a Bean harvesting station, and the other is a magnet for wild Pokemon. Yes, you can catch completely random Pokemon here. They show up occasionally, deciding if they like the place, and if they decide they do a day later, you can get them!
Even in its base form, Isle Abeens isn't too bad for boosting your Poke Bean supply. When I got here a few minutes ago I had 14 left. After some vine-shaking and trading in my Patterened Beans for Regular Beans, however, that number is 316. Alongside the 40 Pokemon I have on the PC (or rather, in Poke Pelago) now, that's enough to bump Isle Abeens up to Level 3 and open up Isle Aplenny (the Berry farm) all the way to Level 2 and Isle Aphun (the rare item hunting island) while still having 91 beans to spare. Not QUITE what I was aiming for (I have a reason for wanting Isle Aphun at Level 2), but still..BOOYA! With Isle Aplenny at Level 2 I can grow 12 Berries at a time. Just the thing for amping up my stores of Sitrus and Lum Berries.
I also have 6 Rainbow Beans, which was the main reason for the detour: As of yet I haven't gotten Erinys' Affection up at all in Pokemon Refresh. With 2 or 3 of these, however, she'll be maxed out, which among other things gives her an Exp boost in battle.
With that and a search for items in Isle Aphun, I bit Poke Pelago adieu and get back to work for really-reals this time. I feed Erinys 1 Rainbow Bean (because that's all she was hungry for) and her Affection's jumped from 1 to 4. Told you it was worth it! :D Now then, open the Captain's Barrier and let me go on to Route 8!
...
Come to think of it, how to people NOT taking the Island Challenge get around with these barriers in the way?
(EDIT: An anonymous reader over on Tumblr provided a pretty good explanation. Upon further reflection they made me realize that the Barricades only block off the parts of the islands outside of the populated areas, and that people traveling with Trainers recognized as strong enough to pass can go with. So basically, they not only keep Island Challengers on pace, they also keep Joe Schmoe from blundering into a bushland with a Lv 85 Tyranitar in it. Folks may not be able to get around easily, but given how much of the islands is relatively untamed wilderness, they SHOULDN'T be. That actually makes a boatload of sense now!)
Anyway, into the Dividing Peak Tunnel we go...oh, and Dulse and Zossie are here as well. This certainly ought to be interesting. Awww, Zossie remembered me! :D Also? That squared version of the Alola wave they do is really starting to grow on m--
They don't know what tunnels are. *faceplant*
Anyway...apparently their aura research is showing interesting results: battling the Totem Pokemon is causing their Aura to rub off on me, and the the use of Z-Moves enwraps my team in a powerful aura. This leads them to ask if I can control aura fully.
What do I look like, a Lucario? ...Also I think they just confirmed my theory. "Once, our world was bathed in wondrous light, like those of your aura moves..."
I KNEW IT!! ...Oh, they have a meeting to get to, talking to a scientist well-versed in the ways of Pokemon.
Huh. Anyway, on (AT LAST) to Route 8!
My first attempt to get Erinys some Exp comes from a bubbling fishing point, which brings up...a Chinchou? That's it? :[
....OH. It's a Lv 24 Chinchou. At last, the level gap is closing! I may have to actually start trying again!
...Wait, that means she's 7 levels behind the thing I'm facing. And it's part Water-type while she's part Fire-type.
ERINYS, GET BACK HERE!!! D: D: D: Gauss, go for it. ...This thing isn't part Electric-type, is it? ...Shoot, it is. Oh well, 2 Thunder Shocks do the trick, and Erinys and Obsidian both gain a level. One down, 15 to go. X_x;
(EDIT: Crap! I forgot to catch the darn thing, and I still need 5 more 'mons in my PC before I can unlock Isle Aphun to Level 2! D: )
Down the road a bit is an Aether Foundation trailer...and inside is the Vulpix that Team Skull was bullying earlier, now rather anthrophobic. Poor thing. ;_; ...Oh, but it seems to remember and like me! D'awwwwww!!! Such a sweetie, of course I'll come back to visit from time to time! ^_^ In fact, here, I got this Big Malasada earlier...see how ya like it!
See ya later, little one. ^_^
...Y'know what? If this turn of events ends with me getting that Vulpix to join me, I'm gonna have to adjust my final party lineup again because this is just too blasted adorable!
It's hard to leave, but I'll be back some time soon. For now, I move on to find a place to battle and gain Erinys some much-needed expoh hi Dulse and Zossie and weird scientist guy from the hotel. Colress, that's his name huh? I vaguely remember him from Moon, but...that's about it. Again, guessing he's a B/W character. To commemorate our meeting and help him remember how much he wants to keep an eye on my growth, he gives me the TM for Flame Charge. Excellent...or not; sadly it doesn't have enough of a boost over Ember to make up for the disparity in her Attack and Special Attack. Still, always happy to have another TM!
Anyway, gonna spend some time power-leveling Erinys to catch her up, but for now, plot advancement will halt. Till next time!