ppe 11: It's all downhill from here!

[xaq_the_aereon]

[TEAM STATUS]
Belfries, Lv 24
Dogmeat, Lv 28
Astra, Lv 25
Nala, Lv 26
Tessa, Lv 25
Atlas, Lv 26

[KINDA WEIRD THAT YOU NAMED A FEMALE RHYHORN "ATLAS"]
I couldn't find a feminine equivalent, and she's plenty powerful.

With the portion of the Grand Underground I can explore thoroughly examined and 5/6 of my final team sorted, it's time to get back on track. Specifically, a bicycle track to the south of Eterna City, Route 206.

[WHAT, NOT GONNA GO BACK FOR THOSE FOUR FISHERMAN AT THE ENTRANCE OF TOWN?]
Can't. For some reason this stupid kid is not only insisting we take the bike course, but is somehow strong enough to stop us from leaving town that way.

[IS THIS A BIKE COURSE OR A TRAIN COURSE? BECAUSE I'M FEELING KINDA RAILROADED HERE]
No joke. Anyway, off we go down the Cycling Path, I guess!

[WHICH STARTS OFF WITH A BIG STAIRCASE THAT YOU'RE FORCED TO RIDE YOUR BIKE UP]
Jerks. XP Once we're past that, however, things get moving pretty quickly; it's a downhill slope and the bike shop owner forgot to put one little thing on her...

[NAMELY, THE BRAKES]

Fortunately, we're able to stop on a dime the moment we're challenged by another biker.

[VS. Cyclist Axel]
[vs. Staravia]
Its Intimidate fails against Belfries' Inner Focus, allowing Cross Poison to hit at full power and take it down. So much for this pit stop!

[AND WE'RE OFF AG--OOPS, NEVERMIND]
Oof! Sorry!

[VS. Speed Bump Megan]
[vs. Shinx]
Another Intimidate fails in the face of Inner Focus, and Cross Poison scores another one-shot. We manage to untangle our bike from hers and get going agaOH GIMME A BREAK ALREADY.

[VS. A Sudden Case of James]
[vs. a Ponyta that falls to Cross Poison in one shot]
Moving on! ...Or not.

[VS. Cyclist Nicole]
[Round 1: vs. Starly]
What she made up for in numbers, she lacks in power. Quick Attack dinks off and Cross Poison does what it's been doing.

[Round 2: vs. Ponyta]
Remember what happened to James' a moment ago?
[DEJA VU]

Okay, can we get going for more than half a sec
[NOPE]
[VS. Ryan Interruptus]
[vs. Zubat]
Astonish knocks it for a loop while its Poison Fang proves to be adorable, yet ineffective. Another Astonish takes it out, proving Belfries the superior bat.

I did notice we zipped past someone a moment ago...should we go back for them?
[MAY AS WELL]
...Okay, going up is a LOT harder than going down. They'd better make this worth it.

[VS. Unworthwhile Cyclist John]
[Round 1: vs. Starly]
Oh geez. Cross Poison. NEXT.

[Round 2: vs. Staravia]
...Y'know what? This is getting monotonous. Let's see what the new girl can do. Dogmeat, you're up.
[AND WITH ONE THUNDER FANG CRIT, STARAVIA IS OUT...AND POSSIBLY LUNCH]

How long do you think we'll have before we reach bottom?
[NOT AS LONG AS BEFORE WE HIT ANOTHER CYCLIST]
[VS. Rolling Barricade Rachel..and her 2 Shinx that got Cross Poison'd]
Nnnnext.

[VS. Cyclist Kayla]
[vs. Pikachu]
Cross Poison deals with the overhyped rat...BTW, when I said "next" I didn't mean THAT quick. Ugh, who's next...

[VS....OH, THERE'S THE EXIT]
Whew! X_x; With that, we can continue south...or go back north underneath the bridge. Saw a few things I wanted on the way down...somehow...so I go to check them out.

One thing we didn't want to check out was a Hiker. Oh well...

[VS. Hiker Theodore]
[Round 1: vs. Onix]
While I'm sure Cross Poison could overcome the type ineffectiveness, I tag in Tessa, who gets in a Bind as soon as she comes out. Nothing a quick Bubble Beam doesn't fix...or wouldn't if it didn't have Sturdy, so she gets squeezed once more before Metal Claw finishes it up.

[Round 2: vs. Another Onix]
We saw what Dogmeat can do, now let's give the other new girl a go. Atlas, you're up!

Onix uses Smack Down for all of 2 damage before Ice Fang drops it deep in the red, then...Tackle? Seriously? Okay. 1 more damage and then Ice Fang wraps the battle up.

Among the items and berries we find below the bridge is a Poison Barb, which I give to Belfries since she clearly needs her Poison moves to hit harder. XP

[OH, AND THERE'S A CAVE ENTRANCE]
Oh hello there.

[HOLY CRAP IT IS DARK IN HERE!!]
I have the TM for Flash, but only Nala can learn it and I don't want to replace any of her moves...ah screw it, I don't use Charge that much anyway.

[...AND IT DOESN'T APPEAR ON THE POKETCH]
But she CAN use it from the menu, at least. With the cave lit up, we proceed in. Our first random encounter with a Bronzor proves we'll be safe for now, so in we go.

Bronzors, Geodudes, Zubats, an Escape Rope (yay!)...eventually we come across a pair of kids who were just hanging around in the depths of this cave.

[DEFINITELY NOT CREEPY]
The girl calls it a cute setting. Yeah, DEFINITELY not creepy.

[VS. Picknicker Ana and Camper Parker]
[Round 1.0: Vs. Buizel and Meditite]
I swapped Nala to the front earlier, so she and Dogmeat take the lead. Dogmeat Bites Meditite for the quick KO, and Nala Sparks the Buizel for the same result.

[Round 2.0: vs. Shinx]
Oof. A double dose of Bite wraps this one up with the swiftness...and rewards us with a dead end right past them. Ugh!

We double back, take a left, and eventually come across another lost child, Mira. She says she was in here catching Pokemon, got lost, and is scared. We agree to escort her out.

[IF THIS TURNS OUT LIKE BLIND THE THIEF...]
Then we show no mercy, yes. For now, though, she's being much like Cheryl and acting as a walking Pokecen, so she can tag along. She also has a Kadabra with her. Neat!

[GETTING ATTACKED BY TWO ZUBATS, NOT SO NEAT]
Watching one get Psybeam'd out of existence? Definitely neat. Her Kadabra's holding up better than Cheryl's Chansey did, I'll say that.

[BTW, DID YOU REMEMBER TO MARK WHICH WAY YOU CAME?]
Umm... ...no? O_o;;;;;

[OH CRUD]
Oh relax, I'm sure I'll work my way out of here in no time!

Watch on YouTube

Oh shut up, it was five minutes. Mira thanks us for the escort out, says she wants to get tougher so she won't be scared so much, and takes off without turning into a self-beheading monstrosity.

[THAT WAS NICE]
Especially that last bit. Anyway, this feels like a nice spot to wrap things up, so I'll catch up with you guys once I'm back out from under the bridge.

[TEAM STATUS]
Nala, Lv 27
Dogmeat, Lv 28
Astra, Lv 26
Belries, Lv 25
Tessa, Lv 26
Atlas, Lv 27

[TOODLES!]