Day 17: Youngster Joey

Youngster Joey laid down in tall grass next to his pet Ratata, Gonzo. 

"Gonzo, I'm sorry we lost. But we have to keep trying."

Gonzo had a few cuts and bruises on his face.  Joey reached out to him, but he leaped back and hissed at him.

"C'mon! You can handle a few cuts and bruises. You gotta be stronger than that."

Gonzo stayed upright, back arched, but his legs were trembling with exhaustion.

"It was just one dumb fight with a bird. We're gonna have one more battle, against a weak trainer, and you're just gonna power through it."

Gonzo sat on his back feet, eyeing Youngster Joey with continual suspicion. Joey reached out again, and this time Gonzo bit him on the finger. 

"Aw, shucks to you! If you disappoint me again, I'll beat you myself! That's... what Daddy always does..."

Suddenly, Youngster Joey saw a new kid walking along the path. 

"C'mon Gonzo. You gotta do what I say. I'm your trainer."

Reluctantly, Gonzo limped back to Joey. 

"This pathetic Ratata isn't doing me any favors," Youngster Joey said. 

The kid didn't say anything, but nodded in agreement.

In spite of his injuries, Gonzo opened with Quick Attack. He gashed Cyndaquil's left foreleg, but she remained clearly unfazed. With surgical precision, Cyndaquil ran at Gonzo and tackled him to the ground. With a pained squeal, Ratata fainted immediately.

"Tackle... genius... I should have known..." Youngster Joey whispered.

Reluctantly, he got out his wallet and gave out the last of his pocket change to the silent kid.

"Take the damn money," he said. The silent kid obliged him, nodding in respect. Then he walked off to Youngster Mikey. 

"I hope you lose! Youngster Mikey'll beat you to the ground!" he yelled bitterly. The silent kid ignored him. He turned the fainted Gonzo. His eyes were half-closed, and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth.

"Ugh. I guess I should take you to a Pokecenter," Yet as he picked Gonzo up, he did so tenderly. He felt his little heart beat and was overwhelmed with pent up emotion.

"I'm so sorry, Gonzo. I'll treat you better. I just don't treat anyone good because nobody ever does the same for me."

 And that's when Youngster Joey decided to run away from home.

Day 16: Hoothoot

You, you know what cyndaquil will do. You know.

Day 15: Pidgey

This battle was unique: I used tackle of all things to kill it.

Day 14: Hoothoot

I come back home to see what all the hubbub with Elm is about.

Inside, I find a Police Cop investigating the caper of the century. He explains the psyche of a criminal mastermind:

Oh my god, I have one of Elm's pokemon with me. It adds up!

Judy Overalls comes in to save the day. Jesus, those pigtails are long enough to clothesline somebody.

"looking into the building!"

Yes, of course!

Why wouldn't the game leave enough room for his full name...? Oh well.

Well, not quite... but sure.

Anyway, the police cop leaves, pursuing Passerb like he's the Inspector Javert of Pokemon. Judy Overalls walks off, glad that I'm safe. I give Elm the egg that Mr. Pokemon gave me. Elm tells me he'll hold onto it and call me if something happens. He also creams his pants when he learns that I got a Pokedex from Prof. Oak. Then, he tells me to take the Gym challenge, starting with the Violet City Gym. Finally, he tells me to go see my Mom before I head off to be the very best like no one ever was. So much plot is happening right now it's like a Metal Gear Solid game I'm so confused.

I can just imagine my real mom saying this dryly if I told her I was going on an adventure when I was 10. 

"I'll save some of it for you."

I really have no idea what the point of this feature is. My only guess is that she adds interest to your savings. I say yes. I'll check on her later after I get Fly and see what it does.

So my new destination is Violet City. I believe it's beyond those two kid trainers who were in the way last time. Lyra stops me for a quick Pokeball tutorial, though. Afterwards, she finally gives me my first Pokeballs, so I can catch Pokemon now. And after all of that damned business, I finally get to my battle of the day.

 Since Hoothoot is flying type, I summon Shiva for massive damage.

Also, there probably won't be any exposition heavy days as this one, but I think for the sake of readability I'm going to crop out the bottom half of the screen in the shots from now on.. 

Day 13: Pidgey

Suprise: I used tackle.

Day 12: Passerby Boy

Going back through Route 30 was a breeze because of the ledges along the way, and Route 29 is set up in a similar manner. The only obstacle is this little onion-headed boy here. He ran into me right as I was leaving Cherrygrove. 

Onion head lays down the business.

What an odd name. 

So the big fight is Totodile. Literally all he did was Leer at me. If only looks could kill! Fortunately tackling does kill, so I responded with a few tackles. 

Pictured: Nuanced character establishment

A few more tackles and Totodile clipped through the ground like the graceful loser he is.

After Passerby finishes pouting, he starts to walk off. However, at some point I apparently stole his trainer card so...

"Mr. Passerby Johannes Boy"

Day 11: Metapod

At last, I've made it to Mr. Pokemon's house. I expected something with more grandeur from a guy who names himself after the entire animal kingdom...

Inside I discover that he has the generic old gentleman sprite. Yeah, it's because we're not going to see much of him again.

He requests that I take a "Mystery Egg" to Professor Elm to examine. I don't have the heart to tell him it'll take over a week to get it examined.

Some no-name old creeper called Professor Oak gives me a pokedex.

Hey, I just met you...

Suddenly, Elm calls me in sweaty hysterics, telling me to come back ASAP. Wanting to oblige his request, I run back home as fast as I can...

Looks like it'll have to wait for tomorrow though!

Day 10: Spinarak

Boom bam bop boobity bop pow he fainted.

Day 9: Hoothoot

Past the house there was a fork in the road. To the left there were these two trainers blocking my path with a battle. Kinda surreal seeing a battle from this perspective.

Over to the right was more bushes to fight Hoothoots in. I mention that because I went into the bush and fought a Hoothoot.

Day 8: Pidgey

I've come upon a house. This isn't Mr. Pokemon's house, but the guy inside gave me a bag for carrying Apricots. I can now pick Apricots from special trees like the green one on the left there. If I remember correctly, they have a variety of uses and vary depending on color.

Continuing north, I encounter....

Not much to say here. It put up more of a fight than I expected; Cyndaquil was down to 11 HP after the battle. Would've been nice to catch. If only I had Pokeballs...

Day 7: Ratata

I've finally reached Cherrygrove City. There was an old guy, you can see him half out of frame here, who instantly sniffed me out as a greenhorn and required that I tour the town with him. He pointed me to the Pokecenter, Poke Mart, and...

lol rofl

When he was done he gave me his old smelly shoes. I can run now! A minor little thing that was really lacking from Red and Blue back in the day. He also gives you software to look at the world map.

Afterwards I stopped by the Poke Mart and picked up a few potions and antidotes. They don't sell Pokeballs yet. I think the girl in overalls has to give them to you first, after my current objective is complete. Did I mention that my objective right now is to talk to some guy named Mr. Pokemon?

I moved on to Route 30, north of Cherrygrove. Mr. Pokemon lives here. That bush to my right? Yeah I made it like three steps before I got jumped...

I cackled, because I'm shackled into using tackle. I can do wordplay too, creepy old man.