Day 185: Gym Leader Jasmine

So, this is cheating a bit, but today's update is proving to be massive. It's been a busy day and it's getting late, so I'm going to postpone all the details until tomorrow when I have more time. It'll be a doozy.

Edit: Okay, here we go...

I come upon a boulder. I taught Veronica Strength earlier, so I use it to clear the path.

This next floor is tiny; you can see the exit on the upper left. Thankfully I don't run into a battle.

The exit. Finally!

After two weeks of battling low-level Zubats, I arrive at the Ruins of Alph.

I have to be careful walking around these ledges, lest I fall and waste all that time.

I head to the back.

The plaque says "water". It just means I need to use Surf on this spot to reach the stash with the Leppa berry. I bring out Aidan to use it...

...?
Maybe I wasn't facing the right direction? Let me try again...

...Holy shit.
I misread the directions.
I need a water stone.
I don't have a water stone.

Let's get the hell out of here.



***

I head to Olivine City to fight Jasmine. But first, I have an Ampharos to cure.

Jasmine gives the potion to Ampharos. I can't do it because apparently,

“Amphy will not take anything from

anyone but me..."

Ampharos goes Super Saiyan, restoring the Lighthouse's light.

“Thank you so very, very much.

...I will return to the Gym...”

Now then. Olivine City Gym.

The inside has girders and not much else.

“She's trying to hide her tenderness

behind her steely coldness.”

"Don't know why it took you so long, but I'm sure

whatever it was paid off for you! 

Thank you for helping the Gym Leader,

but battle is a seperate matter.

Go for it!”

 I guess the reward for my good deed is that I don't have to fight these trainers.

“I know how capable you are

from the Lighthouse.

It's time you showed that side of

yourself to Jasmine! Good luck!”

 Perhaps this is to imply that the trainers in the Lighthouse were in Jasmine's Gym Entourage the whole time.

“But this is different. Please allow me to

introduce myself. I am Jasmine, a Gym Leader.

I use the...clang!

Steel type!

...Do you know about the Steel type?

They are very hard, cold, sharp,

and really strong!

Um... I'm not lying.”

Jasmine opens with one of her Magnemites. Flame Wheel doesn't kill it. Worse, Magnemite uses Thunder Wave to paralyze Diane. This is obnoxious, because it happens to be REALLY important that Diane be healthy for Jasmine's badass Steelix. And I don't have any Paralyze Heals. There is one benefit, though...

She uses one of her Hyper Potions. Much better used on Magnemite than her badass Steelix.

Next I use Flame Wheel again, bringing it down to where it was before. Magnemite, meanwhile, uses Supersonic. And it works.

Diane spends the next few turns hitting herself in the face and accepting Thunder Bolts (also in the face). It's okay, though. And slightly intentional - When a Pokemon faints, they lose any status changes. When I revive her, she'll be as good as new (just at half health).

I bring out Rhianna. Magnemite rips her a new one, this time quite unintentionally. I thought a single Vine Whip would do it; instead she just love taps Magnemite and gets shocked to death by a critical Thunder Bolt.

Nelly finally puts a stop to its blood bath with a Wing Attack.

She doesn't fare as well against the next Magnemite. Her attacks do nothing and Thunder Bolt is super effective. I use a turn to revive Rhianna while Nelly gets knocked out.

I resort to the old trick of sacrificing Kyle to revive a key party member, this time Diane.

I'm so, so sorry Kyle.

The newly-revived Diane destroys Magnemite. Jasmine readies her badass Steelix, her final Pokemon.

Rhianna uses Stun Spore, making an already slow Pokemon even slower. It responds with an Iron Tail, fainting Rhianna immediately.

Diane uses Ember instead of Flame Wheel. Flame Wheel is physical damage and Steelix has a ridiculous amount of defense, so Ember is much more effective in spite of its reduced base power. Unfortunately, it lands a Rock Throw - super effective against fire - fainting Diane a second time. Desperate, I bring out a Pokemon I never intended to use in combat...

Little Aidan uses Surf, dealing a not-awful amount of damage, considering! Steelix undoes it with her Sitrus Berry, though. She then uses Sandstorm, a pretty benign move.

 I spend a turn reviving Diane as insurance. Steelix lands an Iron Tail, which Aidan barely survives, only 9 HP. Sandstorm takes it down to 7.

 Aidan lands another Surf, leaving Steelix just healthy enough for Jasmine to NOT use a Hyper Potion. Steelix gets paralyzed and does nothing. Next turn, I anxiously tell Aidan to Surf again, not thinking of the consequences...

 And luck fuck out, critting again and fainting Steelix.

Whew.

“In accordance with League rules,

I confer upon you this Badge."

"I don't know how to say this, but

good luck..."

Thank you. Though I already had some luck, apparently.

And so ends this ridiculously long day. I'm never going to do two big events on the same day again. Jesus. I also plan to be less of a dumbass, maybe work on my reading comprehension...