Sticking it to Gymleader Cress

Upon my arrival at Striation City (and still unable to find a single Purrloin), I decided that "Red and the Growlies" (which is sounding more and more like an awesome band name) were ready for a gym battle. Typically one can tell from the name of the gym or the trainers or decorations inside what kind of pokemon will be involved, but every trainer in the gym had either a Lilipup or a chipmunk-thing called a Patrat which looks to be another kind of Rattata.

After finally making it to the leader, he said that I should go and train in the "dreamyard" because I wasn't ready. Of course I told him to go to Hell and I fought him anyways wherein he noted that I chose Tepig as a starter and as a result I would be fighting his brother instead--the Water trainer Cress. He had a Lilipup (go figure) and a water-monkey named "Panpour".
After getting soundly beaten I decided to try and figure out why this "dreamyard" is so special. Turns out that for defeating both trainers there you get a free pokemon whose type is based on the type of your starter--and since I chose Tepig I got the Grass-typed "Pansage" to make my gym battle against "Panpour" go better...I see what you did there, Nintendo...

At least I didn't choose Oshawatt because that fire monkey looks absolutely stupid...which I guess is double punishment for choosing Oshawatt, who also looks dumb.

I returned to the gym and re-battled Cress, easily defeating him with Pansage (whom I had named "Wuggles"), earning me the "trio badge" (clever, real clever).

So, bidding one of my Growlie goodbye I returned to my task of trying to find "Purrloin"...

Current Squad: