Meeting the Mega Evolution Guru

After earning (or not earning, I don't think she actually gave it to me in the end) my third badge, I chased the Team Flare grunt North.  You would recall that this is the guy who kept babbling on about the 3000 year legend as I was murdering his Houndour.  The Northern path he took ended at a weird gazebo-like rock formation and a dead-end.  Guess I will just have to wait to find out what the 3000 year legend is.  I have no clue how I will ever contain myself.

SO CUTE

So I went East and no sooner had I left town than I got a phone-call from Professor Sycamore who told me that since I was near Shalour City and I was still looking for information about Mega Evolution, I should stop by to visit a man in that town who might know something.

And that apparently, this man is known as the "Mega-Evolution Guru".

Wait a second, there's a Mega-Evolution guru?  I thought the errand I was sent on in the first place was to ask around for information about what mega-evolution was?  And there just happens to be some guy who is a mega-evolution guru?  Then what the hell have I been screwing around doing for the past four towns asking every po-dunk scientist I came across for information?

I feel as if every problem in the pokemon world could be solved with one or two internet searches...because even the pokedex information could probably be filled-in by reading Red's facebook notes at this point.

After waking up from my my rage-blackout I made my way towards the Reflecting Cave, the next mini-dungeon along my way to see the Mega-Evolution-blah-blah-blah.  Along the way, I caught Nidorino, Female Nidoran, Stunky, Dedenne (a new, Fairy-typed Pikachu-of-the-moment), and Throh, whom I must congratulate for looking like ass EVEN IN 3-D!

The Reflecting Cave is a cave with mirror-walls that reminds me of that one level from Pokemon Snap in the cave.  The one that had the Articuno and the Pikachu that flew around on Balloons.  Similar to "The Cave Level", Reflecting Cave is FULL of odd Psychic types of varying strength--and every single one of them decimated my under-leveled team.  I decided I needed the experience, so I fought everything I saw.

One cool thing about the reflection cave is that since some of the walls are mirrored, you can see things along cave walls that would normally be hidden--leading to a few interesting perspective puzzles--and also that trainers who are admiring themselves in the mirror will still battle you if you walk by.  They will see your reflection as you walk behind them. 

After several "Teleports" (thanks, Kirlia) back to the pokemon center and a bag full of potions and pokeballs, I made it out (in large part due to "Hotfoot" the Flareon and "Froakles" the Frogadier) with Mr. Mime, Chingling, Ferroseed, Roggenrola, Wobbuffet, Sableye, Solosis, and a new Rock/Fairy type called Carbink.

 It is actually impossible to get lost in Shalour City, especially since every single person in the town has something to say about Mega-Evolution and how the Tower of Mastery is where it is studied ("and did we mention it is just North of here...").

I entered the tower...and was greeted by a HUGE statue of Lucario.  Did I come in through the wrong door?

Current Squad:

FROGADIER/Froakles/lvl.26
IVYSAUR/Ivy/lvl.25
FLAREON/Hotfoot/lvl.25
HIPPOPOTAS/Sandman/lvl.25
SCRAGGY/Scrappy/lvl.23
AERODACTYL/Scarydactyl/lvl.25

On Rotation: Kirlia, Flabebe, Pikachu

Too Many Pokemon!

I previously noted that it is important to have a variety of pokemon available to catch and add to your team early and then to funnel in new pokemon in an even and consistent way--something that Ruby and Sapphire had a serious problem with--but this is just plain comical.

So I caught Snorlax (cause I always catch Snorlax), found the game's pokemon breeding center, went through a cave, Bulbasaur and Froakie both evolved (into Ivysaur and Frogadier, respectively), I found a town, found a second cave, and along the way I caught Seviper, Drifloon, Zubat, Axew, Croagunk, Onix, Sandile, Helioptile, Hippopotas, Lunatone, Solrock, Machop, Cubone, Inkay, Illumise, Ducklett, Spoink, Absol, Mienfoo, and Wingull.  Of these, I briefly had on my team: Seviper, Absol, Mienfoo, Machop, Cubone, Onix, Croagunk, Axew, and Helioptile. 

...And then I realized that I was going absolutely bonkers with all the new pokemon: I was like a fat school kid on Macaroni and Cheese day (something I have years of experience at, as a matter of fact). 

Ultimately, I decided to just leave it up to my little brother to pick for me: welcome to the team, Hippopotas.


I was originally sent to the last town to ask about Mega Evolutions, and the people there sent me on my way to Ambrette town.  When I got to Ambrette town, I found the professor I was looking for and he told me to go piss off and explore the aforementioned "second cave" (only accessible by riding on top of a Rhyhorn).  He must have had an important meeting...or perhaps he just didn't like the idea of some snot-nosed kid asking him about things he has never heard of JUST BECAUSE he is a scientist.  Because all scientists know all of science...right?   

Hint: wrong


Current Squad:

FROGADIER/Froakles/lvl.18
IVYSAUR/Ivy/lvl.18
SCRAGGY/Scrappy/lvl.18
FLABEBE/Pixie/lvl.17
PIKACHU/PikaPi/lvl.18
DODUO/Birdface/lvl.17

On Rotation: Hippopotas, Ralts