Before the Storm

With eight badges in hand and a box FULL of pokemon, I found myself at victory road, ready to take on all-comers.  I defeated the gatekeeper in battle and passed through the gate and into the cave and was immediately 6-0ed by a level 60 Weavile.  I didn't even get a chance to attack once...

I am wondering how I even made it this far--the wild pokemon I am encountering are all around level 58 and the strongest member of my team is arguably Gardevoir, who is sitting at a tenuous 47.  Either I am one of the luckiest bastards out there or I am just extremely good at not repeating the same mistakes twice.

Now that I think on it, what I recall of my journey could be described as a series of lucky breaks with one or two clever battle decisions thrown in there for giggles.  Along the way I have been defeated a lot (and I mean A LOT) but I always bounced back with a plan for victory.  A little foresight can go a long way.

But against a series of 5 elite trainers (well, an elite 4 and a champion, heehaw-heehaw-heehaw) I am fairly sunk.  I don't think that the pokemon league will allow me to use my 12-pokemon rotating team.

Finally, at the end of the game, I have to make the tough decision about who to bring with me through the finale--and it is a decision that I am not looking forward to one bit.

Current Squad:

GRENINJA/Froakles/lvl.47
VENUSAUR/Venus/lvl.46
FLAREON/Hotfoot/lvl.47
LUCARIO/Knives/lvl.47
DRAGALGE/Toxie/lvl.48
AERODACTYL/Scarydactyl/lvl.45

On Rotation: Pikachu, Scrafty, Hippowdon, Gardevoir