Scrappy

Since it's early in the mid-game now, there is little new development in terms of story so my musings will have to be put on hold for the moment.

That being said...

The definition of Scraggy is "Rough, Bony and Lean" which I think is a good fit for one of my new favorite pokemon. I replaced "Zoey" the Liepard with "Scrappy" the Dark/Fighting type Scraggy pokemon and to be honest I couldn't be more satisfied. I don't know what it is--but this little guy has some Moxie! (That was a terrible joke that requires explaining: his ability is "Moxie" which raises your own attack stat whenever you KO a pokemon.) I can't wait to see what he evolves into!

Also surprising is how strong Swadloon, newly evolved from Squiggles the Sewaddle, is. If you look at the picture its pretty clear that its a leaf-coccoon, so another evolution is on the way--so "Butterfree 2 the sequel" is yet to come.

Team Plasma, not yet content to let me get through a town in peace, came and stole one of my two irritating friend's (Bianca's) pokemon, so not only did I have to deal with them but also Bianca's incessant whining, but they left after only one battle so that was nice of them. I DO, however, like how they actually take an active role in the game rather than just sitting in a warehouse somewhere waiting for you to come by and whip their collective ass. Also I'm beginning to think that they are the Illuminati from the opening cinematic because I noticed that their leader has a red laser eyepiece.

Thanks to Rock Jock, Red, and Scrappy, Gymleader Burgh's bug pokemon did me a huge favor and died for me.  The Insect badge was mine. And immediately after this I battled not one but both of my friends who continue to follow me everywhere I go.  I should have just kept Bianca's stolen pokemon for myself...

Current Squad:

A Pokemon-Catching Spree!

After stealing the "Dragon skull", Team Plasma charged-off into the forest, followed by Gymleader Lenora, some artist named Burgh, and, because the story required it, myself. Burgh ran ahead along the road to "head them off" and told me to traipse through the forest after Team Plasma.

Seeing this as an opportunity to beef up my pokedex, I caught Venipede, Tympole, and Sewaddle.  Soon after, I caught Sandile, Scraggy, and Darumakka. I immediately replaced Pansage with Sewaddle which has turned out quite favorably, but I think I have some big choices to come over Sandile and Scraggy...

Team Plasma did what they do best--suck and burn--and just when I had beaten the last guy, some old guy who talked like an eighteenth-century ass approached me and said that it doesn't matter that I stopped them because, "...this is not the skull of the pokemon that we have been searching for for so long, it is completely unrelated." I'm glad that Team Plasma themselves are coming to grips with the fact that everything they are doing is complete nonsense.  Even I could have told them that a skull--no matter whose it is--is not going to free pokemon.

Burgh and Lenora showed up just in time for the old guy to launch into a ten-minute long monologue about how awesome Team Plasma is and how they are going to free all the pokemon--making sure to tell us all in excruciating detail the explicit instructions on how to foil their next plans. Even more disturbing is how he made sure to tell me that Burgh was a bug pokemon trainer and that he is the gymleader of the upcoming town (and that I should catch some flying and fire pokemon before I battled him).

About fifty minutes later I finally made it to Castella City, which is absolutely massive! I'm not even kidding, this place is HUGE! That last link goes to a youtube video of some guy exploring it.

Zoey (Purrloin) evolved into Liepard, which looks awesome, but isn't any better than she was, so we'll see how long she lasts...

Current Squad: