POKEMON GOLD PROGRESS, DAY 11
NEW POKEMON
Slow day... one caught, one seen...
Caught:
Soonansu [Sonance?] (#202), an ovoid upright Pokemon with a flat tail and a squinched expression on its face that makes it looks like it has to go to the bathroom really bad <g>.
Seen:
Nyuura (#215), which looks like a cross between a Nyarth and an insect.
PROGRESS...
Shortly after I'd gotten out of Chouji Town and driven the Rocket-dan presence there away, Prof. Utsugi called me on the Pokegear and told me that word had gotten around that I'd done severe damage to the Rocket-dan. So much so, that they've retreated to Kogane City and have taken over the city as well as the radio station! Indeed, all you get on all the channels is Rocket-dan propaganda. I chose to get through the ice cave to Fusube City first, then went down the mountainside.
The southward trek is filled with alternate pathways occupied by lurking trainers, grass patches, and items here and there, and one can go several ways (but one way only- down) to get to the end of the road. Once you do, you're back at Wakaba City again and home.
Surfing east of Wakaba (as an experiment) opened up an ENTIRELY NEW MAP in the Pokegear!! This is the side where "Champion Road" can be found, and will clearly be the next step once the 8 badges have been won. Could this be an entirely separate story as involved as what I've already been through? The Map on this side is as big as the one in the "regular world" so far. But even with the new hidden machines, I've not been able to go too far in that map yet since the time isn't right. Still, it's amazing...
There is a train station in Kogane, and I suspect the train will take me to this map once I've fulfilled this half of the quest.
Anyway, I flew over to Kogane and have spent most of the day battling the Rocket-dan at the Radio Station! All sorts of elite Rocket-dan troops, not to mention the Musashi-type character and an elite Kojirou-type in a one-piece coverall, did their best and pulled out some very nasty surprises, including one with a lineup of 5 Dogas [Koffing] in a row with a Matadogas [Weezing] as the anchor. Of course, I finally won and forced their top dog (who I fought in Chouji Town) to relinquish a key to a door that I found in an underground passage the first time I visited Kogane. There is an unreachable segment of offices in the Radio Station that no card key was available for (yet), and the underground pathway is the back way in.
At this point, I also fought another battle with the Rival, who is angered at Wataru having assisted me and who, himself, hoped to get in and fight the Rocket-dan on my coat-tails and take all the credit (he couldn't get the key that I did). My Pokemon were leveled up enough that the battle wasn't hard (surprisingly, his Magmarashi was out with one hit), but he's stalked off to cause more mischief.
This part of the maze is also tricky and challenging! There are three switches that not only open doors, but move the walls around! Once you beat the Rocket-dan member guarding each switch, you then have to figure out what switch moves which doors and walls and essentially figure out the "combination" so that you can get to the back elevator in the lower right corner.
I'm still working on the combination, and have paused there for now. Anything to restore the "Lucky Channel" <g>.
Once I get done with the Rocket-dan (looks like we're heading for the final confrontation with Sakaki [aka Giovanni]), of course there are the two islands and the two towers that have yet to yield their secrets... not to mention the Fusube Gym. Lots more in store.
While on the subject of Kogane City, I forgot to mention something. When you visit Masaki (Bill) at his home, he explains to the player that there is no Eevee in the game, and if you want one you have to import it (from Red, Green, Blue, or Yellow) using the Time Capsule. Interesting twist.
I may not have a report tomorrow due to other commitments, but I'll post more of my progress on Sunday and make up for it. Later!
--Richard