Diary - Day 9

POKEMON GOLD PROGRESS, DAY 9

NEW POKEMON

Besides catching several new Annoon (for a current total of 23 different ones), there was only one new Pokemon today... the evolution of Maril (#183), to "Mariluri" (Merrily?) (#184)- its final stage. The cute round blue mouse Pokemon becomes an ovoid blue rabbit­like Pokemon with big ears! Still has the same tail, though. It's reminiscent of the change between the Purin (Jigglypuff) and the Pukurin (Wigglytuff).

Regarding Sarah's progress in Silver- she is blithely using her Magmarashi (#156) exclusively and refusing to level up her other Pokemon... I warned her that when she hits some water Pokemon who are high level, she'll wish she'd done some balancing . Thus, she had a rude awakening when she fought her Rival and his Waninoko (#158) had evolved to an "Aligates" (#159) and knocked her Magmarashi out. She started wailing as her measly low-level "team" began to collapse. Fortunately she had a "revive" item and brought the Magmarashi back enough to win and save her skin, but she'll learn eventually. At any rate, she's gotten two badges now.

TODAY'S PROGRESS...

I spent quite some time finding new Annoon, then decided to move on. I surfed back over  to Tenba City and discovered the "Fly" HM when I was there- which now makes life a LOT easier since I can travel to any Pokemon Center I've visited instantly . I then went back to Asagi City and solved the problem of how to get to the middle of the tower (which may have been staring me in the face all the time).

Upon doing so, I fought a couple of trainers and got a couple of items on the way to the top, and there was the missing Gym Leader, Mikan-chan! She seemed a bit startled and asked me if I could come back later to battle, after she'd finished eating (she had a set table and everything in the tower)... I suspected this meant I had to wait until after another event to try for the next badge, so I went off to do some other stuff.

I discovered too that your Mom, back in Wakaba Town, is a source of banking! You can give her money to keep for you, or withdraw funds from her too if you run short. She has a balance she's held back, and you can transfer either way when you visit her.

Going back to Chouji Town, I wandered back into the black market shop there, and ran into a character I'd met earlier in the game (back in Hiwada Town), Wataru- he'd done his part to drive away the Rocket-dan guard at the cave so I could rescue the Yadon. He was roughing up the bad guys in the shop, and forced the proprietor to reveal an underground passage there!! He led the way, and there was the entrance into the underground Rocket-dan headquarters!!

One wave of Rocket-dan trainers after another faced me as I walked through the base, tripping switches... but I could avoid the switches and pick my fight when ready. Then came a series of alarm panels that dump nasty Pokemon in your direction... and finally you can get into the bowels of the base! Wataru's a good guy to have on your side, because he recovers all your fainted Pokemon as well as restores all the points between levels for you after the first level. But after that, you're on your own. Lots of challenges as I work my way towards the Rocket-dan Boss. The Rival is also involved, and gives my character a shove as he storms out of the base.

I've saved at this point, and will resume the battle tomorrow...

--Richard


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