So today I set my sights on the local Pokemon centre. It's basically a combination of a Hospital and an Inn. Sometimes the locals give you valuable clues or advice, and there's free healing and the ability to switch around which Pokemon are in your party.
NPC Old man: That PC in the corner there is for any POKEMON TRAINER to use. Naturally, that means you're welcome to use it too.
NPC Woman: The POKEMON CABLE CLUB on the second floor was built recently. I traded Pokemon right away.
NPC Man: POKEMON CENTERS are great! You can use their services as much as you like, and it's all free. You never have to worry!
All very basic information that is very helpful to a new player, I am sure. We're going to ignore the Cable Club for the entirety of the game because I can accomplish precisely nothing there. Moving on, we head to route 102. It was previously blocked by a man with long hair and glasses, but he has decided to move out of the way. I question his motives.
NPC Man: I finished sketching the footprints of a rare POKEMON. But it turns out they were only my own footprints...
I wonder if there's something in the water here. I proceed to talk to everyone in town, purely to make this an informative LP and to pad out the update.
NPC Woman: When a pokemon battle starts, the one at the left of the list goes out first. So, when you get more POKEMON in your party, try switching around the order of your POKEMON. It could give you an advantage.
NPC Woman: I want to take a rest, so I'm saving my progress.
NPC Woman: When POKEMON battle, they eventually level up and become stronger.
NPC Man: If the POKEMON with you become stronger, you'll be able to go farther away from here.
I head out onto Route 102.
Waltzing into the tall grass scares out another Zigzagoon. Not terribly exciting but it'll certainly do. Ruffles joins the team. He's the same level and has Pickup, just like Beth.
NPC Man: I'm going to catch a whole bunch of POKEMON.
I wander eastwards, but suddenly...
I am attacked by a youngster!
Youngster: If you have POKEMON with you, then you're an official POKEMON TRAINER! You can't say no to my challenge!
And then battle commences!
Youngster Calvin opens with his Zigzagoon, level 5. I send out Wendy the Wurmple, level 4. The battle is basically a tackle fest at first, but it becomes clear Wendy can't keep up. After two turns the enemy is barely scratched and Wendy's at half health, so I switch to Maheaux, the Treecko. Calvin's Zigzagoon gets a free tackle in because I switched, but it only scratches Maheaux. Then Maheaux basically eats the life force of Zigzagoon in two turns.
Maheaux: OM NOM NOM
Zigzagoon: Blarg! *dead*
Youngster: Arrgh, I lost.. I should have trained mine more...
Youngster: Listen, you. If you're strong, you should have told me before!
Moving on, I am then attacked by a bug catcher.
Bug Catcher: Haha! Our eyes met! I'll take you on with my BUG POKEMON!
Bug Catcher Rick has two pokemon. He opens with a Wurmple and I send out Beth, a Zigzagoon.
We trade tackles, and Beth drops to 8/18 before the enemy faints. I have battle mod set to SET because it's fairer, and so am not presented with the chance for a free switch out. He sends out another Wurmple, which I again order tackled.
He retaliates with string shot. Beth's speed falls.
Beth tackles again. He tackles back and Beth drops to 5 HP.
At this point, I SHOULD switch out, but the hell with that I live on the edge. I issue another tackle order, and the Wurmple uses string shot again. I tackle again, and he uses string shot. And another tackle finishes the job. Beth gains a level for living dangerously.
Bug Catcher Rick: Ow! Down and out!
We take some of his money and move on.
Child: I'm not very tall, so the grass goes right up to my nose. Fwafwafwafwafwa.
Me: That's a remarkable helicopter impression.
Then yet another trainer attacks.
Youngster: Did you just become a TRAINER? We're both beginners!
This battle is a lot more interesting. I open up with Wendy and he sends out a Poochyena, level 5. Since Wendy's already damaged quite a bit I only sent her out first for the participation experience, so I switch to Treecko and proceed to watch the life get sucked out of the Poochyena. Then the Youngster sends out a Taillow, which is a flying type. He's got type advantage here in that it resists absorb and he also has peck, which is super effective. However, he is not resistant to the crushing power of fists and is broken in two punches. If the Taillow had been a level or two higher it might have been a significant threat, but at level 3 it was a warm-up.
Youngster: I called you because I thought I could beat you...I haven't won once yet...I wish I would win soon...
I leave this youngster to his woe and continue on. As the battles get thicker I am likely going to abbreviate them a lot. On the way I spot a couple berry bushes, and nab them. I think berries rely on the internal clock and so we're simply going to take what we find and give nothing back. 2 Oran berries, which are very weak healing items, and 2 Pecha berries become mine. Pecha berries can be used to cure poison and can be used either as a held item or through the menu. They're pretty handy.
Lass: I'm going to keep winning and aim to be the best TRAINER. Help me further my career!
The oddly named Lass Tiana attacks with her Zigzagoon horde. Maheaux eats them.
I ended up furthering your career...To keep winning my way up, I see that I have to catch more POKEMON.
Then I snag the potion laying around in a corner and stroll into Petalburg city. In the next update: Petalburg city.