Part 57: Lavender Scented Celadon

Update 44: Lavender Scented Celadon



Lavender Town: The Noble Purple Town
(From lavender, a pale purple colour)
Shion Town: Shion is the color of purple nobility.
(Shion iro refers to the colour of Aster tataricus flowers, which, in the language of flowers, means "I won't forget you.")



It's Lavender Town time, let's see if this place got more depressing after three years.

Lavender Town



Well the music is definitely less miserable. It's actually one of my favourite tracks in the franchise, alongside most of the music in this damn series. Anyway, let's see if Mr. Fuji is in.

"for their POKéMON."

: Grandpa takes in the poor homeless POKéMON and takes care of them.



Maybe he's listening to some sweet, sweet music.



Oh wait, it's a cemetery. Never mind.



: Hmm... You appear to be raising your POKéMON in a kind and loving manner. POKéMON lovers come here to pay their respects to departed POKéMON. Please offer condolences for the souls of the departed POKéMON. I'm sure that will make them happy.

"Around the Clock!"

So the Pokemon Tower has been replaced by a Radio Tower. Interesting, hopefully there's not too many vengeful ghosts running around. Still, Johto's Radio Tower was packed full of fun adventures, so this must be too.



Oh. Never mind then!



: Thanks to you, I never lost my jon. I tell you, you're a real lifesaver! Please take this as my thanks.



: With that thing, you can tune into the radio programs here in KANTO. Gahahahaha!

"ground floor."

: Ever since JOHTO's RADIO TOWER was taken over by a criminal gang, we had to step up our security.

Pfft, excuses, excuses. Just admit you haven't made the floors! Also why does the staircase lead down?



: I am the super MUSIC DIRECTOR! I'm responsible for the gorgeous melodies that go out over the air. Don't be square. Grab your music off the air!

Now we can listen to Kanto radio. It's not much different to Johto radio, it still has the Pokemon Music channel, blaring out Pokemon March or Pokemon Lullaby depending on the day. Though it's hosted by DJ Fern instead of DJ Ben. There is also a unique station called That Town, These People, which talks about various trainers and it's kinda creepy, actually. It's hosted by DJ Lily.

Route 8



But that's it for Lavender Town, time to head westwards, towards places we've already been but not exactly! Yeah that makes sense.



Mate, I'm running out of room on my shirt to pin them to.


"battles."

The Johto badges give you stat boosts, but none of the Kanto badges do, they're mainly pointless collectibles, the kind you find in most RPGs.



I feel like we haven't caught a Pokemon in forever, so here's one.



If you see me catch a Pokemon in Kanto, then this is the earliest you could've found it in this game. Only Pokemon I've evolved are ones you won't find the evolutions to in the wild.




Fuckin' magnets, they work quite well.



I notice now that I'm typing this update that like 95% of the screenshots have some kind of textbox in them. That wasn't intentional, but whatever, Kanto people are wordy.



That's one big group you've got there.


"from now on..."

Well that bike gang lasted long.



Another area that doesn't exist in Gen 2? Whaaaaaaat?



How does everyone know that? Do I have a Johto looking face or something?

"trainer group."


So much riff raff to sort out.

"never fall!"

Damn straight, fight the institution.



Well I guess we'll have to go through Saffron City like fuckin' savages.

Saffron City



Which is fine, since there's stuff we need to do anyway.

"your POKé DOLL?

: You'll really give me a rail PASS if I find it for you? Sure, I'll look for it! You think you lost it when you were in VERMILION?



: I shouldn't decide what you should do? But I'm really worried... What if someone finds it?



Now we could do that, buuuuuut, we could also go to Celedon City. We don't have any reason to go there, since it's basically optional until you need all the Gym badges. But we have been going from one place to another doing something or another, so let's just chill out and do something nice. I also have another reason for going to Celadon now instead of later, but eh, later.

Route 7



Hey, you know how Kanto has no Pokemon to find and then shoves them at you all at once?



Cause that's a thing.



So nice to catch an actual Dark type, too bad it's, well, bad and also postgame.




HP: 65 | ATK: 70 | DEF: 60 | SP.ATK: 65 | SP.DEF: 65 | SPD: 115 | TOTAL: 440
#137: Persian



Here's a cat too.



But we're mainly interested in hell dog. Wanted to use one on your team? Too bad, postgame bitch!



Well now it can finally howl, 44 updates in.



: ... Uncouth trainers have been holding battles in the UNDERGROUND PATH. Because of rising complaints by local residents, the UNDERGROUND PATH has been sealed indefinitely.



Vagabonds? In my Underground Path???

Celadon City



Celadon City: The City of Rainbow Dreams
(Celadon is a light greyish green colour)
Tamamushi City: Tamamushi, the color of rainbow dreams.
(Tamamushi iro refers to the iridescent colours of jewel beetles, which reflect a rainbow of colours, most noticeably green.)



I wonder if this place is full of drugs, criminals and mafia bosses like before?



: I wonder if it'll ever evolve into a frog POKéMON.

Hmm, nope, doesn't ring a bell. Probably not likely.



There better be another free Eevee in this place.



: MEOWTH even brings money home.



There is a still a PC on this floor.

"ing an e-mail."

: ...I hope you'll come visit KANTO. I think you'll be surprised at how much things have changed here. You'll also see many POKéMON that aren't native to JOHTO. To the PRODUCER



Cool. What have we got on the third floor and why does it smell of nerd?



: Filling up your POKéDEX is tough, but don't give up!



Please stop telling small kids to gamble.



: JASMINE's pretty too. Oh, I love them!





Could you maybe make me taller?



Well like before, we've gotta go in the back way to get anything good.



Let's see what kinda weirdo lives here now. The last guy made me question reality.



: He wanted to try to right away... He was having so much fun that he didn't notice the sun had set... While riding in the pitch-black night, the bike suddenly slowed! The pedals became heavy! When he stopped pedalling, the bike began slipping backwards! It was as if the bike were cursed and trying to drag him into oblivion!



: ...



: ...



:

"CYCLING ROAD!"

: ... Ba-dum ba-dum! For listening so patiently, you may take this--TM03!



: It's a terrifying move that slowly whittles down the victim's HP.



Well that was horrifying, let's go shopping to cheer ourselves up.



Like before there's a great variety of items, but we can just fly over to Indigo Plateau for the best ones.




The second floor has your standard stuff, no surprise there.



Third floor is the TM shop and while it's not as amazing as Johto's selection, but it still has useful stuff, such as Hidden Power, Protect and the weather TMs, all ones we've seen before, but now with unlimited availability.



Fourth floor doesn't have sellable evolution stones, that would be too easy! Instead there's exclusive mail which can't be found anywhere else.




Fifth floor has a load of drugs. Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan



Final floor is the drinks stuff and with that we're done yay let's go



We could also head down towards Fuchsia City if we really wanted, but the main reason I came to Celadon now is so we wouldn't get too ahead in levels against the Gym Leader. We do want it to be some kind of challenge, you know? Whereas no matter when we faced Fuchsia's Gym Leader, it would never be a challenge, so I can put it off for ages if I really wanted to.



: See that pond out in front of the house? GRIMER live there now. Where did they come from? This is a serious problem.



While this city is a lot "cleaner" in terms of less Team Rocket, it's actually become more polluted and we can finally find Grimer just chilling on the water.



Grimer also being solely postgame is another crime these games commit, cause they're cool.



We can also catch the evolution at a 10% encounter rate.



Funnily enough, in FRLG, there's a 1% chance to find a Koffing while surfing and a 1% to find Grimer while fishing in this pond. That is a pretty cool little nod to these games and I'm all for that.



You know, I realize I haven't eaten since this journey started. Walking around two regions does tend to make you hungry.



: We're holding an eatathon contest right now. Sorry.



I haven't eaten in three years... But at least my Pokemon can eat!



I could've sworn I've picked this up before.

"GAME CORNER"

Gambling time again!



This place has remained pretty unchanged over the years, but we can still throw our money away to the gambling gods to appease them.



The slots are exactly the same as the ones in Goldenrod. This place doesn't even have the card betting game, so there's really nothing to do here, since it's just easier to buy coins.



You can still do that here at least.



: Underneath this poster... There's nothing!



: Are you playing the slots too? I'm trying to get enough coins for a prize POKéMON. But I don't have enough coins yet...

You're as useful as ever.



: The coins just keep popping out! Hm? What, kid? You want to play? I'll share my luck with you!



: It makes me feel good to do nice things for other people!

He only gives you one coin. That's it. He can only be found at night as well, which nowhere really states. Anyway, that's all the freebies we can get, so either start buying or get out!

"prizes!"


There's a lot of things we can get while we're here. There's the TMs for Double Team, Psychic and Hyper Beam, which is nice. At least there's more than one Psychic TM, might pick it up for Mothra, if I can be arsed. And we even have a selection of Pokemon. This is the first time we can obtain Pikachu, Porygon and Larvitar and if you're playing GS, then this is the first time you can catch a Mr. Mime. Though there, Porygon is 9999 coins, whereas it's a lot cheaper in Crystal.



Since we've got enough, let's get a Porygon.



Unfortunately, we don't have enough for a Larvitar. Guess we'll just get it later.



Gym time then? We're doing one an update, but let's see how long that lasts.



Three years on and you're still ogling. Good shit.



Grass types probably won't be a tough time, so let's get going.

Pokemon Gym

"ERIKA taught us!"

(ZOE): We're going to protect ERIKA!



(ZOE): We couldn't win...



We'll see what she's like.

"scary, but OK!"


Don't sound too disappointed.


"is rare?"

Well Whitney is a girl only gym and technically Jasmine's is too.




I would go for Swift, but Quick Attack has more utility.

"or at me?"

At you. Because I'm a boy, like the dialogue is implying. But jokes on you, I'm actually gay.


"like ERIKA?"

Okay, that's all the trainers out of the way. They weren't particularly interesting.



: ...I'm afraid I may doze off... My name is ERIKA, I am the LEADER of CELADON GYM. ...Oh? All the way from JOHTO, you say? How nice... Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you wished to challenge me. Very well, but I shall not lose.

VS Gym Leader (Kanto)






Erika: The Nature-Loving Princess
(From the Erica genus, or winter/spring heather. The only Gym Leader to have the same name in English and Japanese until Iris in Pokemon White (unless you count Dan from Orange Islands (which we don't)))



There's a lot of Grass moves in this, well, Grass battle, so come prepared with various Fire and Ice and Flying types for an easier time. Tangela isn't too special, but Giga Drain can hurt and the combination of Bind and Sleep Powder can leave you a sitting duck (unless you switch).



But it's nothing too amazing.




HP: 75 | ATK: 55 | DEF: 70 | SP.ATK: 55 | SP.DEF: 85 | SPD: 110 | TOTAL: 450
#069: Jumpluff



Jumpluff is the weakest Pokemon, which says a lot. It's also very statusey and can hit with both Mega and Giga Drain, just in case you didn't have enough.



Victreebel has some variety in that it can use Sunny Day for the last Pokemon, as well as having a STAB move that isn't Grass. Still doesn't make it that great, though a Razor Leaf crit can come at a bad time. Synthesis (Kōgōsei: Photosynthesis) is a Grass status move with 5PP that heals the user based on the weather and time of day. During no weather, it restores 25% of HP, during harsh sunlight, it restores 50% HP and during other weather it restores 12.5% HP. If it's during the day, then all the mentioned numbers are doubled, except in link battles.



Sucks for you, I play at night.



The final Pokemon can do some major hurt with powerful Grass STABs (well, the strongest Grass moves can get), but Mothra literally gives no shits.



With a combo of Sunny Day and Synthesis, or Solarbeam, it can be nasty. But I'm saying a lot of "could" in this battle... because it's not really a challenge. Oh well!



: You are remarkably strong... I shall give you the RAINBOWBADGE...

Pokemon Gym



: I felt inspired. Please, I wish you to have this TM. It is GIGA DRAIN. It is a wonderful move that drains half the damage it inflicts to heal your POKéMON. Please use it if it pleases you.

"aftertaste..."

: But knowing that there are strong trainers spurs me to do better...



Mothra can use more of its better Special Attack that I forget it has. Helios could also learn it, but it has Solarbeam and besides, after three turns, Solarbeam outdamages Giga Drain anyway. And has more PP.



But that's about it for Celadon City and indeed this update. Next time, we'll be doing a few small things around the region before heading to that damn Snorlax!