Everybody's Going Surfing

After teaching Apsu the move Surf, I begin using the move to explore watery areas that had previously been inaccessible. I find that I cannot use this to traverse Lake Verity, because there's nowhere to take off. I have to be level with the water for this move to work, which is stupid, but whatever. There are plenty of other places to check out, starting with the beach south of Sandgem Town.

While we're in the water, this cute little blue pokemon called Tentacool attacks me. Apsu beats the crap out of the adorable little guy, then just because I feel like it, I chuck a Great Ball, which captures the Tentacool. That's my first new pokemon in quite a while. What to name him? Enki!

I absolutely have to try little Enki out. I've been relying on Apsu too much anyway, and it wouldn't do to overemphasize water pokemon on my team. But Enki is also a poison-type and so is Ninhursag, so there's that to consider. I decide to change my lineup completely. I go with Enki (just taught him Surf and Cut), Nanabozho, Kazza, Hanuman, Sekhmet, and Articuno.

Back in the water, a Wingull decides to attack. This looks too dangerous for Enki, so I switch to Sekhmet. It will be her first battle since she evolved. The bird Quick Attacks a couple of times, but drops in one hit to Spark. Good job, Sekhmet, you get a cookie.

Two children with flotation devices challenge me to a battle on a small island. Nanabozho Jump Kicks their Marill and Enki uses Barrier, but their Shellos gets the better of him. I switch to Kazza. Nanabozho makes little progress, but is still holding his own against Marill, but then Kazza easily finishes Marill with Psybeam. Shellos hits Nanabozho. The next Marill to switch in eats a Jump Kick, then Kazza finishes it while Nanabozho, barely hanging in there, Quick Attacks. Just when I'm about to celebrate, they bring in their last pokemon: another Shellos. Annoyed, I figure we'll just finish the job in one shot, with Nanabozho throwing in a Quick Attack and then Kazza using Psybeam. But Shellos takes both hits, then Body Slams Nanabozho, who faints. That didn't go the way I wanted it to. Enough of this. I bring Enki back in and have Kazza finish the battle with Confusion.

I fly back to the Poke Center, coming to terms with the fact that I'll have to make more such trips with this younger, weaker team than I would if I were only using my highest level pokemon. Hopping on my bicycle, we're back to the water in no time. I navigate through some rocks, and a swimmer challenges me to a battle. She leads with Goldeen. I have Enki use Toxic Spikes, because that seems fun. Goldeen uses Aqua Ring and Flail, which do some damage, but not a lot. I set up a Barrier while my opponent tries to confuse Enki with Water Pulse. I have Enki start using Cut, but it would take too long to get through Aqua Ring and Goldeen would win this battle. Foreseeing this, I switch to Sekhmet. Goldeen goes down in one hit to Spark. I hope you're taking notes on this, Enki. Up next for my opponent is Goldeen, which comes in poisoned by the Toxic Spikes, but goes down in one hit to Spark anyway, just like Goldeen always will, because Sekhmet is awesome. I switch to Nanabozho for the next Goldeen. Jump Kick doesn't do much damage and neither does the poison, but Frustration does enough, apparently. The swimmer has one last Goldeen to throw at me. Frustration doesn't seem to do much, this time, but with the help of Toxic Spikes, Nanabozho trimuphs over the fishy foe. Before I make it to the next swimmer, a wild Tentacool attacks. Let's see how you fare against one of your own, Enki. Quite well with Cut, I see.

The next swimmer uses a different fish called Remoraid. I try to have Enki set up Toxic Spikes. He nearly goes down for the count when Remoraid uses "Bullet Seed." I switch to Kazza and eliminate Remoraid in one hit. Then I switch to Sekhmet and give my opponent's Psyduck the same treatment. Exploring another island, I get attacked by a pelican. "Pelipper." Enki is far too weak to even try, so I make a switch, and Sekhmet only needs one hit, as usual. Right after that, another Tentacool attacks, but it's the same story.

I Surf between an island and some rocks and am intercepted by another swimmer. I'd gladly match my Tentacool up against his Mantyke (which appears to be some sort of small ray), but Enki is just to weakened, so I bring in Sekhmet for the usual. I switch to Hanuman against the swimmer's Remoraid, beating it down via Rock Smash. Finally, he brings in his Tentacool. Having recently learned that Tentacool is a poison-type, I have Kazza ready with a Psybeam.

Navigating some more rocks, I meet another swimmer. I lay down two layers of Toxic Spikes before the swimmer's Buizel immobilizes Enki with attract. I switch to Sekhmet for the one-shot knockout. The same for the Seaking that comes out next. But when this swimmer sends out Medicham, I bring Enki back in. Barrier should help here. Medicham tries to meditate, raising her attack, but that won't catch up to Enki's barrier. Medicham surprises me by switching to confusion, which heavily damages Enki. But Enki's surf does the same, and Medicham is weakened by the toxic spikes. Enki hangs on after another confusion, throws another surf at Medicham, and both pokemon remain standing. Toxic spikes finish the job.

I have Sekhmet beat down a few more wild pokemon in the water, then we encounter yet another swimmer. He has Shellos. Nothing I'm carrying looks that strong against Shellos, so I call Articuno for this one. At first, Shellos keeps paralyzing Articuno with body slams. I begin to regret my decision. Then an aerial ace hits, and that's all I need. Articuno ignores my instruction to use fly against the Gastrodon that follows, but ice beam works too, so I don't really care.

At last: land. So what do I do? I go and battle a fisherman. He leads with a Level 28 Magikarp. Why? I take the opportunity to set up two layers of toxic spikes and to fully barrier Enki before launching any actual offense. The first Magikarp takes several cuts to go down. But once that's taken care of, I let toxic spikes do most of the rest of my work for me. The Finneon that follows uses strange attacks, but isn't able to do much, so I don't care. My opponent definitely saves the best for last. He sends out a Gyarados and it's even Level 32, which is one level higher than Sekhmet. Speaking of my Sekhmet, she takes a dragon rage when she switches in. Ouch. Gyarados then uses leer, but Sekhmet ends the battle in one big spark.

I wade through a forest of wild pokemon and come to a house. I hope that there's something good inside, but all I find is an old man telling me to bring him a level 79 pokemon. Enough of this. I make a mad dash out of there, taking out yet another Gastrodon as I go. I start thinking that maybe I should try to catch a Shellos for my team. A collector blocks my path, though. His Hippopotas is easy prey for Enki's surf. His second Hippopotas survives and finishes Enki with bite. Hanuman finishes that one off, but then the next Hippopotas (I guess there's some rule that being a collector means you only use one species of pokemon) beats Hanuman. I try to finish the fight with a quick attack by Nanabozho, but Hippopotas somehow withstands it and the sandstorm finishes my rabbit off. Kazza easily wins, though. My opponent mentions something about a "pal park." I can only assume that the nearby building has something to do with this. But I accidentally let another trainer see me, so I have to battle yet again before resolving this mystery. Kazza dominates a Staravia in one hit, and Sekhmet narrowly loses to a Girafarig, so I let Kazza finish the fight once more.

Unfortunately, it seems that this pal park thing is still under construction and there's nothing for me to do here. So I fly back to the Poke Center to rest my team. We'll explore more later.