Caves and Gyms

The first leg of our journey takes us all the way through Routes 111, 112, and 113 all the way to Fallarbor Town, where Team Magma has kidnapped Professor Cozmo!

On the way to Meteor Falls, I caught a Swablu! 

Also on the way, Makuhita became Hariyama and Taillow became Swellow! 

Inside the caves themselves, we are our first encounter with Team Magma Administrator Shelly! 

After her defeat, her and her goons run off to Mount Chimney, but I'm not far behind! 

In the volcanoes caldera, the Team Aqua boss is using a machine to try and awaken and ancient sea god. 

I feel like he's looking in the wrong spot

After I battle him and stop his plan, its time to head down the mountain to Lavaridge Town, and our fourth Gym Badge! 

Even if she had been a Gym Leader for more than just a short time, she still wouldn't have been able to defeat Marshtomp! 

With her defeated, Brandon arrives and takes us to Petalburg City, for the Gym Battle against my very own father!! 

The fight could have been epic, but Hariyama swept his whole team! 

Water, Fire, Grass!

I don't know how it took me this to figure out that the Trials on Akala are the starter types. That's a touch embarrassing for someone whose played through these games as much as I have. 

I arrived in Heahea City on Akala Island and after defeating Sina's Ice-types, headed out to Route 4, were Bunneary evolved into Lopunny! 

She likes me! She really likes me!

At the end of Route 4, I reached Paniola Town where Hau challenged me to a battle! 

Not quite, but I'm running out of 

interesting pictures of Hau

Even his expanded team was still no match for Magnemite and Gible! 

With that battle out of the way,  it's on to Brooklet Hill and Lana's Trial! 

After Leafeon chased all the Wishiwashi into the Totem's Den, the Totem Araquanid attacked! 

Magnemite however prevailed over it, shocking it back to the depths! 

As we continue our journey to the top of the Wela Volcanoe, we first must rescue a poor Drifloon from Wingus and Dingus. 

Before battling in the Battle Royale, I decided to go to Wela Volcano and I successfully caught a Magby! 

After heading back to the Battle Royale Dome and participating in the four-way battle, I headed back up the mountain to face Kiawe's trial! 

On the first attempt, I lost. His Marowak and Salazzle had an attack for every member of my team. However, I did a little bit of training, and Gible evolved! 

With that additional power, and the Rock Tomb, Gabite, Magby and Murkrow managed to win in the second round! 

With trial number two out of the way, its off to Lush Jungle for the final Trial! On the way, Magnemite evolved! 

And on the first try, I lost this one, too. I tried to use Thief with Murkrow to take Lurantis' Power Herb so that it couldn't use Solar Blade in one turn, but the ally Kecleon kept using Sunny Day, so it could use it in one turn anyway. The second time around, I decided that instead of leading with Murkrow or Magby that I would use them last so that my other Pokemon could use up and many of Lurantis' Synthesis and Solar Blade before they entered the battle. The other main change I made was to knock out the ally Pokemon, eliminating Sunny Day from the battle. The plan worked better than I thought it would and Magneton, Leafeon and Loppuny won the day! 

With the three Trials completed, its on to the Grand Trial against Olivia!