Nilbog's Storybook Land: Let's Play Pokémon FireRed Chapter 9: Cutting Back

Previously on Pokémon FireRed:

Chapter 9: Cutting Back

So here's the thing.

I could go and challenge this gym now...but my team is barely equal to the levels of the last gym. I want to do a little bit of training before I give it a go. Maybe I should finally try Route 11 where Baku lured me.

Hello, what's this?

Viridian City, eh? This could be a chance to try Cut out on those trees I saw when I started my journey...

So I wonder what a Diglett looks li-

Oh.

He is beneath us, but nothing is beneath him.

[[Nilbog Notes:

Diglett

#050

Ground

"Lives about one yard underground where it feeds on plant roots. It sometimes appears above ground"

Ground types are very useful in the next section. So if you somehow avoided getting a Geodude, either fully evolved Nido, or a Sandshrew if you're playing Blue/LeafGreen, these guys are conveniently here for you. There's nothing too noteworthy otherwise except that while they are as just this head listed as the shortest Pokémon in the original games at about 8 inches tall, the underground part has never been revealed. This has led to many different fan interpretations of varying degrees of seriousness. Google at your own risk, especially with SafeSearch off.

In FireRed and LeafGreen one of their possible Abilities is Arena Trap, which prevents their opponent from running away or switching out. Making Diglett, in these games, far more annoying than Zubat ever was in any game before or since. Wild encounters that don't lead to capture are rarely shown in this LP, so take my word for it that some leveling happens here]]

Swarming with these stupid things, but at least it's a straight-ish path.

Huh, interesting. Brock mentioned I could use Flash with the Boulderbadge. Might be a good idea to track it down if I ever decide to explore this Rock Tunnel he was talking about.

Hey, I know where I am. I'm on the Pewter side of Route 2, speaking of Brock. Actually, you know what, there's something I needed to do in Pewter now that I have cut.

All right, Drake, let's see how you do. Don't be afraid.

Good job!

Drake, you're a natural! Okay, Pewter Museum, what secrets do you hold away from the public?

But I just want to know the intricacies of SCIENCE

I forget. Isn't it jewelry?

Oh, now that you mention it, that does sound familiar. I think in that one book I told the nerd in Mt. Moon about when he went on about fossil regeneration...

It's pretty, but there's a bug in it.

That looks like a bug, not a Bug-Type. Unless you're saying it was a blood-sucker...

I'm sure you could, but did you stop to think if you SHOULD?

Anyone else getting deja vu? Ah well, let's run with it.

It...it IS pretty....and if you're not gonna display it...

But what if -

Whelp, can't be helped I guess.

I know! I saw them, and they were amazing!

Very true.

.....what a ham-handed segue.

You know what? I do know Seismic Toss only does damage equal to a Pokémon's level, and I don't think I have room for that kind of move on my team.

Probably not, but anything's possible I guess.

Okay, now to get back to Route 2 and explore more of that area behind the tree.

Who lives here?

Good to know. Thanks Mr. Shady Person.

Well, on the one hand, it took me forever to catch one so I'm hesitant to give him up. On the other hand I don't plan on using him since Cesario has one, so I might as well get a new Pokédex entry if you promise to treat him good. Just let me run back to Pewter quick and grab him.

Don't mention it. A Mime is a terrible thing to waste.

[[Nilbog Notes:

Mr. Mime

#122

Psychic (Psyichic/Fairy in Gen 6 onwards)

Evolves from Mime Jr. after learning Mimic

"If interrupted while it is miming, it will slap around the offender with its broad hands"

Another Pokémon that was Trade-Exclusive in Gen 1 and in this game. And the absolute worst nickname change of an In-Game Trade. In Red/Blue, this guy was named Marcel after perhaps the most famous mime of the 20th Century Marcel Marceau. A performer who I have only seen once in his brilliant cameo in Mel Brooks' "Silent Movie", and yet I am always tickled by references to him.

As for Mr. Mime as a Pokémon in general, well...the English localization team shot themselves in the foot on this one since its original Japanese name is gender-neutral and, sure enough, come Gen 2 and Pokémon getting genders for breeding you suddenly got female Mr. Mimes. Otherwise I find him charming enough. A lot of people seem creeped out by him, but I've never been particularly bothered by mimes nor really any kind of clown/jester aesthetic that wasn't specifically created to be scary; in fact I have a small fondness for them. The only really weird thing to me is something I just noticed in comparing the sprites and official art: somewhere between the original games and this one he seems to have gained an extra finger. So instead of a cartoony four-fingered hand he now has an uncannily human five-fingered hand.]]

Continuing on.

Oh, fancy meeting you here!

Another HM so soon?

Been a while since I checked, but I should have at least 10 easy.

Oh, you count evolutions too? Far out!

What a coincidence! I was just thinking about Flash! Let's fire up this baby and see what it can do!

Ugh, a debuff. Oh well, I guess I can allow one if it lights up caves.

Hmm, a lot more choices than before.

Well, obviously not Mimien since he's going in the box as soon as I get to Viridian so I can get Indy back.

Not teaching Baku how to Flash either. I'm trying to make him seem LESS creepy.

Drake already has Cut and I don't want to get rid of any more Status moves since that's his strength right now.

Weird, could have sworn Axel would be a shoo-in with his fiery tail, but it says he can't learn it.

That leaves only one option.

Battery powered flashlights are a must for spelunking

Now, to finally see what was lying on the other side...

Not bed. I expected more, but still not bad.

Now to go to Viridian City and get Indy back.

Huh. Didn't notice this before.

Well I can assure you it wasn't mine.

Hmm....tough decision. Not exactly a move that inspires trust. Yet...can I deny Baku his birthright?

[[Nilbog Notes: So I checked online to see when Drowzee learns Dream Eater naturally because I forget about moves I don't use and it turns out...it doesn't. Nor does its evolution. The Pokémon line whose whole shtick is eating dreams and they do not learn Dream Eater by level up, even today. What kind of unbridled idiocy is that? I've never used the move before because I don't like that you have to set up Sleep in order to use it, but hell let's give it a whirl.]]

Sounds like a personal problem.

Aaaaaaaanyhoooooo.

Back to Diglett cave, fighting off wave after wave of wiener-moles when suddenly...

Drake, my boy! You're growing so fast! Might wanna...like...wipe your mouth though...

[[Nilbog Notes:

Gloom

#044

Grass/Poison

Evolves from Oddish at Level 21

"The fluid that oozes from its mouth isn't drool. It is a nectar that is used to attract prey"

He a lil' derpy but I'm love him.]]

And then, just when I was about to reach the far ladder...

LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF THAT THING!

Dunno how I managed THAT.

Look, they can't all be witty and clever. Sometimes I call them like I see them.

[[Nilbog Notes:

Dugtrio

#051

Ground

Evolves from Diglett at Level 26

"A team of Diglett triplets. It triggers huge earthquakes by burrowing 60 miles underground"

Everything I said about Diglett times 3 especially the fan art bit. For reasons unknown, there is a 5% chance in Diglett's Cave to encounter the fully-evolved form at like 10 levels higher than anything else you could even be working with at this point. Lucky if you're starving for a Ground Type to help in the next section. Unlucky if you're just trying to grind levels since they also can have Arena Trap in this game.]]

Finally, back where I started. Now let's go face the Route 11 Trainers like I originally wanted to.

Hate to think someone lost this before dealing with Drowzees.

I don't think it's physically possible to in a Pokémon Battle.

Are you trying out for the Nugget Bridge or something?

Wasn't that the Pictionary game show from like 30 years ago?

"Gamer", right. I don't see any controllers. You're a gambler.

[[Nilbog Notes: Changing the Gambler trainer class to Gamer between Gens 2 and 3 was the first in a slow scrubbing of gambling references from the English releases of the games. Though as we'll see in a few weeks, they couldn't scrub the biggest one yet.]]

Good attitude, but don't blow your savings.

Show me what you got.

Apparently not.

Rude!

That is a terrible attitude to have! Just make the ones you have stronger! You know, that reminds me of someone...

Sure?

That is what my mom always calls me, ehehehe....eheh....ehhh......alright, let's fight.

I knew someone who raise a bunch of these. Apparently they actually grew stronger as a species within my lifetime. I wonder how?

[[Nilbog Notes: These Engineer/Electricians make more sense in the original Red/Blue where these pathways had weird borders that look like they could have been electrical cables being laid down. I guess Game Freak didn't want to encourage kids to walk over them to get to the grass in more detailed artwork.]]