DetroitLolcat's Firered Nuzlocke Challenge
Part Eight: Game Corner Royale
Lolcat slowly descended the ornate steps in Pokemon Tower, bowing his head and paying respects to the countless fallen Pokemon buried here. It's true what is said about Lavender Town: it's the religious center of Kanto. Surprisingly, despite its relatively small area it's the third largest city in Kanto. Lolcat treads out of the Pokemon Tower and through the quiet streets until a billboard catches his eye:
"New Silph Scope illuminates the invisible! Examine the ghosts of Pokemon Tower for only 9999 Pokedollars, coming to a Pokemart near you in only six more months!"
Lolcat ponders a little bit about Silph Co. It's the second-largest corporation in Kanto next to Pokemon Center Kanto. They recently bought Kanto Pokemon Marts from the failing Pokemart International, and their headquarters lie in Saffron City. After a few minutes of walking and thinking, Lolcat arrives in the Pokemon Center to heal his team after his bout with Blue.
However, outside the Pokemon Center there was a surprising scene. A few people wearing Cubone costumes are standing outside the Pokemon Center doors, chanting,
"Down with Team Rocket! Down with Team Rocket!” The scene is rather peculiar, so Lolcat walks up to one of the protesters and asks him why everyone is dressed so oddly. The angered citizen replies,
"Haven't you heard? Last week Team Rocket attacked Pokemon Tower! Since nearly the entire Kanto Police Force is battling them in Saffron, the rest of Kanto is at Team Rocket's mercy. Last week, about ten or fifteen Rocket goons invaded Pokemon Tower with guns blazing. The Channelers foresaw the attack and guided many Lavender residents to safety, but the guardian of Pokemon Tower, the Marowak, stood and defended everybody from the Rockets. He was swiftly murdered, and that's why we're protesting. That Marowak has been an icon of Lavender Town for years, and the Rockets killed it like it was a common Weedle. The Marowak was a new mother, too. Her lone child wears Marowak's skull as a symbol of remembrance..."
Lolcat was taken aback at the man's speech. What Team Rocket did to Lavender Town was unforgivable, and Lolcat decided that Team Rocket will pay for their crimes. However, at the moment there's no way into Saffron City where Team Rocket is performing their takeover, but there is a way into the Team Rocket capital of Kanto: Celadon City. Celadon is the largest city in Kanto, dwarfing even Saffron in terms of population. However, a recent KNN (Kanto News Network) documentary stated that one in eight people in Celadon City is affiliated with Team Rocket and that the Rocket Game Corner is the source of their revenue. Though it's common knowledge that Team Rocket performs illicit activities often, they legally own the Game Corner.
After speaking to the kind protesters, Lolcat decided to forego exploring Lavender Town and focus solely on reaching Celadon City. Unfurling the Town Map, Lolcat sees that the quickest route to Celadon is through the Route 7-8 Underground Path. Since the day is young, Lolcat walks west of Lavender Town and into Route 8. The Route is much like any other Route: a grassy field with dusty trails running across it with numerous Trainers dueling on the grass. Following standard new Route protocol, Lolcat makes a beeline for the nearest grass patch and the next new Pokemon, but his advance is stopped by an old Gambler and his pair of Fire-type Pokemon. Graveler's Magnitude dispatched them both.
Route 8 is different than the other Routes Lolcat's seen in the recent past, however, in that the wild Pokemon are contained in a fence. However, Lolcat used Cut on a small tree to enter the fenced off area and encounter a wild Pokemon. Lolcat pulled up Route 8's info on his Pokedex and sees that four different species of Pokemon inhabit the Route: Pidgey, Ekans, Meowth, and Growlithe. Pidgey and Meowth aren't very powerful and Ekans is just plain useless, but a Growlithe could be a valuable addition to the Nuzlocke team. Delving into the grass, Lolcat encountered a small Meowth in the grass, but decided that it's only use for the team is using Cut and Pickup.
After making a short trip back to Lavender's Pokemon Center to deposit Farfetch'd, Lolcat continued down Route 8 and entered the sight of a Super Nerd and his Poison-type team. Graveler is still at a lower level than the rest of the team, so Lolcat trained the rock beast against the two Grimer and one Muk. The road twisted a little further, and after five more minutes of strolling down the dusty path Lolcat encountered a set of twins. Deciding that he should practice his 2v2 skills, Lolcat challenges the two Trainers to a quick doubles match. The twins possessed a Jigglypuff and Clefairy that just couldn't stand up to Fearow's Aerial Ace or Graveler's Magnitude.
After a few minutes more of traversing the Route, Lolcat saw a Super Nerd in the distance. However, this Super Nerd seems to be different than other Super Nerds that Lolcat has seen in the past, as this Nerd is being escorted by a trio of Lasses. The man also wears a black fedora with an ornate feather on it, which most Super Nerds don't wear. Lolcat approaches the Nerd and asks him about his outfit:
"So, your Trainer class is Super Nerd... You really don't look the part here!"
"Yo dawg, cool da nerd talk in fronna da ladies, ya hear? I wazza SN back in da day, but I be reformed, dawg? Imma gotta posse of lay-dees now and dey call me da Big Money Cashmasta on dis side of Saffron. So, ya wanna rent one of my women faw a couple thowsand Pokey-dollars aw what?"
"Uh, I think I'll pass"
"YOU SHALL NOT PASS... ... ...Sawwy, dawg, dat was the SN inside me tawkin'. Well, I be a lil' bored now, so why dontcha battle a cupple ladies, no? Yo, Megz, get you fine ass ovah here and show this trick how to battle some Pokey-mans!"
The scantily dressed lady possessed five Pokemon, more than any Trainer Lolcat's seen before. However, three of them had a type weakness to Rock or Ground, and the other two were a Rattata and Meowth; not really defensive behemoths. Five one-hit-KOs later, the lady was defeated and the pimp Super Nerd continued speaking.
"Damn, foo' Well, dawg, wanna try your Pokey-mans 'ganst my bottom bitch? Andrea, git ovah here and show dis' trick da powah of dis pimp!"
The female possessed three Meowth, and though Lolcat is a professed cat lover, what has to be done has to be done. Graveler made short work of them. Lolcat's Meowth's Pickup procured him a Nugget, too. After the girl's embarrassing defeat, the Super Nerd decides to speak to Lolcat once again:
"Dawg, why you be treatin' my ladies so bad? Foo', you respect my women, and if you mess with da bitches, you mess with me!"
The Super Pimp released a single Pokemon: a Koffing. Graveler started off the battle with a Rock Throw, but the smog ball was able to dodge it and retaliate with a Smokescreen. Angry, Lolcat ordered Graveler to perform a second Rock Throw, but the attack failed again. The Koffing unleashed a Smog attack which landed a critical hit for two whopping points of damage. After recovering from the assault, Lolcat ordered a third Rock Throw from Graveler, dealing about 45% damage. The Pimp declares,
"Koffing, Show dat foo' some sssssludge!"
The ball-like Pokemon shoots a poison wave at Graveler, who falls to the ground in pain. Lolcat becomes worried, as Graveler should have taken that attack without trouble.
"Graveler! Come on, you resist that attack by four times! Shake it off!"
The Pokemon stood up, but coughing and hacking.
Graveler is hurt by poison!
Lolcat knew he has to act fast. It was obvious that that Koffing needs to die quickly, but it probably knows Selfdestruct, too. Smog and Sludge both have a chance to poison, and letting a second Pokemon succumb to poison is out of the question. The choice is easy: Gloom. Gloom has the second-highest Defense on the team and a poison immunity, so it's the logical choice. Lolcat gives the order,
"Graveler, return! Go, Gloom!!"
Gloom walks onto the battlefield as Koffing lets loose another Sludge attack. She (Gloom is female) fires off a Sleep Powder, but the attack misses and Koffing retaliates with a Smokescreen. Another Sleep Powder misses and Koffing shoots out a Smokescreen. Sleep Powder's accuracy is down to a meager 45%, so Gloom is fighting an uphill battle. The probability of losing a Pokemon in this battle starts increasing drastically. Gloom needs to regain her eyesight, but Koffing's threat of Self-destruction prevents a safe switch. However, Fearow might be able to knock out the Koffing if he rolls high damage. Graveler's Rock Throw did about 45%, so maybe Fearow's Aerial Ace can do the last 55%, as Graveler's and Fearow's Attack power only differ by a single point.
Lolcat recalls Gloom and throws out his Flying-type Pokemon, Fearow. Koffing begins with a Smokescreen, but "Fearow's Keen Eye prevents Accuracy loss!"
Fearow counters with an Aerial Ace, and Koffing's HP starts dropping into the yellow, then the red. Fearow's life depends on if Koffing can take the hit, as it will undoubtedly counterattack with Selfdestruct. The last red sliver of Koffing's HP disappears, and the Super Pimp admits defeat.
Lolcat doesn't stick around to hear the man's speech, as he's not out of the woods yet. Graveler still has only thirty HP and poison, and Celadon City is still miles away. Therefore, the smarter move is to return to Lavender Pokemon Center and pray Graveler can hold out. It looks hopeful, as Lavender Town is not a long ways away. To be safe, Lolcat still runs quickly to the town, hoping that Graveler can endure the pain for a few minutes more.
After about ten or fifteen minutes more, Lolcat enters the city limits and then the Pokemon Center. He politely but hurriedly asks the Nurse to heal his Pokemon, and the Nurse agrees. The Pokeballs are placed into the white healing machine, and Lolcat waits a few seconds for the Pokemon to be good as new.
After thanking the Nurse, Lolcat exited the eerie town and walked back to his previous location by the Super Pimp and trudged south towards a small gang of Bikers. One of the motorists approached Lolcat and declared,
"Hey! Kid with the red hat! You lost or something, as this half of Route 8 belongs to the Kanto Biker Federation! Anyone who doesn't want their Pokemon to get tied in a knot knows to stay away from this side of Celadon! Show him, Grimer!"
The man had two Grimers. Lolcat had one Graveler. Guess who won.
The motorist rides off in anger, and Lolcat continues down the twisty trail called Route 8. More Bikers lie ahead, but that's to be expected as the previous Biker stated that he was part of a Federation. Soon enough, a second Biker challenged Lolcat to a battle. This Biker also possesses a Koffing, but this Koffing was of a lower level and couldn't stand up to Graveler's Rock Throw. Graveler learned Rollout, too, but Rollout is a very risky move for the Nuzlocke Challenge. The Biker continued with another Koffing, but the second Koffing met a similar fate. Grimer died too.
After that uneventful match, Lolcat proceeds north where two buildings stand in front of him, each having a sign to notify pedestrians where they lead.
The building to the left is the entrance to Saffron City. A Police blockade closed down that path as Rockets were pouring into Lavender Town last week. The other building to the north is guarded by a lone Super Nerd, so Lolcat gives it a try. The Nerd, as most Trainers do, challenged Lolcat to a battle. His four Pokemon were strong, but a Level 29 Graveler slew them in one hit each, rising to Level 30 in the process. Now that Graveler is on par with the rest of the team, Lolcat decided to continue training the rest of his team, sending Gloom to the front of the party and entering the Underground Path.
This Underground Path is much like the one connecting Cerulean and Vermilion: it runs under Saffron City, but doesn't allow access into the beleaguered city. Physically, it's a dark, wooden tunnel that could have had subways inside in the past. Lolcat dashes through the tunnel, but it must have taken half an hour before Lolcat saw light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel ended in Route 7, the shortest Route in the Kanto region connecting the blocked-off Saffron City and the bustling Celadon City. Since this area qualifies as a new Route, Lolcat searches through the grass for a new member of the Nuzlocke Team.
Another Meowth. Can you say Double Pickup Slaves? I wanted a Growlithe though :(
Celadon City is a minute's walk from the Underground Path, so Lolcat quickly ran into the metropolis and checked into the Pokemon Center. It's already late in the afternoon, so Lolcat decides to rest early and explore Celadon City tomorrow. However, sleep didn't come easy to Lolcat, and once he started sleeping that recurring dream appeared.
This dream is unlike the previous ones. No voices appear immediately, no pictures. Lolcat stands in the middle of a seemingly infinite white space. He begins to turn in a circle, surveying his surroundings and walking in an arbitrary direction. After about five or ten minutes of this aimless floating through this void, a small black ball appears in the distance. The ball is pitch-black and floats at about five and a half feet high, or about Lolcat's eye level. Lolcat raises his right hand and extends it toward the ball, and as soon as he touches it, a dark pulse emanates from the ball and propels Lolcat back a few feet. Then, the ball floats up to Lolcat and a voice starts speaking to him, the same voice that has appeared in countless dreams before this.
You have defied me by continuing this foolish quest. Obviously, you cannot be convinced of your destiny to fail. I know you, Lolcat. I know you better than you know yourself. You think just because you trained your Pokemon hard and won a few badges that you stand a chance at the Championship. I wish to shatter that delusion, but it seems you will not listen. It's not even possible to get into the Pokemon League without getting slaughtered by Team Rocket, anyway. If you don't remember, they own Saffron, and they'll probably own Celadon soon, too. Once those two dominoes fall the rest of Kanto will fall even faster. And there's a Gym in Saffron City that you're not going to get into anytime soon! And even if you won the Kanto Championship, you have no idea what the rest of the world is like. And trust me, if you think Team Rocket is evil, you have no idea what organized crime is like in other regions. Pack up, Lolcat. There's just no room in this big, bad, world for a stupid little go-getter like you.
The black ball exploded, cloaking the white space in darkness and waking Lolcat up. Twelve hours had passed, but they felt like a second. Lolcat though about that dream and concluded that it was a load of empty threats. However, it's peculiar that whoever's causing those dreams would go to such great lengths to stop one kid from conquering the Pokemon League. Regardless, today's goal is to explore Celadon City and draw up battle plans for the fourth Badge.
Celadon Pokemon Center is on the east side of town, right next to the entrance. Lolcat exited that red building and traveled westward, seeing numerous houses. At the end of the street is the Celadon Mansion, a luxury, four story building owned by Game Freak, a game company that apparently enjoys breaking the fourth wall. The owners allow visitors to enter and tour the Mansion, so Lolcat decided to hop in and explore the building.
The first floor is rather small. A few Game Freak employees run up and down the stairs for meetings and discussions, and a side room is occupied by an elderly woman. Lolcat decides to converse with the woman who begins speaking:
"Oh, hello. This suite belongs to the area manager of Game Freak Inc., who is me. So you're Lolcat, right? I've heard about you; I think I watch you trounce Lt. Surge a few weeks ago. You want to finish the Pokemon League challenge, no? Well, you know you'll need to go through Saffron City to get a Badge, and it'll be pretty hard to do so with all the rioting and firefights. However, I can help if you wish. You see, I have in my possession a cup of Hot Tea. In the Pokemon games, you can bribe Policemen with it. However, in this freaky Nuzlocke mode, you have to throw the Tea in a Policeman's face and then run like hell into Saffron City. Do you understand, son? This Tea is like four hundred degrees Fahrenheit, and it'll temporarily blind the cops. However, it'll take me about a month to finish brewing. So remember me in a month, Lolcat!"
Hmm...ass kicking grannies? Cool. After writhing in fear of what that senior citizen could do with all her money and tea, Lolcat proceeds up the stairs to the second floor. This floor contained a meeting room, but it's currently not in use so Lolcat simply walked up the stairs to the penultimate floor. This floor is a bit more lively; a large group of people discussing their most recent game. Lolcat, a big fan of video games, asks for a moment of their time.
One rather stout man acknowledges Lolcat, stating that "I'm on the team for this game called Pokemon! It'll be a huge hit! It's about this guy who travels this land called Kanto to collect Bedges and win a beast fighting tournament!"
Lolcat replied, "Can't we already do that in real life?"
The next member of the team declares that "I programmed all the areas! There's a place called Mt. Moon, Diglett's Cave, even a place based off of Celadon City! It's called Celadon City!"
Lolcat replied again, "Uh, again, all those places already exist in real life, why do we need a game to do exactly what we do normally?"
"Uh, I don't really know! But this interview is over, I need to finish designing this place called Celadon Mansion!"
Lolcat decides to leave those...eccentric gentlemen... alone for a while and check out the top floor. The top floor is simply a rooftop with a small shack on top. The sign on the shack read "I KNOW EVERYTHING" in capital letters. Intrigued at the inhabitant's bold claim, Lolcat decided to enter the shack. The inside is a single room with a blackboard detailing the finer points of trading Pokemon, and a Pokeball containing an Eevee. Lolcat began to question the man:
"So, sir, could you please detail how to trade Pokemon with others?"
The man replied, "Oh, sure. So, you take a Pokemon and give it to someone else. Then you get one from that person. Done. Want my Eevee?"
"Uh...I'll think about it." replied Lolcat.
Deciding that the excursion to Celadon Mansion is over, Lolcat treks down the stairs and south to the Rocket Game Corner. The casino is smack-dab in the middle of town and consists of two buildings: the casino itself and a building where one can redeem Coins for prizes. Since the redemption center is closest to the entrance, Lolcat decides to see what prizes the Game Corner has to offer. The shelves are stocked with Technical Machines, Pokeballs with prize Pokemon inside, and hold items. The prize Pokemon are Abra, Clefairy, Dratini, Scyther, and Porygon, but only Abra and Clefairy are usable really
and come at levels 6 and 13, respectively. Therefore, Lolcat chooses to go back and take up that Eevee fellow on his offer. Back at Celadon Mansion...
"Can I have the Eevee?"
"Yeah. Go evolve it at the Dept. Store."
Lolcat walked for a few minutes down the paved roads of Celadon City until he came to a skyscraper labeled Celadon Dept. Store. The purple building is massive, dwarfing even the Pokemon Mansion. Lolcat slid through the automatic glass doors and found a directory leading him to the fourth floor: Wise Man Gifts, where there was a sale on Evolution Stones. The stones are rather expensive at 2100 Pokedollars each, but Lolcat has amassed almost seventy thousand in the past few months so he makes the purchase.
Gloom and Eevee are released from their Pokeballs. A Leaf Stone is removed from the Bag, and Gloom starts feeling a bit dizzy. The flower Pokemon starts to morph into a similar beast, but the evolved form contains five large petals on top of its head. The final-stage beast then lets out a roar of "VILE...PLUME!!" and retreats back into its Pokeball.
Eevee is the next Pokemon. Lolcat says a quick prayer, "Wartortle...This friend shall carry on your legacy." and exposes the little dog to a Water Stone. The evolved beast is blue and rubbery on the outside, and yells it's new name: "Va...por....eON!" However, Lolcat isn't finished with his new teammate. Since Vaporeon only knows Normal-type moves from Eevee, Lolcat withdrew a Water Pulse TM from his bag and placed it on Vaporeon, teaching him (Vaporeon is male) a strong Water attack.
Lolcat then descends the stairs to the second floor where TMs are sold, picking up a Secret Power TM at the stand. Fearow needs a better Normal attack than Fury Attack. The excursion to the Department store is complete, so Lolcat decides to finish his trip to the Game Corner. Back inside the casino, Lolcat spies a new face in the area, and not one that he wants to see. A Team Rocket operative, cloaked in black, is lifting a poster and installing a switch behind the poster. With a revitalized hatred for Team Rocket, Lolcat boldly steps up to the man and says,
"Hey, Rocket goon! I don't want you in Celadon, so why don't you get lost?!"
The Rocket grunt replied in a chilling, deep voice.
"Oh, you're here at last, Mr. Lolcat? I don't like to be kept waiting. You have made an enemy of Team Rocket, and likewise Team Rocket has made an enemy of you ever since we suffered that...setback...in Mt. Moon. Now, Team Rocket shall not be leaving Celadon, as it's the largest Team Rocket-controlled area in Kanto. Did you know that over one-eighth of Celadon is affiliated with us? Look on the streets. You find us. Look in the houses. You find us. Now, if you wish to meet with our leader, you must defeat me. Name your game."
Lolcat thought hard about this challenge, and picked the one game he couldn't lose at:
"The game...is Pokemon."
Lolcat sent forth the team's newcomer: Vaporeon. The Rocket Grunt sent out a Raticate to meet a watery grave. Vaporeon kills with Water Pulse. Zubat also dies to Water Pulse. GG, Rocket dude.
"Hmm...your Vaporeon is powerful indeed. Fine, you have the right to enter the Rocket Hideout, but I shall give you no more guidance than that. If you are worthy of meeting our leader, you will find him yourself. Fail, and you won't be escaping the Rocket Hideout anytime soon....heh."
The switch behind the poster revealed a flight of stairs leading under the Game Corner. The area underneath the Corner, however, was unlike anything Lolcat has ever seen before. The floors are coated in metal and produce considerable noise when stepped on, so Lolcat makes sure only to tiptoe across the building. The stairs back to the Game Corner immediately receded in order to conceal the Rocket Hideout from the denizens of Celadon.
The entire complex is located underground, of course. Lolcat stands between two flights of stairs: One leading back to the surface which Lolcat can activate at any time, the other leading further down. The first floor also branched in three other directions, so there are four possible courses of action. Since the stairs leading to the second underground level are the closest, Lolcat descends further into the Rocket lair.
The second underground floor is similar to the first. The stairs deposit Lolcat on the eastern side of the floor, and to the right is a lone Rocket guard watching over this side of the floor. Deciding that he could probably take him in a Pokemon battle, Lolcat releases Vaporeon and challenges this Grunt to a duel.
Both Trainers possessed five Pokemon, but the Grunt's Pokemon are much weaker at only Level 17. Vaporeon one-shotted the team of five with five Water Pulses, growing a level in the process. Lolcat sent Vileplume to use Sleep Powder on the defeated guard so that he couldn't notify his cronies of Lolcat's presence. The path split into two: to the north was another staircase leading further underground, and to the west is a maze of walls, tiles, and Rocket Grunts. The north passage looks much safer, so Lolcat decides to venture further down into the Rocket Hideout.
The third floor is much like the previous two. Lolcat tread lightly on the metal floors up to a door leading south. Fearing that it could be a trap, he opened the door only an inch, but a Rocket Grunt immediately saw him and sent out a Machop. In an instant, Lolcat countered with his Vaporeon and sent the little fighter packing with a single Water Pulse.The Grunt sent out another Machop, but Vaporeon was too strong for the Grunt and the second Machop was felled with a single attack. However, instead of storming off, the Rocket Grunt stares straight at Lolcat, piercing him with his emotionless face. Then, a grin appeared on the defeated criminal's face. He began to speak with a booming, almost joyous tone which frightened Lolcat:
"Ha! Hahaha! Oh, noooo! I've been defeated in a little Pokemon fight! Lolcat, do you really think you can get through the Rocket Warehouse alive? Your stealth failed you! That guy guarding the poster sent a message to our master, who notified us all that you're coming! Now, every step you take, every door you open, every noise you hear might just be a trap the Rockets set just for you! And you'll need a Lift Key to get to the boss anyway, and good luck finding a Grunt who has one of those! Heh, you're as good as dead! See ya, Lolcat!"
Stealth wouldn't help Lolcat anymore now, so Lolcat quit tiptoeing and started dashing wherever he went. First, Lolcat continued following the snaking path behind the Grunt he just defeated, and sadly enough it's a dead end, so Lolcat simply returned to the staircase and ran down the other hall. The path turned south, and Lolcat passed by countless machines with flashing lights. Alarms.
Just great.
The path did not branch until Lolcat arrived at another maze filled with green movement tiles. Movement tiles are tiles with arrows on it that propel whoever steps on them in a certain direction. This Hideout is filled with them in order to slow down intruders. Lolcat realizes that the best way to finish these mazes is through trial and error, so he runs into the maze and is propelled south into a dead end. Obviously, that was the wrong way.
The maze is rather small, so Lolcat could see the entire maze without having to arrive in many dead ends. The other tile leads to the west, and then south. Lolcat eventually circles the entire area until the last tile deposits him on the other side of the floor.
Right in front of a Rocket guard.
Vaporeon leads off in the inevitable battle, and the Grunt counters with a frightening Rattata, who is dispatched by a Water Pulse. Second, a Raticate emerges from the Grunt's Pokeball, but is taken down by a Water Pulse-Quick Attack combo. Third on the man's team is a Drowzee. Water Pulse does not KO and the annoying Psychic attacks Vaporeon with Hypnosis. Vaporeon endured four attacks as he slept, which Lolcat deemed to be bs hax.
The rest of the area is devoid of Rocket Grunts and only contains two significant features: a movement tile back to the beginning of the third floor, and a staircase that leads to the bottom (fourth) floor of the lair. Deciding to explore further, Lolcat moves down the stairs and onto the bottom floor.
This part of the fourth floor is only one room with only one Rocket Grunt inside. Lolcat charged up to the man with Vaporeon and demanded a battle. The Grunt possessed two Pokemon, a Koffing and a Zubat. Neither Pokemon can survive a Water Pulse from Lolcat's Vaporeon, and Lolcat won the battle quickly.
The Grunt is backed into a dead end, and begins to speak.
"Uh...please...don't hurt me! He-here, t-t-take my Lift Key, it'll let you get to the B-Boss..."
Lolcat snatches the Key from the frightened Grunt and runs up two flights of stairs back to the second floor of the complex, as the third floor has already been explored completely by Lolcat. Back on the second floor, Lolcat knows it's time to face the maze, and this maze is much larger than the one on the third floor. Lolcat steps onto the first movement tile and is immediately propelled west until he runs into another one, moving him south, then east, then north, then west. The tiles restricted Lolcat's movement greatly; all he can do is step on a tile and hope that the tiles lead him to the elevator.
Apparently, the maze is not a maze at all. The tiles keep jetting Lolcat in all different directions, and once a stop tile is reached Lolcat finds himself staring down a stairway to the floor directly underneath the Game Corner.
The room Lolcat is in now is an office populated by a lone pair of Rocket guards. The two guards fail to notice Lolcat, giving the Trainer ample time to survey the area. On the other side of the office is a staircase leading back to the second floor and probably to the elevator. However, the two guards are standing directly in front of the staircase, so Lolcat simply walks by the tables and computers and challenges the black-cloaked Grunts to a battle each.
Vaporeon spams Water Pulse. Now he's out of PP. Aww...
Lolcat's hunch about the elevator was correct. After moving the Water Pulse-less Vaporeon out of the lead slot, Lolcat turns the Lift Key and enters the elevator to the Hideout's inner sanctum on the bottom floor. This room is rather small. Two armed Rocket guards stand in front of a large brass door, and Lolcat's only option is to power his way through the gate. The first Rocket Grunt begins to speak to Lolcat before the battle:
"So, Lolcat. I'm impressed you got this far. As you might suspect, the Boss's office lies right behind this here door. However, this door can only activate if you defeat both of us guards. Your team is undoubtedly quite worn out from your journey through this metallic maze, and I'm sorry to say your journey ends here. Go, Sandshrew!"
A small sand mole emerges from the Pokeball, and Vileplume quickly takes it down with a Bullet Seed. Ekans is the man's second Pokemon, but it too falls before Sleep Powder and nine Bullet Seed strikes. Sandslash cannot withstand the force behind the vile flower's seeds either, and the battle is quickly won.
The second guard offers a few words before the battle too.
"Lolcat, Team Rocket is a gigantic criminal team. And with master Giovanni behind it, you cannot hope to end us. Look at the great works we have performed in Saffron or Lavender. One kid, even a great Trainer, cannot stop us alone. Even if I fall in our battle, GIOVANNI WILL DEFEAT YOU! Ekans, go!"
Ekans emerges, and Graveler steps forward to counterattack. Though Ekans Intimidates Graveler, the rock beast still strikes it down with a Magnitude 8. Sandshrew is defeated by two Magnitude 7's, and the last Arbok cannot stand up to a Magnitude 5 followed by a 7, though the cobra successfully landed two one-damage Poison Sting attacks during the battle. Graveler was not poisoned.
The brass door lifted, and a lone man, surrounded by machines and ornate plants, is seen typing on his computer. Hearing the door opening, he sets down the computer and waits for Lolcat to challenge him. Lolcat, hoarse with rage at Team Rocket, starts delivering a pre-battle invective at the criminal:
"You...you utter MONSTER! How dare you send your legion of criminals to do what they did?! You single-handedly caused the death of thousands of innocent citizens of Saffron and wracked the Pokemon Tower! And for what? A little cash? A little power? You're a sick man, Giovanni, and I'm about to do to you what you did to those innocent people. Go, Graveler!"
Giovanni did not have the chance to speak, but instead threw out a single Pokeball containing an Onix. The rock snake began the battle by hardening its exterior enough to survive Graveler's Magnitude 5. The snake then took the offensive with a pitiful Rage attack, but a Magnitude 10 put the Pokemon out of its misery. Giovanni spoke.
"Hm. You're good. But check this beast out."
A Kangaskhan emerged from the Pokeball. Kangaskhan began the round with a Fake Out, and Graveler couldn't recuperate from the blow, giving the giant enough time to unleash a Bite attack. Lolcat then ordered the Graveler to shake the ground again, but the Magnitude 5 barely scratched the Kangaskhan. Kangaskhan continued the duel with another Bite attack, but Graveler didn't even flinch at the move and unleashed a Magnitude 4. Continuing the strategy, Kangaskhan raises its mouth and chomps down on the Rock type Pokemon, scoring a critical hit and flinching her at the same time.
"Bs Hax", announces Lolcat.
Lolcat sees the critical Bite scored twenty-four points of damage and Graveler still has twenty-seven hit points left, so Lolcat decided it was safe to land another Magnitude. Kangaskhan used Mega Punch which did only eleven points, and Magnitude 8 took Kangaskhan's health to about one-third. However, Graveler began to get a bit dizzy and let out a weak cry of "Grrr.....avvv", so Lolcat withdrew the rock beast.
"You did great, Graveler! Time to send in the relief! Go, Fearow!"
The Parent Pokemon unleashed another Bite attack on Fearow, but Fearow barely noticed it as she countered with Secret Power, fully paralyzing Kangaskhan. Lolcat almost felt bad for the hax but remembered those Magnitude 4's and the critical hits.
"Hmm...Even my Kangaskhan? Very well then, meet your demise, Lolcat! Go, Rhyhorn!"
"Ugh, a Rhyhorn?” thought Lolcat "Perfect time for Vaporeon to come in if Water Pulse wasn't out of PP..."
Lolcat called Fearow back and unleashed Vileplume, enduring a Tail Whip on the switch.
"This is going to feel SO good..." spoke Lolcat, as he ordered a Bullet Seed to stop the beast in its tracks. This battle is over.
The defeated Rocket Boss spoke with his head down and tears streaming down his face. "Lolcat, you might have won Celadon from us...but this is NOT THE END OF TEAM ROCKET! You will rue the day you messed with the greatest crime syndicate in Kanto!"
Lolcat, not missing a beat, spoke just two simple words.
"Vileplume, kill."
Vileplume readied her Bullet Seeds, but before she could fire off an attack, Giovanni pressed a red button on the table in front of him and a trapdoor opened underneath him. Giovanni then fell down the hatch, far out of Vileplume's range.
Lolcat had won the battle, but Team Rocket is winning the war.
END OF PART EIGHT