Back on the Trail to Virbank City

Back on the Trail to Virbank City

Now that we have all of that technical stuff out of the way, and now that we have our first Gym Badge in our Badge Case, it is time to continue our adventure, which in this case not only means to head back to the Floccesy Ranch and past the Hiker who was blocking our way, but along the way we want to have a few battles with Trainers and capture more wild Pokemon and while we are at it, get our team to Level 18 (but no higher than Level 19 - since we can only issue orders to Level 20 and below). 

The reason that we want to stop around Level 18 to 19 is that there is every chance that our Pokemon will level up during the next Gym Battle – remember we have to battle the Assistant Gym Leaders as well as the Gym Leader themselves, and we want to be able to issue effective orders to our team, so really Level 18 should be the cut-off point.

As you are passing through Floccesy Town and about to exit the town on your way to the Ranch Bianca comes running up and tells you that she forgot to upgrade your Pokedex!  It seems that there is a new upgrade that adds Habitat Lists to the records recorded in it...  She also clues you in about rustling grass but does not fully explain it to you.

The Habitat upgrade is cool as it will show you Pokemon that you have seen in each area, and mark the ones you have actually caught, so it provides an easy way to see where there are types you have not caught in an area, but bear in mind it will only show the areas you have actually been in, and the Pokemon  you have actually seen – as it is a function of the ability of the Pokedex to record data, and not pull data from an outside source.

Wild Doubles Battles in the Dark Grass

– The Hiker at the Pass –

You will recall that on the way to the Ranch there is a pass that heads to the right, which was blocked by a Hiker named Jerome – who would not allow us to pass because we did not have the first Pokemon Badge...  Now he not only will allow us to pass, but wants to battle us!  He has a Level 11 Riolu which should not present much of a challenge to you and, once you have beaten him, complements you on your abilities and steps out of the way, to allow you to pass.  Chances are that even if you took a little damage during the battle you do not need to head back to the Pokemon Center to heal, but if you feel like you do need to do that, do it.  You first instinct is usually right.

Heading down the stairs at the bottom we meet “The strongest Trainer in Virbank's preschool” (?!) Preschooler Albert, who has a Level 10 Psyduck and $40 to pay for the lesson you give him.

Just as you are walking away from that battle and you think you will soon be in Virbank City Gym Leader Cheren comes running up to stop you!  He takes you and Hugh over to the tall grass nearby and explains how on rare occasions TWO Pokemon can jump out at once (that is a Double Battle),  He also warns you that Pokemon found in the darker grass are stronger than those in the lighter grass.  He hands you some Pecha Berries and explains that they may help with beating the next Gym...  Considering that the Pecha Berry cures Poison, that should tip you off about what you have to face in the next Gym... Just saying.

Hugh heads into the dark grass, and if you look closely you will see that there is a Treasure Ball in it so you may as well head in too and get the Treasure Ball, which contains a Great Ball (your first?) and why not see what types of Pokemon are in here while you are at it?

I found Patrats, Pidovs, Purrloins, Sewaddles, Sunkerns, and Venipedes at Levels 10 and 11, making this ptch a good place to quickly level your team to Level 15...  If you battle long enough you will have your first Double Battle here as well,  Remember the Rancher's wife can heal your team, so you don't have to run all the way to town!

Preschooler Lin is waiting just past the patch with her Level 10 Lillipup and $40 to learn how to lose, and just above her on the right is a Treasure Ball with an Antidote in it.  Follow the first ledge around to the left and you battle Nursery Aide Kimya, who has a Level 11 Dunsparce and pays you $440 for beating her.

On the level above her is a Treasure Ball with a Dire Hit in it, and on the level above as you continue along the path you have a Double Trainer Battle with Twins Lia & Lily, who have Level 9 Sunkern each – and pay $144 for the lesson.  The entrance to the next town is ahead and when you go through the Gate Guard gifts you with two Great Balls – and just as you enter Virbank City you get a call from your Mom, who tells you about a Complex in the city where you can train your Pokemon!

– Virbank City –

As you enter the town and approach the Pokemon Center you encounter a pair of... Well... Not really sure what to call them.  The Captain and Roxie?  It seems that the Captain wants to be an actor, as he is telling Roxie of his plans to go to the Pokestar Studios, while for her part Roxie is not all that impressed with the idea...  It seems that the Captain is the Captain of the local ferry, and Roxie – his daughter – is the local Gym Leader! 

First thing first, pay a visit to Nurse Joy in the Poke Center and heal up, and you will notice that the Medal Man is there, so go ahead and chat him up to collect your recent Medals.  Chat up the Trainers here to get some tips – and learn that the more Gym Badges you possess, the more items you can buy at the shops!

Explore the town and talk to each of the residents to get tips, information about the town and its Gym Leader, some free Pokeballs, an Antidote in a trash can.  For the moment it seems you cannot enter the Pokestar Studios, but there are some buildings and houses you can enter...  In the house to the right of the Poke Center there are two trainers to talk to and a Treasure Ball with a Poke Toy in it.  In the Preschool south of the Poke Center a girl will gift you with a Burn Heal, and you will spy a Treasure Ball past the entrance to the Complex Area that has an X Accuracy in it.

To the right and down the stairs is a trainer who will offer to trade you a Great Ball for a regular Pokeball, which is something he will do once a day with you...  As you do not have the HM Surf you cannot continue on but remember that area for later when you do...

In the grass here you can capture Level 10,11 & 12 Magby, Magnemite, Patrat, and Pidove, and this grass patch is a great place to level your team to Level 16!

– The Complex –

As you enter the Complex the manager stops you and asks that you do him a favor and help fire his men up –  just along the path is Youngster Masahiro, who has a Level 13 Lillipup, and pays you $208 for the lesson.  Lass Daya has a Level 13 Woobat, paying you $208 for the lesson. 

Worker Isaac can be found in the bottom right area once you head up on to the platform path above, and he has a Level 12 Magby and a Level 12 Koffing, paying $480 for the lesson.  At the bottom of the set of stairs here is a Treasure Ball with TM46 Thief in it, so be sure to collect that!

Further along on the walkway is Worker Mitchell, who has a Level 12 Patrat and a Level 12 Elekid, snd gives you $480 for the lesson...  At the end of the walkway you find Youngster Waylon, who has a Level 13 Patrat, and pays you $208.

Below him in the patch is Worker Nathan, who has a Level 12 Riolu and a Level 12 Lillipup, and pays you $480 for the lesson.  That was the third worker, so head back to the manager to collect your reward, which is the move TM94 Rock Smash. 

There is another trainer in the path on the upper right but you need to go through the middle right and then up to get to him.  That trainer is looking at the processing plant and talks to you about it before heading off through the dark grass.

Bear in mind to keep an eye out for shaking grass, as they contain the rare Pokemon Audino, and it is worth your effort to grab one of those...

In the light patches here you can also battle Level 10, 11, 12 and 13 Growlithe, Koffing, Magby, and Magnemite, which makes it very easy to take your crew to Level 17 here.

In the dark patch you can battle Level 11, 12, Patrat, Koffing, Magby, Magnemite, and this is a good place to take your crew to Level 18, which makes them ready for the next Gym Leader battle – and that is now!

The Second Gym Battle in the Virbank Pokemon Gym and Disco

– The Virbank City Gym –

The Virbank City Gym is both an underground club and a Gym – when you enter and head down the stairs you meet the Greeter, who fills you in a bit, then gifts you another Fresh Water!  Inside you see that Roxie is performing on the stage – neat tune – you cannot talk to Roxie because she cannot hear you, but that is OK because we have to battle the Assistant Gym Leaders first, so head to the drums and talk to the Assistant there – Roughneck Nicky has a Level 14 Grimer, and a `1Level 14 Koffing, and pays you $336.
 
Head back to the Center to heal if needed, then chat up the Guitar Player Assistant Gym Leader, Guitarist Billy Jo, who has a Level 14 Venipede, and a Level 14 Koffing, and pays $448.  With the second Assistant Gym Leader managed you will want to heal up and get ready to take down the Gym Leader!

Roxie greets you with P-O-K-E-M-O-N Pokemon!  Yeah, great tune... But it is time to be a Gym Leader now, not a rock star, so head up onto the stage and chat her up, and she immediately trots out her Level 16 Koffing and starts the battle!  After that she follows with her Level 18 Whirlipede, and once you beat that she pays out $2160, fllowed by the Second Pokemon Badge – the Toxic Badge – which means that Pokemon up to Level 30 will follow your commands, including those obtained in trades!  The move that she rewards you with is TM09 Venoshock, which covers the target in poison liquid. 

As you depart the stage you are approached by a Producer from Pokestar Studios who tells you that you are something special and invites you back to the studio – that causes Roxie to remember that her dad is not at work and she runs off to collect him.

That wraps up the Virbank City Gym and this phase of the adventure – so head back to the Pokemon Center, heal up, and get ready for the next stage by hitting up the shop and re-supplying.