Surviving the Quarantine Post 13
Here it is. Surviving the Quarantine Post 13 has arrived. Normally, the number 13 is a horrible number that is a omen of misfortune. Yet as this week played it, it was one of the best since the virus first struck. Be sure to check out the rest of this series too.
Most of the bad has not changed from last week. Antisemitism has taken center stage as scandals continue to occur back to back to back. I’m glad the world is at least for the moment aware of the many pitfalls exist for simply living and being Jewish at the same time.
I live in Florida and this state continues to be the epicenter of the Coronavirus not just in the United States, but for the entire world. I’m doing what I can to be safe, but I can only control myself. What others choose to do in their selfishness might undo any safety measures I take.
Human Trafficking:
Another big topic that has finally reached the news is human trafficking. Every time I think I have found the limits of human evil, I go back to researching this cruel realm, where humans are worse than slaves to remind myself that the limits of evil are endless with our species.
Many are appalled by sex slavery and human trafficking. Rape and slavery are seen as a special type of evil after all. Unfortunately, the nobility and wealthy have always seen the peasants as nothing more than slaves and bodies to have their way with. Its only relatively recent in human history where this became illegal.
But legality means little to those with money and power. They can screw the rules. They make them after all. Many are hoping that the truth of a crazy sex ring will be revealed soon. I have bad news for you. These people own the judges, the police are their stooges, the politicians are in their pockets, and major companies are in on the act.
For those wishing to see human trafficking eradicated, I wish you the best of luck. Going after the most powerful is dangerous. Especially when you try to take their “property” as they see it from them. So long as we live in a society that values money and power above all else, human trafficking is here to stay. It is one of the most profitable industries after all.
The Good:
Well now, that was depressing. Human trafficking is a cruel world that I am doing my best to depict in my stories to draw attention to the sheer depravity of it. But let’s focus on happier topics.
I started working my new job this week. Its amazing how a single new purpose in life can change my emotions. I have felt extremely good. In fact, I have to watch to make sure I don’t get too excited and fall into full blown mania. Let’s hope I don’t write about mistakes committed while feeling euphoric next week.
Anime:
There are plenty of great Anime airing right now to keep me happy. Re: Zero is of course the main attraction. But Fire Force, Misfit of Demon King Academy, and The God of High School are also puling their weight.
Dungeons & Dragons:
I am going through a transition period in my life. For that reason, I made sure to create plenty of content for all my Dungeons and Dragons Campaigns up front. Here is a little of what happened in each one.
Cycle of Millennia:
In Cycle of Millennia, the party began fighting their way through Kranaak’s twisted realm. Fighting Demons, Drow, Dragons, and traps, the party even got split up and fought two battles in view of each other.
Antoinette, a powerful Vampire normally reverted to her Demon form when exposed to the chaotic energies of this realm. Any possibility of the party slaughtering her when her guard dropped has been shattered by her extreme power boost. All is not lost for the party though. The Barbarian and Paladin are also receiving unholy boosts of their own.
Centrum Glacies:
Meanwhile, Centrum Glacies featured a lot of silly moments and a bunch of character building between the party members. Eventually the group set out, intent on luring the invisible serial killer to them.
Instead they got ambushed by Undead Creatures sent by the fleeing Vampire to ensure that the group would not find him. Using an old tower for cover, the party has hunkered down and is fending them off.
Other Campaigns:
In one of the other campaigns, the party was joined by one new member as they ventured into an old temple to fight the insane paladin who almost killed them prior. Unfortunately, new monsters had moved in. The party almost was eaten by an ooze and some strange creatures appeared and confused the party.
In the final campaign, the party reached a mage tower and let their friend enter. However, as soon as he vanished, the group felt a horrific aura and were attacked by Demons. After that ordeal they returned to base and warned the Guard Captain of the danger.
While waiting for troops to be rallied the group assisted another ally by helping her investigate a ruined city. Unfortunately, they felt an even darker presence than the Demons. Eventually, they encountered a creature that could only be described as a living nightmare.
The party is shaken from the encounter. Just what is in store for them when they have already faced a reality warping monstrosity?
Nuzlocke:
Anyway, we got passed the other stuff, but we all know what you kept reading for. Let’s get to the Nuzlocke part of this post. Make sure to check out my Twitch Channel where this story unfolds in real time.
Platinum Adventure Part 12:
After burying Sparky, I headed east onto Route 209 and the Lost Tower that sat there. However, I couldn’t dispel the fog at the top and so traveled back down to find a way to do so.
Next I reached Solaceon Town where people seemed laid back. I wanted out of such a wretched place and so went to the nearby Solaceon Ruins. In the ruins I found Danger the Unown. I sensed the potent power that a swarm of such Pokemon was capable of. But forget that. I found the Defog HM.
Excited to see what sat at the top of Lost Tower. I returned and cleared the fog at the top and found only lame items. I am not sure why I thought something better hid here. Oh well.
Platinum Adventure Part 13:
Moving on, I traveled to Route 210 and caught Pink Blob the Chansey. But nothing else of note was there so I moved on. But Route 215 was another story. While I was excited to catch Itachi the Scyther, tragedy befell me again. A Heracross used counter and killed Blaze Ape. Why can’t I keep my starters alive? Why!?
I reached Veilstone City and Game Break Evolved into Gabite. But I was not ready to take on the Gym Leader here. Meanwhile, Team Galactic had a very obviously evil building in the norther part of the City. But I was not allowed to go there either.
Instead, I added Threat* to the party and trained on Route 214. I caught Hell Hound the Houndour on the way to level grinding. On this leveling spree, Anti Rotom evolved into Gastrodon.
Platinum Adventure Part 14:
Finally ready to take on one of the mightiest Gym Leaders, I entered Maylene’s arena and took on her trainers. But once they were crushed, I had to take her on. Normally I would fear this foe, but I had multiple Pokemon ready to take on this challenge. Notably, her main menace, Lucario was completely powerless against Harbinger.
Grabbing my fourth badge with no deaths in a battle where I was prepared for several pleased me. I only smiled grander when I helped a weak trainer who’s name doesn’t matter reclaim a Pokedex from Team Galactic. At least I gained the Fly HM as a reward for a simple task.
I moved on to Valor Lakefront where I caught Palindrome the Girafarig. For some reason a large hotel resort sat nearby and quite a few trainers made their stay in these fancy rooms. I crushed them and took their money.
Platinum Adventure Part 15:
Next, I reached Route 113 and caught Mine?! the Wingull. Nothing important here. Not yet at least. But as I entered the next city, I saw a Team Galactic Grunt and knew danger was coming. But I ignore him for now,
Pastoria City happened to have a Pokemon Gym as well as the Great Marsh, Sinnoh’s version of the Safari Zone. Wondering what I would find in this place, I ventured into the marshes. Within, I found Zoom Zoom the Yanma, This Thing the Tropius, and Hentai the Tangela.
I trained a little before I took on Crasher Wake and his Water Type Gym. Along the way, Aggro Bird evolved into Staraptor and Threat* became Medicham. Also I took on Dat Boi again. I had forgotten he existed.
Platinum Adventure Part 16:
Crasher Wake had some tough Pokemon, but my Harbinger and his potent electric attacks took on most of his team. However, his ace, a Floatzel threatened to end my entire run. Well not really, Threat* took it on and won.
Pleased with my win, I went and attempted to brag about my superiority to the nearby Team Galactic Grunt. However, he set off a bomb making me wonder if I had made a terrible mistake. I chased after this criminal fearing for my life. Yet he got away. And strangely, it was because that mysterious woman, Cynthia appeared again.
Yet, I was forced to forget about a dangerous terrorist for the time being for Cynthia handed me a Secretpotion and asked me to deliver an item to her Grandma in distant Celestic Town. She claimed I could move the Psyduck that blocked the norther part of Route 210 out of the way. I decided to believe her and went on my way.
Platinum Adventure Part 17:
I needed to return to Hearthome City to continue my adventure and Route 212 provided the fastest route there. In this marshy region, I caught Chill the Quagsire.
At the other end of the route, the marshes ended and I found a massive mansion. The owner of said building built a garden filled with Pokemon and I caught Mascot the Pichu inside.
After I walked through Hearthome again and all the way back to Route 210, I made the Psyduck move and proceeded through the other half of the route. Eventually, I made it to Celestic Town. Guess who was there? Team Galactic. After making sure this grunt didn’t have a bomb, I defeated him.
As thanks for dealing with some riff raff, an old women told me to check out some ruins. She happened to be Cynthia’s grandma but she wouldn’t take her granddaughter’s item until after I took my tour.
Platinum Adventure Part 18:
Inside I read about some extremely powerful Pokemon. A plan formed in my head about taking over Sinnoh if I could claim these beings as my own. As it turned out, another person had similar ideas. A man named Cyrus appeared and claimed that the world was broken and needed to be fixed. I agreed with him and recognized a fellow man of culture.
However, he would suffer no rivals and battled me to decide who would become God of the Pokemon Universe. Revealing himself as the Leader of Team Galactic, he battled me with an impressive Team: Sneasle, Golbat, and Murkrow. While none of these mons were fully evolved, my team wasn’t fully grown either. He posed a serious challenge and I only escaped unharmed through some serious luck.
After he left, I saluted a man who understood how worthless the world was. However, Cynthia’s Grandmother showed that age didn’t eliminate naivety. She couldn’t understand the truth that younger individuals such as myself and Cyrus already knew. At least she gave me the Surf HM for putting up with her antics.
Platinum Adventure Part 19:
Armed with Surf, I explored Route 220 and caught Box Jelly the Tentacool. Route 221 sat nearby and this was the only way to reach it. I caught Morningwod the Sudowoodo on this small stretch of land.
Surf also granted me access to a factory called Fuego Ironworks. Here I caught Swiper the Floatzel. Inside I went through some spinning puzzles and collected plenty of items. Content with what I found here, I moved on.
Using Surf, I finally crossed Route 218 and reached Canalave City. Dat Boi tried to fight me again. He needs to stop doing that. Apparently a great library sat here, but I cared more about riding a boat. Iron Island sounded cool, so I went there.
At the entrance, I got the HM for Strength. Inside I caught Dark Sora the Onix. For my brother, a fellow Demonic Spirit who used to posses children and force them to catch Pokemon in his own right loves this Pokemon more than any other. Speaking of Pokemon that are loved, I battled enemies with a trainer named Riley and he used one that caught my eye: Lucario.
Platinum Adventure Part 20:
After helping him, he gave me an egg. Eager to know what was inside, I set off to to work hatching it. But before I got too ahead of myself, I found a magical stone and finally evolved Flowerpwer to Roserade.
Thanks to a lot of walking, the egg hatched and a Riolu came out of it! I named this Pokemon Knuckles and worked hard at gaining its trust. After an extremely long amount of time bonding, Knuckles changed into Lucario and was ready to rampage through the world.
After training this Pokemon to the same power as my others, I returned to Canalave City and entered the next Gym. This one was home to Steel Types, and one powerful Scizor caused terrible damage to my team. It managed to kill Game Break and filled me with fury. How dare someone kill my Dragon?
I brought Threat* back to help deal with this Gym and Byron its leader. His team was too wake to take on the power of my multiple fighters and Anti Rotom. Soon I had six badges where prior I only possessed five.
Platinum Adventure Part 21:
However, before I could gloat a massive explosion shook the city. Remembering that Team Galactic Grunts sometimes carried bombs, I rushed back to Valor Lakefront and found something quite impressive.
Unlike so many other failure teams, Team Galactic managed to capture a legendary Pokemon. Oh and they blew up a lake I guess. At the cave located in the center, I found another Team Galactic Admin. However, Women seemed to hold all the power among the Admins. Saturn was nothing compared to Mars and Jupiter.
Remembering that the 10 year old I was currently possessing lived near one of these lakes, and so I returned there. I was correct and ran into Admin Mars again. Unlike Saturn she once again was no joke. Fearing a loss, I played cautiously and eked out a win.
Platinum Adventure Part 22:
I looked at my map after realizing that Team Galactic had now captured two legendary Pokemon. There was a third lake and it was far to the north. Wondering what could possibly be here, I headed back to Mount Coronet and proceeded inside to find out.
Route 216 constantly found itself bombarded with snow from Mount Chimney. Into this frozen wasteland I forced a ten year old who was not bundled up properly for the weather. I am evil after all. Speaking of evil, I found a Sneasle and promptly named it Dragonx..x indicating what I meant to do with it. If I couldn’t have a Garchomp, neither could anyone else.
I moved right along to Route 217 where the snowfall only intensified. However, all I found here was an HM for Rock Climb that I couldn’t even use yet, and a Swinub that I named Not Kosher.
Finally I reached Acuity Lake Front, though I barely noticed thanks to the intense blizzard. I did manage to catch Hail Storm the Snover though. Maybe I want to summon hail wherever I go?
Platinum Adventure Part 23:
Finally, I beat the elements and reached Snowpoint City. By the entrance Dat Boi greeted me at the top of a cliff. He told me that I would need to beat the next gym leader to reach him. Well, what was I waiting for?
The next gym featured ice types. Should I have been surprised? Well, after feeling confident in my skills, I made a misstep and sent Threat* to its death. Missing an Abomasnow while in battle with Candice the Gym Leader with High Jump Kick, its fate was sadly sealed.
Still I claimed my seventh badge. This Pokemon’s death had not been in vain. However, what was completely pointless was Dat Boi’s attempt at besting Galactic Admin Jupiter. She laughed at him and told the boy what I had been thinking all along: that a weak trainer like him held back the potential of his team.
She fled when she saw me, and mentioned her hideout. I followed. After all, Team Galactic had kidnapped the three Pokemon of emotion. Wondering what I could do to take over the world if I stole these Pokemon from Team Galactic I fought my way through their warehouse.
Platinum Adventure Part 24
I fooled that Police Officer Looker into helping me fight deeper into the Galactic Hideout. Finally I saw Cyrus give a speech to his Grunts. Of course realizing that his goons, save the female Admins were worthless, I saw through his words and knew that these people were only pawns. My respect for Cyrus only grew at that revelation.
I went through a few more rooms and found the Leader of Team Galactic collecting his thoughts. I spoke to him for a bit. Perhaps he realized that a Demon was controlling this 10 year old, or maybe he didn’t care why a child was asking him to join her and work together to enslave humanity.
Instead, he was content to rule along. I was upset at this rejection and fought him a second time. Maybe a sound thrashing would allow me to force his submission. His team had vastly improved from our first fight too. This time he packed a Crobat and Honchkrow. His Sneasle had yet to evolve.
Unfortunately, Cyrus managed to kill Harbinger. Perhaps this is a sign that he truly will kill and remake the universe in his image. He did take down one of my Gods after all. Of course I still bested him. Sadly, he remained unconvinced that joining me would make all his dreams come true.
Platinum Adventure Part 25:
As soon as I bested Cyrus, I found an item to transform Dragonx..x into Weavile. And before I could bury Harbinger, I wanted to clear the Galactic Hideout. I passed by some machines that managed to keep the three Legendary Pokemon of Emotion contained. Though, I was fascinated by how these apparatuses worked, but Team Galactic Admin Saturn wouldn’t leave me alone.
I crushed the weakest of the three Admins and left the hideout to bury my ghostly friend. To replace the hole in my team (and heart) I brought out Mushroom instead. May it help me stop a man I have a lot of respect for. At least long enough for him to join me and let me remake the universe in my image instead.
Sinnoh is a brutal and unforgiving region. Rest in Peace Sparky, Blaze Ape, Game Break, Threat*, and Harbinger.
Wrap Up:
Well this has been the best week of my life in a long time. I am glad I fought as hard as I did to make it to this point. I hope to keep this momentum going for at least a couple more months, if not the rest of the year. Not even a global pandemic can ruin my life completely it seems.