"Spunch, My Big Fuzzy Friend. Or, my Fire Red Nuzlocke"

About a month ago, I decided it was finally time to challenge myself by the rules set long ago. With a Nuzlocke.I started in an easier game, Omega Ruby, it was simple enough. A few hiccups, but in the end we defeated the Elite Four and Champion with but a single loss.And then I moved on to an older, much more difficult game, Fire Red version.My memory of the game was still intact after all these years, I knew the game and gyms like the back of my hand. It was going great, I lost a Pidgey and Rattatta before Brock, but caught a Mankey and Nidoran (Male), which was incredibly lucky considering my starter was a Charmander.I also managed to get a pikachu in Viridian, with these rare catches we swept the first and second Gym. And things were going well, until on route to Rock Tunnel when my beloved Fire Lizard, Blazer, fell to a Magnitude 10.The first hard loss in this brutal game. After that, I only lost one pokemon before the Elite Four, my Nidoking, may his majesty rest in peace, who was defeated by literally the unluckiest thing that could have happened. A Clefairy, Metronome, Ice Beam. I understand your laughter, it is okay, I was laughing too.In the end, my team that reached the Elite Four were tough, and close to my heart.Eveline, The Hypno. I caught a Drowzee on a whim, soon realizing that she would be a great counter to Alakazam or at least capable of soaking some Psychic attacks. Looking back, she was my oldest team member, and by all rights my second Starter/Main after Blazer.Zapsquatch, the Electabuzz. A carefully planned out catch, to replace my slowly falling off Raichu. He was a great warrior, who held us together against the mightiest of foes with his deadly Thunder, and an Aegis against high special damage (He had light screen).Mega Birds, Dodrio. I saw them as not one, but 2 (Eventually 3) of the strongest birds I had ever raised. Drill Peck and Tri Attack are probably two of my favorite Gen 1 Moves overall. They were a true master, knowing how to fly without wings.Bruce, Hitmonlee. The most noble, and heroic of our team. A dragonslayer, but we'll get to that later, and probably my favorite. I've always wanted to use Hitmonlee in this Gen but never really got around to it until now.Poseidon, Seadra. Another pokemon I've always wanted to give a go, but never took a chance on. I love Seadra's design, not so much Kingdra. Poseidon became our lord of the seas, singlehandedly extinguishing not only Blane, but Giovanni as well. He commanded the seas, and respect from his team members.Spunch, The Snorlax. Joining the team as what I knew would be a powerful Juggernaut, and great backup to shield us in any situation. Spunch was always a little slower than the rest, but we loved him for it. He was our big dumb friend, and maybe he knew it, but he also had the biggest heart. When he wasn't sleeping, he was protecting us from the worst our Foes could offer. Destroying Koga, with his Immunity Ability to negate poison, even when Eveline was forced to retreat from it.The Elite Four was tough, and it was here we suffered losses and were reminded of our mortality. When the losses began, I was stricken with shock.Eveline, the first to go. After Bruce wiped both Bruno's Onyx's, Eveline and Mega Birds were to do away with the Fighters. Mega Birds crushed Hitmonchan before he could even throw one of those terribly underpowered Ice Punches. And Eveline crushed the following Machamp. But as she was raising her talisman to smite Hitmonlee, she was stricken down by a last, defiant, fucking BS Critical, Mega Kick.Poseidon fell next, in the realm of the dragon lord. Standing before his mightiest of beasts, Dragonite, his claim to be god of the sea was finally weighed. And he was found wanting. Stricken down by Outrage before even a single blizzard could be landed.Mega Birds came next, while I was sure that Lance had used the last of his Full Restores, I sent in the birds for a quick win. Trusting their speed, I was not prepared for the Dragon to be rejuvenated. And I knew, switching out now would mean allowing one of the others to eat an Outrage. But this was something I could not risk, with two down I needed to preserve the most valuable of our team. And so I lost the trio of brothers, in one fell swoop.And then went Zapsquatch, determined to avenge the others he sallied forth into the jaws of the mighty dragon, unleashing Thunder. He nearly brought the dragon to death in a few attacks. But the beast finished him with a Critical Outrage. But all was not lost, as even in death he struck a crippling blow against the dragon, leaving it paralyzed with Static.Bruce entered the frey, determined to avenge the fallen. And with their spirits at his back, he laid low the great beast with a single Mega Kick.And now, with only two pokemon remaining, I knew this Nuzlocke would end in failure.Maybe it still did...I healed them up, and we marched on Blue's stronghold/room.I was not prepared, for the power that would be unleashed there. In seeing the death of his family, Spunch was awoken from his long slumber. A long, bloody, and Full Restore filled battle waged. Spunch took a beating, destroying Pidgeot, Alakazam, and Executor. But at this stage, after the stat changes inflicted by Feather Dance and Sand attack via that god damn stupid ass pidgeon, I knew he would be at risk against Rhydon. So I sent Bruce into the frey once more.And though he wounded the stone beast, he was defeated by another god damn critical, Earthquake.With three left, I was unsure of Spunch's capabilities. But he had proven me wrong before, so I put my faith into his big squishy form and sent him out, one last time.Trading Earthquakes with Rhydon was brutal, and left the League in shambles I'd like to believe, but ended in our favor. Arcanine was dangerous, but in the end was swallowed by the Earth as well. With just Blastoise remaining, I grabbed a hold of that glimmer of hope.A tank off really, two pokemon hardly doing damage to one another aside from Blastoise's limited supply of Hydro Pumps. When fueled by Rain Dance, they were nearly halving Spunch's HP per hit. And knew a crit would be deadly.And when it came, my breath hitched, heart stopped, butt clenched.Spunch survived with 1 HP remaining.And after healing back to full, we returned the favor with even greater force. Unleashing Hyper Beam, or as I like to call it, the Spunch Blaster. And after a few of those Blastoise fell at our feet... Or was turned to ash depending on how gruesome you animals want to get.It was finally over, my long 65 hour journey had come to an end. Could I call this a victory? Maybe, but I still feel as though I failed them. Together, Spunch and I returned home, Alone. And that is where my story ends, for now. We may pursue new endeavors together, perhaps even hunting down the almighty monster in Cerulean Cave. And maybe I'll even go through the arduous process of getting him to my Sun Game so he may be immortalized as the great Sleeping Giant, who awoke to avenge his family.Only time will tell, thank you all for reading... via /r/pokemon http://ift.tt/2q0Q7na