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Well, turns out that I wasn't right in fearing Jupiter's Skuntank. I should have reserved that fear for trainer battles and my own mistakes.
I lost Parfait to a Bide from a wild Meditite, of all things, after a lack of focus on the screen, since I was multitasking at the time, led to me switching out Togepi, who was in my party for the duration, and putting Parfait in when Bide went up, and my obliviousness extended to landing the first Peck on him. It was only when the next turn rolled around that I finally realized the error I made...and so my starter here ultimately became no luckier than Turtwig in Pearl, through my own ignorance. One of the worst ways for a party member to go out. And in the end, if I was aware, I could have simply ran. As it was, upon retrospect, I had very little choice - in all likelihood, anyone else I switched out to in an attempt to absorb the blow would have probably been fainted as well. But goddamn, do I feel stupid. She deserved a better exit.
And then, rubbing salt in the wound, I lost Eclair to the Picknicker duo on Route 207. I went in Togepi again to pick up experience and one other, switching Togepi out for Golbat to come in. I expected that, perhaps, Pachirisu would use a Spark, and she absorbed that well enough - I figured that Bite and attacks from her partner would do the trick later on. I did not, however, expect the Chimchar to also target her as well, and his Flame Wheel proved enough to bring her down.
In the end, I suppose death is inescapable. They both deserved better, honestly.
I sort of rushed through to Hearthome, and have brought Chingling and a recently acquired Gligar into the team. I am still thinking of bringing Battenberg back, having boxed him to bring Shortbread in, but at least currently, Rivalry may impede his progress...of course, on the other hand, all of Barry's team is male, so that could benefit him. I'll see.
Slathered the tree on Route 208...now I play the waiting game once again.
