Dotted across the arboreal landscapes are patches of soft, loamy soil. "Loamy" is the game's word, not mine. In this specific soil grows berry trees of several different kinds. The berries have multiple uses: pokemon can eat them for various heathful effects, or you can process the berries into PokeBlock candies to improve their presentation stats for the beauty contests.

The berry trees have an unusal cycle of life. As soon as you harvest the tree's berries, the tree disappears. It is then up to you to plant a new berry and water it with the Wailmer Pail. I can't imagine how these trees have survived in the wild. In a couple days, your planted berry will grow into a new tree with fresh berries on it. Repeat.

Captured a wild Skitty tonight, lv8, and promptly delivered it to the Day Care. If I can raise the Skitty into its evolution, it might make a nice partner for Gringo. While at the Day Care, I picked up my Nincada, now at level 23, and also dropped off a Tentacool. The next Gym Leader I need to face, Flannery, looks to specialize in fire types, so I figured I should get a strong water type in my party.

I did finally find that next plot point... a confrontation between Team Aqua and Team Magma. I wasn't expecting to see Team Magma in Sapphire; I assumed they only appeared in Ruby. But there they were, smack-talking with the Aqua goons about which team is best suited to run the continent. Unlike Team Rocket, these two teams seem to think their goals will benefit all human- and pokekind. Of course, Aqua plans to flood the world, and Magma wants to cover it in lava, so you have to take them with a grain of salt.

Time: 15:44
Badges: 3
Pokedex: 35 (seen: 69)
Party: Grovyle lv26, Sableye lv27, Gringo (Mightyena) lv26, Nincada lv23, Razorbeak (Swellow) lv29