So, I decided I wanted that shiny Salandit in Pokemon Go. Yeah, I know, I know, some folks chase a different rare critter every week, but this one, this one felt like a proper challenge. A friend of mine got one, a female too, and evolved it, and I just thought, “Okay, game on.” I had to get one for myself.
My Journey into the 12km Egg Madness
First off, getting Salandit isn’t like finding a Pidgey on every street corner. Nope. These little fire lizards, especially the shiny ones, are mostly locked away in those pesky 12km eggs. And how do you get those eggs? By beating Team GO Rocket Leaders. Sierra, Cliff, Arlo – they became my regular sparring partners.
The process itself, man, it’s a grind. You gotta beat six Grunts to get enough Mysterious Components to build one Rocket Radar. Then, you equip the radar, hunt down a leader, and hope they actually drop a 12km egg. Sometimes, you know what happened? My egg bag was full! Full of 2km or 5km eggs. So, I’d have to go on these forced marches to clear space, muttering to myself the whole way. My poor sneakers saw a lot of action.
And the incubators! Oh boy. I tried to be smart, use the free one for short eggs, save my good Super Incubators for the 12km ones. But let me tell you, those 12km eggs feel like they take forever. I must have walked hundreds of kilometers. I’d be out, phone in hand, just pacing around the neighborhood, trying to get that last 0.1km to tick over.
The Hatching Rollercoaster: So Many Vullaby
Then came the hatching part. This is where the real test of patience began. I’d see that purple egg crack open on my screen, heart doing a little flutter, and what would pop out?
- Vullaby. So many Vullaby. I swear, I could have started a Vullaby army.
- Pawniard. Okay, not bad, but not what I was after.
- Skorupi. Again, fine, but not the prize.
- Larvitar. Decent, but still, no shiny lizard.
And sometimes, oh, the cruelty, a Salandit would hatch! My pulse would quicken… only to see it was a male. You see, only female Salandit can evolve into Salazzle, so a male shiny, while rare, wasn’t the ultimate goal for me. I wanted that shiny female. Most of my Salandits were male, it felt like a running joke.
There were days I’d hatch three or four 12km eggs and get nothing but disappointment. I’d tell myself, “That’s it, I’m done with this nonsense. It’s just pixels!” But then, I’d beat another Rocket Leader, get another 12km egg, and that little voice would whisper, “Maybe this one…” And back on the incubator treadmill I’d go.
Finally! The Little Fiery Lizard Shows Up
This went on for weeks. No joke. I was burning through Pokeballs fighting Grunts, using up potions and revives like crazy. My item bag was constantly screaming for more resources. I started to think shiny Salandit was a myth, something only other, luckier players got.
Then, one evening, I was just doing my usual rounds. Another 12km egg was about to hatch. I wasn’t even paying that much attention, just tapping through. The animation started, and I sort of glanced down, expecting another Vullaby to mock me. But then… sparkles! Actual sparkles! And there it was, a Salandit, but this one looked different. Paler. And then the little shiny icon popped up! My jaw pretty much dropped. I squinted at the screen. And then I checked its gender. Female! A shiny, female Salandit! I actually yelled out loud, got a few funny looks from people walking by, but I didn’t even care.
So yeah, I finally got it. It took forever, a ton of walking, and more Vullaby than I ever wanted to see in my life. Was it worth it? Well, seeing that shiny Salazzle in my collection now, yeah, I guess it was. It’s a good story to tell, at least. Now, what shiny should I go for next? Oh boy, here we go again.